User:Leppender

Leppender Steelspine
Leppender Steelspine, Matron and Centurion of the Bloodfury Clan, isn't your typical Warlock. While she has vast knowledge of the dark arts, and has an excessive amount of fel energy present in her body, Leppender prefers to think of herself as a scholar. She seeks to expand her knowledge with as much vigor as others of her caste seek to expand their magical power. Ever since she first learned how to read, she has sought knowledge in all forms possible, including history, magical theory, and military strategy.

Though her body is physically weak (even by non Orcish standards), what she lacks in strength she makes up for in heart. She refuses to judge a person until she gets to know them well, and prefers to give respect at once instead of making someone earn it. If someone is hungry, she's the first to give them a meal. If someone is sad, she's the first to comfort them. Despite all appearances, Leppender is a very compassionate, and loving woman.

While the descriptions above would paint the picture that she's a fairly pious, and meek person, you would have to be a fool to tell her that! Leppender is as fearless as they come, and although she enjoys moments of peace and serenity, she truly enjoys the fight. She wields the fel magics with surprising skill and vigor for someone who appears so passive, and loves the sight of an enemy lying at her feet with a look of pure agony on its face. The scent of a battlefield lifts her heart, and when she is fighting, the more carnage she can cause the better. "Leppender Steelspine: Knowledge is the one true power greater than any magic. After that comes compassion, and honor."

Early life
Leppender and her twin brother Chander were born to Merana of the Blackrock Clan, and Tharbis of the Stormreaver Clan, formerly of the Shadowmoon Clan. Both of her parents had deserted the Horde army just after Gul'dan issued the order for all of his Stormreavers to follow him out into the ocean. Already facing much prejudice from their own clans for forming a relationship, and fearing for the lives of their unborn children, they hired a Goblin to ferry them across the ocean to a place where they could raise their children away from the war, and live in relative peace. They were taken to the Barrens, a harsh and brutal place to live, but the couple decided to make the best of things, and built a small hut near one of the oasis.

From the moment she took her first breath, until her parents exhaled their last, Leppender knew nothing but love. For as long as she could remember, most of her days were spent in the same routine: At dawn she would wake up, have something to eat, then go outside with her mother and brother to learn how to fight. Being a Blackrock warrior, her mother was like a drill sergeant to the young child, but each successful swipe with an axe, and each failure to dodge a blow was treated with the same sharp tone, and loving expression. When the sun reached its zenith, Leppender would have lunch, and while her mother went off to hunt, or tan hides, she would spend most every afternoon swimming in the oasis. She was a bit of a troublesome child, taking great pleasure in pulling pranks like diving under the water while her father was fishing, and purposely getting his line tangled in debris. In the evenings, her parents would regale her and her brother with stories about the war, though they evaded any questions about where they had come from, or why there was even a need for war. Leppender thus knew very little about her people.

One night in late spring after her fifth birthday, Leppender was fast asleep in the room she shared with her brother, innocent of the horrors that were about to ensue. Outside her family's home however, a dozen Human warlocks were surrounding the hut, using their magic to see inside. Tharbis, who had worked as a warlock during the war but stopped practicing when he became a father, sensed the intense fel energy around the area, and went outside to chase off whoever was there. Instead he was killed swiftly, and having scouted the hut with their magic, the warlocks barred the door and set Leppender's home on fire. They moved to the only window in the hut, the one with the children inside, and waited for the rest of the home's occupants to climb out of it. When little Leppender awoke to the scent of smoke, and the sweltering heat of her home being burned to ashes, she didn't think twice about climbing out the window, but instead of finding safety she landed in the waiting arms of a Human warlock, and was quickly shackled. As Leppender looked around, spotting her father's corpse beginning to catch fire just outside the front door, and seeing the only home she'd ever known go up in flames, she began to doubt that her mother and brother would ever make it outside. Just when it seemed her entire family had been killed, Chander fell out of the window, and was instantly picked up by the Humans. After he was shackled and forced to stand with his sister, they watched in horror as the roof collapsed, their mother still inside and obviously dead.

Confused and still in shock, the two Orc children followed their captors silently, unable to even consider where they were being taken. They walked for nearly a full day, at last climbing up a steep slope near the edge of Mount Hyjal, and entering into a hidden cavern lined with cages. For two days the twins were huddled in one of these cages, watching fearfully as the occupants of other cages were either taken out and chained to a table in the center of the room for ritual sacrifice, or suddenly vanished without a trace from their cages. On the second day Leppender was huddled in her cage when she felt like something had just grabbed her stomach, and tugged at her. The very next second she was in a different cage, and in another place entirely. A few moments later her brother appeared in a cage next to her. Thus began her life as a prisoner of the Order of the Crimson Fel.

