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Description

The wind rustled through dying grass in an agonizingly slow but aggressive dance, autumn's last dying breath caressing the crisp tendrils with a frigid breeze. Dark, ominous storm clouds rolled and swelled along the horizon ahead, harking to the oncoming kiss of winter. It was coming, everyone and everything knew; all around were signs of the harsh season of bitter ice. For now, though, the snow was kept at bay beyond the distant hills, and for miles and miles, nothing but open, dry plains stretched before them, that small group of travelers. Crossing this massive expanse was their task, their quest: to trek across this still, lifeless valley, until they reached the next town over, which was another two days off at the least. It was going to be a long trip, that was for certain.

Breath puffed from the animal's lips, a hazy fog rising from her lungs like dragon smoke, a cloud of warmth in in the cool morning air. Coyote chirps and howls could be heard from far behind the foothills which the hikers had already passed, to which the piebald female twitched her tapering ears at. A hunt would have been fun, but Ruby knew that they were on an important mission, here, and her entire being gave her excitement away. Though they had left camp only an hour ago, the group had given pause in their trek to re-hydrate and stretch. Now that she was watered and refreshed, Ruby was eager to get moving again; her entire being was fidgety and tense beneath her handler's easy perch in the saddle, and the tokota uneasily shifted her weight from one side to the other every few minutes, willing the group to be on their way once again. The tokotas rider, Emmy, however, had other plans. She was nothing if not thorough, and wouldn't allow them to get moving before the route was finely picked out. The curly-haired, red-headed twenty-four-year-old wiggled her toes in the stirrups of Ruby's saddle as her graceful fingers traced the crinkled pages of a faded and worn map. The route splayed across the old paper was barely recognizable, so she had her doubts that they were headed in the right direction, and she knew getting lost was the last thing they needed to do with such an important task at hand. The female flashed dull lavender optics in the direction of one of her companions. "Are you sure this is the right way, Lyonette?"

The young woman's voice called for the attention of a slender, leather-clad red-head, mounted atop the beautiful tawny sphinx, Emma, who was patiently sniffing at a clump of dry brush to her left. Lyonette stashed the rest of her carrot sticks and jerky into one of the bags at her thighs and cracked a halfhearted smile in the other woman's direction, leading the ever easygoing Emma forward to come to Ruby and Emmy's side. "I'm sure." The woman answered confidently. "The Inukshuk formation should be just a few hours from here."

A tight sigh escaped the older rider's lips. Emmy gave a quick nod and crushed the map into one of the saddlebags behind her, then nudged Ruby forward; the fiery girl didn't need much coaxing to start moving again, and she eagerly fell into a sprint, her massive paws easily carrying her across the uneven terrain. Long, dying stalks of grass reached up to brush the tokota's white belly and her rider's heels. Emmy simply released a whirling breath, letting herself enjoy the rush of autumn wind against her cheeks and neck. "We might as well pick up the pace a bit," the druidess breathed, more so to the red brown tokota than their companions behind. Ruby was happy to oblige with this notion, and the pair covered a few yards to keep their nerves and energies at bay, while the others caught up.

"Let's go, Archer!" Lyonette spoke before giving the okay for Emma to give chase after her piebald pack member.

Grey tabby ears pricked at the sound of his name being called -- the anthropomorphic feline male lifted his head to the call just in time to catch Lyonette and Emma racing after a thundering Emmy and Ruby. Wait, what? Why were they running? Archer hissed out a small noise of contempt, situating himself more snugly in Sentinel's saddle. "Wait up!" He called after the women, rolling his baby blue eyes. Why did they have to rush? It was a beautiful day out, they could have enjoyed the scenery a bit.
The quiet slate roan beneath the saddle Archer sat in blinked wide green eyes, his large paws itching to catch up to the girls. "Hang on," the tokota's rider said in reply to the animal's agitated prancing. Twisting in his seat, Archer tugged at a long lead rope that fell from Sentinel's fox fur-lined leather saddle, and, after a few yards of slack, clipped with the halter of the bright tawny half-mane, Keezheekoni, who was posing as the group's pack mule of sorts. "Come on, Keezheekoni, let's go." The tabby male encouraged. The upbeat girl looked up from her busied sniffing and compliantly pranced over to the males, an ever-present spring in her step. Her tongue lolled as she leaned in to sniff a greeting against Sentinel's neck, to which he shifted his weight and twitched his ears, still wanting to move up towards the tokotas ahead -- he didn't like being left to trail behind. Archer nodded finally, letting his mount take the lead and fall into a loping gallop across the plains, Keezheekoni keeping stride beside his charcoal-colored frame.

