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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 22:28:53 GMT -6
Renathan watches as the equillion stallion makes his way behind him, making what was probably the equillion equivalent of a screech; and it was certainly ear-splitting! It was an utter cacophony of bells and cello that was sharp and biting to his ears. Renathan still manages to catch the stallion paw the ground and take off again; head lowered. "Go Get Em'!" He calls out to the stallion, hoping that this would stick eventually. The stallion finally rushes the aggressor so fast that he sticks his horn a good few inches into the wood; splintering it in a spot. Then, the stallion knocks over the huge dummy, effectively 'killing' it. The stallion looks pleased with himself, and comes over to Renathan, making sure that he was safe. Renathan gives him a whole crisp pink lady apple, and then proceeds to collect the spent dummy. Yes, today worked fine, but he wanted to fine tune this; starting tomorrow.
[5]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 22:32:25 GMT -6
Renathan wanted the stallion to have a huge 'pit kit' of strategies in case they needed them; not just one move like he'd usually worked on with his sarane in the past. Sarane were about evenly matched honestly; but in tournies that an equillion could go to; this would be an issue. An equillion could go up against anything; a vulticus, a wiurn, or even a thundergug! Renathan was not sure exactly how good an equillion would be against any of those threats, especially one that was not yet fully grown, like his Shy Guy. Renathan comes back the next day totting a cleaned, repaired sarane dummy yet again. This thing had been repaired so many times he really didn't know what to think about it! Renathan drags the funny thing to the field and then up and over the fence. Then he lugs it out into the center of the field. This time, he does not bother with the spray.
[6]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 22:35:12 GMT -6
Since the spray was not utilized this time; he figured that the stallion would not give any sort of natural inclination to attack it, other than perhaps curiosity. He was indeed however right about the curiosity attacking part! Renathan pets the stallion as the creature comes near, and then watches as it lowers it's head, stomping it's front feet. "Go get em!" He calls out, just as the stallion tests his horn out on the dummy; not near as forcefully as he had the day before. The stallion then trots back to Renathan, looking interestedly at the dummy. It wasn't attacking back this time! Renathan points over to the dummy, and then calls out; "Go get em!" The stallion sniffs his fingers, and stares at him a moment, trying to figure out what he wanted. After a moment, he 'loses interest' in Renathan and goes to attack the dummy again. That was exactly what Renathan wanted!
[7]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 22:37:56 GMT -6
The stallion of course strikes the dummy with a little more force this time; as if trying to get it to attack him back, like it did the day prior. Renathan watches as the dummy stays still, and the stallion trots back to him excitedly. Renathan gets his attention with a piece of the crisp pink apple; and suddenly something seems to click to the stallion; Renathan is treating him as always for doing something he wanted him to do. This meant that attacking the dummy was good, right? The stallion wheels back around and waits attentively, staring at Renathan and straining his ears. Renathan could almost have laughed; the stallion was really getting to know him well. "Go get em!" He calls out, and the stallion takes a running start at the dummy; his head lowered and horn straight. Renathan figured that the poor dummy, had it been alive, would certainly be ruing this day.
[8]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 22:40:37 GMT -6
The stallion struck the dummy squarely in it's side with his horn, embedding it a goodly amount deeply; and then he shook his head before backing out. Renathan figured that the harsh dummy's wood was probably hurting the creature's horn a little with the blistering impacts, but creatures that he would be attacking otherwise would not be near so bad, most likely. Well, unless they went up against something irate and covered in armor; say like a golossle. Renathan watches the stallion remove it's horn from the dummy and trot up to him, expecting some treats. Renathan does indeed give him a piece of the crisp pink apple. Renathan then pats the stallion on his nose, and decides that he at least wanted a few more tries for today. After that, he hoped that tomorrow he'd be able to do the finishing touches on this behavior, for better fighting skills in the future. This was just the start, after all.
