To Give a Bird a Bath (Solo)

[Aello]

1 Winter, 511 AV Location: Unknown Aello knelt, nestled between a series of barren trees. Her belongings, save for her waterskin, which was strapped to her middle, were resting in a pile nearby, against an old oak. Its trunk thick, uneven, dark, and generally uninviting. Its long, winding branches empty, save for the occasional cracked bit of an acorn it had shed several moons before. In her left hand, Aello held a pile of small, teardrop shaped black seeds she had gathered whilst traveling through the forest. Between her fingertips, she held a few of these seeds. From time to time, she'd push up against her knees, willing her body backwards across the uneven terrain. As she moved, she'd plop one of the seeds onto the endless expanse of dirt before her. Quietly, to herself, Aello smiled, as she watched Yune hop against the terrain. Her spindly legs pushing up against it, and moving her forward. Her tiny wings fluttering, displaying the short expanse of her brown feathers, as she dipped her head delicately towards the ground. Expertly plucking the seeds away from the dirt, and holding them against the gentle curve of her beak. After but a moment of tightly gripping her prize, she'd lift her head, and then tilt it back, easing the seed into her mouth, and down the length of her neck. As she swallowed, Aello could see her beady black eyes fixated on her. Wondering why she was getting so many treats. So much more food than usual. It seemed that the bird had grown wise, or perhaps, simply, to truly know Aello, who was always up to something. "Come on Yune," Aello cooed. "Follow the trail of seeds. I have a surprise for you!" The aurist forced herself to smile as she giggled a little, easing herself back as she plopped another seed on the ground, and then another. The sparrow tilted her head to the side, wondering what her silly master was going on about. Refusing to budge until she had some sort of explanation. "Oh don't be like that love. You know you want to see the surprise that's in store for you!" Aello insisted, as she plopped another black seed onto the ground. Yune simply blinked up at Aello, and flapped her wings wildly, as though insisting that she go on. It only caused Aello's smile to widen. "Come on love, you'll definitely like it," she insisted, as the sun trickled down through the line of trees, their endless, outstretched arms. Streamers of yellow light, which illuminated the trail of seeds. Seemed to make them glow with all of Syna's radiance. "Just a little bit more love, and you'll come to see your surprise!" Yune kept on blinking, not budging anything but her wings for a long time. Before finally, seemingly thinking that it couldn't hurt to find out what the surprise was, she hopped forward. Her head returned to its more natural position, and her wings remained stiff against her sides. Folded into her back. As she reached another seed, the sparrow dipped to retrieve it. Swallow, and then continue on along the path. Aello's eyes sparkled. Almost there, she thought. OOCNo, Aello does not know what Yune is saying or thinking. She just guesses, and pretends. She's weird like that. Deal with it.

[Aello]

Yune kept on following the trail of seeds that Aello had left out for her, until a time when Aello had simply run out, at which point, she stopped. She was thankful too, that she didn't truly need any more seeds to tempt her companion with, for she had her right where she wanted her. The bird seemed contented by her treats. Somewhat distracted by what was going on. The tastes that danced across her tongue. It was a good thing for Aello, but not so much for Yune, for, thinking that there would be another treat further along her path, she hopped mistakenly, into a small pool of water. A pool that Aello had dug out earlier in the morning. It was about three inches deep at most, and about a foot wide. Water had been poured inside, directly from Aello's waterskin. Some of it still rested at the bottom of the pool, but there wasn't much, just enough for the sparrow to get her feet wet. "It's bath time!" Aello announced, as tiny wisps of pink made their way into her cheeks. Yune chirped in alarm, flapping her wings in frustration as her beady little eyes grew wider. Aello chuckled. "Don't be like that love. You're all dirty, and you'll feel better when you're nice and clean, and so will your favorite person in the whole entire world... me!" Chirp! Chirp! Chirp! Chirp! Aello chuckled. "Don't worry love, we'll make it quick, and make sure we dry you off nicely. The bird fluttered her wings. "You'll get some of those nice berries we've been saving up since last night. You do want those, don't you love?" Aello asked, as her smile widened. Chirp! Chirp! "It does sound good, doesn't it?" Aello commented, as she reached for her waterskin, and pulled off the top. "We'll make this quick ok? Just try not to move around too much, or peck me, and we can get you out of that pit a little faster, alright?" Chirp! "Good," Aello commented with a small chuckle, as she lifted the waterskin over Yune's form. She tilted it forward, drizzling a bit on Yune's head, before lifting it upright. The sparrow shivered, shaking a few droplets off of her slick feathers. "Not so quick, we have to make sure it cleans you off first," Aello insisted, as she pet the water into her feathers with her free hand. They felt soft, yet cold. As she had expected. "There," she commented, as moved the waterskin forward again, and drizzled some more of its contents on the bird's back, before closing the lid and putting the waterskin down beside her. As soon as she had set it down, Aello reached forward, and began to work the water into Yune's feathers with her fingers. She tugged the water through her tail feathers, delicately, letting them fan between her fingers just to be sure she got every one. She could feel bits of dirt rubbing off on her fingers. The rough edges of the earth, tickling her flesh. She flicked it away into the forest. "Almost done love, all we have left are your wings," Aello announced, as she reached for her waterskin, and uncorked the lid. Seconds later, she had delicately pulled one of Yune's wings away from her body with her free hand. She held the outermost feathers delicately between her fingertips. The rest of the feathers fanned out, making her appear as though she were in flight. Slowly, Aello poured water over the length of Yune's wing, before putting the skin down. With the hand that once held it, she guided the water over Yune's feathers with her fingers. When she was done, she repeated the process with Yune's remaining wing, and then pulled her hands away. "See love, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Aello asked. Chirp! Chirp!

