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Description
Previously: Something went this way

Tagging xKPNKx   for using Jotunn

Story's finally done

----------------------- -----------------------------------

It’s time to head into the mountains.” Thunderfeather announced the following morning. “I would advise travelling in pairs, at the minimum, for protection’s sake.”

    The yawning that had been rippling through the crowd as Thunderfeather and Mitchell spoke suddenly stopped. Everyone was alert, the early start forgotten as they listened. They were finally going to do what they had set out to do.

    “Keep your eyes peeled. We’re going where no man, and no Tokota, has gone before. Who knows what exciting things lay before us on the path ahead!” Mitchell’s over enthusiasm seemed to irk Thunderfeather as always. “Make sure you collect your climbing gear. You’re gonna need it.”

    “It is important that we respect the land that we enter into...” Thunderfeather’s voice was almost lost as everyone began scrabbling about, collecting gear and supplies ready to head out.

    Kókó and Casper waited respectfully until the chief had finished, Casper’s superior hearing allowing him to catch every word.

    “Some people just have no manners.”

    Casper almost laughed at the mention of manners. Why was it people in this place were intent on sneaking up on him when he was lost in thought? “I was thinking the same thing.” He gave a mischievous smile as he turned to face the large cat that stood before him, who was accompanied by a large lilac tundra male dire, another reminder that he hadn’t achieved his goal of taming one of the Densa dires. Casper also couldn’t help but wonder if there were any humans on this expedition or not? There was certainly an abundance of humanoids and shifters, though his excellent sense of smell meant that he knew the answer to his own question, not exact numbers, but he knew that there were humans around. ‘Oh, rats!’ Casper scolded himself. The cat was looking at him expectantly, clearly wanting an answer to a question he had not heard because his mind had wandered. “I’m sorry, you were saying?”

    “Are you going on the expedition into the mountains or are you staying here, looking for more new Tokotas?”

    Casper straightened himself up and cleared his throat. “We’ve spent so much time in the Tartoks and have yet to discover all their secrets for ourselves, how could we pass up such an opportunity to finally find their hidden treasures.”

    The cat raised an eyebrow, “That’s a rather long explanation for a simple question.”

    “True but it seemed relevant.” Casper put a hand on Kókó’s shoulder. “We need to find some climbing gear.”

    “We’ll come with you.”

    Casper sighed internally. Sure, it was nice to meet new people and make new friends, but he couldn’t help but long for the isolation he and Kókó had become used to during their original mission in the mountains. “Sure, why not.”



    It wasn’t long before the teams were ready to set out. Espen, the Norwegian forest cat he had befriended, stood beside him, Jotunn, his dire, looking noble, just behind them. Kókó shook his head in slight annoyed that they still hadn’t left yet. Zucker poked his head out of his basket, the Tokota’s movement having disturbed his sleep. Casper tapped his nose and the leopard cub sank back into the basket.

    The anxious excitement from all those in the group rolled through the jumble of handlers and Tokotas like waves created in a bowl of water, everyone keen to get underway.

    “Ride out!” A call came out from the head of the procession. A cheer went up from several members and the large crowd began to make its way up through the mountain pass.

    “It’s about time,” Casper breathed as he squeezed Kókó’s sides. The Lion Tarmok kept the pace steady so that they didn’t get too far ahead of Espen as the cat had elected not to ride his Tokota, which Casper had to admit was a might strange. ‘Why have the Tokota at all if you’re not going to ride it?’ He found himself wondering, though it wasn’t any of his business.

    Several days pass by. Excitement and restlessness haunt the company equally and few have slept. Everyone can sense that the mountains have yet to reveal their great secret but somehow they don’t seem quite so willing to share.

    The explorers had set up camp for the night in a heavy blanket of fog. As cliché as it sounded, it really did make the place feel eerie.

    Caper was talking with Espen before they turned in for the night, when he realised that Kókó was nowhere to be seen. The pair scrambled to their feet to search for him, Jotunn tagging along.

    As they moved through the fog, a large shape appears. The closer they get, the more defined the shape becomes and they quickly realise that it’s a small pack of Tokotas. Kókó is with them. Casper breathed a sigh of relief but before he could go and retrieve Kókó, a ghostly howl drifted through the night, causing the pack to jump.

    “I don’t like the sound of that.” Casper took hold of Kókó’s reins and led him away from the other Tokotas.

    “What do you suppose it was?” Espen asked, a nervous edge to his voice.

    “Could be anything. Maybe it was just the wind.” It was more hope than anything. Casper knew full well that it didn’t sound anything like the wind.

    “I don’t think I’m going to sleep tonight.”

    “Me either,” Casper admitted.



