That little Tyke

Number of posts : 160 Registration date : 2011-01-31

Tyke looked down at the prints again, trying to determine whom each step belonged to. There were a few sets from animals he had never encountered before. He tried to ignore these and push them from his mind. He saw the coyote tracks, but he wasn't to concentrate on those either. "This is hard." He complained, his eyes straining to see what else was there. He knew it was immature to say so, but maybe adults felt the strain too.

Come on, think! He could locate other tracks, and he saw the boars prints walking towards this mess, so he doubled back on his traces to start again. He kept his eyes on the rounder prints, and this time, he could view them beneath the tangled web of where others had trod. But he still could not bring them out of this tide to continue to follow the beast's way.

Come on, you know where they are, think harder! He screwed his eyes up in concentration, trying to pick out the correct set of prints. He could see the boar's as clear and day now, as though his greyscale vision had suddenly highlighted his goal, but he couldn't see where they came out, so by default, he didn't know where it was going. Tyke stepped around the tangle of prints to see if he could find a new set of the boar's outside of the web, but he knew this idea wasn't going to work. He would need to concentrate harder. "There." He said to Ixtab, pointing at the correct prints in the tangle. "But I don't know where they come out." He needed her help. He wasn't a skilled hunter, nor tracker just yet. In order to learn, he had to ask questions.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Fri May 27, 2011 1:07 pm

She heard the complaint, but didn't respond yet, seeing that he was trying to focus. Ixtab knew this was difficult, but Tyke wouldn't learn well unless everything was a challenge. At least he wouldn't have to learn in the conditions she had. That was the only thought that could reassure her until he realizes just how far he's come in a short amount of time. He was determined, that much was obvious.

She replied when he verbally told her where he was, beginning with his first statement, "I know this is hard, but I think you'll find the results rewarding when you're done." She also hoped that this type of training would help him expand his intellect at thinking through puzzles and new situations. Find new ways of thinking.

"It's already impressive that you can see where the tracks are, so don't beat yourself up. Think about it. Could this boar have come into contact with any of the other animals that also passed through here? If the times were close together, the scents should be around the same strength. From there, think about how the boar would respond to the other animal, and smell for other scents that might tell you what might have happened. Some parts of this, too, can be difficult, and will take practice. You'll still learn when you get stuck."

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Mon May 30, 2011 2:04 am

"Maybe..." He thought. "Maybe it was being chased. There was a coyote here, maybe it was after the same boar we are." Tyke gazed up at Ixtab for confirmation. He sniffed the air, but his nares were not practiced with the scents of most others yet. "Pigs don't eat other animals, do they. I've never seen one eating meat, so it probably wan't chasing anything, but being chased itself." Tyke thought over this tiny spark of logic for a moment before drawing his attention back to the ground. He wondered if this got easier the more he learned and the older he grew. Ixtab seemed to know what se was talking about, and what he should do. He could tell that she had the answer planned out already. She knew which tracks to follow and which direction the boar had gone. He needed to work this one out for himself. He strained his mind harder, concentrating on the mess of tracks once more. He walked forward, following rounded prints until they eventually lead free of the others. Had Tyke finally found the answer? He wasn't aware of what he was following as of yet, but his instincts told him to continue.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Tue May 31, 2011 12:04 am

Ixtab nodded her head, listening to the explanation Tyke offered. As he seemed to have found the path, she said, "In situations like this, it helps to see if you can scent any blood in the direction they went. It can tell you which, if any are injured by the smell of blood, how far the blood track goes, and if the owner of the blood is probably alive or not." She wasn't sure if Tyke even knew what he was doing at this point, but so far, he was looking at the correct path both the boar and coyote took. "Like a spy, gather as much information as you can before encountering the one you track." Even if Tyke was moving based on what his senses told him, his mind will soon recognize what his senses and instincts were telling him, and he'll learn how to listen to them, maybe even depend on them at times. She wouldn't stop him this time, since the coyote had given up on the boar, leaving it free for the pair to find.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Tue May 31, 2011 2:02 am

"I see blood, but it's old." Tyke wondered over to a collection of maroon droplets on the mossy floor. They could have come from any animal. 'Use your senses.' He held his muzzle close to the blood and sniffed. Then, feeling brave, he ran the tip of his tongue along a single droplet, tasting the iron on his palet. It was from a boar, but that didn't necessarily mean it came from the one they were tracking. Then again, any boar would do. The tracks he had been following moments before meandered into the trees, and he continued to follow them again. The scent of his prey grew stronger, and his nostrils flared. Branches cracked ahead and the smell of lood and pelt his them like the wind. "Are we close?" Tyke whispered, looking back at Ixtab, a grin spreading across his face. This could be a very wrong guess, but it could be his victory. A triumph. 'I want to taste it. I want to see it perish by the fang of a wolf.'