After a few moments of running and panting, catching up and slowing down, the four tokotas and three handlers, all seven, came to a steady pace trotting beside each other. It was an easy gait to keep, but Ruby was eager to be in the lead. Emmy would have easily obliged if it weren't for the fact that her companions seemed to prefer the "slow-and-steady" way of going about things. So the fiery gals kept to an upbeat trot, just a few inches ahead of the other's noses.

"Are you cold?" Lyonette mumbled to Emma, glancing down at the tawny sphinx and worrying for her fluff-less form in the wind as it brushed passed them in uneven gusts. "Do you think I should have a blanket on her? I don't want her to get cold." The red-head continued, looking up at the others.
"She'll be fine," Emmy answered, flicking long lashes as she cast a look over her shoulder towards her occasional ranch hand. The druidess was positive that the tawny girl could handle it; she was stronger than her slender frame might suggest. And if Emma really was getting uncomfortable with the temperatures, Emmy could just ask her -- having some strange connection with Tokotas had many perks, the first of which being communication.

"Have you ever been on a rite like this?" Lyonette asked, trying to make small talk as they walked. It was going to be a long trip, so they might as well make it enjoyable and have a conversation.

"Many times," the druidess answered with another glance in the woman's direction. Lavender optics whisked over the unfamiliar horizon with a simmering curiosity. "I've not, however, made the journey over these plains. This is a first for me." Ruby fluffed up her tail as it shivered in a wag of excitement, the tokota sensing her rider's emotions about the trip. The two of them were definitely all fired up to for the adventure, even if it was keeping a moderately slow pace at the moment.

"What about you, Archer?" Lyonette asked while absentmindedly petting Emma's soft, muscular neck. The sphinx leaned into her touch as they padded onward, enjoying the affectionate gesture.
Archer shrugged his shoulders, his long tabby tail streaming behind him, flicking from side to side. "Just a few times." He answered. "The last was in the snow, so I'm enjoying this weather a bit more." Like Sentinel, the anthropomorphic feline enjoyed the sun, or namely, naps in it's rays.

Sentinel seemed comfortable under his handler's direction, and would release a contented, rattling breath whenever the silver tabby male would lean in to give their mount a pat on the sinuous shoulder, or a scratch in his scruffy mane. Of the three tokotas, Sentinel was probably the easiest to handle, his temperament quiet and easy to please. Archer was well aware of how luck he was to be completing the roan boy's Rite of Fortitude with him, despite the chill in the uncooperative air. The blue-hooded anthromorphic feline was also thankful that he had some company on such a trip, glad to not be making the journey alone. But even despite being grateful for those things, he wished his companions weren't in such a rush. Even if it was cold and getting colder by the minute, as the sun danced across the sky, he wasn't one to pass up an aesthetically pleasing scene. Perhaps he was just in the mood to relax on this treck -- he'd made it several times before, albiet to and from different points of interest. He just wasn't in such a hurry.

A sigh flew from the silver tabby's lips. "I'm hungry," he trilled.

