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Post by Xentus on Mar 2, 2021 18:17:18 GMT -6
Fishing Trip #3 > Xentus, accompanied by...
The arrival of spring meant the impending return of the wet season, when the river flowed with increasing voracity and swelled up the banks. It wouldn't be the best time for the pliathor to be out here. While he didn't imagine the beast might get caught in the river's rapids, the leopard wanted to take no risks. He'd need to find another place to play with the giant, fluffy serpent. In the meantime, he could see how a different companion faired - a wiurn this time. Mizura had been out with him on a few excursions here and there, enough to get to know the man and vice versa. But it didn't take much to know the brilliantly patterned wiurn would adore being in the water. Even just some rain was thrilling for the beast. The leopard watched as the reptile happily splashed in the mud on their way to the river, hissing into the air excitedly.
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Post by Xentus on Mar 2, 2021 18:29:59 GMT -6
Mizura was normally rather shy and careful when out of the water. Likely out of discomfort. While she could fare just fine on land, she much preferred to frolic in the water where her body was weightless. Those large wings doubled as fins to fly through water as if it were the sky. The thought of which was a good reminder for the leopard that he ought to train the amphibious beauty how to fly. And to enter the water when he wanted her to. He might not have needed to worry about her drowning, but having some control over the reptile was always a good thing. Wiurns were creatures of immense power. Taming and tempering them was best done sooner than later. This fine, rainy spring morning was a good a time as any to do that with Mizura. Once the muddy riverbank was in sight, he was ready to begin working with the reptile.
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Post by Xentus on Mar 2, 2021 19:48:41 GMT -6
The leopard paused his walk to fish around his pack for edible encouragement. While fish would be the ideal, he didn't want the wiurn to take whatever he reeled out of the river as a snack. Meaty chunks it was.
"Mizura! Come now!", the man called to the wyvern frolicking in the rain. It had trailed behind him about twenty feet away on the journey here, free of any leashes or chains. He trusted Mizura to stay relatively close by. It wasn't like there was much trouble she could get into out here anyway. The reptile snapped out of its play and eyed the man for a moment before rearing up into a 2-legged trot toward him. "That's it, good Miz", he murmured gently as the beast nudged him with the tip of its snout on arrival. He led his companion to the water's edge, them started to walk within the gentle current.
"Come Mizura. Swim"
3 -- Swim - 1
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Post by Xentus on Mar 2, 2021 19:55:57 GMT -6
The wiurn was on board with following the man up until he started to go in the water. As much as the wiurn liked water in the ground, it also was fully enjoying the air water. Rain was such a delight! The river looked mundane anyway. A snort signaled its disinterest. "Ah, do not be shy, Miz. Just for a moment, swim", the leopard encouraged, stepping further into the cool river. A clawed hand beckoned, while the other offered a meaty treat to entice it. The wiurn craned its head to get a better look at the offered morsel. Even the pliathor-mimic eyes on its headplate seemed interested. It gingerly stepped into the shallows and was rewarded its treat. And the leopard smirked. He had this now. There was no better way to a wiurn's heart than through its belly. A rule that could be applied to just about anything or anyone.
4 -- Swim - 2
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Post by Xentus on Mar 2, 2021 20:08:26 GMT -6
"That's it, good Miz, good swim", the man gently cooed. While the beast wasn't actively swimming yet, it would help him get the point across that he wanted it to get in the water - the actual swimming part was of little worry. Mizura considered turning away at this point, now that got what it wanted. But the leopard was cunning, and had another piece of bait prepared. This was some kind of reversed fishing when he thought about it. A chuckle escaped the leopard as he again beckoned for the wiurn to come deeper into the water. Mizura was met with a choice; press further and have another snack or take off with what it had already been given.. The beast seemed to consider very carefully, weighing in on its options. With a snort, she gave into her hunger. Deeper into the river she went, following after the leopard and taking the bait.
5 -- Swim - 3
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Post by Jack on Mar 3, 2021 7:56:54 GMT -6
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Post by Xentus on Mar 3, 2021 23:14:44 GMT -6
The water reached up to his knees. He waded deeper into the gentle current, letting it reach up his thigh. This depth was nothing in comparison to the height of the wiurn, barely reaching up its hocks. The beast was large. It would hardly find the river accommodating to its size until the leopard was actually swimming in the depths. At this point, Mizura was offered another treat and told 'swim' encouragingly. "Come on, Miz. The water isn't so bad, ne?", the leopard chattered, hoping to keep the reptile's attention. He could tell her interest was faltering. The treat was snatched from his hand in a quick motion by the beast then held in its jaws while it contemplated what it wanted to do next. Another choice between following after the keeper and going to play in the rain.. His beckoning was hard to ignore, especially when he was already waving another treat around.
6 -- Swim - 4
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Post by Xentus on Mar 3, 2021 23:24:56 GMT -6
"Swim, Mizura!", the leopard called, backing further away into the river. It wasn't long before he could no longer feel the muddy river-bottom.. His feet kicked to keep himself afloat; he was able to swim fairly easily in the slow moving waters. But should there somehow be something that dragged him under, he could rely on his amulet so he wouldn't outright drown. Or perhaps the wiurn would take notice and save him. The wyvern seemed to pout at the man drifted further and further into the heart of the river, taking the alluring treats with him. "Swim!", he called, "Come, Mizura, swim." It got his point. The river was far less fun than the rain, but the creature begrudgingly ducked into the water, fanning out its wings and spines. With this kind of current, its tail alone would propel itself to the leopard with ease. "That's it, Mizura! Yes, swim!"
