Cato's AoAs

They gathered in the early morning at the staring point. A few others were gathered there already, getting an early start in signing up for the test ahead of them. The first of three tests that must be completed before the tokotas could be registered to breed. The day was cool and a slight breeze was picking up, rustling the grass. The sky above was slightly cloudy, but a few specks of blue peaked out around the grey clouds, and sunshine came and went as the wind above blew the clouds to the east. It was mid-fall and the few trees that surrounded the area were turning gold and red, falling off the trees little by little. The grass was a little dry, turning a light yellow, though traces of green hid it from the landscape, making the land still look slightly green. Pandora, Sakari, and Hidenka were some of the first to arrive, registering for the test and getting their numbers. Being some of the first in meant being the first to head out to start the hunt. Pandora checked her tack, a simple black english style saddle with a white blanket beneath it, her large happy boy watching and waiting, looking very happy and excited to be out an about with a group of other tokotas and people. Sakari pulled out a treat from her saddle bag and gave it to Arulia,checking her western style saddle quickly and then went about patting the tokota and petting her as they waited patiently, using the time they had to gain the sphinx's trust a little more. Cato fidgeted as they waited, excited to be hunting, his favorite activity, making his brown western style saddle slide back and forth, forcing Hidenka to tighten it yet again. He looked from his handler to the wilderness that they would be hunting in, his eyes watching the landscape for any sign of prey, while Hidenka was trying to get his attention so that he did not run off too early and get them disqualified from the test.

The small clearing filled as time passed, more tokotas and riders arriving, chatting and checking their equipment, and it was nearly and hour and a half later when registration finally closed. The judges and volunteers finished the last few papers and then went to stand before the group. "It is now time for the test to begin. We shall send you out in small groups in order of your registration, so would the first five come forward." The group headed out, and then a few moments later, the trio was heading out, being within the second group the leave the starting point to begin their hunt. They trotted away from the clearing, allowing the other few that left with them to get ahead and scatter. Cato took the lead, being the most excited and wanting to get right into the chase. Leo was not too far behind, a smile on his face as he trotted behind, obeying Pandora's every order. Arulia was calm and just followed with a more uncaring expression, Sakari keeping calm as to not freak out the tokota beneath her, and not rushing her either. The terrain was a mix of rock and grass, making the surface rough, but the tokotas handled it well, as for the handlers, Hidenka was feeling quite sore already from the bounciness of Cato and trying to hold him back. Pandora had a smooth ride on the much larger tokota who could go over the terrain quite easily. Sakari got sore quite easily normally preferring to fly alongside her tokota over riding, but in such a public place she would rather ride in front of the others.

They rode for a little under an hour with little to no trace of prey. A few more groups have been released by then and so they needed to pick up the pace and find their prey before one of the other did. They rode on for another half hour, then with a burst of excitement, Cato did a little bounce and a loud howl to signal to the others that he had found a scent. His nose dropped to the ground, then he quickly picked it back up into the air. Hidenka was rubbing her stomach that had slammed into the saddle horn upon his jump. He took off at a run, the other two following suite as they too picked up the scent. The handlers allowed their tokotas to lead, Hidenka looking back to make sure the others had not fallen too far behind, though Leo and Pandora easily pulled up next to them, Leo's long legs carrying them quite fast, even though they were jogging at a slower pace. Arulia picked up the pace quite a bit to keep up, Sakari happy that her run was much smoother then her trotting gate. Their fur was pulled back by the wind as they took of across the wilderness, their handlers holding onto their manes, or in Sakari's case, the saddle horn. Pandora wondered what they were going after as they moved, watching the landscape ahead for any sign of the prey the tokotas were chasing. Soon some brown shapes came into view, a small herd of caribou grazing among the rocky terrain. The handlers slowed their tokotas just enough to dismount, Sakari coming off with a graceful roll, Hidenka nearly tripping and Pandora flying off with a great leap, still running along side Leo before letting go of his mane. The tokotas sped up, taking off after the caribou who's heads had now jerked up.

