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Description

See previous: silasagnostos.deviantart.com/a…

So work, Talon did.

It started small, as one might expect. For a while he was just too shy to be out front for very long, even with me there. I didn’t mind that too much. He’d come around when he was ready and I was already happy that he was willing to try at all.

During the less busy hours, he took to simple cleaning. I have a handmade broom I made at home which I gave to him to sweep the floors. He was so gentle with the broom and nervous to use it at first, muttering something about how he was afraid to break something I made. Honestly, brooms are easy to make and with how careful he is with everything I don’t think he could manage breaking it anyway. After a few uses, he grew more comfortable with keeping the floors clean, though still hid back in the house when people approached the shop.

Over the next few weeks he regained some of his previous strength and his arm and leg no longer caused him problems. His thick fur well hid the scars from his encounters and his new feathers had sprouted. He offered to lend a hand with some of the heavier or more difficult things—retrieving boxes from shelves, loading the laundry bucket, and moving other supplies. It was a surprisingly big help for me, given I’m not so tall, to have someone help with the heavier or more awkward tasks.

He stuttered less and seemed more relaxed and content with life and everything in it, even cutting back on his normal tendency to hide when patrons arrived. Sometimes patrons would even approach him to ask where to find something if I was too far away. Their smiles and thanks seemed to further bolster his growing confidence. I couldn’t be happier for him.

He relaxed more. He smiled more. He whispered, hid, and cowered less. Every small step helped him and I did what I could to keep him on the right path. Further down the line he appeared to even look forward to his work, though menial. He liked to try to help people however he could. I had been mulling over a few things as time passed.

“Talon, I’ve got a pretty important question for you,” I said, a paper in hand.

“Yes, what can I do for you?” he answered, though a little hesitant.

“This is a kind of form I use for keeping track of things like sales and orders,” I replied as I scooted closer so he could see. “Over here is a list of what’s currently available in the greenhouse, and this is a list which helps me keep track of what’s on the shelves. There’s another list like this on the front desk, but for special orders if people want more of what’s currently shelved, or want dibs on stuff from plants which aren’t yet mature.”

“That is already many entries. What would this task be?” he asked, his eyes widening as he spoke.

“Well, you seem to be more comfortable with people as they come in, so I was wondering if you might want to take some of the main work at the desk when I’m unable,” I started. “I’ll be right there to show you how to do everything, so don’t worry about that at all. Are you able to read all these words?”

“Yes, I believe so,” he bent down slightly, squinting a bit as his eyes scanned the page.

“Is this something you’re willing to try? You’re doing really well with people and I can tell just from how you carry yourself that it’s done you a world of good.”

“Well…I am nervous to try, but I would still like to try anyway. Would I still be performing the other duties as I have been?”

“If you’d like to, of course. Once you get comfortable with working at the front desk, you’ll have free reign of the shop. You’re really coming along nicely and it makes me so happy to see!”

His face turned slightly red as he looked away and grabbed his opposite arm. Haha, aww.

“And after that I will show you all the plants and how to care for them,” I offered and tugged his hand.

He seemed excited from that kind of idea, if in his own little way.

Talon was a remarkably fast learner and proved to have an excellent memory. His grasp of the faraden language was impressive for only been learning it about half a year. He picked up new words, both reading and speaking, with great ease and it made training a breeze. When in the right environment and with a little support and coaxing, he could open up a bit and show his true colors.

Other than various shades of tan, of course.

It had been about two months since I dragged him home from unforgiving elements. Roughly another month later, his feathers were fully grown and he looked better than ever, like his past never happened. While he was still shy, it wasn’t debilitating and he wasn’t afraid to speak, even with others nearby.

One afternoon I took a brief pause to retrieve something from the greenhouse and said I would be right back.

***

“That is fine, I will be here,” I said.

I stepped away from the desk for a moment just to ensure things looked nice and in their proper places. Sometimes people misplace things and simply forget. Sure enough, I found a small bottle of some kind of oil among some tonics and a few other things out of order. I took to my knees to quickly move those things around while nobody was—

The bell above the door gave its signature ring.

Well, so much for an empty shop. The proper shelf for this bottle was not here anyway.

“Ah, yes, I will be with you in just a mome—”

I jumped upon seeing them, especially so close. That face, that cruel leer, and those open clawed hands…

…I remembered him.

Fear choked me like a vice and I froze, only moving enough to tremble. The bottle of oil fell from my hand and its crooked top parted ways with the threading as it rolled down my thigh and slammed against the back of the bottom shelf, oozing green, aromatic fluid all over the wood and floor.

Another door opened.

“Talon, are you alright? It sounded like something fell,” called out a concerned Ruun.

The quick-paced steps of a scared bat grew louder as they closed in on my position. The whole time the tall, angry figure could only stand over me and glare, as if he could see right through me. A few seconds later and his teeth parted, and with those five words I was scathed:

“What are you doing here?”

