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Post by Lethalia on Mar 10, 2021 23:38:01 GMT -6
Lethalia was surprised in a good way; it didn't take Maple nearly as long to recover this time, and Vay was still out and visible! Now that Maple's worries weren't the loudest thing in the area, Foggy was able to be her usual self and go about staring at the hen through the fence, pretty not bothered about this nearly familiar face. With a friend's bravery to guide her along, the red puppy slunk out of the safety of her owner's proximity to take measured little steps up to the fence. Once, Ivaylo looked up suddenly and sneezed - Maple didn't so much as flinch - okay, no, she definitely flinched. But unlike before, she recovered quickly, trotting back up to the view between the fence slats with renewed curiosity. "G'job, girls," Lethalia told them. The houluh didn't even reel back as Vay paced, coming pretty close to the gate with her sights on the satyr the entire time. Maple didn't even piss herself when the hen started making low demanding grumbling noises! Leth smirked and shoved the hen's muzzle away, as if to show the pups she was nothing to fear. She was just whining over her owner standing there and not delivering her lunch yet! at ease|13 | 'at ease' end hardy|13
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Post by Lethalia on Mar 10, 2021 23:57:11 GMT -6
Neither pup recognised this route, the one that veered off the main road near the stable. They'd never had any reason to come here, and some instinct over the sheer aroma of predator around here had likely been keeping them away. Lethalia wasn't sure yet if the command was useful, but she talked soothingly to them and told them to settle down as they walked further into hen territory. Ever the scout, Maple was the first one to spot two wide heads in the shed ahead. The pup looked worriedly to her owner, back at the hens, making sure Foggy had seen where her concern was. "They don't care 'bout ya," Lethalia reassued her briefly, "Settle, n'they won' chase'ya!" If Maple had been able to understand her joke, she likely wouldn't have been a big fan of it. Lethalia stopped progressing forward, and the two hens slept on. It would take a lot - or a hatchling squeaking - to rouse them. It took a moment for the pups to stop their hushed, worried whining as if it was a conversation between the two of them. Eventually though, they seemed to conclude the hens weren't all that scary, just like the pink one. hardy|14
Tariq & 'speckle' are not leveling
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Post by Lethalia on Mar 10, 2021 23:57:45 GMT -6
Pleased the new hens were no big deal, Lethalia promptly rewarded the pups - and dragged them off for the rest of their walk that morning. It would feel nice to leave on such a positive note for the girls, with how well they handled themselves. Leth had high hopes for letting them face down something a little bigger, but one could never be too certain of how the critters would react. It'd be fine. The next Lethalia brought them to the hen's shed once more, and already they were acting like this was old hat. Once the satyr's hooves coasted to a stop, both pups took the initiative to sit down and wait until they were doing something more interesting. After all, they seemed to realize doing otherwise didn't get them anywhere - and there was nothing to fear out here! Even they were holding themselves like they thought themselves some big dogs, like nothing could get past these two tiny pups together. Their bravado was appreciated, if they could keep it up in the face of something greater than two slumbering hens practically drooling over one another, they were so unlikely to move. Yeah, this proved that her pups were so brave indeed. hardy|15
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Post by Lethalia on Mar 10, 2021 23:57:57 GMT -6
"Esti baby," Lethalia called, the houluh standing to attention as her owner called out to the biggest hen looming in the doorway, practically leering at them to a tiny pup's eye. They recoiled - that one hadn't come out yesterday! Her furrowed brow and amber eyes were somehow scarier than the rest of them. "Settle, Esti's not 'bout to get'cha," Lethalia tried reassuring them best she could. No matter what she said, looks in their eyes were dubious at best. They were supposed to relax around that beast?! Esti lumbered over like she owned the place... and to be fair, she sort of did. Just the threat of her fire made Vidarr think twice about bothering the henhouse as much as he otherwise would. "G'mornin', love," the satyr greeted her hen, leaving the houluh contemplating life and death at the end of their leashes as she causally walked up to scratch the oversized lizard under the chin. "See, guys? Esti's not so bad, huh?" Their owner's proximity gave the pups pause, even if this hen was big and terrifying in w way that none of the other younger hens were. This was the one they needed to be aware of on the ground, let alone the ones who actually flew! hardy|16
Esti is not leveling
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Post by Lethalia on Mar 10, 2021 23:58:17 GMT -6
In spite of what their instincts would rather instruct them to do, the houluh stayed put behind their owner, sniffling curiously since the hen wasn't making many sudden movements behind the meat barrier of their shared human. Even if they might think Esti's intense amber eyes were aimed at them they were hardly worth her notice unless they were actually messing with her nest. They wouldn't be stupid enough to do a thing like that, now would they? Content with her inspection of them, Esti made her way past the group to a good patch of sun in the road. Lethalia hopped to lavish them with praise when they didn't so much as get up and move when the hen breezed right by them! For pretty little pups, that wasn't a small thing for them to manage. Getting them to settle down worked fairly well for her, giving them an idea of what they were supposed to do even when they thought the hens were making scary faces at them. If they could stand up to a big dominant brood hen at this size, surely they'd stare down anything! It would be both a blessing and a curse, but the hope was it would prevent more trouble than it created. Maple lv|11 ly|18 Foggy lv|18 ly|36 hardy|17 | 'hardy' end
