Could Senche-Raht be more than mounts?

A companion could make their intelligence and personality easier to show than a mount does. It would be especially interesting if the story treated them as a character with their own choices, rather than just another way for the player to get around.

Battle allies sound fun, but I wouldn't make fighting their only new role. A quest focused on Senche-Raht characters could show more of their everyday lives and relationships, while still letting them be capable fighters when the story calls for it.

I'd be cautious about turning them into battle mounts. If they can speak and make their own decisions, it seems worth treating them as partners, not equipment. A companion or a story role might fit that better, though some players may simply prefer keeping them as mounts.