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Description
Import link and name (including ID) of Tokota: Tiriaq 1487
Rider/Handler: Kayuqtuq
Link to group note in which HP points have been validated by an administrator: Dominance Validation
Previous tasks (in order):
Courage - Inner Demons
Navigation - And in that moment, I swear we were infinite
Respect - We Could Be Immortals...
Dedication - you are here
Soul - Sutures

-----

Kayu followed Tiri as he made his way through the mountains. They were twenty days into their fourth rite, surviving in the wilderness alone. It suited them both fine, it was as if they had fallen back in time to those months following their escape. Except now Kayu felt light, free from the constant worry of keeping ahead of whoever or whatever was chasing her. The days had passed quickly, melding into each other - only her marks on the carved wood indicated the time they had spent out here and the days that remained.
The days were shortening as they headed into winter, but for now she enjoyed the bright colours that painted the autumnal landscape. It had always been her favourite season, the beautiful death that promised rebirth following the darkest, coldest days of the year. She loved the mating calls of the elk that echoed in the air, the bright yellow of the aspen leaves, the crisp air.
In recent days the mountains began to take on familiar shapes, Kayu knew these peaks and contours. Had they travelled so far? Could she have come to the lands of those who had chased her out? Had the spirits led her back to Suluk?
Her feet carried her closer to the village even though she knew she shouldn’t, that this rite was just supposed to be her and Tiri in the wilderness. Still, she couldn’t find it in herself to turn off this path. If the spirits had led her here, there had to be a reason. She had to at least see it.
Tiri ran ahead, making his way up the mountain along a game trail. The sun hung low in the sky, they would have to make camp soon… but they were close, they should make it to the Eagle’s Mountain before nightfall and with the nearly cloudless sky and warmth in the air, they could sleep under the stars.
Kayu was breathing heavily by the time the ground leveled out, she could feel the sweat along her back. Taking several deep breaths she prepared herself for the worst, it would be a quick walk around the small copse of trees that survived against the odds and the village would be revealed.
What would she find? Would the village be nothing but broken buildings? Would there just be an empty shore? The scenarios played over in her head but nothing prepared her for what she saw.
Lights flickered in windows, reflecting in the river that steadily flowed past. Tokotas and people meandered between them. There were fewer gers than she remembered, but it was so tranquil - as if the horrors of that winter had never happened.
Relief washed over her, taking her breath and Kayu smiled despite her tears. Tiri nudged her shoulder and she scratched behind his ears, the tokota grunted happily.
“Well,” she said softly, “I think this is the perfect place to sleep tonight, then we start to head back to Issorartuyok.”
Tiri settled quickly, resting his head on his paws and looking down the valley towards the village. Kayu sat down next to him and watched the movement below.

A fox trotted along the outskirts of the skin-caves. The little suns had all started to die and darkness settled as the two-leggeds went to sleep. It could smell food, scraps that they left behind, it snuffled around but something drove it away from the food and towards the only skin-cave that still contained light.
The strange calls of the two-legged came to its ears and… it could understand.
“...you keep searching for that girl, you can not find her.”
“I found her once, I can… I will do it again.” The fox stopped at the entrance, looking into the cave. A tawny tokota lay and opened stormy blue eyes to look at it with disinterest before dozing off again.
“Why do you care so much when you know what she is.”
“She is not one of them,” a man, Suluk, snapped. The other two-legged started to speak again but Suluk cut him off, “I am not some infatuated child,” he spoke with an authoritative voice that was filled with power making the fox cower. “I dragged her out of the spirit realm, I know her. She is not one of them.”
The two-legged man named Suluk looked at it then, looked at her and knew her…

Kayu woke with a start. Tiri’s chest rose and fell beneath her in a slow rhythm. She must have fallen asleep… but what she’d seen… what she’d heard… had that been real or just a wish fulfilled in a dream. Pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them, she watched the light in the last ger go out. Darkness seeped into the mountains engulfing the village like black ink over sketch.

