Grim Views

((Posting multiple tales of Bronanns life ))

Bronann lays as he listens to the elders and chieftains as they sing and laugh on this warm and clear evening, wishing he was older like his cousin Bron so he could join his father and people as they celebrate the night before the great kodo hunt. The lights from the fire and smells of fresh meat taunt Bronann as he lay in the dark. Unlike the others Bronann had a plan for this evening, he was tired of waiting for time to do her duty.

As Bronann slid from his lion hide bed he slowly climbed to his feet carefully placing each hoof not to startle the other children. Bronann was the older of the young warriors at the age of 20 but still far to young to hunt with the chieftains and seasoned warriors of his tribe. He was always smaller than the other warriors but hoped every year that he would suddenly grow, his hoofs growing larger and his shoulders widening...but they never did. With the lack of size Bronann used his speed and muscular frame to stand out from the larger children, he was so concentrated on being a great warrior he often found himself running and throwing rocks intead of merry making with the other tauren children. As Bronann carefully placed his hoofs heading for the opening of the tent to sneak out into the fire lit night and hide amoung the shadows to listen to the elders discuss plains of the hunt and battle stories of the past...something grabbed his foot. Bronann swiftly turned his head reaching out to this large hand that had grabbed his foot in what seemed like an attempt to stop his actions, "Let go of me child" Bronann whispered. "What are you doing Bronann, trying to get whipped?" Whispered the voice in the shadows.

As Bronann skwints trying to make out the face with this voice he had not reconized, he saw a larger tauren male, not sure of the age but from the size of his hands he guessed this tauren may be older than he. "Who are you? I am tired of laying here with these children, I am going to listen to the elders" Whispered Bronann

"I am Drako, son of Truon" Said Drako

Bronann knew Drako, they have grown up together since birth. His father Truon was a great warrior, his tales are told weekly of how he never fled in battle and was killed by a large beast while traveling home from the east where he battled with the centaurs. His kodo was attacked by these beasts they call raptors while Truon gathered water for the trip, in an attempt to save his companion he was killed by the pack. They say Truon died with a smile on his face and his massive mace in his hands. Bronann and Drako have always clashed, battling each other to test who is the strongest, fastest, smartest and most knowledgeable of the earth and its wild things that live amoung the grassy fields.

"Well I am headed out, out away from these children and into the night to explore and listen to the tales the elders tell. To be amoung the great warriors, to hear there tales of battle and the kodo hunt" Said Bronann getting louder and causing some of the children to stir in there sleep

"Then I shall join you Bronann, you will need a companion to defend you if you meet trouble in the night" Said Drako smiling

So the new young Tauren headed out into the warm night, dancing from shadow to shadow hoping the elders would not here there clumsy steps in the night.

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As Bronann and Drako headed out into mulgore on this dark and warm clear night they began to discuss tests of speed and strength, arguing who is the fastest and strongest. "Do you not remember the test of power small Bronann, the trunk was almost as large as you! We didnt expect you could swing it with much power!" Laughed Drako as he skipped around Bronann in a circle laughing and poking him

"You can swing a large trunk indeed Drako but you will have to be able to catch me first!" yelled Bronann as he sprited into the small forest ahead of the two young tauren

They ran until there thighs burned and there lungs felt as if they were filled with fire and steam

"Ah Drako! Still to slow!" Laughed Bronann as he grabbed Drako and wrestled him to the ground

The two laughed and wrestled ignoring the danger that learked in the shadows, the crackling of the leaves beneath there muscular bodies and hard breathing  masked the noise of large hooves stomping the ground as it neared.

"Stop! Do you feel that" Said Drako with a slight tremble in his voice

The ground felt as if an earthquake was upon them, the small pepples on a nearby hill fell to the ground as the figure emerged from the dark.

"Tauren! Young Tauren!" Yelled the centaur as he swung his might axe to the ground at Bronann

Bronann swiftly rolled to his left as Drako leaped to his feet yelling "RUN!", the two sprinted like they have never ran before, there lungs burned so bad they felt as if they will burst from there chests but did not stop as the centaur chased them through the night.

