Beginner's Obedience [Wherling Class]

[Zen]

Turn 2762, Mid 1st Month
Whers: 2 Months, 30% Growth

Galderran

It had been two months since the new whers had hatched and Galderran rather thought that plenty of time for the new handlers to adjust to their new schedules as well as settle into their new bonds. The new handlers should understand well enough how to take care of their new partners and have a decent idea of their personalities, quirks and all. It was time to progress past basic care and into some actual training.

“Obedience is of utmost importance,” he told the class seriously, his own big bronze settled at his side and keeping an eye on the little ones, “An uncontrolled wher is a danger to everyone around it. If you cannot keep your wher in hand, a bond transfer may be in order.” Such things weren’t taken lightly, but a wher could very well be taken away from an incompetant handler and paired with someone better suited if the original handler proved too weak of will. It would set the new handler back some, having to reform a bond, but it was either that or the wher may have to be destroyed if it could not properly be brought under control and Galderran wanted to avoid that outcome at all costs.

“I’m sure you’ve been working on obedience on your own to some extent up to now, but from here on it will become part of your nightly routine. We will begin simply, as with canines, and work our way toward more complex commands and expectations,” he explained, glancing over the still small wherlings. “At this age, they will very likely want to remain close to you… though there are exceptions of personality,” he added with some small amusement, “So we will begin with a simple wait and come command. You will each take up positions where you wish, command your wher to stay and wait, and put more and more distance between the two of you as they obey the command.”

He jerked his head toward the door, then, for emphasis, “The goal for tonight is to be able to leave the room entirely while they remain patiently in one place, waiting for your return and for you to release them from their ‘wait’ command. Some of you may not accomplish this tonight, and that’s fine, you can continue to work on it throughout the coming nights, even as we add new commands. Those of you that manage to accomplish the task quickly can lengthen the time you spend away from them, out of sight, to ensure their obedience won’t waver over time. We will practice this exercise at various intervals throughout the night, in different places, in short sessions, to ensure that some of our more… difficult personalities don’t become impatient and lose interest in the activity completely. They are still young, after all. We must take things slowly to start. If you have no questions, you may begin when you are ready.”

Asheryn :: Green Ashesk

Ashesk seemed to enjoy arguing purely for the sake of it. That’s the main thing Asheryn had learned about her little green in the short time they’d been together so far. No seemed to be her favorite word. She was a sassy little brat that was equal parts amusing and frustrating. Galderran had, for the most part, been only checking in with them and ensuring they were taking care of their hatchlings properly and following their new schedule as handlers, being mostly nocturnal, and making himself easily available for questions and concerns. There had been very little actual training involved thus far, after the first few days where the giant of a man had hovered like he had clutched them all himself. She had joked with him that he had never hovered so over their daughter, which he didn’t particularly appreciate but she found incredibly amusing.

So it was with some eagerness that she attended what was to be their first real training session since Galderran had gone in depth into proper care with them after their hatching. Asheryn was ready for the next step, the current routine having become quite boring to her, particularly as she hadn’t been able to properly socialize, Galderran warning against leaving their new partners alone for long. Her little green had scampered after her, refusing to be carried as usual, interested in the change of routine as they headed to the makeshift classroom. What we do? The green demanded to know. “How am I supposed ta know?” she shot back. You dumb. How you not know? Asheryn snorted, “How do you not know, ya little wherryshit?” Ashesk snorted right back, You know. You tell. I not know.

Asheryn at least had some practice speaking with toddlers, between her two children, so maybe it had been a little easier for her to adjust to interpreting her green’s simplified speech than it might have been for others. There was some logic in the green’s silly little head. She was the one that told Ashesk what they were doing every day, she was the one that was supposed to know. She laughed, “Galderran’ll tell us.” Ashesk snorted again, Galdersk there? Galdersk dumb. By dumb, Asheryn knew she meant annoying. The little green used the word dumb for many similar but not quite the same words. It mostly just meant she didn’t like the big bronze because he had bossed her around for getting too stubborn a few times. “Yeh, he’ll be there.” Dumb, Ashesk reiterated. Well, perhaps ‘dumb’ was actually her favorite word, but ‘no’ was certainly a close second.

The task their Wherlingmaster set them to seemed simple enough, and Asheryn had no doubt that Ashesk was plenty intelligent and capable enough of performing the commands… but her stubborn rebelliousness meant the task would not be as simple as it seemed at all. Dumb, she said again when Galderran had finished explaining and given them leave to start practicing. “It’s easy. All ya gotta do is sit there.” Dumb, was pressed at her even harder and Asheryn rolled her eyes, “The sooner we do it, the sooner we can do somethin’ else.” What else? More dumb? Asheryn shrugged, “No, not more dumb… whatever we want.” Meat? “Ya just ate.” Want meat. Whatever is meat. Asheryn stared down at the green, who was staring back unblinking. She had said they could do whatever they wanted. A mistake on her part. “Fine. I’ll get ya a snack after. But only if you’re good and listen. No ain’t allowed. Got it? Or no meat.” Ashesk shook herself like a little green canine, Want meat. Asheryn supposed that was the closest thing to agreement she was going to get.

