literature

Sharing Buckets :: RoM Collab

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The day was bright and alive, and joyous chatter could be heard between the six warm bodies that made their way to the gaping hole that rested in the center of the frozen lake. Beneath them, fish of all sizes stirred and swam, flashing their colors in the rays of the rising sun that made their way through the ice and into the water. A gentle fog floated around the shadowing mountain top that loomed above them, yet there was a silent peace that seemed to sweep over the valley. Worries took their places in the minds of the three handlers, who now slid from their mounts’ backs with graceful ease. Two women and one young man, all from the same tribe. The man was young, barely nineteen, and his pale complexion caught the rising sun’s rays with soft grace. His hair fell in shaggy wisps, some covering his eyes, and he fiddled at the reins of his mount with ungloved hands, seeking a relief of sorts from the female bonding occurring feet from his side. Fingers twirled in luscious locks of black as the feline anthro chuckled at her companion, a wolf like woman with satyr horns and glasses. A cream colored riding coat of caribou skin, bearing red and tan accents, covered her top half, but muscular fur covered legs remained free of restricting fabric. Her tail swayed slightly as bicolored eyes focused on the story being told by the other, who now fidgeted with her marshmallow jacket. Her curls were not loose today. Instead, they were pulled back into a messy bun, leaving just a few strands free to frame her face. Sharing tribal borders, however, did not mean the group was as well acquainted as a stranger looking in would assume. The gentle words and smiles that crossed the three differing faces was false on one, the male, as his ever present suspiciousness of others rippled through his blood at the sight of the women. His rich brown eyes flashed like those of a wildcat, focused and wide, alert to the task at hand, while the girls exchanged idle chit-chat during their wait for the judging official. The females, the feline Sozin and wolfkin Jezibell, had gotten to know each other over time through other rites involving the great beasts, but the young man still carried doubts about the brown haired woman, as he was the one of the newest in their ever growing tribe. Time could only pass so fast, and it went by like fresh honey dripping into freshly brewed tea- slowly.
The sun was just over the horizon when the judge came into sight, small husky patterned dogs pulling the sled that he rode out onto the ice to the group. The mounts caught wind of the man first, tails wagging in anticipation from the task they were about to face. A coffee colored full mane, with milky accents and a rich chocolate blanket, lifted his masked muzzle towards the man, letting out a gentle bark as the sled grew closer. The handlers grew silent, breaking off to stand beside their mounts and rummage through saddle bags for paperwork. Carajillo, the coffee male, remained still for Jez, occasionally looking over his shoulder at the female in an attempt to calm her nerves. Next to Sozin, a pretty tawny speckled in white patches of piebald and vitiligo stepped in place, his pretty blue green eyes locking to the emerald green of the male that stood beside him. Sozin whispered words of encouragement as she pulled the paperwork from his saddle pouch, her own eyes worried about how Touson would do with so many others around. Having spaced himself from the ladies, Nathan had taken the time before the judge’s arrival to find what was needed, and now stood patiently awaiting direction from the well-dressed man that was stepping off of the sled. His halfmane sat beside him, yellow eyes eager and hungry for competition. He caught the eyes of Touson, who fidgeted under Sozin’s hand, and a gentle huff left his muzzle. The marked face of the pie looked to the dun in slight confusion, but another huff from the grey set the young pup on his rump in the melting snow. Their mounts relaxed, the handlers gave the man their files and received instructions for the Rite. The experienced handlers nodded before the judge motioned for all tack to be removed. The undressing was swift, clean and well-practiced, and soon after, the three stood huddled around the opening where their dive would begin. Each handler stood meters back, a metal bucket resting at each of their feet, one for each tokota. Smiles of mild competition were exchanged between the females as the gunshot rang in the morning air.
The coffee colored Carajillo wasted no time slipping into the icy water, his white tipped tail vanishing beneath the surface without hesitation. The halfmane was next into the water, the back splash of dark, cooled water running off his shorter pelt and sloshing over the edge of the ice. Touson, however, paused, a whimper leaving his muzzle as he looked back at his handler, who made motions for him to do as the others had. He pawed the surface of the water nervously deciding whether he was truly ready to sink into the water. Bubbles appeared just before the greying Laurel broke free of the water. A glimmering fish flapped between his jowls as he pulled himself onto the ice and briskly trotting to Nathan’s side. A quick and gentle pat was all he received, but he returned to the water’s edge with a tail held high. A whitened paw swatted at the pied male, causing another whine to leave the tawny’s muzzle. The dun simply shook his head and, without a pause, shoved the other to the icy edge. A bark and splash soon followed as the pair entered the lake, the masked muzzle of Carajillo appearing above the water with a flash of green and silver. He pulled himself atop the ice as Touson surfaced right behind him, sputtering and making noises of annoyance. With a heavy huff, he finally gave into his fate and dove, bubbles peppered the water’s surface before the coffee body of Jezibell’s mount slipped under once more. Under the surface, colors flickered and danced, bubbles boiled out of the noses and mouths of the Tokotas, but their Rite had only just begun.