The dark years
Over the next ten years, Leppender and her brother were removed from their cages almost every day, fastened to a table, and pummeled with various dark spells. Over time they learned that the reason behind their gruesome torment was simply because a band of cultists were testing out new spells, and wanted something that could feel pain to test them on. Eventually hatred took root in young Leppender's heart, a seed that began to grow, nourished with one thought alone: Revenge. Revenge for the death of her parents, for the loss of her home, for her captivity, and eventually the loss of her innocence. She began studying her captors, watching their mouths as they uttered the cryptic words of power that caused her so much pain and suffering, distinguishing the meanings for the various runes and fetishes of power. She began to learn the art of the warlock, and secretly train with it at night when those who were set to guard her fell asleep.

Over a ten year period her skill became equal to that of a novice warlock. It was child's play for her to infect one of the many rodents who infested the area near her cage with painful afflictions. She dreamed of the day when she would be powerful enough to overcome her captors, and bring each of them a slow painful death. These dark thoughts, and her disregard for the health of even the rodents who shared their prison began to bother her brother. He had suffered no less than her, but he maintained that they would never be able to earn their freedom by sinking to the level of those who tortured them. He tried to convince her on many occasions to use her powers to help them flee, but Leppender was too wrapped up in her desire for revenge, and too easily manipulated by the dark powers flowing unchecked in her veins to listen.

At last her brother accepted that his twin would never leave the confines of the coven unless either she, or all who had hurt them were dead. When they were fifteen, Chander finally made his bid for freedom, without Leppender. He managed to get out of his cage, and up the stairs leading out of the dungeon like cellar, but he was caught and brought back down to the cages. Leppender awoke to his pained cries, and watched helplessly as they beat him within an inch of his life. At last, one of the mages formed a portal, and tossed Chander's limp form into it before sealing it. Leppender's last shred of sanity left her. She lashed out at her captors, flinging every spell she had ever learned at them. Though she succeeded in wounding, and even killing a few of them, she was subdued fairly fast. Pulling her out of her cage, and strapping her to the table once more, the Humans summoned a couple of shadow priests, and after a full week of work and agony for the young Orc, they managed to seal most of the fel energy in her body within a cocoon of light surrounding her brain.

Once the magical ward was fully in place, Leppender lived in agony. The fel energy inside her mind struggled against the light which seared her, and for the next three years she lived in constant pain. The shield the Humans had erected in her mind had an unexpected side affect however. The holy light, though twisted and warped by the deranged Humans who had channeled it, took root in her mind, and altered her perspective on things. No longer was she driven by revenge or anger, nor did she take any pleasure in seeing the small creatures in the dungeon suffer by spellwork. Additionally, the light cocoon kept the fel energy trapped within her mind, which began to degrade some of the synapses that controlled how nutrients were distributed through the body.

After three years of enduring the blinding pain caused by the light and fel energies trapped within her head, she began trying to use the energy together. It produced varying results, but finally she became confident that she could erect a shield of her own. Soon after she turned eighteen, on a seemingly uneventful night, Leppender unlocked her cage and made a break for freedom. She threw up the force field she had worked so hard to master, and managed to run past all those who would try to stop her. When she reached the door leading out of the coven, and into the cellar of an inn, she took off up the stairs and outside, shocked to find herself in a pleasant looking city with whitewashed walls, and Humans in polished armor. All those years, she had been hidden right underneath Stormwind City itself. Not trusting the Human guards that gaped in shock at the sight of an emaciated, naked Orc woman, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She ran right out of the city, not even being pursued by the guards who were too stunned at the sight of her to move. She turned south, and crossed the river between Elwyyn, Westfall, and Duskwood, traveling through the shadowy glades of the latter until the light of day could be seen shining through a gap between the trees, across a bridge.

She had reached the edge of Stranglethorn Vale, but she was weakening. She had spent most of her life in a cage, and legs that had barely moved more than a few steps each day for thirteen years were now shaking under her, barely holding her up. As she stumbled down the main path the last of her strength left her, and she fell to the ground. She closed her eyes, expecting that the next time she opened them would be to see her parents and brother again. Just after she lost consciousness however, an aristocratic Blood Elf Paladin rode up the trail. He spotted the frail woman on the ground, and instantly went to her side. After checking to see if she was alive, he pulled her onto his horse, and brought her down to Booty Bay where he purchased a room at the inn for her. Over the next two weeks, the elf nursed Leppender back to health, rarely leaving her side. Bit by bit, she told him the story of her life. The elf, who she came to know as Pegasus Firestorm, found the cocoon of light energy inside her mind during her treatments. Afraid that keeping such a delicate spell active would eventually kill her, but not possessing the skill to unravel it, he wrote to some of his colleagues in Orgrimmar, and told them about Leppender's condition. He was pleased by the responses he got from them, requesting that he bring her to them for treatment. Once Leppender could stand on her own two feet, he booked passage on the next boat to Ratchet, and escorted her to the capital of the Horde.

