The discussions that followed were straightforward. The Tauren were honest and sincere, and in turn, Galen reciprocated their goodwill. He had long sought the Tauren as allies and treated their alliance with the utmost sincerity. To aid in their recovery and rebuild their home, he immediately provided half of his grain reserves, ensuring they could resume production smoothly.
The Tauren who allied with Galen at this time were in a much stronger position than the orcs who would arrive on Kalimdor twenty years later. At that time, the orcs had just been freed from internment camps by Thrall, essentially a displaced and struggling people. The Tauren, too, had been hunted by centaurs, migrating from Stonetalon Mountains to the Barrens. Both races were essentially refugees, with nothing but their strength to rely on. Thunder Bluff and Orgrimmar would rise from the ashes, built from the ground up.
But unlike the Tauren of this timeline, who were fortunate enough to be guided to Mulgore by Galen nearly two decades ahead of time, the Tauren avoided the tragic fate of being hunted for years. They had time to recuperate and rebuild, with young Baine Bloodhoof growing up without the constant threat of centaur raids.
Most importantly, Galen had become a wealthy benefactor to the Tauren. When they needed grain, he provided it; when they needed weapons, he supplied them. He brought enough troops to ensure their safety. Galen was practically single-handedly assisting in the construction of the Tauren's new home, with the Tauren providing only the mineral resources from their lands in return.
It was important to note that Galen could have simply claimed this new land as his own, without seeking permission, and it would have been justified. But Galen genuinely desired an alliance, free of tricks and manipulation. He trusted that the honest Tauren would treat him with the same sincerity, standing by him when the time came to face future enemies.
After the council meeting, Cairne invited Galen and Hamuul to join him at his home, an invitation Galen gladly accepted.
When Galen saw Baine Bloodhoof, he couldn't help but be taken aback. The young Tauren was already towering over him—definitely over a meter tall! Galen marveled at the natural warrior traits of the Tauren. In just a year, Baine had grown like he'd been eating for ten men!
Galen's curiosity was piqued. Baine was the second-in-command of the Tauren, one of the key leaders of Azeroth's future.
In a playful moment, Galen teased the young Baine, gifting him a paladin's two-handed hammer and getting him to call him "Uncle Galen." It was a moment of mischief, but the arrival of Cairne's wife with a feast quickly shifted the atmosphere.
The dining table was laden with stewed strider, tender wolf meat, roasted lion, wild boar ribs, juicy kodo meat, and a large barrel of ale. The portions were generous, reflecting the Tauren's omnivorous diet and their reliance on hunting. The fertile grasslands of Mulgore were rich with wildlife, though early on, the Tauren had to rely on Galen's grain to supplement their food supply.
As they ate, they turned their attention back to the matter of military strategy.
"Galen," Cairne began, "this time, we'll need your help to deal with the quillboar in the south. I was originally hesitant to act, waiting to see what the centaurs in Stonetalon would do. Every decision I make affects the future of the Tauren. I can't let emotions guide my choices."
With that, Cairne tore into a strider leg with a single bite—his appetite was as fierce as his leadership.
Galen understood. Cairne, a seasoned warrior, knew better than anyone that allowing threats within their borders couldn't be tolerated. But he also understood the weight of the Tauren's past, the scars of countless lives lost to the centaurs.
"I understand, my friend. Rest assured, you can focus on the centaurs. They are your blood feud, and their threat cannot be underestimated. But the quillboar, while primitive and barbaric, are not as formidable. Their tactics lack the finesse of the centaurs. They're an annoyance at worst," Galen assured.
The quillboar were no match for the Tauren in terms of mobility and strategy, Galen believed. Compared to the centaurs' swift raids, the quillboar were predictable, and their tactics were less organized.
"Don't underestimate them, Galen," Cairne cautioned. "The Razorfen quillboar occupy Razorfen Downs. There are over 50,000 of them, with 20,000 capable of fighting. The Bristleback boars may be smaller, but they're unpredictable, and we can't rule out a sneak attack on our rear!"
Galen's eyes narrowed, sensing Cairne's concern. The Tauren didn't have the luxury of sending all their troops to battle, and the quillboar could be a distraction that would leave them vulnerable to other threats. Cairne had valid reasons to hesitate.
"I'll send three legions to the south," Galen said firmly. "Even if we don't wipe out the quillboar in one strike, we'll secure your borders. Bloodhoof Village and Narache Camp will be safe, and the construction will proceed without further disruption."
Against the quillboar, who lacked the coordination of the centaurs, Galen was confident that his forces would secure the region. Their crude weapons and formations would be no match for his well-equipped troops.
Hamuul, ever the diplomat, interjected. "Perhaps we should send some of our own warriors to aid Galen in battle. The quillboar harass our borders, and while we've formed an alliance, it feels wrong to leave all the work to others."
Galen grinned. "Ah, so we have some free warriors on hand?"
Galen was suddenly filled with excitement!
His previous drowsiness vanished as he focused intently on Cairne, his eyes burning with enthusiasm. He had long admired the Tauren's combat prowess, and now, the chance to acquire a group of willing warriors for free was an unexpected and delightful opportunity.
