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Sub Dio
Feb 26, 2021 17:57:53 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 26, 2021 17:57:53 GMT -6
The large beasts locked eyes with one another. Léopold rose again to its feet, rattling the chain dangling from its neck in the process. A fearsome presence exuded from it with its posture alone. It hadn't even displayed its long back spines or neck frill yet. But it did let out a low, seething hiss. A warning known to chelcauda, but a happy expression to wiurns. Xentus could feel the emotions stemming from Alerios - suppression and confusion from the chelcauda's actions. Somehow, the hiss did make it seem slightly less intimidating. The wiurn dared to crawl slightly closer, beckoned by its keeper.
"Léopold!", the leopard called now to the black and blue beast before him, hoping to catch its attention for just a moment (and give Alerios a short break from its intense stare). The chelcauda paused its stand down to acknowledge its owner's voice, turning its head to stare at him instead of the wiurn. The man knew better than to feel subjugated by its prowess, however. Try as it might, he knew it was only a facade. He instead offered it a smile, happy to see it could pay attention to him despite having a rival in its midst. "Good, Léopold", he praised with a toothy grin.
Léopold: Name - 5 Alerios: Hardy - 5
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Sub Dio
Feb 26, 2021 18:41:29 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 26, 2021 18:41:29 GMT -6
Alerios took advantage of this short reprieve, carefully working its way to its keeper's side. The chelcauda was frightening close up. It was massive. Bulky. Its colors screamed of danger. Poison. Every step forward quaked with fear that it desperately tried to repress. 'Relax, Alé], the leopard advised, feeling the wiurn's fear, 'Steel yourself. There is nothing to be afraid of, Xentus will not let harm come to you.] Alerios trusted the man with its life. It would die in an attempt to defend him even, but why was this beast so terrifying? It challenged the loyalty it had to its keeper. Now that could not stand. The wiurn kept its head low and came to a stop a few feet behind Xentus. This wasn't where it wanted to be, but.. It would work its way up. The chelcauda returned its gaze to the now-closer wiurn, almost startled that it dared to lurk closer. Its warning hiss grew louder, tail lashing behind itself slapping the tree it was tethered to. The amount of power it had in its tail alone was enough to cause the tree to quiver with each strike. Xentus observed both creatures carefully, looking between them to ensure an actual fight wouldn't break out here.
Alerios: Hardy - 6
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Sub Dio
Feb 26, 2021 19:08:14 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 26, 2021 19:08:14 GMT -6
From what research he'd conducted on chelcauda (which admittedly, wasn't much), they were all bark and no bite. They'll make themselves seem big and threatening (which no doubt they really were!) but a fight is the last thing on the list of things they'd do when encroached upon. As for how their power matched up to a wiurn's.. He supposed the wiurn has the advantage of flight and the stamina to sustain it. Chelcauda had bulk, but used a lot of their power to just move themselves. The man's bias favored the wiurn in a fight between the two species. Still, he wasn't looking to have either of his creatures get hurt here. He wanted the chelcauda to react further. He wanted Alerios to hold steadfast. And just before the tipping point, he'd release both creatures from the stress.
Alerios was instructed to stand its ground for a little while longer. The lashing tail of the chelcauda didn't stop, only growing stronger and more irritated. Léopold was almost to its next step in its thread display. [Steady now, Alé], the leopard warned the white wiurn, just moments before the chelcauda let out a loud, threatening hiss. It spread out its neck frill, making it appear even larger.
Alerios: Hardy - 7
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Sub Dio
Feb 26, 2021 19:27:20 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 26, 2021 19:27:20 GMT -6
The hiss.. Still wasn't very clear to the wiurn as a threat. The impressive neck frill, however, was definitely imposing. But with the leopard's guidance, Alerios felt prepared. It was still an oppressive sight, yet it could hold its own mostly un-phased. [That's it. Stay calm and collected, Alerios], Xentus cooed in the wiurn's mind, [When you're ready, come beside me.] The request was going to be a tedious one. Given the threat display of the aggressive-looking Leopold, the wiurn didn't want to test its luck just yet. It waited. Letting its heartbeat calm.
Léopold kept up its attempt to keep up its intimidating appearance - tail lashing, frill extended, and body poised in such a way that it could now show off and extend its dorsal spines. The flashes of green and yellow stood out against its black and blue base, further solidifying the idea that it was a poisonous, dangerous beast not to be trifled with. It was impressive that such a large predator would go to such lengths to scare off a rival and avoid a scuffle. Though, thinking about it, the creature didn't have a faceplate to bash into rivals like wiurn did. A fight between chelcauda had a lot higher risk for bodily harm - something any predator would hope to avoid.
