A tale of blood
#1
((As told at the moot last night by me, cleaned up a bit since I hadn't planned on telling it at the time, and posted by request))

I do not talk much of my past, but tonight I will share a tale of my childhood.

When I was a young calf of perhaps six or seven, it may surprise you to hear that I could not stand the sight of blood. Such a thing seems odd now, having spilled so much of my own and my enemies over the years.

At the time the clans of the Tauren had still not settled in Mulgore and survival was never a certainty. All were required to learn to hunt, yet my horror at inflicting harm always stayed my hand. At night I would pray to the Earthmother to end the need for suffering, and I would beg my parents to find another way to feed the clan.

My father fealt great shame over the fact that his son would not hunt, so as punishment he declared that I would not share in meal times. Until I overcame my "weakness", I would not benefit from the work of others.

It was not long before I began sneaking onions and radishes from the gardens, and it was not much longer after that before he caught me. Furious, he chose to break me of my phobia in the only manageable way he knew how. He proceeded to lock me in the clan smokehouse.

For two days I was stuck in a cramped tent while kodo and gazelle bled out upon the ground around me. It was a... traumatic experience. However, when it was over, I no longer feared the sight of blood. This was not from being desensitized to it, but because I came to a realization.

We are all like children... we can beg and plead with our superiors to provide a perfect world, be they our parents, our kings, or our gods. But in the end, it is an imperfect world, and all we can do is strengthen the good we find while weakening the evil.

And sometimes, that means we have to deal with blood... be it to fix a meal, or to defend our friends from certain death.

<the tauren takes a deep breath and looks into the distance> Each night before I sleep, I still pray to the Earthmother for a day when my blade and shield will no longer be needed. But until such a thing comes to pass, I hold to that fundamental truth.
Kosath Whitehorn
"The Tribe is my weapon.  I am their shield."
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#2
*claps* Kosath, I am so happy that you posted this! I was only at the moot for a short time and I was unable to hear most of your story. I also find it difficult to spill blood, especially since my calling is to protect nature and all of the Earthmother's creatures. However, as you say, sometimes protecting the good means hurting the evil.

I am proud to have such a noble warrior guiding the Tribe.

-Mellith
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