Keezheekoni pricked her ears, at the mention of food -- she was always up for snacks. The female half-mane padded closer to the group, the saddlebags piled up over her back swaying with her steps. "I think Keezheekoni is, too," Archer chuckled.
Up ahead, Ruby tossed her fluffy read-and-white head back, either in complete agreement or in frustration at the prospect of yet another stop, another break in the action. Emmy seemed to pick up on the latter. "No. No way. We just stopped, you could have eaten something then. Grab a snack, we need to reach the Inukshuk formation by noon to make good time."

Archer growled dispondently. "Fine," he shrugged his slim shoulders in his hoodie, letting his claws trace through tufts of Sentinel's mane. The druidess resituated herself in the saddle. It was clear who was in charge on this treck, and she couldn't help but smirk at that.

Lyonette simply smiled at the exchange. "If you want to make good time, Emmy," she started, slowly urging her sphynx mount forward, "we should run!!" The red-headed, leather-clad young woman could hardly reach the end of her sentence before she squeezed her heels around Emma's sides and the tawny female suddenly surged forward, highly encouraged by her rider's excitement. The pair was practically flying across the dry landscape, wind rushing against their faces.

Ruby huffed out an excited noise, wanting to catch up and then wuickly race ahead of the two of them, her paws kneading the ground anxiously. Emmy sighed, knowing that running would only expel and waste loads of all their energy, but the stubborn growl in the pit of her stomach was ignored as she released the tight hold around her piebald tokota's reins and squeezed her legs around the female's torso; Ruby burst into a gallop, leaving her rider hardly any time to look back to their last few companions. "Might as well join us!" She called back to them.

Keezheekoni and Sentinel seemed more than willing to race each other, but this was exactly what Archer hadn't wanted to do. He couldn't help but smile at his tokota's excitement, however, and with one last sigh, he gave in to the roan's wishes to run. "I hope you don't think we can beat them, silly. They've got a head start." The slate male and tawny half-mane didn't seem to care, and quickly loped after the others now that they had permission. Archer contented himself with hanging on tight, trying to absorb as much of the weak sunlight as he could with the wind rushing against his fur.

At this speed, they would make it to the Inukshuk formation -- and their destination -- in no time at all.

Description

The wind rustled through dying grass in an agonizingly slow but aggressive dance, autumn's last dying breath caressing the crisp tendrils with a frigid breeze. Dark, ominous storm clouds rolled and swelled along the horizon ahead, harking to the oncoming kiss of winter. It was coming, everyone and everything knew; all around were signs of the harsh season of bitter ice. For now, though, the snow was kept at bay beyond the distant hills, and for miles and miles, nothing but open, dry plains stretched before them, that small group of travelers. Crossing this massive expanse was their task, their quest: to trek across this still, lifeless valley, until they reached the next town over, which was another two days off at the least. It was going to be a long trip, that was for certain.

Breath puffed from the animal's lips, a hazy fog rising from her lungs like dragon smoke, a cloud of warmth in in the cool morning air. Coyote chirps and howls could be heard from far behind the foothills which the hikers had already passed, to which the piebald female twitched her tapering ears at. A hunt would have been fun, but Ruby knew that they were on an important mission, here, and her entire being gave her excitement away. Though they had left camp only an hour ago, the group had given pause in their trek to re-hydrate and stretch. Now that she was watered and refreshed, Ruby was eager to get moving again; her entire being was fidgety and tense beneath her handler's easy perch in the saddle, and the tokota uneasily shifted her weight from one side to the other every few minutes, willing the group to be on their way once again. The tokotas rider, Emmy, however, had other plans. She was nothing if not thorough, and wouldn't allow them to get moving before the route was finely picked out. The curly-haired, red-headed twenty-four-year-old wiggled her toes in the stirrups of Ruby's saddle as her graceful fingers traced the crinkled pages of a faded and worn map. The route splayed across the old paper was barely recognizable, so she had her doubts that they were headed in the right direction, and she knew getting lost was the last thing they needed to do with such an important task at hand. The female flashed dull lavender optics in the direction of one of her companions. "Are you sure this is the right way, Lyonette?"

