Solo Friend or Foe?

[Kyo]

60th of Fall, 515 AV
midday

They had found some sort of cow in the grasslands, off by itself. There was no smell of a nearby herd. Maybe the others of its kind had been killed. Maybe this female had been banished for one reason or another.

The reason why didn't matter. What mattered was that the cow was alone.

The coyote wasn't certain he had met a cow that looked and smelled quite like this one before. It took a little bit of experimentation to test its strengths and weaknesses. Spooking it determined it didn't run too fast-- probably weighed down by its bulk on such spindly, wide set legs. Its horns weren't so large as to be intimidating, though he was certain it would be strong and sure-footed and probably have a lot of endurance.

All in all, the coyote thought that this cow might be a good animal to practice on: it was isolated, slow, and relatively safe to poke at. Even better that it was large enough to take a lot of abuse without succumbing.

The perfect training exercise, he thought, for teaching hunting dogs to herd.

---

He'd been wrong, but not about the cow. He'd been wrong about the dogs.

Boy, was his head hurting. This was altogether too much work.

For the nth time, the coyote yapped at his dogs to get into place. Brother obediently trotted back and away from the bleeding, leg-torn cow, coming to stand next to the coyote, tongue lolling out in a grin. Sister didn't move at all; she had given up on the training --too annoyed by the coyote's constant interruptions to continue-- and was lying on the ground a bit aways, soaking up the meager sun. The coyote ignored her and focused on Brother.

He was frustrated. Usually he preferred to be coyote, especially out in the wild... but this form just did not have the capability to explain what he wanted his dogs to do. Coyotes couldn't speak like humans, saying, don't do that, follow that way, ignore your instincts. No. They had to speak with the body and with tone, limited as any canine, and that, in this circumstance, wasn't near enough to explain herding-- a concept too foreign to dogs who just wanted to eat.

Sighing, the coyote rubbed his nose against his leg and tried again. Brother was in position, a little behind and to the side of the cow, far enough away that their target was standing and watching instead of trying to escape.

A step forward meant it was time to chase, and Brother was off. The coyote stayed close as a second fur coat, a little to the inside, blocking Brother from attacking the cow. It was a difficult task, though, and Brother thought it was a game --a challenge-- instead of a teaching moment. The coyote was trying to get the dog to resist attacking and merely pursue, running parallel to the cow. Brother, however, was set on trying to get past the coyote. One mistake and--

--the coyote accidentally caught a paw on uneven terrain, slowing, and the dog shot past him, veering in towards his prey--

--and Brother's teeth nipped at the cow's front leg, peeling off a flap of loose skin, earning a taste of blood. The coyote zipped forward, panting, head pounding, and managed to block the dog again by breaking once more to the inside, coming between him and the cow. He pressed against Brother's side, getting him slowly to steer away. Further, further... and when the cow became tired, the coyote incited a play-fight-- the only sure way to get Brother to stop the chase.

They rolled around and pounced on each other for a few moments, the coyote less enthusiastic than he might have been otherwise as Brother tried to catch a bite of his scruff. He was preoccupied. It was just so hard! His dogs truly did not understand. All they wanted to do was attack; all the coyote wanted them to do was learn.

Maybe he should go back to trying to demonstrate. Only it was difficult when you weren't certain your audience was paying attention. Or when they thought they should be included, and messed everything up.

The coyote let Brother get the upper hand in their fight so it would end, and then he extracted himself and sat to rest for a little while, trying to think of a newer, better way of teaching. At least this was good practice for when he would be trying to teach Pack. Right now the little pup was too small to do any real herding, but within a short while he would hit a growth spurt, and then the coyote might actually have an apt student.

[Kyo]

The next thing he thought to try was whistles. In a flash of blinking white light, the coyote shifted human-form. Nearby, the panting, injured cow let out a surprised noise almost like a honk, but deeper. It began to move away at the sight of human, knowing that humans as hunters could be worse even than dogs.

Sister's head perked up with ears forward and eyes fixed now that there was no annoying coyote-brother to get in between her and the prey. Brother, taking her cue, began a slow trot after the cow.