Though Pegasus didn't stay to see her through her treatment, Leppender recovered swiftly under the care of the Orcish Shamans and Troll Priests. It was a full two months before she was considered well enough to leave their care, but when she did it was with a sense of peace in her heart. She was finally a free Orc, and once again the powers of the fel flowed through her body freely. She had heard that the Horde was searching for new soldiers to fight the Alliance, and go through the dark portal into Outland, but she decided to take a bit of time to train her body as best she could, and master her powers before enlisting as a soldier of the Horde.

New horizons
For two years Leppender trained rigorously to regain enough strength to fight as a soldier for the Horde. When at last she was deemed fit enough to enter the Valley of Trials, she received a letter from her old friend Pegasus. He had come across an Orc named Brynjar, who was searching for any able bodied Orcs to fight for his clan. Pegasus had recommended her to Brynjar, and sent her a missive stating where and when she was to meet him. A little hesitant, but determined to find her place among her people, Leppender met with Brynjar. She soon discovered just how little she knew about her own people, but she defiantly told Brynjar that she would do anything the clan asked her to, so long as she was given the chance to prove her worth. Seeming satisfied with the young Warlock's determination, Brynjar admitted Leppender into the Bloodfury Clan.

She was young, hot blooded, and determined to make a name for herself, but little did she realize that she was about to be pulled into a private conflict that would change her outlook on life forever. When she joined the clan Brynjar was the Warbringer, but just two days later Ganakh challenged Brynjar for leadership and won. When Leppender attended her first clan gathering, it was to find a completely different leader than the one she had sworn allegiance to. She watched in confusion as a member of the clan was exiled at that same meeting, and a week later she struggled with conflicting emotions as Ganakh executed yet another member of the clan, saying that all who were weak would meet such a fate. Uncertain about her future in the clan, she turned to Brynjar for guidance. He informed her that the man who was executed was his own uncle, and spoke of the tyranny of Ganakh. When he told her that he wished to see the new Warbringer dead, she agreed to help in the plot of his downfall.

While she worked in secret to find a way to bring down the Warbringer, she maintained a growing reputation within the clan as a hard working, and fearless member. She participated in the Trk'Hsk held in the Gurubashi arena against soldiers who had been conscripted to fight in the north, while she was still working in the Barrens, and against all odds she won the coveted prize that lay on the floor of the arena. When Ganakh proposed that any member who wished to receive a last name from the clan could go on a quest worthy of earning a name, Leppender journeyed across Azeroth and right into the homelands of the Alliance to bring back proof of her deed. Even though she was barely strong enough to fight the elves in Ashenvale, she succeeded in this undertaking as well, earning herself the last name Steelspine, a warrior's name for a warlock that possessed uncanny bravery and determination. She started attending classes held by Titsu'kra Griefwrought, which were only open to the warlocks of the clan, and from the Kor'kron she learned how to read and write. By all appearances she was a model member of the clan, and few would suspect that she was involved in the plot to assassinate Ganakh.

She had finally decided on a means to dispose of Ganakh, by hiring a relative of the Orc who had been exiled from the clan to challenge him at the next Trk'Hsk, a challenge that no matter the outcome would disgrace Ganakh. On the morning of the planned attack however, the would be assassin turned against her, and dealt her a grievous wound that weakened her greatly. When the Trk'Hsk began, she was furious to discover that Ganakh had chosen to attend for only a few minutes before leaving, and the assassin hadn't shown up. Her plans had failed hopelessly, she was in pain from her wound, and she feared that Ganakh's actions that night were because he had suspected some form of attack. After the Trk'Hsk finished, she curled up behind several crates to mourn her failure, but was found by a charming Orc warlock named Juuhk, a Grunt of the Shadowclan. He tended to her injury, and comforted her, even though she couldn't bring herself to admit what she had been doing. She found herself entranced by his kind heart, strong will, and good looks. That night she submitted herself to him completely, walking away with more than tender thoughts of him. She was pregnant with Juuhk's child.

When she first discovered her condition, she told him excitedly about the child she was to bare to him, and though he was thrilled at the prospect of becoming a father, he told her soon after that his duties were calling him away from the physical plain, and that he wouldn't be there to see their child. Leppender was heartbroken by the prospect of losing Juuhk, but she didn't have long to focus on the pain. One day while she was speaking with a forsaken rogue she knew in passing, Ganakh approached them. He requested a private word with the forsaken, and Leppender followed them, hiding behind some storage baskets as she listened to what Ganakh said, fearing the worst. She was shocked when she heard him making plans for the rogue to assassinate him, and bring his body to an apothicary in Undercity. She knew that the Warbringer had suffered a recent heartache as the woman he loved, Kil'gora, decided to become mated to another, and she figured that this request was due to his own inability to handle that loss. Not wanting to miss the moment of his death, she followed the rogue and Ganakh to a small hut outside of Orgrimmar, where the assassin struck him down. She moved into sight at the last moment, to witness his final breath with her own eyes, then followed the rogue as he took Ganakh's corpse to Undercity. A forsaken doctor took Ganakh's corpse, and paid the rogue, but she stayed to watch as he made plans to revive Ganakh as a Death Knight, stating to himself that it would take seven days for the preparations to be complete.

