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Post by Lethalia on May 13, 2019 16:31:59 GMT -6
Holding up the large pulling collar for Vidarr, Lethalia approaches the drake to see if it looked like it would fit. There were others she could have used - the gym's appeal is that it can outfit any kind of creature that wants to train, after all! - but this one looks good enough. |You're not quite lazy enough to be thundergug sized, at least,| she ribs as Vidarr sniffs the contraption, snorting at the smell of musty leather and conditioners. |You just have to put your head in it...| He'd barely made a move, staring down his owner like she was crazy. Do what now? "Lay down, and put your head down,| the woman directs, clearly not interested in battling for his cooperation anymore. This was happening, it was too important not to. Vidarr's nostrils let out a puff of air not unlike a complaint with how quickly he collapses to the ground, much harder than necessary even if it didn't really prove any point. Allowing his fit to play out however he was going to do it, Lethalia just waits for him to stretch his neck over to where she walked in front of his with the collar proffered out. It's in a demand more than a suggestion the way she holds it out to him. It's gingerly lifted over his face and horns, settling it to rest on the base of his neck. It would definitely work, and even had a generous amount of lining so it molded to his shape. Not a bad solution instead of having to get a custom fit, especially for an extra-large oddly shaped creature. She supposed innovation like this, though simple, is pretty important for servicing the labs. Who knew what manner of monster would be at the end of someone's leash? The possibilities were limitless. She rather liked how 'limited' and real her sarane were, quite frankly. The alternatives intimidated her, always had. Stooping to gather the girth strap, that too goes around Vidarr, though it takes the woman a second to decide where it would go. In front of the wings or behind them? She decides to go with in front of his wings, since behind him would be far too low on the belly to be of any assistance in guiding the poles of the wagon. Alright, this setup is quite a lot more minimal than what she's used to, but what the contraption is lacking in parts it won't be lacking in functionality, which is what really mattered here. It was a little curious that Vidarr didn't make a peep while she set out to tacking him up, even as his barrel twitched with the barest hint of being ticklish. Lethalia looks up and catches his searching eye, but he doesn't flinch away as if he'd been caught. |Uncomfy,| he whines at last, only succeeding in bringing his owner's smile back. Was that really the best resistance he can come up with at the time? Sometimes he was just too obvious, but it had become an endearing trait. And hey, it meant all couldn't be too bad if he was unable to come up with a real complaint. |I think you're going to be a lot uncomfy soon,| Lethalia returns, dragging an empty cart up to behind Vidarr and dropping the poles on either side of him. Each pole has a chain trace attached to the end, one of which she picks up to drag the cart into position, feeding the chain through a loop on the girth and clipping onto a loop on the collar, which would be the weight-bearing part. She drifts to Vidarr's other side to repeat the motion, all the while debating the possibility of actually training him to pull a cart. Better yet, he could fly with her shopping! The satyr hums to herself while she works, allowing herself to find enjoyment in the odd turns the path of her thoughts took her on. Somehow though, this is one idea she's pretty sure the drake would never get behind. But what was remarkable that happened, was that she had Vidarr fully hooked up to his cart! In significantly less time than she'd expected, and less argument. She's not sure how to expect him to progress through their training today, but it's not looking bad so far! Anything has to be better than fainting at the gym again, so this time was definitely taking on a more positive inclination. |It's going to be a lot like last time,| she informs the drake, pointing out a track meant for the wagon, adjacent to where it was kept locked up. It was much like the last, but this was a turf track. It likely mired down the wagon wheels less than soft churned dirt or sand would, and if a creature fell it was much softer of a landing than gravel would be. It looked nice to her anyway. To his credit, usually Vidarr gets upset or violent when he doesn't understand what to do. This time, he just... stands there, as stalk-still as he possibly can. It's not that the situation scares him like some prey animal, but he just can't interpret any of the tools he was just bucked down with. A wooden dummy made to look like an enemy, that sort of made sense. Those jumps and poles for weaving were bizarre, and looked more like something a fleeting herbivore would use more, but once he used them they made sense. The saddle kept his rider stuck to him, lest she get clumsy and fall out of the air like an amateur. This? This made no sense whatsoever. Was this contraption going to hold him back or something? There was something around his neck, which he's not quite sure what is going to do once he starts moving with it. If it's going to tighten around him or anything like that, they were about to have a really bad time. Vidarr lv|100.3 ly|72.3 stamina|3 word total|2964
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Post by Lethalia on May 13, 2019 16:33:50 GMT -6
"Vidarr, I wouldn't put you in something that would hurt you," Lethalia ventures, only able to discern what might be the problem by his strained look. Their communion shared little of how he was feeling, for all she understood it. She'd come to accept it as a 'thing' about creatures around here, but it still went a bit over her head despite her literal everyday interactions with both Vidarr and Mavelle's feelings. There's a chance she guessed somewhat right, because when she prompts again, "Just take a few steps, a'right? The cart's gonna move, that's it, the drake actually begins to take a pace or two forward. It takes a moment for him to move far enough to actually bear the weight of the wagon, faltering as the weight suddenly falls upon him. The resistance is brief and wouldn't have felt too restrictive, but it's enough to set off a quick impression that he could be stuck. In the small moment before he moves the cart, Lethalia feels Vidarr's pulse quicken and that flash of panic. The wheels give into pressure and the pull against him lightens up once the cart began moving, and the moment passes - but not without elevating her pulse, too! It all took place in such a short amount of time, Lethalia almost wondered if she'd imagined the happening. Though her heart was still racing and her limbs buzzed with a coursing of unused adrenaline, everything seemed fine now. The cart had moved and Vidarr realized he still had a decent amount of freedom to move around, easily walking around without the cart inhibiting him. He'd still be able to move with it, but she's pretty sure this means he's not going to enjoy when his payload becomes heavier and not as easy to just strut around with. "Yeah, it's not so bad! Looks good on you," she tells him, deciding to not allow him to know she was aware he was scared even for a second. Vidarr huffs at her, soon coming to a stop after loping away as far as he cared to with this contraption attached to him. He fumbles, seeming confused about how to get the cart facing the other direction. His wings unfurl and flap once, bringing the satyr to wince, dashing over as fast as her legs would carry her. "Vidarr, stop!" she hollers as the front legs come up for a moment as he works himself up again. Her sarane better not end up rearing himself head-over-heels like some similarly panicked equines she's seen. He absolutely would not appreciate how much she'd be able to mock him for it later. "If you just land, you won' hurt yourself!" she finally has mind to snap. As she had hoped the command jogged through enough for the drake to plant his feet again, wings folding up as she came to his 'rescue', though he doesn't look pleased that he's needed the help. A second time in like, less than a minute. Her saving grace is how she knows to fall quiet when she needs to, most of the time. This time she's quiet when she approaches now that she got him to land, extending a hand out to him to press his muzzle into. He breathes a few jagged nervous breaths into her palm before making contact, drawing a more soothing sigh at her cool little hand on his nose, finding himself overheated with those pangs of adrenaline and panic however brief it might've been. Her cool skin felt nice upon his scales. It might not help that this is not the average feeling for the drake, a creature that hadn't ever felt a pang of fear facing up against an opponent, because why would he? The impression of failure ticks in the back of his head. A drake with no fear, aside from a wagon?! It would be healthier to acknowledge his dissatisfaction with his own reaction, but talking things out simply didn't occur with drakes. Or if it did happen for others, it certainly wasn't going to begin to work on this one. Which was fine, she just needed ways to work around it. One of those ways was keeping him busy with work, so just like last time things went wrong, she was just going to make him dive right back into their training. She's pretty sure Vidarr will be training little things forever, just to keep him busy. It's something of a coincidence he deals with his feelings somewhat similarly to his owner - that is, to ignore the things that bothers one the most. Easier to bury it in the end and then take it out with surges of adrenaline or working out later, right? Somehow