Why hunter?

Ever since I jumped ship for TOR, I've been reflecting back on what I learned about myself as a player from being a hunter, since I learned very early that I liked the priest-type.

1. I like pets.  This seems like an obvious one, but prior to WoW, I hadn't known that I truly like the companion mechanic.  I'm not fond of having more than two companions, though; the third tends to get lost in the shuffle.  Mind you, this preference is not simply due to having a permanent companion at my side, though that's clearly part of it.  No, it goes deeper than that.  I like having a companion to take some of the direct fire off myself so I can think more clearly.  A bit of the healer in me surfaces here too; if my companion is tanking, then I am most likely responsible for keeping him healed.  Everything comes into sharper focus.
2. I prefer ranged classes.  There are some exceptions to this, but in an environment where there are other players, I definitely gravitate toward the ranged area.  And this makes sense for hunters; you get a great view of the battlefield and can truly see what's going on.  Once you're down and dirty in melee, you're a different kind of hunter with different priorities.
3. I like playing the loner.  This is sadly something that I could never get from a healing character and is pretty much unique to the gunslinger type.  I like the feeling that I can take off and strike out on my own doing whatever needs to be done at the drop of a hat.  Alone.  Why is that freedom important?  I haven't found an answer, since the healer in me wants to be bound to a group at all times.  And therein lies the contradiction of my personal preferences.

Everyone has their reasons for playing a hunter type.  These are the biggest draw for me.