• Closed • With Mischief, Botany

[Shl'Drei]

60th Ashan, Arc 721

There was very little enthusiasm in the trainer at the moment. Shl’drei swallowed around the lump in his throat, not to mention the queasiness. He took little pride in it and heavy embarrassment, but… He gagged and held on to the docks railings like a vice, his knuckles white and muscles straining. A wave of heat rolled through him, and he swallowed thickly once again, forcing down the building salvia in his mouth. Immortals above, he would’ve groaned if he wasn’t trying to heave up his stomach contents.

Still, he pressed forward past the docks. Once the flashes of heat faded and the gagging stopped, he felt much better. But the boat ride here had shaken him- no danger, but motion sickness was a big issue for him. Still, he’d taken a job and had arrived safely if though sickly.

He shifted the weight of his backpack, the contents clinking and sliding to the otherside as it was mostly empty. His kit, waterskin, a sealed ink vial and notebook- plus a few other small necessities. His boots could use some care but otherwise he looked average. Grey turtleneck, dark jeans. He had a pair of gloves just in case his client's pet was a little nippy.

The day's activities were just beginning so there was a considerable bustle to Egilrun- which amazed him, honestly. He’d never been on the settlement, but he’d heard nothing of danger on it so to speak. It was more natural and crafty- he’d seen a glassbowers place and a supply shop for the arts which he’d peeked into for a few trills- he was on a schedule, so to speak.

In the richer (from what Shl’drei gathered via his sight anyway- he wasn’t sure about Egilirun’s financial prowess after all) parts of Egilrun, there was less activity than the main hubs. He asked for directions along the way- he was looking for a nice looking red brick house- large, red, and brick seemed to stand out to him. People either pointed or gave him little tips, and he’d made it so far that he believed he was at the right pace.

He knocked on what he hoped was the front door given it’s appearance, but felt oddly out of place due to its fanciful feel. Whether or not he felt it though, he did hope it wouldn’t affect his chances. Nervously he observed the place as he waited for the owner to answer.

[Woe]

"BORK! ROWF! ROWFROWFROWFROWFROWF!!! BORK!" The sound of a baying hound erupted from the other side of the door, as Woe rubbed his temples. Running a household wasn't as easy as he anticipated, on coming up with the idea of building a family. Quite unlike managing a household of slaves, he found that free people, with their own sense of agency and full of a sense of what they wanted, and wanting to have it now... It was all a little much for the ex-slave, who yearned for order.

This chaos would not do. Adding dogs, loyal, beautiful, and obedient (mostly), to the mix wasn't the remedy he'd anticipated. Botany was a terror on four legs. Rather than a calming influence on the rest of the household, his Quacian Bloodhound ran the gamut from quiet and snoring in a corner, to up and rustling up chaos from every corner of the house.

Gloom was in terror, the dog barked at Woe's personal chef incessantly, perhaps mistaking him for the Creep that nearly destroyed their home. Woe attempted at times to use Empathy, but the techniques he was used to employing upon humans wasn't exactly suited to an animal's psyche.

"BORK BORK BORK bork bork..." The dog's barking lowered in volume as his master appeared at his side, and opened the door. Woe looked at the man who greeted him from the other side, and nodded wearily at him.

"I take it you're here for the job... the obedience training?" Woe guessed, but wasn't sure. He didn't entertain many other guests yet, and had only posted one other job to the bounty board in the local taverns.

Botany hopped and jumped, and nearly tackled Shl'drei as the boy bounced between him and Woe. "Rowlf!" He panted, excited for whatever this new blood brought to the household.

Woe gestured reluctantly for Shl'drei to enter, not quite sure how they should proceed from there, "So... Shall I fetch you a refreshment? Or would you like to get down to business right away?"

If Shl'drei agreed to take a drink from Woe, he would lead him into the foyer of the house, which was quite spacious and well lit, if a little under-decorated and furnished. "I'll have my chef whip you up something." He would say. "Maybe you can get to know Botany, first?"

As Woe left the room, Botany looked up at the man that had entered their home, and sat his haunches down finally. He looked expectantly at the trainer, his tongue lolling from one side of his wrinkled jowls.

