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Description

Really wanted to do something pretty for Mako's Rite of Fortitude so I played with some textures and colors and got this! I absolutely adore how it came out <333

Link or thumbnail of import sheet:
Registered name and ID number: Mako 1612
Prestige breeder or Pack leader?: Pack Leader
Handler name: Kodi
Training images and/or bonus images: N/A
--------------------
*Crunch crunch crunch crunch*
The soft, steady crunching of snow beneath the paws of his tokota, Mako, had been one of the very few sounds Kodi had heard today. Rite of Fortitude! Here he thought he was saddling up for some big adventure where dangers awaited him at every turn, and all he had run into were a few rabbits and birds who didn’t bother to check the duo out from the skies. Although it was a bit boring, the tokota handler could be thankful that, unlike usual, Mako did not seem to have attracted any bad luck from angry bears with large claws or moose with sharp hooves. Or ermine with sharp teeth. If all Kodi had to deal with today was the sound of the crunching snow droning on hour after hour he could do it. At least he wasn’t Mako, who had to carry his fat ass around all day. Speaking of it, it appeared as though the sun was waning and the day was a few hours from coming to a close. While he still had some time, and light, Kodi decided it was time to stop and make camp for the night.
“Alright big guy, we’re almost done for the day” he told Mako, who maybe flicked an ear in the direction of his handler but made no other indication of hearing what had been said. The tokota glanced at the sky and found no reason to be stopping anytime soon. Following what his rider instructed through the reins, the half-mane trudged on in the direction of a small patch of forest littered with dead pine trees. Kodi’s grandmother had taught him how to make shelters out of such material, and he thanked her spirit in the skies for sending him such luck on Mako’s special day. When they arrived to a good spot in the forest, Mako suddenly tipped over into the snow and started rolling around in it, trying to get his tack off. Thanks to Kodi’s reflexes, he managed to esca-, err, dismount before having his left leg crushed by the weight of the tokota. He could not even pretend to be mad with the big hunk of fluff rooting around stopping momentarily to look at his handler with his face all covered in snow. Kodi approached Mako, who was now on his back somehow despite having a saddle on, and undid the belly strap. The tokota immediately leapt up, shook off the snow starting from his ears and moving down to his tail, and then turned his head back to Kodi as if to say You forgot something. “Yeah, yeah, hold your horses” Kodi said and removed the halter from the tokota’s head. Mako waited patiently for his handler to remove his breast strap, but there was no move to do so. “What, like I’m going to take off all your tack and then you’ll go off somewhere to explore, get lost, and I’ll never see you again? No, it’s staying on as well as your ankle cuffs just in case you do get lost so someone knows you’re not wild and saves your ass” The tokota brushed past his handler without leaving room for his shoulder and layed in the snow, facing away from Kodi. “Well then” was all he got in reply.
Some time later Kodi had his shelter for the night done, and it was time to secure the area with his safety fire. Mako still wasn’t batting an eyelash in his direction, but he figured starting a nice, warm fire might lure the tokota in. That and some jerky he packed for the two of them. Kodi dug out his tools from the packs secured to Mako’s saddle which was still top down in the snow. He cleared a spot from snow to work and started at it. And kept at it until the sun was well beneath the horizon. Sweaty and sore from the work and frustrated nearly to tears, Kodi threw his fire starting equipment with a yell and stomped out to the edge of the forest with his spear. Mako lifted his head and watched his handler with worry. From afar it looked as though he was just standing there, throwing his arms occasionally and yelling something at the sky. The tokota continued watching him as he finally kneeled down in the snow and continued mumbling things, but without anger this time. After a while Mako watched as he sat in the snow, simply watching the stars as he calmed himself. When it appeared safe to do so, the tokota got to his feet and slowly made his way to his handler.
Stopping just behind the sitting man, Mako halted and assessed the situation. Instead of whining or sticking his cold nose somewhere, he decided the best thing to do was just lay down. And so he did, right behind Kodi. He rested his head on his paws and waited patiently.
“I’m sorry, Mako” Kodi apologized softy. The tokota raised his head and listened to his handler. “Tomorrow will be better; this’ll all be over and we’ll be back at home in our warm beds eating as much fish as we want”. If Mako could have smiled, he would have. Kodi was right, that did sound good, but right now was not so bad either. He wanted nothing more than to enjoy the moment; sitting by his handler’s side and watching the beautiful night sky.