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Tue May 31, 2011 10:14 pm

She nodded, seeing that Tyke was correctly following the trail. "Yes, we are close. The blood, indeed, is relatively old. The beasts like to wander at night, sleeping in the day. After its encounter with the coyote, it retreated to find shelter to sleep under, to hide. In a place like this, there aren't many unoccupied hiding places, so most likely, it sleeps under a tree, hidden behind a bush on the side that has more trees and obstacles." She told him this, because she didn't expect him to the know the habits of boar yet. "Because it's injured, we might as well make a meal out of it. Others will eventually find and kill it anyways." She was pleased to see the grin upon his features. Perhaps Tyke, despite his innocent sounding name, would be a formidable wolf at this rate. "Are you ready to see how a wolf can ambush sleeping prey?" Even though it wouldn't be safe for Tyke to attempt this, he could at least watch how it's done.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Wed Jun 01, 2011 1:58 am

Tyke grinned, turning his head back to the tracks. "I'm ready." Although he was not about to pounce, he positioned himself in such a way, imagining the capture after an ambush of the beast. The pig was going to be theirs and there was nothing it could do to prevent such an attack. Tyke was even more excited now, and waited for further instructions from Ixtab. He was going to view her moves with full concentration. The boar was injured, so it shouldn't be too hard to kill as a single wolf. "What are you going to do?" His childish curiosity rang in his voice as he cocked his head and continued grinning with pleasure.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Jun 02, 2011 11:55 pm

"Hmmm," she started to reply. It wasn't that she didn't know what she was going to do. "I think I will sneak as close to it as possible and attack it from behind. A boar, especially an injured one, can be dangerous to approach from the front. I can do that, but I'd be wasting energy I could save." Crouching low, she stalked forward, trusting that Tyke would know how to stay safe. Of course, she'd protect him, but all the better if he took the initiative for his own safety. She made a wide arc around the boar until she could see it, and she was positioned behind it.

Slinking forward, she approached the slumbering creature, although she knew not how long ago it had actually fallen asleep. She stepped closer, past the point she normally would. Ixtab would take every advantage possible. the beast made the slightest of movements, displaying signs of disruption, but didn't wake. This was the limit, so she shifted her weight back, springing forward. It was now that the boar did realize something was wrong and woke up, expecting her to have approached from the front. It had no time to wonder about this as she quickly came down upon it, knowing better than to immediately aim for the back of the neck from this angle. Instead, she clamped down upon it's leg as the boar jolted up to run, her claws digging into its back. With its still sleep-hazed mind and the blood loss, the boar's reaction time was much slower than usual and the leg buckled under the weight of the boar. Without much difficulty now, she approached it from the front, neatly avoiding it's attacks before striking back. She sharply bit its snout, stunning it long enough to attack the throat, pleased to feel the life draining out.

When there was no more breath, she looked up at Tyke, motioning him to join her as she started to rip pieces of meat off.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Mon Jun 06, 2011 5:15 pm

As he watched the attack, Tyke grinned. Ixtab was smooth, flawless, completely in control. Her dance was beautiful to watch, and as the boar fell lip from her bite, Tyke could almost hear its life rushing past his ears. The performance excited him, and he couldn't wait to attempt a true kill of his own on a beast that size. Obviously, not quite yet. The pig was several times his size, and even taking the life of the hare took precision and team work. Tyke new he wanted to be a great hunter. To be able to fight and attack for his food and wellbeing. To defend those he cared for and to taste the metallic blood as he won his victory.

When Ixtab motioned for Tyke to join her, he leaped towards her, watching her rip the flesh off her new kill. Following her lead, Tyke bent his face down to the boar and sunk his teeth into it, ripping of chunks. It tasted devine, and also previously injured, the meat was fresh. This boar was the perfect age, its meat so tender. "That was brilliant!" Tyke grinned up at Ixtab, his eyes sparkling with awe.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:29 pm

Tyke praised her, and Ixtab expected that he'd been watching her every move. Swallowing a bite, she said, "One day, you'll find your own style of fighting that will impress others. As I start to train you to fight, we'll discover your style, limitations, and how to accommodate for that. You have many moons to reach that point. It's good to start to physically train your body and stay in good shape at an early age." She pulled more meat from the carcass, trying to decide what they should do next.