Cursing herself for not offering to pay the rogue's fee, and allowing the Warbringer's body to be delivered to a man who would raise him again, she hastened to write a letter to Brynjar, seeking further instructions. He told her that it was imperative that she win over the support of the Kor'kron Titsu'kra Griefwrought, and convince her to help stop the resurrection lest all their plans come undone. Leppender managed to get hold of Titsu'kra at the Filthy Animal in Dalaran, and tried to persuade her in siding against Ganakh, but at that moment everything fell apart. Ganakh walked into the Filthy Animal, completely whole, and alive. He told her that he knew someone had been trying to have him assassinated, so he had arranged for it to appear that he was dead when he suffered from a grievous wound, but would be able to be restored by the doctor in Undercity. They had played a deadly game of betrayal, and lies, but in the end Ganakh had won, and Leppender resigned herself to whatever fate lay in store for her.

It was perhaps the first time Ganakh had really looked at her, and in his scrutiny of the young warlock, he asked her about her heritage. Her parents having evaded such questions about clans, and family, Leppender didn't know. After walking around her several times, he told her that she had the look of a Blackrock Orc, or perhaps a half Blackrock. Leppender felt her heart sink. She knew Ganakh was from a powerful line of Blackrock Orcs, and the realization that she had been spending all those months plotting the death of a kinsman rankled. She felt dirty, dishonored. At last, and with the feeling of a great weight lifting from her shoulders, she confessed to Ganakh. She showed him all of the letters that had passed between her and Brynjar, and reassured him that none of the other Kor'krons, or officers within the clan had chosen to side against him. He told her that because she had come forward she would not be punished. That hurt her more than any punishment could have. She had betrayed one of her own, served as a lap dog for someone who sought revenge, and she would walk away from it all as though nothing had happened.

Her guilt was too much, so for her own peace of mind she sought out the two Orcs who would either absolve her of her guilt, or punish her fairly; Warmistress Kil'gora Darkhowl, and Kor'kron Rokktar Stormclaw. Fittingly enough, she found them both at the funeral of the Shadowtusk leader Zul'Rah, who had been murdered by his own people in treachery. After the funeral she pulled them aside, and confessed what she did. Rokktar gripped her arm, looking ready to strike her as she began speaking, but she insisted that he judge her only once he knew the full extent of her betrayal. When she had finished telling of what she had done, Rokktar drew his dagger, and she stood unflinching as he brought it close to her face. With a slow, deliberate move, he made a deep cut just under her right eye, and told her that it would serve to remind her of her actions so that she would never repeat them.

After that things began to go back to normal for Leppender. Ganakh issued an order to have Brynjar found and tried, though the Orc who had gotten her involved in such seedy dealings had vanished. She began searching out Kil'gora in her spare time, learning about politics and clan history from her. She started to develop very warm feelings for the Warmistress, especially after she protected her from a man that was harassing her at an inn, and spent the night at her side, telling her that she would arrange for safe lodgings while she was pregnant. It didn't take long for Leppender to start thinking of Kil'gora as a sister of her own blood. Juuhk vanished soon after, leaving only a letter to say that he hoped he would return some day to see her and their child, and she continued to attend the gathering of clan warlocks held by Titsu'kra, a gathering which was becoming known as Duskfury. "Leppender Steelspine: You can strike me down, and give me whatever punishment you see fit, but you WILL hear the full extent of my treachery before you do!"

The coming dusk.
After one of the Duskfury gatherings, Titsu'kra pulled Leppender aside, and gave her some very shocking news. She handed her a tarnished silver necklace, which Leppender immediately recognized as belonging to her long dead mother, an item that her brother Chander had accidentaly ripped from their mother's neck the night they were taken by the Human warlocks. Titsu'kra told her that an Orc death knight had approached her in Orgrimmar, and requested that she give it to Leppender, along with the message that her brother was still around, and was watching over her. From that day on, Leppender started noticing small clues about her brother's presence, such as extra food winding up in her pack when she had fallen asleep on the field, or the feeling of being watched even when she was certain that nobody was around.