"RORK!"

[Shl'Drei]

Startled, Shl'drei stood to attention as the door opened and the barking sounded. He took in the mans appearance- he seemed tired. Shl'drei nodded regardless, speaking evenly. "Yes, I- Whoa, easy," He exclaimed, equal surprise and equal amusement. The hound was certainly large, he wasn't sure he'd seen the breed before. Grey fur and wrinkled jowls, it barked again and Shl'drei smiled.

He stepped inside with thin mans gesture and looked around slowly as he lead Shl'drei down the halls. "A drink would be nice, thank you." He nodded at the offer. The rooms were very lightly furnished, almost bare. Simplistic, maybe? It gave him pause- he'd expected something lavish and exquisite... He greatly preferred this look though, it made him less tense and nervous about touching or sitting if offered. The foyer was spacious and the white haired man moved swiftly and without pause. The other man continued on and left him with the hound, Botany, with the expectations of having them adjust to one another.

He shuffled a bit, taking off his backpack to rest on the floor. Once he settled that he bent on one knee, gesturing for Botany to come to him. Whether or not he came, Shl'drei added his name to the mix. "Come here boy, come here Botany," he cooed. The large hound wasted little time afterwards, sniffing about his face and chest to identify him. "Oh, good boy," He chuckled, tickled by the cold wet nose about his skin. He lifted his hand slowly, hoping not to startle the dog, before placing it on his back and rubbing the fur there. Soft fur too, he mused.

"Shl'drei," He thumbed his chest. "Botany," He bopped the dogs snout, eliciting a playful bark. Taking a closer look, he noticed the dog had different colored eyes. One a soft silver and the other a deep crimson. As he combed through the hounds fur, he took note to ask what the dogs breed was. How old would be a good question too, and how much exposure to training. "You're a good boy, aren't you?" He cooed, the dogs tail swaying before he jumped at Shl'drei, who went down quickly from the weight, a huff of air leaving him. "Heavy boy, too," He chuckled, trying to push the hound off.

"Alright alright, down boy, down," He attempted again to push the large dog, but he wouldn't give. Finally when he went to push himself off the hound backed off, but not before leaving a wet stripe on his face that Shl'drei wiped off with a smile as he stood. Friendly enough, he noted. If the man returned then, Shl'drei would introduce himself. "I'm Shl'drei, nice to meet you both. You are?" He asked, looking up patiently. If he choose to introduce himself, Shl'drei would brighten. "Right well, I have a few questions for you about Botany? Just to help me get a grip on the situation."

[Woe]

The man ignored his offer of refreshment, but that suited Woe well enough. He could respect a man that kept the issue business-like and focused. Immortals knew that Botany needed that much from a potential trainer.

Botany seemed to eat up the attention from Shl, and calmed down as he was bid to, although he did bark once or twice more before finally landing on his haunches.

”I’m Woe.” He said to the trainer-to-be, nodding in a friendly fashion. ”He is very friendly, but he has issues with my tunawa personal chef, and friend who lives with me. Quacian Bloodhounds, you see, don’t like creatures that don’t have red or silver blood, such as humans or biqaj… They can sense them, and it makes them… afraid for a lack of a better word. It’s a useful trait in their homeland, but here it can get to be a nuisance. I’d prefer if he react differently to those sorts, rather than sounding off.”

Woe shrugged, and tapped the ground with his cane, looking at the large hound as it positively basked in the new person’s scent. He shook his head at the dog. ”But for now, I’ll settle for peace in my household, and a marginally obedient dog.” He sighed.

Then he looked up at Shl, and nodded, ”So, you said you had questions about Botany? Feel free to ask me then.”

So saying, Woe waited for the man’s questions as he crossed his arms, letting the cane hang down from his hand.

[Shl'Drei]

Shl'drei shifted his attention to Woe- an odd name, perhaps, but he was friendly enough in the trainer's eyes. Form the sound of it, Botany just needed a bit of obedience. Though he knew little of Quacian bloodhounds, Shl'drei assumed it was something to do with their makeup in relation to their aversion to certain blood. He wondered briefly what kind of place one could live in that the attribute would be helpful- alas, it wasn't his focus and it was quickly forgotten.

