The mid-summer moon was rising steadily over the canopy of leaves by the time a contingent of tired and spent guards arrived at Codin's cabin. The dozen-or-so officers trudged north along the dirt path from the town of Goldshire, then approached the lone house to find a man and elf sitting outside, blades and bows lying at their feet, armed with both drink and pipe.
"Gentlemen?" Hollered the head officer, leading his column of men and women up the track. A moment later, the bearded and smiling face of Codin Brackbyrne peered over his veranda fence, a puff of pipe-smoke escaping from his mouth.
"Ahh, the boys in blue!" Laughed the veteran, hopping up from his seat and stepping out onto the track. "Thanks for coming, chaps."
"That's quite alright, sir." Replied the tall, dark haired, somewhat brooding officer. "Officer Dean Trentan, Stormwind Investigative Constabulary."
"Codin Brackbyrne." Nodded Codin, extending his hand to the guard. Trentan grasped his hand firmly and gave it a curt and formal shake. "Investigative Constabulary, eh?"
"That we are, sir. The word was passed that there was a gang-related skirmish down in Elwynn, so we were dispatched to deal with it." The officer explained.
"Well, how lucky of us to have the help of the best." Smiled Codin. "Hwinion, we have guests!" He shouted, beckoning the Hunter over to the group of men.
"So what appears to be the problem here, Mr Brackbyrne?" Questioned Trentan.
"Well, it's quite a story." Stated the old soldier, a slight nervous grin on his face. "Perhaps it might be better for you to take a seat whilst we explain?"
Trentan paused a moment to think, and a certain look in Codin's eyes convinced him to comply. "That sounds good to me, sir." Nodded the officer, returning the veteran's humble smile. "If you could point my men in the direction of where the incident took place, they could begin the clean-up whilst we talk this over?"
"Ah, yes, of course." Codin remarked. "About a hundred yards north east, in a clearing just through that swath of brush and trees." He stated, pointing past the lake and in the general direction of the skirmish-site.
"Right-ho." Nodded Trentan, turning to his column of men, all clad in white shirts, mail under-vests and blue tabards. "You heard the man, boys! Get up there, scope the area out then begin the clean-up. Atterton, get back to the Command Centre and find us a wagon. Clear?"
He received a barrage of affirmatives from his men.
"Good. Make it happen, people!"
His men hopped into action and trekked off through the forest whilst he followed Codin and Hwinion over to the Cabin.
"Now, gentlemen, where were we...?"

The three men sat down on the warrior's veranda, and as the contingent of guards made their way over to the site of the battle, Codin and Hwinion began to regale the officer of what had occurred earlier that evening. Fuelled by their choice whiskey and tobacco, and very-possibly perhaps wanting to boast of their exploits, the duo sat back and explained every event of the vicious skirmish in great detail to Trentan, who had propped himself up against the cabin wall and was busy taking down notes in his pocket-sized pad of parchment. The accounts of the soldier's desperate shield bash and the hunter's barrage from high up in the trees somewhat amused Trentan, and he quickly found himself quite enjoying listening to the feats and exploits of the duo. However, when the topic of conversation switched to the identity and allegiance of the assailants in question, the air became far more serious.

"And you're confident that they're somehow linked to this 'Stoneraven Syndicate'?" Questioned Trentan, poised closely over his parchment with an austere look on his face.
"Fairly confident, yes." Nodded Codin, the jovial tone in his voice nowhere to be seen.
"We've got no other ideas, sadly." Added Hwinion, uneasily leaning back in his chair.
"I see." Muttered the officer, jotting down scribbles in his notepad. "Could it not just be a message from someone you encountered on your travels that you've, perhaps... rubbed the wrong way?"
The man and elf sat back and pondered for a moment or two, scouring their brains for any possibly links. None presented themselves.
"I don't think so. And if it somehow is, I certainly can't remember who it would be." Stated Codin. Hwinion had reached the same conclusion, and simply sat back in silence and shook his head. Trentan jotted some more on his parchment, then nodded curtly and stood up straight.
"I see." He said, placing the papers back in his pocket and straightening his tabard. "Well, gentlemen, I'm afraid there's not much more we can do here."
Codin and Hwinion nodded solemnly.

