[NeriHyuga]

Success Rate: 200%

Tharkja:
Artist:NeriHyuga
Owner: FireIceHeart
Name: Satu
Breed: Tharkja
Gender: Mare
Age:6
Wished Coat Color: Chimera (dark bay, palomino) or whatever colour you feel goes :3
Wished Coat Modifikation (like paint or appaloosa etc.): Appaloosa extended blanket
Wished Tharkja marking (at least fog!): Claw
Wished Eye color: Green
Wished Mane and tail (short, long, wavy): Short
Are you hoping to get a special success? If yes, what one?: Kirin , light colored scales
Your % goal: 200% but happy with whatever

Progress needed:

Progress finished:
- Preparation
- set out
- locating
- approaching
- capturing
- taming 1
- taming 2
- taming 3
- training
- result

Extras:
- Song - This + 10%
- Art - + 20%
- + 15%
- + 15%
- + 15%
- Personality : Stubborn old mare, who dislikes it when other mares get more attention then her. She also likes to relax in cool lake water and itch against rough barked trees. She is also very skittish when it comes to new things naturally. + 10%
- Map: + 15%


End Date:
10.29.15

[FireIceHeart]

Throwing my bag onto the bed, today was the day i'd head out into the wilderness to track down a new Tharkja mare to break up the boy squad. There had been rumors of an injured mare travelling alone, and me being the sob i was had to help everything that was hurt get better and hopefully make her a new addition to the family.

Packing everything i'd need from rope to food and spare clothes in case the weather changed, I grabbed my ipod and strolled through to find some background noise, Ico-You were there (cover) was playing faintly as i made my way over to the stables and grabbed my tack and saddle. Deciding to saddle up my mare Juniper, who i trusted more on long trips, i laughed when i heard the recovering wild stallion I called Hayato snort in jealously and promised him it wouldn't be long before he could return to his herd.

Once juniper was ready, i left her tied to a fence to double check over my gear and slapped my forehead when i remembered i'd need a map heading back in doors, i rummaged through the reject pile of things i didn't see the need to take with me, and let a victory cheer when i found a map, and a spare compass.

[NeriHyuga]

A new day, a new adventure seemed to begin. I packed all my things i would need, this was not the first time i went to the crater, so i finished my packing soon and leaved the house on the way to the barn. The only thing that was different, was the medical equipment that i took with me. We wanted to find the injured mare i saw the last day, it was one of the rarest breeds and i messaged Fire, because i knew she would love to help me out, trying to catch that little kirin.

As i got to the barn, i sawed my companion taking care of one of her tharkjas. It was a really rare sight, because Juniper was one of the very, very few tamed tharkjas. I letted my look go to another tharkja, a little wild one, he would never allow us to try to break him down. But he got injured and we managed to get him here for recovering. It was an incredible hard task, why you ask? just try to get a wild stallion ready for a fight, no matter how ill he was, over a whole mountain! But now he seemed to calm down and i could study his manchado mutation a little bit. Hayato was a real beauty and his foals even more with their incredible markings. But after we took Hayato back with us, i was glad that i had no need to try to catch hibari till now... i think it would be the last thing i would ever try to do...

"Hey fire! Ready to go for a new adventure?", now i welcomed my friend and the same time i grabbed a halter. My paint horse stallion has already noticed me and was standing at the gate of the meadow, waiting for me to get him. He was a red chestnut tobiano, called Aramageddon. I didn't want to let him wait any longer and walked to the meadow. I putted the halter over his head and went back to Fire and Juniper. Just that Fire wasn't there anymore, maybe she forgot something? I used the time to clean and saddle up my horse, then i waited for fire to get back, so that we could set out.

[FireIceHeart]

"I think I found your compass" I declared as i left the house, noticing neri was stood next to her horse and ready to go, rubbing the back of my head sheepishly i held up the map "I forgot we needed this ..you know to cross off area's we check for this girl".

