I have much planned in terms of post updates and blog redesigns (who knows when I’ll actually pull myself away from WoW to do it all) but one issue has been nagging me for a while: what your pet(s) mean to you.
Now I’ve seen people run clear across Azeroth at the wee level of 10. They try their best to dodge enemies that would one-shot them but usually end up dying and respawning multiple times. If they’re lucky enough, they can convince a high-level friend to escort them, usually with promises of cake. These are the people who use PetEmote religiously, even if they aren’t a roleplayer. And heaven forbid that you kill their pet because you will suffer the full fury of their wrath.
But then I have also come across other hunters who don’t seem to give a rat’s arse about their beastly companion. Their pet is usually named something incredibly silly or demeaning, if they name it at all (not to say that silly pet names automatically equals no pet love). They will /slap or swear at their pet when it does something wrong (considering that we hunters have a LOT of control over our pets, I fail to see how our pets can screw up on their own outside of a glitch). Or even better yet, some of these hunters never bring out their pet, not even if there’s no reason not to have it out.
It should be pretty obvious to all of my readers that I fall into the first group. If the title “Petoholics” wasn’t a dead give away. 🙂 All of my pets on all of my hunters mean something to me in one way or another, even if it’s only that the pet just “feels right” with that character. And I’ll be the first to admit that I’m extremely attached to at least one pet of mine.
So you can imagine how my jaw just drops when I encounter the 2nd kind of hunters. Pets are such an integral part of our class and they are unique even compared to the other pet classes. We have to cart around food for our furry friends and feed it to them regularly, sometimes at extremely unconvient times. They don’t level automatically with us. And they come in so many shapes and colours that it boggles the mind. Oh, and the things we can go through just to get the one that our heart desires. I can’t even comprehend treating my pets like crap.
Maybe I’m just being my normal weird self. But either way, I want to know what you other hunters think about this. What do your pet(s) mean to you? Why do some hunters treat their pets differently than others? This is a meme for all hunters, bloggers or not. Post your response on your blog or write up a comment on this here post. Either way, I want to know what the community thinks. You know my opinion, what’s yours?
It’s kind of amusing when people come to me to ask what pet they should tame with their hunter. Sure, there are theories about game mechanics that say this or that and there are some hunters I know who switch out pets frequently. But I’m a firm believer in the phrase “you play what you feel is right”. So when I wrote the following story, I tried to capture what a true bond between a hunter and her companion can feel like. Enjoy. 🙂
The air was thick with moisture from the recently departed rain. It formed dewdrops on the leaves of the bush Niqora was shrouded in, drops that fell to mingle with her black fur. Her breathing was slow and quiet, her will carefully controlling what her lungs took in and out. Every one of her muscles was taunt in anticipation and ached so, but she dared not move in case her quarry would hear her motions. She would be patient, she was always patient.
Her body may have been still but her thoughts danced around her head as always. She was thinking of the black worg that had accompanied her for so many seasons. She cared dearly for him, as a hunter should for any of her pets. Indeed they were true friends, but Niqora had always felt a restlessness, a tug at her heart that had eventually led her here to Feralas. The worg did not complain when she had left him in the capable hands of the local stablemaster and wandered out under the gigantic trees that dwarfed even the tall Shu’halo. He knew that his friend needed to seek out her heart-wish. Even though she had not spoken a word to him about it, he knew in the way only an animal could. He would not worry for her safety as he usually did, but instead focus his attention on cracking the marrow from the large juicy bone the stablemaster had presented him.
More…
So…I’ve had both Cait and Tzia poke me to post an update (Tzia so subtly said to me in guild chat: “Niqo, you DO remember that you have a blog, right?”). In my defense, I have been kind of busy searching for a job and finally landing one (Yay!). But…I have also had enough time to play a lot of WoW. >.>
Instead of doing one big update that would look very daunting right now, I’m just going to say a couple of important things and then go into detail in a later post.
First of all, I’ve moved all my characters that were on Moon Guard to the new RP realm, Wyrmrest Accord. That includes Niqora, Anuniaq, Brighit, and Tkasha, as well as my new DK Githinji and my baby shammy Zulrea. Yes I know, I actually made some non-hunters. 😛 I’ll explain those later.
Secondly, Niqora has reached level 80! Woot! And…she’s engaged to be married! Screenies and details to come.
Thirdly, all my hunters are staying Beast Master. I have nothing against other spec, BM is just what I like. After all, I am a petoholic. 😉
And lastly, I have had a lot of pet changes for my hunters which I will need to post and talk about.
Oh! And I command you all to visit A World (of Warcraft) Apart, the home of my esteemed and wonderful guild leader (and Niqo’s betrothed <3).
Ha! I dare you to tell me that I need to update now!
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