"I could provide a part-time guard for you boys, in case there's another attack-" He continued. "-But after what I've heard I don't think you'll need it. You probably have to figure this out in your own, I'm afraid, but if any information presents itself don't hesitate to contact myself or my captain."
"I see..." Acknowledged Codin, standing up out of his chair. "Thank you for your time, Mr Trentan."
"My pleasure, Sir." Replied the Officer. "Just allow my men to finish up here, and we'll be on our way."
"Perfect." Stated the warrior, giving the lawman a polite smile.
"We'll be happy to lend a hand." Added Hwinion, rising from his seat.
"Oh, that won't be necessary, Sir, but thank you anyway." Replied Trentan, heading off to help his men haul the bagged bodies of the deceased bandits into the guards' wagon. Hwinion nodded as they parted.
"Kirnen, for goodness' sake, be careful with those swords!-"
"Sorry, boss!"

As the contingent of guards finished clearing up the surrounding area of the forest and began to move off down the path and back towards the main road, the two retired back to the cabin and sat back down in their seats, with tired and unamused looks on their faces.
"So now what do we do?" Sighed Codin, pouring himself one final glass of alcohol.
"I don't know." Muttered Hwinion. "But I reckon we best do something sooner rather than later."
"Does having a drink count?"
"... I suppose so, yes."
The two sat back, took swigs from their well-used glasses and chuckled satirically at the situation they found themselves in. Silence descended upon the home as a duo of torches were lit to illuminate the quaint cabin.

The faint patter of boots upon dirt drifted into Codin's ear. Hwinion's head turned as he stood up slowly from his seat. A rustling in the brush divagated through the air. Codin, too, stood up.

"Mr Brackbyrne? Mr Brackbyrne!" Panted a voice from down the path.
"Yes?" Replied Codin, uncertainty clear in his voice. A moment later, a young and clean-shaven SIC Officer emerged from the dark, his face covered in sweat and a crumpled letter clasped in his hand.
"S-Sorry, Sir." Huffed the officer, cantering along the track towards the veranda. "We found this on one of the bodies, Mr Brackbyrne. Trentan told me to give it to you, sir."
"Oh... Well, cheers, mate." Nodded Codin, taking the slip of paper from the lad and sitting back down in his chair as the officer shot back down the path back to his comrades.
The two friends eased and sat back calmly as they closely examined the letter. The beaten and creased letter had browned over time after being stuffed in the bandit's knapsack for a good few weeks, yet on the face of the parchment sat a jet-black seal adorned with a beak and claw emerging from a rock sundered in two. Codin and Hwinion glanced to each other nervously as the veteran soldier broke the seal and carefully opened the letter. Inside lay a dozen lines of scribbled ink, some words smudged by water or liquor, that revealed to the duo some of the answers they needed.

'Find Codin Brackbyrne and Hwinion of Aldrassil... rumoured to reside in the Capital or surrounding forests... do what you must do... failure is not an option... leave none alive'

Their eyes swept over the page as they read word after word, until at the bottom of the script their worst fears were confirmed.

'The raven sits atop the mountain and is as steadfast as the stone it rests upon... avenge us... return to Silverpine upon completion of your mission
~X'

"Silverpine Forest." Muttered Hwinion. "That's where they're held up."
The elf stood up, sighed and stared out into the black of night. Codin slowly nodded to himself as he folded up the letter and placed it on the oak table by his side.
"Well, my friend, I don't know about you... but I believe that simply sitting around here, drinking whiskey and waiting for another arrow to find itself flying towards my heart isn't that good of an idea." Stated Codin, running his fingers through his beard in thought. Hwinion turned to face his friend.
"Your saying that we should take the fight to them?" Questioned the elf. "That's bold."
"Exactly!" Grinned the soldier, jumping up from his seat. "If we move quickly and keep quiet, the higher-ups hopefully shouldn't grow too curious of their absence, and when we turn up at their front door, armed to the teeth, we should catch them by surprise and end this bloody thing once and for all!"
Hwinion pondered to think, the cogs in his head visually turning.
"Well..." The Hunter muttered. "If we are to do this... we'll need help."
Codin smirked.
"Well that's good, because I believe we both happen to know two certain gentlemen who would hopefully be happy to lend a hand."
"Really...?" Hwinion sighed, giving his comrade an unsure look.
"Aye." Grinned Codin. "Really."