Alerios: Hardy - 8
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Sub Dio
Feb 26, 2021 19:45:57 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 26, 2021 19:45:57 GMT -6
Alerios resisted the temptation to back away here. The sudden appearance of the raised spines took it by surprise - making an already frightening visage even more so. But for the sake of its keeper, it stood firm. The wiurn's goal was to stand beside its keeper. Unafraid.. More able to protect. Even though the man had assured it no hard would come here, this wouldn't always be the case. And harm to its beloved keeper was something it wanted to avoid at any cost. The white wiurn did its best to cement that idea in its mind. The protection of who it was loyal to. With this new resolve, it felt more able to resist the chelcauda's threat display. With a bit more time and tempering, it could overcome this. Alerios steadied its breathing, giving itself time to calm its nerves.
The noisy Léopold could tell its display wasn't quite working on the wiurn. The creature bared its serrated teeth, showing off the last of the physical threats it had. It had nothing else to get this supposed rival to back off with. There would be nothing left but to try to fight it off or run. And with this chain tethering it to this spot, the only choice was to fight.
Alerios - Hardy - 9
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Sub Dio
Feb 26, 2021 20:14:07 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 26, 2021 20:14:07 GMT -6
It was at this point that Xentus felt tension running the highest. He'd need to back Alerios off before the chelcauda hurt itself in an attempt to defend itself. Just a little longer. He needed Léopold to hold off, even though he no proper means to communicate this to the beast. "Leopold!", the man called to it, hoping to break its focus for just a moment. The creature's eyes flicked to the man as its name was called.
And the saved second was enough. Alerios calmed itself enough to hold its head a little higher, trying to oppose the chelcauda's intimidating aura. The flight response was getting suppressed in favor of standing its ground. And with a little more confidence, the wiurn stepped toward to be beside its keeper. It stood over the man protectively, sheltering him under its wing. Xentus could've sworn he was able to hear the creature's quivering heartbeat abate to a cool rhythm, but perhaps it was only his imagination. He stroked the wiurn's scales in an attempt to reassure it. Letting it know it was doing well with just physical touch alone. No matter how much of a display the chelcauda put on, it persevered. And with that, this exercise was over.
> Exeunt Léopold (10)
Alerios: Hardy - 10
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Sub Dio
Feb 27, 2021 13:24:37 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 27, 2021 13:24:37 GMT -6
Having a break after that thick bout of tension was a bigger relief than either wiurn or leopard could've imagined. Overcoming fear before such a menacing creature was a taxing endeavor.. The chelcauda was sent back to the keep with Xio - the beast was more than happy to finally escape from the rivaling wiurn and return back to the comfort of its enclosure. The remaining duo were slated for one final lesson, however. One of Xentus's favorites to teach. The gift of flight.
The leopard strapped on his mechanical wings (graciously delivered by the droid) and faced the white wiurn with a toothy grin. [Alright Alé! Let us get you into the air], the man mentally announced to the wyvern, [Up on those back legs now, prepare those wings]. A clawed hand braced against the wiurn's chest, prompting it to rise out of the bat-crawl stance. [Flap hard and jump!]
Fly - 1
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Sub Dio
Feb 27, 2021 13:33:36 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 27, 2021 13:33:36 GMT -6
Instructing a winged creature on how to use said wings was always an interesting challenge. The man had tried a couple of different methods in the past; encouraging an alurook to come to him as he hovered in the air and running with a mosca into flight.. Both worked, eventually. But attempting to steady a fully grown wiurn as it flailed its wings was a new one. Should the wyvern be just a touch smaller, this would've been much easier.
Xentus did his best to push against the wiurn's scaly chest as it followed his instructions - jump and flap! But the beast had too little clearance off the ground in its jump and its wings scraped against the dirt. No amount of pushing and attempting to help lift it was going to help it. The leopard's own wings could only provide so much thrust, and it decidedly was of little use here.
Fly - 2
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Sub Dio
Feb 27, 2021 14:27:50 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 27, 2021 14:27:50 GMT -6
[Ah.. No, this will not do], the man admitted to his companion, [You're simply too big]. The thought was accompanied by a hearty chuckle. Alerios seemed to pout, ashamed now of its size. [Do not be disheartened. This one cannot help as much as he would like, is all], Xentus explained as he stepped back to give the wyvern space. Giving it some thought, those wings would need all the space they could get if the wiurn were to get any lift. And it would need some forward momentum to get going.
[Take after my lead], he told the beast, then began his demonstration. The leopard burst off into a short sprint, then jumped. He didn't power his mechanical wings just yet. Alerios would need to master the basic lift-off maneuver first. After watching its keeper, the creature was beckoned to repeat. It seemed like an easy enough task.
Fly - 3
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Sub Dio
Feb 27, 2021 14:45:06 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 27, 2021 14:45:06 GMT -6
Instinctively, the wiurn dropped into a four-limbed crawl to 'sprint' forward, then rose onto its hind legs to jump. The movement seemed awkward, but it did give the beast some good momentum. With the addition of its wing-arms to push into lift, it was be the better option for the wiurn to take flight from. It shouldn't have been a surprise for Xentus, but it did make him reconsider his methods.. The last two-legged winged creature he'd worked with was an alurook, so he thought a similar methodology might work here too. A mental note was made.