[9]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 22:43:59 GMT -6
Renathan had been careful to be very thorough with the stallion up to this point; re-iterating a few of his older behaviors so that they would stay fresh on his mind for long periods of time and not be forgotten, hopefully. Renathan points at the dummy again, and hollars; "Go Get Em!" The stallion wheels back around, and races at the dummy again, head lowered and horn gleaming dangerously and onyx in color. The stallion strikes the dummy with his horn, and then removes it quite a bit faster this time. That was definitely what Renathan wanted; in a real battle he needed to get in there, attack, and hopefully get right back out! The stallion runs back to him, and Renathan treats him with another piece of the crisp apple. After the stallion finishes the treat, Renathan points back at the dummy and calls out again, "Go Get Em!" The stallion of course, completes the task with no issue, finally knocking over the dummy. Renathan called it quits for that day; trying to teach his equillion that the fight was over when the opponent was knocked out already.
[10]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 22:57:55 GMT -6
Renathan was hoping that if he spent extra time on these more basic behaviors that the difficult behaviors would be a bit easier to work with. Renathan comes out the next day without the dummy, thankfully, as it was quite heavy and difficult to lug around. He hops the fence quickly, placing his hand pads on the wood of the fence and then nearly flying across it, using the fence itself as purchase. The stallion was on the other side of the fence in the center of the grassy area, nuzzling at something in the grass. Renathan is curious, but he calls the stallion to him anyway. The stallion drops whatever he was doing and rushes over to the mammalian. Renathan then walks over to a tree that was on the far side of the corral. This was what he was planning on doing to fine-tune this previously worked on behavior.
[11]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 23:08:54 GMT -6
The Stallion nervously bumps into Renathan's arm gently with his nose, and Renathan realizes something; he could feel the stallion's emotions, just dully, barely brushing up against his own mind. This was always stunning and a little sickening to his stomach whenever it first happened, so he swallows thickly in an attempt to mask his discomfort. The stallion leans into his shoulder to comfort him. This was not why they were here today; after all. It was just shocking, that was all, due to the rather strange effect of the link. He hadn't had this happen so quickly before! Renathan goes to point at the tree, and the stallion begins looking at it before Renathan even finishes the movement; perhaps another small bit from the rather intrusive bond of emotions now. Renathan calls out, his voice shaky; "Go Get Em!" The stallion paws at the ground, shaking off a little bit of Renathan's nervousness.
[12]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 23:13:31 GMT -6
As soon as the stallion rids it's body of Renathan's nervousness, Renathan is able to steel himself. This isn't like this was the first time he'd received one of these bonds, so he had to push it out of his mind. It was just shocking, that was all. The stallion suddenly gathers up a lot of excitement, and then in a burst of adrenaline that Renathan could almost tangibly feel racing through his own veins, the stallion rushes at the tree before him, his body held taut and his legs straight. His neck was well-arched and his horn outstretched; the perfect form of nature's dangerous creatures. He nearly drills his horn into the tree with a single nail-driven strike; burying his horn into it several inches. Renathan is well pleased; but this was not going to be the only thing they do today. The stallion removes his horn in a practiced manner, and then backs up, moving in a running walk over to Renathan.
[13]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 23:17:36 GMT -6
The stallion makes his way over to Renathan, and Renathan can pretty much feel his calm happiness moving over to the stallion, who was quite glad in return. The stallion probably could not tell the difference between his own emotions and Renathan's at this point, so Renathan figured that the stallion assumed it was his own feelings. Renathan gives the stallion a piece of apple, which he finishes off with relish. Renathan can literally feel how happy he is to get the treat, which nearly makes his belly ill. For some reason, this was the hardest link he'd had yet. Perhaps because of the stark difference in their emotions; and the fact that they both had emotions that tended to run quite highly. Renathan is happy to see the progress, still. He waits until the equillion was finished, and smiles at the creature happily bucks in the yard; removing that excess energy that he was getting from Renathan's high-running emotional states.
