How to Train Your Muskie (Righteous x Streams of Silver)

[Scaramouche Fandango]

It was a good thing Righteous had no need to be stealthy, here in the lands of his tribe, because the splashing noises he was making would have alerted every kin and beast within half a day's march. He was enthusiastically rolling in the water, kicking at it with his heels and ignoring what the mud was doing to his snarl of curls. A muskwolf looked at him disdainfully, curled tightly in the roots of a mangrove. Her fur was decidedly dry, fluffed to the fullest. The creature was impeccably groomed, and if he didn't know any better, he would say she had a mind to keep it that way. He wheedled and cajoled. "Come on, Truly!" he said, trying to entice the muskwolf. "The water's nice! All lovely and cool! And we're going to go have fun- you love fun!"

There was no response.

Sighing, he floundered in the water, rolling to find his footing. He stood, the water lapping at his neck. "I'll give you a treat. Won't that be nice?" He made a mental calculation, wondering how many treats he had left in his little leather carrying pouch. Bits of bone and dried meat- how many had he given her already? It had taken quite a few just to convince her to follow him this far.

The muskwolf's ears flicked as she eyed him and, deciding the bribe simply wasn't worthy, snorted and closed her eyes. He was bluffing and she knew it.

He nosed open the bag and looked at the paltry supply of now-sodden snacks. He hoped his grandmother would have some more, because there was no way Truly would follow him home without them. Once again, he begged the muskwolf to follow him into the water. "Please, girl? Come on and play with me!" He splashed a little more, but he knew he'd probably lost this battle.  

[Anhelisk]

Streams of Silver had been dozing. With no pups or foals to keep an eye on, she generally didn't need to worry about staying attentive, and the doe enjoyed the rare moments of beauty rest afforded to her by her family and tribe. Still, the sound of splashing was one that had her waking up– it usually meant no good, because those familiar enough with the entrance to the caves her adoptive son and daughter had cultivated for their own use didn't make much noise entering or exiting.

She walked to the mouth of the cave, ears perking as she heard a voice– one of her grandchildren, though she was pressed to tell who exactly. "Having trouble?" she called out, figuring she could at least offer him a little advice. "Just ignore her and swim here. She'll either follow, or she'll wait for you."  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

"But she'll run off if I do!" Righteous called back, pleased to hear Streams of Silver- the entire reason for this trip. He sought her expertise because if anybody could get Truly to obey, it would be her. "Wait, I know!" He unslung the bag of treats and awkwardly tossed it to shore. The quiet thump of its landing put lightning in the lounging muskwolf's paws; she was on it in a flash, digging at it with her paws to get it open and devour its contents. Satisfied that she'd at least stay for the food, he finished the swim over towards the cave mouth. Pulling himself from the water, he resisted the urge to shake too heartily, lest he douse his grandmother. That would not do.

"She never follows. That's actually the problem. Hello, grandmother!" He smiled winsomely at her, a sardonic what-can-you-do smile. "Are you particularly busy right now? I'm kind of in desperate need of some assistance."  

[Anhelisk]

Streams listened intently as the action unfolded around the edge of the cave mouth, out of sight... and then her grandson appeared. Ah! Righteous! It was Righteous, and an apparently grossly undertrained young vixen along with him, it seemed.

Well, she was glad he'd come to her– she'd help him straighten things out. "I always have time for my darling grandchildren," she said gently, looking him up and down.

"You seem well– I'm glad to see that. Now, tell me– did you just... give her something to make her stay?"  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

His smile grew warmer- he really was very fond of his entire family. "I am quite well, and I hope you are, too- but Truly is... not. I mean, physically, she's fine... but she's..." He furrowed his brow as he thought of how to put it. "I was hoping to take her along as a companion on my pilgrimage to the borderlands, but she's... not of the right mind for such an undertaking. She's willful and stubborn, and while I respect her will, it seems that she doesn't respect mine. She's become intractable as of late, and I don't know how to deal with her. Like right now- I knew she'd run off unless I threw her the pouch of treats. There's some dried meat in there. It's pretty much the only thing she listens to. I don't understand- she was so good as a puppy, but now that she's gotten bigger, she never wants to listen to me." He winced as he heard her growl playfully and snap her teeth. That always meant she was getting into something that would cause him grief. Was she going to eat the bag, too? He'd have to get another one made if it came to that.  