pondering her emotional shortcomings didn't bring the satyr any closer to admitting to herself she doesn't deal with them effectively, even the realization she'd unintentionally given her drake the same broken means of wrestling emotions into submission. It suited them both better than doing something like talking about emotions, and perhaps that was why they clicked as well as they did. Swift brute force was the only way to deal with most things, and that was how she was going to live out her days. Doubtlessly Vidarr would feel the same way. Lethalia's hand moves from Vidarr's nose to beneath his chin, tugging his attention back to her with a gentle pull at the horned protrusion under his jaw. "Follow me," she advises her drake, trying her best to impress upon him her own soothing feelings. He understood what she was telling him enough to take a few steps after her, ear fin flickering at the cart that rolled to life behind him. What was he being, some kind of dullard of a prey animal that couldn't tell the wooden contraption would bring no harm? "Hey hey, it's fine," Lethalia reaches out, her other hand atop his muzzle to distract him. She doesn't know exactly what he's thinking, but can feel him getting frustrated again. Just keep diverting his attention best she could, every time he seems to be working himself up. The woman isn't even thinking much on what she's really saying, more focus on keeping her voice low and smooth. "Take your tuns wide," she begins to direct, hoping some kind of lesson would give him something more to latch onto. The woman guided Vidarr with her soft handhold on that mammoth head, which Vidarr surprisingly left lowered for her to be able to reach. It's really never necessary to lead him like this, nor is he usually willing. Vidarr lv|100.4 ly|72.4 stamina|4 word total|4063
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Post by Lethalia on May 13, 2019 16:37:17 GMT -6
Along with her subdued directions, the woman walks with Vidarr to show him what she means, little hope that her human-terms would resonate with him immediately. Walking with him in a slow arched turn, the drake does cast a few worried glances over his shoulder at the cart - something following right on his ass was something all of his instincts cried out was a bad thing. Another drake that managed to get that close in combat would easily spell defeat, and every stride brings with it the impulse to swing around and sink his claws into it. It pulled against him, not painfully, but not in a way that felt okay. If anything could bode death for a drake, it was being restrained by another, being but a hen to their mercy. Not that he'd ever experienced such a thing, or had ever really consider it - but the instinct to claw his way to the top won over most other considerations, and those instincts were going mad at the feeling of a potential enemy restraining him. The movement of his owner's hand beneath his maw is enough to disrupt the urge he feels to spin around to lash at the moving thing behind him, but the battle against his gut instinct still brings about the odd convulsion of his spine. Mental fortitude may not be his strongest point, and the drake hasn't ever really been put in a position where he's expected to hold himself back from his natural reactions, since they usually brought him where he needed to be. Feels bad, man. It felt to the both of them like it took an eternity just to get that cart turned around in a big gently-curving arch, but Vidarr blinks as he finds himself facing down the lane he'd just trotted up. That happened today, right? Those tire tracks flattened into the grass felt like they led to a point days ago. "Makes sense?" Lethalia prompts, bringing the drake's focus on her once again. Usually she was the one drifting away, how odd to be the one bringing Vidarr's mind back to the waking world! He'd never been a deeply contemplative creature by nature, so it was odd to see him getting so lost in thought. Gods knew what it was that made drakes pause to philosophize, but she was never going to be privy to such information if it was dependent on Vidarr telling her. The woman suspects she'll never know what he's pondering beyond the feelings he has no choice but to share. |Sure,| he confirms half-heartedly, trying to sound more lucid than he felt. Going against his instincts were making him lightheaded, brain having a hard time wading through the mire of 'stuff' that happened in such a short amount of time. He didn't want to be panicked, but he had been. He had no reason to be angry at everything, but he found himself displeased with his reactions to a stupid wagon. It all dissolved into shakes that meant little more than being overwhelmed, as if the quivering that suddenly fell upon him was making up for the space that emotion suddenly voided when his mind calmed. Lethalia's lips twist and come to rest pressed into a straight line, unsure of just what to do with the stressed drake at this point. It doesn't feel kind, but there's something that tells her he'd be better off the more she allows him to work this out on his own. He's not going to discuss it, or divulge where the tremors in him came from, so all she can do is keep a reassuring hand on his neck as if she could steady the great beast. It felt cruel to allow him to suffer, but at the same time, mental fortitude could also be a part of his training right now. If he hadn't faced pressure up until now, how would he deal with it later if something in the pit actually did manage to shake him up? Training of the mind is still exercise, after all. As long as she didn't let him panic and hurt himself with it, it was probably good to allow the drake to be a little stressed about things once in a while. It didn't feel like a kindness now, but it would be. "D'you want unhooked from the wagon for a bit?" she ventures, not sure if he would think it too much an accusation of doing poorly. |No,| he responds more firmly this time. Of course he's always got his head about him enough to tell her no, anytime! She's pretty sure he could say it upon his deathbed. If he were to speak a word aloud, it wouldn't even startle her to hear the drake breathe a real 'no', and half expects to hear it one of these days. It means he's well enough off to respond with that, and the idea of the drake speaking to her only to veto something is enough to recover a small smile. "Well then. D'you want to see how to steer this thing around a turn one more time?"A great snort came at the suggestion, and she's pretty sure he's going to decline the offer - and probably tip the wagon over with himself attached in the process. It's not something she wants to deal with, but some lessons he needed to learn on his own. And what lessons could be more impactful for any creature, than one they make themselves? Depending on the lesson, it was good to have some behaviors instilled without her input, so that it wasn't only 'required' when she was around to gripe about it. Lethalia'd been so caught up in already assuming Vidarr was going to turn her down that it takes her brain several ticks to actually think about his response. |Maybe,| and while it might not be enthusiastic, it's one of the few times he's ever accepted help. Vidarr lv|101 ly|73 stamina|5 word total|5057
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Post by Lethalia on May 13, 2019 16:38:56 GMT -6
The woman looks at her drake oddly, having the brief wonder if he was okay. He wasn't having a heatstroke from that little spook he caused himself, was he? Now that he's slightly more recovered, he looks bright and aware, not in any way looking like he was under heat stress or anything like that. Well, she's just going to have to take him for his word, even if she's not sure if there's something funny going on. "C'mon then," stated with a flat palm on his neck, head still lowered for her enough to do so. What happened, and who replaced her normal drake with another placid one like Stark? There wasn't anything wrong with that, but it was entirely unusual for this one to be somewhat cooperative. Despite what she feels otherwise, she'd better not make a big deal out of it, or the moment of his willingness was going to slip right through her hands. Don't need to pass this one up just because she said something stupid to get him going. He appeared content to weave around the grassy track, even if they were mostly ignoring where the roadway really was. A few circles and figure-eights in with Vidarr a quiet if willing participant, Lethalia begins to worry if something really 'broke' him, and not in the normal drake way. What's with this subdued state of his? He wasn't throwing any strong or particularly decipherable emotions either. He was just plain unhappy or bothered by something, and knowing him, he wasn't going to be interested at all in divulging what had subdued him so. Go figure, a pet that is more concerning when he's cooperating than when he's making life difficult for her... "Vidarr," she prompts at last, coasting to a stop. The drake's head bobbed in a way that made him appear to be nodding off, before it dipped a little lower as he shook it, seeming to come back enough to acknowledge his name. "Are you okay?" Most days, she's pretty sure it's a question that was far too broad for her drake to answer it, but she has to try anyway. As much as he won't be wanting to talk about it, he's off enough to necessitate at least trying to get him to speak his mind. The drake doesn't drift away as far as he has been, but he doesn't answer her right away. Neck outstretched another big shake begins with his head, neck twisting ans his massive shoulders following. Chains attached to the cart clamor and clatter, but don't impede him - the only annoying part is that his tail wacks into the bars which frame his sides. As long as he was careful, none of his knees or hocks banged into the cart, and the chains settled back down to their relaxed state as his full-body roiling came to a stop. It felt good to stretch and shake, and it gave him a way to check out his own state of being, not that the need to do so really came to mind very often. The drake's wings extend, soft green gradient aglow in the sun, even the brown giving off a faint shimmer that spoke to his health. He looks fine, to himself and his owner, off to the side and looking on. She knows if she gets an answer, it'll come sooner or later. Asking it again would have absolutely no bearing on when she would get the response, and she knows this all too well from being around him for so long at this point. It wasn't unlikely that he would answer her days later! At one point the woman hadn't been sure if Vidarr was the less intelligent of drakes, or if he was just not all that interested in talking to her. Now the only comparison she has is speaking with Stark, and her pale boy is probably the most unusual drake she could be trying to get a comparison of normalcy from. As little as she liked it, Vidarr and Rimefang were just the norm for dealing with the hormone-drunk males. |Fine now,| he responds carefully, giving the satyr a little startle that he fails to notice. He would have loved to mock her if he had. |Wa-gon... okay. Now.