RoF - Aurora over the Ridge

After the events on the Tartok mountains, Brahnna took a like for the small King. He had proven himself a team worker and capable adventurer.
When the time to complete the second Rite came, Hesley said goodbye to her with a tight hug. Brahnna would travel the five days journey on her own.
"Take care, dogbolt" Hesley sighed movedly, then held Brahnna at arm's distance giving her a serious glare: "And I mean it, hothead".
Brahnna dismissed him with a lick on his forehead, a headbutt, then trotted away swaying her tail (looking back only once to bark in goodbye).
However, despite being a very independant tokota, she wasn't planning on going fully alone. She had a stop to make before the journey. Playing dumb and easy, as if it was just a casual thing for her, she looked for her new short fluffy friend and invited him to run with her.
And that is how the two tokotas found themselves in a route from the West River ports, up the north, towards King homeland - past the Taniyas, marked by Inukshuk statues to guide the adventurers.
The first miles felt easy; across the forest, with prey to hunt. That was, until Kingsley insisted that they had been drifting to the east, and Brahnna disagreed stubbornly.
There was some bitter barking about it. Brahnna considered herself the leader (even if they were only two, it had been her idea to take this rite), and she wouldn't even have heard her companion... if the faint shade of the Superiors hadn't made itself visible on the horizon that afternoon.
So she had to admit her inner compass wasn't as good as Kingsley, and (not without remarks) allowed him to lead. The toki got them right back on track and they reached the Taniya's territory in no time.
The plan was to avoid entering the White Forest depths, staying in the Taniya's foot instead. Thus, they arrived at the Ridge of Elders. They ran through the empty tundra, and in the open clear lenghts Brahnna needed to remind herself to slow down, because Kingsley (despite being a good navigator) was still half her height.
When the nnight fell, the black ridge stood even more powerfully in the horizon, and the aurora lights dancing in the sky made everything glisten colorfully. As they crossed the dark land, an inukshuk monolith' silhouette was drawn by the game of lights and shadows, proving they were now on the right track.
Soon the terrain became rocky with a slight slope, and they diverted back to the forest to rest. It was dawning when the two of them took shelter under an old pine. Brahnna sniffed the cold air, letting out a cloudy puff of breath. Kingsley curled a little and fell asleep confidently. The brown female waited for a while, to make sure he was really sleeping, and then snuggled closer to her friend.
They still had to cross the forest, and Nihla Village, before climbing the Taniyas. But with the two of them together, the journey would be smooth.


(King)sley belongs to RileyCasper !
3(fb colored shaded) +2(bg) +2(512 WC) +2(rite) = Total = 9
Branni belongs to me
3(fb colored shaded) +2(bg) +2(512 WC) +4(non-com) +2(rite) = Total = 13