Post by Huatar Earthspear on Mar 26, 2009 18:47:49 GMT -5
(( I was given permission by Rhonoa to post this story of hers. Enjoy it. I know I did. 
))
It was a cool and calm morning for Shu’Halo of the Earthspear Tribe. Like a giant gold coin, the sun rose from the sea near the campground and shined its light on the earth below. Huatar, Chieftain of the Earthspear Tribe, stepped out of his tent and took a deep breath of the fresh morning air. He then took a moment to take in his surroundings, his soft blue eyes never missing the smallest detail, smiling as he watched the Shu’Halo move out of their own tents to begin their chores. It brought great joy to Huatar’s heart to see his tribe safe and happy, and he took a moment to thank the Earthmother and his ancestors for the peace and protection of his people. He had just finished the little prayer when his eyes landed on a lone figure on the beach not far from where he stood.
Rhonoa Ironhoof sat on a large rock in the sand, her fierce red eyes fixed upon the sea. She was tall for a female tauren, and had a slim, but powerful build. Those, plus the white markings and the serious expression she normally had made her appear intimidating. But Huatar knew there was more to her. Though he had only known the lone tauren for a short time, he learned much about her. Rhonoa was a great hunter, an awesome shot with her boomstick, and a brave fighter. Ever since Huatar brought her to live with his tribe she had been a hard worker. When she wasn’t taking care of the kodo, she was hunting for food and skins for the tribe, but the whole time she was there Rhonoa never spoke a word. The only time Huatar had ever heard her speak was when he found her in the Barrens, barely alive and surrounded by malicious centaur.
Huatar’s mind wandered back to that day. He was traveling through the Barrens when he heard a terrible ruckus. The Earthspear in hand, he dashed toward the noise and soon came upon an awesome sight. Rhonoa, wounded in many places, was in battle with a score of centaur. Despite her wounds, she fought like five orcs, her two axes slicing and hacking into flesh as she roared out her challenge. An arrow buried its point into the Shu’Halo’s paw, forcing her to drop one of her axes. Rhonoa quickly tore the arrow out of her paw with her teeth and sent the fist into the centaur’s face. Then, dropping her other axe, with all the strength of a grown female tauren Rhonoa lifted the creature over her head and hurled him at his companions. Whipping out her boomstick, Rhonoa fired at the enemies, some falling dead while others dropped to the earth wounded. Suddenly, a centaur who managed to get behind Rhonoa buried his spear into her back. The tauren turned around, pulling the spear out of the centaur’s hands, and slammed her boomstick into the unfortunate’s head. It was after that that Rhonoa’s legs gave away and she dropped to her knees. Sensing victory, the surviving centaur grabbed their weapons and prepared for a final assault when a fearsome roar caused them to freeze. Huatar was quickly among them, dealing death with his trusty Earthspear. The centaurs were defeated before they knew what hit them!
When Huatar went to check on Rhonoa, he found the female lying on the earth unconscious. He set up camp and got to work on Rhonoa knowing that it would take days for her to recover. That is, if she does survive her injuries. As Huatar treated the other tauren’s hurts, he discovered that, though recent, some of the wounds were older than the ones she received from battling the centaur. Rhonoa had already been wounded from a previous battle. The Earthspear Chieftain assumed that the stranger had just gotten out of that first battle when the centaur ambushed her. Normally a calm and gentle Shu’Halo, Huatar found himself grinding his teeth angrily as he thought about the centaurs’ assault. Cowards, attacking a lone, wounded traveler!
Rhonoa woke up sooner than Huatar had expected. He brought small platter of soup with a canteen of water for the female to eat. She refused the food, however, and made a request.
“My mate… Bron Widegrip and my infant son, Garith…” she started. Rhonoa had a low but quiet voice. “To the southeast… near the beach… my dwelling…”
Huatar nodded in understanding. “Say no more, sister. I shall seek out your family. Rest now and eat.”
Without another word, the Earthspear Chieftain left his tent and headed in the direction the other tauren gave him. Three hours had passed before he returned.
“You’re dwelling has been destroyed. I found a slain tauren there. Huge, with a two-handed sword in one hand?”
Rhonoa closed her eyes and nodded, as if she had already known the fate of her mate. Keeping her composure, she asked, “And Garith?”
Huatar shook his head. “I am sorry. I searched, but I found no trace of your little one. I am truly sorry, ma’a—“
“Rhonoa…” the Shu’Halo said, cutting Huatar off. “Ironhoof.”
Again Huatar nodded. “I am Huatar, Chieftain of the Earthspear Tribe.”
