Winter Story Book: 1/3

●--------------------------------------------------●

The group arrived long before anyone else, taking the fastest route and that was through the ocean. Elias had sailed them there all the way from Garden Meadow to Golden Harbor, but he was more than happy to do so. His ship bustled with the sounds of friends chattering and making fun conversations about the journey ahead. Their "tour guide" Yule, as Dawn likes to call her, sat at the bow of the ship, her hair flowing in the wind behind her, reading a book about something Elias couldn't quite make out. "You folks are going to love the surprise," Yule had said when she boarded the boat. Elias wasn't sure what was in store for what Yule called the "Great Migration" but Elias had never been this far North before.

As the hours passed and the ship pulled up to the shores of a snowy beach, dropping anchor and letting down the ramp, the snow of early winter had yet to fall as a group of Kebanzu sat together, preparing to venture the wide expanse of the Hibernation Plateau. The group consisted of seven kebs in total, and one little Kit sitting atop her owners shoulder, scanning the scene before her.

The group wore warm clothes, some more bundled than others; Elias wasn't used to a place like this, so he came extra prepared with a fluffy jacket and scarf. His mate, Laia did the same, wearing a matching puffy hoodie with a furred collar, and a scarf as well. Her small kit, Juno wore a comfy and cozy sweater made by Khione. 

The rest of the group wore similar clothes as well, one Kebanzu however wore nothing at all. 

"Are you not cold, Verna?" Sienna asked, trotting up beside her. The mane of fire around her neck casting a warm draft over the group. Verna looked down, realizing she was indeed not wearing protective gear. She looked back up and shrugged. "I guess not," she said plainly, turning back to face their Tour Guide. "Gather around, everyone!" Yule called, sitting atop a small mound of snow.

Khione looked around at the group, making a note of everyone who was here. She tilted her head, however, when a body came up short. "Wheres Dawn?" As she finished, a yellow and blue Keb came rushing from the boat cabin, snow goggles wrapped around her eyes and a furred cloak draped over her shoulder, flapping behind her. 

"Ready!" She called, practically galloping down the ramp. She nearly fell with excitement as she skidded to a halt next to Khione. "Ready," she repeated, giggling. "I've been waiting so long to use these!" She gestured to her goggles, a big toothy smile on her snout.

Laia chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. "Just pay attention to what our "Tour Guide" says." Laia told her, smiling warmly.

Yule chuckled, enjoying the happy faces of those around her. "This year is once again the Great Migration of the Torodon, a wild and ancient beast much older than you or I," she said, standing up and walking towards the expanse. As they walked, the land became lumpy and uneven, the snow disturbed and moved, as if something much bigger was here before. 

The group chattered and mumbled to themselves as a small rumbled was sent through the ground. The group hardly noticed anything different, but once snow began to slide down the mountains around them, they looked up.

Large antler like horns rose up from the snow, followed by a large toothy mouth with flat teeth like protrusions. It let out a low grumble and opened its mouth wide in a big yawn, shaking the snow from its hide and sending a flurry of snow down before them all. 

"We don't know how many of these magical beasts their are, but this herd has had pur eye for quite some time." Yule said as another Torodon arose from the snowy plains. It shook out its hide, sending another flurry over the group. Dawn stuck out her tongue to try and catch a few flakes, Laia and Elias admired the creatures in awe, watching them slowly awake and stretch away the sleepiness. 

"Wow, they're amazing!" Sienna exclaimed, pulling put a notebook from her jacket to quickly scribble down a small image and description of the Torodon. "Are they going in your next book?" Khione leaned over and asked, chuckling quietly. Sienna blushed and smiled awkwardly. "You're so cute," Khione laughed, kissing her on the cheek.

Verna sat off to the side, her tail wrapped warmly around her paws, her mane ruffling slightly with the new flurries. She felt slightly cold, now that the Migration had officially begun, and she sighed out a cloud of cold breath, feeling a shiver go up her spine. She looked out at the Torodon again, smiling lightly.

As Verna admired the herd, she felt a nudge against her shoulder. She looked over to the side, seeing Elias holding out a scarf for her to wear. "You look cold, please," he said, insisting. Verna nodded, reaching for the red scarf. "Thak you," she said, sitting up and trotting back over to the group.

"Who wants to get a little closer?" Yule asked, perking her ears to listen to the group. No one looked more excited than Dawn, who had an adventure journal with everything she had discovered on one of her journeys. This was just another adventure with more fascinating creatures to see, and the small Keb through her paw in the air, practically leaping with joy.

Yule chuckled, seeing the young Kebs enthusiasm so clearly. "Well, I see someone's excited," she said, hopping up onto the snow Bank above.

"Follow me, and remember, please do not get to close. They are still wild beasts afterall, no matter how docile they may seem." She warned, looking ahead at a small group of three. "Understood, Miss Tour Guide!" Dawn exclaimed, getting a small laugh put of the rest of the friend group. 

The group followed Yule out to a what most would assume is a small viewing platform, a small wooden structure made to keep the Kebanzu inside safe while they view the herd of Torodon.

Elias and Laia were the first to walk up, followed swiftly by Dawn right behind them. Dawn sat perched up on the railing, her notebook out and sketching each side of their antlers and faces, before making notes about them beside it.

Verna sat down next to Yule, and Khione and Sienna sat warmly next to each other, Sienna's head in the crook of her mates neck. Even Laias small Kit, Juno, enjoyed curling up and sleeping warmly underneath her owners legs.

The great herd finally let out a collective low grumble, making the ground quake below them, snow falling down all around them, flakes getting stuck in their fur. 

It was truly a magical sight, and Verna was glad she and all her friends were here to witness something so amazing. She wasn't sure about the others, but she planned to follow the herd throughout its whole Migration, maybe with some better equipment though, she thought, glancing down at only the scarf Elias had given her. 

She fluffed out her tail, wrapping it around her paws once more, watching the beasts wander through the snowy landscape, what looked like storm clouds of snow following them as well, ready to spread the winter chill to other parts of Terramessia, all while leaving a trail of winter in their wake.