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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 15:24:24 GMT -6
People didn't just die in the mansion. There had to be something about this maze that was just messing with him. It probably did this to everyone who came here, just to fuck with their heads so that they couldn't get a good sense of where they were and how much time had passed. Kadin took a moment to stop and just breath, puppies still by his sides and looking up at him in concern. They were going to get out of here. People wouldn't be allowed inside if they were in danger being here. He had to just keep walking until it let him out. With that resolve in mind, Kadin started back up again. They walked and walked until the maze suddenly just seemed... more like a simply corn maze. Paths didn't close up behind him. When he hit one dead end he could go back and look for the way out. Trails looped and doubled back on each other, but all of a sudden it was easier to make sense of. It was pretty anticlimactic when they finally came to the exit. Kadin sure breathed a sigh of relief, but no one else shared his immediate relaxation. They were out.
40 *level up
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Post by Nadia on Sept 21, 2020 15:44:08 GMT -6
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 15:47:18 GMT -6
What Kadin hadn't expected was for 'out' to mean 'back where they started'. He started at the two long tables, overflowing with food, and just. Stood there for a moment. After all that, all that walking, all that searching, and they were no further than they had been before. There was nothing at the other end of the maze, it just dropped them right back into the room with the feast. "Well, fuck me." Kadin muttered to himself, not really caring about cursing since it wasn't like there was any other human here to fucking judge him for it. "We didn't even need to go in there. We just walked in a big fucking circle. Jesus christ." Where the fuck was he going to go now? He didn't want to stay in the feast any longer. They could always go outside. While he was considering his options, he noticed that there was another door that they hadn't gone through before. With a shrug, he figured that he might as well get lost somewhere else in this damn place since that just seemed to be how his day was going today. Might as well get it over with then eventually leave.
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 16:28:44 GMT -6
Before they could move on to the next room Kadin paused to stare at a shrine for... something. It was set up like a center piece on the table, right between some pies, a lady who seemed to be sitting and holding her arms out to her sides. Two different plants in her hands. He studied it for a while, wondering if something bad would end up happening if he took it. With a shrug, he picked it up off the table and added it to his growing collection. He was pretty relieved that he'd actually brought such a big bag on this trip. He sure hadn't realized that he'd need it when he originally came here, but he was thankful for it now.
Next he looked down at the pups, crouching down to pet them a bit. "I don't know where that other door will take us, guys, but stick with me. I don't want any of us getting lost in here. Again." He said with a grimace. That was truly the last thing he needed, another maze or some similarly complicated location to loose his puppies in. He didn't want to think about what would happen if that came to pass.
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 16:32:09 GMT -6
Kadin straightened up and started walking again, but something ELSE caught his eye. This time it was movement. There was another crow and another of those goblins standing a bit further around the table, holding conference by some flowers. They seemed to be arguing about something, probably the eyes that were next to the flowers? Those were more of those shiny marbles, the ones he still wasn't entirely sure what you did with. Kadin walked over and waved at the two little creatures, offering a small smiled when they glared back at him. "Come on, guys, don't be like that. Why don't you come with me? I have some of your friends, too, that you can play with." He offered, extending a hand. They seemed to hesitate, so he picked up the marbles and the flowers instead. THAT seemed to decide them. They crawled up onto his hand after their treasures and he tucked them away with the rest of his belongings. Then he turned to the puppies, sighing. "Finally, we can move on." That was an awful long build up just to walk through some doors, but he was still glad that he stopped and gathered up the stuff he found.
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 16:37:14 GMT -6
He'd be able to use it all eventually, he was sure. Kadin continued on to the other door. He stopped in front of it, pups by his side. He still wasn't actually sure of this plan. They'd probably end up somewhere just as strange as the never rotting feast for no one, the indoor maze, or the fallen apple field outside. But this was the only way to find out what else was left to explore here, so he pushed opened the doors and looked inside. And, well. He was probably right to wonder about how weird it could get. They were still technically indoors, probably. He thought they were. This wasn't a door to the outside, although it seemed like it also was, somehow. There was a sprawling starry sky overhead, although Kadin could have sworn that it wasn't that late. Then there was what seemed to be miles of pumpkins, stretched out as far as he could see, practically. He really wasn't sure to make of it. Outside there had been apples. In the other room there'd been corn. And here, pumpkins and gourds, as far as he could see. And mysterious night time, because reasons, probably. Right. Here they go.