(911 words)

Art (c) Becc@ Petersen
Species (c)

Description

Really wanted to do something pretty for Mako's Rite of Fortitude so I played with some textures and colors and got this! I absolutely adore how it came out <333

Link or thumbnail of import sheet:
Registered name and ID number: Mako 1612
Prestige breeder or Pack leader?: Pack Leader
Handler name: Kodi
Training images and/or bonus images: N/A
--------------------
*Crunch crunch crunch crunch*
The soft, steady crunching of snow beneath the paws of his tokota, Mako, had been one of the very few sounds Kodi had heard today. Rite of Fortitude! Here he thought he was saddling up for some big adventure where dangers awaited him at every turn, and all he had run into were a few rabbits and birds who didn’t bother to check the duo out from the skies. Although it was a bit boring, the tokota handler could be thankful that, unlike usual, Mako did not seem to have attracted any bad luck from angry bears with large claws or moose with sharp hooves. Or ermine with sharp teeth. If all Kodi had to deal with today was the sound of the crunching snow droning on hour after hour he could do it. At least he wasn’t Mako, who had to carry his fat ass around all day. Speaking of it, it appeared as though the sun was waning and the day was a few hours from coming to a close. While he still had some time, and light, Kodi decided it was time to stop and make camp for the night.
“Alright big guy, we’re almost done for the day” he told Mako, who maybe flicked an ear in the direction of his handler but made no other indication of hearing what had been said. The tokota glanced at the sky and found no reason to be stopping anytime soon. Following what his rider instructed through the reins, the half-mane trudged on in the direction of a small patch of forest littered with dead pine trees. Kodi’s grandmother had taught him how to make shelters out of such material, and he thanked her spirit in the skies for sending him such luck on Mako’s special day. When they arrived to a good spot in the forest, Mako suddenly tipped over into the snow and started rolling around in it, trying to get his tack off. Thanks to Kodi’s reflexes, he managed to esca-, err, dismount before having his left leg crushed by the weight of the tokota. He could not even pretend to be mad with the big hunk of fluff rooting around stopping momentarily to look at his handler with his face all covered in snow. Kodi approached Mako, who was now on his back somehow despite having a saddle on, and undid the belly strap. The tokota immediately leapt up, shook off the snow starting from his ears and moving down to his tail, and then turned his head back to Kodi as if to say You forgot something. “Yeah, yeah, hold your horses” Kodi said and removed the halter from the tokota’s head. Mako waited patiently for his handler to remove his breast strap, but there was no move to do so. “What, like I’m going to take off all your tack and then you’ll go off somewhere to explore, get lost, and I’ll never see you again? No, it’s staying on as well as your ankle cuffs just in case you do get lost so someone knows you’re not wild and saves your ass” The tokota brushed past his handler without leaving room for his shoulder and layed in the snow, facing away from Kodi. “Well then” was all he got in reply.
Some time later Kodi had his shelter for the night done, and it was time to secure the area with his safety fire. Mako still wasn’t batting an eyelash in his direction, but he figured starting a nice, warm fire might lure the tokota in. That and some jerky he packed for the two of them. Kodi dug out his tools from the packs secured to Mako’s saddle which was still top down in the snow. He cleared a spot from snow to work and started at it. And kept at it until the sun was well beneath the horizon. Sweaty and sore from the work and frustrated nearly to tears, Kodi threw his fire starting equipment with a yell and stomped out to the edge of the forest with his spear. Mako lifted his head and watched his handler with worry. From afar it looked as though he was just standing there, throwing his arms occasionally and yelling something at the sky. The tokota continued watching him as he finally kneeled down in the snow and continued mumbling things, but without anger this time. After a while Mako watched as he sat in the snow, simply watching the stars as he calmed himself. When it appeared safe to do so, the tokota got to his feet and slowly made his way to his handler.
Stopping just behind the sitting man, Mako halted and assessed the situation. Instead of whining or sticking his cold nose somewhere, he decided the best thing to do was just lay down. And so he did, right behind Kodi. He rested his head on his paws and waited patiently.
“I’m sorry, Mako” Kodi apologized softy. The tokota raised his head and listened to his handler. “Tomorrow will be better; this’ll all be over and we’ll be back at home in our warm beds eating as much fish as we want”. If Mako could have smiled, he would have. Kodi was right, that did sound good, but right now was not so bad either. He wanted nothing more than to enjoy the moment; sitting by his handler’s side and watching the beautiful night sky.

(911 words)

Art (c) Becc@ Petersen
Species (c)