Bird Bath
Charlotte Redfeather, also called Zintkala Cikala, stepped out of the shower, and cracked the door to her bedroom, letting steam billow out. She dried off and grabbed her robe, tying it around her waist before bundling her hair into a towel. She looked up at the creaking of the door as her familiar, Aldric, used his beak to force the door open.
He stuck his head in and made a questioning chirrup.
“Sorry bud, I’m done.”
It was not what he wanted to hear, as he wedged himself into the small bathroom and shoved past his Witch to stand in the shower enclosure. He fluffed his feathers, then grasped the faucet handle with his beak, trying to turn the water back on.
“Aldric, you’ll need to find another place for a bird bath. Aunt Kimimela asked me to go on Wachiwi’s field trip as a chaperone, and I have to meet them at the school at 7:30. If you are going with us, you don’t have time for a bath.”
The stubborn bird, nearly 3 feet high, continued his attempts to turn the shower on. Charlie left him to it, and stepped into her bedroom. A quick check of the time had her hustling to get ready.
Truthfully, she was excited to go on the field trip with her young cousin. At 17, she was considered old enough to escort the elementary level students on their trip to the St. Paul Zoo. The weather, while still cool at night, was finally warm enough for the Bird Yard to open and the flamingos to be out. She loved seeing the exotic animals and she was excited to see the vibrant, tropical birds. They were so odd looking but still beautiful.
She looked into the bathroom as she unbundled her hair. Yes, her stubborn familiar was still messing with the shower. Shaking her head, she finger combed her damp hair, looking over her shoulder towards the door to the hall. She picked up her comb, and quickly pulled it through her hair. She smirked as the working she’d placed on the comb did its job, drying the heavy, dark mane with each pass. Some members of her family looked down on using Witchery for such a simple purpose, but Charlie didn’t see the point of having the ability and not using it.
Loud clattering had her turning back to the bathroom as her Familiar staggered out. He hopped over towards her, then opened his wings as far as space would allow. He opened his beak and posed, glaring at her as she moved around him to get dressed.
“Oh, I’m so threatened,” she deadpanned as she pulled a thin sweater over her head.
Aldric clacked his beak, then darted his head towards a pile of throw pillows stacked at the end of her bed. He snapped his beak shut on a pillow. Charlie yelped as he shook his head, throwing stuffing all over the room.
“You brat!” she cried, as she quickly waved her hands at the filler. She grabbed the now empty pillow out of Aldric’s mouth, tearing it further. She swatted at him with it, then flicked her fingers at the accumulated fluff, directing it to the destroyed slip.
“You are in such a mood today!” she exclaimed, as she stuffed the pillow into a drawer where her other Aunt, Chumani, would not find it. She glared at her Familiar. He glared back at her, still holding his wings high. She sighed. If he stayed in this mood, he would be insufferable all day.
She finished dressing quickly, not wanting to give Aldric time to express his displeasure further. She opened her bedroom door, glancing quickly down the hall for any family members. Holding the door, she reached for her small purse, and pointed to the hallway.
“Let’s go,” she said, in case Aldric has missed that it was time to go.
He had not moved yet, and she knew he had to be tired of holding his wings up. As she watched, he slowly leaned towards her bed, like he was going to snatch another pillow. With a quick burst of will, she moved all the pillows to the head of the bed.
Behind her, she heard an exasperated huff. She turned to find her eldest Aunt, Chumani, Uh-oh.
“Zintkala, that is a wasteful and inappropriate use of your Tonwan. I know my sister thinks you are grown enough to be responsible for the children, but this shows a dangerous lack of maturity and responsibility,” she scolded. “It takes but a moment to make your bed manually. You should not waste your blessings on something so simple.”
Charlie kept her mouth shut, other than to say, “Yes Aunt, I apologize for my laziness.” She glared at Aldric, unable to blame him as an inability to manage her Familiar would also be considered a failing by her punctilious Aunt. No excuses would be worth the additional lecture.