"Father! A centaur!" Yelled Bronann as the two neared the fires lash into the night sky

The elder warriors and chieftains leaped from there drunken merry making and charged at the young taurens shielding them from the danger that charged through the nights air. The centaur stopped short from the warriors and they yelled and provoked the centaur to keep charging, but he did not he retreated into the night. Bronanns father grabbed Bronann by his horn and pushed him to the ground "Bronann! What are you doing out of bed this night! What has come over you to think you can venture into the dangers of the jungle with Drako!" Screamed Arok

"I wanted to explore the night father and hear the stories of battle and past hunts" Pleaded Bronann hoping his father would take mercy on him and Drako

But his wishes were not to be granted on this nighit of nights, him and Drako were punished and forced to help prepare for the hunt tomorrow. Cleaning weapons and gathering supplies for the hunters and then attend to any work Cairne would have for them.

"You have disrespected the earthmother tonight Bronann! You do not venture into the lands the night before the great hunt! This is the time for the great kodo to feast and merry make before tomorrows hunt, how dare you disobey the orders of your father...of your Chieftain Cairne."  yelled Arok

The two young tauren retired back to the tent with the children and slept what they could, for the next morning they would be up early readying the hunters weapons and working while the other children played and awaited there fathers to return from the hunt. Drako and Bronann looked at each other in the dark and smiled knowing what they did was wrong but there friendship had just begun.

(( Good tauren flair! Welcome! I haven't met you yet, I'll make sure I do. ))

(( I hiave yet to become part of the grim! I am awaiting a decision but until then I decided to tell stores of my characters life  ))

Bronann awakens, barely able to sleep the prior night for he was to excited for his first kodo hunt as an adult. It was been 30 years since Bronann and Drakos first adventure together and both have grown into mighty warriors. Drako still remains the larger of the two friends standing more than 7 hooves tall, Bronann stands only 6 and half hooves in height. But Bronann has matured as a warrior and through his training in battle, tactics and the teachings about the earth mother and the spiritual world he was grown strong, smart and brave. To this day still the can beat Drako in a foot race, but Drako will ofcourse deny this claim.

"Awake you lazy tauren!" Yells Drako poking Bronnan with a stick that once held his morning meal of strider hide and berries

Bronann ofcourse hearing Drako approach his bed laid very still waiting for Drako to enter, grabs the stick and leaps up kicking Drakos left leg causing him to buckle to his left. Bronann swings his right leg around the back of Drako and forces himself on his back yelling "SLOW Drako! Will you never learn you big oof!"

Drako grabs Bronann by his horn and thrusts his head down pulling Bronnan off his back and onto his bed made out of lion fur and various leaves gathered from the local jungle. Bronnan quickly rolls to his side attempting block the incoming fist of Drako, one thing Bronann cannot deny is the strength of his friend. Drako strikes Bronann yelling "Look who is the slow one now!", Bronann laughing kicks Drako in the mid section causing him to fall backwards and smash into the tent wall causing a large scene as the elders were all gathering for the morning meal.

"Drako! Bronann! Can you two save some of that fight for the hunt!" yelled Cairne

Cairne Bloodhoof is the chieftain of the tribe and was a poweful, brave and wise warrior. Drako admired Cairne very much since he had missed a father figure for most of his life. The past 30 years have been a tough time for the taurens as a people and Cairne is the leader they needed. Bronanns tribe has traveled these lands very often seaking new lands to call home and to escape the grasp of the centaur, turmoil covers the lands and new things are arriving daily. Green skins have arrived around 20 years ago and battled with the humans, the Tauren ofcourse have no enemies in the humans or elves minus the occiasional threat posed by small rebel groups. The Tauren people are passive and respect all living things, such is Bronanns teachings but Bronanns prays for battle nightly and has long awaited his first kodo hunt and his first battle with the centaurs. The green skins have been forced into some sort of slave camp and only a few tribes remain free, Cairne does not speak of the green skins often stressing that dark magic is plaguing the lands and the Earth Mother is weaping. The centaurs have been pressing harder and harder and posing more threats to the Tauren, attacking tribes all over the land and killing many. But today is not about the war with the centaurs or the mysterious green skins walking about, it was about the few tauren warriors who have reached adulthood and will receive there first kill and weapon as adult warriors.

"Sorry sir, I will help Bronann prepare for his day of glory!" Said Drako with his head down as Cairne yelled at him

Drako was a year elder to Bronann and had his first kodo kill the year before, he also battled against the centaurs and recieved his first kill in battle. He hasnt stop talking about it since...