Rhonoa hadn’t spoken a word since. Huatar kept whatever questions he had to himself, knowing that his new companion was in great pain, both physically and emotionally, though she hid it. Days passed, and Rhonoa became stronger, her wounds slowly healing into visible scars. Huatar helped her to gather the materials she needed to make new clothes for herself and repair her boomstick, which had a huge dent in it after Rhonoa slammed the weapon into the centaur’s head. Able to move again, the two Shu’Halo returned to the wrecked dwelling. There Rhonoa buried her dead mate herself, having refused Huatar’s offer to help.
Huatar, knowing that Rhonoa had nowhere else to go, told her to come with him to Mulgore where she could heal and rest in peace with other members of her species. At first, Rhonoa declined but Huatar’s reasoning soon got her to agree. And so, the two tauren traveled to Mulgore where Rhonoa could continue her recovery and receive training as a hunter, until just recently when the Earthspears reclaimed their homeland.
The Chieftain was snapped out of his thoughts by the feeling of something bumping into his leg. He looked down to see a little Shu’Halo, little more than a baby, sitting on his tail. The child shook his head clear and jumped onto his hooves. When he realized who it was he had run into, he yelped and began to stammer an apology.
“S-Sowwy, Chieftain! I was jus’ pwayin’ an’… an’…”
A smile from Huatar eased the small boy. “You have nothing to fear little one. Accidents happen. It is learning from those accidents that is important.”
The little tauren looked up at the older one. “What’re ye doin’, Chieftain?”
Huatar lifted his head to glance at Rhonoa once again. “Ah, I was just remembering old times and watching my friend over there.”
The little tauren took a look at Rhonoa then turned his gaze back on Huatar. “My mama says she doesn’t unnerstand why you bwought here ‘ere. She says Miss Rona isn’t vewy nice an’ is always silent an’ cold.” The boy moved closer to Huatar for more protection. “She’s kinda scawy.”
Huatar chuckled. “Yes, I suppose she can appear a little... unfriendly, but she really is a kind-hearted Shu’Halo, just like you and your mama.”
“But why doesn’t she talk to us, Chieftain? Doesn’t she wike us?”
“I’m sure she does,” Huatar said. “But you must understand, Rhonoa has been through a lot. She’s survived things that would have killed a weaker creature. Do you remember when I first brought her to Mulgore?”
The youngster nodded. “Aye, she was covered in bandages an’ scars, an’ was sick.”
“That’s right,” Huatar said. “But she had a different sickness. Think about when you lost your favorite toy ball yesterday. How did you feel?”
The little tauren looked down. “Bad.”
“Aye, but soon you found it under a bush and you were happy again. Now Rhonoa had lost something precious to her, something she will never get back, and she is very sad about it, but she hides it so people would not know about it.”
“That’s why Miss Rona won’t talk to us?” the boy asked. “She wost somefing an’ is vewy sad?”
“Yes,” Huatar confirmed, his voice soft. “and very lonely, I’m sure. She just doesn’t know what to do.”
The little tauren boy began to sniffle. “Poor Miss Rona.”
Huatar patted the boy’s head. “Now, now there… It’s good of you to show compassion toward someone. Maybe you can do something to help ‘Miss Rona’?”
The child cheered up immediately and bobbed his head up and down eagerly. “Yeah, Chieftain! I fink I can cheer up Miss Rona!”
The sun was high in the sky and still Rhonoa remained on the rock with her eyes locked on the scene before her. A tiny hand on her arm caused her to look away and she found herself staring into the face of a tiny tauren child. The boy couldn’t help but tremble a bit as Rhonoa stared him with those red eyes, but he regained his courage and spoke.
“G-G’mornin’ Miss Rona,” he said. “I-I wanted t’give ye somefing.”
He placed a small leather ball into Rhonoa’s huge paw. “’Tis my favorite ball, Miss Rona. You wost somefing right? When I wost my ball I was vewy sad, but then I found it. If you have it, maybe you will be happy too?”
The boy stepped back and watched and waited for the adult’s reaction. Rhonoa stared at the ball for a what felt like forever, then she slowly closed her hand upon the tiny object. She raised her head to once again look at the boy… and smiled.
“Thank you, little one,” Rhonoa said, the first time she had spoken after many, many days of silence.
The tauren child smiled back then reached out to take Rhonoa’s paw. “C’mon, Miss Rona. I know a vewy fun game t’pway wif the ball.”