[14]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 23:22:55 GMT -6
Renathan points towards the fence a few feet away from the stallion; and watches as the stallion moves his head towards with with a nearly practiced ease. "Go Get Em!" He calls out carefully. The stallion lowers his head and then attacks the fence with his horn, easily pressing the sharp and chitinous appendage into the softer wood of the fence. At this, he removes his horn, and returns to Renathan without any issue. Renathan gives him a pat and a whole half of an apple. The stallion was thankfully still not as aggressive as he used to be, even with his newfound battle training that they were just now beginning. This move was one he didn't expect to get much usage out of, but any little bit would certainly help. Renathan pats the stallion, and gives him the entire small crisp pink apple. It was time to leave today; he leads him over into the other corral with his herd, and then goes to leave. The link was distracting today.
[15] - [END of 'Horn Strike']
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 23:42:25 GMT -6
Renathan came back the next day; planning on training another behavior that may save the stallion at one point or another. He'd seen some creatures of the same sort as this equillion that had performed a rather perplexing display; he wondered if his stallion would do it as well. Creatures of prey and long-leggedness, like the stallion, would oftentimes make a 'stiff legged hop into the air' whenever a predator comes close; which made the predator less likely to attack that individual; it seemed to stun the predator when done in close range like that; especially by fluffing up the tail to huge sizes. The stallion was standing in the center of the field again quietly, but as soon as he saw Renathan coming out to the field, he runs to go meet him. Renathan gives the stallion a quick pet, and then wonders exactly how he was going to train this difficult behavior...
[1] - [START 'Surprise']
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Post by Renathan on Apr 3, 2018 23:59:15 GMT -6
Renathan decides that today was the day that he was going to have to frighten the stallion into doing what he wanted. The stallion watches him with bright blue saucer-like eyes, waiting for the command since he was used to this by now. Renathan walks over to him carefully, and then makes sure that all his legs were straightened out. Then, he taps the creature's flank, making it jump a little... Yes, this could work. He pulls a small collapsible pole from his backpack, all hollow. Renathan did not want to hurt the equillion, but it was going to be required to make this actually work. Renathan makes sure that the stallion is holding his legs taut; and then he calls out; "Ritz it up!" Then he taps the stallion on one side with the pole just behind it's flank. The stallion cannot help it's reaction; it leaps up with it's legs all straight; and his tail fluffed up over his back in the flared/scared position.
[2]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 4, 2018 0:10:41 GMT -6
This was exactly what Renathan wanted; so even as the sharp surprise and reek of fear that hit him through the emotional link; Renathan was quite proud that his plan had worked on the stallion and that this was the foundation being set up for the rest of the training today. The stallion naturally made that screeching noise again; the one that hurt Renathan's ears quite harshly. Renathan was definitely getting plans about that noise; he hadn't known what kind of noises that pure equillion could make at this past point! The stallion lands stiff-legged, and Renathan pets his nose to calm him back down, whispering calming words at the equillion. Whenever the anxiety faded and Renathan could feel that, he gave the stallion a treat; a little piece of the crisp pink apples the stallion liked so much. Renathan was beyond pleased; he could not be happier with this development.
[3]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 4, 2018 0:13:27 GMT -6
The stallion took his apple piece gently from Renathan's palm, and then looks rather confusedly over at him. He knows that a treat means that he did something good; but what exactly had just happened? The stallion had reacted to a strange pain; and then that was good? He usually just repeated the last thing he did before he got a treat in order to get another treat; so he figured he'd do that again, whenever the next stinging pain happened. Renathan watches the stallion, and is delighted to see that 'gears turning in the head' expression on the stallion's face. That meant that the stallion was paying attention, at least a little. Thankfully, Renathan had only used pink apples to train up to this point, so it seems to have created the perfect situation for an association to have occurred for the stallion between the apples and the training happening. The stallion watches him now.
[4]
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