Heading back over to juniper i patted her neck softly, before climbing into the saddle and smiling at my friend "We might see Ilumer on the way, i wonder what that foal has been getting his nose into since he got free". A few hours later we were on the trail towards the crater, looking at the ragged view in the distant I smiled each visit to this place being just as unique as the next ..though i could have sworn i saw a unicorn once but neri never believed me.

Nearing the end of our Journey i looked up at the sky and frowned "does it look like there's a storm coming?" i ask Neri who was a better judge for this sort of thing. At least if it did rain we'd have a small aclove to hide under if it got worse, and looking around on the ground i spotted a few hoof tracks, normally Ryohei's herd liked to stay near the outer rim of the crater, making a note to give the ill tempered stallion a wide berth.

[NeriHyuga]

"i don't know if we will need a compass, it's not the first time we go there. But the map is a good idea", i commented in a teasing tone, as fire came back. Then i getted on aramgeddon and he already moved some steps in anticipation. "I'm sure he is safe and sound, maybe he already has his own herd? or he conformed himself into a herd of colts. It would be great to see what he is up to", i answered. It would really be amazing to see Ilumer, one of the beautifullest foals i have seen so far, with his markings that looked like a storm of leaves, giving this markings it's name leafstorm.

We started to set out and it took us some hours to climb up the rugged path to the crater. With new horses it was hard to get up here and dangerous, but Armageddon was experienced enough to set every step as it was the only thing he would do the whole time and Juniper, born in this area, had no problems with the climbing at all. We finally got over the last step and we could see the scenery. It was a view you would never forget, no matter how often you are able to see it. Sometimes we could see some tharkja herds galopping over the plains, but it was hard to tell them appart from this distance.

I looked in the sky too, after fire mentioned a storm. The dark clouds moved over the heaven, heavy and thick. But the wind was steady. "As long as the wind is calm, we should not fear a storm, but i looks like it will rain any minute. Do you have a raincoat with you?", i taked out my backpack and grabbed the raincoat i took with me. Then i putted it on. I too registered the hooveprints in the soft ground. "Ryoheis herd seems to be near. We should try not to walk into them".

[FireIceHeart]

Stopping juniper so i could go through my bag for my coat, I pulled it on, before returning my pack to my back. Having pulled the map out, I waited for Neri to stop next to me so we could plan through where we were going to search first.

Pointing to a gap we get through into the crater, meaning cutting through Ryohei's terrority. I felt it would be the quickest route into the crater, then proceed to the area we use as a campsite to plan our approach more.
"Oh no..it's Abraxas" I warned neri once we were halfway across the small clearing, sensing the young colts approach Juniper got giddy as i held on for dear life as she greeted her son, Who tensed up at the sight of me sat in the saddle and snorted stamping his hoof on the ground.

Once Juniper had settled, we ended up with Abraxas tagging along til we got to the opening we were aiming for, checking the map again and smiling happily as i started humming to a song i had stuck in my head. "Want to play a guessing game to where this Tharkja will be?" I ask trying to find something entertaining to do.

[NeriHyuga]

I stopped my stallion beside her mare and looked at the map. "I think the best places to find this kirin will be the forests and scruplands. the last sighting was here", i said and pointed to an location where the scruplands adjoined one of the forests. "It would be the best to search her there, maybe we can find tracks and follow them". with this we made up our mind and we striked the new road.

As soon as we got on the road, we weren't alone anymore. Fire warned me and i looked at the young stallion approaching us. Juniper got exited because of her foal, but the colt got tense as he saw the riders. i didn't know if the stallion was still young enough to accept us, or if his strong protection instinct already awakened. He came nearer, his ears moved back and forth, but then it seemed like he made up his mind and joined us on our tour through ryoheis territory.

"Hm, i think she will be there", i answered fire and pointed on the map, it wasn't exact the same place like the last sighting. I pointed more to the forest, because i knewed that there was a little lake where she could get water easily. It would be hard for her to reach the big lake in the middle of the crater with her injuries. "The only problem: this part of the forest and the adjoining plains are hibaris territory. We need to be very carefull if we search for the mare at this place. Ryohei is one case, but hibari is a whole other problem, i often think that this stallion can scent humans 10 kilometer against the wind", i joked a little bit. But it really was dangerous, i had my reasons to avoid his territory till now.

