Slip Sliding Journey Trial
Originally posted here https://www.deviantart.com/xqueen0fhellx/art/Slip-Sliding-Journey-Trial-874854039
Vayrons Included
Artemis 13336 | Erasmus 13176 | Horai 13218 | Volk 11536
Volk had been watching Artemis’ progress since the beginning. She showed the trappings of a good leader, and had decided to test her further by accompanying her on a few trips. He had told her to invite her whole squad with, but only Horai had come. The mage had decided it was time for her to visit her family, and had left to return to Vitalus.
While they had been in the harbor, prepping for their excursion, they had been approached by a very shy reosean. His ears were down and he stuttered when he spoke. “I, I hear th-that you a-are traveling through the, the mount-mountains. May I-I join you?”
Horai snarled. “Prissy pants, you do realize this isn’t an easy trek?” She didn’t talk much about her past before joining up under this part of the army, but Volk had gathered that the other tobiano had done stuff like this before. She could likely lead a faction of her own, but he suspected she preferred to follow a leader. The few times he had seen her make decisions, she seemed rash, and had wondered if she regretted any past decisions that got people hurt.
He turned to the wolf marked reosean, nodding to her. “I am only testing you on this journey. The decision is yours to make.” Artemis had thought it over for only a few seconds before making her choice.
“You may come. An escort would be a valuable way to test our skills. Between the three of us, you should be fine.”
The pink and black vayron smiled softy. “Th-thank you.”
And now there were a few days from Udreim, crossing through the mountains. Watching Artemis take command of the situations so far had been confirming what a good leader she had been shaping up to be. She made the best choices as they travelled, both dealing with the nervous vay, and the bullheaded one, making sure they all reached their destination safely. She had even kept an eye on their supplies and rations, making sure there was extra left over in case their journey took longer than expected.
As a snowstorm picked up though, the general had questioned what she would do now in the face of a different kind of danger. This wasn’t a foe she could battle directly, and as the passage through the mountains got thinner and thinner, Artemis would have to show a different kind of leadership.
***
Artemis had taken the lead through the mountains. She had placed Horai in the back to cover the rear guard, while leaving their commander and the newcomer in the middle.
Erasmus was the boy’s name when he finally was able to speak it. He was clearly nervous around strangers, and spoke little unless prompted. He hadn’t been much use when she had questioned what he was good at, and mostly just had written him off as not having any assets useful to her. That was fine, she would have to be used to this if they ever had say perhaps someone injured in her unit that couldn’t contribute. She treated him as such, putting him in the middle. Her commander was also taking a step back and following her leadership, so she put him in the middle as well, which left Horai to take up the rear guard. As the reosean that essentially filled the position of her second in command, Artemis trusted her to take that important position.
As the snowstorm hit though, she had an important decision to make. Did she lead her party through the mountains, or did they try to find shelter and waste some time? Looking over her group, she was confident at least three of them would be able to hold tight to the cliff edge. It also wasn’t a full on blizzard, and she didn’t think the conditions would be right for an avalanche.
Her company also consisted of all puller types, except for the smaller melanistic reosean. Considering their supplies, she took all of these into account as she made a plan.
“Alright gang. We’re going to try to brave the mountains. I am confident we will do just fine. I am worried about our new companion here, not to say I’m not worried about all of you, so we’re going to put some safety measures into place. We have plenty of rope and with our harnesses carrying supplies, we’re going to lash ourselves to one another. In the event someone slips, the majority of us are of a stronger build, and will likely be able to pull one another up.”
She had glanced at Volk in an attempt to catch his approval, but as has become usual through this trip, he kept his expression neutral. Horai looked about to snap with some snarky comment, but wisely held her tongue. The newcomer looked relieved, and Artemis felt a small moment of pride that she seemed to do something right.
***
Horai didn’t see why they had dragged the little runt along. He wasn’t built for this sort of journey, and he could have taken up with a caravan or paid for a proper escort. They were doing training, little kid, go run off.
The fact that Artemis even suggested tying themselves to each other seemed to be tailoring just to the melanistic runner, making her more than a little irritated. It was wise, and could he helpful if any of them fell, but the likelihood any of them would outside of the brat was slim to none.
The angora female bit back her retorts though, knowing it would get her nowhere to complain about things out of her control. She considered letting the rope come loose and watching the brat tumble, but she wasn’t that cruel, so pushed through thoughts to the back of her mind. She was just tired of the way he slowed them down. Their food had been spread out more, and while the little whelp had brought some of his own, Artemis had made sure to account for a longer trip. Horai was just hungry and wanted to get to the capital, and any extra time they had to take because he wasn’t up to the challenge felt like a waste.
The younger reosean at least wasn’t the first one to get cold, that was their commander. Volk didn’t have the fur any of the rest of them had; Artemis and herself held the most. In the snow, she was incredibly thankful to have a bit more fluff on her. Erasmus did grow cold eventually, but long before the thick coated vayrons felt the chill. His shivers gave her strength, wanted to show up the others best she could.
It was hard to put a value on the amount of surprise the bearded vayron felt when it wasn’t Erasmus that slipped first, but instead her. She yelped, her paws scrambling for any foothold.