The young woman's voice called for the attention of a slender, leather-clad red-head, mounted atop the beautiful tawny sphinx, Emma, who was patiently sniffing at a clump of dry brush to her left. Lyonette stashed the rest of her carrot sticks and jerky into one of the bags at her thighs and cracked a halfhearted smile in the other woman's direction, leading the ever easygoing Emma forward to come to Ruby and Emmy's side. "I'm sure." The woman answered confidently. "The Inukshuk formation should be just a few hours from here."

A tight sigh escaped the older rider's lips. Emmy gave a quick nod and crushed the map into one of the saddlebags behind her, then nudged Ruby forward; the fiery girl didn't need much coaxing to start moving again, and she eagerly fell into a sprint, her massive paws easily carrying her across the uneven terrain. Long, dying stalks of grass reached up to brush the tokota's white belly and her rider's heels. Emmy simply released a whirling breath, letting herself enjoy the rush of autumn wind against her cheeks and neck. "We might as well pick up the pace a bit," the druidess breathed, more so to the red brown tokota than their companions behind. Ruby was happy to oblige with this notion, and the pair covered a few yards to keep their nerves and energies at bay, while the others caught up.

"Let's go, Archer!" Lyonette spoke before giving the okay for Emma to give chase after her piebald pack member.

Grey tabby ears pricked at the sound of his name being called -- the anthropomorphic feline male lifted his head to the call just in time to catch Lyonette and Emma racing after a thundering Emmy and Ruby. Wait, what? Why were they running? Archer hissed out a small noise of contempt, situating himself more snugly in Sentinel's saddle. "Wait up!" He called after the women, rolling his baby blue eyes. Why did they have to rush? It was a beautiful day out, they could have enjoyed the scenery a bit.
The quiet slate roan beneath the saddle Archer sat in blinked wide green eyes, his large paws itching to catch up to the girls. "Hang on," the tokota's rider said in reply to the animal's agitated prancing. Twisting in his seat, Archer tugged at a long lead rope that fell from Sentinel's fox fur-lined leather saddle, and, after a few yards of slack, clipped with the halter of the bright tawny half-mane, Keezheekoni, who was posing as the group's pack mule of sorts. "Come on, Keezheekoni, let's go." The tabby male encouraged. The upbeat girl looked up from her busied sniffing and compliantly pranced over to the males, an ever-present spring in her step. Her tongue lolled as she leaned in to sniff a greeting against Sentinel's neck, to which he shifted his weight and twitched his ears, still wanting to move up towards the tokotas ahead -- he didn't like being left to trail behind. Archer nodded finally, letting his mount take the lead and fall into a loping gallop across the plains, Keezheekoni keeping stride beside his charcoal-colored frame.

After a few moments of running and panting, catching up and slowing down, the four tokotas and three handlers, all seven, came to a steady pace trotting beside each other. It was an easy gait to keep, but Ruby was eager to be in the lead. Emmy would have easily obliged if it weren't for the fact that her companions seemed to prefer the "slow-and-steady" way of going about things. So the fiery gals kept to an upbeat trot, just a few inches ahead of the other's noses.

"Are you cold?" Lyonette mumbled to Emma, glancing down at the tawny sphinx and worrying for her fluff-less form in the wind as it brushed passed them in uneven gusts. "Do you think I should have a blanket on her? I don't want her to get cold." The red-head continued, looking up at the others.
"She'll be fine," Emmy answered, flicking long lashes as she cast a look over her shoulder towards her occasional ranch hand. The druidess was positive that the tawny girl could handle it; she was stronger than her slender frame might suggest. And if Emma really was getting uncomfortable with the temperatures, Emmy could just ask her -- having some strange connection with Tokotas had many perks, the first of which being communication.

"Have you ever been on a rite like this?" Lyonette asked, trying to make small talk as they walked. It was going to be a long trip, so they might as well make it enjoyable and have a conversation.