"Just a few, yeah," he responded. "Botany hasn't had any other training has he? Any previous experience with training? It helps to know if anything in particular upsets him action wise just so I can avoid it. And then just his age- doesn't have to be exact- it helps to know how best to approach his training." Botany seemed at least somewhat well behaved. Shl'drei couldn't tell if that was due to his respect for woe or if he'd been trained a bit before. Looking at the hound, he supposed he was older? Maybe? He didn't seem to be in poor health or condition so it wasn't like Shl'drei had any reason to worry.

Still, Botany was a large dog- taking precautions would pay off if something went wrong. How well were his reactions to commands? Did he respond positively to treats? That kind of thing. At some point, Shl'drei had realized his water punishment wasn't as effective as it seemed- for it to work the water bottle would have to be present, as the punishment was associated with the bottle... It also meant keeping constant watch on the animal- spraying them after the act would only cause confusion in them.

"I'm not sure how much you know about training, but after I leave it'll pretty much be up to you to reinforce the training- well, while I'm gone anyway. If you'd consider me again after this, that is-" He rambled a bit towards the end, but caught himself eventually. "Anyway, I'll teach you the commands and cues- you'll be involved unless you don't want to. It's best that you are though. Does Botany have a favorite treat?"

[Woe]

Botany let his tongue lol out of his nasal-labial folds as Shl'drei spoke of any previous training the dog had had. Woe honestly didn't know. He presumed at first that the dog was perhaps rendered wild by the death of an owner, or perhaps escaped from one of the outer baronies of Quacia. But evidence seemed to indicate that the dog was quite young, perhaps just a couple arcs old. Maybe escaped from a large kennel of the beasts when the Creep War had happened. In any event, the beast was loyal to him now, for whatever reason. Perhaps because hew as the first to feed him after letting him into the Cathedral that had been laid seige to.

But then, Woe was getting a bit lost in thought. He nodded along with Shl'drei as the man continued to ask questions. "Botany is very young, I don't think he's had training... I certainly haven't attempted it, for lack of know-how. And... for some reason being around tunawa upsets him. I'd like to change his behavior toward my friend, Gloom, who is a tunawa. But I don't want to suppress the instinct entirely. I suspect that he alarms at the smell of Gloom, and because for lack of a more elegant way of putting it... he's a walking plant and that scares Botany."

To Shl'drei, Botany would seem in the peak of health and indeed about an arc or two old. Woe continued to inform the man of what worked and what didn't with regards to the dog's behavior, "Botany enjoys jerky, and meat, and bones. He really enjoys chewing on bones." Woe nodded.

"I don't know much about training, but it makes sense that I'll be the one associated with most commands... I very much appreciate you coming here to help me with my hound, though. I thought nobody would answer the advert I put out."

As for a favorite treat? "Like I said, he very much enjoys the taste of bones. He can't get enough of those. He is a little clingy when it comes to his food, however."

[Shl'Drei]

Botany had passed more than enough ten-trials to be considered an adult dog. Despite that, Shl'drei felt that Woe loved him and was just a bit miffed by his behavior at times. There was a level of care there, and Shl'drei could definitely work with that- not to mention Woe was willing to be included and active in the training. He acknowledged when the other man spoke, but purposefully shifted his attention away from Botany to test his reactions.

As Woe explained, Shl'drei admitted it was odd that he didn't seem averse to them but the tunawa was a different matter. "That is strange. I'll see what I can find out if you'll have me back." He affirmed. "The only aversion I had to the wanted ad was that I had to travel by boat," That said, the trip over had been a tad rough but he was settling into his land legs again. He felt the need to elaborate without actually saying it, so he shrugged but gave a vague reason. "Not much of seafarer."

Botany had good focus it seemed, he stayed put for the most part. Attentive to both mortal's in the vicinity, but also a bit antsy to get round. Energy was always welcome- he figured if it had to be anything a dog with energy would be a better match for him. He tapped a knuckle to his chin as he considered his options. "Let's see... If you have any jerky or small meats that could work as quick and easy rewards, that would be great. I brought a few things that should help but we'll need a large space," he looked around and coughed awkwardly. "Without things that could be potentially broken, that is. Also, if Botany has a favorite toy that should come as well."

