Hyoga's Activites and Events

Shokou was allowed about a week to relax and recover, also giving his tokotas the rest they deserved for their hard work and loyalty during the storm. He got to know some of the workers and other volunteers at the facility whenever they had time to spare to talk to him and visit with him. He learned that they had not seen much dire activity lately and Shokou hoped that he would get to see the dires while he was up there, hoping that he would not be disappointed and did not go up there for no reason. Others came and went each day, some heading for home, some coming up to help as fresh volunteers, and others just heading out to search for the dires to watch them, study them for the day. So far there were very few observations from the current expeditions that had occurred while he was up there, but they weren't ready to give up quite yet. They kept going out, kept trying, searching for the dires of the Desna pack. Shokou watched the bustling for many days, wishing that he could also go along, sitting in his room and journaling each day until he felt as if he was ready to head out himself, and he was finally deemed as well. They let him come on his first expedition with them, going out to hunt down the wild dires for observation.

He burst into the Tokota shelter, Hyoga, Shaka and Caelas bolting upright as they saw their handler. He walked over to them. "We finally get to go on an expedition!" The tokotas ears perked up the statement, wondering who he was going to take with him for the day. "Shaka, you are coming out with me for the day!" The other two looked disappointed at not being chosen. "Don't worry boys, I'll ride you guys later. I promise." He smiled trying to reassure them. One of the researchers overheard him and made his way over. "My Tokota is still very tired from yesterday, if your tokotas don't mind I could ride one and exercise them today." Hyoga instantly wagged his tail, ears perked. Shokou smiled, looking at the snow roan. "Seems like Hyoga would love that. I'll gladly let you ride him." Hyoga let out a small howl of joy as the researcher led him over to be tacked, adjusting his saddle to fit the snow roan. "Alright, let's get you tacked up." Shokou led Shaka to where his saddle was, getting it up on the back of the black Tokota and adjusting it to fit the black. Shaka looked at the saddle in disgust, looking for the silks and nicer decorations, but saw only the blue fur and tassels which was not enough for him. He gave Shokou a look. "You either where this or you don't go out at all." The black relented and allowe Shokou to tack him up in the not so to his taste tack. The bridle went on last before Shokou went to check on Hyoga, finding the snow roan very happy to be heading out. Another researcher was racking up his Tokota who was not cooperating and seemed quite gloomy. The researcher stopped tacking and started to check over his Tokota, finding that she had a pulled muscle. "I can't go out today guys, my girl pulled a muscle it seems." He sighed as he put away the tack and led her back to her bedding where she laid down. He patted her, comforting her and apologizing for hurting her further. He was disappointed, but would not push his companion to head out while injured. Caelas looked and wandered away from Shokou, nudging the researcher and nosing his head under the researchers hand. The researcher patted him and looked around, trying to figure out who he belonged to. Shokou looked, seeing the begging look Caelas was giving the researcher. "If you really want to go, you can ride Caelas. He wants to get out, but I can only ride one at a time." The era searched agreed, getting tacked up and ready to go after he said farewell to his Tokota and gave her a few treats. The group was all ready to go in no time and the five teams walked out of the building and into the yard where they mounted into the saddles, heading out down a path leading into the valley.

This day was much better then the day Shokou first arrived with his tokotas. The sky was clear except for a few small white wisps, but no sign of any freak storms was evident by the current weather. A small breeze picked up, but it just slightly ruffled the fur of the tokotas, and brought up a few loose flakes of snow. The land was still covered in snow though, very thick and deep snow that turned the land an almost blinding white, the tokotas nearly knee deep in the cold, crunchy substance. One of the researchers with their own Tokota led the way, followed by the researcher on Caelas, Shokou and Shaka, the researcher on Hyoga, and in the back was another volunteer on his own Tokota. They trotted along, all three of Shokou's boys were very happy to be out and about even if they didn't all show it, their paws making crunching sounds in the snow and their breathes leaving little white puffs floating up into the air. Caelas kept his serious attitude about him, obeying his temporary handler's every word and command, though still watching for signs and commands from Shokou. Shaka kept his head high, looking down at the other tokotas and showing it with his actions, causing Shokou to roll his eyes at the superior attitude of the black. Hyoga watched the horizon, keeping his eyes open for any danger that dare to attack the group he was protecting, though really he was also wishing that he could just go off and roll around in the snow. They all listened well to their handlers and everything was going well, except for the fact that they had not seen any dire activity yet, not even paw tracks in the snow. They watched the land for any sign of the large beasts, but there was nothing for many miles across the valley.