She skirted past her aunt, and relaxed a small bit as she heard the scrape of claws that meant Aldric was following behind her. The last thing she needed was to try to manage her stubborn Familiar in front of her fussiest Aunt. She led the way to the kitchen, where she put together a quick breakfast before moving to the mudroom. She grabbed her coat and gloves, slipping them on before opening the door. She held the door for Aldric, and groaned internally as Chumani followed him outside.
Aldric took to the air once they were outside, leaving her along with her aunt. Charlie braced herself, knowing Chumani was about to start a lecture that would last the entire 10-minute walk to the elementary school. As her aunt started her familiar scolding, Charlie wondered if Aldric intended to accompany the group to the zoo. Sometimes, he wanted to be constantly attached to her, and other times, he would disappear for hours, soaring through the skies. She tracked reports of his sightings, as he could travel tremendous distances. He’d been seen up to 300 miles away before. She hoped he’d take the day to fly to work out his orneriness.
Eight minutes later, Chumani finally wound down the lecture and left to handle her morning errands, making a threat to speak with her father about taking a firmer hand with Charlie. Touches the Sky was an important man in their community, but Grandfather was also her main teacher in Witchery, being the Elder with the strongest gift that matched hers. Considering that Grandfather got scolded and lectured by Chumani as often as Charlie did, Charlie wasn’t sure what good speaking to him.
She picked up her pace as she got closer to the school. There was already a small crowd gathered near the yellow bus, and she spotted her young cousin, 8-year-old Wachiwi, standing with her friends. Almond brown eyes met hers, and she broke away from the group, waving at Charlie.
She wrapped the small girl in a hug, picking her up and swinging her around. “Hi Dancing Girl”, she said, using the literal translation of her name.
“Zintkala Cikala – Little Bird,” the girl squeaked. “Are you coming to the zoo with us?”
Charlie smiled as she put her cousin back on the ground. “Didn’t your mom tell you? I’m one of your chaperones!”
Two other young girls approached Charlie and Wachiwi. Wachiwi quickly explained that Charlie was their chaperone, and she was surrounded by jumping kids.
Charlie herded her young charges back to the bus, and greeted Wachiwi’s mother, Kimimela, with a hug. They both scanned the sky, Charlie looking for her Familiar, and Kimimela looking for clouds. Deep inside, Charlie was aware of Aldric and his joy of flight. The sky was clear, to their relief. Charlie stepped onto the bus, and turned her attention to the rowdy kids, leaving thoughts of her grumpy Familiar behind.
###
Aunt Kimi, knowing her niece’s fascination with the flamingos, had released her from chaperone duties while the rest of the group was watching a film in the Reptile House. She frowned as she noticed the clouds building in the distance. They were supposed to have a clear day, but weather was so fickle this time of the year.
Charlie sat on a shaded bench in front of the Bird enclosure and sighed with happiness. She was holding the cutest flamingo plushie on her lap and before her, close to 100 flamingos frolicked in the pool, their pink plumage reflecting in the water. They seemed a bit restless, gathering near the grotto. Maybe they were affected by the incoming weather, Charlie pondered.
Soon enough however, duty called. Wachiwi and a couple of her friends, Chapa and Tahcawin ran up to Charlie as she watched the flamingos.
“Zintkala, Ina gave me money so we can buy drinks!” The trio of seven-year-olds girls gathered around her, and Wachiwi showed her bill they’d been given.
“Twenty whole dollars?” She exclaimed. “You’re rich – you can buy everything with that!”
The girls bustled with excitement and Chapa wanted to know what ‘everything’ was. Charlie dutifully pointed out the different options: “They have orange drinks over there next to the popcorn man; there’s a beverage station on the other side of the pond that sells slushies in all kinds of flavors; there’s also a place to get just water or juice if that’s what you want.”
