Tavern Tales and Shadow Boars
"Ha! How big are we talking 'bout here?"
"Interested, are ye?"
"Might just be."
Durgan leaned back, stroking his beard.
"Big enough to bite Arden's boot clean off."
A roar of laughter spread through the inn.
"He was wearin' the bloody thing at the time!" shouted someone from the back.
"Aye!" Durgan slammed his mug on the table. "Had to wrestle the boot from the beast's jaws while screamin' like a babe!"
"I was not screamin'!" protested Arden.
"Ye absolutely were."
More laughter.
"Ye weren't even there, Durgan!"
Brannock grinned and took a long drink.
"So what sort of beast are we talkin' about?"
Durgan lowered his voice.
"Shadow boar."
The laughter faded.
"Saw it myself up in the hills. Black as a moonless night. Tusks like daggers. Mean bastard too."
"Bah," Brannock scoffed. "Sounds like a boar."
"That's exactly what Arden said."
Arden muttered something unhearable under his breath.
Durgan ignored him.
"Last week a lady elf passed through. Claimed she'd seen it fight off two wolves at once."
"An elf, ye say?" Brannock grinned.
Durgan winked.
"Now we're interested." He leaned back in his chair before continuing.
"Tall. Purple hair. Eyes like moonlight. Legs all the way from Dun Morogh to bloody Stormwind and--"
Brannock waved his hand.
"I'm sure her legs were magnificent. What happened with the boar?"
Durgan blinked.
"The boar?"
"Aye."
"The elf's the interesting part!"
"No, the giant murderous pig is."
Laughter burst around the table.
Durgan looked genuinely offended.
"Ye've got somethin' wrong with ye."
"Probably."
"So there she was," Durgan continued stubbornly, "wearin' this leather armor that fit her like--"
Hildas sharp voice cut through the inn.
"Why are the two of you so interested in this elf lady? Somethin' wrong with us dwarf women?! Argh, it's them long spiny lega of them, eh? Well, let me say one thing straight to the both of ye boys: ye ain't exactly towerin' yerselves!"
"Hilda, please... We're talkin' about a boar 'ere!" Durgan said quickly.
"Exactly! A murderous shadow boar." Brannock added.
Hilda narrowed her eyes as she slammed two fresh ales onto the table.
Brannock raised his mug.
"To the shadow boar."
Arden snorted.
"Ye're not actually goin' after that thing."
Brannock shrugged.
"Didn't say I was huntin' it."
"Then what are ye doin'?"
Brannock smiled.
"Just curious."
The whole table groaned.
"Oh no."
"Not again."
"Last time ye got curious ye fell into a cave."
"And found a lost keg filled to the brim with 8 year ol' stout!" Brannock protested.
"Three weeks later!"
"Worth it."