Arien Highmountain
 Arien Highmountain | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Title | Protector of the Mountain |
| Gender | Female |
| Race | Highmountain tauren |
| Affiliation(s) | Highmountain Tribe, Unseen Path |
| Occupation |
Wielder of  [Talonclaw] |
| Status | Deceased |
| Relative(s) | Gardrel (twin sister) |
Arien Highmountain was the wielder of [Talonclaw] several generations after the War of the Ancients. She aided her twin sister, Gardrel, in leading the Highmountain Tribe; rather than divide the tribe or place its well-being in the wrong hands, the previous chieftain had named Gardrel, who was acknowledged to be wiser and a strong diplomat, as the new chieftain, while Arien, who was the greater warrior and had an affinity for the wilds, became the Protector of the Mountain and wielder of Talonclaw. The sisters were happy with their roles, and Arien kept the tribe safe for many years, tapping into the blessing that the Wild Gods had bestowed on the weapon. She was the one to first give it the name "Talonclaw", honoring the Wild Gods her ancestors had befriended.[1]
One day, Arien and Gardrel encountered a group of night elves called the Unseen Path and led them up the slopes of a nearby mountain. As they approached the summit, Talonclaw began to glow in Arien's hands. As she instinctively held it up to the sky, a cascade of golden energy poured from the spearhead and took the shape of a great eagle. Arien and Gardrel both remembered the lore of their tribe and knew that Ohn'ahra herself had blessed the site, and they knew that it should be renamed Talon Peak. Together, the tauren and the Unseen Path built the Trueshot Lodge upon the slopes of Talon Peak, where they watched over the land and vowed to be ready for the Burning Legion's potential return. The elves and the tauren learned much from each other, and Arien eventually joined the Unseen Path, becoming one of its greatest members.[1]