There was no need for discussion – slushies were the clear winner. As the girls earnestly discussed what flavor to get, Charlie guided them to the kiosk.
As she paid for the drinks, after admonishing the girls to hold their drinks with both hands, Charlie noticed a bit of uproar outside. People scurried into the semi-covered area as the wind whipped up outside. A harried looking woman fretted about the possibility of rain as she herded her charges to a table.
She directed the kids to the napkin and straw dispensers, as she leaned out to see what was going on. As she looked, the crowd slowed, people pointing skyward. There was a blot in the sky, and behind it, clouds boiled and piled into a massive thunderhead. The wind kicked up again, and Charlie’s eyes grew wide as saucers as the blot became clear.
“Oh no,” she whispered in horror as a massive raptor flew past, swooping over the pond with its talons skimming the water before clearing the fence and turning for another pass. The flamingos huddled together, their legs digging into the mud as the predator flew over them again.
The enormous bird landed, his massive wingspan covering the entire cove. He posed in the shallows, looking around as people surged towards the fence. As he gazed at his growing audience, he slowly raised his wings, showing all the brilliant reds and whites of his plumage, dark and powerful compared to fragile pink birds across the pond. He glanced at the flamingos, and snapped his beak at them, sending them into a flutter. Then, he casually strutted into the water and turned again towards the fence of the enclosure, looking around.
His eyes met Charlie’s. His beak opened, opening his wings to their full extension. He clacked his beak at her. As she watched in mute horror, her Familiar ducked into the water, rousing his feathers thoroughly.
Charlie was stunned and had absolutely no idea what to do. She looked around, but no one from her group was near, except Wachiwi and her friends. They sidled up to her, and Wachiwi leaned close and asked., “Isn’t that Al-?” Charlie clapped her hand over her mouth. “Shhhh”.
Aldric proceeded to bathe, dipping in and out of the pond, shaking his feathers dry, then doing it again, occasionally whistling his enjoyment. Any time he paused, he made a point to meet Charlie’s eyes, before glaring at the flamingos and snapping his beak at them in a threatening manner. Then he’d go back to his leisurely bath.
Charlie had a horrible vision of Aldric snapping up a flamingo and tossing feathers everywhere, like he’d done to her pillow this morning. This was punishment, not only for denying him his shower this morning, but for coming to admire the exotic birds. Her Familiar was jealous, possessive and vindictive.
All around them, visitors were snapping pictures and laughing at the giant bird’s antics, completely ignoring the fact that Aldric was large enough to fly off with one of their children if he was that kind of bird. The gathered crowd had no way of knowing he was a Familiar and therefore safe.
Charlie started working her way to the front of the crowd surrounding the bird house, pushing her charges in front of her. She used Wachiwi, Tahcawin and Chapa as a wedge, and people parted to let the little girls closer to the fence to see the ‘wild bird’. They made it to the front of the crowd, slightly to the right of Aldric. The girls giggled with delight as he ducked his feathers and roused thoroughly, shaking water at the crowd.
“Stop it!” Charlie hissed at him, not daring to yell. Her familiar ignored her, holding his feathers high and shaking them so she was splattered with pond water. “Aldric, you oversized parakeet, don’t you ignore me!” She whisper-shouted. “Get out of there right now!”
With a disdainful glare at the flamingos, still huddled across the pond, he stood on one foot, tucking the other under him. He turned his head, making eye contact. His posture said “Make me” as he shifted to balance himself. His mockery was clear. He was going to draw this out as long as he could.
Thoughts racing, Charlie looked around trying to figure out how to handle her jealous Familiar. She saw a group of zoo employees making their way to the enclosure. One woman in particular stood out, as she had curly, red hair in a pixie cut which suited her delicate features and small frame. Her curls bounced as she rushed up to the fence near Charlie and the girls.
