Richard A. Knaak - World of Warcraft: Wolfheart

W OLFHEART

Dont Miss These Other Tales in the
WORLD OF WARCRAFT

THRALL: TWILIGHT OF THE ASPECTS
by Christie Golden

THE SHATTERING: PRELUDE TO CATACLYSM
by Christie Golden

STORMRAGE
by Richard A. Knaak

ARTHAS: RISE OF THE LICH KING
by Christie Golden

NIGHT OF THE DRAGON
by Richard A. Knaak

BEYOND THE DARK PORTAL
by Aaron Rosenberg & Christie Golden

TIDES OF DARKNESS
by Aaron Rosenberg

RISE OF THE HORDE
by Christie Golden

CYCLE OF HATRED
by Keith R. A. DeCandido

WAR OF THE ANCIENTS:
BOOK ONETHE WELL OF ETERNITY
by Richard A. Knaak

WAR OF THE ANCIENTS:
BOOK TWOTHE DEMON SOUL
by Richard A. Knaak

WAR OF THE ANCIENTS:
BOOK THREETHE SUNDERING
by Richard A. Knaak

DAY OF THE DRAGON
by Richard A. Knaak

LORD OF THE CLANS
by Christie Golden

THE LAST GUARDIAN
by Jeff Grubb

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either
are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2011 by Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Warcraft,
World of Warcraft, and Blizzard Entertainment are
trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
All other trademark references herein are the properties of their respective owners.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof
in any form whatsoever. For information address Gallery Books Subsidiary Rights
Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

First Gallery Books hardcover edition September 2011

GALLERY BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event.
For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers
Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com .

Interior art by Alex Horley.

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Knaak, Richard A.

World of warcraft : wolfheart / Richard A. Knaak. 1st Gallery Books hardcover ed.
p. cm.

I. Title.

PS3561.N25W67 2011

813'.54dc23

ISBN 978-1-4516-0575-4
ISBN 978-1-4516-0577-8 (ebook)

For all the adventurers everywhere...

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Id like to again gratefully acknowledge those folks who have consistently been there to offer their expertise on the background for this and previous novels. Thank you to Publishing Lead Mick Neilson and Senior Story Developer James Waugh, plus Evelyn, Sean, Tommy, Joshua, George, Gina, and everyone else at Blizzard whos lent a helping hand. Also to Glenn Rane for another fantastic cover!

And how could I not also thank all those who work on World of Warcraft in whatever capacity to make it the ultimate online gaming experience? You may be behind the scenes, but without you guys in the trenches, this success could not be possible.

Naturally, my appreciation to Chris Metzen for his creative guidance and for introducing me to Azeroth.

On the publishing side, as ever thanks to those at Simon & Schuster who helped guide the process thereEd Schlesinger and Anthony Ziccardi.

Lastly, thanks to all of you who continue to enjoy these adventures in Azeroth!

Richard A. Knaak

PROLOGUE

NORTHREND

T win rows of straining, green-skinned warriors tugged on taut, broad ropes as they dragged a colossal wheeled cage slowly up the wide ramp leading into the last of the ships. Despite Northrends eternal winter, the muscular orcs sweated heavily from effort. Their broad-jawed faces contorted with each new heave of the ropes.

Guards stood alongside the ramp, torches in one hand, ready weapons in the other. With steely brown eyes they watched not the workers but rather the great covered cage. The cube-shaped structure towered over them, its outer covering consisting of a great tarp sewn from goatskin. There were no gaps in the tarp, no hint from the container as to just what the cargo was.

But there was a clue, revealed simply in the fact that the orcs themselves maneuvered the cargo. Desolate as the port was, it did have work animals such as the horned, reptilian kodo beasts, strong creatures more than capable of taking the places of the struggling orcs. There was even a trio of mammoths, generally used for transporting several riders at once. Yet, not only were those animals excluded from the effort, but they had been moved decidedly far from the vicinity of the docks. Even there, they stirred anxiously, the kodo beasts flaring their nostrils and the mammoths waving their trunks as all the animals stared in the direction of the ships.

With a tremendous howl, the winds abruptly picked up to storm strength. Weather in Northrend had only one consistent factor... that it was foul. But there were many levels of foul, and the docks shook as the waters of the cold sea suddenly churned with great waves. Ship hulls groaned as every vessel rocked hard.

From deep within some of the ships, there came horrendous roars and banging. On deck, crewmembers rushed to the hatches leading down to the holds. Stern veteran mariners and warriors looked anxious.

The last ship also rocked... and the gangplank twisted. It dipped to one side, spilling several startled guards and throwing the workers into a tangle.

The cage shifted. At the last moment, the orcs on the teetering ramp kept the container from falling. However, no sooner had they managed that than it began to shake from within. A roar identical to those emanating from the ships but much deeper echoed through the dank port. Something within began pulling at the tarp.

Guards rushed up from the port. Those still astride the gangplank fought desperately to maintain their balance. One failed, instead tumbling into the chill waters between the dock and the ship.

From the shoreline, the fleet captaina one-eyed veteran mariner called Briln, whose body bore numerous intricate tattoos marking his journeysraced toward the side of the gangplank and shouted, Get that cage straightened! Dont let it fall! Get those weapons ready! Wheres the powder? If that cage is damaged