Ringo Flinthammer was having fun.

“Dashing through the snow, looking for demons ta slay, o’er hills we go, shooting all the way!” He grinned, cocking his rifle with one broad thumb. “Bang, bang, bang, bang!”

Behind him, Beli jogged along, holding her warhammer with both hands.

“Should ye really be singing? It’s going to know where we are.”

“That’s the plan, darlin’, that’s the plan …”

Ahead, there was a cry of surprise and then the sound of a figure being flash-frozen. The dwarves slowed their pace, discovering one of the Azuremyst intruders trapped in a block of ice, thanks to Ringo’s frost trap. His bear, Frostmaw, sniffed at the block of ice curiously before marking it as his territory.

“Perfect,” Ringo said. He knocked on the block of ice. The creature within couldn’t move, but its horrified facial expression told Ringo that it was listening. “When I release ye, I’m going to ask ye some questions. If ye’re sharp, ye’ll answer me straight, with no foolin’ about. If not, I’ve got some sharp axes of me own …”

“Ringo …” his wife said quietly.

“It’s an Eredar, woman. We’re looking at the first wave of the Fourth War here, we are. They’re not catching us by surprise like last time, not if I have anything to say about it.” Silently counting down, he was prepared for the frost trap releasing his prisoner, and he and Frostmaw were on the blue-skinned captive before it could move. “Now then, ye bastard, let’s talk about the invasion plan.”

“Kurdran Wildhammer!” The prone figure squeaked, Ringo’s fleshy forearm against its throat, while Frostmaw stood his front paws on its chest. “Kurdran Wildhammer!”

Ringo’s face went red with rage at the mention of the fallen Alliance hero.

“Don’t ye dare use that name with me! Bragging that ye killed him, are ye? I’ll skin ye alive!”

“Kurdran Wildhammer is a friend of mine!” The creature sputtered, its blue skin pale with fright. “He’s alive! We fight the Burning Legion together!”

“Ye’re a liar!” He shook off Beli’s hand from his shoulder, ignoring her attempts to pull him off the prisoner.

“Kurdran lives in Wildhammer Keep in Shadowmoon Valley, he and Sky’ree!”

Ringo took some of the weight off the creature’s neck.

“How do ye know Sky’ree?”

The prisoner coughed, sucking in air gratefully.

“I am not Eredar, dwarf, I am Draenei. My name is Ganaar.” He looked up as Ringo climbed off him, pulling Frostmaw off as he did. “We have much to speak about.”