She was talking excitedly to a man, who followed more sedately, but both were intense in their observation of the scene playing out. Charlie made out the woman’s words as she neared, “…unknown species. It’s definitely some sort of raptor – look at that beak. The coloring is similar to a Red-Tailed Hawk, but so much brighter, but that is not a hawk of any sort.”
Her companion finally managed to get a word in as she took a breath, “Agreed, that’s not an eagle or hawk of any sort. It’s the largest raptor I’ve ever seen!”
“Do you think it’s injured, Neil?” the woman waved her hand at Aldric.
“Even if it is injured Aubrey, how would we get close enough to do anything about it? Again, that’s the largest raptor I’ve ever seen! The talons alone are probably six inches long. And you mentioned the beak.” Neil shook his head, longish brown hair falling into his face as he shrugged.
Neil, Aubrey and several other zoo employees stood and observed the scene. Charlie watched them out of the corner of her eye as she also tried to keep Aldric within her sight. She kept hoping Aldric would get bored and fly off, but it was obvious he wasn’t going anywhere soon. Within their bond, she could feel his obstinance and sent him her own plea for him to leave. Aubrey gasped as Aldric looked in their direction and snapped his beak again. Charlie sighed. He wasn’t done punishing her.
She looked around again, hoping to see her Aunt Kimi. She might not be able to control her familiar, but he had a healthy respect for Aunt Kimi. There was nothing for it, she concluded as she listened to Neil and Aubrey discuss how to approach Aldric without provoking him. She was going to have to own up to this.
“’Chiwi, can you go find your mother and tell her Aldric is here, causing a scene? I think I need her help. He’s not listening to me.” She hated to do it, but better to get it under control sooner than later. For all that Aldric was her familiar, he was also a massive predator bird with a grudge against the flamingos huddled across the pond. The last thing she needed was for him to strip the pinky-orange feathers off the helpless birds because he was in a mood.
She watched her cousin run in the direction of the bird house, with her two friends following in her wake. That kid loved having a mission, she thought, before turning back to her errant familiar. She walked up to the fence, gripping it with both hands, and hissed at him. “Aldric, we are both in enough trouble. You need to go home.”
The mulish bird practically jumped into the deeper part of the pond; a couple of feet closer to the very nervous flamingos. He thrashed about a bit, stirring up the pond. That imp from hell, she thought, anger brewing. She took a quick look around, and then stared at Aldric. She narrowed her eyes, and whispered, “No more waves, stupid familiar behave,” and jerked her hand.
Aldric snapped his beak at her, and proceeded to turn around and flap his wings, splashing water on everyone in front of him, including Charlie. She stood in disbelief as water dripped down her face, the crowd around her still laughing at the bird’s crazy antics. The two zoo employees next to her were also shaking water off themselves, though they had not caught as much of the splash as Charlie, and were exclaiming over the unusual predator behavior, while their colleagues discussed what kind of raptor they were observing.
Charlie lost it. She threw both hands towards Aldric, and threw her will at him, imagining him hovering in the air. She yelled: “Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool? It’s time to get this annoying bird out of the pool!” Aldric rose into the air, his claws just touching the water as he frantically flapped his wings at her. The wind picked up, clouds raced, and thunder made the ground shake as Charlie tried to pull Aldric towards the shore. Charlie stumbled in the windstorm, and lost her hold on Aldric. He shot to the sky, circling quickly to land in the pond again, driving a large splash towards his furious Witch.
Charlie again wiped pond water from her face, and shielded her eyes against the dust stirred up by Aldric’s wind. She pointed at him, and pulled out another rhyme: “Birds of a feather flock together, put a stop to this bad weather.” The wind eased as Charlie’s working hit Aldric and he fell back into the water.
She glared stonily as her familiar awkwardly got himself back in the shallows of the pond, all the while, avoiding eye contact with his witch. He walked to the fence line, peering between the links at his audience, then stood on one foot and tucked his head into his wing.
