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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 30, 2024 16:40:28 GMT -6
Another click and both animals were looking at her expectantly. She tossed food to them quickly and both snapped it up happily. This was good. They were learning and they were learning quickly. This method of communication - perhaps communication was too strong of a word - would be undeniably useful. The animals seemed well attuned to her training - she would have to repeat the process with the other animals that she wished to train but this method was quite useful and it would be worth repeating for the rest.
She clicked the clicker again and watched in amusement as Gallant's ears pricked forward and Goewihg almost seemed to dance toward her. She fed them their food rewards. Yes, she thought, the training this way meant that the click of the device triggered a positive reaction in their brain. What an incredibly useful discovery. Runa wondered how the connection had been made and how this knowledge had been passed to those who had taught it to her. It was so useful, it almost felt as though she had stumbled upon a cheat code that would make her voicelessness irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. There were other things to train the creatures, other methods that she could have employed at greater cost to herself. How fortuitous that she had stumbled upon the clicker instead.
She pushed on the button on the clicker again her creatures met her eyes hungrily. She fed them again. The connection had certainly bee made. The animals were reacting positively to the click of the button alone. Studies, she imagined, could have been done that would find that a vulticus would salivate when a bell was rung - so long as that bell had been associated with feeding. Association of noise to a reward - a simple enough concept but so effective.
She held out her empty hands, palms up for the two of them and they stepped closer, almost in sync. Gallant stood taller than Goewihg, his elegant wings held against his back in this moment so that he did not seem as intimidating but the darkness of Goewihg's scales against the red of her eyes was intimidating. Still, when her hands brushed against their cheeks, she knew they would not hurt her. It would take provocation beyond anything Runa could do to break the bond she shared wtih Gallant and even with Goewihg who was new to her, she had known the kindness of a person before and Runa thought, perhaps, that person had made it easier for the Pasha to give her heart to another.
Runa would never know the story of Goewihg, but she hoped that her previous owner knew peace now.
Runa: 5.7 Gallant: 5.2 // 13.2 Goewihg: 28.8 // 3.8
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 9:13:23 GMT -6
Runa sat on the ground in the shade, looking at her two magnificent creatures who were...sparring playfully? she thought. Goewihg was clearly overmatched by the Gallor but Gallant's inability to take flight seemed to be hindering him a bit. That would have to be something they worked on, she supposed because it was absolutely a shame that Gallant could not fly. She had a feeling though, if he were able to, Gallant would have taken off and Goewihg would have been overmatched by a great deal. The sun glinted off of Goewihg's scales and Gallant's bronze fur and she was struck by the contrast of their coloration.
Lazily, she stood up and Goewihg and Gallant stopped their play and looked at her, likely wondering if she was going to feed them again. She smiled as she noticed that the clicker was in her hand. Yes, this had been the right call. She clicked the clicker and fed them their treats and then cast her eyes to the sky. the sun was low, perhaps it was about time to head home before it got too dark out for her to feel comfortable in the park. She didn't have many treats left either which was also a consideration as to whether she head home soon or not. The two animals were eyeing her with anticipation.
She clicked the clicker again, certain now that the two of them understood the concept that she was trying to communicate. They seemed to understand well that the clicker was a good thing, the sound firmly associated with the food that she gave them when she clicked it. That was good, a relief even. She gave them their treats and then, with a few taps on her leg, summoned Goewihg to follow behind her. For Gallant (still not able to perform such a task), she held out some food and the threesome made their way back home.
Runa: 6.0 Gallant: 5.4 // 13.4 Goewihg: 29.0 // 4.0
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 10:37:32 GMT -6
Gremlin was not altogether thrilled about the leash, something that Runa could understand but it was a necessity considering that the little creature had nearly disappeared completely within the mansion days previously. They had discovered items of apparent value while within the mansion but Runa had yet to really understand the importance of the crystal she had found. Magic was not something she had considered previously - but from her understanding that little crystal would be valuable if it were something she considered eventually.
The red of the leash was handsome against the black fur of the Shiku, Runa noted as the two of them walked - Gremlin tugging ahead on the leash impatiently as they went along and darting in front of her with little to no regard for Runa's annoyance at the tugging at the front of the leash. At least she didn't have to tug him along, she supposed but the constant pulling was annoying. Fortunately, the need for the leash would be limited only until she had trained the creature to follow along behind her.
