[AoA: RoM (Trade/Gift)] Let Us Not Wander

    The constant movement around the starting point for the Endurance Rite of Merit for the Tokota's Rites of Fertility also known as the Arms of Akna Awards seemed to allow for an odd sort of serenity. Most handlers and their Tokotas were resting under trees, in tents, or in small cleared areas while they waited for their official start times. Some of the handlers were standing in small groups conversing about any number of topics while still others were checking over tack and supplies. Most of the Tokotas were either chasing each other about or curled next to their handlers waiting for permission to move around. Those that weren't already signed in and awaiting further instructions were waiting in line with paperwork, some had their Tokotas with them, others were waiting in or by trailers. The current head of the line was a young brown haired woman with a large brown sphinx type Tokota beside her. This handler was Ikuya Hana and the brown sphinx was Cerberus. Ikuya looked bored and maybe even annoyed at the fact that the man who was looking over her paperwork for entering Cerberus into the Endurance class for the Partnership Trait of the Rite of Merit was taking a long time to get things done. Cerberus heaved what could only be a long suffering sigh of complete boredom. Behind Ikuya were a handful of others, who like herself had been running late and were trying to hurry to get signed up in time before the first group was sent out. 
"Sir is there a problem with my paperwork?" Ikuya sighed, unconsciously gripping Cerberus's collar in her frustration which caused the brown male sphinx to glance up at her in confusion. 
"Well, no," the mane replied, "But um it says here that your entry fee was already paid and your paperwork was filed for you months ago?"
Ikuya blinked in surprise, she frowned in confusion for a moment and then gasped in realization. She palmed her face and shook her head muttering softly.
"Was it filed and paid for by a Ms. Helios?" Ikuya sighed.
The man gave her a startled look before replying.
"How did you-?" he started to ask.
"Cerberus was a gift from Ms. Helios. I should have realized she would help with the Arms of Akna awards," Ikuya sighed and then muttered too softly to be heard, "Why she didn't tell me is another story."
"Well um then I'll just update the date here," the man replied, offering her a sympathetic smile. 
Ikuya only sighed not really wanting to smile back. Then after the man handed her their bag of emergency flares she gave Cerberus's collar a gentle tug and turned away to find a place to rest. As they were walking a rather annoyed looking Inuit woman dressed in blue pushed past them yelling at a group of kids further ahead. The reason she was yelling made itself clear a few moments later, the pied black female Tokota who had been curled in the snow where the kids had been popped it's head up at the sound of the woman's voice. 
The pied black Tokota was named Something Wicked and Ikuya recognized the pup from a litter and blinked in confusion. The woman was still yelling at the retreating kids when Ikuya walked up. The pied black female Tokota stood, head cocked curiously at Ikuya and Cerberus, she gave a small tail wag in greeting. 
"Um hello?" she inquired softly.
The woman turned to look at her and huffed in annoyance. Ikuya noted that the woman wasn't wearing the Helios Estate's symbol anywhere nor was the Tokota.
"What," she snapped.
"Why do you have a Tokota that is owned by Helios Estate? Are you a new handler there?" Ikuya stated as politely as she could manage.
The woman gave her an odd look before replying.
"No, I purchased Wicked from Helios Estate though," she replied, giving Ikuya an annoyed frown, "Why do you care?"
Ikuya relaxed slightly, but continued to frown at the woman. Ikuya shook her head before replying.
"I'm just a friend of the owner of Helios Estate, I don't know, I just recognized the Tokota and not you," Ikuya answered honestly. 
The woman frowned for a moment and then sighed heavily, giving Ikuya a critical look. 
Cerberus and Wicked were sniffing each other both equally curious about the other when a third Tokota bounded forward with a playful bark. Both Ikuya and the other woman glanced over at the new Tokota, it was an albino male fullmane. The three Tokotas were barking and wagging tails playfully. 

"Name's Dena by the way," the blue clad Inuit woman stated as they watched the Tokotas play, "I respect that you were concerned about the Tokota. It takes courage to step in for someone else when they are not there to defend themselves."
Ikuya only nodded and watched the three Tokotas play.
Then another woman approached them, she was pale with hair the color of captured twilight, she seemed to frown at the sight of the albino male playing with the two other Tokotas. Wicked was attempting to pin the male albino, her tail wagging, while Cerberus was barking with his tail wagging so hard his butt was shaking.
"Spirit Bear," the new woman ordered, still frowning at the Tokotas, "Heel."
The albino male squirmed loose and darted over to her side, nuzzling her hand as if seeking an apology for leaving her side. 
Wicked turned to her handler with a confused whine as the pair left and Cerberus watched them leave with a whimper. Spirit Bear, the albino, looked back at them with a slight wag of the tail, before again nudging his owner's hand. The trio had obviously been having fun perhaps even became friends in the brief moments that they had been playing. They would find out later that the handler's name was Ruby. With soft sighs Dena and Ikuya gave each other a nod before calling their Tokotas and moving their own which way. Cerberus and Wicked both gave each other a sad look before trotting away with their handlers. It would be about six hours later that the various groups of Tokotas and their handlers would be called up to get ready for the three day treck.
