She let out a sigh of exasperation and jerk down her leather tunic. It was a new one and every time she sat down , the darn thing would ride up. It was making her crazy, it made it feel like her breast were up under her chin. She leaned forward and rested her arms on the table, looking disinterestedly at the mug of watered down ale the barkeep had given her. She was going to have to make a trip all the way back up to Hillsbrad to look for her old leather tunic. Ever since Ventari had found her and helped her, she hadn’t been able to find it. It was most likely still under that tree. Full of holes she would have to patch.

Ny let out another sigh and reached for the mug. She grimaced at the disgusting brew’s taste. How could these patrons stomach so much of this stuff. Ugh. She let her gaze wander around the little room, looking at all the different races in one place. Whoa, she thought and blinked at the sheer size of a night elf warrior who had just entered the room. Her gaze drifted once more , taking in the laughing faces, the shifty eyes staring back from corners.

Suddenly a head full of shocking purple hair popped into her view as the as it was thrown back in laughter. Ny knew that laugh. She sat up a little straighter, trying to peer around an big, green, orc’s shoulder that just blocked her view.

“Geez,” she muttered and stood up by her chair. Yep, sure enough, it was her.

“Josteen!!” Ny yelled across the room above the dim of the other patrons.

“Nylie girl!!” came back a shout. Ny smiled at the nick name and hearing Josteen’s melodic voice once again.

The two women met at the center of the tavern and hugged. Ny didn’t care that her friend towered over her by a good foot and a half, she was just so happy to see her. Ny leaned back to look up at the troll’s face. Josteen’s amber eyes were lit with happiness at seeing her friend again.

“Come over here and talk to me. I have a table.” The women made their way back through the maze of tables to the one Ny had chosen for her own. Solly sat at the foot of it, but jumped up as he caught Josteen’s scent. He got onto his hind legs planting his front paws on Josteen’s chest.

“Oh, and look at this handsome boy. Solly, ya just so big.” Josteen ran her hands over the cat’s head, “What that girl been feeding you?” Josteen laugh and pushed Solly down. She pulled out a chair and sat down by Nylia who was already seated.

“Whatcha been doing’, girl?” Josteen looked at her old friend, relieved to see Nylia looking like her oldself than the last time she seen her. “Life seems to be agreeing with you.”

Ny smiled at Josteen, “It has gotten a lot better, thanks to you.”

“Oh, now, I didn’t do nothing special. Ya know that.” Josteen returned Ny’s smile. “You look like you’ve left some of those demons behind you? Josteen asked.

“Let’s just say, they do not hang around as much as they used to.” Ny replied.

“That’s good.” Josteen motioned the barkeep for another mug. “Whatcha doing in this part of the world?”

“Just passing through,” Ny answered, “And you?”

“On my way to my grannie’s in Stranglevale. Done left dat mon, again.” Josteen flipped a purple colored braid of her hair back over her shoulder. Her tusks flashed in the tavern’s light as she gave Ny a smirk. “Stupid mon, tinking I’s just dere to cook and clean, and to shake his mon stick.”

“Mon stick…oh, you mean man stick.” Ny blinked and then let out a peel of laughter, “Josteen!!”

“Ya rememba dat ole fool, Ja’rook? He thought I didn’t have a brain or I was dim. Needless to say, he don tink dat no more.”

Ny just shook her head at Josteen, hearing her friend’s speech slip back into that island canter as it did when Josteen was aggreivated. Only time Josteen reverted to her old way of talking was when someone got her dander up. Any other time, Josteen could look down her nose and out talk the noblest of all sin’dorei.

“So how is your grandmother?”

“Getting old. And asking where you’ve been.” Josteen told her with a raise eyebrow.

“Jo…it may be a while before I can go back there.” Ny’s voice trembled for a moment.

Josteen reached over and patted Nylia’s hand. “Don’t worry about that, now. Those two have done up and disappeared. They’ve been gone for almost 4 years now. Don’t nobody know what happened to them.”

Ny smiled at her friend and changed the subject.

“I take it, you’re not to broken up about having to leave Ja’rook again. Seeing you are here, laughing it up and in that dress. “ Ny nodded at the outfit Josteen had on which showed a lot of the woman’s assets off. The straps at the top didn’t look sturdy enough to hold up the material covering Jo’s ample cleavage and the slits down the side told Ny , her friend was still up to her old tricks. Ny leaned forward to whisper at Josteen, “You still run around without your panties?”

Jo let out a loud laugh. “Of course! It gets hot in that jungle. Besides, all that extra clothing is something you sin’dorei torture yourself with, not us trolls. Got to be free, sweet girl. You never know who ya gonna meet in the jungle.”