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Issorartuyok Endurance Trials Day 3

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Dan
They had reached the second checkpoint when late afternoon gave it’s farewell greetings to the early evening. Even though both of them were tired, Octavia and the long maned girl of Tana were still in a good mood and so the two decided to head out on the trail again and use the rest of the daylight. During the last few hours Dan had now and then napped away on the extended marked’s back, and even though it was nothing against a good night’s sleep it refilled his energy level together with the slowly dropping temperature.

Two or maybe three hours later a new noise caught their attention. The gurgling and splattering of water! The bearwolves were urged into a slow canter, and soon the river appeared. Dan looked at Tana, a smile on his lips. “We made it Tana! With the amount of time we made up I think we could eventually be back in the race. Let us rest here so we can start early tomorrow. Let’s see if our youngsters can’t beat the old shags” he winked at her.
Preparing camp was as easy as breathing by now, and with the river nearby Dan was glad to be able to wash himself and Octavia properly. There were still some mud clusters in her fur, leftovers of her stubbornness.

The young man and the tattooed girl didn’t talk much that evening, both being tired from the irregular sleeping pattern and the strength-depriving heat. Still they bothered to cook - at least once a day a hot meal was a luxury Dan wanted to treat himself with. After the cleaning-up they went more or less directly to sleep, trusting their Tokotas to warn them from any possible danger.

Dan woke up with a weird feeling on his face. He needed a moment to realize it was a slight drizzle that moisted his skin, not yet strong enough to be called rain. Clouds hung heavy in the sky, shily brightened by the slowly approaching daylight.

“Tana, are you awake? Let’s get going before it starts pouring.”

Tana

“It's just water, Dan...” She tilted her face upwards, facing the mist and couldn't help but wish for more. It was like she had been a flower after a drought, it didn't matter she had been down by the water just before the man woke. She knew that some still felt uncomfortable with uncovered skin, but it was not wise to leave Dan alone at that time. Both Octavia and Tulrujuq had taken a stroll along the river. Still within eyesight but...still too far to make it safe if... She had noted a hunted look in Dan’s eyes after he came out of the swamp. It hadn't been there for long but it had been there. So besides the fresh plants she used for their morning tea she had also put in some of the dry plants she had in her medicine bag. They would help calm his spirit and help it focus on whatever was troubling him.

Tulrujuq came up beside her and gave her a warm snuffle on the cheek. The long mane had started to develop well even if she still was too young for any heavier or harder tasks. This was a good training for the brown piebalds Arms of Akna and after that her rites of Dominance. But deep inside Tana was not worried. Despite many generations and living close to humans they were still wild spirits that wouldn't fully be tamed. There would always be a part of them, Tana was sure, that would always be wild. Even those short legged ones. She still hadn't given up hope in making them into hunters. They had been more keen learning what Joe called tricks. One she hadn't been so fond of was the one when Joe had formed his hand into an imaginary fire stick, with his thumb straight up and his index finger like he pointed at something. Ukaliq hadn't understood it, but the tokis had.

Tana looked at Dan’s tokota again. Octavia seemed to try and help her human with his bedroll but didn't seem to understand that standing on it wasn't really helping. When the man lifted one paw the tawny female just put her other down on another part of the bedroll. By now it seemed like the spirits had in fact listened to her because the previous drizzle had now begun to form real raindrops. Still small, but they came quicker.

Dan
“I’d still rather be on my way when the heavens open. Hopefully they won’t, even though a little rain is nice after this heat wave.” The young man got up, realizing that the girl must have been awake for a while. With his fingers he combed through his thick, long hair and braided it. Back in his teenage years they had been short, but when he fled into the wilderness he couldn’t care about cutting it regularly. Funny thing to think that his hair was kind of a symbol for the time that had passed.

Dan shook his head, what kind of thoughts were these? He had better to do than having his head in the clouds. When he started to roll up his bedding, a big dark snout appeared before his face. “Mornin’ girl, this weather is much better, ey?” he gave her a good scratch behind her dark ears before he focused on packing again. But Octavia wasn’t stepping away, instead she tried to help. Or sabotage, Dan wasn’t quite sure. “Seriously girl, I love you but stop being silly. Hush!”

It had been a cat and mouse game for a while until the extended marked got bored and went over to the longmane. Dan sighed in relief, now packing was done a lot faster. A few minutes later everything was where it belonged and the two racers back on their mounts. The rain had become denser, but it was still more pleasure than annoyance. They rode again in silence, especially Dan lost in thoughts about his past.

All of a sudden the regular up and down of his mounts back vanished beneath him. Instead there was an irritated growl while Octavia’s hind legs scrambled on the slippery dirt and stone of the river shore’s edge. She must have slipped on the wet underground. The growl turned into a desperate whine, and Dan realized Octavia wasn’t gonna make it. Not with his weight on her back. Without thinking he let himself fall, slithering over the wet Tokota’s back and falling. Dan only managed to press his feet together and take a deep breath before he hit the surface and instantly got dragged by the current.