Leppender had missed her twin brother desperately since his 'death', and though some members of her clan mentioned talking with an Orc claiming to be her brother, Chander never revealed himself to her. One day while she was resting after duty with Etragg, she awoke from a strange dream where her brother had put his hand on her head, and said that he would be there for her. As she got up and looked around, she heard a voice call out from somewhere in the distance “I'll write!” She confronted Etragg, and he confirmed that Chander had indeed stopped by, and that he had convinced him to contact Leppender. She felt her spirit soar, and sure enough the very next day she received a letter from her brother. He wrote in his letter that he was ashamed of leaving her alone to deal with the Humans, so he couldn't bare to face her yet. She accepted his explanation, and though she wrote him frequently, she never pressured him to meet her.

Leppender was fast becoming skilled in the art of fel magic, and soon Titsu'kra called upon both her and Etragg, who had been both a friend and a rival of sorts, to aid her in a ritual. When Leppender arrived at a small shrine in the Blasted Lands, it was to find Titsu'kra and Caedence atop a ritual altar. Her and Etragg were instructed to channel their energies into the altar as Caedence performed a ritual involving a skull, some of her blood, and the soul fragments of her very own family. Though Leppender was disgusted with Caedence's disregard for her family, she did as she was asked, and watched in awe as flesh took shape around the skull, and a body grew from it. It was the first time she beheld the risen Death Knight named Anaxim, and though his demeanor was a bit aloof, and he spoke reverently of the despised warlock Gul'dan, she felt a small sense of pride in helping bring him back to life. It was a small consolation, but Leppender was glad to have it. Change was beginning to come to the clan.

Despite the fact that the letters shared between Leppender and Brynjar proved that Titsu'kra had no desire to aid in Ganakh's downfall, the Duskfury gatherings she held were a topic of scrutiny by the most loyal members of the clan. Though it was rarely mentioned in general conversation, Leppender's treachery had sewn the seeds of distrust for the warlocks of the Bloodfury Clan. This distrust was perhaps reinforced by the fact that only warlocks were allowed to attend these gatherings, and that even though Titsu'kra herself had remained loyal to Ganakh, other warlocks weren't quite as fond of him. One in particular named Caedence had been intrigued by Leppender's initial dislike of the Warbringer, and after the younger woman reaffirmed her support for Ganakh, Caedence decided to take up the reins of animosity. She stated her desire to fight both Ganakh and Kil'gora at the Duskfury meeting which took place after Leppender confessed her betrayal. Still burning with shame for her treasonous actions, Leppender told Caedence to abandon her plans to bring down the clan's leaders. The two wound up fighting a brutal battle, one Leppender could not win against the superior warlock.

Grim but determined not to see the past repeat itself, she sought out Kil'gora in Dalaran, and told the Warmistress about Caedence's plans. The older Orc reassured her that Caedence would not be able to damage the clan, so Leppender stepped aside, and waited for the coming storm to pass. It wasn't long until Caedence confronted the Warmistress, but to everyone's surprise Kil'gora dismissed the over zealous warlock from the clan as soon as the challenge was issued. When Kil'gora left however, Titsu'kra gave Caedence back her tabard, and told her that she was still a member of the clan. Titsu'kra's blatant defiance of Kil'gora's wishes helped bring out the animosity the two had always felt toward one another.

A couple of days after that incident, Leppender was called to meet with Titsu'kra in Nagrand. The Kor'kron told her that she had been considering leaving the clan, and making one of her own. She described this new clan as a haven, a place where nobody would be looked down upon, no matter their lifestyle preferences. She spoke of a clan founded on equality, lead by a council of warlocks handpicked by Griefwrought. To Leppender it sounded like her idea of Nirvana, though a sense of unease nagged at her. She knew that she was being asked to chose between staying with the Bloodfury, or leaving to form this new clan with Titsu'kra. On one hand she had always been treated fairly, and indeed lovingly by the other members of the clan, including the higher officers and leaders. On the other hand Titsu'kra was her mentor, her teacher, and she had given Leppender a gift that the young woman could never place a value on: the gift of reading. No matter which decision she made, she was sure it would break the hearts of many people. Finally she made up her mind, and told Griefwrought she would join her in making a clan of equality and warmth.

The next day Titsu'kra held a gathering of the Duskfury, and informed the warlocks that she was forming her own clan, naming it Duskfury Clan in honor of their gatherings, and their roots. She urged any who wished to follow her to lay down their Bloodfury tabards. After Titsu'kra removed hers, Leppender was the first to set hers down. She had made her choice, and was determined to see it through. One by one, each of the warlocks removed their tabards, and Titsu'kra took them into Undercity to register their new clan on the Horde rosters. When they reached the guild register however, they were suddenly surrounded by about a dozen people wearing the standards of the Order of the Forsaken. Executor Lerossa headed the group, and confronted the warlocks about being in their territory. Leppender pulled Lerossa aside, and reassured him that her and her comrades had no desire to move in on the Order's territory. The Executor agreed to let her and her clansmen go, so long as they began searching for their own territory right away. The Forsaken let them be, and after relaying the agreement to Titsu'kra, Leppender left to find a suitable location for the Duskfury to live.