[Anhelisk]

"Well, you've spoiled her," the doe said plainly. "You've probably taken to bribing her to do things– she's doubtless learned that you trust her little enough that if she holds out, you'll try bribing her out of desperation, so she can hold out against you."

There was no small amount of amusement in the doe's expression as she pushed past him, and moved to swim around the corner. She had to get a look at this.  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

True to her owner's predictions, Truly had eaten the bag. The leather was a pile of tattered ribbons, the contents gone. She yipped happily at the approaching kin; perhaps it was someone come to play with her! She did enjoy attention and games, so long as they were on her own terms.

Righteous followed his grandmother, cowed. She was completely correct; he'd always been rather doting and indulgent. It had started innocently enough; he'd not wanted to yell at her or strike her, so when she was disobedient, he'd tossed treats her way to encourage cooperation. While he had a steely core of self-discipline, this did not extend to the animal in his care. He couldn't expect from her the same things he expected from himself, and so he'd let her take the lead- and now this had come back to bite him.  

[Anhelisk]

"Right. Well, then." Streams of Silver, once she'd had a glance at the ruin of a bag that couldn't be salvaged, walked straight past the muskie, giving her a clearly uninterested impression as she walked past, giving enough room for the buck to come completely out of the water before turning to face him.

"First, you'll keep your eyes off her when I'm teaching you– unless I tell you to focus on her first and foremost. The best treat you can give a companion is your attention, until you've trained them that your approval is more valuable. For now, we'll have to forgo treats almost completely– she'll need to recontextualize them as rewards, not promises, before you'll get anywhere with her."  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Hastily, he took a sidelong glance at Truly- just to make sure she was staying out of trouble- before meeting his grandmother's face. "But how do I get her to value my attention again? No treats won't be a problem- she ate all of them, I don't have any left to give her. But she doesn't look to me anymore like she did as a pup. How do I get her to consider my attention worthwhile? I don't want her to think I don't value hers anymore!" He had no idea how this was supposed to work. Truly didn't like to listen to words- she listened to food and to toys. How was he to keep her attention when there were sticks or small animals to chase or myriad other distractions?  

[Anhelisk]

It looked like a demonstration was in order. Streams of Silver turned away, and started walking.  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

"Grandmother! Where are you going?" Clumsily, Righteous hastily turned to follow her- she was supposed to be helping, not leaving him here!

Truly cocked her head and looked at the retreating pair, sniffing curiously in their direction.  

[Anhelisk]

It took a little while to get her duckling train to follow– and longer yet to make sure that it wouldn't be taken by mistake. Once Truly had turned the corner to follow, Streams of Silver stopped. "Take a look behind you, Righteous," she instructed quietly.  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

To his surprise and delight, there was Truly, right behind him! It had actually worked! His heart soared- perhaps there was hope for the two of them yet.

But then she whined and he despaired, for this might have been all for naught. She'd sunk to her haunches, looking up at him with sad puppy eyes and begging. He knew that face well. "She wants a treat," he said quietly. "But I don't have any. If I don't give her one, how can I reinforce this?"  

[Anhelisk]

"Ask her to roll over. You taught her that when she was a puppy," she said. She knew– she'd been the one to teach him how to teach her, and had made sure she was listening to his command before she ever let them leave the relative safety of the tribelands.  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

He wasn't sure if she'd listen, but it was worth a try. She seemed pretty excited, and that usually meant she was in a comparatively cooperative mood. At least for now, before she realized she wasn't getting a treat. "Come on, girl! Roll over!"

She flopped to her back, paws drawn to her chin, then twisted herself over and looked up expectantly- but he had nothing to give her, so he simply mustered his enthusiasm. "Good girl! Good girl! You're so smart and good!" He dropped his front, bending his forelimbs to bring his face down to her level. She smacked the ground with her paws, yipping excitedly and wagging her tail. Were they going to play now? She was down for that. Maybe he'd throw a stick and she could chew on it and refuse to bring it back! And surely then he'd give her a treat to trade for the stick.