Gremlin hit the end of the leash again and Runa gritted her teeth but admitted to herself that she would have likely lost Gremlin if she had brought him within a leash. Clicker training the Shiku would help, she reminded herself, just as it had helped with Goewihg and Gallant.
Runa: 6.1 Gremlin: 1.4 // 4.4
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 10:44:47 GMT -6
They had arrived at the place that Runa preferred to do her training and she felt a sense of relief that they had arrived. She was tempted to let the creature off the leash but, looking around at the dangerous looking predators that others were training, she decided that was probably not the right call and that it was better to make sure she had firm control over the Shiku while she was training rather than regret losing him when he darted off to try and play with something that would eat him. Gremlin, unfortunately, did not seem overly blessed with an abundance of intelligence.
Still, she thought it would be fairly easy to clicker train him. She took out the pouch of treats she had brought, primarily seeds as she had noted earlier that the Shiku seemed to prefer them greatly to anything else. She also pulled out the clicker and eyed the little thing. Most of her creatures could not, even generously, be considered cute but this one was. She knelt down so that she was closer to his level. When he looked at her, she clicked the clicker and handed him a seed which he took happily and began to eat. She supposed she would need to wait for him to finish before she repeated the process.
Runa: 6.2 Gremlin: 1.6 // 4.6
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 11:06:16 GMT -6
The creature had finally finished his food and eyed her with a gleam in his eye, ears pricked forward. She pushed the button on the clicker again and handed the animal his nut. The creature took it happily, chowing down on the nut with appreciation. She had read up on Shiku before she had headed out to the park, something she probably should have done before she adopted the creature at all, she reflected. Ah well, better late than never. There hadn't been much written on them to her dismay, just a general bit of information that was barely useful.
Her Gremlin was a baby still, that much she did know. Important to build bonds early, she thought to herself. Perhaps, going forward, she ought to focus on obtaining critters as younglings like Gremlin was. It would probably make training easier if any potentially vicious animals were not also enormous.
Gremlin had finished his nut and was eyeing her in anticipation. With a smile, she clicked the clicker again and handed him an additional nut. Maybe she had misjudged the intellect of the Shiku. At least he was quite willing to work on training, something that was not necessarily true of all of the pets she housed within her kennel. Her thoughts drifted to Belladonna as she considered that. Certainly that was one who did not train easily.
Runa: 6.3 Gremlin: 1.8 // 4.8
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 11:12:58 GMT -6
Darkness was falling on the training park as Gremlin finished another nut. She wanted to get a few more clicks in, but, she had to admit to herself, it was likely she was going to have to return tomorrow to continue working on the creature before she could consider him, satisfactorily, clicker trained. That was fine. Clicker training was of critical importance and ti would certainly help her a great deal if she could make sure every animal in her kennel was clicker trained before she started working with them in earnest.
She clicked the clicker again and handed over a nut in rapid succession. The animal snagged it from her and ate it quickly. She noted that his belly seemed to be swelling outward, indicating to her that perhaps it was time for him to take a small break. She wouldn't want him to get overfull after all. She reached out a tentative finger the animal pushed his head into it, making her smile at the feeling of the soft fur against the pad of her finger.
Once he had finished, she clicked the clicker a second time and handed over another nut. This was a good start, she decided, but it was time to head home before the sun disappeared entirely. She would be back in the morning. With that, she stood up and started the walk home.
Runa: 6.4 Gremlin: 2.0 // 5.0
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 11:51:31 GMT -6
Morning had come early and Runa had not been in the mood to chase Gremlin around in an attempt to leash him. Alas, the little creature appeared to not have gotten the memo and so she chased him and sighed in annoyance upon finally capturing him. Come, she decided, was also going to be a high priority training trick for all of her animals so that she did not have to chase them around like this. Getting everyone at a baseline of training ensure that they weren't absolutely out of control at all times.
With that, the two of them headed out the door, Gremlin bounding ahead to the end of the leash and throwing himself against it as hard as he could as if simply wishing he could go further would make it so. Runa rolled her eyes in annoyance. She had attempted to offer treats to keep him from doing so but it did not seem to have been overly effective. Unsurprising given how little familiarity the creature had with the leash. Perhaps leash training was another thing she would have to consider.
They reached the shaded area that she preferred to train in and Runa let out a sigh of relief. They would be here for the day and hopefully, by the time the sun went down, the creature would be ready to train in earnest.