The new clan decided to move in to Caer Darrow, which Titsu'kra renamed Dagul Kala, which meant "Demon Fortress." Over the next several weeks Leppender was happy. Titsu'kra named her the Clan Matron, and charged her with the emotional well being of her clansmen, a job she took very seriously. She began hosting small gatherings for the clan, encouraging them to open up to one another, and share their experiences. She studied the vast libraries of the old necromancy school, and gained much knowledge on history, and magical theory. Though the Bloodfury had been angry at her for leaving, she was able to maintain a close friendship with a couple of the members, including Hanabii Xiti, and Talugisgi Proudfist. Despite Leppender's initial joy, her happiness in her new found clan was short lived.

Titsu'kra, who had taken on the title of High Warlock, had not restricted Leppender's duties at all, despite her pregnancy. She took the stance that Leppender could do as she wanted. Leppender didn't have much experience making decisions for herself, but the thrill of the battle, and the power of the fel running through her was too powerful to resist. She continued on regular duty throughout her pregnancy. In time, Kil'gora caught wind of the girl's reckless disregard for her, and her unborn child's safety. She tried to arrange for Leppender to be taken away from the Duskfury, and protected from her own actions for the sake of her child. When the Duskfury caught wind of these plans, they were furious. Anaxim especially had taken a liking to Leppender, and even though she had distrusted his love for Gul'dan, Leppender considered him a very close friend. He had heard about Caedence being dismissed by the Bloodfury after she issued a challenge to the Warmistress, and the news about Bloodfury wanting to take away Leppender was enough to make him seek vengeance.

A while after the Bloodfury said they would not pursue Leppender to take her away, the young warlock heard the voice of her old friend and ally Murrough on the wind. He asked her to head for the lake near Caer Darrow, and to hurry. When she arrived she was surprised to see not only Murrough, but Hanabii, Kil'gora, and Anaxim. She was told that Anaxim had dueled Kil'gora to settle the score between Duskfury and Bloodfury once and for all. She didn't mind that so much, but then he informed her that part of the agreement was that if he won he would be able to take something from Kil'gora, and he had chosen to take her eye. Leppender was shocked at the decision, but she knew both Anaxim and Kil'gora were proud, a fact that was reaffirmed when Kil'gora stabbed Hanabii in the stomach to prevent her from interfering. Feeling that she had no right to prevent both Anaxim and Kil'gora from fulfilling their honor, she watched in silence as her beloved sister gave up her eye, a sacrifice that she knew would never have been made if it weren't for her. When the deed was done, Leppender rushed to Kil'gora's side, desperately wanting to apologize for what her foolishness had done to her beloved sister, but Murrough refused to let her near the Warmistress.

She hoped that it would end there, that no more madness could come from the situation, but her wishes would not come true any time soon. At the next clan gathering Anaxim presented the eye of Kil'gora to Griefwrought, who crooned over it as though it were a priceless treasure. She spoke of enchanting it for her own purposes, which made Leppender's stomach churn. Several days later Griefwrought told her that the enchantments on the eye were complete, and that if someone lied to her while the eye was pointed at them, she would see a vision in her mind that showed the truth. She asked Leppender to help her test the eye, so the warlock boldly stated that Kil'gora had never been intimate with anyone. Though the look of sheer disgust on Titsu'kra's face eased her discomfort somewhat, she knew that nothing could take back what had been done, and that although she still loved those within the Bloodfury dearly, there could never be true peace between the two clans.

As her pregnancy progressed, so did the strength of the Duskfury. More and more members were joining the clan, and not just Orcs. A Forsaken priestess named Yivvone shared Leppender's love for unconditional compassion. An Elvin death knight named Gethrian, whose rotting lungs gave him the most foul breath one could imagine, would often brighten her mood with his light sense of humor. Aside from the members she felt very close to, there were also members she tried to guide and teach about keeping a strong heart even when you work closely with the darkness. Searsha the shadow priestess, Azrenoc the warlock, and Molag the warrior were three of Leppender's most prized students, and with every accomplishment they made, she felt her chest swell with pride for them. Though times were dark, and the Duskfury could be a very lonely place for an Orc who possessed a kind heart, Leppender found her peace in being the Matron of the clan.

About a month before Leppender was due to have her child, something happened to further brighten her days. She had ventured to Undercity to run some errands, and as she reached the upper courtyard she spotted Molag talking with an Orc death knight. As she approached, the mysterious Orc smiled a bit weakly at her, and revealed himself to be Chander. She was overjoyed at finally seeing him after so many long years apart from her twin, though the reunion was short lived. Anaxim and Etragg, both of whom never seemed to stray too far away from Leppender in the later stages of her pregnancy, came across the trio, and Chander warned them that he would trust very few people with his sister's safety. The Duskfury were offended by his brash comments, and hints that they couldn't protect Leppender, so he departed soon after, but not before promising Leppender that he would be there for her from that point on, especially when she gave birth.