    Spirit Bear and his handler Ruby were among the first to break away from the group of those that were sent out. They moved like a wraith across the tundra, Spirit Bear's white coat seemed to glisten under the moonlight. They both seemed to glimmer and shine like starlight as their breath puffed out softly in the night's chill. Not far behind them the pied black female Tokota and her rider Dena were racing the stars themselves. The pied black female Tokota's nearly all white coat glistened and shone giving her a slightly eerie look which fit her name Something Wicked too perfectly for words. The playful pouncing strides of Cerberus seemed to be annoying his handler Ikuya who was grumbling as she hung on for dear life. His brown coat seemed even darker in the night's shadowy cover. 
Other Tokotas scattered out around them, each seeking their own way, as their handlers guided them along. Ruby and Spirit Bear charged ahead, each stride from the albino taking them further and further from the others. Something Wicked and Dena had slowed their pace and Dena seemed to be observing the stars as well as their surroundings very closely. Ikuya had turned Cerberus down away from the others making their way toward the lower, smoother, and easier to navigate terrain. This move also helped block some of the bitterly cold wind for which Cerberus was so vulnerable to; the specially made thermal sweater only helped so much after all. The first night that the group was chasing the stars, each Tokota and their handler's choosing their own way across the wilderness, was relatively uneventful. The second night stirred up a storm to which everyone frantically sought refuge. This worked out well for the three separated friends, but their handlers weren't too thrilled about the delay.
Cerberus, Something Wicked, and Spirit Bear were wrestling playfully at the end of the cave that the three groups had taken refuge in while their handler's talked quietly. The brown sphinx was currently pinned down by Something Wicked who was using him as a chair as she playfully batted at Spirit Bear whilst wagging her tail in Cerberus's face. 
"At least those three are enjoying themselves," Ikuya chuckled as she watched the trio of Tokotas.
Cerberus whined and whimpered, attempting to squirm out from under Something Wicked who blinked at him, leaned over, and licked his face before returning her attention to Spirit Bear who was currently bouncing around trying to get Something Wicked to chase him. Cerberus flopped, squirmed a little, and then let his tail thump against the ground a few times. Spirit Bear barked and continued to wag his tail after flopping on the ground, rolling over, and batting playfully at Something Wicked's face. 
"It would seem so,"Dena laughed as she returned to the other handlers after checking on the weather before sinking to the ground with a sigh beside Ikuya, "The storm appears to be letting up some, we should be able to head out soon."
"Good to hear," Ruby sighed, "I do not want to miss the cut off for the contest."
"I'm sure they will allow a small window of time for people to get there without penalty due to the storm," Ikuya soothed.
"I would honestly be surprised if they didn't," Dena added after a few moments, then laughed as Spirit Bear bounced up and barked again at something Wicked, "Wicked dear, quit tormenting those boys."
The albino fullmane male was darting from one side to the next with his tail wagging madly while Something Wicked, the pied black fullmane female, finally bounced up off of Cerberus with a bark. Cerberus scrambled to his feet, barked, shook himself, and then pounced on Something Wicked's nearly pure white frame. The brown sphinx male seemed relieved to no longer be the defeated one and was running playful laps around the other two Tokotas with his tail going.
"Cerberus, watch it with that tail" Ikuya yelped as the male sphinx's tail grazed her arm, "My god it's like a bullwhip."
Ruby cracked a smile and Dena laughed outright at that statement. Cerberus had stopped his mad dashing about and was looking at Ikuya with a cocked head in confusion. Ikuya laughed and blew a kiss at him.
"Yes I'm talking about you," she teased.
Dena laughed a little more and then grinned as Something Wicked began to creep over to Cerberus again, this time with Spirit Bear sneaking up too. Cerberus heard them at the last second, yelped, and then darted away with the two following. Spirit Bear's albino pelt was starting to get dirty from all the rolling around in the dirt as was Something Wicked's mostly white pied black coat. 
"Well, we might as well take advantage of the chance to rest," Dena sighed, "I can take first watch and keep an eye on the fire, if you two want to sleep?"
Ikuya shrugged, glanced over at Ruby whose midnight colored hair was pulled up in a loose bun. Ruby simply sighed before giving a slight nod.
"It wouldn't hurt I suppose. I could take the second watch," she stated with a shrug, then looked over to the tumbling Tokotas, "Spirit Bear, heel."
The pure white Tokota paused midstep, wagged his tail nervously, glanced back at Something Wicked and Cerberus before dropping his head and walking over and flopping down next to his handler.
"Then I shall take the last watch," Ikuya added, nodding to Dena and Ruby before whistling softly for Cerberus.
Dena patted the ground next to her and waited for Something Wicked to take notice. 
Both Cerberus and Something Wicked padded over to their handlers and flopped down to, ears pricked and curious as to if they could continue playing. Ikuya stroked Cerberus's head, then curled up against the brown male sphinx, effectively using him as a pillow. Ruby did something similar with Spirit Bear while Dena leaned up against Something Wicked and settled in for the night.
The morning would bring on the rest of their trek.