[Taxx]

Lorthoren of blue Lorsk

Being bonded to a wher had certainly been an experience. To start with, Lorsk was a rather anti-social creature, growling if anyone besides his handler tried to touch him- and sometimes even refusing a pat from him too. Not demonstrative and definitely not the sort to demand attention or affection, Lorthoren was coming to enjoy the moments Lorsk settled at his side, leaning the small form against a leg or his back. He spoke often enough, and he didn't lack intelligence even in a wher's simplified way, he simply didn't care for people fawning over him. He liked his space and wasn't shy about letting everyone- wher, human or dragon- know it.

The first month had been mostly explaining every new sight, sound or smell to Lorsk, or answering questions on a number of topics that caught his attention. "Tell" had been the most used word, with a mental push about what he wanted to be told about. The conversations may not have been as detailed as those with dragons, but even with his limited communication skills and thought processes, Lorsk was intent on learning as much as he could about the world he had hatched into.

Lorthoren was expecting that intelligence to be put to good use today. He hadn't exactly tried to train Lorsk- aside from trying to teach him that biting was bad and growling a warning was better than just lashing out. Lorsk got it, even if he didn't always care to listen, and Lorthoren had little doubt he'd pick up this concept too. Whether or not he'd listen, of course, was the issue.

"Understand?" Lorthoren asked his blue, glancing down at him just as Lorsk yawned, radiating boredom.

Get. Stay. Maybe will. Maybe won't. A gleam of wicked mischief lit the blue's eyes and he stared back at his handler. What give, Lorsk stay?

"Meat?" Meat was always a good incentive, surely.

Meat. A snort of derision. Belly empty, get meat. Belly full, no meat. Not want meat. What give, Lorsk stay? Another stare, the question demanding a better answer in exchange for his obedience.

"What do you want, then?"

Bone. Dark. Lorsk. A moment before he added: Maybe Lorsk's.

A bone to chew on in peace, in their weyr. Hardly a request Lorthoren couldn't fulfill. "Okay. You stay and I'll get you what you want."

A grunt of acknowledgement and then a heavy sigh, as if he was being asked to do much more than lie in one place. Lorsk stay. Make bone good, Lorsk not happy, no stay.

"Okay, okay." Lorthoren rose and took a few steps, glancing back to test the blue's position and then looking to Galderran as he moved closer to the room's entrance.

[deebear]

Tavmar of Brown Task

Two months. It had been two months since Tavmar had landed himself with his handful of a brown Wher, Task. He was a sweet, gentle thing and honestly wasn’t as much of a handful as some of the other hatchlings but Tav supposed he could be on occasion in his own way. He had spent the majority of the last two months learning his new sleep schedule, cramming his new charge full of food, constantly bathing and oiling him, and getting to know the ins and outs of his basic personality traits. Not that Task was unmanageable in any way but when Tavmar heard that Galderran was starting their lessons with obedience he was excited to say the least. Mostly because he was ready for both himself and Task to start learning how to work together, other than the mundane, day to day activities or chasing him out of his laundry pile.

Tavmar glanced down at Task, who sat quietly by his right leg, pressed gently against said leg and grinned a bit. It was difficult to imagine Task, of all whers, to be dangerous. He very rarely growled and that was only when someone startled him honestly. A few people had already remarked on his lack of aggression even with him only being a hatchling. Tav wasn’t overly worried about it honestly. He was certain that as his wher grew and learned what it meant to defend and protect he would find his aggression too, it was part of his specie’s genetic design after all. He frowned at the thought of losing Task due to not being able to train him properly. He loved his little eating machine and wouldn’t let anyone take him away from him. Task’s head jerked up to look at his handler, eyes whirling blue but with hints of yellow mixed in. <No take!>, he said firmly. <Task only Task’s!>, he added and stomped one of his small feet while doing so. Tav smiled and placed his palm on the top of Task’s head, lightly scratching between his eyes while moving his head around gently with his hand. “Yes, Task is Task’s”, he told him quietly then hushed him gently while he settled in to listen to the lesson.