Soon enough they were all running: the cow thundering along on legs gone weak and even slower than before, the dogs loping behind and to the side, testing the animal, playing with it. Their human-brother trailed after them in a bouncing jog, rocks and twigs poking into the hardened pads of his exposed feet.

He was waiting. Watching as he followed. Soon enough one of the dogs, probably Sister, would make a move and then--

There it was. Sister veered in abruptly, preparing to spring and snap her jaws down upon the wounded animal, maybe wanting to take it by the ankle to trip it up or latch on higher to hang on by the teeth and slow it down just enough for Brother to go for the throat.

Kyo put his fingers to his mouth and whistled once, loud and piercing.

Sister's attack was thrown off, front legs tangling into each other, and she barely managed to correct and wheel around in confusion, facing the one who had called her. Brother was more graceful --for once-- slowing and looking back over his shoulder before stopping when he saw that Sister had stopped too. Confused and annoyed, both dogs looked between the escaping cow and their human-form brother, not knowing why he had called them, not wanting to let the prey get away so easily.

Excited because it had worked, head thumping along with his heart, Kyo whistled again, and reluctantly the dogs trotted back to his side, Brother bumping his head against Kyo's thigh, Sister pressing teeth against his hand.

Then they did it all again.

"Speaking in Common" --poor-to-basic
"And in Vani{descriptors}" --basic
"And in Tukant [implications, descriptors]" --poor
"And in Pavi" grassland sign --poor

[Kyo]

This time it was harder to get his dogs to listen. It started the same though: Kyo made a threatening move towards the injured bovine, a sort of forward-jerk onto the balls of his feet, and the cow set off, his dogs immediately running after.

Kyo followed, watching just as close as before, waiting for that moment just before the attack, and this time it was Brother, too eager, closing in a little early.

The dog nearly got kicked in the head by the swing of a well-placed hoof, and Kyo whistled again sharply, wanting them to back off. But they were expecting his call this time. Sister kept running without hardly a hitch in her step, disregarding the loud noise; Brother hesitated, but because Sister was going he kept going.

Kyo whistled again, louder, and clapped his hands, adding another distraction. And when that didn't work he hollered at them, not like a human or coyote but with a distinct edge of displeasure that they could not ignore.

Snarling now, Sister turned away from the cow and back towards her human-brother, showing her teeth with her weight forward as if she wanted to rush him and tell him to stop interfering. Brother's mood hadn't spoiled --it never spoiled-- and he grinned and walked back to Kyo, pressing against his leg once more. It took whistling sharply a few more times before Sister came back and snapped her teeth at him, nearly catching him in the leg before he moved out of the way.

Then Brother was playfully nudging Sister in the side with his nose, and she snapped at him too, making him cower for a moment before he changed his mind and struck back at her, and then Kyo had to get in and wrestle them apart with one hand gripping tight to each of their scruffs, muscles straining to hold the powerful large dogs from tearing into each other in play or rage or both. When Sister still wouldn't give in he had to let go of Brother, who danced around the both of them, and give Sister a hard rap on the nose.

Finally she backed off, though her ears remained flat to her head and muzzle wrinkled, showing teeth.

"Speaking in Common" --poor-to-basic
"And in Vani{descriptors}" --basic
"And in Tukant [implications, descriptors]" --poor
"And in Pavi" grassland sign --poor

[Kyo]

The next time caused a real fight.

Kyo followed, waiting as the dogs went on the prowl, coming up close enough to attack behind the fleeing cow. He whistled.

For a moment he thought it had worked. Sister turned and came back towards him, and like most times Brother followed her lead, tail wagging.

But Sister's tail was not wagging. And as she was coming close she was getting faster, not slowing to come to a stop by his side.

Kyo jumped and shifted an instant before she ran smack into him. He was in the air and she was skidding and twisting beneath him, and she managed to get her mouth on one of his back paws, giving a sharp squeeze with spiky back teeth. He yelped and came down on top of her where she was waiting, shifting human to help overpower her with his weight. But human-forms had vulnerable skin and she bit into the side of his arm just above the elbow, just deep enough to draw blood. He let out another yelp, this one louder and more desperate and human, and folded a hand to punch into her nose.