It was the pup lashed in front of her that perhaps was her saving grace, as much as she never would admit it. He acted quickly, moving faster than the rest of her companions, pressing himself tightly against the wall of rock that grew on the other side of that path they walked. He splayed his legs for more stabilization, and yanked on the ropes in front of him to get their attention. Perhaps he wasn’t as worthless as the female had written him off as.
***
Erasmus at first spooked from the yelp coming from behind him, and pressing himself against the wall had been involuntary, as the fear of falling was at the forefront of his mind. When he realized the ropes behind him were pulling, he braved a glance back, and saw the fluffiest of their group slipping down the side.
Knowing her weight would pull him down, he steadied himself, taking a stance that should hold better, and pulled with his chest backwards to get the attention of the male in front of him. “Ho-hold on!” He yelled and then grabbed the ropes that held the two of them in his jaws, yanking as best as he could.
He had to fight with himself as the swirling flakes distracted his thoughts, and he had to pull his mind back to the problem at hand. Drat his attention span! Thankfully, the other two seemed to have noticed what was going on. Unfortunately, the path was too thin for the other reoseans to turn around. Instead, Volk backed up, Erasmus crouching down so that the larger male could straddle him.
“Hook her ropes to his harness!” The voice of their leader could barely be heard over the winds, but the pink vayron caught them just fine. He did as Artemis told him, tying them off best he could.
“You’re going to have to move with me, Pup.” The larger male rumbled, and Erasmus nodded. As Volk moved back forward, Erasmus scrambled backwards, and the two of them slowly pulled the struggling female back onto the path. Once she was to safety, Erasmus reached up to unhook her, and Volk resumed his place in front.
As the melanistic vayron brought himself back to standing, Horai grumbled behind him. He swore he heard a thanks, but from what he had experienced on this trip, that seemed unlikely. Still, he smiled softly as they continued on their way.
***
Artemis heaved a sigh of relief as they had gotten Horai back on the path without further danger. If that was the worst they would endure on this trip, then she totally had this in the bag! But she couldn’t let herself relax just yet. If she did, there was a chance she wouldn’t be ready for the next time.
She had to put her people first. She looked up to Volk and any others that served in commanding roles. While it had always been a dream of hers, it was crazy being in charge herself. There was so much to think of, so much to keep an eye on. It was almost overwhelming. But her crew trusted her, as did her general, and she wasn’t going to let them down.
As she continued along again, she took the trail at a bit slower pace. As the ice was starting to build up from the falling snow, she had to do all she could to avoid another slip. Next time it might bring them all down the mountain.
She also knew she had to talk with Horai when they stopped for the night. The prideful vayron would never admit to being hurt, and Artemis had to make sure she was okay. She also had to speak with Erasmus, thanking him for his quick thinking. Perhaps she had underestimated the younger reosean.
As they made their way along the path, it gradually widened, allowing them to pick up the pace once more. After their close call, and with the snowstorm showing no signs of stopping, she decided that the first place they could find shelter would be where they rested for the night. They were just in luck as the path widened further and revealed a cave that looked well travelled by those that made their way through this pass.
“We’re resting for the night!” She announced to her little troop, and led the way into the cave. She assisted in helping everyone disconnect from one another, and she could tell Horai was tired as the female didn’t complain at the help. Everyone seemed to be okay, and she used her shield to block the entrance, keeping the wind from coming in and chilling them further. That thing was way more useful than just for battle, and she was enjoying seeing all the different ways she could use it.
When Volk put his snout to her shoulder, she smiled. It was his own way of telling her she was doing a good job.
Volk sat by the cave entrance to take first watch, Erasmus curled up in the back, and Horai took a spot in the middle. Watching them all take their places for the night, Artemis couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. They would all make it though. She could do this.
-End-
Artemis 13336, Erasmus 13176, Volk 11536 Purity Trial - Journey Trial
Horai 13218 Companion
The Journey trial consists of various tests meant to test for endurance, compatibility, and strength as well as the Reosean's will to survive. You can choose either to do the original prompt (journeying over a specified location) or one of the alternative prompts at the bottom.
♦ Roenden: The trip starts in the harbor south of Udreim, cutting through Udreim and then over the dangerous mountains to end in Roenden's capital. The trip takes 4-6 days. The trip itself will be mostly through the snowy plains of Roenden, mountain cliffs and canyons.
WC 2031 + 20
Corresponding Land +1
Ingin Horai 13218 +2
Other Reo Erasmus 13176 / Horai 13218 / Volk 11536 +2
Purity Trial +2
Total = 27 CP
WC 2031 + 20
Personal +1
Corresponding Land +1
Ingin Artemis 13336 / Horai 13218 +2
Other Reo Artemis 13336 / Horai 13218 / Volk 11536 +2
Purity Trial +2
Total = 28 CP
WC 2031 +20
Corresponding Land +1
Ingin Artemis 13336
Other Reo Artemis 13336 / Erasmus 13176 / Volk 11536 +2
Total = 25 CP
WC 2031 +20
Corresponding Land +1
Ingin Artemis 13336 / Horai 13218 +2
Other Reo Artemis 13336 / Erasmus 13176 / Horai 12218 +2
Purity Trial +2
Total = 27 CP