||Oh, oh no! Was it hurting you?| she blundered, suddenly concerned that she'd managed to set him up wrong and hurt him. Of course that would make an unhappy drake! Or a very sullen quiet one like he'd been, anyway. She reaches for the chains connecting Vidarr to the wagon hitches, but he bends to flinch away from her touch enough to give her pause. |No,| Vidarr states firmly, and the woman's arms drop to her side. Well then. |Wagon okay.| He pauses and thinks for a moment. |Vidarr okay.| Lethalia gets the idea that he's the one slowing down his speech pattern so that he can bring his owner around to understanding. It's utterly mad how creatures could pick up her mannerisms in such a way, even though she's never heard that tone from Vidarr before. Well, even as much as she thought of him as a full grown drake, he still acted capable of learning things. That was pretty great, even if he wasn't aware it was happening. |Well alright then,| Lethalia smiles, knowing she won't get more of an answer than that. It was quite a robust thought as it was! "Do you wanna' keep doin' this, or check out the water?| she asks aloud, the quiet making her feel off in turn. The woman realized at some point that talking through the ribbon was such a mundane thing, she would often alternate between her lines of communication with Vidarr. The ribbon's telepathy was a huge boon when she needed to really explain something to him, but she could still talk to him out loud with some commands and words he knew. More time spent with one another's mind around rubbed off on him, and he seemed to be picking his way towards understanding bits and pieces of speech. Vidarr lv|101.1 ly|73.1 stamina|6 word total|6074
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Post by Lethalia on May 13, 2019 16:40:28 GMT -6
|Wagon,| he repeats, wary of her suggestion as soon as it cropped up. He was doubtful it was a real offer instead another one of those things that were attempting to get him to take a rest and lay down without acknowledging that's what it was. Well, he might've had a bit of a spook, and though he didn't admit as much to her, did manage to inform her he's fine now. If this was some funny business... |If you're doing okay with the cart like this...| Lethalia smiles to herself, hauling herself up onto the wagon, hooves sounding rather loudly atop it. |Pull me!| she demands jokingly, pointing forward as if asking the drake to lead a charge. That wasn't a half bad idea to actually train him, was it? A charging drake of his size sounded terrifying. Vidarr gives her the same look he casts at her all the time - a little bit baffled about whatever the weird bullshit that the humanoid was trapezing around doing, like he was rethinking his time spent here with this madwoman. Lethalia, for one, was quite happy in the perplexity she could cause him. And just like any other times she receives 'the look', the drake sighs as heavily as he can as if to prove a point, and directs his eyes forward again. Though the cart doesn't move right away, Vidarr doesn't react to the small yank it takes to overcome the cart's stationary wheels at first. The wrench is expected, but still finds Lethalia staggering with the new jolt of kinetic energy. She probably shouldn't be standing, but where was the fun in sitting while he pulled her!? Nope, that wouldn't do. "Faster!" she crows, and though he hasn't been taught the command just yet her tone is telling enough. Vidarr begins to trot, even though it's not as easy in the grass and with the wagon trailing behind him, and he snarls a little at the wooden contraption strapped to him. She wouldn't be so happy if he flew away with it, now would she? Not that he's really certain he'd be able to take off with it, but damn it he'd try if given a reason. The woman giggles as the cart bounces around, the uneven surfaces of the dirt not a bother to the paws and feet that would be upon the track, but the wagon wheels caught each and every stray rock and divot beneath the grass. Perhaps she should have gotten her balance a bit better before asking him to pick up the pace, but again. Where was the fun in that? Her arms windmill around for a moment while a rather violent jerk knocks her back off balance, but she regains her footing with a stagger. Looking up in time to see the bend in the track upon them, she bends her knees to prepare to move with the turn best she could. Lethalia's breathing seizes for a moment as the wheels begin to teeter and come off the ground on her right side, Vidarr taking the turn a bit more fast and narrow than he needs to. Likely because she was a passenger now. With a hasty stomp of her sizable hoof, the surface evens out as Vidarr starts on a straight stretch of the track again. |Take that next one a little wider, please,| beseeches the satyr, but not completely without jest in her 'tone'. It did make her heart race, but that was often just part of 'hanging out' with a drake. Next bend oncoming, the satyr braces herself like she did the first time. Though balance wasn't something she really prided herself on, she would like to think she was at least decent at it - Until the cart lurches in a way that's hard to tell if Vidarr is messing with her or the cart hit a bump, and she pitches off to one side of the flatbed cart with the cart bumping enough to just not be there when her hooves needed it to be. She falls relatively gently, if bouncing off the edge of the cart before rolling to the grass to reduce her impact was really all that softened. There was a decent chance she'd stop getting hurt if she stopped doing stupid things, but she didn't suppose that was going to happen in her future. At least she was capable of a rather hasty emergency dismount from more equine-like forms, and had jumped (or fallen from) numerous caravans in her day. This kind of thing was one of the spills she could take with no problem, even if it did bring her to wheezing for a moment. And yeah, she's getting just a little older meant that definitely hurt more than she could recall falling off any of the caravans any of the times when she was a teenager. Vidarr coasts to a stop some distance away, as he comes to realize his payload is lessened a few steps out of the turn. He looks over his shoulder to his owner laying in the turf, snorting a little. If she really liked laying down as much as she was doing when they were supposed to be here at the gym, why couldn't they just be laying down in the grass at home instead of doing this? If it occurred with any more frequency, he's definitely going to bring up the idea. |You're getting okay at the turning part, at least!| she praises in spite of herself, sitting up rather stiffly. Can't help but make a suppressed groan as her back crackles, staggering to her feet and straightening, as little as she really wants to move right now. She'd absolutely underestimated how that impact would hurt. |Let's get more weights to keep the cart steady. And uh, because sandbags won't just die like I will if they fall.| If he thought it was funny before, his understanding of morbid jokes over all others made it screamingly funny. Lethalia figures it's good they're both in a decent mood, otherwise his slight teasing 'laughter' might've gotten her fussed. He was allowed to find humor in things, especially since he found it in so little. Vidarr lv|101.2 ly|73.2 stamina|7 word total|7109
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Post by Lethalia on May 13, 2019 16:41:33 GMT -6
