... what they don't teach you in warlock school ...

"They coulda said somethin' ..."

The little warlock frowned, looking down at the broken red rock, scuffing her feet across the heat blasted marring of the cavern floor.

"Somethin' so basic and simple ..."

She crossed her arms then, fingers tapping upon the sleeves to her robe. With small steps, cause she was small even for a gnome, the lass paced a wide circle about the center of her consternation, once one way and then the other, and then back again, pausing here and there upon her circumference to look up ... foot tapping in a steady beat as she tried to reconcile this particular conumdrum.

"I mean, Mezzy ..."

She looked up to the big voidwalker, her best friend keeping her company as the others began their preparations to depart. The sound of portals being opened echoed in the background, that low cadence of magic hurrying her careful thoughts.

" ... I mean, they's supposed to be the Masters at this right? Our teachers, from the shadow of the Thunderbrew Tavern to deep within the Mage's Quarter of Stormwind to the amber hills of Ratchet. Learnin' me and you and all our spells, how to take care of Zhhatom, how to keep Dissy from dating anything with a pair of legs ..."

She then paused, flushing a bit, a touch of pink highlighting her cheeks.

" ... and some things that don't."

Standing still, she looked up through her tossled bangs, tugging one of her pony tails in consternation.

"And all the rules and laws of warlock'ing ... like when not to try and summon a dreadlord, the proper care of a soul torn from the mortal coil and kept all nice and warm and safe in a pretty pink stone. The best way to send a felguard back into the Twisting Nether or rend a mage into their component parts for easy recycling ...

"You woulda figured they have said somethin' about this."

Once again the gnomish warlock returned to her circular path.

"I know. Pizyap, he deserves his rest. We were both shakin' up pretty hard at that. She was just being real persnickity she was. Guess it was just in her nature. She always was a mite disagreeable, that Lady Prestor. And I know Gia was doin' as best as possible, trying to hold her down all in one place, bopping her in the nose with a sword and all. If'n I was a dragon, I'd pay all my attention to that, for sure. But she just had to wriggle this way and that, just to be all all contrairwise.

"Getting Pizyap right up next to Gia, to stand up there and help ... between the fires and the fearin' and her really big tail, I'm still a shakin."

"What's that Mezzy?"

The little warlock couldn't help but offer a small smile, honestly amused.

"Oh, Pizyap, he hasn't stopped complaining yet, has he?"

She hugged herself, bouncing on her heels, rocking back and forth. A silly imp, Pizyap was. But brave and valiant.

"And it is true, Mezzy. I made sure to be thanking Master Chelydra, and Ellundus and Miss Vamira. I mean, this, this rarely comes once in anyone's life, let alone a lil' gnomish warlock.

"It is an honor true.

"It is a real big honor ..."

And with that she rubbed her chin, facing her problem dead on.

"A big honor.

"I guess that sums it right up.

"It's really, really big ... "

She held up her panther hide pack, measuring its small size against the massive bulk of Onyxia's head.

"But by all the gears that turn and spin ...

"... how am I supposed to get that into this?"

For such an honor, my thanks to my family of Veritas .