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Post by Flare on Jun 5, 2021 4:36:26 GMT -6
Pup in water. Fear? the emotions are a bit convoluted from the adult dragon dog as he watches his human interact with the pup. His flat face has many ways of moving, but this time its flatter. Small fear. Pup moving in water, forward and head up. Good. Smaller fear. Pup moving in water, back to them with head up, smallest fear. Pup falling under water, fear. They seem to be on the same wavelength. He tilts his head, offering the slobbery holey ball, and his master takes it from him with a postive note to his voice. He turns around, and holds it up so they both can see it. The signal of word for staying is given, and Shabh does so... and then the ball flies. He makes a new noise, holding the pup back. The ball sails into the water, and theres a new sound again. He launches towards the water, sloshing into the new and surprisingly cold liquid. Clawing and kicking his way forward as the ball is lazily drifting, light enough to be moved by water. Finally he comes back, dripping wet and shaking to make them all wet. Good. His master makes an indignative noise of being wet, but the pup just yaps happily because they are BOTH presented with a treat. And then a second ball appears, like magic! 28 8.20
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Post by Flare on Jun 5, 2021 4:44:16 GMT -6
The second ball is smaller, like a tennis ball to a human vs the holey ball for Shabh. Grippier for the roughness of his hand, and likely easier for the pup to carry. He kneels, letting the puppy smell it. It smells like rubber and fake hair, which isn't the nicest smell in the world, but its a ball, and the shape alone makes him start yelping and barking with glee. He makes the specific noise of staying put... and gives him a treat when his paws don't leave the ground. Finally he shows them both the ball, and aims to throw it.... Percy launches towards the water before the ball flies but he doesn't hear accompanying footfalls before he reaches the water? Looking back, the big him is waiting a bit impatiently by his tail swishes for the man with the tail to throw it, but he'd heard a sound! Huh? A bit distracted, he comes back, barking at the ball. Throw it! Throw it! The sound for staying put... and he plunks his butt down wiht annoyed huff. Why stay. He doesn't WANT to stay. And then the ball flies. And he hears a new sound, and the big him flies past on legs, and he's going after too as the two balls meet water, and so do they. 29 x.20
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Post by Flare on Jun 5, 2021 4:59:44 GMT -6
He repeats the word 'swim' once he releases them from staying, allowing for the two animals to race for the water. Shabh's got longer legs, but the pup is very speedy for being so young still. They reach the water about the same time, splashing in after their balls, and pumping their legs to get closer to the ball. It does take a few tries to get his mouth around it, but Percy manages. He kicks and kicks and tries to get turned around, only to be nudged forward as the big him kicks past to push in the right direction, his ball jammed in his mouth. It takes a minute to reach the shallows where he can walk. The man with the tail hurries to meet them, with praise and head pats, and recoiling from being soaked by dual shakeouts. Percy's stomach feels a bit weird, as he drops the ball. He may have swallowed some water... bleeegh. The man with the tail and big him look concerned after the upspout of water stops. It makes his mouth taste funny... Flare moves to pick up the pup, to check him for injury after he brings up swallowed water. There's bits of treat there too in the mud. Shabh Doesn't? 30 10.20 47/55 Shabh
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Post by Nadia on Jun 5, 2021 10:34:48 GMT -6
The water rushes on past you, but sadly brings forth no fish.
[Nothing happens.]