Even if he's not responding, she can fathom that Vidarr took much more pleasure in that spill than the last one. Mostly because this one was quite a bit less stressful, even if she might have the sneaking suspicion that this one might've happened more on purpose. Vidarr hesitated, facing the opposite direction of where the satyr was walking towards the trunk of supplies. A groan; this cart was so tedious, especially when the last thing they'd been working on was making him swift - what happened to that? Though the tedium of more running probably would have him regretting the choice, he'd prefer more of that than dealing with this cumbersome wagon. It felt bad being slowed down, since most of his capabilities relied on being able to strike first. The cart wobbled as he tried to turn around, so he slowed down a little and put more force behind it - and jerked as two wheels came off the ground. He backed up in a hurry, the concern that he really might tip over the cart becoming a real one, rather than just a comment she made. It wasn't just because she said it, but because it was looking likely with the lurching the cart would make. There's a part of Lethalia that wants to go back and help him, really. But she feels like he's better served if she doesn't impede his progress, especially since he had this figured out not a few minutes before. Instead, she kept an eye out for any ominous noises or crashing, but instead went to go see if there was anything else interesting in the chest of weights. Secured to the top of the trunk is a woven rope, a giant netting she realized as she pulled it out of it's bindings. Oh, she was never going to be able to fold it small enough to fit in those straps again! Might as well unravel it all the way. It looks large enough to fit over most of the wagon bed, with clasps at each corner and at evenly spaced intervals along every border edge. Clearly the cart would have something to clip these onto, and hold an amount of sand bags down! Sounded like a decent solution to her, since she hadn't exactly been ale to stay on she'd expected sandbags to go flying at every corner with his inertia, and she'd have a hell of a cleanup ahead of her. There would probably still be some runaways, but this would help! Just as she's wondering if it would be kind to go retrieve him, Vidarr coasts up behind her, irradiating his aggravation with all of it. |Let's just practice with this a little bit more, then go cool off in the water, okay?| she wagers, patting Vidarr's broad shoulder as she passes it. She wishes Vidarr was the type of pet she can sit down with to soothe him, but he's not that kind of 'kept' critter and never would be. For all his challenges and times he pushed her, she couldn't change him even if it was possible. Lethalia was better for having him in her life. The thought finds her blinking back welling eyes, even mundane as it was. It was true though; Vidarr had given her more purpose in life than he would ever realize. Going from traveling the beyond with the Grand Caravan and being an outrunner, a hunter... It wasn't certain what made her settle in the labs' city, but surely as everybody she'd shrugged off said, it felt like she was wilting here. Like a flower without enough sun, and she tried in vain to give herself things to do like making a mount out of Mavelle, projects to make up for a constant nomadic lifestyle before this. It did her as much good as watering that flower would do, with the refusal still to put the dying thing in the sunlight. She might've withered, the city a prison and the Caravan a too-distant refuge, along with those who she wished to see the most... Until Vidarr was literally thrust into her arms, with the agreement that he would be in a tournament. Lethalia's not quite sure what to make of the Ssashirk who would give away a hatchling without a thought, but she thinks she owes the lizard an amount of thanks as well. It's an odd thought now that she's heard bits and pieces of their reputation around here, and it wasn't a good one. Strange that this is the source she got him from, but it worked out. The Ssashirk got the fight they were looking for in that first tournament of Vidarr's, or so Lethalia hoped. If that wasn't enough, this tournament ought to do it! As long as she didn't have a lizard person pursuing her for a breach of their agreement, all was well. It hadn't happened thus far. The woman wanders absently as she sets up Vidarr's cart, her head being in the clouds not much of an issue if all she's doing is hauling over sandbags. First enough to equal her weight, and then the satyr doubles it, knowing Vidarr carried her weight with complete ease. The weight distribution ought to keep the cart more level, as well. It was too soon to double it for risk of harming his legs from the straining, but like most things, it's best not to inform Vidarr of the decision. Sandbags in place, she tosses the rope net over them, fiddling to get the clips onto the loosely hanging rings meant for them. |Stay here for a sec,| she says, remembering the training aids she'd picked up from the gift store she'd be better off using than not. The stop watch could be used later, but she's not interested in using it this trip. Instead, she digs in her bag for the pretty green polo wraps, as well as large pet-sized leg weights. Those give her a little chuckle, wondering if the drake was going to object to something that seemed to deeply human. He might rebel against her wishes and push his boundaries, but none of it is from trying to be human like some acting like him would be. No, he's just a drake. That's just how things are. |Hold still.|Vidarr lv|101.3 ly|73.3 stamina|8 word total|8162
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Post by Lethalia on May 13, 2019 16:42:44 GMT -6
This also gave her the opportunity to check out Vidarr's legs, since he'd seldom put up with that sort of fussing. His are quite different than an equine's that she does know easily by sight and feel, but the muscles and bones are the same. Still, it was a bit difficult to compare giant lizards and ungulates past a certain point, but it was all the reference she has to go off of. Hands smoothing down his cool scales damp from running through the thick grass, she can find little wrong with him. No puffiness, or weird lumps or bumps to bring about concern. Even his black claws were glossy and not peeling or flaking. Vidarr's forelimbs bore the worst of his scars from the pit. Though the healers' mending meant they were intact, the pads of his forefeet grew in pink and scaleless after the scabbing finished. Now they had some off-color to them where the scales grew in crooked, though it was hard to tell when he was standing, just what she'd observed of him whenever he was laying around. Standing like he is now, the gnarled scales don't extend anything past his wrist joint. The most visible was on his toes where the larger plated scales were twisted in organic but wrong directions, tougher and more irregularly growing than the normal scales. If this was what he came out with last time, what might happen to him this time around? That was a rabbit hole she didn't want to allow herself to go down, and the woman shakes her head to will herself back to work instead. There were just too many factors in a tournament, especially this one, so sit here and think about what could happen. She just needed to equip him best she could. Realizing he was probably getting impatient, the woman went about wrapping each of his legs in the strips of cloth. Carefully to not be tight enough to cause chafing or worse while he worked, but secure enough to not just slip down the leg later. Half a hazel eyed glance at Vidarr, unsurprisingly finding his eyes upon her kneeling by his feet. It was quite an oddity, to be fair. Legs wrapped, she went about securing the leg weights over them in hopes that the 'bandages' would also keep the weights in place and keep from rubbing scales away. "Well?"There's no answer, but more of just the impression of a great 'ugh' of disgust as he experimentally picks up each foot. More restraints that weren't really meant to hold one down, but bog him down - hold his might back instead of simply trying to tether it down. It felt pointless, this stupid, human equipment. He shouldn't need any of it! "You'll have to walk in those eventually," comes her remark, taking a guess at what he thought. Obviously not positive. |They'll help in the end,| she chooses to explain as she could, since Vidarr likely wouldn't ask to be freed. |Working harder means you're building muscle.| Even as she understood how working out gained muscle mass and endurance, that's obviously a gross oversimplification. But she wasn't about to sit down and teach him about how muscles worked, they were here to actually apply it. Sometimes he cooperated a little more if he could be certain whatever hoops she was making him jump through would benefit him in the end. |If you lift a lot of weight a few times, you get stronger. If you lift a little weight, a bunch of times, you'll... be able to go for longer.|Even without a word his eyes sparkle with an unstated joke, and Lethalia comes to the sudden realization that Vidarr understands enough that she ought not make 'that's what she said' jokes for him to pick up on. That, too, was simple enough of a joke that he understood. "Okay, get going, jerkface," she laughs with a slap on his rump, garnering a withering glare. "You can't get going if you're lookin' at me."The woman casually walked to the back of the cart, letting Vidarr distract himself with testing out the weights on his legs. She hears a great sigh over her shoulder, smiling to herself as he begins to lean into the collar and the chains shiver as they're pulled taut again. The wagon with it's increased payload creaks slightly, and Lethalia sidles up to lean her back against the hind edge of the cart, giving it the gentlest bit of pressure she can to get the wheels moving. They were doing so well, she just didn't need Vidarr pitching a fit because he felt like he was tethered down. Not that she blamed him for the fear. Not that she blames any broken drake for terror about being strapped down if it happened once before, when they were at their most impressionable, young and confused. Much like it was for prey animals feeling like they were trapped by something trying to eat them when it was only a saddle, it would stand to reason it still gave predators a sense of being attacked. The moment before the cart moves goes on for a moment too long, and Lethalia gives the cart a better heave of her own - almost falling down beneath it as it gave way faster than expected. The wheels groaned as they got moving, Vidarr staggering with the sudden strange feeling of pulling weights. Well, this was strange. |Can you get it back on the track? Time for your favorite thing.| The cart wobbles a little as Vidarr feels out the mechanics on how to move the thing now, suddenly more respectful of the weight behind him now that it actually feels like it would be a problem if it tipped over. Vidarr lv|101.4 ly|73.4 stamina|9 word total|9151