"Lets go Bronann! You might want to wear some extra leather to make yourself look more threatning to the kodo, they might mistake you for a field mouse!" Laughed Drako

"Dont make me kick you over infront of the elders again Drako" Said Bronann as he tossed a stone at Drako

The two now adult warriors made there way outside to gather with the elder warriors to hear the plans of the hunt and for Bronann to recieve his weapon that will be given to him by Cairne. Taurens have little technology compared to that of the night elves, they use larger weapons as well typically large maces or axes. Bronann was to recieve a massive mace, some may have thought it was to big for Bronann but Cairne knew his power and knew Bronann would defend his people in battle with it just as well as anyone in the tribe.

After a short meal and ceremony, which included the ritual of praying to the earth mother and giving her thanks for everything she offered, celebrating the adulthood of Bronann and giving him hes new weapon they headed out for the hunt. They traveled for what seemed like forever to Bronann, so eager to find the kodo he jogged at times just to try and calm himself down.

"Calm my son, you will have your chance. The kodo must be willing to give us there meat and skins for armor, you cannot force them to lay down there lives for us" Said Bronanns father Arok

"Yes father" Said Bronann with the greatest respect

As the sun reached the highest point in the sky, a Tauren pointed into the distance.."Kodo!" He said

As the hunting party climbed a near by hill to gather a plan of attack Bronann and Drako smiled at each other and Drako pushed Bronnan

"Are you ready Bronnan, to taste your first kodo kill!" said Drako

"Are you ready for me to out run you and the kodo" Laughed Bronnan

The elders devised a plan to steer the pack of 5 kodo into a flat area located slightly to the south, where they would steer the kodo into a small passage where they could tie ropes to each side and catch the last kodo to barrell through off guard and seperate him from the heard. Kodo are gentle creatures and will not attack unless provoked, if you attack a heard they will defend the heard. But if you can isolate a Kodo lagging behind the heard will leave it behind.

Bronnan was a runner, his speed and agility was rare amoung the large Tauren and would be used to help crow the kodo together and force them into the section of hills. Drako and the larger of the Tauren would hold the ropes to trip the kodo. The third group of Tauren located above the Kodos current position would fire arrows at the kodo to scare them and get them to panic and run from the Taurens chasing them.

The arrows fired down upon the kodo, they aimed for the thickest and toughest part of the kodo striking them with short arrows that would not penetrate very deep into the skin but hurt enough to get them to run.

"NOW Bronnan!" Yelled the leader of the runner group

Bronnan took off running as fast as he could grasping his new mace, his arms were not yet used to carrying this mace and at first he began to fall behind where he should be. He grunted loudly and pushed harder gaining ahead of the kodo shouting to steer them to the right, the other group of the party was to the right of the kodos slightly behind keeping them in a slanted direction towards the hills.

"Here they come warriors, be ready to pull the rope!" Yelled Gorddan leader of the 2nd group holding the trippin rope

The kodo barrelled through the passage and Bronann struck a kodo in his lower leg with this massive mace, swinging it will all the power he could muster. The kodo stumbled slightly seperatin it from the pack, Bronnan also stumbled not yet used to the size of the mace, hoping no one saw. The rope was pulled as the 4 kodo pased by and the 5th approached, down went the kodo slammig his massive head into the ground letting out a roar as he fell.

"NOW BRONANN STRIKE!" Yelled Drako cheering his friend to kill the kodo

Bronann said a quick prayer and he ran upon the kodo and slammed his mace into the kodos neck, the spikes on his mace cut through the kodos neck forcing blood to shoot in all directions. Drako cheered and Cairne came up and handed Bronann a knife to stab the kodo in the heart and ease his pain. The Tauren gathered around the now dead kodo and gave thanks to the earth mother and the kodo for this feast and Bronanns first kill as an adult. Bronann smiled for hours, constantly asking Drako if he saw him swing his mace! Drako now knows how he sounded and began to shake his head.

They feasted and danced around the fire singing to the Earth Mother and enjoyed the celebration of Bronanns adult hood. Cairne sat back and smoked his pipe, thinking of the times to come. She knew Bronann and Drako were great warriors and prayed they would be the ones to assist her in pushing back the centaur, so they could found a home for there own. She prayed for her peoples culture and way of life to survive for times were harsh, she prayed the green skins and humans seeking power would not interfere with the lives of her people, that the clans will unite as one. But she feared her prayers may be to late...