At last the highly anticipated birth of Leppender's first child arrived. She had secretly hoped that Kil'gora and Murrough would be able to forgive her for not going against Anaxim the day he had taken the Warmistress's eye, and would show up, but she was disappointed. To her immense relief and joy however, Hanabii did show up, and stayed with her throughout the entire painful day, lending her support to the young woman. Chander also kept his word, staying by her side almost constantly. An old Troll shaman named Rachak, who had been a member of the Shadowtusks before Zul'Rah's death came to deliver the baby, aided by a newer member of the clan, a Troll named Kurthnaga. Leppender was thrilled when members of Shadowclan showed up to see the birth, including Grahla, Zugzub, Zu'grak, and Gohrr. Though Titsu'kra, Anaxim, and Caedence showed up by the end, they remained outside.

Through pain, blood, sweat, and tears, at last the squalls of an infant filled the air, and her son was born. When Leppender reached for the baby however, she was stunned by his eyes. His irises were the same shade as his father's, but where the eyes should have been white, they glowed a fel green. She knew that her reckless use of fel energy, and fighting while she was pregnant had caused this strange abnormality in her son, and she was filled with guilt. Despite this, she cradled her son close to her, a feeling of peace and joy she had never experienced filling her very being as she gazed upon his tiny features that were reminiscent of her own, and those of her lost mate. Her and the baby were cleaned up, and on the order of Titsu'kra the party moved to the lake. Leaning heavily on her brother, Leppender moved into the water with the High Warlock and her son, raising the child high to declare that she found him to be strong, and named him Luuhk, a name paying homage to his father Juuhk. Some of those who had come to see the child enter the world came into the water one by one, offering their own blessings to the child.

As Leppender recovered from the birth, she began to suspect that her son, though strong, was indeed a very strange child. He never cried when he was hungry or had soiled himself, only made small whimpers while waving his arms and legs to get her attention. He also seemed to focus on those who were speaking, his strange eyes fixing onto people as though he were listening, and could understand everything being said around him. She began talking to her son under that assumption, and was both disturbed and pleased that his reactions seemed to confirm her suspicions, though soon her son's abnormality became the least of her concerns.

Yivvone, who Leppender had grown very close to, had fallen ill. As a Forsaken she could easily replace any failing limbs with ones from other corpses, but despite multiple transplants of that nature, she continued to decay at an alarming rate. She confessed that in life she had suffered through grave illness, and she suspected that the same ailment that had plagued her in life was now killing her a second time. To Leppender's surprise, it was Caedence who proposed a solution. She suggested that Yivvone's soul be moved to a healthy body. Desperately wanting to live, Yivvone jumped at the suggestion, and not wanting to see her friend suffer, Leppender lent her support to the idea as well.

The clan made preparations for a ritual, leaving Caedence and a Troll shaman named Kajumba in charge of the more detailed arrangements, and within a few weeks they gathered at an altar in the jungles of Stranglethorn. Leppender was disgusted when Caedence brought forth a Troll woman she had kidnapped from the jungle, and tied onto the altar, but as Yivvone laid down on the alter all she could do was hold her friend's hand, and reassure her that all would be well. As Caedence and Kajumba pulled Yivvone's soul out of her body, feeding the shard to the Troll, Yivvone's body turned to dust and Leppender moved to the Troll. She asked her if she recognized her, but the Troll named Y'senia had none of Yivvone's memories or personality traits. Leppender was crushed, and furious with Caedence, but holding in her anger for the moment, she retrieved Yivvone's remains, and brought them to the village the woman had been born to, climbing a high peak along with Etragg, and spreading her ashes over the village.

Shortly after the disastrous ritual that sealed Yivvone's soul inside Y'senia, Leppender found that she was plagued by loneliness more than ever. The home of the Duskfury seemed much darker than usual without Yivvone to brighten her days. It was at this time that Etragg confessed his deep feelings for her. Leppender had long cared for the older warlock more than she had wanted to admit, and had often wondered how her son would develop without a father in his life. The two became mates, and moved into an abandoned Alliance warship off the coast of Howling Fjord. They repaired the ship as best they could, and when they weren't on duty or instructing the scouts and neophytes of the clan, they were relaxing there at home, and raising Luuhk.

