Warhog

Warhog, the Companion Who Chooses His Charge.

Temperament

The Warhog, a brown boar of the high pastures and the plains, does not obey like a horse. He accepts a direction, then decides whether it deserves to be followed. He likes steady voices, low gestures, and clean decisions; hesitation annoys him more than fear. When he loves his master, he stays every bit as rough as before and starts watching over them.

Handling him

Ride him close, without trying to bend him. Bareback, stay low, heavy through the legs, and move with the impact instead of correcting it. Never pull against a charge once it has begun: turn him before it starts, or give him a better target.

Rewards

Praise leaves him cold. He likes salt, fat roots, fallen fruit, fresh mud, and having the hard places scratched where he cannot reach. The best reward is simpler still. Let him finish what he has started.

At the table

Have him sniff out lies, shove half-closed doors, and refuse bridges that sound hollow. When the group argues too long, he sets off on his own. In battle, he stamps without ever panicking, and expects the world to step aside; if it doesn't, he goes through it.