Hyoga's Activites and Events

Shokou led the way through the mountains, guiding Hyoga with his voice and motions. Time and Norori followed right behind them, Hyoga looking small in comparison to the two large dires. Sakari and Fable took up the rear, following behind at a steady pace up the slope. The mountain trail provided a great view of the valley and also the cliffs on all sides. It was budding with new life, spring. Green was starting to spread across the valley, though it would have been more beautiful without the grey clouds, cloaking the land in a faint shadow. Norori seemed pleased with the cloudy day and had little trouble scanning the cliffs above for any sign of their prey. Sakari kept an eye on Time. This high up she hoped to prevent the dire from spooking and getting herself hurt, though it all seemed fine so far.
The path sloped downwards towards the valley where they planned to cross the river to the other side of the valley where the mountain goats usually resided. The river was a little higher then usual due to the spring melt and even the safest crossing was treacherous. That did not stop them though. They dipped down below the canopy, following the path to a portion of the river many, both wild and tame, used to cross. They had been quiet since they reached the valley, but with the moving water Sakari finally spoke.
"So why did you come along instead of Hidenka?" She asked as she watched Hyoga dip his paws into the water. Norori trotted past the smaller male and his handler, entering the cool water with Hyoga and Shokou following behind. Sakari waited with Fable and Time on the other side, watching the boys as they crossed to get a better idea of how dangerous the river currently was.
"She's never hunted mountain goats before, and we also have some new tokota pups that need bottle feeding. I am horrible at trying to take care of pups that young." Shokou called back. Norori's height gave him some advantage, and so did his shorter fur. He moved slowly, but made it to the other side safely before anyone else. Hyoga had to move even more carefully. With Shokou on his back adding extra weight, along with the tack, thicker fur, and shorter stature, he was more likely to have his paws swept out from under him.
Sakari had to fight with Fable who watched her friend and tried to back away from the water's edge. Time just watched Fable and waited patiently for the other female and her handler, intending to follow the two across the river. After a while though Time finally gave up waiting as Shokou called to her. She waded into the water and slowly navigated the slick rocky bottom. Her much longer fur dragged through the water and threatened to pull her under, but she made it across.
"Fable, move your butt." Sakari glared at the head of brown tokota who lowered her head and caved. She stepped into the water with a disgusted look and very slowly started to wade in. With each step she took she gave a more horrified look. She started to whimper as the water touched her underside.
"Can you move any slower?" Shokou called, laughing a little. Norori was sitting at the edge of the water as if his glare was going to get the other tokota to move more quickly across the river. Time was busy shaking herself off, trying to get her fur as dry as possible before they continued on. They finally reached the other shore and Hyoga was tempted to push Fable back in, but new better then to do that with Sakari on her back.

Hyoga and Norori with Shokou took off ahead of the girls. Time stayed back, wanting to make sure Fable was okay while Fable slowly followed the trail, dragging her paws in despair at being wet.
"Oh stop sulking." Sakari rolled her eyes and wondered how much quicker this would have been with another tokota and how they were going to get back if Fable refused to go into the river again on the way home. Time trotted along beside them, still wet from the river and probably would be for a while yet. They saw the boys stopped on the trail ahead. They were looking ahead, frozen, as if time had stopped. They slowed their approach and Fable's head perked up curiously. Time tensed, nervous and adding even more tension to the air around them. They finally reached a point where they could see past the males. A smaller herd of mountain goats was frozen in front of the males, all of them having a stare down. Norori was tense and ready to fight at any second. Hyoga patiently waited, tensed to spring, but waiting for the signal from Shokou. Shokou spotted the girls from the corner of his eye and was glad when they froze as well.
Norori was the first to pounce, startling Time out of her frozen state. The goats bolted for steep incline right next to the group, but Hyoga managed to block the path of a couple who startled both up and down the path. Norori chased the ones running away from them while a few ran straight for Time. Sakari jumped and rolled off of Fable's back and allowed the tokota greater flexibility to strike. Time scurried backwards and the goat tried to slide to a halt, but Fable was already on top of it.
Fable hit the ground and pulled the goat onto it's side. Hooves flailed in the air, looking for leverage to escape, flesh to kick, anything that would help it stay alive, but the tokota already had them by the neck.
"Atta girl Fable!" Sakari called, approaching Fable and her kill.
The other bolted for the trees from where the herd had come from. Time copied Fable and bolted after the goat, leaping for it.
Time ran through the underbrush, getting twigs and leaved snagged in her thick coat as she followed her prey. Luckily her large sized helped her break through the plant life more easily. Her paws pounded on the ground as she ran and finally leaped for her target. She tumbled to the ground with her paws wrapped around the goat midsection, sending the goat flying up and then falling right back down where Time pounced and pinned it.
Norori and Hyoga were working together to catch one last goat but it was a slippery thing. It almost appeared to be more like cattle herding then hunting a goat. Their prey finally had enough. With as much force as it could muster it bolted right for Hyoga who of course had moved to block its path. Shokou was luckily off of his back by this point, having slid off with very little grace, landing on his behind. Hyoga's head met the head of the goat. He was surprised, and found himself a little dizzy from the blow. He back up and landed on his butt while Norori ran past him. With a leap he caught the goat before it could climb the steep cliffs and vanish like most of the others had done.

They regrouped, Shokou checking for injuries on Hyoga before anything else. The handler was grateful for the goat smaller size as he looked over the tokota head. Norori dropped his catch next to Fable's and sat down.
"Good boy Norori, that is a lovely catch." Sakari approached him and ran her fingers through the thicker fur of his mane.
"Where is Time?" Shokou had looked up to notice the fluffy dire was missing from the group. Sakari looked around confused and Fable just shrugged as her handler looked at her.
"She was here." Norori and Fable sniffed around and then trotted into the trees with Sakari following. Shokou stayed behind with Hyoga and the prey, continued to poke through the fur on top of his head for bruising. Time was in the forest, laying over top of the goat who was struggling to get free. Norori and Fable sat and watched for a few moment before the albino dire walked over and finished the kill. In her moment of being startled and jerked back into reality because of the goats sudden charge and bolt she forgot how to finish off her prey and was sitting there furiously trying to remember what to do next.
"Well, I am just glad you are safe." Time picked up her catch and they brought it back to the pile where Shokou was sitting next to Hyoga who was laying down with his face scrunched up, hiding his eyes under his paws as if that would stop the headache that was now forming. It was not a bad haul for their first trip.
"Well, this all look pretty good." Shokou said, standing up from inspecting the goats more closely. They prepared their kills for transport, and headed out towards the river to cross once again. Norori, Time, Hyoga and Shokou watched from across the river as Fable whined. It was almost like she was making a plea for mercy.
"Fable!" Sakari raised her voice, though it had not quite reached a yell. It was enough to get Fable moving. She jumped into the water and nearly fell completely in. Once she caught her footing she was practically flying across the river. Norori nodded as if in approval and Time's tail wagged as if cheering on the other tokota. Hyoga barely noticed as his head ached from the goat encounter.
They left the valley more slowly then they had arrived, pleased with their day so far.