But we had no other choice, so we got through ryoheis territory and over the plains. Abraxas stayed behind the moment we leaved the territory of his father. Juniper seemed to miss him already, letting out a wishfull whinny. "See you around again young boy, hopefully you will stay as smart as you are", i said to the colt, then i moved my eyes and got a climbs of another horse, staying behind a tree and looking at us in attention. "Fire look... it's ryohei. He is so calm, i would never believe it if i wouldn't see it with my own eyes. It seemed like he keeped an eye on us the whole time. Maybe he understands that we aren't a enemy, now were he knows us better?", that would be an amazing realisation and it would explain why hayato accepted us the longer he lived in the barn.

We moved on, but after some time i suddenly stopped armageddon. The sight before me could be known as "in contemplation of death". Some steps forward and we would be in a dangerous situation. "I think... we should take another route?", i asked insecure. It was the best thing we could do, because right before us, some meters away was standing death itself in the dark color of slate and silver grullo mixing with the white fog markings. He stared at us and it was not comparabel to ryoheis attentive look, it was a warning, a very clear warning, because he stood there, at the begin of his territory and looking at us saying: "one step more and i will bite you to death".

"I promise you, he will never be as calm as ryohei. He lives up to his name", i said and even armageddon got tense. He pranced around because of sight of the other stallion. The horses could feel the danger lying ahead. Even hibaris herd was constantly holding a distance to their stallion. "It will take us some time, but we can manage to go around his territory", we had no other choice. So we moved the horses away and rided alongside hibaris territory. That crazy stallion followed us and he layed his ears back the whole time, he wanted to make sure that we wouldn't enter his area. "Look, there is the forest. now we should look around, the kirin mare could be anywhere".

[FireIceHeart]

I think we eventually started to get on Hibari's nerves as he kept coming to close for comfort then snorting loudly at us. This put both horses into a unsettled state as the side stepped further into ryohei's territory cause the palomino stallion to act up due to over stayed welcome. It just wasn't our day and soon it started to rain heavily. Urging Juniper in a canter we bolted for the plains as quick as we dared in this weather, away from the two stallions, who had now started sizing each other up in the distance. "I hope ...they don't hurt each to bad" i mumbled feeling a little guilty if they did fight.


Slight time skip to a few hours later and we had reached the area where this elusive Kirin mare had last been seen. Looking around on the ground I hear Neri call out when she spotted fresh tracks heading to the lake near by, following the uneven steps it was clear she was hurt..this might be a problem with the long journey back to the ranch if it was too bad. "Are you ready to see Juniper's trick?" I ask Neri as i climbed out of my mares saddle and patted her neck gently "good girl" i praise and start removing her Tack and saddle, having kept the fact i used Juniper to scout out other tharkja's if they were being difficult to find. Watching Juniper disappear into the tree's I sat on a rock and waited, the thoughts of releasing my beautiful mare back into the wild coming back.

After what seemed like an age, i heard the excited snickering of two tharkja's catching a glimpse of juniper and a strange looking tharkja I nudged neri in the ribs and pointed frantically at the trees, whispering "is that..a kirin?" Getting the confirmation nod, I pushed myself up and went to my saddle to grab some rope and whistled for juniper who made a playful whinny at me ..disadvantage to my ..tracking idea .she didn't come back all the time especially when she made a friend who had now pinpointed us in her sights and was stood frozen on the stop in a small clearing. Ears perked and nostrils flaring as she tried to get a sense of if we were a danger or not. Going over slowly I held my palm out hoping to get close enough to just loop the rope over her neck, freezing when she pawed the ground and lowered her antlers in defense.

Juniper snickered at the mare, before trotting over and nudging me with her nose in welcome, and put her head through the rope thinking it was for her and made happy sounds to tensed mare who was slowly beginning to calm down seeing how relaxed her a new playmate was, but stayed a safe distance away from me and neri who was sat ready to catch her.

