A thirteen (or so) year old Maulbane was sitting in front of Chief Hawkwind and the small council of elders (about four people altogether), nervous and frightened.

The Chieftan addressed Maulbane in Taurahe, the Tauren's language. "Ish-ne-alo Por-ah, Hunter, you have grown both in mind and in spirit during your time here, but now it is time for you to leave, at least for now"

"Chieftain Hawkwind, why? Have I done something wrong? I'm sorry, please let me stay, I won't tease anyone anymore, I promise!" Maulbane's small eyes were beginning to fill up with tears. The Chieftan chuckled

"No, Maulbane. I am sending you to do the rites of the Earthmother"

"Really?" Maulbane's eyes lit up with joy

"Why would I lie about something like that, young Tauren? Maulbane looked sheepish for a moment, but that wasn't enough to dim his excitement. The rites of the Earthmother! The other children were going to be so jealous when he told them! Adolescent Taurens were sometimes not allowed to complete the rights at all, let alone a child. He fell asleep...

And woke up... Maulbane had had a light sleep, but that wasn't new at all. He raised his head from the comfy bed, the hunter's natural suspicion kicking in. He checked that all his possessions were still in his room (which they were, of course. Even if the goblins wanted to steal something from him, his little bout of fury on the deck last afternoon would have knocked out any such thoughts) and put all his gear back on. He wanted to see how close they were to Kalimdor, so he went up to the deck, past the many rooms and up a few flights of stairs.

His two buddies were not in their usual spot, so he decided to walk to the edge of the deck and take in the sights. He watched the line the zeppelin cut over the water as it flew past for a few minutes, then he tired of that, and explored the craft he was on. He had already been on the deck and the corridors were all the same, so he look around the engine room. It was what he expected - lots of goblin machinery and goblins. There were many huge machines generating large columns of smoke and steam, and many other such things (since Maulbane was no engineer, he had no idea what any of the machines were. Nonetheless, he liked to explore, and these things were quite fascinating). He wondered if he was allowed here, but since none of the engineers even looked at him, he guessed it was okay. Something large and red caught his eye, in the corner of the engine room - it looked like one of those new fangled goblin rockets - Now that was interesting. He went over to it, and was about to touch it when...

"No! Don't touch it!" Maulbane almost jumped out of his skin, then turned around and saw the small, soot covered goblin, looking annoyed

"Do you KNOW how unstable that thing is? HUH?!" The green creature pretty much shouted in his ear, with his high-pitched voice

"Umm... No?" Maulbane knew that goblin inventions tended to blow up half the time (and that is being generous), but surely touching it wouldn't do anything.

"And that, my friend, is why you should leave the touching of UNSTABLE MACHINERY to me!" His pointed green ears seemed to go dark red when he stressed the 'unstable machinery' bit.

"Right... Okay..."

"So?"

"Huh?"

"GO AWAY!" Screamed the annoyed - and annoying - goblin, jumping up and down and stamping his feet. "Humph" Maulbane thought "Should have remembered how touchy goblins are when it comes to their gadgets" Thanks to the goblin engineer (who was now behind him as he walked back to the deck), his curiosity had been smothered, but not forever. For the present, he decided to go up to the deck and sit down, and give Goretusk his breakfast. As soon as he called for him, the boar came waddling over.

"Today's special is... It's here somewhere... Ah, there we go" Maulbane pulled out a large mushroom, picked from... Somewhere.

"Enjoy" And Goretusk did (that doesn't mean much though, he eats anything) As Goretusk was chomping down his brekky, Maulbane finally noticed his two friends, at their usual spot. He left Goretusk to eat and went over to them.

"There he is!"

"Hello"

"So, what do you think about blackrock depths?"

"No, Kor'La"

"Why not? I can't understand why you WOULDN'T want to go there"

"is you serious, 'Mon? That place is bad ju-ju"

"Well, you're a troll. Maulbane, why wouldn't you want to go?"

"I don't like dungeons... I am a Tauren after all."

"It's not as bad as you think..."

"That may be so, but I really have to say no..."

"What if we find more people? I know a rogue and a priest" Maulbane thought this over. Five people was an ideal amount, at least he had heard

"Maybe, but I still don't know"

"I think it sounds alright, but make sure we have 'dose people when we go" Kavijin was convinced fast.

"When? How do we even know we're going yet?" Maulbane was still against the idea.

"Oh, come on, Maul. I'm a warrior, Kavijin's a shaman and you're a hunter. It's practically set in concrete" Maulbane thought hard, for these kind of moments were the ones that could change life to death and wealthy to poor... He mulled over every fact, everything he thought he could go wrong, and everything that could go his way, leaving his claustrophobia out of the equation. After a whole five minutes of silence, he raised his head, took a deep breath in, and hoped that he had made the right decision... An uneasy smile on his lips...

"STUPID CHILD! GET OUT OF MY WAY!" The angry Undead warlock shouted. Maulbane was excited, for he had completed his trials (which were as hard as they all said). Well, all except for one, which was the reason he was excited in the first place. The final trial was to enter the great Tauren capital city (well, it was the only city Tauren city. In such a world cities are a rarity, but towns are dotted across all the continents of Azeroth), Thunder Bluff, for the first time. He had heard about it before, but there are special rules to enter Thunder Bluff. Either you must have completed the rites of the Earthmother or you have to prove yourself to the Taurens in another way, usually by helping one of them or aiding them in battles. Anyways, that didn't matter now, because he was finally inside the great city of Thunder Bluff! And to think he was bursting with excitement then, when he heard that he would actually meet Cairne Bloodhoof HIMSELF was awe-inspiring! Cairne Bloodhoof was the legendary leader of the Tauren race, who united all the nomadic tribes living in the Barrens and beyond, and with all of their might under a single banner, and much help from the orcs, defeated their ancient enemy, the Kolkar Centaur. And after that, he build the great city of thunder bluff, on top of three huge mesas in Mulgore. He was an amazing Tauren, probably the greatest leader their race had ever had. And to think, he was going to meet him! He was slightly lost and a bit dizzy after getting off the elevator that took him up here, but apart from that he was as right as rain. Luckily that was only a figure of speech, because rain would have made the day a little less exciting for the young and aspiring Tauren. Anyways, after weaving through many serious looking hunters, warriors, mages, warlocks, priests, paladins, rogues and shamans, he found the highest mesa, and he had just reached the tent of the great leader, when... "Snap out of it, Maulbane" "Earth to Maulbane?" "Hehe, he's got da jungle fever, mon'" Kavijin added "You know that doesn't exist, you trolls just made it up' Kor'La retorted "Okay, okay, I don't care... I have a question though... Who's going to be the boss?" Then they got to work ...