Caged Wilderness

Chapter 2.

The next few days seemed to have stretched forever. Back in the forest, with her flock, days were all different. One day it would rain and they would stay huddled up on their branches, chirping and chattering to keep one another entertained. Another day the sun would be scorching, and the flock would occupy the shores of the lake, swim and occasionally fight for a gulp of water. The third day it would be relatively windy, and the flock would engage in an elaborate dance, flying around and performing sophisticated tricks.

Now it was almost the same. Wake up. Drink some water that soothes pain. Eat a fruit placed inside the container by a monster. Look out at the sky. Sleep. Repeat.

Teres would occasionally trill to tell her flockmates that she was okay, but barely got any response. She could just make out the form of Arror - curled up in his container, more asleep than awake. The stress of being taken away from their home had taken its toll on everyone.

However, as days passed and Teres began feeling lonely, she found herself an unlikely place of comfort. The maddening silence was getting on her nerves, so when she felt she was about to snap, she had to do something. And so she did, she found herself a new... Ally, so as to speak. The gentle giant. She could separate it from the rest of the group now, and it seemed to be rather interested in her.

At first she would snap at it whenever the monster approached, though never dared to bite again. Tasting the blood once had been fore than enough for her. She wasn't meant for causing pain. It felt wrong, making others cry out. Besides, the beast never tried to grab her ever again. It was only there to feed her and change the water in her tube, so pretty soon she grew rather comfortable with it.

And, as she did, she began to notice when it was talking to her. She could hear the slightest change in its voice when it spoke to her, she understood when it was kind, sad or angry. Although it almost never was angry. Especially not with her.

Teres was meant to be in the flock. So when she was left on her own, she was bound to find herself someone who at least resembled a fraction of what she'd had before.

She wasn't moving away now when the monster approached. She would remain by the bars and look it up and down, study it intently. It had dark eyes and dark hair, not a feather in sight, meaty and fat hands and an understanding smile. It would crouch down so as not to tower over her, and say something, talk in its soothing rumble.

Teres didn't understand a single word. But she could feel the emotions behind them, and as she listened, she couldn't help but grow affectionate of it - could she even call it an "it" now? It seemed intelligent and understanding. So maybe it was a "he".

He would talk to her for a long time, and she would sometimes reply with a soft chirp or a trill whenever he began to make loud glottal sounds, which she had come to realise were laughter. The giant would also daily check on her arm, which had basically healed because of the water. He didn't seem so bad.

And when the monster was confident he got Teres's trust, he took it one step further. They were sitting together once again, separated by the bars, when the creature reached his fingers through the bars. She snapped at them and scurried away, startled by the unexpected movement. He had never got so close before, not since her capture.

But the giant cooed soothingly, and Teres couldn't pinpoint any anger or hostility in his voice. What did he want? She paused for a few moments, then approached his hand, staring intently as it lowered before gently touching her wing. It twitched slightly, the almost forgotten feeling surprisingly pleasant. She had been grooming her wings, of course, but there was only so much she could do. Admittedly, the giant couldn't possibly groom her properly, it was too massive and clumsy for such a delicate task, but whatever it was doing, slightly rubbing her wing with fingers, felt good enough for her.