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Post by Lethalia on May 13, 2019 16:45:39 GMT -6
|Don't worry, I didn't bring a bow today!| she teases, to much more glowering in response. She's far too chipper for having to do this much work, as far as the drake's concerned. It didn't turn out that running on the track this time was all that different than last time, which meant the drake instantly found himself bored within the second turn. The strangest part was how heavy his legs were starting to feel, especially his forelimbs. Not that he was struggling to move onto the second or third lap, but every step was harder to draw. By the next lap, the drake would find himself too preoccupied with having to actually try than with how boring it was. Each step became more weighty even if he felt as though he wasn't moving all that fast, he was growing as tired as if he'd her entire 'agility' course several times already, and that must have been much more difficult than just running with a stupid wagon! It's interesting to watch Vidarr's progress from afar, especially since it happens so slowly. There's no direction for her to give him with this one, and he's just pressing on without being told to - which is interesting. She was certain she'd have heralded many complaints about how boring this task was, by now. Too bad his saddle wouldn't fit with the collar so she couldn't hop on to bother him from a safe perch. Well, he seems to be motivating himself quite well enough to keep on even as his steps slowed and became more laborious. The momentum was mostly what was keeping him going now, and that was fine to be able to help him keep pushing past being tired just a little bit longer. He's not sure when he decided he was really trying at this, but it occurred at some point when effort had to be applied. It's harder to do something that requires concentration and have enough of his mind idle to be bored. Hard work distracted from it at least, and while it wasn't interesting work, it was still something to do. There was still enjoyment he got in the amount of time he got to do what he wished at home - between lounging, flying with the lady (sometimes where she wanted to go), and hunting his days always felt full. The change in the routine was nice despite the doldrums of the gym he'd expected, and naturally working out muscles felt good. Lethalia notices a hike in Vidarr's step, a little stumble as his weariness suddenly reaches his legs. They try and buckle beneath his weight, and the pulse of distress at his faltering made her heart jump empathetically. |Just slow down,| she advises quickly, cursing at herself for letting him get this far. She'd figured he would show signs of slowing down appeared, he'd just keep slowing down. Not just... keep going as long as he could. It wasn't as though she could go pull the brakes for him even if she was along for the ride. |I know you're tired, but just keep running and slow down,| she attempts to talk to him softly to keep the drake calm, even though she can feel how bone-tired he's worn himself. It was a rather egregious oversight to not realize it would tire him out so thoroughly, so quickly. Vidarr manages to begin to coast as she bounds over to him, unsure just yet of what she can do but needing to all the same. "I didn't even know y' were tired, so we must be doing somethin' right!" she tells him, realizing that she was quite happy with his progress today - if it could be called that, since she didn't have much of a control value for this one. Still, it was good exercise if he's plenty tired. He doesn't get this worn out nearly often enough. Lethalia looks around for something to hold onto that won't splinter her hands, palms landing on two of the rings the netting was attached to. Heels of her hooves planted in the turf, the satyr staggers a few steps before finding an angle of the leg that worked, setting herself against Vidarr's momentum best she could. Sooner than she'd expected they coasted to a stop, and Vidarr's legs give way after the moment of being able to stand still without something threatening to run him down if he didn't keep up. The woman smiled, going about the only fussing Vidarr cared about right now - getting all of this muggy equipment off of him! Though exhausted, Lethalia feels Vidarr's eyes on her as each contraption is peeled off of him. Once she'd pulled the collar back over his head she finally meets his questioning eyes he blurts |No water?|Was he fearing the prospect, or had he actually gotten interested in the idea? It was hard to tell, and he wouldn't divulge. The woman took in their surroundings for the most she has in a few minutes while tending to Vidarr - and wow, it's already sunset? Lingering clouds were painted a hazy orange, gentle pink skies radiating from the sun as the pigment drained from the day's light blue. They'd gotten quite enough done, if it had taken them this late in the day to progress where they were. Soon enough they would be back and taking advantage of more of the equipment, like that pool. For now, it feels like they've been lingering here for a decent chunk of the day, and she doesn't want to ask him to do things he's not accustomed to when he also can't see at night. |Not today.|Vidarr lv|102 ly|74 stamina|10 word total|10096 stamina +1 approved!
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Post by Lethalia on May 17, 2019 23:25:44 GMT -6
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Post by Lethalia on May 17, 2019 23:26:37 GMT -6
If she'd gone the 'right' course of action, she'd be training one of Vidarr's sons right now instead of their father. Correct way of going about things be damned, she kept two of his flighted daughters instead of any of his sons. Since his daughters were already growing in their larger flight capable wings, clearly his sons would've been those with large pronged horns, more savage than the rest. And yes, if she was really into it, she would have been training one of them instead since they're technically, slightly faster and more resilient than their father would've started out as. Some of them looked like they'd turned out lovely, especially the Meade's brother who ended up with splashes of lavender in comparison to the deeper purple the hen inherited. More drakes just didn't fit into her farm, and she found herself unwilling to deal with the antler-horned beasts that wouldn't even be able to tolerate the presence of the other three at home. That was soon enough to be four, once Stark's bright purple son grows into his horns. Even so, she can't help but bear some guilt for not keeping any of Viadarr's sons. Not that it really mattered, since he was unable to tell which of the toothy little beasts were 'his', let alone why he should care. Lethalia ought to be careful and introduce the concept to him, so they'd never appear as potential mates. She's going to have her hands full enough with the next generation, anyway. Some of the stashed eggs from the last few seasons had hatched, and some didn't - they seemed capable of choosing when they wanted to burst out of the shell, to a point. There was an air of possibility among the mottled grey and teal speckled shells, and she couldn't wait for what the future would herald for those little ones. Well actually, she could wait for being besieged by more hatchlings for at least a little. There's a bit of a project going on already! Esti would be thrilled with the onslaught no matter what, the hen a much happier broodmother than she was a fighter. At least she'll be able to watch those little nippers whenever Lethalia can't, it's a nice luxury she didn't get with her first few sarane babies. At least if she's managing to do one thing right, working with the drake brought success with it. He was getting faster, more resilient by the day they chipped away at training at the gym. Certainly not fast enough for him to see and therefor satisfy the drake's need to see gains, but she could see it. As the years had gone by, he was an entirely different creature than when they'd first come here, and it was thanks to both of their hard work. It was pretty great! Lethalia even felt her pride for Vidarr returning as they worked, more certain than ever of his capability. The mystery of what they may be put up against still intimidates the shit out of her, but she's going to give Vidarr every advantage she possibly can, this early before the tournament. If sarane battles ever picked up again, she had her plans that would differ from this bout of training quite a lot. When she hadn't been looking forward to much of anything, stricken with wanderlust and too in her head to even go out and train anything, suddenly she found her interest returning. Just because she decided to enter a tournament they weren't even nearly prepared for, simply on a whim. And by the outlook on how much better she was feeling, it really did seem to be the trick to have a looming deadline ahead. Whether it was the entry for an event or having to rush because the Sarane's hormones were changing with the season while battling for dominance, something of a limited time frame was more motive than being able to leisurely go about those tasks. The satyr hadn't at all expected they could spend an entire day just getting Vidarr set up and comfortable with pulling a weighted cart, but they had. It turned out to be a rather good thing, since even doing the one task she'd settled on, the drake had gotten quite a decent workout from it. Especially important, because of that impending deadline, to get as much accomplished with the time they had - and that exercise felt like time well spent. Now, she's not certain if he's going to like the water more or less than pulling the cart or if his instincts would lend another visceral reaction to a perceived threat. He might have a natural aversion to water since he's not remotely related to any fin-tailed blues, but the water was going to be less like an enemy, in all hopes. That didn't mean Vidarr had to like it, even as much as he'd sounded like he had some kind of excitement to try something new the last time they'd been here. The pair hadn't run themselves ragged just yet, but the days were beginning to blur at the edges some. How many days did she have left again? Lethalia found herself unsure, though it didn't feel like they were working themselves to the bone or anything. It was just that she found her head swimming more than it usually does, not bogged down by her own thoughts but more that it felt like a struggle to function and get those meandering thoughts out in the first place. She doesn't like that her head swims, to the point of making her vision becomes hazy and it takes effort to focus her vision. No, she doesn't feel tired yet, but finds herself yawning widely along with the kvetching her body was putting fourth. Vidarr lv|102.1 ly|74.1 stamina|1 word total|978
