Author's notes: Hello all. Your friendly neighborhood Rayford here. Just want to start off by thanking you all for taking time out of your day for reading my story. I'm still really new at this (my 2nd fanfic ever), and so, if you've got any advice or anything that can help me out, I'd appreciate it. Also, if there's anything that I missed/botched, feel free to let me know. I've got a few chapters written already, so those will go up fast, with updates every few days, or every other week, at most. At least, I hope. That is, if I'm not playing WoW. : p Anyway, legal junk. This story is copywritten by me. I own it. Not you. Because I said so first. ( : The character names are not copywritten by me, however. I simply chose them off the top of my head. But don't claim that they're yours, because that would be lying, and lying is wrong. Also, I don't own WoW. Neither do you. Unless you're Blizzard, in which case, I take it back. You own WoW. Alrighty, enough out of me. Here's the tale. Hope you enjoy.

Rayford smiled as he approached his destination. He could hear the music, catcalls, and arguing that surrounded his favorite bar. Nestled in a back alley, the Booty Bar was a bit of a tough joint. Most newcomers would leave shortly after entering. The only problem was they'd leave on a stretcher, after getting caught up in one of the bars many fights. Those that came back became regulars pretty quick. Rayford was one such regular. He'd return again and again for the drinks, mainly. But the entertainment that the bar provided was an additional draw. Occasionally, on off nights, there would be a band, or some goblin attempting to provide comedic relief to the diversified group of attendees. But most nights one could walk in and find other forms of entertainment. The female kind.

Rayford pushed open the door, and was immediately assailed by the stench that must be that night's special. The bar always had some sort of special drink and most of them not any good. Ducking under a mug that was sent flying by an angry Gnome, Rayford settled himself at his usual table. Choosing the seat with the best view of the stage, he sat down and waited. Not long after, an Orc waitress appeared wearing what the bar considered "dress code" for its female employees. That is, very little. Pulling out one of the other chairs, she sat herself down.

"Hello again, Rayford," she said. "Back for more fun, I see."

"Hi, Veldara," Rayford responded. Vel was an old friend to Rayford, and one that he'd counted on numerous times. Though she, like Rayford, was a Shaman, she had proven herself to be as tough as a warrior, yet as quick and sneaky as a Rogue. "What's goin on?"

"Oh, nothing. Just seeing what you were up to. Things have been quiet since you, Bog, and Teris broke up that bar fight 2 weeks ago."

"Heh. Look, I'll say it again. We didn't start it. We were just in the middle of it."

"Oh, I know. You never cause problems, right Ray?" She said with a glimmer of humor in her eye, as she brushed a lock of her dark hair out of her eyes. Most of it was kept back in a ponytail, save for a small bit that she let hang forward. "Well, keep an eye out. Rocky still hasn't forgiven you for ruining his date that night. He said that that shirt of his cost him a fortune, and that he'd take its cost out of that delicate hide of yours." As she said this, she traced a finger up Rayford's arm, up to his shoulder, where she rested her hand on his neck.

"Oh he did, did he? Well, I can guarantee that his shirt was nowhere near as expensive as my armor. When you see him, let him know that I'd take it out of his hide, if there was enough hide to take it out of."

"Well, there was also the fact that you stole his date."

"Oh yeah. Heh….That was fun. Man, that woman knew how to drink. You'd think a dwarf woman couldn't hold her alcohol well, because they're so small, right? Yeah, not so much."

Veldara laughed at this, partially because of how much she knew Rayford could drink.

"What happened?" She asked.

Rayford let loose a soft chuckle as he thought back. "Ah yes. I remember. I passed out. Bog didn't. She said in the beginning that whoever stayed conscious the longest was the one that she'd go home with."

"Ah," Vel said, chuckling for a second. "That explains why Bog wants to beat you senseless. So….onto business?" She asked, turning suddenly somber.

"Let's wait for the others. They should be arriving shortly," Rayford responded.

"In the meantime, you can bring me a Rocket Fuel. K, sweetie? And don't forget the lime." Rayford grinned as he saw Vel wince. She'd been working here as a sort of undercover operation, and he loved stopping in and pushing her around.

Veldara stood up with a slight sigh. "Yes sir, coming right up." Giving Rayford a slight glare, she turned away and stalked off. Rayford watched her go, watching the sway of her hips, when he heard the floor boards creak behind him. Before he could turn, he felt a hand wrap around his throat, and a knife tip bury itself into his back.

"Teris, is that you?" He asked, turning his head just a bit. "You seem to be getting rusty in your old age."

"You always were tough to sneak up on, Rayford," Teris said as she released her slight chokehold on Rayford. The Undead Rogue sheathed her dagger, and took up another seat, opposite of Rayford, so that she could watch the door. As with all Rogue's, she was incredibly wary of traps, seeking to spring them rather than having them sprung on her. Being Undead didn't help either, as she was often the subject severe hatred and malice, making her even more wary. As was Teris's custom, she was dressed in all black, with a scarf covering the lower half of her face. In truth, Rayford had never really seen Teris without her armor on. "How have you been, Ray? You've been gone a long time."

Rayford opened his mouth to answer, but just then he heard a crash from behind him, and he tensed as he turned, bracing himself for the inevitable sight of a chair flying across the room. Instead, he saw the barkeep pinned up against the bar by a huge black worg, with a bat floating just above it. The worg had its front paws on the barkeeps shoulders, and had him pushed up against the bar, while it's growling muzzle was mere inches from his face. Rayford was sure that the barkeep was counting the teeth that it had, as well as measuring the length of its canines.

"Devildawg! Heel!" Rayford called. The worg perked up its ears, and, falling to the ground, trotted over to Rayford and tackled him beneath its enormous weight. Rayford laughed a bit, pushing the worg off. Looking up, he saw the familiar face of Bogarden, a childhood friend, offering him a hand. Rayford took it, and, standing up, looked around. His eyes locked with those of Ya'viri, or Viri, as she liked to be called. She was another old friend, and a former lover. Smiling, he embraced them both in a hug, and gestured for them to sit.

"Rayford, its good to see you, bro. What happened to you? Ya just sort of up and left." Bog asked of his friend. "You know we organized a search party, right? Searched from here to Burning Steppes, bro. You had us worried sick."

Ray felt pangs of guilt at having caused his friends such worry. "Yeah. That night we had that…uh….'drinking contest,' I sort of had a vision. I just needed time to sort it out was all."

"Oh? And what did ya see, Ray?" Viri asked. "Did ya see see a threat comin at Kalimdor? Cuz da Troll's be ready for battle!"

"Haha. Hardly, Viri. No, it was something just for me. Now that I've meditated on it, I'm ready to get back to having fun. And speaking of fun, here she comes now!" Rayford raised his voice as he said this last line, referring to the return of Vel. "Hey there, tall, green, and vicious. C'mere and give daddy some sugar."

Vel grinned as she strode over to Ray. Using one finger, she drew it along Ray's jaw line, digging her nail in and leaving an impressive scratch. Rayford glared at Veldara, who simply giggled and sat down in the final chair.

"So Ray, wat's dis bus'ness ya be callin us for?" Viri asked.

"Yeah, bro. You've got us kinda wondering what's up."

"Oh. Yeah. Its nothing. I just wanted to take you guys out for a night of drinking. I know that I scared you all pretty well, and I figure that a night of free ale would help ya forgive me. Plus, the only way I can get Viri into the sack is if she's too drunk to care," Rayford said as he grinned at Viri, who's only response was a glare, followed by a giggle.