Sister growled and let go of his arm but didn't back away, going for his hand now, and he hit her again, this time his knuckles popping her in hard in the lower throat. She gagged and drew back, circling as Brother yipped and bounded around them, excited and frightened by the fight. The male dog rushed in once or twice, not able to pick a side. When Sister whirled back as if to attack again, Brother rushed in low at her legs and she had to retreat or be bowled into. And when Kyo shifted coyote once more and arched his back, giving the female dog a look at his own pointed teeth, Brother nipped once at his ear, as if asking his coyote-brother and sister to stop.

But Sister didn't stop until the coyote gave her a hard look and a low barking growl, tail and ruff puffed up, threatening to take the squabble further when he slunk closer and forced her to back away. When she turned to face him again he rushed her, and then again and again. Finally she gave up and she went far enough away to stop and lick at her paw where Brother had bit at her.

After that the coyote and sister-dog set to ignore each other, and so --shifting human so he could be prepared to whistle again-- Kyo turned his attentions back to Brother instead.

"Speaking in Common" --poor-to-basic
"And in Vani{descriptors}" --basic
"And in Tukant [implications, descriptors]" --poor
"And in Pavi" grassland sign --poor

[Kyo]

It took a while to get his brother-dog settled down, because he always got nervous when Sister and Kyo really went in to fight. Kyo had to lay on the ground on his side, eyes carefully watching to make sure the cow didn't slip away, letting Brother flop and slobber all over him. He used his hands to pick and massage at the dog's short fur as if they were coyote teeth, grooming. Whenever he tried to get up Brother would lay across Kyo's belly and hold him down, tail thumping into his side, and would whine when Kyo pushed him off, not wanting the human's blue eyes to wander back in Sister's direction and maybe start the fight again. Even without looking Kyo knew the she-dog was glaring at him, though he knew if he looked over she would turn her face away and pretend he was not worthy of her attention.

When the sun had fallen a sliver in the sky, disappearing behind some puffy clouds, Brother finally let him get up without complaining, and they went off after the cow again. Sister followed at a discreet distance, and if Kyo turned his head or glanced her way she would sit and go back to licking at her paw as if she wasn't paying any attention at all.

Brother was much better at following the whistle than his sister-dog had been. Once Kyo got him to chase the cow again, all it took was a sharp blow of air between his fingers and the dog turned and raced back to his side. Brother was loyal to his coyote in an all-trusting way, happy to do whatever Kyo was doing, while Sister was not; Kyo also suspected that Brother thought of the whistle-come as another new game, where Sister, in this case, thought of it as a nuisance, even punishment because it stopped them right in the middle of the hunt when they were so close to food.

Maybe if Kyo had some other food for them --a snack to give them when he called them? like a few mice-- Sister might at least try to listen to him. Something to do next time.

For now, he simply went through the lesson over and over: sending Brother to go after the cow and then calling him back, sending him and calling him, until Brother was almost waiting for the command, sometimes shooting a look over his shoulder if Kyo took too long, or turning back too soon, unprompted. It wasn't long before he was wearing his Brother out, because each time he called him the dog would sprint back as fast as he could, wagging tail and doing jumping laps around his coyote-brother's long, thin human form. Brother was too excited about this new game, and so spent too much time leaping around in joy instead of quickly running back and forth, back and forth.

Still, they kept at it.

"Speaking in Common" --poor-to-basic
"And in Vani{descriptors}" --basic
"And in Tukant [implications, descriptors]" --poor
"And in Pavi" grassland sign --poor

[Kyo]

When Brother came panting back and licked at Kyo's knee with a tongue gone dry and soft Kyo figured it was time to stop. He shifted coyote and padded along, Brother so happy to see his little-big-brother in coyote-form again that he was pressed against the smaller canine from shoulder to hip, their tails swinging in rhythm as they walked.

Far away but not too far, the coyote's ears picked up the sound of another dog slinking slowly and stealthily closer; Sister, coming up behind them now that her brother-coyote was back in his pawed form. Whether she was coming to attack again or not he wasn't certain.

They followed the cow as it wandered across the grass, tiring it even further until it came to a small pool of still water, little more than an overlarge puddle in a dip in the grass. The cow leaned down to drink and the coyote and Brother barked at it, scaring it off. Then Brother and coyote --and Sister, sneaking to the side-- all bent to drink their fill of the muddy-tasting water, Brother still with just enough energy to snap like a puppy at a couple of water bugs.