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Post by Lethalia on Dec 1, 2021 14:52:54 GMT -6
As Foggy matured and seemed to begin to grow into herself, Lethalia's meandering plans of making a working dog out of her solidified. Her lack of caution meant she wasn't particularly smart on her own, but given direction she might be capable of anything. Honestly, that was all she really needed for now - a dog who was hardy enough, and followed directions well enough, for what she had planned. Genuine smarts would've been preferred, but maybe one of her pups would crop up keener than Foggy. Someday though; she had enough littles of several species around to worry about right now. There wasn't a lick of hurry to breed additional houluh on top of it all. Lethalia was never willing to go tromping through the brush to pick up felled birds, but the sport sounded like a far more appealing one with a willing companion to fetch it for you. Foggy lv|26.1 ly|52.1 don't eat that|1
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Post by Lethalia on Dec 1, 2021 14:53:48 GMT -6
More than a ranch hand, Leth concluded that she desperately wanted a birding dog. The ones on the Caravan were some of the most useful creature's she'd ever met and made their owners a pretty penny. You know - once they got to the part about not eating them along the way. Or bringing them back reliably. Or picking them up with a soft mouth that didn't damage the hard-earned quarry. It felt like there was so much ahead of them - but, well, the labs' city wasn't built in a day after all. They'd get there. Lethalia wrinkled her nose at the box of CoD 'offcuts' she brought along. Butchery was one thing. Playing with parts of a carcass was entirely another. They were on ice, but brought along enough of an aroma to get Foggy's curious nose right over. Pinching a clenched yellow claw between two fingers, Leth brought it out for the pup to look at. don't eat that|2
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Post by Lethalia on Dec 1, 2021 14:54:29 GMT -6
It took no thought at all for Foggy to reach for her new grotesqe 'treat', looking quite confused when her owner stopped her with a firm "Foggy, no. No eats." The pup was well mannered enough she shut her mouth, looking to her owner with a whine. Why no?! "Yeah, good!" the satyr chimed with a click, passing off a more high-value reward tucked in her clicker hand - chunks of cooked liver. She'd need the good bribe to keep the houluh's nose out of the far more interesting box. She'd had half a mind to just use cooked chicken to teach Foggy, but that wouldn't measure up to handling a whole dead bird, nor did she want to deter the pup from food. Not like either one would look like any less food to a canine, and the box of dripping parts could be even more tempting to her. Like finding a smooshed something in the fields, no matter how unidentifiable, could draw the dogs in from anywhere. don't eat that|3
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Post by Lethalia on Dec 1, 2021 14:54:47 GMT -6
But hey, she was able to teach a faeron not only to not eat shiny things - at least when her owner was looking - but also to be able to search for and return with anything glittering that caught her eye. If Estelle could be taught, so could Foggy. Leth lingered by the box of treats with Foggy, deterring the matronne with repeats of "No eats," when she tried to come back over. She showed clear interest in the jumble of meat and feathers, but with her owner right there deterring her, it wasn't worth the continued attempts. Waiting a little longer to make sure the houluh barely cared anymore, Lethalia went back over to the scrap box to procure the only whole bird in it. It looked a little bit sad at this stage - at least the sarane hatchlings would eat it no matter what state it was in - but hopefully that meant it would be a particularly strong draw for any houluh. Foggy had perked up the instant she'd reached back into the goodie box. don't eat that|4
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Post by Lethalia on Dec 1, 2021 14:55:01 GMT -6
Laid out on the ground, the corpse was initially sniffed all over by Foggy. She looked to be genuinely contemplating taking an experimental bite out if it, but cast a worried eye over to her owner first. This was out of the no-no pile! A click and treat later, she forgot about temptation all together. The days following, Lethalia left bits of bird out for Foggy to 'find', a meaty wing here, a dismembered head there, a fisted claw right where she would locate it. Though the pup might've been tempted by the first few she came across, by the week's end she was leaving them be quite reliably. After all, getting fussed at was a lot more work than the treats her owner held and gave away for not eating random dead things. As far as Foggy was concered, it wasn't a bad trade off. Foggy lv|27 ly|54 don't eat that|5 end
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Post by Lethalia on Dec 1, 2021 14:58:44 GMT -6