-----

HP: 6HP + 2HP + 4HP (810 words) + 1HP = 13HP

Description
Import link and name (including ID) of Tokota: Tiriaq 1487
Rider/Handler: Kayuqtuq
Link to group note in which HP points have been validated by an administrator: Dominance Validation
Previous tasks (in order):
Courage - Inner Demons
Navigation - And in that moment, I swear we were infinite
Respect - We Could Be Immortals...
Dedication - you are here
Soul - Sutures

-----

Kayu followed Tiri as he made his way through the mountains. They were twenty days into their fourth rite, surviving in the wilderness alone. It suited them both fine, it was as if they had fallen back in time to those months following their escape. Except now Kayu felt light, free from the constant worry of keeping ahead of whoever or whatever was chasing her. The days had passed quickly, melding into each other - only her marks on the carved wood indicated the time they had spent out here and the days that remained.
The days were shortening as they headed into winter, but for now she enjoyed the bright colours that painted the autumnal landscape. It had always been her favourite season, the beautiful death that promised rebirth following the darkest, coldest days of the year. She loved the mating calls of the elk that echoed in the air, the bright yellow of the aspen leaves, the crisp air.
In recent days the mountains began to take on familiar shapes, Kayu knew these peaks and contours. Had they travelled so far? Could she have come to the lands of those who had chased her out? Had the spirits led her back to Suluk?
Her feet carried her closer to the village even though she knew she shouldn’t, that this rite was just supposed to be her and Tiri in the wilderness. Still, she couldn’t find it in herself to turn off this path. If the spirits had led her here, there had to be a reason. She had to at least see it.
Tiri ran ahead, making his way up the mountain along a game trail. The sun hung low in the sky, they would have to make camp soon… but they were close, they should make it to the Eagle’s Mountain before nightfall and with the nearly cloudless sky and warmth in the air, they could sleep under the stars.
Kayu was breathing heavily by the time the ground leveled out, she could feel the sweat along her back. Taking several deep breaths she prepared herself for the worst, it would be a quick walk around the small copse of trees that survived against the odds and the village would be revealed.
What would she find? Would the village be nothing but broken buildings? Would there just be an empty shore? The scenarios played over in her head but nothing prepared her for what she saw.
Lights flickered in windows, reflecting in the river that steadily flowed past. Tokotas and people meandered between them. There were fewer gers than she remembered, but it was so tranquil - as if the horrors of that winter had never happened.
Relief washed over her, taking her breath and Kayu smiled despite her tears. Tiri nudged her shoulder and she scratched behind his ears, the tokota grunted happily.
“Well,” she said softly, “I think this is the perfect place to sleep tonight, then we start to head back to Issorartuyok.”
Tiri settled quickly, resting his head on his paws and looking down the valley towards the village. Kayu sat down next to him and watched the movement below.

A fox trotted along the outskirts of the skin-caves. The little suns had all started to die and darkness settled as the two-leggeds went to sleep. It could smell food, scraps that they left behind, it snuffled around but something drove it away from the food and towards the only skin-cave that still contained light.
The strange calls of the two-legged came to its ears and… it could understand.
“...you keep searching for that girl, you can not find her.”
“I found her once, I can… I will do it again.” The fox stopped at the entrance, looking into the cave. A tawny tokota lay and opened stormy blue eyes to look at it with disinterest before dozing off again.
“Why do you care so much when you know what she is.”
“She is not one of them,” a man, Suluk, snapped. The other two-legged started to speak again but Suluk cut him off, “I am not some infatuated child,” he spoke with an authoritative voice that was filled with power making the fox cower. “I dragged her out of the spirit realm, I know her. She is not one of them.”
The two-legged man named Suluk looked at it then, looked at her and knew her…

Kayu woke with a start. Tiri’s chest rose and fell beneath her in a slow rhythm. She must have fallen asleep… but what she’d seen… what she’d heard… had that been real or just a wish fulfilled in a dream. Pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them, she watched the light in the last ger go out. Darkness seeped into the mountains engulfing the village like black ink over sketch.

-----

HP: 6HP + 2HP + 4HP (810 words) + 1HP = 13HP