[carmineflyer]

Fei returned to were she had last seen the dino, a small pack resting on her shoulder, filled with meat. A risky move, seeing as how she could attract other predators, but she knew she would have train this dino very differently then anyone else had. He couldn't see, so hand signals wouldn't work, and she couldn't hear, so she couldn't "speak in a reassuring tone" to him. Finally she reached the carcass of the deer, and looked around for the dino. For one heart-stopping moment, Fei couldn't see the dino anywhere. Then, she saw a movement in the corner of her eye, and she saw the dino. Turning towards him, she moved softly, but at the same time, made sure to step on a few branches in order to make it seem that she wasn't sneaking up on him. His head turned towards her, and she knew he had heard her. She reached into her pack, and threw a piece of meat at him. It thudded next to him, and he growled at her, but licked up the meat. She threw another piece, a little closer now, and the dino got up, walked towards her slowly, grabbed the meat, then sprinted back to were he had been laying. Fei waited a bit, then threw another piece, just the slightest bit closer. The dino registered the meat, Fei could see his head turn just the slightest at the same moment it hit the ground, so she knew he had heard. But this time he didn't get up to get it. He turned his head towards the meat, then sniffed the air, and looked at Fei. Perhaps he was just full, but Fei was still panicking on the inside. What if she couldn't touch him? How would she train him? Finally, the dino got up, and sniffed at the meat. He looked towards Fei again, and sniffed the air. Fei took an unconscious step backwards, fearing for her life. Had he decided she would be a better meal then the meat? The dino walked towards her, and Fei could feel the earth shake just the slightest as he came ever closer. She had no chance of outrunning him, so she simply closed her eyes, hoping to at least not see his jaws when they came down on her. She felt a nudge at her pack, and opening her eyes just the slightest, Fei registered a rather bizarre sight. The dino was munching at the meat in her pack, but when Fei gave a startled jump, had jumped backwards himself, then looked at her with an expression very close to when a toddler has just been caught eating sweets. Fei gave a silent laugh, and smiled at him before realizing that he couldn't see her smile. She moved closer to him, holding meat out in her hand, and he moved ever closer to her. The two faced each other, and as if in agreement, the dino bowed its head down to take the food. Fei stretched out her hand and ever so softly, brushed the dino's skin. It was cool and smooth, and she marveled at it. She felt a rumble go through the dino, and she scratched him on the side of his head again, and she felt the rumbling again. Triumph swelled through her as she realized: I did it.

[carmineflyer]

Can-you-just-wear-this-equipment-once? Fei signed against Ahiga's shoulder. She had taught him many things since she had captured him, including all the different signs she used, but he didn't like wearing any sort of saddle or bridle. Ahiga looked at her and she could tell that he still didn't want to wear the stuff.
If-you-can't-learn-then-they-will-think-you-aren't-a-good-dino. "They" was most of Fei's family and the tribe, who, while impressed that she had actually caught a dino, were very skeptical of the dino's abilities when they found out Ahiga was blind. Ahiga snorted at Fei, she could feel the air coming out of his nose.
Please? Ahiga snorted again. Fei sighed. What ever her fellow riders though, she knew Ahiga could understand her. She knew he had a personality, he was stubborn, mischievous, wary, and loyal. She knew he was smart. But you couldn't just walk up to a dino, regardless of how smart they were, and politely ask them to please put on the saddle and bridle. So how could she get it on? While pondering this, Fei didn't see what Ahiga heard. Then she saw him open his mouth and show his teeth, and she guessed that he was roaring. Turning around, she saw the would-be surprise-er stop in his tracks and sneer at her. Reading his lips, Fei saw him mouth the words So the failure managed to wrangle a dino? Huh. What a surprise. Fei balled up her fists, knowing that to sign back a retort would only bring on more laughter. Ahiga snarled at him, and his grin faded. A second snarl set him running back to his own dino, already saddled. Ahiga gave an angry rumble towards this dino, then turned back towards Fei. Fei was burning inside, and grabbed the saddle and bridle and held it up in front of Ahiga.
Please?
Ahiga snorted again, but turned towards Fei and let her slip on the saddle and bridle. She could tell he didn't like it by the way he twisted and turned against it and gave Fei that look that meant he wasn't happy. But she was happy with the final product: a fully "suited-up" Ahiga, all ready for riding. Riding... The next challenge...

[carmineflyer]

Fei slipped the saddle and bridle on while Ahiga stood and waited patiently. After a few more times attemping to saddle, Ahiga would now allow Fei to slip on the equipment without much complaint. But any sort of weight on the equipment would still cause him to shake it off like an annoying fly. Fei signed against his shoulder, to tell him: I-am-going-to-get-in-the-saddle. Thinking about her statement some more, she added Don't-buck-me-off. Fei tugged on the stirrup to let Ahiga know she was getting in. She put her leg in the stirrup, and hoisted herself up into the saddle. Ahiga rumbled and shook himself, and Fei just managed to keep hold, grabbing one of Ahiga's spikes. She tapped him three times, their signal for "bad!" Ahiga huffed in slightly, and was still for the remainder of the time while Fei clambered unto him. She tapped on his sides, telling him to "go!" and Ahiga shot off... Without Fei, who had fallen off at his sudden start. He seemed to realize this, and stopped, turning back to Fei. Licking her as she got up, she signed against him: Ahiga-start-slower-next-time-you-silly-boy.