Chieftain Huatar leaned on the Earthspear as he watched the Shu’Halo child lead Rhonoa to where the other children played and smiled softly, nodding his approval.
))It was a cool and calm morning for Shu’Halo of the Earthspear Tribe. Like a giant gold coin, the sun rose from the sea near the campground and shined its light on the earth below. Huatar, Chieftain of the Earthspear Tribe, stepped out of his tent and took a deep breath of the fresh morning air. He then took a moment to take in his surroundings, his soft blue eyes never missing the smallest detail, smiling as he watched the Shu’Halo move out of their own tents to begin their chores. It brought great joy to Huatar’s heart to see his tribe safe and happy, and he took a moment to thank the Earthmother and his ancestors for the peace and protection of his people. He had just finished the little prayer when his eyes landed on a lone figure on the beach not far from where he stood.
Rhonoa Ironhoof sat on a large rock in the sand, her fierce red eyes fixed upon the sea. She was tall for a female tauren, and had a slim, but powerful build. Those, plus the white markings and the serious expression she normally had made her appear intimidating. But Huatar knew there was more to her. Though he had only known the lone tauren for a short time, he learned much about her. Rhonoa was a great hunter, an awesome shot with her boomstick, and a brave fighter. Ever since Huatar brought her to live with his tribe she had been a hard worker. When she wasn’t taking care of the kodo, she was hunting for food and skins for the tribe, but the whole time she was there Rhonoa never spoke a word. The only time Huatar had ever heard her speak was when he found her in the Barrens, barely alive and surrounded by malicious centaur.
Huatar’s mind wandered back to that day. He was traveling through the Barrens when he heard a terrible ruckus. The Earthspear in hand, he dashed toward the noise and soon came upon an awesome sight. Rhonoa, wounded in many places, was in battle with a score of centaur. Despite her wounds, she fought like five orcs, her two axes slicing and hacking into flesh as she roared out her challenge. An arrow buried its point into the Shu’Halo’s paw, forcing her to drop one of her axes. Rhonoa quickly tore the arrow out of her paw with her teeth and sent the fist into the centaur’s face. Then, dropping her other axe, with all the strength of a grown female tauren Rhonoa lifted the creature over her head and hurled him at his companions. Whipping out her boomstick, Rhonoa fired at the enemies, some falling dead while others dropped to the earth wounded. Suddenly, a centaur who managed to get behind Rhonoa buried his spear into her back. The tauren turned around, pulling the spear out of the centaur’s hands, and slammed her boomstick into the unfortunate’s head. It was after that that Rhonoa’s legs gave away and she dropped to her knees. Sensing victory, the surviving centaur grabbed their weapons and prepared for a final assault when a fearsome roar caused them to freeze. Huatar was quickly among them, dealing death with his trusty Earthspear. The centaurs were defeated before they knew what hit them!
When Huatar went to check on Rhonoa, he found the female lying on the earth unconscious. He set up camp and got to work on Rhonoa knowing that it would take days for her to recover. That is, if she does survive her injuries. As Huatar treated the other tauren’s hurts, he discovered that, though recent, some of the wounds were older than the ones she received from battling the centaur. Rhonoa had already been wounded from a previous battle. The Earthspear Chieftain assumed that the stranger had just gotten out of that first battle when the centaur ambushed her. Normally a calm and gentle Shu’Halo, Huatar found himself grinding his teeth angrily as he thought about the centaurs’ assault. Cowards, attacking a lone, wounded traveler!
Rhonoa woke up sooner than Huatar had expected. He brought small platter of soup with a canteen of water for the female to eat. She refused the food, however, and made a request.
“My mate… Bron Widegrip and my infant son, Garith…” she started. Rhonoa had a low but quiet voice. “To the southeast… near the beach… my dwelling…”
Huatar nodded in understanding. “Say no more, sister. I shall seek out your family. Rest now and eat.”
Without another word, the Earthspear Chieftain left his tent and headed in the direction the other tauren gave him. Three hours had passed before he returned.
“You’re dwelling has been destroyed. I found a slain tauren there. Huge, with a two-handed sword in one hand?”
Rhonoa closed her eyes and nodded, as if she had already known the fate of her mate. Keeping her composure, she asked, “And Garith?”
Huatar shook his head. “I am sorry. I searched, but I found no trace of your little one. I am truly sorry, ma’a—“
“Rhonoa…” the Shu’Halo said, cutting Huatar off. “Ironhoof.”
Again Huatar nodded. “I am Huatar, Chieftain of the Earthspear Tribe.”