Even if Foggy had gotten the jump on her friend in the growth spurt area, Maple still remained fast friends with the grey whirlwind. It came as a relief; Lethalia had reason for concern over the little red pup if she didn't have a stronger personality to attach herself to. She could still lean on the guidance of her friend, but Leth had stopped hoping that Foggy's more boisterous personality would rub off onto Maple. It hadn't yet, and likely never would. Lethalia still brought the two into the front yard to play when she could. Creatures tended to love the forbidden fenced-in land, sniffing around as if they'd never been in that small parcel of land before simply because they weren't invited to shit on her front yard on the regular. It was always a good time to watch them rip around the yard in their excitement, even if it was multitudes smaller than the rest of the farm they had near free reign of. It was the most excited she ever saw Maple, running and weaving beneath Foggy's lanky legs as they raced the fence perimiter and giving her friend 'the business' whenever the adult tripped over the puppy underfoot. Maple lv|11.1 ly|18.1 Foggy lv|27.1 ly|54.1 | guard|1
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Post by Lethalia on Dec 1, 2021 15:01:52 GMT -6
For all she was just a big dope, Foggy had sliver enough brain to understand her companion hadn't put on the same surge of growth she had. Though she might accidentally bowl the pup over from time to time, she was generally meant to be played with carefully. Gentle paws and nips that didn't quite connect, letting Maple be the 'bully' and convincingly keeling over on her back to give the pup a clear win. On second thought, Foggy may yet bolster little red's confidence. "You gettin' th'puppy?" Lethalia asked as she kneeled down to the pair, Foggy tolerating the current ceaceless tugging at her long ear. "Can I play?"Lethalia reached out and fluttered her fingers playfully over Maple's face, who growled at the disruption and rounded on the fingers instead with an even harder wagging tail. Now - Foggy was also just smart enough to be aware she couldn't very well bite the satyr. But she did give a worried groan turned into a growl, flailing upright in order to knock the woman's hand out of the way with her nose. Lethalia was fixed with a no-nonsense stare from where Foggy had installed herself right between humanoid and pup. guard|2
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Post by Lethalia on Dec 1, 2021 15:03:07 GMT -6
After shorting out for a moment from the unexpected behavior, Lethalia swayed away form riprimanding the move - Foggy hadn't really done anything wrong - and instead turned her voice back to a croon. They could just channel that energy into something that could (hopefully) be of real use in the future. "Oooh, I can' get'cher Maple?" she asked brightly, to a little red head popping out from behind Foggy in response to her name. Even nervous littles didn't want to be left out! "Y'guardin' her?" she pressed, reaching for the puppy only for the adult to flop down in a play bow between them. "Good guard," Lethalia couldn't help the laughter bubbling up as she spoke, as much as Foggy was being borderline bratty about it. "Settl'dn tho, y'gettin' too fussed," she followed up with, taking in the houluh's rigid posture and tense lips, ready to do something even if the dog didn't really know what that was. It was one of the more helpful cues she intended on teaching other critters in the future - an indication to just chill out and back off of whatever they'd been doing was unspeakably valuble for re-directing energy and nerves and all sorts in-between. guard|3
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Post by Lethalia on Dec 1, 2021 15:03:48 GMT -6
"G'on now, lay'own, settle," Lethalia encouraged, seeking to close off avenues that would get the houluh in trouble. That tail had been wagging, but Foggy's eyes had taken on a more dire note with those lips pressed just against her teeth. Little chance that she'd acually hurt anything, but pressing one's luck with an amped up canine was asking for trouble. The houluh was made to remain still while Leth fussed all over Maple, making sure Foggy wasn't going to believe playing keep-away with her owner was acceptable. Even with another critter. The canine was 'settled', but not settled. She wiggled impatiently while her owner talked to the puppy, but absolutely wasn't making eye contact to let her restlessness be known. When the woman rounded to approach though, Foggy let out a long whine that turned into a grumbling almost-bark, tail flickering back an fourth through the grass. "Y'better? Calm now?" Lethalia reached, hands on her hips as she just stared at the houluh. Which of course only doubled down on the wiggling, whining, bringing fourth an energized yip. So - not exactly relaxed but not nearly as keyed-up as she had been. Sometimes that was all she could ask for. guard|4
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Post by Lethalia on Dec 1, 2021 15:04:12 GMT -6
"Okay, okay," Lethalia chuckled and clapped a few times, releasing the houluh from her imaginary binds. Foggy lept to her feet in short order, dancing around her owner and making a mock dive for Maple when she came to join in on the commotion. "Y'not s'posed t'get th' Maple, y's'posed t'be guardin' th' Maple!" the woman laughed, reaching for the red pup while emphasizing Foggy again, "Still gonna guard?"Tail stilling to load, Foggy didn't want to be made to sit still and calm again. But her owner was asking specifically for the previous game, wasn't she? Her whine turned to a playful growl as her tail started back up, a demanding bark as she knocked the satyr's hand away with her nose. Maple was getting the idea of this game and danced excitedly behind her guardian, loosening a pitched 'awoo'; yeah yeah, get her! The puppy's noise inspired Foggy to create further ruckus, barking at the woman as she backed off. "Good! Good guarding, Foggy!" Lethalia sing-songed, getting a wag out of Foggy even with their current game. Some guard dog she would be if all she did was think this was play. Maple lv|12 ly|20 Foggy lv|28 ly|56 | guard|5
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