This boar was far enough away from their oasis to worry about predators, so they could leave the meat where it was for the sake of more opportunities for Tyke to practice various skills. Maybe a full out run back to the oasis... well... full speed for Tyke at any rate. She looked at him to see his reaction to the idea of training.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:22 pm

Tyke was excited to run again. He padded his paws against the ground, eager to get going. "Will I be a strong wolf?" he asked, not realizing the limitations to this question. He was a pup, excitement overpowered him. He wanted to chase down rodents and rush through bushes. He looked at Ixtab's legs. They were strong, like most adults he had seen. He wanted to be a strong too, a mighty bru that many feared and others envied his talents for hunting.

he stepped away form the boar, having eaten his fill. He couldn't see how they could drag it to the place they rested the previous night, so he assumed they were to leave it there for scavengers.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:28 pm

She tilted her head as Tyke asked. "Strong?" she asked. It was a rhetorical question, and he'd realize this. She looked up from the boar while she spoke, "Strength depends on how you view the world. Amongst dark wolves," Ixtab placed a paw on the carcass of the boar, "this generally means physical strength. With others..." she removed her paw, "it means being able to outwit the opponent. It can be mental strength, too. With physical strength... I'm not sure yet. I think you can. You see, each wolf is born with natural abilities. Some skills, such as fighting, one wolf might pick it up fast. Another wolf could, but would have to work harder."

Looking over the bushes, she continued, "You're still young. You can accomplish almost whatever you want if you start to train for it soon. What you've already touched upon was your physical potential when you chased that rabbit. Then just now, when finding those prints, you were testing your ability to recognize scents and patterns as well as a test of general knowledge. A bit of critical thinking, as well to deduce possibilities to further help you. We can start testing your fighting capabilities. There are multiple aspects of fighting that can help determine a win. There's speed, strength, and stamina. If a wolf lacks muscle, they might have greater speed to avoid attacks, being unable to take many attacks head-on. They might also have much stamina o keep up their speed. There's also the case where a wolf might have speed and strength, but not as much stamina. There's many combinations, even more so if you add in the ability to strategize. Winning a fight, and being strong, is your ability to know your limitations and utilize yours strengths in the best way possible." She raised an eyebrow, as if asking if he wanted to start this now or wait. Ixtab didn't mention it yet, but silent communication was also important, especially in the case talking wasn't an option, such as sudden ambushes.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Jun 16, 2011 1:47 am

Tyke bent low to the ground, his rear in the air and his tail whipping from side to side. He was excited. "I'm excited!" he said, ready to leap. He knew he would need a few years of practice, but the idea that he could one day become to strong wolf overpowered him. He would be like his parents and Ixtab, strong and willing. There was no shame in being a darker bru, he thought. That just meant more power. More intimidation and competition. Why take the easy path when you can take the fun one? Tyke stood up straight again, ready and awaiting further instructions. They had the rest of the day ahead of them for learning, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself. To him, Ixtab was the smartest wolf out there, and he longed to hear about everything she knew.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:33 pm

Ixab smiled at Tyke's antics. It was difficult to not catch some of his excitement. Perhaps she was doing a good job looking out for him after all. Perhaps her darkness was influencing him, but it was fine. At this rate, she would be able to show her world to him sooner than she expected. As much as the idea excited her, she would still have to take it slow enough for Tyke to keep up...

"Although I mentioned three commonly seen aspects in winning a fight, there are more. You'll discover those on your own with time. Now, as we start training, keep in mind that I'm always going to push you to your limit and a little bit further. Sometimes, it'll be fun for you. Other times, it won't, but you'll later find it beneficial. Because you're always being pushed to your limit, you might not feel you're improving as the days pass. In actuality, you will vastly improve. Keep up with me and follow the path I take if you want to improve, ok Tyke? We're going to run then take a break for water," she said, then sprinted off.

She moved slow enough that Tyke could keep up moderately easily. As they kept running, Tyke should find it increasingly difficult to keep up with her. For now, he'd have little trouble keeping up. She would weave between trees, sometimes taking a sharp turn and sticking to that path, weaving again before taking another sharp turn. Ixtab paid close attention to Tyke's footsteps behind her. She would slow down a little bit as Tyke's steps fell too far behind until they returned to a closer distance behind her. This was only their first run, so Ixtab wouldn't make him run too long. They reached their current, temporary home, but a long, curving way instead of a beeline. She stopped at the water's edge, signifying their break. If Tyke hadn't ran for relatively long distances, he should be feeling very tired, but after some water and a few minutes rest, he should feel fine again, possibly asking her questions on why they had done this.

((we can time skip a month or two soon if you want at some point. Enough that he's a bit more experienced but still a pup.))

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Tue Feb 14, 2012 2:14 pm

((Moving Ixtab to another board. If you come back, PM me. We'll do a time jump and say Tyke was being tested solo if that's the case.))