Azeroth is vast – even with the addition of the Orc nation and the Undead Forsaken to its original inhabitants, some zones on its two known continents are virtually devoid of civilization. Of course, flight paths link most of the major cities and towns, but for the more remote areas, it is a long and tedious run to get to your destination. For a hunter with Aspect of the Cheetah, these long runs are less tedious – but any adventurer worth his own salt knows that for true speed, a mount is a necessity.
There are different types of mounts, of course – most are restricted to specific classes and/or races – the demon “horse” for warlocks, wolf-riders for Orcs, and raptors for Trolls. The mount of choice for a Tauren is the kodo, commonly found in the Barrens, Desolace and a few other places. This massive animal, weighing in at more than 1 tonne, is, of course, strong – it needs to be to carry the massive frame of a Tauren – but it is also surprisingly fast.
Most kodo are not suited as mounts – not because of they lack strength, but because of it. A kodo run amok in a stable, well … 1 tonne of pure muscle mass thrashing about in a confined space would not be very good, to say the least. Not to mention the devastation it would cause running around in the city.
As such, kodos selected for taming must have the right temperament … and for mounts, a spark of intelligence as well. Weeding out the kodos from the kodos (so to speak) is the job of the Harb Clawhoof, the Tauren mount trainer. His partner (in crime, some people say, because they have a monopoly on the business), Kar Stormringer had the responsibility to train the rider in how to handle the mounts – bad handling can lead to … well broken bones would be the least of your worries if you mishandled a kodo.
Strangely enough, some goblins in Desolace have “perfected” a technique to tame the kodo as beasts of burden. I did not believe this when I heard of it and traveled all the way to see this truth for myself. I even escorted one of their kodo trains through the treacherous Mannoroc Coven. Amazing – I just hope that when the day comes for them to bring their technique out into the world, they remember my service to them, so that I get the chance to carry my “bank” with me everywhere I go.
Mounts are not cheap, and neither were the riding lessons. It took almost forever to get the 90g needed for both – no job was too small, so long as it brought in some money. Cooking, making bandages, working on leather armor and kits, fishing – you name, I did it. By the time I hit my 40th season, I had saved enough … and was itching to get back on the road. Where would I go? What wondrous lands and incredible sights would I see, now that I have a better and faster means of transport?
Buoyed by the opportunities presented to me, I readily parted with my hard-earned money and began training. Like a hunter’s pet, you didn’t simply buy a mount and start riding straight away. Developing the trust and kinship to the animal was a necessity – more so for a kodo, unless you wanted to get trampled on. Under the stern and demanding eye of Kar, I learned to read my mounts’ “mood”, while she, mine. We learned “simple” tricks together, like jumping over obstacles, running up a slope, and down it (without breaking our necks), walking backwards (which for a 4-legged creature, can be quite difficult).
Finally, our “day of release” arrived, and with a joyful gallop through the city (which caused quite a ruckus, I was later told), I set forth to seek my fortune.