44
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 16:46:18 GMT -6
Kadin walked through the door, asking the houluh to heel by his side so that they wouldn't run off the moment they were out there. He looked around, marveling a bit at everything around them, but also a bit lost as to what to do with just. All of this. Pumpkins! He didn't exactly have any carving equipment to shave them with. Although there was a thought. Maybe he could grab a few and take them back into the feast hall. There were knives in there he could use to make some jack-o-lanterns. Kadin laughed to himself, chuckling while he walked along, looking to see if he could find the biggest pumpkin here. All of this was just so... Unexpected? Out of place? Out of the ordinary? But he probably should have still been expecting all that, considering where he was. Oh well. It didn't matter. At the end of the day, he was here to explore, and explore he would, for a while. Then he'd probably wrap up and go home, or something. Maybe bring some pumpkins with him. Or he could come back with a cart to carry a bunch. Heck, maybe Rochelle would appreciate some pumpkin for the shop?
45 *level up
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 16:51:59 GMT -6
Now there was a thought. Kadin shook his head at his own musings, effectively shaking himself out of this. He needed to focus better. He was here for a reason. He was here with his houluh. And all these pumpkins and gourds might come in handy for what he wanted to do next. It only took a little searching before he found what he was looking for. There were some stems and stick lying around that he should be able to use easily enough to teach the puppies something new. Taking two sticks, he asked the puppies to sit and he sat down with them. He held the sticks out to the puppies and waited to see what they would do.
Miles jumped at the opportunity. He grabbed the stick in his mouth, playfully growling when Kadin held onto it for a moment before letting it. Once Miles had the stick in his mouth and was on his own, Kadin quickly said, "Good Miles! Good hold. Drop it."
He held out a treat. Miles stared at the treat for a long moment before realizing he couldn't take the treat while holding the stick. He quickly dropped it and accepted the treat instead.
Hold: 1 Drop: 1
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 16:56:17 GMT -6
"Hah, good job." Then he looked over at Dodge, still waiting to see what he'd do. Well. Dodge walked over to get the stick that Miles dropped, of course. Kadin laughed at that one. "Good Dodge!" He still said. "Good hold. Drop it." He held out a treat to the other puppy. Dodge immediately dropped the stick and accepted the treat, tail wagging. "Nicely done, boys." Kadin praised, pleased so far. He held out the sticks again, shaking them around to entice the pups. Both of them grabbed the sticks this time, tails wagging. Kadin grinned.
"Good hold. Good job, pups." He gently shook the sticks back and forth, laughing while they growled at him, but still held on tight. "Good! Good hold." The play would be their reward for this one since it was had to give them treats while they were holding something. Then, Kadin released his hold on the sticks and took out two treats.
"Drop it." He told them both at once this time since they both were still holding sticks. Miles, tail wagging, shook his head and growling some more, clearly still wanting to play. Dodge was just about the same, only he was dancing back and forth.
Hold: 2 Drop: 2
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 16:59:44 GMT -6
He probably wanted Kadin or Miles to chase him for the stick. Kadin rolled his eyes at their antics and held up the treats. "Drop it." He said, voice firm. Both pups didn't know what the hell he was saying so, of course, they basically ignored him. Finally, he held the treat right up to Miles' nose. "Drop it." He tried again. Well! If he insisted! Miles wasn't one to turn down a treat that was right in front of his face! He dropped the stick to get his treat. "Good job! Good Miles, good Drop it."
Kadin was relieved that worked. He tried the same with Dodge, holding out the treat so it was right in front of his nose. No puppy could resist that no matter how good wood tasted. Dodge dropped his stick, too, to accept his treat. "Good Dodge! Good Drop it." Kadin praised him, too.
Time to go again.
He picked up the sticks and wagged them in front of their faces. "Hold!" Kadin said tauntingly, holding out the sticks in front of them so they'd be easy to take. Of course, being puppies, they grabbed onto the stick with enthusiasm, entirely predictable to practically anyone.
Hold: 3 Drop: 3
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 17:03:00 GMT -6
"Good job! Good Miles, good Hold. Good Dodge, good Hold!" Kadin praised them, tugging at the sticks to reward them for taking them. He played with the puppies for a little bit, tugging at the sticks while they growled and pretended to be fierce, so that they'd know they did well. Then he let go of the sticks again. "Drop it!" He said, thrusting his hands out in front of their faces so that the treats were right THERE at the very beginning. Once again, no puppy was going to turn down a treat when it was right in front of his face! They both dropped the sticks to take the treats.