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Post by Flare on Jun 5, 2021 12:13:30 GMT -6
{I think you need a break from deeper swimming.} Flare muttered as he scoops Percy up under the belly and carries him against his bare chest to being under the tree. Its shaded now and must be a reason why -A liked this place, if that was the little rakai's master. A soft whine... the pup agreed. He felt tired and his tummy didn't feel good. The tumaian took a seat under the tree, and rested his back against it. The bark isn't as rough and craggy as being a bit north of the city. Its smoother, like something's been beating against it. Sand can do that... but this isn't a sandy region. There's actually very little sand. Shabh shakes himself out again, and comes up beside him. He noses the pup's back, sniffing him. He didn't know why, but the pup's smell is so familiar he can't figure it out. Pup hurt? Concern? His master strokes the coppery scaling across Percy's back while he rests across his torso. Relaxing to the point of restful sleep. Not hurt. Tired. Rest to be fine. Flare tries to reassure his companion. He tries not to show his own insecurity; as he'd not dealt with something like this. 31 x.20
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Post by Flare on Jun 7, 2021 4:03:27 GMT -6
By the time they woke up from the nap, the sun had gone down to the point he could see properly. Shabh yawned widely, having been months since all his adult teeth had grown in. He didn't look forward to seeing the day his companion would show down with another to protect him, that bite would hurt. Now he and Shabh could see the nightscape of the river's blackening water without trouble. Percy wouldn't. He still snoozed. Baby animals and such. So Flare chose to pack it up and moved the pup quietly to his tent, and made sure the pup was comfortable...in Shabh's barrel. Indignation. Privacy! The rakai grumbled as his master rearranged the sleeping puppy in his barrel, half in, half out. Concern for pup being lonely. {You'll do fine for one night.} he told the rakai with a gentle pat. Reassurance. Care. Tomorrow. A huff, and he folded himself awkwardly around a puppy who sleeps on his back with his belly exposed. Really did smell familiar... 32 12.20
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Post by Flare on Jun 9, 2021 4:05:12 GMT -6
A new day, and a new idea on how to work with the pair on swimming on command. Strength of stroke would come with practice; and likely A would be more inclined to take his companion dog fishing if they would stay out of the water when told to. The three of them headed out for the river again, but this time it wasn't to the same place. Not even waterside. The 'gate' to the river's area exhibited a map covered in strange loopy squiggles. Someone mentioned it was of elevation and with water, the darker, the deeper. Especially true in the wet season. While he wasn't an 'expert' at reading a map, or making one, Flare's pale eyes rove over the squiggles of elevation, seeking the shallowest portion of water he could find. That turning out to be a little fish pond that at one point must've been fed by the river when it overflowed. Perhaps it was fed underwater now? It must be a human thing, Shabh considered as the lead around his neck rubs against his scales, putting these on. The puppy plopped down in the middle of where they stood, frantically itching at the item. I don't wear collars! He seemed to cry out, but that wasn't the reason it was attached this time. "Stay" the humanish says to the two canines, as he backs away. As long as the squash can see his alpha, he's okay. 33 88 2.20
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Post by Flare on Jun 9, 2021 4:19:37 GMT -6
The pond sparkled behind them in the 'getting to be summertime' sun, a mirror of nearly still water, occasional ripples coming from landing water bugs. Flare picks the two balls out of his bag, and both animals are watching him now. Percy jumps to his feet- "ahahah, stay. Staaaay." Grrr, huff. The big him beside him growls to do the thing of stay put. Whine... but he wants the ball? And he's still backing away! INTO THE WATER?! The little rakai whines again, but sees the big him getting antsy. Finally, he stops, tosses the balls over his bare shoulders and calls out for them to swim. Its a surge of action as the grass is kicked up for eight paws pounding into the ground to surge into the water after the ball. Claw, kick, claw kick! It takes both of them a number of tries to snatch the floating ball before Flare is out of the water, soaking, but triumphant. And clearly using trying to harden sand under his feet so he doesn't sink. Finally both come ashore, breathing hard around their prizes, and Shabh brings his ball to the feet of his alpha, who makes a big open jaw motion (smiling). Giving them both treats. "Very good, both of you." Percy just shakes water from his fur, depositing the ball at his own feet. 34 x.20
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Post by Flare on Jun 9, 2021 4:27:07 GMT -6
A few more runs of convincing the pair to stay while he moved towards the water, and then chasing the thrown ball into the water and Flare figured it was enough. But what Percy really need to pin down is staying out of the water when told to stay. A treat in his hand, he draws the nose of A's rakai to his attention, and holds up the ball for Shabh. Tossing it, and calling out for the older rakai to swim for it. But when Percy tries to circumvent him, he blocks his way. "stay..." the humanish repeats the common word, still holding the treat in his hand, and hoping the pup has a lot more interest in food then he does in chasing the older rakai's pawprints. He keeps having to block the way, until Percy sat on his butt, his ears flat to his skull and sulking. "Thats good. Your master will be more pleased you can swim and will stay out of the water when told to." he tells the pup, presenting him with the treat. Even when eating a treat, he's sulking. Why? Play in water. No play in water. Confuse. Bad? Unsure. The language he tried to get through body language didn't add up. Was he sulking because he was confused? 35 4.20 48/56 Shabh
