We're not going anywhere

[Kat]

Thomas Lv. 0 / L. 7 [true bonding]
To teach:
Name- 1
Sit- 1
Stay- 1
Come- 1
No Bites- 3
Accept noise- 2

The sun was still visible in the sky as a tall mammalian walked to her usual grounds in the public park. The stars were just barely starting to show through the atmosphere in the East and the clouds were slowly disappearing with the light breeze. In her arms, the mammalian carried a blue blanket with yellow star patterns on it.
The small bundle squirmed in Kat’s arms, squealing and growling under the blanket. She lifted one corner and a small, dusk-blue head popped out. The Seeker’s bright green eyes surveyed his surroundings as Kat continued on towards the area. She soon reached it and set the small creature down on the ground. Before he could get away, Kat attached a leash to his small blue harness, making sure he wouldn’t get away.
“Okay, I’m going to teach you your name.” She said to the Seeker.
The small creature looked up and cocked his head to one side, imitating a Vulticus. She was going to have to treat him like a vulticus, since he was raised by them and didn’t really understand that he wasn’t one.


Name: 1/5
Kat: lv. 7.5/10
Thomas: lv. 0.1/ L.7

[Kat]

Kat pointed to the Seeker, her finger a few inches from his mouth. “You are Thomas. Tom-as.” She said.
The little Seeker stared at the finger and nipped at it. She pulled away, making sure she still had the tip. “I am going to have to teach you not to do that…”
Kat pulled the treat pouch out of her bag and secured it to her belt. She smiled at the little Seeker, who was busy sniffing about.
“Thomas…” Kat said, softly.
The Seeker did nothing; he kept digging his nose into the grass and pawing at the ground.
“Thomas…” The mammalian said again, holding her hand in the treat bag.
He didn’t respond and started to dig into the ground, sending bits and pieces of grass, rocks, and dirt flying.
“Thomas!” Kat commanded.
The Seeker stopped for a moment, but was soon reabsorbed into his game, sending more dirt flying.


Name: 2/5
Kat: lv. 7.6/10
Thomas: lv. 0.2/ L.7

[Kat]

Kat sighed and held up a chunk of the freshly fillet fish from the treat pouch.
“Thomas!” Kat said sternly, waving the piece of meat above his head.
It took several seconds for the Seeker to take notice of it, he pulled his head out of the grass and sniffed for the item. His face was covered in dirt and grass and he snapped at the treat.
“Um… Well, you will get the hang of it.” Kat said, flicking some dirt off his face. He nipped at her fingers again and she bopped him on the nose. He sniffed and sneezed then growled cutely and wandered back to his digging spot.
The Seeker began to dig again, sending a dirt clod straight into Kat’s face. The mammalian kept her eyes closed for a moment and shook the dirt off. She gave an annoyed look to the Seeker.
“Thomas!” She called sternly.
Thomas paused for a moment, did not look up, but paused. It was good enough for Kat. She held a small fish morsel above his head and she let go of it and it landed right into his mouth. He didn’t even bother to chew.
After he had finished his treat the little Seeker went right back to digging, the hole was now big enough that his entire snout was missing from view.
“Thomas!” Kat said.
Again, the Seeker paused, but he did not look up. She rewarded him for at least pausing and he took the treat, snapping his jaws greedily.

Name: 3/5
Kat: lv. 7.7/10
Thomas: lv. 0.3/ L.7

This post has been edited by Kat on Oct 13 2011, 10:33 AM

[Kat]

The little Seeker’s teeth just barely missed her fingers and she bopped him on the nose again. The creature whined and she glared. “No bites, you little shit. Ahh, I really am going to have to work with you on that.”
He growled at her and went back to his digging. He found an earthworm and ate it, but quickly spat it back out again. Those things were gross!
“Thomas!” Kat called.
He paused, almost looking up.
“Thomas!” She said again excitedly.
The little Seeker glanced up at her. He didn’t really move his head much, but more looked at her from the corner of his eye. Kat saw this and gave him a slightly larger reward, putting it on the ground this time instead of in her hand. He gobbled it up, staring at her hands and wagging his stump tail for more food to appear. After a short time and no food, the cub was distracted again. He dug more and now the hole was large enough that his entire face was hidden by dirt and grass.
“Thomas!” Kat called again.
He paused again, starting to recognize this noise that this furry woman was making. He pulled his head out of the ground and glanced towards her. She rewarded him with even more food and he ate it quickly. She pet him on the back and sighed softly. He was a little stubborn, but at least he was getting it.
She waited only about two minutes before calling his name again, “Thomas!”
The Seeker paused right before he put his head in the hole. He looked towards her again, a little more this time around. She rewarded him with a little more food once more and watched him as he hungrily snapped up the pieces.


