She is mindful of the smaller kin and creatures around her and in times of trouble or hardship has been known to freely offer her back to carry a weaker creature across rough terrain, fast moving water, or over a long trek to return them to safety.
Taking after her father she lived a mostly solitary life, content to visit with others only rarely. She'd stay long enough to trade stories, barter for goods, and maybe even begin a friendship before disappearing back into the mountains. It took time for her to even hear the name she had been given among the clans she visited most. It was hard being her friend sometimes, always being left behind.
Getting neighboring clans in the mountains to agree to something can be... difficult at times. Totoma aren't exactly known for their diplomacy. Frequently it seems their desire to butt heads, most often in the literal sense, overrides any interest in cooperation or agreement or even a general understanding of what they're warring about. This is where he, a buck long-distanced from any clan himself, found his strength. As a neutral party he provided a middle ground for warring clan leaders. He would bring them together under truce to hash out the details of their conflict and then, once all were of the same understanding over the nature of their disagreement, the clan leaders could decide their next course of action for themselves.
He wasn't in the business of bringing peace. They were Totoma. This was their way. But he could at least help them figure out what they're fighting over. What came of that was rarely his business.
Seeing the whale shark crusing so effortlessly through the water gave the totoma buck an idea. Growing up near the Cres tribe, he'd seen kin swim out into the ocean and ride the waves back. Sure they were usually sleeker than he was, had more fins, and were probably lighter too if we're really going there, but he was totoma. He could do it too and he could do it better.
Joined by the whaleshark gifted by his mother the totoma crashed into the surf. Churning hooves dug deep into the water as his head ducked under each oncoming wave. He needed the biggest! The most impressive wave to ride back. Further and further he swam, eyes straight ahead on his goal of reaching the heavy swells he could see rising from the horizon. This wasn't hard at all! Swimming out into the deeper ocean was a lot easier than he'd anticipated. Bolstered by his perceived ease with swimming the totoma paid no mind to the whale shark that bumped insistently against him. This was going to be awesome. He'd definitely earn a name from this for sure. Something impressive!
Finally, the swelling waves began to test even his endurance and he turned to look toward shore while he imagined what kind of awe inspiring landing he'd make once he rode the right wave back in. But... the shore... was a lot farther than he'd thought it was. And it continued to receed as he struggled to put two and two together. He could see at a distance a couple of kin, heavily finned, swimming out towards him with shuppies in tow. The whaleshark at his side leapt out of the air and splashed back down over and over again to signal his location.
"Freaking totomas." The kimeti grumbled once he reached the buck, a tentacle sprouting from their neck wrapping itself securely around one of his horns. The other kin that reached him clamped onto his other with strong teeth, both anchoring him high enough to keep his face out of the water. "What kind of crazy has you charging straight into a riptide? You can't headbutt the ocean you know." The kimeti's chastisement continued the entire swim to shore. Neither of them letting go even when he struggled against their grip. "You're lucky someone with a bit more brains between their horns saw you. If we hadn't been called you'd have riden that tide right off to the motherfather themself!"
He looked Kimeti, but he was Totoma to the bone. Crash was born without a naming dream and took that alone as a sign that he was not as he appeared. As his horns grew in he gravitated towards the totoma who populated the swamp, learning their mannerisms and joining in the rough style of play. It was unfortunate though that he did not have the size and strength to match his friends and more often than not, was sent flying and eventually earned the name Crash Landing. He took it in stride, knowing that while he may not be as strong as they, he was still Totoma.
Carries the Weak