When they finally decided it was time to attack the cow it was not very hard to take down. Yes it was big but his dogs were big and it was them against only one. Sister even came up to help. Together, they charged the cow and forced it once more into a painful gallop, but now its legs were unsteady beneath it from thirst and exhaustion and hurt. Slow as it had been before, it was even slower.

This time they attacked all at one side, Brother and Sister digging teeth into the cow's hind leg and the coyote jumping forward to get at the throat. He felt his teeth hit the pounding of blood and bit harder; there was a taste like the metal of coins in his mouth and salt and dirt, the blood trickling in from the tips of his teeth.

The cow was coughing and bucking, swinging its head as if it might reach him below with its short dull horns. It couldn't. It managed to kick Sister off and she landed on her feet, turned to clamp down just above one of its front hooves. Brother clung to its rump where his teeth were buried, the skin beginning to tear off in wide clumps, and finally its back legs went out. Bawling, the huge animal tripped to the ground, ridden down by coyote and dogs alike.

It tried to get up. It managed to make it to front hooves and then Sister yanked one leg out from under it and it went down again. Brother released the back and looped to the front, going at the belly. Sister let go of her leg and helped the coyote with the throat.

The cow did not live long after that. Soon its hoarse lowing turned into puffs of blood-scented air, and then its eyes rolled and the life rushed from its body in the great spills of red from the many places that Sister and coyote had punctured its throat.

"Speaking in Common" --poor-to-basic
"And in Vani{descriptors}" --basic
"And in Tukant [implications, descriptors]" --poor
"And in Pavi" grassland sign --poor

[Kyo]

They ate quickly, as they always did in the grass. They were far from the city and did not fear human hunters, but there were always others out there-- large cats too big to scare off with canine fangs, strange huge bird-things that would threaten to outrun and slash and eat the whole pack if provoked. Other dangers that they had scented but still did not know.

Brother had his fill and then went back to lap again at the muddy puddle, still thirsty after running himself dry earlier. Sister ate longer until her belly was round with meat. While the coyote was chowing along beside her, she nudged her shoulder to his and he knew that she was not sorry for attacking him earlier, but at least she had put it behind her. They always got over their fights this way. Food always mellowed Sister out. A happy belly made for a happy dog.

When they were done there was much left on the dead cow, and they ranged about, scent-marking and scratching the ground to warn off foxes and stranger-coyotes from coming in to to steal from their kill. Then they went away, far enough to be safe from any big predators that might come to eat from the carcass but close enough to chase and defend should any smaller ones come.

The coyote laid with his siblings well into the red of the darkening sun. Sister was particularly close, licking at his wounds where she had bit him, especially at the one that had bled on his front leg. Brother was flat on his back, tail flattening grass and sweeping dirt, tongue lolling out in something like ecstasy and eyes closed after a hard day's work followed by so much fresh food.

All in all it was a good day. The coyote would have liked for both Brother and Sister to learn to stop hunting and return when he whistled; doing that meant he might be able to teach them someday to not attack any prey right away but to wait and listen and herd. Brother was obviously more fit for following orders; about Sister the coyote was still unsure.

"Speaking in Common" --poor-to-basic
"And in Vani{descriptors}" --basic
"And in Tukant [implications, descriptors]" --poor
"And in Pavi" grassland sign --poor

[Tribal]

G R A D E S

Kyo

Experience

• Hunting: 2
• Animal Husbandry: 5
• Intelligence: 1
• Planning: 1
• Logic: 2
• Tactics: 1
• Running: 3
• Endurance: 2
• Observation: 4
• Unarmed Combat: 1
• Body Building: 1
• Leadership: 1
• Wilderness Survival: 1

Lore

• Logic: Choosing a lone, weak target
• Animal Husbandry: Teaching a pack of dogs to listen
• Sister: The real ringleader
• Animal Husbandry: Reinstating dominance
• Sister: Trust issues
• Hunting: Grassland cows
• Always something ready to take your meal from you in the Sea of Grass
• Brother: Follows orders better than sister

Notes

Great training thread. Enjoy the rewards.