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Post by Lethalia on May 17, 2019 23:29:58 GMT -6
With the thought that Vidarr may not be in a much different state than she, Lethalia armed herself with an over sized thermos of coffee with as much sugar as she can stand for today's work. (The cup is that army green camouflage, of course. Green had been her favorite color even before Vidarr, and now it's well-seated as 'her' color.) Perhaps that would help her get through the day while dealing with the drake, though unfortunately she doesn't happen to have a similar source of caffeine for him. To his credit the drake hasn't faltered yet, even though she'd expected him to be quite ornery at this stage. He's no more disagreeable than usual, and even flies them to the gym this time - though she does have to ask a few times. Still an improvement over having to walk there, and he's definitely actively disagreeing about it way less than last time. Vidarr touches down and they begin to wander through the grassy acreage around the gym; they'd managed to actually get going early enough that there's still morning dew upon the grass, dampening Lethalia's fetlocks as she shuffled through it. The woman pats her bag, peering into it curiously with a bit of a worry for her drink. She pulls the thermos out ecstatically, shaking it a little to find nary a leak in it, and her bag perfectly dry! First great success of the day, a metal thermos purchased actually turning out to be as leak proof as claimed! Amidst enjoying the first sip of her still-warm coffee, she can't help but notice Vidarr's giving her 'the look' over his shoulder. She smirks into the cup, happy that there were times her mere existence could vex him. Kept things interesting, since he could throw her off kilter in an instant just as much as the reverse was true. |Yes, Vidarr?||Water?| he prompts, far from the first time he'd asked. Shockingly he'd even brought it up at home! Go figure, something like that actually being on his mind, let alone enough to bring it up. He couldn't be arsed to talk about much, so it must matter something to him. It was still rather peculiar that he'd obtained a sort of preoccupation with it, but she'll take absolutely anything that means less of a fuss when it comes to this guy. |Well okay then.| The morning was cool, but Vidarr's a big drake enough that she shouldn't have to worry about him being damaged by any kind of hypothermia. Besides, the spring days had been growing hotter as the month waned on - it would be warm enough for swimming quite soon enough. Lethalia was beginning to hope they could progress through this before the days got any more gross, but the more gentle weather was threatening to give way to summer anytime now. Muggy, sticky days weren't exactly her favorite weather to go out in, let alone train or have any struggle in it. There was the circular pool big enough for a Pliathor to fit into - which was clearly not going to suit their needs. As much as he thought himself an equal to one of those leviathans, Vidarr most definitely wouldn't be able to deal with that much water - again, one of those things better not expressed to him. Anything that challenged his prowess was better left unstated unless she was goading him into that something. Surely there were other options; it wasn't as if kaiju were the only thing people were training around here, right? Don't linger too long on the thought that Vidarr kind of suits that classification, too. The early morning might have felt like a boon, but the woman's pretty certain they're not about to get going as quickly as being early birds hinted at. After all, they had to wander the grounds and see if they had a different pool to use - and she'd wing it from there. The original idea was to use more of the equipment available to them to make Vidarr a circuit of sorts, hence their earlier start than normal. One of the problems being that just using that cart last time had tired Vidarr out significantly enough to take up their day. And well, if they spent less time bumbling around, maybe that'd help too. Not feeling like walking, and because this was intended to be exercise for Vidarr, Lethalia claws her way back into the saddle. Stubbornly, without either setting down her coffee or asking him to lay down. Her ass ended up in the saddle anyway, and she pulls her legs up comfortably instead of using the stirrups or thigh straps meant for flying. |Let's go check out what's over there,| she tells him, a pat on the neck to point to where a likely area around the gym building. Vidarr's probably still giving her that stink eye, especially for crawling on his back like this, but he seems too intrigued to fight against her much. She still wonders about his sudden fascination with swimming, since he literally couldn't swim, but she'd see if he maintained it when actually faced with getting in the water. The resistance and pull of having to move through it would be great for increasing his endurance, but she's not sure if the threat of the water clawing him down would induce the same reaction as the cart and harness did. Maybe it'd be interesting to get a water dwelling creature, someday. Not that she really swam, which was what prevented her from getting one in the first place. A sarane who swam though, of course that prospect was tempting. It wasn't any surprise she was in love with the creatures at this point, since she'd always loved the odd bitey little things - and that was the exact same little bundle that was shoved into her arms the day she got Vidarr. Vidarr lv|102.2 ly|74.2 stamina|2 word total|1962
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Post by Lethalia on May 17, 2019 23:33:18 GMT -6
Vidarr's heavy sigh wakes her up, having rounded the corner and coming upon exactly where they'd been yesterday. The turf track with the wagon locked up and awaiting it's next task - which the drake clearly did not want to be again. So clearly Lethalia doesn't exactly know where to look for the smaller pool, but once again, she's not going to inform Vidarr of any such thing! |Just keep going,| she guesses, knowing at least where the big pool is to make all efforts to keep him away from that one. She's not going to deal with drowning her own idiot drake simply because he's too hardheaded to listen to reason that the water was too deep for him. There was no way he'd understand what that could entail, so it was best avoided. There's a lot less willingness in the drake to be a ground mount, trudging her wherever she pleased. He might be willing to cart her around with the wind upon his wings, and even may consider bringing her where she asked. It was a functional sort of relationship to the drake; he got to do mostly what he pleased. She got to spend time basking in his glory, and sometimes got to go where she wanted to. Mostly, they went where he wanted to. Somehow she'd talked him into going to the gym on his own accord again, and now that he's upon the grounds it's hard to remember why he even cared to do this. And now he has to suffer the indignity of tramping on the turf without any dignity, like some kind of common mount. Some kind of thing that was better off being devoured! Bitter thoughts took a pause when he wandered a little further, enough to see around the building and the glint of something caught his eye. A large pool glinted in the early sun, looking pristine as the gym kept all of their equipment. Intention finally realized, Vidarr picks up into the choppy trot that drakes have on the ground. They got around on the ground just fine, but they weren't really meant to be the most graceful creatures there either. Lethalia shrieked as coffee spits up out of the drinking slit, hurriedly snapping the lid shut with a giggle as he seemed to really be ready to go for the water. In fact... is he stopping? Shit. |You'd best not-| she can't even complete the sentence in her head. Vidarr skids to a stop at the edge of the pool anyway, not appearing to be as a heed of her voice. |Back up. You can't bring me and the saddle along with you.