[Aello]

Aello watched as her bird lowered her body towards the ground. Curling her head into herself a bit. She closed her eyes, and held her wings out at her sides, but she didn't unfurl them completely. She shook her wings first, and then her head, freeing them of excess water. The tiny droplets of clear fluid shot out in every which direction. Like lava from an active volcano. The water buffeted Aello's knees, some even reached her face. "Yune!" Aello squealed, as she turned her head to the side and scrunched up her eyes. She raised her hands to block the rapid fanning of her companion. The incessant rain that she had created. "Stop that! You're getting me all wet!" Aello complained, as yet more moisture spilled onto her- raking her palms, her knees, her face. She thought she could taste dirt in some of it, which caused her to seal her lips shut all the more tightly, as she listened to her bird shaking. After a time, it stopped, the forest returning to its former state of silence. Slowly, Aello opened her eyes. Yune gave one last flutter of her wings, sending a droplet flying. It landed on Aello's right cheek, and slowly dripped down the length of her face, to her chin. Riding against the gentle curve of it. Aello lowered her hands, setting them in her lap, as Yune hopped out of the pool, and fluttered onto her knee. Aello turned her head to gaze at her. Chirp! Chirp! Chirp! Aello groaned. "Must you always do this to me?" Aello asked. Chirp! Chirp! "I see how it is," Aello muttered, as her smile fell from her face. "But I did promise you a treat for doing as you were asked. I shouldn't go back on that now," she commented, as she reached for her bag, pulling it closer to her. She opened the front pocket, and fished around for a bit. "But you only get one, for being so naughty. You were the one who was getting the bath remember? Not me!" Yune chirped in response a few times, before pecking Aello's knee a few times. The young spiritist had just pulled a berry out of her bag, when she turned to her companion. "Yune that hurts. Stop that," she insisted, but Yune wouldn't stop. "Yune!" Still, the sparrow wouldn't relent. "Fine," Aello sighed. "You can have two now, and maybe another at dinner." Yune kept on pecking. "Love, don't you push your luck." Aello pulled another berry out of her bag's front pocket. Each was held between her fingertips a moment. Plump, ripe, blackberries. The last of their kind. Aello allowed them to roll into her palm. Yune looked up at them. Aello smiled weakly, as she watched her companion's head rock to the side. "Here you are love. Just eat them slowly, we don't want you choking," she instructed, as she lowered her hand to the ground, and let them tumble off. Yune fluttered after them, poking at them madly with her beak. Tearing off chunks. Aello rolled her eyes. "You never do behave yourself." Or listen... she's growing up to be just like you Aello. OOCSorry, I tried to keep it short since it must be exceedingly boring.

[Liar]

EXPERIENCE AWARD Aello Skill Points Birdkeeping 4 Lore Baiting a Bird Yune’s Bath Time Spoiling a Pet Notes I didn’t think it was boring at all! It was pretty straightforward though; if you feel like you deserved more don’t hesitate to let me know. Aello should probably be a little more careful with Yune’s feathers. Birds like her are better off spraying themselves from a standing pool than standing under poured water, but this was still a nice bonding moment for the two of them. Aello’s relationship with her pet is really endearing.