Thorbane and Mogrock A tauren tale

[Bloodthin]

The Tauren sat across the table from Bloodthin. The Tauren’s age apparent on the old white muzzle. He looked at Bloodthin his eyes soft yet strong. “So, Thorbane elder druid, Tell me how is you and the young Mogrock ended up here?” Bloodthin said speaking slowly as he lifted a glass to his veiled face.n The old druid moved slightly his face not showing a sign of how he truly felt. “You know your history well warlock, perhaps to well. My grandson and I are not much for telling tales. That’s a duty for the eldest of my kind, but perhaps I can show you.” Thorbane said as he tossed several seeds and leaves on the table. The leaves stirred and moved slightly forming a circle. n Bloodthin grinned, he preferred seeing the past then hearing it. Bloodthin began to conjure a small amount of water as he poured it into the circle the leaves and seeds formed. “Are you ready old one?” Bloodthin said. The Tauren nodded as Bloodthin stood, The elf then began to form a red beam at the head of Thorbane sucking out the memories of the past putting them for the into the water. Bloodthin began the incantation allowing the memories to be seen. nn A grassy field with many huts, the Tauren moved going on every day tasks. The guards were sparse as the Tauren’s moved about there business. One Tauren stood out in particular he seemed middle aged for his people, his horns resembling those of an ox. The Tauren was Thorbane, wearing all the leathers of a druid healer the Tauren moved about the village checking on some of the sick children as he did so. n As soon as the scene was serene it jumped in excitement. Thorbane came out of a hut running. He heard the yells and the cries of his people. He ran to a hut in particular rushing in there was his daughter in law and his son. His daughter in law had just had calf. She lay under the blankets sweating heavily but a smile on the daughters face as she saw Thorbane come in the hut. Thorbane’s wife was next to her smiling broadly with a hand on the females shoulder. Thorbane’s son was standing in the corner of the tent seemingly afraid and nervous all at once. n Thorbane paid his son little heed as he knelt down to the daughter in law named Mogra. He smiled at her as she lifted a small bundle of blankets towards him. Wrapped inside the blankets was a small baby Tauren with two small nubs on his head. The small infant immediately reached up towards its new grandfather and grabbed hold of his chin in a very childlike manner. Thorbane’s wife smiled at him in a very teasing way. “Always good with the young ones weren’t you papa.” She said. Thorbane smiled at her as he stood up child in his arms, he looked towards his son and they shared a smile.n “My son you have now received the greatest gift the earth mother could give you. A child, your little bull. What will you name him?” Thorbane asked.n Thorbane’s son walked towards him a larger male then his father he was strapped in leather gear with a large axe on his back. His horns were like that of a longhorn. He looked at his father then his child. Taking him gently from his father he held the child close. Rocking the little one back and forth. “Father, my Bull, my boy shall carry our line to greatness, shall be the one to bring the love of earth mother with us forever in the mountains. I Rocktar and wife Mogra name this one Mogrock. For he shall have the heart of mother Mogra and shall be the rock of father Rocktar.” Said the father as he kissed his two fingers and put it on his sons head. Mogrock smiled and squealed loudly reaching at his fathers braided beads. n Mogra smiled as she began to fall asleep exhausted from the birthing process. Thorbane looked at his son and smiled. “Son it is time you share this with all of the village.” Thorbane opened the flap of the hut allowing his son carrying his grandson to walk through towards a crowd of Tauren. Rocktar lifted the child in the air and broadly announced “Earth mother bring us grace for you have given us the young bull of Mogrock, may you always watch over him and protect him from harm as he breathes this air.” The crowd cheered loudly and Thorbane smiled.nn The vision pool wavered slightly as the passage of time could be seen, again the village was serene the morning air was nothing from the usual. Thorbane was a great deal older as he walked the village in much the same raiment he wore in the previous memories. His muzzle had whitened softly and he moved slower as he walked. The Tauren sighed heavily as he opened a flap of the hut next to the one Mogrock had been born in. Inside the hut was a Tauren female wrapped in blankets her breathing heavy. Thorbane knelt next to her placing a hand on her shoulder. The Female twitched to the touch.n “Pilka, my love are you feeling any better?” Thorbane asked in a low hushed whisper. He knew there was little he could do. Many of the children and elderly had gotten this sickness this winter. It had started