7 -- Swim - 5
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Post by Xentus on Mar 3, 2021 23:33:54 GMT -6
She was coming for her treat and making back for the shore - this time for sure! The leopard's beckoning would only work so much. There was rain to play in! The striped serpent quickly waded to the leopard, snatched the meaty morsel from his hand, then turned around. No patience for praise or pets. Xentus chuckled and watched on. He expected that to happen at some point, but hopefully the wiurn would come again if he beckoned. He could see if Mizura would save him from danger.. Once he saw an opportunity. The creature gulped down its treat on its way back to shore and was already pouncing between mud puddles on the riverbank. When he noticed the creature taking a peek toward him, he acted as if he'd suddenly been grabbed by something, flailing and shouting for the wiurn. "Mi- Miz! Help! Swim!", the leopard called out frantically as he feigned drowning.
8 -- Swim - 6
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Post by Xentus on Mar 3, 2021 23:42:38 GMT -6
The wiurn dropped its play and raised its head high in alert. Something was wrong! It watched from the water's edge, then voiced a bellowing grunt as if to encourage the man to regain his balance and steady himself. But the flailing didn't stop. And the leopard began to sink. With his cries now silenced, the wyvern sprung to action, rushing into the water toward where it last saw the man. The bright fur of the leopard stood out easily amid the murk, like a beacon for the creature to beeline toward. He reached out toward the creature as it extended its neck for the man to grab onto. Then more quickly than it had arrived to him, Mizura swam up to the surface and headed to shore. "Good Miz.. Good swim", the leopard gently praised once he could breathe air again. He was doing his best to hide his quiet giggling. His plan worked.
9 -- Swim - 7
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Post by Xentus on Mar 3, 2021 23:50:47 GMT -6
The wiurn brought the leopard back to land and coiled itself around him, nudging his head and chest with its hard headplate to make sure he was okay. It wasn't the most gentle touch, nearly rattling his brain with a particularly forceful bump. "Atch, Miz, I'm alright, Miz", the leopard told the beast, grabbing her head to hold it still. He could see the worry in her eyes as she tried to nudge him despite his grasp. "You did well, this one thanks you." But no manner of words seemed to calm the beast's frantic state. She eventually settled on pressing her head down on the leopard and pinning him to the ground, a deep grumble vibrating her chest. It wasn't growling, but rather some kind of annoyance that he dared to almost drown like that. Any attempts the man made to move or escape were met with even more pressing. He wasn't going anywhere.
Using Fish (1 remaining) 10
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Post by Jack on Mar 4, 2021 8:02:14 GMT -6
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Post by Xentus on Mar 4, 2021 20:58:14 GMT -6
He sighed and accepted his fate. Wet, muddy, and getting pinned by a giant wiurn in the rain on the riverbank. This.. Was just about what he expected for this venture with the semi-aquatic beast. Though he never would've guessed getting her into the water was going to be so difficult in the first place. No matter, the go-in-the-water lesson seemed to have gone swimmingly. He would've chuckled at his own thoughts if the wiurn allowed him enough breath to. It took some time before the beast finally let up. Mizura was certain the man had learned his lesson and lifted herself, sending a shake down the length of her body to wake up a bit after that break. "Thanks, Miz..", the man quietly muttered as he sat up, "This one appreciates the gesture, but let's be a little less broody, yes?" The halfhearted complaint was lost upon the beast, thankfully.
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Post by Xentus on Mar 4, 2021 21:08:51 GMT -6
Xentus hummed and figured what to do out here now. He'd brought all of his fishing gear and did want to get some big ones reeled in if he could.. But he also wanted to see what else he could do with the wiurn. It was a water-fueled soul, though he wasn't sure what she was capable of. The beast was a fan of spraying water and.. That's all that he knew, really. Mizura was shy, not one to show off whatever it was she was capable of. The leopard was hoping to catch a glimpse of something by spending time with her here at the river, then teach her to use it as instructed. He just.. Needed to figure out what he was working with to begin. Elemental prowess aside, he could always explore more physical abilities. Flight was always a great lesson - one of the leopard's favorites to teach.
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Post by Xentus on Mar 4, 2021 21:19:38 GMT -6
And as far as uniquely aquatic abilities, Xentus did mentally explore the idea of the wiurn snatching up a target then dragging it into the depths with it.. Drowning was a morbid, but effective means to incapacitate or kill a target. While the leopard was not inherently violent, he'd been getting very into exploring the combative options of the creatures in his care. Then there was the typical assortment of bodily attacks - from bashing with that hard headplate to stinging with that barbed tail. Or he could stray away from violence and focus on more simple tricks. The man's head bounced from side to side as he assessed his options. But ultimately, having so many options left him conflicted on where to even begin. A sigh escaped him. He'd just focus on fishing for now, until some grand idea or opportunity presented itself. Besides, Mizura seemed to be the kind to have a short attention span.
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