Closed Step Up

[Taln]

44 Fall 522 AV "This one is a rehab case. The man didn't have any idea how to handle birds and didn't bother to leave any names, his or hers when he dumped her here." Nora explained with her usual cool tone. When Taln walked over to her side she put out a hand to stop him immediately. "Birds like to bite and play with shiny things. You can't wear any jewelry around the birds pretty boy. Take off the shiny lip ring before one of them tears it out for you." Taln considered that an amusing and accurate statement especially with his Inarta upbringing and he removed the small gold ring before he got any closer. She did have a very valid point. "Remove her from her perch to the play pen outside and clean out her cage." Nora said, walking back to take care of the large snakes that needed feeding today. "And don't screw her up any worse than she already is." He nodded and turned to the large scarlet Macaw who instantly folded her wings back tightly to her body at his approach. Taln stepped back a few paces and she eventually relaxed her wings. The tall redhead stopped and tried to evaluate what he should do next. This was his first day and the first time Nora had thrown him in the deep end of a learning curve but he hoped he was able rise to the challenge. He moved toward the bird again with his hand out and she opened her beak in a clear threat. Patiently, he stepped back again, waiting for her to calm down. Hm. Maybe she's afraid of hands? Taln went to get the perching towel and draped it over his left hand and wrist, hoping it would help. As he approached with the towel showing, the bird closed her beak and actually raised a foot! Progress! "Step up." he said in a gentle voice, levelling his wrist near the large Macaw's feet. She stepped up but turned her head to look up at Taln, her pupil flaring. He walked sideways with the bird slowly so that his boss could see the bird from her far off angle. "What exactly did you mean by a rehab case?" his voice carried but stayed quiet. "When I handled her last night, she showed all the signs of someone not knowing how to touch her." "How so?" "I think she got some pervy messages from being patted on more than just her head and feet. Not everyone knows they're raising hormones, and causing mate behavior. You're male so you're the best handler right now to steer her back into normalcy, so don't petch it up. And quit bugging me." 'Oh this is going to be very interesting.' he thought, bringing out the Macaw to the outside pens. Taln automatically went to touch her head and she opened her beak to give a quick sharp snap. Bleeding, he drew his finger away and got another towel to put over the hand. The poor thing was terrified and confused. With his right hand, he nudged firmly under her feet, "Step up." he said firmly and the parrot obliged, her feathers fluffing a bit. She's really nervous about hands. But I can't set her down in the pen until she can work through the handling while she's on my arm. The bird sidled up his forearm, reaching her talons to sink into the skin of his bicep and nipping him hard again. "Ouch! Move back down." He replied, using the towel covered hand to touch her feet gently, guiding her downward safely back to between his wrist and forearm. "Hop in here and soak in some nice warm sunlight while you have breakfast and I'll clean out your cage." The breath he got his hand even close to the pen, she flew inside directly to the top and looked down at him with her beak wide open and her wings tucked back tightly to her body. Taln closed the door with slow hands and removed the towels. "It's alright. You're safe now." he said as he went out back to the water bucket. He washed off the bites with water, dried off and returned to his first day of work. WC 714