The First Chirp

One week to the day, Friend gave voice with a "CHURP!" It was the first sound he'd uttered since I took him in. He was also getting braver both toward me and in regard to what lay beyond the confines of his box. As I was cleaning his "cage," he'd climb to the top of the branch and sit looking out into the bedroom. In one daring moment, he stepped onto the edge of the cardboard and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to coerce him back inside. Cautious not to frighten him, I moved the screen slowly closer until he jumped, first onto the branch and then onto the floor of the box. What was I going to do if he decided to explore the bedroom? Well, we'd cross that bridge when we came to it. I was already making plans to build an outdoor flight cage where he could live out the remainder of his days if it turned out he was unable to fly.