| There's no chance she's going to let this newly made saddle get waterlogged and ruined. That would be weeks of toiling and drawing blood over the thing, wasted. Nope, not happening. Nostrils flaring, Vidarr seems stuck for a moment. Not as though he was about to jump in - though the thought did float across his mind - but found himself transfixed with the water. It wasn't like facing an enemy, and yet at the same time it was. The pool appeared friendly enough on the outside, but the drake's eyes had a hard time deciphering where the bottom was. Welcoming as the light blue shimmer was, it was clearly much more; a veil hiding an abyss much more dangerous. He doesn't back up as much as he balks a few yards away from the water, much to his owner's chagrin. Where'd his enthusiasm go? Lethalia has to wait for his slightly worried twisting to stop, wondering what had gotten into the drake. Maybe he'd started to go soft like she had, in the absence of challenge. They needed to fix that, for the better of them both. Once Vidarr steadies, Lethalia throws a hoof over the saddle to drop off his side. Though it would be more astute of her to fear it, she doesn't have much worry the drake would hurt her. She would like to say she has absolutely no fear, but those ghosts of gashes splitting her legs open weren't going to go away. Even with that aching reminder carried upon her skin, she trusts a drake far more than she should. (The scars have healed enough - both the real ones on her legs, and some within her head - that she wore shorts out, anyway.) It means she has little fear of him running her down while panicked, remaining by his side to place her hands on his shoulder to make sure he was steady. Not that he'd really moved after giving himself a little more distance from the water. If he gave any more quarter than that, he'd look scared, and a drake couldn't have that. But getting close to it was, for some reason, concerning. It caused some sort of reaction within his gut that he didn't like, for all it made him feel weak. It was different from fear; he wouldn't know it made that prey-response in his prey like owner twinge in turn. Lethalia knew herself at least well enough to know she wasn't doing anything that should particularly trigger a fight-or-flight response from the idiot herbivorous part of her brain. It kind of came out of nowhere; she could only garner it was from Vidarr after a few moments. Huh. |Still interested?| she asks as she busies herself with unbuckling the saddle from him. He was still enough, despite whatever it was he now found unsettling about it, it seemed to remain only unsettling. |Yes.| He always has so much input to give her. Lethalia sighs, hefting the saddle off of her drake to haul it over to a less damp place than the grass; a nearby fence line was good enough. Hanging her bag on a post as well, she turns back to Vidarr who hasn't well moved much. Not surprising. Something about freezing in place must have seemed to the drake like it seemed less fearful than giving the water any more berth. He probably would've been right if she didn't know him well, and that most others could probably still tell since it was so unusual to see a drake at such a pause. Vidarr lv|102.3 ly|74.3 stamina|3 word total|3001
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Post by Lethalia on May 17, 2019 23:36:12 GMT -6
Meandering back over to where Vidarr stood, the woman snatched her thermos out of the grass it blended into. Lips curling into a smirk, she was all too pleased that none of her precious coffee had been spilled! This was going to be very necessary to get through today, it was definitely too vital to go spilling it. Preparing herself for what was ahead, she has to crack it open and take a big draw of it before addressing Vidarr. She figured it would be rather unkind to simply leave him stationary, even if she's desperately curious how long he'd remain there. It makes this part easy, anyway... Keeping a hand on his side to let him know her whereabouts, Lethalia sets about attaching the leg weights to his legs one by one. The polo wraps would likely shrink with the water, so she should probably leave those off for the pool. He knew she was there clearly, but something about the pool left him transfixed. With a sigh and smirk, she knows that he can't just be left there forever. They've got to get going somehow she figures. |Well, I can check it out first.|Part of Vidarr finally becomes 'unstuck' at her statement, rubbernecking around to watch his owner. She was going to set foot in the black hole first? Part of the drake protests, the strange instinct to protect washing over him. Odd since drakes weren't typically protective over people, or even their offspring. She was neither a hen of his harem to guard, nor was she territory to be defended - and yet, he feels some need to spring fourth and bat her away from the still water. That he knows will get him in trouble, especially with as unfussed as his owner appears about the entire ordeal. Water still sets off his nerves, but for now he can follow her lead. The drake's posture relaxes incrementally, Lethalia peers into the water; yep, looks like a pool. Unsurprisingly it's quite pretty and clean just like the rest of the grounds, even looks like the tiles on the bottom have texture so that creatures could get a foothold upon it. Differently colored lines of mosaic draw out lines just like a traditional track, circular to match the radius of the pool as opposed to the straight lines humanoid swimmers would use. While she was peering into the shallows, she notices the depth marker the water gently lapped against. At least numbers she could read. The point of Vidarr's shoulder crested her head by a little bit; that would mean the shallower five foot depth of this pool should work perfectly for him. She imagined this is likely what the pool was for, training creatures that could benefit from the resistance of working against water without, well, drowning them. Well, if it's that shallow... The satyr bites her lip, knowing what she's going to have to do. Even if she'd worn something she could swim under this, she hadn't really been intending or wanting to put it to use. She has the capability of staying afloat, sort of - swimming with hooves was deeply unsettling, even if she could technically keep herself from drowning for a little bit. This pool was definitely shallow enough she could stand with her head just out of the water, and she's definitely not a strong enough swimmer to be staying in here with him! Show her dork drake it's safe, and get out. Only for Vidarr would she find herself somewhat willingly dunking herself into a pool 'just because'. Though she loved traveling and adventure, swimming was dead last on her list of ventures she wished to take up in leisure time. At least this being 'work' time offset that a little, even if she's not thrilled at the idea it's a necessity at this point. If there's anything that absolutely needs to be done before he makes another appearance at the pit, this is it. Hopefully they can do more, but this feels important. Another breath to steel herself, and the woman peels her shirt over her head. All of her wanted to be every bit of afraid as the water as her drake is, but she can't. She has to lead the way for him, especially when she has ways to make sense of the world a simpler creature doesn't posses. Even as uncomfortable as it makes her, the woman steadies her hands as she unlaces the cuffs at the bottom of her pants to hold it onto her mamillan shaped legs, trying to not let her feelings on the matter interfere. After all, she knows the water is at such a height she couldn't drown, but he wouldn't understand the same until she displayed it for him. There was still a bit much of a chill in the air to be crawling into a body of water just yet, but she could get out soon enough and bundle back up. This drake better understand all she does for him. (He wouldn't, but she'd like to hope.) No ladder was attached to the side of the pool like a normal one, but one side has a ramp that led into the pool, jutting out so that it could be included without disrupting the circular shape of it. Vidarr shuffled behind her curiously as she strides over to the ramp, not understanding how much more on edge his presence put her. His own unease was so clear to her that he might as well be gleaming with it. Their strange empathy only grew over time, and a drake's emotions being what they were made it disruptive at times. In spite of that, Lethalia submerged her hooves up to the ankle in the water, her curly fetlocks floating before they became waterlogged enough to sink. Only once her fur was soaked to the skin did she reflexively jerk a leg out of the water, a quiet hiss at it's cool bite. Vidarr jerks his head back from his intense observation as a few droplets land on his face, blinking as he realized there was nothing to react to after the initial big splash she gave. Lethalia forced a smile at the drake, offering "Just cold," somewhat sheepishly as she placed the hoof back down, shuffling further into the water and willing her arms to not fold upon one another to rub the goose bumps forming on them. Ugh, the worst part about all of this is that she's going to have to deal with the aftermath of her hair getting wet, exactly what she'd wanted to avoid since she didn't braid it in any sort of protective hairstyle. Vidarr lv|102.4 ly|74.4 stamina|4 word total|4115
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Post by Lethalia on May 17, 2019 23:37:35 GMT -6