“Enough!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the crowd noise. “Goosey, goosey, gander, your antics I shall no longer pander! Aldric! Get out of there once, or I will use every single one of your flight feathers to make myself one hell of a war bonnet!”
Charlie rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes, as voices rose around her, commenting on how the giant eagle was imitating the flamingos and not commenting at all about her bizarre nursery rhymes. She could hear someone coming near, and slid her hands up into her hair, to see the two zoo employees approaching her. They stopped next to her and the redhead looked at Charlie inquiringly.
Charlie sighed, dropping her arms. “He’s my familiar. I’m so sorry.”
The tall guy dropped his shoulder, “I guess we don’t get to discover a new species today after all. He’s a breathtaking bird though.”
“He is,” his counterpart agreed. “I’m Dr. Aubrey Lennox and he’s Dr. Neil Campino. We’re both ornithologists so you can see why we are so excited over him.”
Charlie shook her head. “Everyone is excited about him until they get to know him,” Charlie grumbled. She paused to glare at her familiar. “Aren’t you done yet? Come out of there!”
The rotten bird shivered his feathers a bit, but did not change his stance. Charlie rolled her eyes. “Don’t make me…” she started, only to be interrupted by a heavy hand on her shoulder. “Zintkala…not another word, not another working, do you hear me?”
Charlie blanched, having forgotten that she’d sent Chiwi to find Aunt Chumani, who had arrived in time to see her niece fight with her familiar. She introduced herself to Dr. Lennox and Dr. Campino, shaking hands with them and apologizing for the chaos.
She then turned to face Aldric, who was still in the flamingo pen, peering through the fence. She gestured next to Charlie, and said “Now”. The crowd shifted, opening space for Aldric to land next to the small group. Chumani raised an eyebrow and the cowed familiar, then turned to her equally cowed niece. “Explain what just happened, please.”
Charlie sighed, her whole body falling with it. She looked up at her surprisingly fierce Aunt, and said, “He’s in a jealous snit because I like the flamingos.”
Dr. Campino didn’t bother to hide his grin. “I did not have a jealous…what kind of bird is he anyway?”
Charlie looked to her aunt, who was very familiar with Aldric’s possessive nature. She too was smirking at the ridiculousness of the situation. She looked back to the ornithologists. “He’s, well, he’s kind of a Thunderbird.”
“Wow,” Dr. Aubrey exclaimed, as she examined Aldric intensively. “So, the wind and thunder were all from him? That’s amazing!”
“A jealous Thunderbird familiar…” , Dr. Campino said, “I did not have that on my Bingo card for today.”
Around them, but at a slight distance, people were still trying to snap pictures of Aldric. Charlie glanced at him, and could tell that the worst of his moodiness was gone. He’d made an utter spectacle of himself, and gotten them both in trouble. Mischief achieved.
Her aunt was talking to Dr. Lennox and Dr. Neil, and they agreed to retreat to a less congested area to continue the conversation. Chiwi snuck up beside her, and tugged on her sleeve. “I got you a slushy. I think you need it.”
Charlie took the drink gratefully, and gave her cousin a quick hug. “Thanks.”
Chiwi looked to Aldric, who was entertaining himself by posing for pictures. “I hope my familiar is something small that can’t fly.”
James says: Most familiar-witch relationships in our world have proven to be fond and loving. This one appears to be a bit different than most. Certainly fond and loving, but Aldric is a bit of a handful, even for Charlie.
Sid says: Oh, familiars! Always so much fun to write, especially the snarky ones like Ette and Aldric (wait…why is always the birds? I bet Mickie has a theory and it involves birds’ proximity to their dinosaur roots). Anyway, this is a great glimpse at a younger Charlie and Aldric, as they’re growing into their shared witchery. And it’s an amusing look at the witch/familiar dynamic when a witch has an especially strong-willed familiar. James, I’m waiting on a young Jasper and Ette story now.
Perfect Coven 