User:Katow

Appearance
Katow is of average height for a tauren and is covered in coarse, dark brown fur. His calm, reassuring eyes reflect his kind personality. A braided goatee hangs from his chin, kept in tact with a golden band he found long ago in his travels. His wide frame reflects his obvious physical strength. However, this is only relied upon as a last resort. He has large, black hooves that have been worn smooth from age and travel. When not seen in his tauren form, Katow Wildhorn is most commonly seen in the form of a treant.

Katow's treant form has become almost more comfortable to him than his humanoid form as a tauren. He possesses piercing blue eyes and his bark-skin is smooth and cracked from age. A pendant hangs from his neck that he received from an Ruku, an Ancient of Lore.

Recently, Katow has been seen more commonly as a bear. While investigating the Mana Tombs, his pendant mysteriously vanished from his neck, disabling him from transforming into a tree.

Personality
While his stature may frighten some away, Katow is uncommonly friendly and warm. While plants and beasts will always be the number one priority in his book, the well-being of Azeroth's and Outland's humanoid races will always be a concern to him.

Background
Katow was brought up in Mulgore, like most tauren. However, it was a great shock to his family when he began showing a natural ability as a druid rather than that of a hunter, like the rest of the Wildhorn clan. His parents, wide-eyed with disbelief and confusion, sent him away to Elder Rise to learn what they could not teach him. Katow returned to his family after training with the Runetotems for several years. However, despite completing his apprenticeship, Katow was shunned by all but his parents for being different. With their blessing, Katow departed Mulgore for Moonglade to learn more of the druidic ways and adapt to the way of the claw. After many trials and tribulations, Katow emerged as a successful druid and traveled Azeroth, rejuvenating forests and healing inhabitants of the wild along the way.

One evening, while meditating in his small nook in Ashenvale, the tree he was leaning on shifted behind him. Startled, Katow leapt up and glanced around defensively. However, he was shocked when the tree behind him began speaking to him. "Katow," he said. "I am Ruku, an Ancient, and I have been keeping note of your accomplishments for many moons now as the wind as whispered them to me. I see it only fitting that I teach you of my ways so that you too can walk unnoticed yet heal those in need." Dumbfounded and obviously impressed, Katow kneeled before the Ancient revealed and allowed him to do his bidding. Katow's skin became bark and his legs shrunk until roots had emerged. Breathing deeply, Katow embraced this new form and set out to do the work of Cenarius across Azeroth.

Many years have passed and Katow's Ancient companion of Ashenvale has long since departed the ailing forest for other grounds. However, they still keep in contact via the pendant Katow wears around his neck.

Recently, during an expedition into the Mana Tombs of Auchindoun, the pendant that Katow received from Ruku which allowed him to shift into a treant, vanished from his neck. He will stop at nothing to hunt down the thief that took his most prized possession from him and reclaim what is rightfully his.

Misc. Info
• Commonly wanders Moonglade, communing with nature.

• Has lost contact with his parents who have mysteriously disappeared. It is unknown if they left Mulgore or were killed during the hunt.

• Favors the marshy lands of Zangarmarsh and Nagrand while spending time in Outland to any other region. Yet, while on Azeroth, still remains faithful to Moonglade and Ashenvale.