Runa: 6.5 Gremlin: 2.2 // 5.2
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 12:25:28 GMT -6
The early morning sun was already hot against Runa's skin as she knelt before the creature she was working with. It was easier to work with him, she found, if she was close to his level rather than towering over him. She imagined part of that had to do with him being a prey animal rather than a predator type. He was unusual in that regard from her other animals as most of them were either much larger animals that were not often preyed upon or were predators themselves. Even Belladonna - small and weak as she was - was technically a predator who drank the blood and energy of other animals.
Runa clicked the clicker and handed Gremlin a nut. He took it with a twitch of his tail that she suspected indicated happiness with the food that she had given him. Good. The sooner he associated food with the noise, the better. She stroked him as he nibbled, enjoying the feel of the soft fur against her hands. He was a sweet boy, her Gremlin. She was not normally drawn to the small and cute but she had to admit he was winning her over pretty quickly. He nuzzled his nose against her hand and she smiled. Not everything needed to be scary, intimidating, and/or dangerous. Some things could just be cute.
Runa: 6.6 Gremlin: 2.4 // 5.4
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 12:35:59 GMT -6
Runa clicked the clicker and handed the expectant and waiting creature a treat. This was good progress, she admitted to herself albeit slower than the progress she had made with Gallant and Goewihg. Aside from the pace of his development, she was quite pleased with how things were going. She imagined it wasn't such a stretch to think that Gremlin would comprehend the click of the clicker as reinforcement by the end of the day. That was good. She would be ready to begin more complicated training once that had been completed. She still wasn't quite sure what her goal with Gremlin was but she could figure that out as they went along.
Gremlin had finished his nut and Runa obligingly clicked the clicker again and handed him another. It was already midday and she definitely wanted to be done before evening. The walk home the previous evening had been a bit treacherous and without the protection of Gallant or Goewihg, she was reluctant to be out so late. She watched as Gremlin ate his nut happily. Once he had finished, he came over to her, sniffling at her hands evidently looking for more food. She scratched him under his chin, which he seemed to enjoy, closing his eyes and pushing his small face against her fingers.
Runa: 6.7 Gremlin: 2.6 // 5.6
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 12:52:40 GMT -6
The sun had dipped lower in the sky and Runa was still not 100% ready to call the day over. She had allowed Gremlin to scamper about a bit, taking a quick break from the training, but now she was ready to begin again. She knelt before Gremlin, making eye contact with him and pulling out the clicker. She couldn't help but notice that Gremlin seemed quite happy to see the clicker. That was promising.
She clicked the clicker and handed the nut over. The sight of the small creature chowing down was rather endearing to Runa, she had to admit that. Perhaps she would have to train him to do some cute tricks. She had been over to the contest hall a few days prior to watch the riding competition that she had, unfortunately, not been able to compete in with either of her creatures even though she might have liked to do so. Gremlin finished the nut and she clicked the clicker again and handed him over another one.
Much like Gallant and Goewihg, it was evident that he had a pretty good understanding of the clicker concept. That was good. Especially since the day was nearing its end and she would like to leave the park sooner rather than later. Perhaps a few more repetitions and she would be ready to go?
Runa: 6.8 Gremlin: 2.8 // 5.8
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 13:00:44 GMT -6
Runa clicked the clicker again, briefly considering how odd it was that she was using a tool she could not, herself, hear to train her animals. She handed Gremlin his snack and he took it quickly and began to chow down. She considered the small creature and nodded (mostly to herself). Yes, she was fairly certain that Gremlin was good to go as far as the clicker training was concerned. The sky had not yet begun to darken but the sun was nearly to the horizon. Yes, it was time to head home. She would come back tomorrow with Vixen, she thought. No need to bring Gremlin again, he had earned himself a bit of a rest and she was considering taking him either with her back to the Mansion or perhaps to the gardens. He might enjoy gallivanting about in the plants.
She stood up and brushed herself off, making sure to keep hold of Gremlin's leash as she did so. She did not want to lose control of the small thing as they left the park - Gremlin was difficult to catch and could be quite unpredictable when he wanted to be. She did not want to have to chase him around the public park if he got lose. With a firm grip on the leash, they started home.
Runa: 6.9 Gremlin: 3.0 // 6.0
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 16:06:07 GMT -6
A gentle breeze met Runa as she led Vixen out of the kennels on the leash that she had previously used with Gremlin. Unfortunately, the Repointe was a good deal stronger than the Shiku that had previously been at the end of that leash and consequently, the tugging and pulling she did on the leash was a great deal stronger. The tugs made Runa's arms hurt. Nonetheless, she pressed onward, trying to ignore the way the leash creaked when the Repointe inevitably hit the end of it.