Leo rached the herd first, leaping forward, scattering the caribou, but tripping one. It rolled into the ground, legs flailing into the air as it tried to regain it's feet, but Leo was already charging in for the final blow. The caribou lifted a leg into the air and flung it out towards it's attacker, the sharp edge hitting the large beast across the chest, making him lose his balance slightly and stumble to the side, but he quickly spun and made another leap for the throat, wrestling with the prey before taking it out. He picked up his prize and carried it to Pandore, placing it in front of her and smiling, hoping she was happy with his prize and him giving it to her as a gift of love. Pandora patted him as they waited for the other two to return. Cato went after a younger caribou, running around and around in circles with leaps and bounds, Cato determined to make his catch. He paid no attention to the rough terrain as the caribou leaped over rocks and made sharps turns, eventually miscalculating and tripping, slowing down a little and allowing Cato to catch up just enough to take it down and make the kill. Arulia made for the older caribou who had fallen behind in the scatter, a much easier catch, but also a much smarter way to go, being an older and slower caribou was easier to catch. The caribou lashed back with their hind legs, but Arulia leaped to the side, using the action that slowed it down to get along side it and reach for the throat, grabbing and twisting the caribou into the ground with a swift kill.

A thundering echoed across the landscape as the rest charged away from their attackers, making for the safety of the group. Arulia and Cato joined the group not too long after, the hunt being fairly quick, though chaotic. Sakari did not care about following the actions of the tokotas, she only cared about whether they did it or not. She praised the sphinx upon her return, proud of the girl for her smart thoughts and tactics. Cato returned to Hidenka with his prey, still buzzing from the chase, but starting to calm down now that the hunt was over and he had made the kill. Upon watching the chaos, Hidenka was worried the caribou would escape and they would return empty handed, but he proved her wrong and caught a fine young caribou. The tokotas picked up their prey and the handlers once again mounted into the saddles, after checking them to make sure they had not come loose in the chase. They sat in the seats, and Pandora took the lead with Leo who had a much easier time carrying his caribou then Cato and Arulia. Arulia was right behind Leo, her head high as she carried her catch. Cato fell a little behind, now tired from his run. They clearing in which they had started had some hunters back, those who left before them, and those few who had really good luck to come upon prey soon after leaving the start. They went to the judges table to make sure they knew they had come back in and had caught their prey. The judges were looking over other tokotas and their prey and so they were sent to wait off to the side until a judge was open to check the tokotas physical health and shape, as well as their prey in which they had caught.

They watched as other tokotas and handlers rode in, some with prey and some without. The judges continued and finally reached their trio. A judge walked over to them with some paper work. Sakari motioned for Arulia to stand up, bringing her before the judge. Her head was slightly lowered and her tail down loosely as the judge looked her over. Arulia watched the man closely as he walked around her, inspecting her. He had Sakari open her mouth to take a look, and lift her paws as well. He then moved on to their caribou, nodding his head as he marked some things down on his sheet. He stood and walked towards Leo, having Pandora do the same. Pandora got him to stand, his head held high, his tail down in a loose and friendly manner. He opened his mouth willingly, almost looking as if he was giving a big toothy grin. His paws were next and he showed them willingly. The caribou was looked over as well, more noted being put down on paper before he moved on to Cato. He was very calm now that the hunt was done, and getting him to stand still was easier then before. His teeth were inspected with care and his paws were carefully looked at. The caribou laid on the ground in front of Cato, and the tokota watched the man closely as he looked at the prey. Hidenka made sure she was watching him in case he thought Cato would think the judge was trying to take his hard earned prize away. The judge wandered over to the table and gave the information to the volunteers sitting there, then he took some more papers and wandered over to another group that was waiting to be judged. The volunteers wrote on some other sheets, certificates and result papers. With a wave of their hands the group of handlers made their way over and took the papers, all smiling as they returned to where their tokotas waited.

The tokotas ears were perked up as their handlers came towards them, smiles on their faces. Pandora was the first to speak up as she got right up to Leo who was waiting and watching her nervously. "You passed boy!" She said, waving the papers into the air. With a little howl he lifted his front legs up and wrapped them around her shoulders, knocking her to the ground in a big fuzzy tokota hug. He brought his tongue up and licked her across the cheek, though his slobber covered her whole face. "Leo!" She squealed as his wet tongue soaked her. Hidenka burst out laughing, while Sakari just let out a little chuckle before turning towards the other two. "You guys also passed." She smiled. Cato let out a howl of joy, running up to Sakari and Hidenka who were standing next to each other, licking them both across the faces as they tried to escape the wet waterfall that came from his mouth. Arulia smile and shook her mane, coming up to Sakari and getting her head under the handler's hand, hoping to get a pet. When Pandora finally got free, they strapped the prey onto the backs of the tokotas, and mounted into the saddles, heading out and leaving the chaos of the test behind them, making for the comforts of home and the warm beds in which they would flop into and not get out of for a few days.