edit its 2am and i just noticed i wrote with she/her pronouns instead of he/him :sob:
just... pretend it's he/him please
Tier One: Write or draw about the first time you met and touched your echobi. Adopts (both free and purchased) and customs are often fully feral when they come into Direwood, whether that is due to them being rehabbed from the wild or coming in from a neglect case. You'll meet them when you first pick them up from the Direwood facility. Pups are much tamer, and you will meet them upon birth (even if training is started after they are fully grown).
Dyre came into Direwood just as wild as they usually did. She was all teeth, no brains. Her especially rambunctious nature and tendency towards using her teeth called for an experienced handler.
When we first met, Dyre reminded me why she needed an experienced handler. I'd forgotten the feeling of teeth on my arms, but just for a few days. No; I was used to the more wild cases, the more wont to be unhinged. It would be a while before we got to touch on good terms. I started slow with her; she was a beautiful beast that commanded respect. Once I showed her respect and agency, she began to return the favour. I had taken to sitting outside of her pen while journaling. I'd kept a few apples next to myself; mostly for snacks while I worked. I heard a familiar snuffling of a large nose, could feel her breath on my leg...
Looked down, and wouldn't you know it?
Someone liked apples too. She strained to lap her big tongue through the bars, and admittedly I giggled a little bit. It was a funny sight, after all. I moved slowly, telegraphing my movements so as to not scare her. I grabbed one of the apples and slowly offered it through the bars. "Gentle," I asked of her, and she obliged. Dyre nibbled at the apple cautiously, and I pushed my luck, reaching in with my other hand to rub her muzzle. She leaned into my hand, not in upset but in what seemed like trust.
I gave her the whole stack of apples.
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