"Yes, we don't need all our warriors to deal with the centaurs. If we can hold the Stonetalon Mountains valley, we'll cripple their mobility and force them into a war of attrition! We can spare some warriors for the task!" Galen proposed eagerly.
"Oh? Really?" Cairne raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Galen quickly suggested, "In that case, Cairne, why not send the Skychaser warriors? Let Dezco lead them!"
Cairne's face lit up with approval. "No problem. Let Dezco take the Skychaser warriors and their newly formed Sunwalkers to join you, Galen. We entrust the rear of our Tauren to you!"
Galen grinned to himself, imagining the combined might of Tauren paladins and human paladins on the battlefield. History was about to be made!
Cairne, with a wide grin, slapped Galen's shoulder with a giant hand, almost causing him to slide off his chair. Galen, now at the peak of the ninth order, managed to stay steady, thankful that he had advanced so far. Otherwise, he would have embarrassed himself in front of Baine.
Grateful for Cairne's trust, Galen also understood the deeper implications. This was his chance to demonstrate his military strength to the Tauren chiefs. Cairne and Hamuul trusted him, but that didn't mean every chief would follow suit. To truly solidify the alliance, Galen needed to show his might, proving that strength was the foundation of their partnership.
Galen was aware that the Tauren were not a unified entity. While Cairne was the leader, others like Hamuul and Magatha held differing views. Magatha, in particular, disagreed with Cairne's cautious approach, pushing for more extreme action to eliminate any threats to the Tauren, regardless of the broader consequences.
"Don't worry, Cairne, Hamuul. I have a plan, just watch me!" Galen assured them, patting his chest with confidence.
"Now, let's get back to eating! Baine hasn't had enough—he's growing fast! Come, Uncle Galen will get you some kodo steak!"
"Speaking of which, Cairne, can you get me a kodo to ride?" Galen asked casually.
Cairne chuckled and drank from his wine glass in one hearty gulp. "Glug glug glug—no problem! You wait, I'll go to the Bloodhoof tribe tomorrow and get you a strong kodo!"
"That's great! Hamuul, I came all this way for the celebration—do you have any gifts for me?" Galen grinned mischievously.
"Haha, Galen, looks like you're going to leave here with quite the haul. I've got some alchemy potions I've been working on. Consider them a gift!" Hamuul replied, with a wink.
"Hahaha!" Galen laughed heartily, enjoying the camaraderie.
… … … … …
The next day, Galen left Thunder Bluff and teleported back to Galen's Port.
When Galen's Port was established, Gandalf brought four legions—Stone, Tides, Gale, and an unnamed legion. Currently, the Gale Legion was stationed at Friendship Keep, and the remaining three legions were based at Galen's Port.
For the Razorfen Kraul expedition, Galen planned to deploy over 20,000 troops. All three legions stationed at Galen's Port would be sent, along with the top knights from Minas Tirith. After all, if he wanted to impress the Tauren chiefs, he might as well show them his strength in full force.
The Port was defended by Tyrek's 3,000-strong garrison, but if that wasn't enough, Gandalf could always pull in additional forces from the Eastern Continent.
Speaking of which, Galen now commanded fifteen legions, though only five had official designations. He planned to find suitable commanders for the remaining troops, including Omar, Varrokal, Heni Mareb, and Fadir, who had all shown great skill in Stormwind and would soon be entrusted with leading their own armies.
This time, Gandalf also had a special request—he wanted Galen to bring Hogger along. Since Hogger's arrival in Stromgarde, he had been receiving systematic combat training from the Minas Tirith paladins who had served in Stormwind. Hogger, the infamous gnoll, was proving to be naturally gifted, and under Galen's care, his size had grown substantially, now standing over two meters tall.
Galen had plans for Hogger. With a Bristleback gnoll tribe near southern Mulgore, he could put Hogger's training to use by sending him on an undercover mission.
Though Galen didn't know much about the Bristleback gnolls or the Razorfen quilboar, he recalled a past mission in which he had infiltrated Razorfen Kraul to kill the quilboar leader, Charlga Razorflank. Perhaps he could uncover more and use that information to his advantage.
Mulgore was already the Tauren's home, and Galen couldn't risk teleporting Gandalf at will. Instead, he decided to ensure that the promised grain was delivered alongside the troops, keeping his forces well-supplied.
A week later, Galen's three legions marched into Mulgore's gates. Over 20,000 soldiers, marching in tight formation, entered the Grass Sea Plains.
On the high platforms of Thunder Bluff, Tauren crowds had gathered, eager to witness the arrival of their new ally. Word had spread that the messenger of Sun Anshe—who had helped them find a new home—was now bringing troops to rid Mulgore of the southern quilboar menace.
The Tauren watched in awe as the army marched forward. Though Thunder Bluff was far from the Grass Sea Plains, the sight of over 200 formations stretching for miles was enough to fill them with awe and excitement.
Galen, standing on the high platform, felt a surge of pride. The clear weather offered an unobstructed view of the plains, and he could see the army moving like a tide of black dots. The sheer scale of the force was enough to strike awe into anyone's heart.
"This is my legion," Galen thought, exhilarated. "And this is just one-fifth of my total army. One day, I will fill the entire Mulgore grasslands with my troops!"