Rhonoa hadn’t spoken a word since. Huatar kept whatever questions he had to himself, knowing that his new companion was in great pain, both physically and emotionally, though she hid it. Days passed, and Rhonoa became stronger, her wounds slowly healing into visible scars. Huatar helped her to gather the materials she needed to make new clothes for herself and repair her boomstick, which had a huge dent in it after Rhonoa slammed the weapon into the centaur’s head. Able to move again, the two Shu’Halo returned to the wrecked dwelling. There Rhonoa buried her dead mate herself, having refused Huatar’s offer to help.
Huatar, knowing that Rhonoa had nowhere else to go, told her to come with him to Mulgore where she could heal and rest in peace with other members of her species. At first, Rhonoa declined but Huatar’s reasoning soon got her to agree. And so, the two tauren traveled to Mulgore where Rhonoa could continue her recovery and receive training as a hunter, until just recently when the Earthspears reclaimed their homeland.
The Chieftain was snapped out of his thoughts by the feeling of something bumping into his leg. He looked down to see a little Shu’Halo, little more than a baby, sitting on his tail. The child shook his head clear and jumped onto his hooves. When he realized who it was he had run into, he yelped and began to stammer an apology.
“S-Sowwy, Chieftain! I was jus’ pwayin’ an’… an’…”
A smile from Huatar eased the small boy. “You have nothing to fear little one. Accidents happen. It is learning from those accidents that is important.”
The little tauren looked up at the older one. “What’re ye doin’, Chieftain?”
Huatar lifted his head to glance at Rhonoa once again. “Ah, I was just remembering old times and watching my friend over there.”
The little tauren took a look at Rhonoa then turned his gaze back on Huatar. “My mama says she doesn’t unnerstand why you bwought here ‘ere. She says Miss Rona isn’t vewy nice an’ is always silent an’ cold.” The boy moved closer to Huatar for more protection. “She’s kinda scawy.”
Huatar chuckled. “Yes, I suppose she can appear a little... unfriendly, but she really is a kind-hearted Shu’Halo, just like you and your mama.”
“But why doesn’t she talk to us, Chieftain? Doesn’t she wike us?”
“I’m sure she does,” Huatar said. “But you must understand, Rhonoa has been through a lot. She’s survived things that would have killed a weaker creature. Do you remember when I first brought her to Mulgore?”
The youngster nodded. “Aye, she was covered in bandages an’ scars, an’ was sick.”
“That’s right,” Huatar said. “But she had a different sickness. Think about when you lost your favorite toy ball yesterday. How did you feel?”
The little tauren looked down. “Bad.”
“Aye, but soon you found it under a bush and you were happy again. Now Rhonoa had lost something precious to her, something she will never get back, and she is very sad about it, but she hides it so people would not know about it.”
“That’s why Miss Rona won’t talk to us?” the boy asked. “She wost somefing an’ is vewy sad?”
“Yes,” Huatar confirmed, his voice soft. “and very lonely, I’m sure. She just doesn’t know what to do.”
The little tauren boy began to sniffle. “Poor Miss Rona.”
Huatar patted the boy’s head. “Now, now there… It’s good of you to show compassion toward someone. Maybe you can do something to help ‘Miss Rona’?”
The child cheered up immediately and bobbed his head up and down eagerly. “Yeah, Chieftain! I fink I can cheer up Miss Rona!”
The sun was high in the sky and still Rhonoa remained on the rock with her eyes locked on the scene before her. A tiny hand on her arm caused her to look away and she found herself staring into the face of a tiny tauren child. The boy couldn’t help but tremble a bit as Rhonoa stared him with those red eyes, but he regained his courage and spoke.
“G-G’mornin’ Miss Rona,” he said. “I-I wanted t’give ye somefing.”
He placed a small leather ball into Rhonoa’s huge paw. “’Tis my favorite ball, Miss Rona. You wost somefing right? When I wost my ball I was vewy sad, but then I found it. If you have it, maybe you will be happy too?”
The boy stepped back and watched and waited for the adult’s reaction. Rhonoa stared at the ball for a what felt like forever, then she slowly closed her hand upon the tiny object. She raised her head to once again look at the boy… and smiled.
“Thank you, little one,” Rhonoa said, the first time she had spoken after many, many days of silence.
The tauren child smiled back then reached out to take Rhonoa’s paw. “C’mon, Miss Rona. I know a vewy fun game t’pway wif the ball.”
Chieftain Huatar leaned on the Earthspear as he watched the Shu’Halo child lead Rhonoa to where the other children played and smiled softly, nodding his approval.