[Alright, very good Alé! Again now], the man instructed and started to demonstrate for the beast, [But with more power! Jump higher!]. The agile mammalian put more effort into his run-and-jump, determined to lead by example. Then, it was Alerios's turn. The winged reptile took into a stronger dash, then pushed hard against the ground to leap into the air.
Fly - 4
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Sub Dio
Feb 27, 2021 14:59:00 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 27, 2021 14:59:00 GMT -6
The leopard watched on, trying to judge if the wiurn had enough clearance from its jump to take flight from. It could work.. The addition of height from a powerful wing-flap would need to be taken into account. This would be a good starting point in any case, they could work on better height along the way. "Very good, Alerios!", Xentus praised aloud. He instructed the beast to repeat this run-jump exercise, pushing for more power and height with every attempt. Alerios was determined to work as hard as the man needed. Even if that meant it was putting to use some muscles it didn't know it even had. Being one for sleeping over exercise, this was quite the workout! Limbering up and getting its heart pumping, the wiurn seemed to make good progress under the leopard's watchful eyes. [Again, Alerios!], the man called out encouragingly in his mental-voice once again, [You do well, once more and flap this time!]
Fly - 5
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Sub Dio
Feb 27, 2021 17:52:25 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 27, 2021 17:52:25 GMT -6
It was time to add wings to the equation. Even a mere flutter would suffice - Xentus would be happy with anything. Alerios tossed its head to shake its mane, feeling that this was the start of the real test. It sprinted forward, pressed off the ground with a good heave, then unfurled its wings with a grand flap. The initial lift was surprisingly good, but the wiurn's attempts to keep aloft failed. The wyvern came back to the ground with a tumble. All things considered, it went just about as great as the leopard had hoped!
"Good!", the man started, "But let us do better, yes?" Xentus mulled on how to help the wiurn at this point. He could run alongside the beast to give it an example to strive for. Even if his wings didn't flap in the same way. "Again, Alerios. Let us take flight!", the leopard called out, nodding to the beast so it tried again.
Fly - 6
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Sub Dio
Feb 27, 2021 18:41:52 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 27, 2021 18:41:52 GMT -6
The mammalian's strides weren't nearly able to keep in tandem with the wiurn, but he put in his best attempts to keep up. Alerios seemed to appreciate the gesture. It casted a quick glance to its keeper in the moment before it pushed off the ground for its initial attempt to take off. Beside the wiurn, Xentus's mechanical wings spurred to life as he took to the air. He called back to the beast encouragingly, "Come on, Alerios! Take flight!"
Spurred onward by the call of its keeper, the wiurn did its best to struggle into the air. It gained enough lift in its first few wingbeats to rise a few feet up. But staying airborne proved difficult. Its first flight turned to be more of a long jump than flying. It quickly sunk back to the earth below, barely managing to scrabble onto its feet. Xentus gently landed beside the beast to make sure it was ok.
Fly - 7
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Sub Dio
Feb 27, 2021 19:09:08 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 27, 2021 19:09:08 GMT -6
Alerios seemed to have taken a bigger hit to its psyche than to its body. It didn't want to disappoint its dear keeper. A saddened exhale escaped the beast, lightly frosting the ground below. [You did very well, this one is proud. Alerios just needs a little more time. But, perhaps its time for a short break, hm?], Xentus told the creature as he stroked its mane. {Okay}, the wiurn replied quietly and followed the leopard back to the center of the training plot. It was tossed a well-deserved hunk of meat as both a snack and treat. It couldn't say no to a bit of food right now. A water bowl was set to the side for the creature to lap up and recover with as well. [With a little more effort, Alerios shall soar through the air in no time], the man assured it, [Next try, just focus on keeping up with this one.]
Fly - 8
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Sub Dio
Feb 27, 2021 19:53:12 GMT -6
Post by Xentus on Feb 27, 2021 19:53:12 GMT -6
Aiming for a target might be the better strategy here. Perhaps if the wiurn focused on something aside from keeping itself aloft, it might fare better. Once their break concluded, the leopard and wiurn were already set to get back into action.
"Let's go, Alerios!" Xentus took the lead, jetting into the air with his mechanical wings. Alerios kept its eyes on the flying feline as it proceeded to make its next flight attempt. A short sprint then a leap into the air. Its wings unfurled and flapped hard, pumping quickly to gain height.
"Yes! Good, take flight!", the leopard called encouragingly, beckoning to the creature to keep up. While his mechanical wings topped out at half a wiurn's top speed, it was plenty enough for a beginner flier like Alerios. Their eyes were locked, focused intently on the other. The wiurn's wingbeats were heavy and lacked efficiency, but were enough to keep it in the air.
Fly - 9
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