Zosk POV

It’s been some time since I was given access to being able to bathe myself. I’ve been doing that often, almost once a day depending how dirty I felt. It did also give me something else to do besides everything else I’ve been doing. Even so, I still take the time out of every day to try to get the collar off my neck or pull the chain loose from the stake I’m chained to. I still didn’t want to be chained here so I would still struggle. No changes yet happening there.

Something I don’t think I really noticed was how close the family was starting to get to me. Well, more the boy and the father than the mother. I came to learn their names. Artimis was the name of the boy, Salinthia was the name of the mother. And finally we have Cenitain, the father, the man who chained me in the first place.

While Artimis I didn’t mind coming closer to me, I was still pretty cold with Cenitain. Sure, I’ve been chained up here for how long now and they haven’t done anything more than feed me and watch me. Some worse faits can happen though I still don’t like being chained up.

Oftentimes, Artimis or Cenitain would come closer while I was eating or bathing. The two times I’m sitting in one place for any length of time involved with something else. Sure, they could come up on me when I’m just sitting next to the stake I’m chained to. Or whenever I’m laying flat on the ground, staring at the sky above. But they don’t. 

Perhaps their thoughts are to interact with me more while I am distracted. It kind of does work a little. More when I’m eating than when I’m bathing. Or at least I notice them less when I’m eating. 

When I notice them coming closer when I’m bathing, they tend to just step back and go about whatever business they were tending to in the first place.

Though this only happened on weekends or days either Artimis or Cenitain had a day off. Days Artimis was as school or Cenitain was at work, I was often left alone. Salinthia sometimes would come by and chat but not often. If she had something to do, which was rare but does happen, then I am truly alone.

They could have maybe hired a babysitter to watch me but what would be the point in that. Keeping me chained up in the backyard ensured that I couldn’t leave. And I certainly couldn’t get into the house. Even with the longer chain I have now, I can barely reach under the back porch area.

The only thing that I could reach was the shed. The ‘Angel house’ as I’ve heard it being called a few times. I guess it’s fitting given you have ‘dog houses’ for dogs. But unlike a dog, I’m chained at all times. Think I have said this before. 

I often used these times I’m alone, along with times any one of the family was around, to struggle with the chain. I’ve got to get it to come loose, somehow. 

I still struggle with the collar around my neck. Though that’s pretty much a lost cause. There is no way, not without the key, that I’m going to get the collar off my neck. 

The chain in itself is strong. But there has to be a weak link in it somewhere. I just have to find it. And until I do, I’ll keep struggling with the chain as much as possible. 

Likely getting tired of me complaining about the chain. Not much I can do affects it anyway. Though like I said, it’s not like I’m going to stop trying.

Time has been going on though pretty slowly. Do much of the same things every day with a little shifting of what I do just to keep from getting too bored.

It was only a matter of time though that someone of the family would touch me. How much time that was, I don’t really know. All I know is while I was eating one day, I felt Artimis’ hand upon one of my wings. It was only a light touch and didn’t last very long. He was getting very close to me, especially when his parents were not watching.

I nearly jumped and whacked him with the wing. But I didn’t. Even with how slight it was, it oddly felt nice to have someone else touch my wing. He did it without his parents looking. He also didn’t linger long, just in case I decided to lash out. If I did, he’d be able to get out of reach of my chain before I could reach him. Kind of why I am fed near the end of my reach rather than more into it. I was given enough slack so the chain wouldn’t strain on my collar while I ate but not enough to suddenly lunge at the one who was feeding me at the time.

After this first touch, Artimis did it more often. I still jumped when he did as I wasn’t used to it and well, he didn’t really ask if he could. But then, do you go ask your dog or cat if you can touch it and expect a response? 

Sure, I can communicate with the family but they’re trying to treat me a little less than human. But then again, we’re all animals in our own right. Just they wanted me to stay more wild and ‘animalistic’ anyway. So they can keep me chained up like they do.

It wasn’t long after these first few touches to my wings that more and more touches happened. First more at the outer edges and tips if I had them extended at the time. Then the touch started to go further inward. Into the coverts and secondary feathers. 

I don’t really feel the touch on the feathers directly. But I can feel it due to how the feather moves while being touched. Think of it like being touched on a fingernail. You won’t feel it directly but indirectly.

Didn’t take me long after that to try to teach Artimis how to stroke along the wing so as to not harm the feathers. It’s something I learned pretty early on while caring for my wings. It took him a few times to learn it right but he did after a while.

He also started to ask me directly if he could touch my wings. Of course this was after I got after him about touching them without asking, kind of right in front of Cenitain and Salinthia. Both did tell Artimis to ask first before touching. He came out and asked, usually after school and whatever homework he had, almost daily. It was nice. I rarely said no when he asked.

I went even further in teaching him how to ‘preen’ my wings. Sure I could do so myself but there were areas I could not reach. With his help, I could finally have those areas tended to. Sure felt a little degrading to have to ask another for help, especially chained as I am. But ‘mmmmm’, it was nice.

I would also extend my wings out for him to touch them. Which didn’t bother him too much. Caring for your pet is one of the things about keeping a pet. ‘Preening’ my wings is one way to help care for me, besides making sure I have food, water and a way to bathe.

Of course, I would plead with him for release from the chain. But like usual, I was ignored.

There were days that he didn’t come out to touch my wings. Mostly days where he was just too busy with homework. Cenitain didn’t get any closer for the time being, more would just stand back and watch Artimis whenever he got close to me. While Cenitain could watch his son anyway. Salinthia did leave me alone for the most part. She often was busy with household chores.

I did get more used to the occasional touches as time went on. They would even include backrubs, once it was found out that I’m alright with them. Particularly if the rubbing was between my wings along my spine. In a way, it eased some of the itches I’ve had back there for a long time. Though the space under my wings was also a really nice spot to touch as well. Though really wasn’t much room to rub and stroke there as there was between my wings along my spine.

I even eventually allowed Artimis to clean my back while I bathed on days I bathed, if I waited till he was home to bathe. I was becoming more and more open to him. I also felt cleaner when done with my baths.

The attentions didn’t last too long. Usually at most about 15 minutes. Artemis was pretty young yet. That and most people don’t pet a dog for very long anyway unless they’re really wanting to relax. I might be chained up but I am still a wild animal to be cautious of. Maybe someday I’ll really be spoiled with affection. For now though, this is nice.