It was early morning, and once again Jericho had shaken off slumber just before dawn to continue exploring the lands surrounding Delumine. Or, in this case, the waters. Since arriving in Novus, the stallion had frequently used the river and the large mountain range as landmarks for navigation. He had yet to explore the latter—he’d climbed enough mountains on his way into Novus to put off that particular adventure for the time being—but the former had caught his attention, and he intended to spend his day charting as much of its course as daylight and distance would allow. As the sun came up, Jericho made his way down to the river, took a luxurious drink, then began to walk south alongside it, keeping the mountains and dense forest to his left.
He had only been walking for an hour when he reached a fork in the river. Standing on the bank, the stallion looked out over the water and weighed his options. At his hooves, one branch of the river swung west, a tumble of rocks and rapids. Given the volume of water, this seemed to be the river’s primary course. The other branch meandered in a general southeastern direction. Compared to the rapids, this option looked positively peaceful. A decent amount of water still flowed down this branch, but it was visibly quieter.
Quiet was fine, Jericho thought, remembering how many times he’d already forged the river and considering the unpleasantness of battling a strong current so early in the morning. He turned back, walking along the edge of the water until he found a calmer place to cross. His hide twitched at the cold that enveloped his body as he sank into the water, and he shivered slightly in the crisp autumn air. Best to get his exploring done before the river became too frigid to swim.
Grimacing, he paddled to the far shore and clambered onto the opposite bank, coat dripping over the smooth river stones. In a bid for warmth, Jericho moved into as brisk a trot as he could manage on the uneven footing and headed for the creek. It was really a shame, he mused, shivering, that Delumine wasn’t bordered by hot springs instead.
Open to all but tagging @Efphion upon request! He’s at the beginning of the creek, right where it splits from the Rapax River.