Shl'drei's plan was simply enough. Test his attention to his name, enforce his name and work on collaring, and then try some basic commands. Dogs had short attention spans, but Botany seemed more alert than most, maybe even willing for the time being. He'd use that to his advantage and see just how long Botany could focus. He scanned around and finally grabbed his backpack and took out a medium sized box. It wasn't to bulky or heavy, just a few training essentials that he'd put together. Placing his bag back on the ground, he put the bag under his arm and waited until Woe was ready. "If we're all set lead the way."

[Woe]

As the two men conversed about Botany, trading mentions of his name the dog alerted upon hearing his name. Yet it's attention was on the fascinating new smell in their midst, the trainer that his master had brought in. Botany was enjoying the extra attention received today, and thus was being more than cooperative. It was clear that the dog had great potential for training, being attentive, and people smart.

When Shl'drei mentioned treats or bones, Woe nodded. He had a satchel set aside by Gloom, something that the tunawa used to thwart the dog's attempts to chase it. As for a toy... "I'm afraid I haven't gotten him a toy yet." Woe was somewhat embarrassed by the fact. "It seems he's taken to treating my friend, Gloom, as his personal chase-toy." Woe's attempt at humor might've fallen flat, it would've been worse had Gloom been there to hear it.

The satchel had all forms of meats and various tough bones for the dog to chew on. "I did attempt to play a game of tug with him, with a bone, but he growled, so I let go. He seems very territorial when it comes to his food sources. He doesn't like being disturbed while eating."

In truth, Woe wondered if his poor dog was a mess for having had no training as it grew into an adult. When Shl'drei said they should have a large space, Woe quirked an eyebrow. "My garden isn't large enough?" Woe thought it as fairly spacious, but then not as large as his courtyard in Quacia had been. Still, he took Shl'drei's word for it, and began leading them toward the outskirts of town. Egilrun could be a fairly crowded and busy place at the worst of times, and so they'd want to travel outside of town in order to get the space they needed. He picked up the satchel, and hooked it around his shoulder as he prepared to move with the trainer.

Then, they were off to find a place to train the hound.

Template by Natalia Gregorios

[Jackalope]

]

Experience: +15 xp


Collaboration: Yes

It’s really too bad you two never finished this thread. Botany is great! And it would have been wonderful to see him properly trained.

Shl’drei

Skillplay: Appropriate to level.
ETA:
Knowledge:

Animal Training x3
Intelligence x1
Socialization x2
Navigation x1
Investigation x2
/ETA
Loot/Losses: +2 wp from Woe for this job
Injuries/Overstepping: none
Renown: +5

Comments: I hope Shl’drei comes back to Standing Trials someday. The idea of an animal trainer is quite interesting, and can lead to a lot of nifty threads. I love your description of getting slobber-mobbed by a large dog, and how Shl’drei managed it. He seems to know what he’s doing, and certainly asks the right sort of questions when figuring out how to go about remedially training a grown dog with some behavior issues.

I’m sorry he got seasick. Should you come back, feel free to PM me for knowledges.

Woe

Skillplay: Appropriate to level.

Knowledge:
Animal Training: x 4
Animal Husbandry: x 5

Loot/Losses: Average Obedience training and average conditioning for Botany (Shl'Drei is Competent in Animal Training and Animal Husbandry). - 2 wp for Shl'drei's payment.
Injuries/Overstepping: none
Renown: None.

Comments:

Quick observation: Shl’drei did respond to Woe’s offer of refreshment!

Apart from that, I enjoyed Woe’s part in this thread. Your portrayal of Botany as a kind-hearted but somewhat behavior-challenged dog felt quite real to me, and was endearing. Woe’s dismay at having to deal with it, trying to keep Botany from “fetching” his poor cook was also relatable and believable. Also, his surprise that his garden might not be big enough for his hound! :p

Let me know if any of you have any questions/feedback. Enjoy your rewards!