Name: 4/5
Kat: lv. 7.8/10
Thomas: lv. 0.4/ L.7

[Kat]

His little needle baby teeth scraped the bottom of a pawpad on her index finger and she pulled back out of surprise. She flicked him on the nose, “No. Bites.” She growled.
He growled in her direction and began to dig again. She let him dig for several minutes, giving him some time to be reabsorbed into his work and forget about the nose flicking.
“Thomas!” She called.
The Seeker stopped and pulled his head out of the ground, but took a few moments to look towards her. She rewarded him handsomely and let him get back to his work. None of her other Seekers seemed to do this digging behavior, only Thomas. It may have been that way because Vulticus instead of Seekers raised him, but it was cute as long as he didn’t do it in her flowerbeds.
“Thomas!” She called.
He stopped and pulled his head out of the ground once more to look at her, this time he met her eyes and she gave him a hefty reward.
“Good boy!” She said, patting him on the side.
He growled as he ate the food, making adorable “om nom nom” noises. Kat couldn’t help but laugh. Soon, the creature was out of food and he sniffed the ground for more. After not finding any, he started to go back to the hole he was digging. Kat took the opportunity to call him.
“Thomas!” She called.
The Seeker stopped, taking a second to turn his head towards her. Their eyes met and she instantly rewarded him. He gobbled up the foodstuffs and sat down, having a feeling that she was going to call again. He waited for several minutes, but Kat did not call him. Finally, bored, he started to return to his digging. His head was in the hole when she called him.
“Thomas!” the mammalian called.
He stopped and popped his head back out of the hole, staring at her and making eye contact.
“Good boy!” she said with excitement, giving him several large pieces of meat. He ate them happily and growled with contentment.


Name: 5/5
Kat: lv. 7.9/10
Thomas: lv. 1.0/ L.7.5

[Kat]

Kat brought more treats from her pack and slipped them into the pouch.
“Thomas.” She said, getting his attention.
The Seeker looked up at her with his bright green eyes.
“I need to teach you how to sit now.” She said.
He cocked his head to one side cutely, having no idea what she was even talking about. The mammalian grabbed a few fishy treats from the pouch and grasped them in her hand. She held her hand high above his head, but low enough that he could get a good whiff of the treats. She started to move her hand over his head but the Seeker backed up instead of sitting his rear down. Kat frowned and set her bag so that it was directly behind the Seeker’s rump. She moved her hand forward again and he backed up into the bag, his rear just barely sinking down. She rewarded him instantly, dropping the treats into his waiting mouth.
“Well… not much, but it’s a start.” She shrugged.


Sit: 1/5
Kat: lv. 8.0/10
Thomas: lv. 1.1/ L.7.5

This post has been edited by Kat on Jun 11 2012, 04:39 PM

[Kat]

He ate the treats happily and licked some scales off of his face. His little stump of a tail twitched as he awaited more food. When the food didn’t come, he whined, just like Cujo had taught him to do.
Kat looked down at him and laughed. “You are too cute” She said, grabbing a few more treats.
The mammalian moved her hand over his head again, hoping that when he bumped into the bag, his rear would go down. His rear went down slightly but then he jumped up, trying to snap at her hand. This obviously was not going to work in her favor. Kat’s ears perked at an idea and she held the treats over his head again, but instead of making him back up, she pushed down on his rear softly.
“Sit.” She said, pushing down a little bit. His butt stayed low to the ground for a fraction of a second before popping back up again.
“Well, better than nothing.” She sighed and treated him.

Sit: 2/5
Kat: lv. 8.1/10
Thomas: lv. 1.2/ L.7.5

This post has been edited by Kat on Oct 18 2011, 03:56 PM

[Kat]

The treats left Kat’s hand and onto the ground, mostly to keep him from biting her again. He gobbled them up quickly it was a measly amount and was gone in a flash. He whined again, wanting more. His big green eyes looked up at her expectantly and she realized she was probably teaching him to whine. She waited several minutes, until the whining stopped.
Kat called his name “Thomas!”
He looked up, wagging his stump tail with excitement.
Kat held treats above his head, “Sit… Siiiiiiit.”
The small Seeker refused to sit down, drool escaping his mouth in small, clear strings. It was kind of gross. She placed her hand on his rump, gently pushing down. His rear started to move on its own at her touch, moving towards the ground. She kept this up until his butt hit the ground.
“Sit.” She commanded and released the treat. “Good boy!”
The small cubes of fish dropped into the Seeker’s open mouth and disappeared with a snap of his tiny jaws.