with a simple cough and had ended all to often with a violent shuddering leaving those sick to weak to move or eat or drink. Thorbane had watched his wife go through these stages the last four weeks. The suddenness of it all had shocked the family to the core. Rocktar and Mogra had done all they could to help Thorbane help her sending Mogrock out every morning hunting as they helped Grammas drink her tea. Much of the time one of them would sit with her while the others attended there duties in the village.n Today Thorbane knew would not be a good day for his wife of many years. He sat next to her and began talking to her about the stories of old. Reminiscing to her about how they had met and played out in the wilds. He spoke of the times he would go to the pastures and pick her the prettiest flowers. He spoke to her of the day there son was born and how he came to be such a strong Bull. As Thorbane spoke he wept softly. Thorbane knew it was only a matter of hours before the final stages of sickness left her lifeless. n As Thorbane became silent he heard a stomp at his door. Standing up he stuck his head out to see his grandson in leather armor around the same size as him. “Grandpa, Mogrock want tell you he love you an Grammas Mogrock find cure and save Grammas and whole village.” Said Mogrock his face3 nodding and determined. Thorbane knew that Mogrock only understood what was told to him, he had no idea there was no cure. But to tell him Thorbane could not bring himself to do it. He smiled and clapped the boy on the shoulder and nodded before returning to his wife’s side. Thorbane remained silent the rest of that time gripping onto Pilka’s hand as her last breathe left her body. n When Thorbane was sure she was gone he stood up and bowed his head saying a prayer to the earth mother. nnn The same scene many years later, Thorbane was wearing his standard Raiment. He looked upon the village as many of them were moving about. The men of a certain age were all carrying weapons and wearing the leather armor of warriors. The Centaurs had been fast encroaching on the lands of the Tauren. Thorbane’s muzzle had grown increasingly whiter since last seen. He looked among the many Tauren looking for his son and daughter in law. Since the death of his wife his family had been his only source of true happiness. Working with the young Mogrock on how to track animals and open his mind to nature Mogrock was on his way to becoming quite the young druid. n That day the village had posted scouts for warning of encroaching centaur invaders. Thorbane made his usual rounds before assuring to himself everyone was fine he went to go see his Grandson. Mogrock sat outside his tent holding a kodo bone he was carving a dagger from it for skinning. Thorbane smiled at his grandson. “Mogrock how are you today? You finish your chores?” Thorbane asked.n Mogrock looked up smiling as he dropped what he was doing, he ran to his grandpa and gave him a large hug. “Mog do chores grandpa Mog do them good to.” Thorbane smiled a his grandson hugging him back. “Good I am glad.” He said.n As the two let go a loud war horn was blown. The village quickly ran and got assembled as a kodo rider came in, two bodies draped across his kodo’s back. The rider rode into the center of town jumping off his kodo’s back he yelled for the village to assemble. Thorbane and Mogrock stood near the back as they watched what happened. The rider frowned as he looked up towards them. The rider strode towards them, as he got closer Thorbane began to realize what was happening, Thorbane forced the tears away as hard as he could as the rider presented Thorbane with his son’s axe. Thorbane looked at the rider and shook his head and pointed towards Mogrock. n Mogrock was in complete shock, not yet old enough to be considered an adult by the tribe he looked at the axe. Thorbane put his hand on the shoulder of his grandson as Mogrock accepted the axe with tears in his eyes. The rider stood as he pulled one more thing from a pouch. It was a highly decorated knife, Mogrock’s mothers knife. Mogrock nearly let out a wail as he was presented this. The Rider looked at him and Thorbane. “Centaurs ambushed them as they were on patrol. They killed seven of the Centaurs but …” The rider shook his head “They overwhelmed them in the end …I counted the tracks of over twenty Centaurs, I am sorry.” The rider then bowed his head as he walked back towards the assembled tribesmen. The rider began to yell furious orders they began to form for war. Mogrock breathed very heavily, his heart racing he looked up with tears in his eyes. “Mog not want be druid anymore….Mog bring hurt to damned Centaurs…Mog bring pain to them to….Mog become shaman and Mog fight …Mog fight harder then any Tauren ever fight before.” Thorbane nodded knowing that Mog’s path had been forever changed today. Thorbane closed his eyes trying to was away the pain before he was forced to fight the swell of sorrow. nnTo be continued……