Each tokota dove independently towards the bottom of the cooled lake. With the thawing of the rivers due to spring descending upon the Alaskan wilderness, only the deeper lakes above the Arctic Circle were still frozen. This gem of a river was saved selectively for the Rite of Merit that would be performed during the spring and summer months. The Tokotas could feel the ice on their backs and the pressure building as they dipped further and further into the frosty depths. As they further fell, the shapes of fish began to emerge around them, darting away to their safe places. Laurel, with his shorter coat and obvious experience at this activity, swam along behind them, managing to surprise one with the swipe of a paw. The fish, shocked at the beat, wafted along with its previous momentum. Laurel caught the fish within his maw, and began to use his tail as a rudder to spin himself in the water, and begin the daunting process of swimming back up to the surface.
Carajillo was less than concerned about the half mane’s success at fishing, and instead turned his attention towards finding his own catch. He was quite a bit less graceful at the fishing, and had to work harder at gaining ground on a fish. However, within moments, Carajillo had found his own catch, and was swimming swiftly after it. His tail, too, acted as a rudder, and if ever he needed to change direction after the fish, he simply used a swift flick of his tail to make the motion. He left nothing but bubbles in his wake, though before either of them knew it, Touson was coming into view. He wasn’t moving or swimming towards the fearful fish. They had simply gotten turned around in the icy water, and were headed towards the rival tokota in question. Touson froze, unsure of what he should do. Stirring would disrupt the fish and maybe cause it to turn again away from the speeding brute, but he could always catch it and offer it over to the other? His tail wagged ever so slightly as the friendly thought came into mind, and ever so slightly he positioned himself to snatch at the fish as it was coming by. And boy did he. He wheeled around as the fish began to swim around his still form, and his teeth closed around the slick and slimy creature. It rithed violently between his teeth, trying desperately to free itself from the hold Touson had gotten on him, but little did Touson realize what was coming after the fish.
It was hardly even a breaths distance apart, for almost as instantly as Touson had caught the fish, and the wriggling had registered in his brain than Carajillo collided with the piebald male. Of course Touson hadn’t thought about that, and Carajillo didn’t know what Touson had planned. Together they squirmed in the watery depths, trying to sort themselves out, all the while Touson held his maw closed around the fish he had snatched. With flailing legs, the two of them tried to beat their ways to the surface, doing less good than they would have liked. At the surface, the water began to look like a boiling mess with the bubbles the two males were expelling at their race to the air. It took long moments for them to reach the top, and as soon as they did, both Tokotas burst forth from the water and scrabbled onto the ice. Their claws gouged deep into the frozen surface. Carajillo’s maw hung wide, sucking in the needed air his lungs and muscles needed. Large huffs of hot air clouded the air around him, showing just how much he was breathing as he pulled himself out of the water. Touson was having much less luck. With the fishy obstruction in his maw, the tokota was struggling to breath around it. His claws cut deep into the ice as he struggled, and the fish flopped about in his maw, making spasms of fear to bounce around in his head. Of course, this spiked his adrenaline, causing the need for air to be even more prominent. Carajillo, seeing that the younger male was having quite a problem with his efforts in regaining footing on the ice, took a few steps over to the other. With carefully placed teeth, he grabbed Touson by the scruff and hauled the full grown tokota onto the ice and to safety. Touson was not only surprised, but relieved. He spit out his fish that had deep tooth marks dug into the flesh, and whooped in large gulps of air, looking like a much more panicked Carajillo from moments before.
Everything froze as Touson tried to figure out if everything was working just as well as when he had dipped into the water. None of the handlers could come to check the tokota, lest they forfeit his chance to gain his AoA. It took several moments of sputtering breath for Touson to finally stand up on his own. His legs seemed shaky as best, but after several long moments, he nudged the fish he had nearly drown for towards Carajillo. The more experienced male looked towards the piebald male in shock before glancing down to the fish at his feet. It was no longer squirming for freedom or for water, but lay still, bleeding out onto the ice. It was in poor shape, but still Carajillo took the piss-poor fish and strode confidently towards Sozin. The anthro handler was shocked, and watched as the coffee colored male let the fish roll from his maw and into Touson’s bucket. The younger male watched on in shock, almost not quite realizing what had just happened, but as realization dawned across his face, as did a bit of admiration. With shaky knees, Touson came to stand by Carajillo, and together the two males sat near their buckets while Laurel stopped at his own, and all together, they listened as their rite came to a smooth end.
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Total HP
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2082 Word count :: 10 HP
Tribe Bonus :: 2 HP
Collab Bonus :: 1 HP
Show Bonus :: 1 HP

Total :: 14 HP
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Collab city, here we come!
Luna-puppy  <3
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Link or thumbnail of import sheet: Laurel 11560
Registered name and ID number: Laurel 11560
Prestige breeder or Pack leader?: 
PB
Handler name: Nathan
Class you are entering: Wild - Ice Fishing
Supplementary Items: N/A
Training images and/or bonus images: N/A
Inbred :: No

Link or thumbnail of import sheet: Carajillo 4489

Registered name and ID number: Carajillo 4489
Prestige breeder or Pack leader?: PB
Handler name: Jezibell
Class you are entering: Wild - Ice Fishing
Supplementary Items: N/A
Training images and/or bonus images: N/A
Inbred :: No

Link or thumbnail of import sheet: Touson 7111
Registered name and ID number: Touson 7111
Prestige breeder or Pack leader?: PB
Handler name: Sozin
Class you are entering: Wild - Ice Fishing
Supplementary Items: N/A
Training images and/or bonus images: N/A
Inbred :: No

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