The breeze was warm which was fortunate as she suspected that Vixen would have been irritated otherwise. The sun still hung low in the sky, only just cresting the horizon. She had much to accomplish each day so Runa began her days early. She had packed the clicker again, another day of teaching another animal that the clicker was a positive thing was ahead of her. She wished to have Vixen well in hand by the time she grew into an adult and that necessitated a good amount of training.
The two of them made their way quickly up the familiar path that led to Runa's preferred training area. The path had finally worn into the ground, so often had she traversed this way, she couldn't help but notice. Vixen had slowed as they approached, her nose pressed to the ground as she sniffed.
Runa: 7.0 Vixen: 2.5
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 16:18:05 GMT -6
She had brought Vixen's favorite treats, wanting to make sure that Vixen was properly motivated. The treats unfortunately smelled rather fishy and made Runa curl her nose against the smell. Vixen had begun snuffling at the pouch that contained them as soon as she realized the smell was coming from Runa. Runa rolled her eyes as she wrapped the strap of the clicker around her arm.
She clicked the clicker and Vixen's ears pricked. Quickly, Runa fed her a piece of the fish that she had brought, which Vixen ate indelicately although she was careful not to catch Runa's fingers with her sharp canines - something that Runa was grateful for as Vixen had incredibly sharp teeth that Runa did not particularly enjoy feeling against her skin. She clicked the clicker again and just as quickly, offered the food to Vixen who snapped it down happily.
Runa had been feeling guilty about the (lack) of time she'd been spending with Vixen so it was nice to be out with the creature. The addition of a few new pets that she had acquired had taken up more of her time than she had anticipated. The little thing didn't seem to experience any resentment about the lack of attention Runa had been paying her, however. Still, Runa planned on spending a good amount of time with the little one to relieve the guilt she felt.
Runa: 7.1 Vixen: 2.7 // 5.7
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 16:34:22 GMT -6
She clicked the clicker again and fed Vixen her treat. Much like the others before her, Vixen seemed to be connecting the dots rather well. She was glad that she didn't have any creatures that were particularly dense in her kennels - it would have been relatively frustrating to try and train something that wasn't able to understand what the clicker meant; especially with Runa's own disabilities.
She clicked the clicker again and fed Vixen another treat. The creature peered at the clicker with curiosity - perhaps wondering if it was specifically what dispensed the treats or not. Runa held it out to her to sniff and she did so with a flick of her tail. Curiosity apparently satisfied, she looked at Runa with widened eyes, perhaps wondering if more treats were forthcoming or not. Runa clicked the clicker obligingly and handed Vixen another treat with a smile. Vixen nudged her fingers gently after she finished the piece of fish, her breath hot against Runa's fingers.
Runa ran her fingers over the head of the small creature, a smile playing across her lips as she did so. It was hard to believe that something so small would grow into the majestic creatures she had seen stalking throughout the city, their owners sometimes perched upon their backs. She could hardly wait until she could sit astride her magnificent Vixen.
Runa: 7.2 Vixen: 2.9 // 5.9
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Post by Runa Deadear on Aug 31, 2024 16:46:57 GMT -6
Whatever noise the little clicker made, it was enough to get Vixen to prick her ears in anticipation as Runa fed her a treat. She eyed the small thing with a nod, yes, she seemed to have reached the point where she understood what was being asked of her. That was good. Runa was ready to head home, fatigue was already starting to set in and she wanted to get an early start tomorrow with another creature. Luna, perhaps, although Forrest was a possibility as well. She wasn't sure she was ready to work with something as large as Forrest though. Especially since she had been working with smaller critters for a bit now and was rather accustomed to them.
She tightened her grip on the leash that she had brought Vixen to the park with and stowed away the clicker and the treats that she had brought. She gave a light tug on the leash and the creature began to bound after her, darting to and fro because, of course, she had almost no training on a leash. She would have to consider whether she wanted to teach leash manners to some of the smaller animals to prevent them from tugging so much when she used the leash.
The sun was dipping low and Runa sped up her walk. Vixen would be no match for anything that was lurking in the darkness.
Runa: 7.3 Vixen: 3.1 // 6.1
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