It all begins on a horrible day in Mulgore. At least, it does for Maulbane. The rain had been persistant - beyond persistant - for weeks now without end and the elders were becoming increasingly worried about the state of some of the flood plains in the region. As their name subtly hints, they were indeed flooded now. There was nothing they could do directly about it of course, they weren't Goblins or Dwarves and even if they had the technology to end the rain, or the effects of it they wouldn't. It was the earthmother's wish that parts of the land should be two feet underwater and while some of the new Tauren in the Bloodhoof Tribe were restless Maulbane was at peace. Fairly much. Rain fell with half-hearted force onto the crest of his hat, which was a humble thing made of leather and the feathers of many different animals he had encountered. Nothing out of the ordinary. He didn't wear the armor he did while he was collecting the flowers - an adventure he now looked upon with a dry distaste - due to the simple fact that it brought his already weary head back to less-than-cheery events. One of them having to experience the effects of Fel, Undeath and the Arcane during the same trip. He shook his head and resumed his vigil over the dangerously high lake.

Lake Stonebull had grown at least half a meter in height since he last saw it, in fact the place he sat down as a calf was probably a meter underwater now. His robes were wet through, his staff (merely to give him a more peaceful look - wearing spiked leather armor may strike children with awe and fear but it doesn't make him the most approachable Tauren) was beginning to rot around the middle. Goretusk was off drinking as much as he could, probably taking the water as a chance to bloat himself. Lucky Goretusk.

The Hunter turned his eyes behind him now - An Orc had just called out. Out of all the Orcs in Bloodhoof (Not many) it had to be Cutathr. Something to brighten up his day, he supposed. They were about to talk when, amazingly, /another/ Orc called from behind both of them. While the Kodo riding Cutathr wasn't impressed with the interruption Maulbane took it happily, taking a few steps towards the female Orc on top of the Worg, looking vaguely like a grunt of her race due to the pauldrons. He knew that couldn't be true, though. The words passed over him and his tired head like water, but she was asking if he knew where to find a Troll Shaman. He knew it was Ros, a fairly innocent Troll he had met in the past week, and his mind cleared slightly as he began to haggle another deal to acquire a different Troll instead. It was something to provide peace of mind for him, and while he didn't like paying others to do things he can easily do himself he let her walk away with forty-six gold coins. During all of this was a clumsy, young Tauren watching them behind a lantern. He dismissed it as just another curious Hunter and both Cutathr and the new Tauren walked towards the inn, half to give the bounty hunting Orc something to track the Troll with and to find somewhere to sit down. Both of these things were found yet neither relevant as slowly his thoughts drifted around without an anchor to order them. Sometimes he thought since a year ago all he's done is drift. Maybe he was right.

After all the visitors were gone (for now) he rose and walked back to the edge of the lake in the rain. After maybe half an hour of being attacked by large, spiteful droplets of rain he stood up and turned, towards Bloodhoof. He walked in to the village with only one person on his mind, an elder by the name of Zarlman Two-Moons. After the old Tauren turned around and the usual greetings proceeded. It was then the Hunter spoke his piece to the old, wise Tauren, speaking to him by his first name, trying to be informal in his next words. After all, Zarlman was only ten years older than him, at most.

"Zarlman, I need you to inform the council that I will be away from our lands soon."

They met eyes, Zarlman frowning slightly at Maulbane.

"You are planning to go on another of your trips, Shu'halo? If so..."

Maulbane shook his head, cutting him off somewhat accidently.

"I have to... Cleanse myself."

The elder once again frowned, eyes filled with hints of dissapointment at him.

"You do not need to do this, Maulbane. Reconsider it, you're more useful here than..."

Zarlman eyed him questioningly, as if asking where he was going without saying it.

"I will be going to Kodo Rock, elder. After that I will be impossible to find."

Maulbane sighed at that, leaning on his staff out of slight exasperation, but only because he couldn't find the right words.

"I have never been one to force people from their wishes, and you know that. If this is as important as you make it to be I will have to let you go. However, keep safe for your own sake, Shu'halo"

Maulbane let out a sigh yet again, half relieved and half... Longing, possibly.

"Thank you, Two-Moons. In the morning I will be gone."

The recipient of this news frowned more than previously, almost hurt.

"You would not wait even a few days to go?"

He shook his head, already turning to leave and giving a deep, respectful bow.

"I am sorry, Zarlman. This is an urgent matter for me."

As Maulbane began to leave, already a few steps into his exit, the elder called from behind him.

"Very well... Good luck."

Maulbane honestly didn't know how long this journey of his would take. He didn't know where he was going. A first, but there were many of those for him. For example he had his first "Getting stabbed in the back by a Death Knight" barely a month ago, and his "Recovering after getting stabbed in the back by a Death Kinight" subsequently. Going to Kodo Rock was just an anchor for things to come, something to direct his hooves while his thoughts trailed. However, it was still a good place to give homage too, and so he would go there. Far south he would travel, the road would be easy, if he should choose to take the road in the first place. He felt like air, for some reason. Without anything to hold him down, just floating until something should ingest him... He chuckled out oud at that metaphor, shaking his head as a few young Tauren stared at him, and the large, ornate rifle hanging off of his back. Half-way through strapping a barrel of various knick-knacks onto Gladestomp's broadside he turned to calmly observe the growing group of calves. Smiling slightly, he pulled something off of his belt for the sheepish group, who were starting to nervously move away already under the Hunter's fairly frightening gaze (At least for them.). He bent down and handed the thing taken off his belt to one of the smallest calves, A Warp Stalker's tooth. The small child, wearing baggy pieces of cloth and leather stared at the tooth for a few seconds and spoke quickly and anxiously in Taurahe, something along the lines of "Thanks" . The small Tauren took a few steps back and began to examine the small, out-of-this-world canine, as did the others looking over his shoulder. Maulbane turned around yet again, finishing throwing the thick leather strap over the Kodo and fastening it on the other side, making the Kodo look like it was being given a girdle. After about fifteen more of these straps were attached the Kodo and to pieces of equipment, as well as supplies of all sorts, the Kodo was starting to look like one of the Goblin Pack Kodos. As soon as the Kodo was covered in boxes, barrels, et cetera, Maulbane turned to leave it there. He planned to let the Kodo get used to the weight again, it had been a while now since the Flower expedition (Not as loving a name as one would think. If anything he says it with disdain.). As the Kodo shifted underneath the provisions, Maulbane had sleep to catch up on. Lots of it.

And so, to sleep he went.