[NeriHyuga]

It really wasn't our day. I looked back at ryohei and hibari, while armageddon followed juniper. "Seems like they will fight, maybe they have something to settle?", both stallions stared at each other with intense and what would i give for reading their minds. Sure, it was a match up for the gods, if we considered the manga characters where they had their names from, but they were animals and not manga characters. But maybe it wasn't so far away to think like this, their characters matched identical. But seeing at their breeding tree... i think i knowed the problem: Juniper and Blitzen.

We followed the way and soon reached our goal, we searched for tracks and managed to find some. The mare couldn't be to far away, it seemed like she had problems moving. Maybe an injury at the legs or hooves. I hoped it wasn't to serious, it would be hard to treat her in the wilderness.
I stopped the moment fire stopped juniper and climbed down her back. i too dismounted from armageddon and took the chance of the waiting to let him rest a little bit. I could see Fires thoughts on her face, but i stayed silent, this was something she should make out with herself.

We waited a long time and even the rain stopped, but then finally we could her two horses and we could saw the mare. I stared at the Kirin and couldn't believe it, there she was, much beautifuller then i imagined. "Jes it is... and what a beauty she is", i answered whispering. I went to armageddon too and took the rope of his saddle. It would have been easyer on the horses, but the mare was hurt and she couldn't flee even if she wanted to. The only problem would be that she will try to attack us if she thinks we are dangerous. "Slowly", i warned fire, but it seemed to late, the kirin already lowered her antlers, if she tryed to attack us it would turn bad for us. The antlers and the hooves were deadly weapons. Even a deer could kill a human easily, not to mention a 600-700 kilo horse. But Juniper saved the situation. Her playfull character saved fires life.

"This will be a hard one... she is very suspicious, even with juniper playing around. But her injury at the leg is bad, we must treat her", i whispered to fire, pointing at the injury at the mares leg, it was a flesh wound from a fight with another tharkja, maybe she got herself into a conflict with a stallion. This wasn't a rare sight, stallions often approached the mares even if they weren't in heat and then it could escalate quickly if the mare had a dominant character. The wound wasn't so bad that she couldn't come with us, but we needed to give her first aid to prevent an infection.
"We have only one chance, we need to catch her and hold her down. we should do it like we would do it with a deer. She uses her antlers as weapons, we need to use this fact for us. I will try to grab her antlers with the rope and hold her head down, so that she can't rear into the air, then you must try to lay the rope around her neck", it was incredible dangerous, but we needed to act fast, there was no time to first build up trust.

I moved myself nearer to the mare. She looked at me with a tense sight and the moment i passed over her imaginary border, she lowered her antlers again. "Ready?... go", i used the fact that she showed me her antlers to throw the rope. It got around both antlers, the important fact, if i only catched one antler it could happen that it would break off. The rope tightened and the mare pulled her head up into the air. I figured so and pulled the rope downwards, the kirin couldn't withstand that movement and her head got pulled down, so that she couldn't rear up. "Now!"

[FireIceHeart]

Everything seemed to have gone into slow motion the moment Neri's rope caught on the kirin's antlers and shouted now!, staring i had to move quickly or i'd be on the receiving end of the antlers. Urging Juniper away I ran over and tried to throw the rope so it'd swing around the mares neck and still be able to catch the rope when it came around.

Keeping a tight grip on the rope as i pulled, the kirin snorted unhappily her front legs spread out and wobbling as she tried to pull herself free, the rope biting into my fingers. Stumbling on my saddle when i backed further i started wrapping the rope around the horn using it as extra support. Taking a deep breath i gave neri a thumbs up and watched as juniper went back over to the mare and seemingly reassured her this was ok ..i have a vague feeling she might have also been the reason hayato started to cooperate with us.



Once the kirin had tired out and some what calmed down, We moved closer, me taking responsibility of holding her antlers as well as my own rope so neri could go check the wound on her leg. "How bad is it?" I ask out of concern for her, noticing the mares gaze fixed on me the whole time "I don't know if i should be worried either..". Backing up when the mare flinched at whatever Neri had put on the wound i tried to soothe her by talking softly "its ok..we're here to..help.." and kept promising to let her go once her leg was ok and didn't attack after.