Nine lives...

This reminded me of a lovely story Erinys wrote about her hunter pet, and I'll be damned if I can find it this morning:

Writing idea: write an eulogy for your hunting pet, or a companion pet, that if they could never return to you, what would you say?

A Hunter's Tale: Kaylyne's Story

I am a fierce-fighting, gun-slinging, Night Elf survival hunter. My pet fox Todd is my best friend.  My name is Kaylyne and this is my story. 


My journey began in this vast expanse of Azeroth a couple of years ago. Although I didn’t start in Vanilla, I wouldn’t classify myself as a “noob," but man, I sure was when I first got started. But offered the opportunity to be “as big and bad as you want” in a virtual world, I jumped at the chance, and dove head-first into WoW. 

Hunters have been maligned throughout the game, so you may wonder, “Why make a hunter?”  Well, when I first started I didn’t even know what a druid or a paladin was, as I do now, but a hunter was familiar territory to this girl who has never played an MMORPG before. I get a gun AND a pet! How awesome is that?!

I am finding out daily how big this world really is and just how many battles there are to be fought. Strangely enough, this hunter's uncanny good looks and witty charm can’t sneak me past enemy players waiting to trap me in a hex, but that doesn’t stop me from trying! I will never be able to understand everything there is to know about this complex game, but I get closer every day. With my faithful fox by my side, we venture out each day. We are beast: with killer instincts and amazing skills, targeted for adventure.
--Kay

Series: How I met your Hunter

Do not underestimate the power and persistence of Achievement Seekers.*

The kindred spirits of achievement seekers have a preternatural sense of who we are: we are the holiday participants, and we want that mount. We find each other in the gathering spots, trying to decipher just what exactly it is this NPC wants us to do...

This is how Mat met her best achievement seeking buddy, and kick-butt DPS hunter, Kaylyne. The holiday quests are not like any other; you will need to eat food a certain way, click differently, and navigate through hostile territories. You will be killed by an elite NPC on the other side, for certain. If you're seeking with a friend, it makes the wounds heal much more quickly. Someone to walk back from the graveyard with. True achievement seekers/friends always share tips, websites, locations, facts, and strategies. There is no competition in this area - it is all for the shared glory, title, and yes, there will be enough mounts to go around, not like ninja'd rolls in dungeons or raids. You give a little bit to the team, and are guaranteed a reward.

If it takes us all year, which it will, we will seek any elder, barf up any Hallowed candy, or kiss any Orc if that is what it takes.

Kay and I have become more than achievement seeking friends: we help each other in so many ways. Good friends just 'get' each other - we know when we need a hug, a confidence booster, and a drag through a dungeon without some macho tank yelling some profanity at us. We do have something to prove: female players do have to be 'better,' or will endure the scoffs, smirks, and sarcasm of some (not all) of our male counterparts. If this sounds a bit defensive and "girl power," well, just look at Kay's DPS score in a dungeon and shut your pie hole. Which, by the way, you will get if you're nice to us, we'll bake you a pumpkin pie.

Kay and me flirting with the guard...who was eavesdropping

*Some have other, more unsavory, epitaphs for "seeker." Watch your language, please.