    Casper drifted in and out of sleep, but for the most part, he didn’t sleep. His mind kept throwing up possibilities as to what had given such an unearthly howl earlier that night. He tried to push each thought away but each was replaced by something far worse.

    Finally, as the sky turned the colour of salmon scales and the fog began to lift, Casper got up. Kókó followed him as he wandered around the camp, stretching his legs.

    From the amount of greetings he received, it seemed no-one really had got any sleep that night. He even ran into Ania and Charles. He stopped for a quick catch up before heading back to where he’d left Espen and Jotunn.

    “Have you heard?” The Norwegian forest cat asked excitedly.

    “No, what?”

    “We’ve found the heart of the Tartoks! Geysers, caverns, an evergreen forest, meadows and even a tropical forest!”

    “What?! That’s impossible!”

    “That’s what everyone’s been saying. Mitchell’s beside himself with excitement. Thunderfeather advises caution but she still seems pretty keen to get down there.”

    “When do we go?”

    “Any minute.”

    “Great!” Casper checked both Kókó’s and his own climbing gear before shifting into his True form. The journey down to the valley wasn’t going to be easy but it was going to be worth it, there were no two ways about it. A fresh wave of excitement and anticipation swept through the camp.



    The descent into the valley was an interesting one. With so much to see, it was difficult to concentrate which resulted in a few trips and falls from those who were more focused on their surroundings than where they were placing their feet.

    The further down they went, the hotter it got. The whole thing reminded Casper of a Jules Verne novel.

    “I wonder what kinds of things we’ll find down here.” Espen voiced what everyone was thinking.

    “Do you think there’ll be Tokotas down here?”

    “Anything’s possible, I guess.”

    “We’ll have to set up a new camp.”

    “Thunderfeather’ll be pleased with that.”

    Casper knew Espen’s meaning but it would save the constant trampling of new grounds.

------------------------- --------------------------------------

Tokota: Koko Birtist 3500
Handler: Casper Leosvine
Bonuses: Camouflage Trait II, Warm Blanket, Snow Leopard Companion (Zucker), Dominant
Team: Thunderfeather
Registration: The Letter
Registered Tokota: Halvorsen's Frost Giant 24355 (Jotunn)

HP Count:

Word Count: 1,254 + 6HP
Fullbody, coloured, background, Shaded + 5HP
Handler Bonus + 2HP
Non Commissioned Bonus + 2HP

Total: 15HP

Description
Previously: Something went this way

Tagging xKPNKx   for using Jotunn

Story's finally done

----------------------- -----------------------------------

It’s time to head into the mountains.” Thunderfeather announced the following morning. “I would advise travelling in pairs, at the minimum, for protection’s sake.”

    The yawning that had been rippling through the crowd as Thunderfeather and Mitchell spoke suddenly stopped. Everyone was alert, the early start forgotten as they listened. They were finally going to do what they had set out to do.

    “Keep your eyes peeled. We’re going where no man, and no Tokota, has gone before. Who knows what exciting things lay before us on the path ahead!” Mitchell’s over enthusiasm seemed to irk Thunderfeather as always. “Make sure you collect your climbing gear. You’re gonna need it.”

    “It is important that we respect the land that we enter into...” Thunderfeather’s voice was almost lost as everyone began scrabbling about, collecting gear and supplies ready to head out.

    Kókó and Casper waited respectfully until the chief had finished, Casper’s superior hearing allowing him to catch every word.

    “Some people just have no manners.”

    Casper almost laughed at the mention of manners. Why was it people in this place were intent on sneaking up on him when he was lost in thought? “I was thinking the same thing.” He gave a mischievous smile as he turned to face the large cat that stood before him, who was accompanied by a large lilac tundra male dire, another reminder that he hadn’t achieved his goal of taming one of the Densa dires. Casper also couldn’t help but wonder if there were any humans on this expedition or not? There was certainly an abundance of humanoids and shifters, though his excellent sense of smell meant that he knew the answer to his own question, not exact numbers, but he knew that there were humans around. ‘Oh, rats!’ Casper scolded himself. The cat was looking at him expectantly, clearly wanting an answer to a question he had not heard because his mind had wandered. “I’m sorry, you were saying?”

    “Are you going on the expedition into the mountains or are you staying here, looking for more new Tokotas?”

    Casper straightened himself up and cleared his throat. “We’ve spent so much time in the Tartoks and have yet to discover all their secrets for ourselves, how could we pass up such an opportunity to finally find their hidden treasures.”

    The cat raised an eyebrow, “That’s a rather long explanation for a simple question.”

    “True but it seemed relevant.” Casper put a hand on Kókó’s shoulder. “We need to find some climbing gear.”

    “We’ll come with you.”