"Good Dodge! Good Drop it! Good Miles, Good Drop it!" Kadin said, once again relieved that had worked. They were still no where near close to having these commands down every time, but he was willing to practice until they did. So he repeated the same thing. He held out the sticks until they took them, praised them for holding them, played with them as a reward, then let go of the sticks to ask them to drop them. He put the treats in front of their faces again, too.
Hold: 4 Drop: 4
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 17:05:50 GMT -6
Both pups readily dropped the sticks so they got the treats and more praise. He repeated the same thing a couple more times, wanting to be sure they at least had this stage down. Once they got the basics of holding something when it was offered to them and dropping it when asked, he could move on to the next thing. It might be a bit of a leap, especially because he'd be going from a stick to... something else, but he had faith. He could get them to figure it out. But, for, now, it was repetition. He kept doing the same thing. Hold, play, release, treat, drop. The main thing that changed was that he stopped thrusting his hands at the pups' faces. They seemed to get, over time, that he would give them a treat if they dropped the stick. It actually got to the point that they were dropping it before he even asked them to. Kadin rolled his eyes at that one, but counted by asking them to drop it while he was still holding the sticks. That one got them confused, but once they saw he'd let go and show them their treats, they started to pick it up.
Hold: 5 Drop: 5
50
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 17:10:00 GMT -6
After repeating several more times, once they got that they needed to drop the stick and they still grabbed the stick every time, Kadin was ready to try the next thing. He abandoned the sticks all together, calling the puppies to come and follow him. He had to find just the right objects to use for this next bit. And... eventually... he did! Among the pumpkins and the gourds there were some that were just small enough for a young houluh to hold in its mouth. With a grin, Kadin picked up some such gourds, and held them out to the puppies. "Miles, Hold. Dodge, Hold."
He said it with a smile, but they were... confused. Dodge sniffed at the gourd with an intensity that would have been at least comically, if not adorable since he was just a little pup. Miles tilted his head and pawed at it, not sure what he was supposed to be doing with it. Kadin waited patiently to see if they'd remember what they were supposed to do with that command and when offered an object. It probably wouldn't hurt to give them a little reminder, too. "Miles, Hold! Dodge, Hold!" He called again, encouraging.
Hold: 6 Drop: 6
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 17:14:09 GMT -6
He held the gourds right in front of them, practically in their mouths already. Dodge, not knowing what else to do with the weird thing, did open his mouth and picked it up, uncertain. "Good! Good Dodge!" He held it for a moment before letting it fall to the ground so that he could sniff at it instead. Miles licked it a few times, then sat down and tilted his head. Kadin rolled his eyes and picked up the gourd Dodge had dropped. He held up the other one to Miles and tapped his chin with it. "Hold." He said, firmly. Miles tilted his head again and eventually opened his mouth, accepting the gourd. "Good! Good Miles!"
Kadin said. He decided to ask him to drop it before he did it on his own like Dodge had. "Now Drop it!" Miles looked at the treat that had appeared in Kadin's hand and did drop it, tail wagging furiously. "Good! Good Miles!" Kadin encouraged. He held out the other gourd to Dodge again, hopeful he'd get it this time. "See? You know what to do. Hold, Dodge."
Dodge did take the gourd again, still whining and uncertain. "Good! Good Dodge! Now drop it!"
Hold: 7 Drop: 7
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Post by Kadin on Sept 21, 2020 17:17:47 GMT -6
Kadin said quickly, not wanting a repeat of last time. Dodge quickly dropped the gourd for a treat, no reservations about that, just like Miles. Both houluhs with a success under their belts, Kadin decided to try again. "Alright guys. Hold, Miles. Hold, Dodge." He tried again, holding the gourd right up to their mouths. Both of them accepted it this time "Good! Good job guys!" and Kadin waited a long beat before asking them to drop it. Which they both did, gladly, still uncertain what they were doing in the first place. Then they repeated. Kadin held up the gourds and asked them to hold it again. He praised them, waited another long moment, and asked them to drop it. He'd slowly increase the time so that they'd increase their comfort level holding something on their own. It was a lot different than when he simply asked them to hold onto a stick he was playing with them with. This part was strange and confusing! But they'd get it. He held up the gourds, had them hold it, praised them, waiting for a longer beat, then asked them to drop it. On and on again, repetition being the only way for them to get it down.
Hold: 8 Drop: 8
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