Thurgoll and Songbow

(( Now that I have finished exploring the persona of my Orc I have decided to do a proper story that is his and his alone. I have a bonded feeling towards the young hunter who roams the plains looking for rares, possibly because of my own background on a farm in Africa. Here starts his storyline, the history of a half breed who never asked to be born and who finds the world a rough place for someone who is different. Songbow comes from my first ever char on this game all those years ago, I rolled a Night Elf hunter and gave her that name because I had no imagination, when I deleted her I made her again as a Troll, as long as I have raided I have always had a hunter called Songbow in my list of chars, sadly that is no longer true since I became a role player. Now she is imortalized as a bow.))

The wind carries the smell of baked earth mixed with the fresh scent of animal dung, I crouch in the shrubs behind a tree and try to work out what animal is voiding so close to me. With a snort the animal is in my line of sight and I relax tense muscles, it is only a Zhevra intent on grazing and spreading fertility to the grass of the plains. I have hidden here five times, always choosing the time the sun rises but I have yet to see the Pridelord, perhaps it is time to move location. A careful search of the area reveals three lions and a lioness, no cubs are visible and I know they are too relaxed under the hot sun to attack me so I pat Rusk awake and back away from the tree. One lion lifts his head and watches me with half closed eyes, beneath the tree his colouring blends well with the surrounding shade and grass giving him a unique hunting edge, if he wasn’t so lazy. The lioness pays no attention and I walk away, she is the one to watch as she is the hunter in this group, fortunately the sun has the better of her right now and I can sling Songbow over my shoulder knowing I am safe.

I need supplies and must return to Orgrimmar in the next few days, I have no iron tips left to replace lost arrows and each one that breaks is one less for me to use again. Setting a steady pace I walk towards my first landmark, once I have fresh supplies I will come back for the Pridelord and make him mine. Walking sets my mind to thinking and I leave Rusk to defend me should anything be foolish enough to attack, my mind turns once more to the problem that sent me out of Orgrimmar and into the Barrens in the first place.

Gargrol, my Father.

Why now when I have set my feet upon a path and accepted my differences should this stranger come to me and claim me as his son, I am no more his than I am hers, the animal he calls my Mother. I spit into the grass to show my hatred of her and her kind knowing I will find her and kill her myself, perhaps then I can recover some of the honour she took from me by birthing me. Then again perhaps she wanted me dead, she did leave me in the dust outside Orgrimmar without any protection, it was bad luck the guard found me at all. I hear a squeal and turn to see Rusk goring a tallstrider in a small cloud of dust, slipping Songbow from my back I place an arrow into the bird's heart dropping it on my boar who complains loudly at the bad treatment. Sometimes I wonder why Rusk stays with me, I hardly feed him and he is always the first to take injury in my fights, yet the little dusky boar is always there when I turn around.

Night has covered the land when I choose to make camp in the hills surrounding Orgrimmar, with the campfire blazing I clean the bird and prepare some ribs for my rumbling belly and what is left I give to Rusk as a thank you for providing us an evening meal. There is no question that Rusk has a vicious temper, I would not have chosen him as my companion if he was anything less than aggressive. The campfire is banked and I am stretched out on the grass looking up at the night sky, my boar pushes his way between my calves and grunts in satisfaction as he goes to sleep.

My mind goes back to the day in Sen’jin Village when I found out what I am.

“Who are you boy?”

And that was when I first met the old one I have come to know as Gargrol Grimclaw, Shaman to the Frostwolf Clan. From the start he took an interest in me and I thought at first it was the colour of my skin but he kept offering me help and finally I agreed to it, more fool me now I have to live with the shame. I never expected to see anything in the swirling waters of the pool as I am not gifted with the ability to accept visions, maybe he did something to me that day but she was as clear as my own reflection. He seemed as surprised as me when I told him of what I saw and accused him of trickery.

“She is your Mother, the Spirits brought us together for a reason boy.”

How could he blame the Spirits for a moment of weakness, for letting his body take control of his better judgement and for that matter why did he not use a scroll of protection before he touched her. I did not stop him performing the claiming ceremony, when I stood there in the same pool I had seen her face I felt the full impact of my heritage. As my Father stood with staff held high and closed the ceremony by calling for protection for his boy, I knew I would have to find her and kill her. In a way I guess I am lucky I only have yellow skin and not her upswept horns or her tail, at least this way I can still fit in with one race even if I am the sworn enemy of the other. Soon I will travel to the Exodar and hunt the one he called Herana, I cannot bring myself to call her my Mother.

I wake with the dawn and get the last couple of strider ribs onto the freshly raked campfire, before I leave my resting place I bury all evidence of my presence and douse the fire until there is no danger to the surrounding grass.

A wise hunter leaves few tracks.

I locate Orgrimmar on the hill line and turn towards it, tonight I will dine with the Matron and speak to her of what has happened since I left the Orphanage. Not far from last night's camp I hear an unusual sound and I move forward with caution until I crest a small hill overlooking one of the old trees that grow in these parts. Below me are two raptors and right in the middle I see the jewel herself, the purple grey of her skin catches the sunlight displaying the pink bands to perfection.

It must be a dream, am I really kneeling here looking at the ever elusive Takk the Leaper.

I take a length of hide from my pack and make a fast harness for Rusk, once tied I place him into the pack so his snout is sticking out the opening at the top. She is still standing before the tree and I carefully move towards her using the terrain for cover, when she stands her ground I realise she is guarding the area. The raptor puts up a good fight as I begin to charm her, twice she rakes at me before I am able to subdue her with my superior strength. Holding her tight I wait for her to calm enough to realise I mean her no harm and slowly she comes to accept me, then I give her a little freedom at a time knowing this is the bond that will hold us together as one. Once she willingly stands at my side I explore the base of the tree and find her nest hidden between the bushes and the trunk, and inside I find a spoilt egg and a broken shell along with a hatchling with the beautiful markings of its Mother. Now I know she will never leave me, not while I feed her and help her rear her youngling.

Gels

Very good writting! Nice pace and intereting point of view and view character wise. Tempted do something horde side now to meet him!

*feels bad for the space goat lady*

TBH I like the name Songbow, sounds like a real nice family name for a nelf.
I don't think I've heard anything similar.

((thanks Thygore, when I first rolled hunter she was a nelf and that was her name, then she became a goblin, now she is a bow. The space goat lady yes, I too feel sorry for her because she was young and she thought it would not matter. But choices make a path in life, even if you try to step off it life has a way of tapping you on the shoulder. Really appreciate your comment and hope to run into you in game one day.
ps. I like your name.))

((thanks Thygore, when I first rolled hunter she was a nelf and that was her name, then she became a goblin, now she is a bow. The space goat lady yes, I too feel sorry for her because she was young and she thought it would not matter. But choices make a path in life, even if you try to step off it life has a way of tapping you on the shoulder. Really appreciate your comment and hope to run into you in game one day.
ps. I like your name.))

((Oh, I definitely want to comment back those who spare their own time for my work. ^^ Even if a lil' late. >.<
Also, thank you. ))