Leppender thought that what Caedence had done to Yivvone was the worst thing her fellow Disciple could do that would break her heart, but she was wrong. One night the clan had gathered at Dagul Kala once more, and after a couple of stories had been told, Caedence asked Leppender if she could hold Luuhk. Her son seemed to have a good sense of people and their intentions, and since Luuhk seemed undisturbed by this request, she laid the baby in Caedence's arms. After examining him for a few moments, Caedence quickly cast a spell on the boy. Leppender screamed in outrage, and snatched her son back, looking over him to make sure he was alright. He seemed unharmed by the spell, but Caedence informed her that soon he wouldn't be a burden to her, having to be carried around, or fed by the breast. The next day Luuhk seemed a lot bigger to Leppender, and was even able to crawl at her feet when she set him on the floor.

Leppender brought Luuhk to the High Warlock, and confronted her about both the spell Caedence had cast on Luuhk, and the dispicable abuse of power that lead to Yivvone's soul being lost, while also kidnapping an innocent for the sake of the pointless ritual. If Leppender had thought that Titsu'kra would take any action against the reckless warlock she was wrong. Griefwrought was impressed by Caedence's skills, and told Leppender that if Yivvone had been stronger, she would have accepted her death without craving a way to remain alive. Leppender managed to enlist Titsu'kra's help in countering the curse, but she was warned that the spell could not be removed entirely, only supressed. It took the High Warlock several days to come up with a remedy, by which time Luuhk was the size of a toddler, walking next to his mother with no trouble, and speaking with surprising clarity. Griefwrought placed an oddly colored soul shard on a chain around Luuhk's neck, and told them that the boy had to keep it on at all times, or the spell would continue to age him until he reached an age where he could fend for himself.

After her son was aged, Leppender began to realize just how much the boy knew. He told his mother that he had sensed Caedence's intentions that day, and wanted to grow up, wanted to be strong enough to fight for the Horde. Leppender discouraged such thoughts as best as she could, but she knew Luuhk had a mind of his own, and sooner or later he would leave her. Sure enough, one night while her and Etragg were asleep, Luuhk removed the enchanted necklace, and swam toward the mainland of the Fjord, then journied to Kalimdor to find the clan of his father. Leppender awoke the next day, and searched frantically for her son, but by the time she found him, he had grown to the size of a twelve year old, which was the minimum age for an Orc to join the Horde army. He had donned the standard of the Shadowclan, and sworn his allegiance to them.

The loss of her infant son hung heavy in her heart, and she began to reconsider her decision to leave the Bloodfury, and help Titsu'kra form the Duskfury. Around that time, Etragg also began reconsidering certain decisions he had made in his life, especially about working with demons. He informed Leppender that he wanted to try and reconnect with the spirits, as he had been a shaman in training before leaving Draenor, and she encouraged him. To their dismay however, the clan was not thrilled with his change of heart. Anaxim, who in life had fought with the Stormreavers, was particularly enraged by Etragg's apparent disregard for their 'noble past'. Leppender tried to sooth her dear friend's anger, but even she couldn't have guessed how far he would go in his attempts to force Etragg not to give up his fel powers.

It was on a fairly warm evening in Nagrand, after the clan had arranged a competition of skill and physical prowess that Leppender lost her resolve to remain with the Duskfury. Anaxim had requested a private word with both her and Etragg, then took them to an arena near the mountains. He drew his sword, and pointed it at Leppender. He told Etragg that unless he returned completely to the path of the warlock, he would kill his mate. At first Leppender couldn't believe what she was hearing. She asked Anaxim if he was joking, but when it became apparent that he really would kill his own friend just to prevent Etragg taking up the mantle of shamanism, Leppender steeled herself, and the two friends fought a tremendous battle. They found that they were evenly matched, and both of them fell to the ground at the exact same moment, succumbing to grievous wounds. Anaxim managed to rise before Leppender, and moved in to make the killing blow. Etragg demanded that if Anaxim took umbrage to his decisions, that he deal with him directly instead of his mate. Anaxim then turned his blade to Etragg, who accepted each blow without even trying to defend himself. When Etragg fell to the ground, Leppender called out to him weakly, begging mercy to her mate who had done nothing to deserve such punishment. Anaxim lowered his sword, claiming that for honor's sake he could not kill someone who did not fight back, and he left them bleeding on the arena floor.

Leppender and Etragg managed to get themselves to Nagrand, where their wounds were treated and they were able to recover. As she lay on the straw pallet barely alive, Leppender had much time to think about how she had come to be there, and if she wanted to continue living under the rule of the Duskfury if such horrendous acts as she had witnessed were considered normal. As soon as she found the strength to return to duty, she sought out Titsu'kra, and keeping thoughts of what the High Warlock had permitted within a clan that was supposed to be a haven, Leppender returned her tabard, and officially left the Duskfury Clan.

"Leppender Steelspine: I love so many people, but I don't want to harden my heart against that love. I'm sure I could, but it wouldn't be right to stop caring for others just because I couldn't bare the thought of loss.  It's selfish and cowardly."