’Oh boy..’, thought Tav, slightly amused and concerned all at the same time as he glanced back down at Task who was currently chewing on his front paw. Task had the rather pesky tendency to be clingy. He wasn’t even remotely interested in exploring anything without Tav being right with him. Unless the little brown was asleep Tav couldn’t go anywhere without him and even then Task sometimes woke up and cried for him until he came back and loved on him with reassurances that he had not been abandoned. This was going to be fun, teaching Task to stay put without him for even a few minutes. <Task Stay> Tav, amused, raised a brow and grinned down at Task. “Mmmhmm. Sure he will…” Tavmar gave a soft rumbling chuckle as he scratched his jawline through the scruff of a beard he hadn’t bothered to shave off for a few weeks then looked around. “Let’s go over here, Task”, Tav said after others started moving around the room. He chose a back corner which would hopefully keep his charge from being too distracted by the others. “Alright, you understand what to do? I tell you to stay and you wait until I tell you to come to me.”, he asked the young brown, who looked up at him and tilted his head. <Task’s go, Task go too?> “Yess…”, he answered slowly. “But only after I tell you to. Okay” Task looked up at Tavmar for a long time before he said, <Okay>

[tovaana]

Zylorin :: Green Zysk

Zysk was a danger to no one, Zylorin felt confident about that. He glanced at the handler with the bronze, at least, not not compared to that beast. A tinge of jealousy pricked his heart, but he did well to keep the feeling away from Zysk. It was a talent that he was beginning to develop for the sake of training his wher. He’d discovered early on how sensitive the little creature was, which really – was the worst of his worries. Everything else seemed to be going well.

His jaw tightened at the announcement of the lesson. Obedience was one of the least of his worries. His little swirly green, from the moment she’d hatched, had seemed to want to please her handler. And Zylorin, who wanted to speed along training so the sooner so they could actually accomplish things, had already started training her. He’d created small tasks and even a simple course for her to go through with him. He pushed away the early memories of his frustration when she didn’t get something done the first time – he didn’t want her to sense it now and decide that ‘Zysk can’t’. It had left enough of an impression that Zylorin’s problem solving skills had kicked in. While he couldn’t understand why she was so sharding sensitive, he couldn’t lose his cool, or Zysk went from a completely pleasant and obedient wher to a useless heap of mental tears.

At least this lesson would be a breeze. He hadn’t actually attempted to separate himself from his clingy wher who wanted to be where he was. He would never admit it to anyone, not even himself, but he had enjoyed the company – especially of a creature that wanted to please him so badly. If only the world felt the same way about him and his abilities, bending to his logic and vision… what he could make of Mavros if they’d only let him.

He looked down at his green when the instructions were over, but the green was already looking eagerly up at him. What Zysk’s want? This was the most complex and also the most repeated phrase his wher had come up with. He took a breath, pushing away any irritation that he could feel in the pit of his stomach – the repetition was irritating, but again, he couldn’t let Zysk know it.

“To stay.” He started, also coming to an early realization that his wordiness could confuse her. “I will go out of the room, and you will stay here.” Zysk’s go? Not return? There was a note of sheer fear, but no hint that she would disobey him, even if he would leave forever. “I’ll let you know when to follow.” The yellow tint left her gaze quickly, her eagerness returning. Zysk stay, Zysk follow. She nodded her head and he only hoped that she understood. “Follow only when I say.” Wait. She emphasized with another nod of her head, copying the movement that she’d seen Zylorin do when he was pleased.

He nodded, feeling a sort of pride in his wher. No, she wasn’t a bronze, but just as perfect as her shell had been, so was she. His stride took him from the room without looking back, feeling Zysk’s eager gaze watching as she repeated in his mind. Zysk stay!

[Alyx]

Leander and Brown Leask

Maybe not surprising, Leander found that nightlife agreed with her. Fewer people to deal with directly, fewer chances of running it people that might know her uncle; and all the time in the world to finally try to unlearn some of the survival habits she’d depended on since she’d been delivered into her uncle’s clutches. It wasn’t easy, and she was far from comfortable with what seemed like a stable, safe place. She still expected something to rip it away from her; the freedom and safe feelings she felt were too warm, too new for her to not expect them to be yanked out from under her like a cruel joke.

Her anxiety hadn’t gone unnoticed; she was pretty sure she was giving poor little Leask a defensive complex. Every time she began to dwell, to panic, her new partner would turn into a growly little force of nature and attempt to protect her from… anything really? Last night, it had been a blanket that the little wher was convinced was the source of his bonded’s panic attack, and had promptly murdered the bedclothes into shreds of blue and green threads. Leander had spent a good hour rotating between laughing and scolding the wher, but Leask himself had been very proud of his word - both in destruction and in saving Leander from her mental darkness.