It dawned upon her a few steps in that she was being utterly ridiculous about this. She might not be a good swimmer, but she knows how. The pool is literally more shallow than she is tall, more than likely she can stand on the bottom and keep her head mostly above water. Suddenly mindful that Vidarr was looking to her for guidance, and she was being a complete baby about this, Lethalia sucked in a breath. Too shallow to dive into, but she kicks off the ramp to launch herself parallel into the water, finally taking the plunge into the cold water all at once. A few breast strokes in brings her away from the pool's edge, wide hooves kicking up more water than more dainty feet would. This was okay, she was just being silly - and when she stopped propelling herself forward experimentally, her heavy hooves began to sink first. They're the biggest reason she hates the water, since it's not easy to simply float with them. Soon enough they settle on the tiles, scraping experimentally to feel how easy they would be to grip. Vidarr was going to have an even easier time of it since he wasn't even going to have to churn water, he just had to wade in. Twisting around in the water to see her drake again, she caught him staring quite hard at his afloat owner. He'd stepped onto the ramp enough to submerge his front feet but not much more, she assumes because he was shocked into following her a ways. She was a little surprised at herself, and it was also pretty cute that he'd wanted to rush out after her, even if he wasn't quite sure how. He caught her gaze and quickly loosened up - he wasn't worried, absolutely not - to instead unfold his wings and shake off the water she'd splashed on him. |You're going to be getting wet anyway. C'mon in, Vidarr!" she yells the last with a grin, bouncing up a little to try and keep the small waves she created from finding their way into her mouth. His owner was clearly fine if she was talking, and he can finally relax a little. At her beckoning, he looked down into his submerged paws, snidely remarking |In water.| Alright, he was already touching it - how did this help him? The satyr let out a small laugh, part of her a little smitten with how scary such a big drake can find just a small amount of water. Perhaps someday she could teach him to actually swim, but that wasn't necessary today. "Not enough. Come on, don't be a big baby." |I'm here,| she tells him quietly, unsure of how much the words could mean to him. It's not the sort of thing he can fight, even if he's going to try his damnedest to make that happen. A water elemental would probably be the most terrifying thing ever to him. |It's not gonna hurt you. I'll be right here.| It wasn't originally the plan, but if it gets him in here... Maybe he could bring her that coffee thermos. |Just walk in. That's it. All the biting it does is because it's cold.|Vidarr's still just standing there, paws in the water, his awareness flitting between the situation he does't often see his owner in, and his reflection upon the water's surface. He knew it wasn't another drake well enough, but it brings him to pawing at the water, marveling how it parted between his digits with little resistance. But the harder he struck at it, the more of a fight it put up. His flat paw slapped wetly against the surface with the force of his swing, making the center of his paw sting and slop a sudden column of water up at his face. He dodges it even if it flecks him with droplets, bringing about a little snarl. |See? It would have hurt you back already, if it could.| He's gonna be unhappy if he inhales any water, but they'll cross that bridge when they get to it. Hopefully that tall neck will keep him out of the water easily enough and she won't have to deal with that particular fallout. Not being a water-oriented creature gave him a healthy enough caution for such a large body of it, she couldn't fault him for that. It goes back to the idea that they're trying to condition his mind as much as his body in doing this, even if the drake would violently reject the idea of honing one's thoughts. It would be true whether or not he knew it was happening. The idea was he would get used to stressful situations like this, figure out a little how he should deal with and think through unusual happenings. She would be right there to help him navigate the pit to the best of her abilities, but it necessitates having a drake that can handle that. He's been there before, but it wasn't going to be anything like being able to know exactly what's going to be in there with him. Now that safety net is gone, and they could face much more, and she's not entirely sure how he's going to react when faced with that reality. |You don't even swim, it's shallow enough even I can stand.| There's no indications her talking to him was really helping anything - while it doesn't seem to be bothering him, either. At this point he's got to be good at tuning her out if he wants to. Hmph; well, if she could make the most out of this, she might be able to sweet talk him into here somehow. It's got to be worth it for her to be willing to abandon her thermos on the shore... |C'mon big guy, I don't like the water either. Come keep me company.| She's not entirely sure if that one's going to function on him or not. Vidarr lv|103 ly|75 stamina|5 word total|5112
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Post by Lethalia on May 17, 2019 23:39:00 GMT -6
Vidarr does stare at her as if tempted to ask if she was kidding or not. Whether it was because he believed her or didn't care to question it, one taloned paw feels around in front of him to take a step into the water. Getting a foothold on the ramp doesn't feel like anything he's used to, and the water's glare hides most of what he needs to see. She claimed that she was able to stand, and if that was the case... The other cautious foot feels out the next step before becoming more confident in progressing. Unsure of what he'd been concerned over, the drake still gave pause at the resistance of water pushing against his chest as he pushed out into the pool itself. He was still walking, the swelling of adrenaline did little for him when there was no plummeting feeling, like the abyss it looked like he was staring into. Lethalia wasn't going to love this, especially since she had to stark working to keep afloat. She couldn't just keep standing like she had been with the drake making so many waves. Not that it was surprising he could disturb the water so much, more that it's not going to be fun to keep working against it. The satyr would definitely pass up endurance training via swimming if she could. He churns the water with his approach, but Lethalia's able to grab onto his neck before any of it can knock her too off-balance. This wasn't exactly how she planned on carrying this out, but hey, he got in the pool in the end! |Well done. Now let's try it out; just go back over to the wall so you can follow it. Just like the tracks on the ground, you just go along the circle!"An annoyed grunt, but Vidarr wades his way over to one of the walls while griping |Hate circles.||I bet,| Lethalia agrees with a grin, hauling herself up onto his back, holding on with her thighs best she could to his water slicked scales. She rests naturally enough on the divot where his withers would be if he was a horse, but instead there was a nice niche for her to sit that kept her mostly out of reach of the spikes further down his spine. Just had be aware of them, they're probably less harmful than his tail - probably. The satyr's body gives a shudder, finding the morning chill was now more bitter than the water had been. What happened to her earlier plan? The one where she didn't even have to use her swimming clothes, could just watch Vidarr from the sidelines. Not getting her hair wet. Not abandoning her coffee. Ugh. In spite of how unhappy she is with this set up, she's got to keep her thoughts and emotions about the whole thing to herself best she can. As little as she likes this, she needs to be here for her drake - who doesn't seem bothered at all, anymore. If he was settling down and getting to work, the last thing she wanted to do was to provide him with the means to ask to go home! Which tended to happen a lot if she let slip she might not actually want to be somewhere, especially if his agreement to go is tenuous in the first place. Not for the first time Lethalia reflects that she should be shortening Vidarr's leash more than she allows now, but in spite of knowing what he is, he's such a good drake. Not quite as soft as Stark, but one of the more well behaved ones. "Not so bad, izzit?" murmurs Lethalia, trying to distract herself from how cold her arms were now. If she let go of his neck now, she definitely wasn't going to stay on top of him with the drake-created current curling around them. It was neat to watch the eddies and waves generating themselves in the water, as little as she played around in it she'd never really just... observed it. Maybe playing in the water wasn't so bad, after all. Giving little indication whether or not he likes it, Vidarr is rather quiet and appears to be cooperating. It takes a fair amount of his concentration to figure out how to move against the resistance pushing back against his broad chest, talons skidding on the tiles below as they try to get a better purchase on unfamiliar material. Progress was being made forward, following the radius of the swimming pool as he fought to figure this out. The amount of drag caused by being underwater as opposed to sailing through the air was measures harder, especially considering his affinity for the latter was far greater. The drake is completely and utterly a being of the wind - being bogged down by this is so far a different direction, he's having a bit of a hard time contending with it. This struggle against the wall of water requires so much concentration of Vidarr that he has little room to consider it uninteresting. It's not often that Lethalia's gotten the chance to stay quiet and just observe, but this gives him enough to keep his mind occupied that she can actually just kind of... enjoy it. The sun was crawling higher to burn off the morning cool, warming her skin. It wasn't enough heat yet to dry her top off as much as she'd hope, certainly enough to begin enjoying this a little more. "Vidarr," Lethalia feels compelled to prompt after a time, growing suspicious of how quiet he'd grown. There's no way she has to haul a massive drake to shore if he faints, so he'd best not run himself completely out of energy. The primal fear of drowning should hopefully drive him to getting out before that happens. |Are you doing okay?||Hate circles.| Repeated so sullenly, Lethalia can't help but bubble up giggling about how foul he seemed to find them. Vidarr lv|103.1 ly|75.1 stamina|6 word total|6112
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