They climbed a ridge and looked down into the valley, Shaka's ears pricking up at a strange scent, and Caelas picked up a growl. A deer shot out from behind some rocks that seemed to lead to a small mountain path. The deer was clearly panicked as it sprinted for its life. Shokou was confused at first until two large figures burst out from behind the rocks after it. Two dires bolted after the deer, a large tawny with bearmarks, and a simple tundra sphinx. The tawny was male, while the tundra was clearly female. They had fire in their eyes as they chased down their prey, the handlers and their tokotas watching and recording from above. Shokou flicked on his camera, taking a close up video of the chase. He pointed the camera at the deer, and then to the two tokotas, noticing that the female was wearing a collar. He looked over the camera at the dires and then into the camera again. "Are you guys tracking that tundra girl?" He asked, the tease archers turning to him a little confused. "No, we haven't been tracking any of the dires." Shokou looked at the recording video again, double checking that it really was there. "She is wearing a tracking collar." They dismounted and looked at the camera as he once again pointed it at the dire. "Someone else is tracking them. We need to find out who." A researcher said once he saw and confirmed the image. Shokou nodded along with the others. A glare from Shaka at something behind them made them all turn around.

They were staring a large merle dire in the eyes, his teeth bared as he growled at them. He watched them as they stood there, their eyes wide with fear and shock, though the tokotas stood next to their handlers, some growling, some watching the larger tokota closely to any sign of attack. All of them were ready to defend their handlers if so needed, they would not even let the larger dire harm them. Shaka seemed more calm then the others, studying the one that seemed to be just protecting his pack mates, seeing that he was not a threat, just nervous and not expecting the large group that was now before him. He had been going to join the hunt when he saw the humans in his path, he would not have come this close if he had known they were there to begin with, not liking to approach or to be approached by humans or tokotas that were strange to the pack. He growled at them, taking a few steps backed as he studied their numbers, deciding if they were there to attack or by fluke. Caelas was the loudest to growl, though he did not attack, watching Shokou signals that he was silently giving the tokotas, knowing that if any were going to attack, it was going to be Caelas. Shaka then took a step to the side, blocking the way of Caelas at Shokou command, hoping it would prevent the young tokota from making a wrong move. The reasearchers were astonished to see the large beast before them, glaring them down. He continued to back away until he reached some rocks, and then he spun around, bolting for the clearing and howling out to his pack mates. Shokou had forgotten that he was taking a video the whole time, realizing he had recorded the close encounter with the merle. The group looked over the rocks at the group of three, the merle running up to the other two and looked back at the ridge where the researchers were hiding. They had caught their prey and were now looking up at the ridge as well, studying the humans that observed them. They had a stare down for a few moments before they picked up their prize and bolted, the tawny giving a threatening growl, followed by a howl before following the other two deeper into the mountains and away from prying eyes. "That was a little too close." Shokou finally spoke, making the other laugh around him. He looked down at his camera, rewinding it to the close up of the tundra. He looked at the collar, trying to figure out the brand or anything that could give them a hint as to where it came from.

The others all mounted up, deciding it was best not to follow the dires and agitate them more, not wanting to risk an attack out of defense. They were sure by the threatening howl of the tawny and he would not hesitate to attack if they dared got too close to him and his pack-mates. Shaka, looked to Shokou, looking proud of himself for stopping Caelas, and the black also gave his pack-mate a glare, hoping he would get the point that attacking was the worse thing he could do and that he was in the wrong. Caelas gave him a glare in return as he and the researcher passed by. Shokou was the last to get back into the saddle and he followed along in the back of the group. "Good boy Shaka." Shokou leaned down and patted the black on the neck. Shaka walked with his head held high, knowing that he was good and that he did the right thing in staying calm. Shokou rolled his eyes and chuckled as they started heading back. He once and awhile looked at the video he had taken of the whole thing, seeing the reaction of the large dire when he saw the group that was hiding where he was supposed to be heading. Shokou was amazed at the pure sight of them and was very excited to be going out again, and so was Shaka. He was very happy to be out and about, very happy that he was feeling important again. He even forgot all about the fact that his saddle was not fancy to his liking and did not have any silks on it. They walked into the yard and Shokou was excited to write in his journal that night, but he needed to get Shaka back into the tokota shelter for the night so he could get some rest. He got some fresh bedding ready for him, and prepared a meaty meal fit for a king, giving it to the male who almost thought he was higher then a king. Hyoga and Caelas were untacked and brushed down by the reasearcher who rode them before they went to check on their own tokotas. Shokou was satisfied that all his tokotas were settled in and he went back to his room, pulling out his journal and writing down the experience he had that day. He got lost in his thought as he recorded what he remembered, and took a look at the video again, still unable to get the collar out of his head.