Upon Wings Of Change

Chapter 17

I finished the Morning Song and watched the sun shine down on the various houses below. Trees lined the street below, although I couldn't see an actual park. Taureen had left the window blind up after yesterday's events, and I had enjoyed the chance to once more sing to the rising sun. I was in a much better frame of mind since I had sung the Morning Song yesterday morning. Today's song also put me in a good mood.

I turned around and snorted in confusion as I looked at the cage. Taureen had closed the door to the cage while I had been singing the Morning Song. I remained on the window sill, and I shifted my weight uneasily, unsure of what he was doing. He had never closed the door when I was outside of the cage before.

He stood up, and I flattened my ears against my head, but he didn't look at me as he carried the cage into the third back room. He came out with a large tray of sand and put it where the cage had been before putting a heat lamp above it. He put the soft cloth from inside the cage beside it and arranged a second heat lamp so that it shone on the fabric.

A couple of trips later, a large tray of water sat on the middle of the center table and the litter tray sat under an end table. My food dishes were on the edge of the end table closest to where Taureen normally sat.

What brought this on? I was not following his logic. This had not been in any of the discussions on taming and training tricks that the group had covered. I watched him with suspicion as he sat in his usual spot before picking up the laptop and using it.

I knew he was watching my reaction. At the moment, it was suspicion and uncertainty. As much as I had disliked the cage, I had been able to hear the door open to alert me before he had a chance to get too close.

The big tray of water had my attention though; it was probably about belly deep for me, and I hadn't had a chance to wash up yet. Taureen was still pretending to ignore me, so I jumped down onto a footstool that he had moved below the window and then down to the floor. I walked over and jumped up on the center table. I tilted my head as I examined the tray of water with interest.

I wonder if he has any idea how wet his table is about to get? Probably not. I gently batted at the water with my hand, testing the temperature. It was actually warm. I couldn't remember the last time that I actually had a warm bath.

I snorted in surprise and anticipation before carefully climbing in. The bottom was rough, so I didn't have to worry about slipping. I walked around in the warm water before laying down in it to submerge my back and wings. I hope that cast is waterproof.

I shook myself hard in the water, allowing it to get under the edges of my scales. Much like a bird, I started dipping into the water before shaking it off while half flapping my good wing. I stood up and shook off well.

I eyed up the bowl of sand with a grin. He had moved it to the side, but hadn't rearranged the sand inside of it. I got out of the water tray and did my best to worm around in the sand before attempting a few rolls. The sand had scrubbed my wet scales and dried me off. I felt much better after my water and sand bath.

I glanced at Taureen; he was watching me, although if the amount of water spray had surprised or irritated him, he gave no sign of it. If a Kymari didn't want to show their emotions, they were very good at concealing them. He looked relaxed and calm.

I somehow doubted that he would have been overly angry even if I had managed to empty half of the tray onto his table and floor. He had put the tray there for me so the consequences were technically his.

I stood up and shook hard, scattering grains of sand across the table amidst the faint chiming sounds of my scales. I hopped out of the sand bowl and stretched before turning my attention to the corner with the heat lamps. The distance between the center table and the corner end table was too great to jump without wing assist.