    Casper sighed internally. Sure, it was nice to meet new people and make new friends, but he couldn’t help but long for the isolation he and Kókó had become used to during their original mission in the mountains. “Sure, why not.”



    It wasn’t long before the teams were ready to set out. Espen, the Norwegian forest cat he had befriended, stood beside him, Jotunn, his dire, looking noble, just behind them. Kókó shook his head in slight annoyed that they still hadn’t left yet. Zucker poked his head out of his basket, the Tokota’s movement having disturbed his sleep. Casper tapped his nose and the leopard cub sank back into the basket.

    The anxious excitement from all those in the group rolled through the jumble of handlers and Tokotas like waves created in a bowl of water, everyone keen to get underway.

    “Ride out!” A call came out from the head of the procession. A cheer went up from several members and the large crowd began to make its way up through the mountain pass.

    “It’s about time,” Casper breathed as he squeezed Kókó’s sides. The Lion Tarmok kept the pace steady so that they didn’t get too far ahead of Espen as the cat had elected not to ride his Tokota, which Casper had to admit was a might strange. ‘Why have the Tokota at all if you’re not going to ride it?’ He found himself wondering, though it wasn’t any of his business.

    Several days pass by. Excitement and restlessness haunt the company equally and few have slept. Everyone can sense that the mountains have yet to reveal their great secret but somehow they don’t seem quite so willing to share.

    The explorers had set up camp for the night in a heavy blanket of fog. As cliché as it sounded, it really did make the place feel eerie.

    Caper was talking with Espen before they turned in for the night, when he realised that Kókó was nowhere to be seen. The pair scrambled to their feet to search for him, Jotunn tagging along.

    As they moved through the fog, a large shape appears. The closer they get, the more defined the shape becomes and they quickly realise that it’s a small pack of Tokotas. Kókó is with them. Casper breathed a sigh of relief but before he could go and retrieve Kókó, a ghostly howl drifted through the night, causing the pack to jump.

    “I don’t like the sound of that.” Casper took hold of Kókó’s reins and led him away from the other Tokotas.

    “What do you suppose it was?” Espen asked, a nervous edge to his voice.

    “Could be anything. Maybe it was just the wind.” It was more hope than anything. Casper knew full well that it didn’t sound anything like the wind.

    “I don’t think I’m going to sleep tonight.”

    “Me either,” Casper admitted.



    Casper drifted in and out of sleep, but for the most part, he didn’t sleep. His mind kept throwing up possibilities as to what had given such an unearthly howl earlier that night. He tried to push each thought away but each was replaced by something far worse.

    Finally, as the sky turned the colour of salmon scales and the fog began to lift, Casper got up. Kókó followed him as he wandered around the camp, stretching his legs.

    From the amount of greetings he received, it seemed no-one really had got any sleep that night. He even ran into Ania and Charles. He stopped for a quick catch up before heading back to where he’d left Espen and Jotunn.

    “Have you heard?” The Norwegian forest cat asked excitedly.

    “No, what?”

    “We’ve found the heart of the Tartoks! Geysers, caverns, an evergreen forest, meadows and even a tropical forest!”

    “What?! That’s impossible!”

    “That’s what everyone’s been saying. Mitchell’s beside himself with excitement. Thunderfeather advises caution but she still seems pretty keen to get down there.”

    “When do we go?”

    “Any minute.”

    “Great!” Casper checked both Kókó’s and his own climbing gear before shifting into his True form. The journey down to the valley wasn’t going to be easy but it was going to be worth it, there were no two ways about it. A fresh wave of excitement and anticipation swept through the camp.



    The descent into the valley was an interesting one. With so much to see, it was difficult to concentrate which resulted in a few trips and falls from those who were more focused on their surroundings than where they were placing their feet.

    The further down they went, the hotter it got. The whole thing reminded Casper of a Jules Verne novel.

    “I wonder what kinds of things we’ll find down here.” Espen voiced what everyone was thinking.

    “Do you think there’ll be Tokotas down here?”

    “Anything’s possible, I guess.”

    “We’ll have to set up a new camp.”

    “Thunderfeather’ll be pleased with that.”

    Casper knew Espen’s meaning but it would save the constant trampling of new grounds.

------------------------- --------------------------------------

Tokota: Koko Birtist 3500
Handler: Casper Leosvine
Bonuses: Camouflage Trait II, Warm Blanket, Snow Leopard Companion (Zucker), Dominant
Team: Thunderfeather
Registration: The Letter
Registered Tokota: Halvorsen's Frost Giant 24355 (Jotunn)

HP Count:

Word Count: 1,254 + 6HP
Fullbody, coloured, background, Shaded + 5HP
Handler Bonus + 2HP
Non Commissioned Bonus + 2HP

Total: 15HP