Sit: 3/5
Kat: lv. 8.2/10
Thomas: lv. 1.3/ L.7.5

[Kat]

“Okay.” Kat said, wiping the fishy residue off on a towel. “Lets try this some more, you need to learn how to do this by yourself.”
The Seeker cub turned his head to one side, his tongue lolling out of his mouth in a comical fashion.
Kat grabbed some more treats, holding them above his head. “Thomas… Sit.” She commanded.
His rump started to go down slowly, but came back up after a few inches.
“That won’t do. Common, put yer butt down on the ground.”
The mammalian reached to push his rear down and gave him the command again. “Sit.” She said firmly.
Before her hand reached his rump, he started to sit down, his rear getting half-way down before coming back up.
“Good enough…” She said, dropping the treats into his mouth. “We’ll try again.”

The mammalian waited several minutes and then called to him again. “Thomas!”
The little Seeker looked up at her, he could smell the treats in her hand and waited. Drool came from the sides of his mouth.
“Sit.” Kat commanded.
His butt started to go down and got past the halfway point. “Siiiiiit.” She said again, trying to get it through his head. His bum touched the ground and she immediately rewarded him.
“Good boy! You’re getting it now!” She praised, giving him a few more treats from the bag.

Sit: 4/5
Kat: lv. 8.3/10
Thomas: lv. 1.4/ L.7.5

[Kat]

“Let’s do this a few more times, then we get to play with bells!” She said with excitement in her voice, trying to make training entertaining. Of course, Seekers rarely cared about anything else when food was involved.
She grabbed a handful of treats, larger than the amount she was giving him earlier. “Thomas… Sit.” She said firmly.
The little Seeker’s bum started to go down and nearly hit the ground. Kat caught it before it popped back up. “Sit.” She said firmly.
His rear hit the ground and she released the cubes of fish and they disappeared into the void that was the Seeker’s mouth. He ate them happily, crunching on the little fishy bones. “Good boy!” She said, patting him on the back. He growled at her, not liking that she was petting him while he was still eating.
Kat waited for several minutes, allowing him to wander about on his lead. She grabbed a handful of treats and called his name. “Thomas!”
The Seeker looked up at her, wanting to go back to his hole digging.
“Sit.” She commanded, staring at him.
The Seeker took a moment to sit, but his butt hit the ground and Kat tossed the treats his way. “Good boy! You’re doing so well!” she praised.
The Seeker jumped up to get the treats and ate them as they scattered in the grass.
Before he could get distracted with the hole again, Kat grabbed another handful of treats.
“Thomas… Sit!” She said.
The Seeker stopped and sat down, staring at her for more food. He ate the treats she gave him greedily, growling as she approached him and his food.
“You’re such a good boy!”

Sit: 5/5
Kat: lv. 8.4/10
Thomas: lv. 2.0/ L.8

[Kat]

The sun was now gone, it had disappeared behind the mountains and allowing the night to take over. Stars speckled the sky and a half-moon rose, dousing the area with a pale light. The birds were now quiet and somewhere in the park, a cricket chirped.
Kat watched the little Seeker play for a while. It was important to let him have breaks, otherwise the training would get boring and it would be harder. She contemplated ways to teach him to stay; she’d probably just use the same method she used with Recon a few months ago.
After about half an hour of play, Kat picked up the Seeker. He growled, not wanting to be stopped from digging holes.
“Oh hush.” She said, setting him down a good way away from the holes he was digging. She tied his lead around a small tree trunk, making sure he couldn’t go anywhere. Kat put some treats into her hand and sat down near the Seeker.
“Thomas, Sit.” She said.
The Seeker’s rear hit the ground and he looked up at her.
“Stay.” Kat ordered, firmly, putting her hand in the universal ‘stop’ motion.
The Seeker didn’t seem to know what to do and he waited, not moving anywhere for about two seconds.
“Good boy!” She said, giving him the treats and smiling.