For the better part of the last two months, their ‘training’ had been pretty basic. Feeding, Cleaning, and other things she would assume you would learn with any beast or bonded-type partner? She didn’t have any reason to think that this lesson would be anything different as she trailed in with the rest of her class, Leask’s brown bulk against her knee like a trained guard canine. She’s managed a smile at the men - she was learning she didn’t have to hide from these group, for the most part, but still picked to sit closer to Asheryn and her little Green, using the pair as a buffer against the males of their class. She was learning, but old habits were hard to shake.

And, in one sentence, Galderran shattered what little calm and security Leander had felt. Bond…transfer..? Leander felt her throat tighten, fighting against the sound she wanted to make. They could take Leask away from her?!? No! NO! The Brown responded instantly to Leander’s swing in emotions; a growly little grumble echoing from by her ankles. Leask protect. The rough little voice brought Leander back in a snap, her hand reaching out to catch the little brown wher’s muzzle before he got more than two steps from her. ‘No.’

Leask Protect. Protect Leask’s. The little wher pressed the words against her mind, so very determined to do what he saw as his job. ‘Yes, Leask protects. But I don’t think shredding poor Galderran’s leg like you did the blanket would help me.’ Under her hand, Leask tilted his knobby head and seemed to think. Leask’s scared. Leask protect. Leander tighten her fingers just a little, feeling very aware of the pointed little teeth just a breath from her fingertips. ‘Leask, no. Please. Stay.’ He snorted under her hand, then shook his head to remove her hand. Leask Stay with Leask’s. ‘Thank you.’

She hoped dearly the others had been too busy to notice the tense moment; she didn’t want anyone to even consider she wouldn’t handle Leask, and she didn’t want Galderran to know how close he had been to possibly needing new trousers. She had caught at least the basics of what the man wanted them to do, but she wasn’t personally confident she could get Leask to do what was wanted? Especially with her nerves now on edge like they were, and somehow she had to get Leask to let her out of his sight. Oh, boy…

Leask’s stays. Leask protect. Leander refocused on the little brown, keenly aware that several of the other handlers were already stepping toward the doorway, and took a deep breath. More panic wouldn’t help. Galderran said that it would be okay if they couldn’t get them to listen tonight, but what if everyone else was able to get their whers to stay and she was the only one that couldn’t? Leask bumped his head against her knee, then sneezed at her. Leask’s stays. Leask protect. ‘I need you to stay while I go outside the door.’ No. Leask’s stays. Leask protect.

Leander gave a loud, suffered groan. “That’s not how the lesson is supposed to work.” Leask’s needs Leask. Stay together. Leask protect. Leander couldn’t help but smile, even though she knew it wouldn’t help her case. Dropping her hand, she ran her fingers along the bumpy beast’s eye ridges. How could she get him to listen? How were the others doing it? She could overhear some of them - a little bribery seemed the way to go, but Leask wasn’t exactly reward-driven. Or play driven, she’d tried that already a few times, and he hadn’t understood.

She risked a look at Galderran, then the others. Several of the men were already out the door, or close to it. Asheryn was heading that way as well. She needed to think of something quick. Frowning, she turned her attention back to Leask, who didn’t seem to see a problem with the fact he wasn’t listening. “You, stay.” Leask stays. Okay, so far, so good. “Leask’s goes.” Leask sneezed at her. Leask’s stays. Leask stays. “No, Leask’s goes, Leask stays.” The little brown growled, eyes seeming to harrow slightly. Leask Protect. Leask’s stays.

“I will be fine. I’m going to go with Asheryn right outside the door. Not far at all.” No. “Only for a few moments, then I’ll be back.” No. Leask’s stays. Leander stood up, looking down at the little face turned up to look at her. “Stay Leask.” She backed away, then turned, and caught the movement out of the corner of her eye. “Stay.” Leask paused in midstep to follow her, unhappy noises raising from the wher. Leask protect Leask’s. ‘I know. But if you don’t listen, they might try to take you away from me, then where would I be without you?’

It was a heavy-handed blow to drop on the two-month-old creature, but it did make him pause. Leask tilted his head, growling unhappily. Leask protect. ‘I’ll be fine. If I need protecting, I’ll scream.’ She doubted it would get to the point she would need to scream; she hoped at least? Leask seemed to think about it a moment more, then grumbled very much like an unhappy old man and shifted his legs, plopping his rear on the floor with a dramatic motion. Leask stays. Leask’s goes. She couldn't help the smile. “Alright.”

Leask’s comes right back. The unhappy tone was very clear as she stepped after the others toward the door. If not, Leask follows. ‘I know. I’ll be right back, I promise. Just stay put.’ Right back? ‘Yes. Just a few moments.’ She hoped the wher would trust her words as much as he seemed to.