Tana
The woman felt herself longing for her own bed furs. Feeling the soft hairs against her skin. To be able to dwell within her own little protected sphere. But she was torn however. New dreams had come to her. Still vague and unclear like walking in a thick mist. Therefore she didn't hear it at first, not until the splash that was too big for it to have been a rock. At first she didn't think much of it. Something in the river below bobbed past her but she didn't think much of it. Something must have been flushed into the river even if it hadn't really rained much. Perhaps they should go further up than venture this close to the edge.

She turned to tell Dan about her thoughts and was just in time to see Octavia scrambling to heave herself further up. There was no sign of the man who was the tawnys handler. None. For a moment her heart froze. A person did not vanish. Not unless they were just a trickster spirit who wanted you to think they were human. But those you couldn't touch. She had touched Dan this morning just before they left, putting on more of the smear that would stop the insects. It hadn't been much however but Tana had figured it was better to put on something.

A call made her look forward. It came from the river! Then it was like she really saw what had bobbed past her. It had been Dan! Perhaps a bit harshly she gave Tulrujuq the signal to move and the force almost made her lose her balance. The long mane was good to grab hold of. She called out to the young man but she wasn't sure what she called to him. Perhaps it wasn't to him at all. A call to the river spirit not to pull him under, to not let him vanish out of her sight.

Soon both Tulrujuq with Tana on her back and Octavia tight at her side raced along the river. Tana didn't think, she only knew she had to come as far ahead as she could. This was a section of the river that was both deep and strong. It was easy to be pulled under. The tokotas had no problem in running along the river, but the sudden twists and turns pulled at her bad hip. Tana pushed it aside. Finally they had just enough headstart and Tana made as sharp turn as she was able to, forcing Octavia who ran on the outside of her, closest to the river to actually go in much faster than she normally did.

“GET! Get him!” The tokota seemed to hesitate and Tana fought with trying to remember Dan’s command. She added a motion that looked like she was throwing something into the river

“...Get....FETCH!”

Dan
This was kind of a flash back. Once again he found himself surrounded by water, dragged in a strong current and without much knowledge of were up or down was. Last time it had been in a spring flood, but then Tana had been dragged along and he was focused on saving her. This time he was alone, at least he hoped so. Octavia should have been able to climb up again without his weight.

Somewhere emerged a thought in all the chaos. An old trick somebody had told him at a long night in the bar. He would have never thought it would come in handy. Dan opened his eyes, waiting for his sight to be at least somewhat clear. Then he let some precious air escape his lips and followed the bubbles with his eyes. At least now he knew where up was.

Struggling to reach the surface, Dan put every bit of willpower in his swimming. Luckily he soon after managed to break the surface. After a few fast, deep breaths he called for help. “Tana!”

Swimming, letting the current moving him he had time to orientate. He was still near the shore, but it was high above the surface. If he remembered correctly there should be a lower part soon. Dan started to swim towards it, hoping to break through the current soon enough. His cloth soaked with water made it heavy work.

Octavia whined while scrambling up the ledge, and didn’t stop while she was running along with Tulrujuq. Even though she was a stubborn one, she cared a lot for her handler as well. Without the weight she was fast, and after she understood what the girl wanted from her she didn’t hesitate any longer. With a big splash the extended marked jumped into the river, swimming towards her handler as fast as her powerful legs allowed her to. Finally she could grab him, teeth burrowing in the cloth of his shirt.

Dan was never so happy about a Tokota ruining his shirt with it’s teeth as in that moment when Octavia dragged him finally to the rocky shore. He coughed up some swallowed water and petted her neck. “You’re such a good girl, you were doing great…” he murmured along, waving at Tana that he was fine.

Only moments later he sat on her back again. The race was still on.
Thank you once again for the collab darkcentaur 

Tokota import:
 /// Octavia 13032
Traits/companions/items: None
Bonus Images: Afternoon in the Fields
June16 Brawl: Colors of the Night
Chicken Run!
Tribe: Issorartuyok-Tribe
Word count: 1994
Trek Day: /// Day 3
Previous Days: /// Issorartuyok Endurance Trials - Day 1
Hot n Humid - Issorartuyok Endurance Trials Day 2


Tokota import: /// Tulrujuq 16329
Traits/companions/items: Impeccable Stamina (Hardy, Superstar)
Bonus Images: Forest Exploration
Bearly a meeting
Lakeside loungers
Tribe: Issorartuyok-Tribe
Word count: 1994
Trek Day: /// Day 3
Previous Days: /// Issorartuyok Endurance Trials - Day 1
Hot n Humid - Issorartuyok Endurance Trials Day 2



Octavia: Total = 17 9(1994 WC) +1(show) +1(collab) +2(handler) +2(Tulrujuq 16329 is superstar) +2(tribe bonus - tracker)

Tulrujuq: Total = 15 9(1994 WC) +1(show) +1(collab) +2(handler) +2(tribe bonus - tracker)
© 2016 - 2024 decors
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darkcentaur's avatar
Dan, you have a unhealthy relationship to baths. And rivers. And avalanches. You know what, I think you should stay away from water in general.