Description

See previous: silasagnostos.deviantart.com/a…

So work, Talon did.

It started small, as one might expect. For a while he was just too shy to be out front for very long, even with me there. I didn’t mind that too much. He’d come around when he was ready and I was already happy that he was willing to try at all.

During the less busy hours, he took to simple cleaning. I have a handmade broom I made at home which I gave to him to sweep the floors. He was so gentle with the broom and nervous to use it at first, muttering something about how he was afraid to break something I made. Honestly, brooms are easy to make and with how careful he is with everything I don’t think he could manage breaking it anyway. After a few uses, he grew more comfortable with keeping the floors clean, though still hid back in the house when people approached the shop.

Over the next few weeks he regained some of his previous strength and his arm and leg no longer caused him problems. His thick fur well hid the scars from his encounters and his new feathers had sprouted. He offered to lend a hand with some of the heavier or more difficult things—retrieving boxes from shelves, loading the laundry bucket, and moving other supplies. It was a surprisingly big help for me, given I’m not so tall, to have someone help with the heavier or more awkward tasks.

He stuttered less and seemed more relaxed and content with life and everything in it, even cutting back on his normal tendency to hide when patrons arrived. Sometimes patrons would even approach him to ask where to find something if I was too far away. Their smiles and thanks seemed to further bolster his growing confidence. I couldn’t be happier for him.

He relaxed more. He smiled more. He whispered, hid, and cowered less. Every small step helped him and I did what I could to keep him on the right path. Further down the line he appeared to even look forward to his work, though menial. He liked to try to help people however he could. I had been mulling over a few things as time passed.

“Talon, I’ve got a pretty important question for you,” I said, a paper in hand.

“Yes, what can I do for you?” he answered, though a little hesitant.

“This is a kind of form I use for keeping track of things like sales and orders,” I replied as I scooted closer so he could see. “Over here is a list of what’s currently available in the greenhouse, and this is a list which helps me keep track of what’s on the shelves. There’s another list like this on the front desk, but for special orders if people want more of what’s currently shelved, or want dibs on stuff from plants which aren’t yet mature.”

“That is already many entries. What would this task be?” he asked, his eyes widening as he spoke.

“Well, you seem to be more comfortable with people as they come in, so I was wondering if you might want to take some of the main work at the desk when I’m unable,” I started. “I’ll be right there to show you how to do everything, so don’t worry about that at all. Are you able to read all these words?”

“Yes, I believe so,” he bent down slightly, squinting a bit as his eyes scanned the page.

“Is this something you’re willing to try? You’re doing really well with people and I can tell just from how you carry yourself that it’s done you a world of good.”

“Well…I am nervous to try, but I would still like to try anyway. Would I still be performing the other duties as I have been?”

“If you’d like to, of course. Once you get comfortable with working at the front desk, you’ll have free reign of the shop. You’re really coming along nicely and it makes me so happy to see!”

His face turned slightly red as he looked away and grabbed his opposite arm. Haha, aww.

“And after that I will show you all the plants and how to care for them,” I offered and tugged his hand.

He seemed excited from that kind of idea, if in his own little way.

Talon was a remarkably fast learner and proved to have an excellent memory. His grasp of the faraden language was impressive for only been learning it about half a year. He picked up new words, both reading and speaking, with great ease and it made training a breeze. When in the right environment and with a little support and coaxing, he could open up a bit and show his true colors.

Other than various shades of tan, of course.

It had been about two months since I dragged him home from unforgiving elements. Roughly another month later, his feathers were fully grown and he looked better than ever, like his past never happened. While he was still shy, it wasn’t debilitating and he wasn’t afraid to speak, even with others nearby.

One afternoon I took a brief pause to retrieve something from the greenhouse and said I would be right back.

***

“That is fine, I will be here,” I said.

I stepped away from the desk for a moment just to ensure things looked nice and in their proper places. Sometimes people misplace things and simply forget. Sure enough, I found a small bottle of some kind of oil among some tonics and a few other things out of order. I took to my knees to quickly move those things around while nobody was—

The bell above the door gave its signature ring.

Well, so much for an empty shop. The proper shelf for this bottle was not here anyway.

“Ah, yes, I will be with you in just a mome—”

I jumped upon seeing them, especially so close. That face, that cruel leer, and those open clawed hands…

…I remembered him.

Fear choked me like a vice and I froze, only moving enough to tremble. The bottle of oil fell from my hand and its crooked top parted ways with the threading as it rolled down my thigh and slammed against the back of the bottom shelf, oozing green, aromatic fluid all over the wood and floor.

Another door opened.

“Talon, are you alright? It sounded like something fell,” called out a concerned Ruun.

The quick-paced steps of a scared bat grew louder as they closed in on my position. The whole time the tall, angry figure could only stand over me and glare, as if he could see right through me. A few seconds later and his teeth parted, and with those five words I was scathed:

“What are you doing here?”