"Many times," the druidess answered with another glance in the woman's direction. Lavender optics whisked over the unfamiliar horizon with a simmering curiosity. "I've not, however, made the journey over these plains. This is a first for me." Ruby fluffed up her tail as it shivered in a wag of excitement, the tokota sensing her rider's emotions about the trip. The two of them were definitely all fired up to for the adventure, even if it was keeping a moderately slow pace at the moment.

"What about you, Archer?" Lyonette asked while absentmindedly petting Emma's soft, muscular neck. The sphinx leaned into her touch as they padded onward, enjoying the affectionate gesture.
Archer shrugged his shoulders, his long tabby tail streaming behind him, flicking from side to side. "Just a few times." He answered. "The last was in the snow, so I'm enjoying this weather a bit more." Like Sentinel, the anthropomorphic feline enjoyed the sun, or namely, naps in it's rays.

Sentinel seemed comfortable under his handler's direction, and would release a contented, rattling breath whenever the silver tabby male would lean in to give their mount a pat on the sinuous shoulder, or a scratch in his scruffy mane. Of the three tokotas, Sentinel was probably the easiest to handle, his temperament quiet and easy to please. Archer was well aware of how luck he was to be completing the roan boy's Rite of Fortitude with him, despite the chill in the uncooperative air. The blue-hooded anthromorphic feline was also thankful that he had some company on such a trip, glad to not be making the journey alone. But even despite being grateful for those things, he wished his companions weren't in such a rush. Even if it was cold and getting colder by the minute, as the sun danced across the sky, he wasn't one to pass up an aesthetically pleasing scene. Perhaps he was just in the mood to relax on this treck -- he'd made it several times before, albiet to and from different points of interest. He just wasn't in such a hurry.

A sigh flew from the silver tabby's lips. "I'm hungry," he trilled.

Keezheekoni pricked her ears, at the mention of food -- she was always up for snacks. The female half-mane padded closer to the group, the saddlebags piled up over her back swaying with her steps. "I think Keezheekoni is, too," Archer chuckled.
Up ahead, Ruby tossed her fluffy read-and-white head back, either in complete agreement or in frustration at the prospect of yet another stop, another break in the action. Emmy seemed to pick up on the latter. "No. No way. We just stopped, you could have eaten something then. Grab a snack, we need to reach the Inukshuk formation by noon to make good time."

Archer growled dispondently. "Fine," he shrugged his slim shoulders in his hoodie, letting his claws trace through tufts of Sentinel's mane. The druidess resituated herself in the saddle. It was clear who was in charge on this treck, and she couldn't help but smirk at that.

Lyonette simply smiled at the exchange. "If you want to make good time, Emmy," she started, slowly urging her sphynx mount forward, "we should run!!" The red-headed, leather-clad young woman could hardly reach the end of her sentence before she squeezed her heels around Emma's sides and the tawny female suddenly surged forward, highly encouraged by her rider's excitement. The pair was practically flying across the dry landscape, wind rushing against their faces.

Ruby huffed out an excited noise, wanting to catch up and then wuickly race ahead of the two of them, her paws kneading the ground anxiously. Emmy sighed, knowing that running would only expel and waste loads of all their energy, but the stubborn growl in the pit of her stomach was ignored as she released the tight hold around her piebald tokota's reins and squeezed her legs around the female's torso; Ruby burst into a gallop, leaving her rider hardly any time to look back to their last few companions. "Might as well join us!" She called back to them.

Keezheekoni and Sentinel seemed more than willing to race each other, but this was exactly what Archer hadn't wanted to do. He couldn't help but smile at his tokota's excitement, however, and with one last sigh, he gave in to the roan's wishes to run. "I hope you don't think we can beat them, silly. They've got a head start." The slate male and tawny half-mane didn't seem to care, and quickly loped after the others now that they had permission. Archer contented himself with hanging on tight, trying to absorb as much of the weak sunlight as he could with the wind rushing against his fur.

At this speed, they would make it to the Inukshuk formation -- and their destination -- in no time at all.