Stay: 1/5
Kat: lv. 8.5/10
Thomas: lv. 2.1/ L.8

This post has been edited by Kat on Jun 11 2012, 04:40 PM

[Kat]

The Seeker, not entirely sure what he did right, at the treats happily. They were gone in just a few seconds and he was licking his lips. He was nowhere near full and his belly growled for more.
Kat had a plan, she was going to make him stay still for a few seconds and then move to getting up and walking away from him. He would probably get this fast, young brains were like little sponges.
She waited for a few minutes, letting him move around a little bit.
“Thomas!” She called. “Sit.”
The Seeker put his bum on the ground, waiting for something to happen.
“Stay.” Kat commanded, holding her hand out.
She waited for several seconds, the moment she was going to treat him he stood up. Kat kept him from moving. “Ah-ah!” She said sharply. “Sit.”
The Seeker sat down again.
“Stay.” She commanded. “Staaaaaay.”
Thomas waited a few seconds, a little bored with this. He was soon rewarded with a small handful of treats.
“Good boy!” Kat praised.

Stay: 2/5
Kat: lv. 8.6/10
Thomas: lv. 2.2/ L.8

[Kat]

Thomas at his treats happily, not even bothering to chew.
“You’re a nut.” Kat laughed, petting him on the back.
The Seeker, assuming his job was done, started to walk away. She let him, but quickly called his name again.
“Thomas, sit!”
The Seeker took a moment to register the command and sat down, waiting for her to do something else.
“Stay.” Kat said firmly, holding out her hand.
He waited, giving a huff of annoyance. After about a minute and a half had passed, Kat gave him a substantial award. “Good boy!” she said. He finished the treats quickly.

She stood up and walked a few feet away. The Seeker got up, whining. “Ah-ah!” she said, coming back. “Sit.” His bum hit the ground. “Stay.” Kat commanded firmly with the hand motion. She walked a few feet away and then tossed the treats to him, seeing that he stayed still.
“Good boy!” She said, petting him as he ate. He ate his food happily.

Stay: 3/5
Kat: lv. 8.7/10
Thomas: lv. 2.3/ L.8

[Kat]

Kat waited for him to finish, the Seeker chewed loudly and looked up at her when he finished. She pet him on the head and he nipped at her fingers. She counted them to make sure they were still there.
“I guess I need to teach you not to bite next…”
Kat felt into the treat pouch on her side and realized there were only a few left. She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a plastic bag filled with meat chunks. She grabbed a huge handful and refilled her treat pouch, not letting Thomas see what she was doing.

Whatever she was doing behind his back, he couldn’t see, but he sure could smell it! Thomas’ little Seeker nose quivered at the smell of fresh and juicy meat. He drooled, a little of it coming out of his mouth and falling to the ground below his head. Whatever she did, she did it fast because she turned back to him and laughed at the string of drool falling from his mouth.

Kat held a few treats in her clawed hand, turning back to the Seeker.
“Thomas, Sit.” She said.
His rump hit the ground; drool still came from his little muzzle.
“Stay.” Kat commanded, holding out her hand again.
She walked away, turning away from him. She glanced back and was surprised to still see him sitting there. She walked a little farther and heard him whine.
“Thomas, Stay.” She said, without looking at him, but making the hand sign.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that he was still sitting and wasn’t moving anywhere. Kat walked a few feet more and then turned around, walking back to him. She gave him a handful of treats and praised him.
“Good boy Thomas!”


Stay: 4/5
Kat: lv. 8.8/10
Thomas: lv. 2.4/ L.8

[Kat]

Thomas ate the meat greedily and nipped one of Kat’s finger pads in the process. She pulled back sharply, more surprised than hurt. She looked at her hand and decided that there was no damage. She looked to the Seeker who was licking the meat juice off the ground.
“I should probably teach you not to bite next…” she said. The Seeker only looked up at her with a hungry glint in his eye.
Kat stood up and made the hand sign to Thomas.
“Thomas, stay.” She commanded, her voice firm.
The Seeker looked around, but didn’t move. The mammalian wandered off, inspecting random elements of her environment. She didn’t look at the Seeker, but she could tell that he wasn’t moving. Kat wandered about for several minutes and then came back to the Seeker, petting him on the head.
“Good boy!” She praised, giving him a slightly larger reward than last time.


Stay: 5/5
Kat: lv. 8.9/10
Thomas: lv. 3.0/ L.8.5