Down to the River

[Kiara]

The air had warmed considerably in the recent weeks. Snow had melted in most of the area, save for those held in perpetual shade and the deep drifts that clung to the last vestiges of their winter coats. Even so the water that had brushed Kiara's paws as they dangled off the side of the canoe was absolutely frigid. Kiara had been quick to retract her limbs into the safety of the wooden craft, shaking droplets off with pinned ears and the typical grimace of a perturbed housecat before shooting an embarrassed glance at the girl manning the oars.

Herself and the human Fenna had been sent out in one of the Dawnseekers' small watercrafts as scouts along with two other groups of their compatriots. With seven in their party it was unlikely that the group would encounter anything that could endanger the lot, and it provided enough companionship that they could split into pairs or small groups to scout if need be.

Kiara sent a furtive glance at the other canoes, each of which bore a hyena as well as an assortment of animal and human that Kiara was unfamiliar in dealing with. It wasn't that Kiara was opposed to their presence per se... But tales about the ruthlessness of their species and the propensity towards cruelty towards other animals was what she had been raised on. She hoped that the tales were simply that; tall tales to scare erring cubs. Before boarding she'd made a decision to do her best to reserve judgement until she got to know them better, but she couldn't help her wary glances.

After a period of silence floating between the banks of fresh green growth Kiara turned her head to look at Fenna over her shoulder. "So... Have you done this before?"

[Fenna]

The gentle sounds of water lapping against the wood of the canoe were comforting to the teenage girl, and it was warm enough that she could smell the river as well instead of just getting a breath of nothing but cold air. She was a bit nervous to really be on her first scouting mission, and that was why she assumed the council sent others with her as well.

Aside from Moana, the group was made up of animals, which was something she was actually quite used to, having spent most of her life under the charge of one. Granted, these animals were are quadrupedal... but it was still a familiar feeling to be surrounded by those covered in fur.

Fenna had little experience canoeing, but it was enough that she could navigate her way around the river in a steady fashion. It was a bit hard to steer properly as the extra weight of the lioness she shared the boat with weighed them down a bit, but so far it was smooth sailing. She was getting a bit lost in thought, rhythmically rowing the paddles, and started a bit when Kiara addressed her.

"What, scouting?" she asked. "Honestly, no, not really... I think the council sent me with more people besides just Nikolai to see how we'd do. We should be cool though."

She turned around a bit to properly look the lioness in the eye. "You doing alright back there, by the way? I'm not making you seasick, am I? I, uh... am not super experienced with boating either..."

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Meanwhile, in a boat not too far behind, sat a certain old hyena and a small blonde mutt. Diyha was a bit irritated at the fact that she was doing this at all, but someone had to watch after all these kids and keep them from doing anything stupid. She was old and crabby, but she was still perfectly capable of going on missions. Neither of the animals were used to being in a boat, and Diyha was, for all intents, white-knuckling the rim of the raft to keep herself steady.

Angel was excited to actually get out of camp and explore the Canadian wilderness, but being in a wobbly raft was making her a bit nauseous... every time they crested a small current, she had to brace herself and tighten her throat to keep from gagging. She thought, initially, they were travelling on foot, and while this was faster, that didn't mean she liked it...

"Uuuugh..." the pup couldn't help but groan softly, placing a paw to her stomach. "Please tell me we're almost there..."

"Easy now, darlin'," Diyha assured Angel, placing a paw on her shoulder. "We shouldn't be on the river too much longer now. If you've got to yak, I'll keep your ears out of your face. Heh heh heh."

[Anga]

Anga briefly reared onto their back legs before their front paws hit the first seat in the canoe. Their over-long legs stumbled for a moment as the boat swayed back and forth slightly before righting themselves. Anga brought their tail up high and lifted their head to see beyond the top ridge of the craft. The teen was always out to prove themselves in whatever way they could. Most of all they wanted to be a warrior -- give their species the good name they deserve -- but the youngster was also more than willing to give nearly everything else 110 percent.

If it were not for the fact that their fur (especially the big fringe of black over their face) flopped about in the wind, one might be able to mistake them for some kind of decorative ornament. While Anga would much rather be training to fight, they seemed eager to take a look around their new home. Regardless of the climate, Anga was more happy with the Dawnseekers than they were in Africa -- almost anything was a step above the barren ghetto his kind were forced into.

Speaking off… vaguely: the hyena’s orange eyes caught the back of the feline’s head. They gave a sour frown. Like hell they were going to forgive the lion regime without seeing any repentance. Anga leaned their neck over and spit into the water.

[Moana]

Moana kept her eyes ahead, guiding the canoe with a deft hand as it floated down the river on the light current. The one thing she would never get used to was just how cold it was up here in the north, even bundled in thick layers of both fur and fabric, she still shuddered when the wind blew and the cold breeze seemed to find its way into every nook and cranny she hadn't thought to cover. At least she wasn't the only one, her eyes caught the movement of the large feline on the other boat.

"We're just seeing what's out there." she answered the question. She was supposed to be in charge of this little scouting operation after all "Just keep an eye out for anything unusual or useful. From what I was told, we can put the canoes up on the bank in a little while and see if we can find some food to bring back with us."

In theory, simple. In and out with nothing to hinder them. Then again, the Blackblood Legion or Rogues could be hiding in the slowly melting snow drifts or the woods. Better that they all keep their eyes open just in the off chance there was trouble but Moana was confident that she could get the canoes turned and back to the camp before anything too serious could go wrong.

This was a test, she knew, a test to see if she was really capable of leading.