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Post by Flare on Jun 9, 2021 4:32:39 GMT -6
Something large drops between humanish and puppy. Shabh comes up between them, dropping a moderately sized stick with a wagging tail. Distract. Happy pup. No water. Ah... was that your plan then? The ball was on the shore, and not floating away, thank goodness. He crouches down and picks up the stick. Its the length of the pup, nose to tail! "Stay?" he offers the stick. When Percy tilts his head, his flattened ears flop along with the motion. Glancing past him at the moving water. Before reaching out and grasping the stick in his mouth. "Ok. Stay." the humanish responded again, and started walking away to retrieve the holey ball. Before he can reach it, turning around and instructing Shabh to stay, before getting the ball and posing to throw it. Calling out for him to swim, and the rakai surges forward... but sees no ball? He has to paddle awkwardly around so he can see the imp of his alpha, still holding the ball, but looking happy, and then he throws it. He was tricked! Up on shore, the pup is chewing on the stick experimentally, seeing how big he can open his jaw before finding its too big to stick around. 36 x.20
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Post by Flare on Jun 9, 2021 4:43:06 GMT -6
The last choice is to make sure that while he's distracted, Flare can pretend to fish. He only had a net on him, so once Shabh came out of the water and throughly soaked him again by shaking off, the humanish settled on the edge of the pond, with his net in hand. It was long handled and felt like a capturing spear then a poking spear. Likely someplace sold a spear for fishing, because why wouldn't they. Those bladed pokers, his face burns briefly with the slash that will mar his features forever. Occasionally he glanced backwards, and checked to see that Percy was still distracted. He appeared to be? It was staying out of the water, and thats what the whole goal now was. Uninterrupted fishing for A. Or for him. Shabh sniffs the long hollow handle of the net, his muzzle wrinkling at the treated smell of the handle. Ick. Bad smell. Instead, he takes the tennis ball that had been abandoned in the mud, and settles to chew on that. He liked a good chewing every now and again, kept his jaws strong. Minutes pass by, and nothing seemed to catch into his net. But he had to wonder, how did you teach an animal to fish anyhow? -end stay, swim 37 6.20
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Post by Nadia on Jun 9, 2021 5:53:11 GMT -6
Plip. Plip. Plip.
Was that rain? Oh great. It didn't seem that cloudy this morning, but the sky is full of dark clouds swollen with precipitation. Slowly the drops fall at first, but they quickly pick up speed. Before too long, it's a full on downpour, and there aren't many places to hide in the canyons.
If that wasn't bad enough, the ground around the river turns into a sludgy muck. It's hard to navigate, sucking at the feet of all those who try to step in it.
[The next 5 posts yield no results. Owning Clog Boots prevents this.]
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Post by Flare on Sept 20, 2021 4:19:25 GMT -6
-percy, alone- Fishing start here Ok, its not quite alone, but Shabh was done playing in the water and chose to take a nap. Flare got that, it was a lot of work to exercise muscles that didn't swim before. The mannah that dries white and hard has only been described in stories or written about in books. The white and hard has been brought back in bottles, as a souvenir and to season food. Dry white flakes that taste horribly salty. Was this the ocean? he blinks. and they're at the little stream that, to Percy, smelled like his master. Maybe he was imagining things. but Flare knew he'd dragged his feet on the actual 'fishing' part of the job. Half because he still didn't know what to do. Percy crouches on the edge of the stream, his eyes following some shimmering shapes that occasionally wiggled and moved. Then the water disturbs ... plip plip plip....? fishing 3 38 88 13.20
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Post by Flare on Sept 20, 2021 4:24:57 GMT -6
The bucket fall of rain is not nice. Soaking them both to the bones. Heavy rainfall in the desert doesn't come often, and feels a bit sharp on his skin, but its cleansing. SPLASH he looks up, and Percy's no longer on the edge of the stream, but checking under his paws from the muddy kickup he'd managed to pull off. Put out. Well, he's not perfect, but he does have a prey drive. Oh what was it that other people used to get their animals used to fishing for htings under the water. The shimmering shapes of maybe minnows have swum away in fear. Hm, thats an idea. Fishing around in his bag, the humanish finds a few shiny coins and a length of twine. Sink a couple of shinies and get him to follow those? Why not. While the rakai is distracted, flare has to work fast and sinks several twine'd coins, with lengths long enough to be tied off on stakes on the land. No reason to lose good coin. fishing 4 39 8.20
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Post by Flare on Sept 20, 2021 4:31:50 GMT -6
"Percy... percy look at these." he calls for the pup shortly after. He's been sniffing around on the bank, pulling his paws out of the mud each time with a slooorp sound that makes the animal recoil in disgust. Icky! He splashes through the water until given the signal and command to stay, directing his attentions downward. Bliking at his reflection... the rakai sees something shiny at the bottom of the water. It occasionally wiggles. "Get the shiny...now!" Flare steps back as the rakai pounces into the shallow water, kicking up so much silt. Digging, snapping his maw into the water, and by sheer luck, getting hold of the object at the bottom of the stream, hooked on his ear by the twine. "Good!" Flare rewards the pup after removing the twine from the stake and showing him the coin he'd 'fished' up. It spins, catching the light. Oooh, shiny. fishing 5 40 88 15.20
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