Chapter 14
A Full Days Work
The morning soon came again and Mirielle rose to see Solana meditating on her bed. Mirielle smiled and moved to brush her hair out once more. She knew she will have to put it up since she has to work at the zoo today but that didn't bother her. "You ready for your first full work day?" Solana asked smiling as she finished meditating. "Yeah I am what about you Solana," Mirielle asked. "Yup" Solana said smiling "It's going to be fun" "I'm sure it will be," Mirielle said smiling still. She soon had her hair up in a braid once more. "You ready?" Solana said she had already gotten dressed in her new waitress uniform for the day. "Yeah," Mirielle said. She had dress in her clothes that works for working in a zoo. "Let's go then" Solana said smiling as she opened the door. They found Gaius waiting for them, he was in his own uniform a shade of green that looked really good on him from Mirielle's view. Mirielle smiled liking how Gaius looked and said, "I guess we're all ready to start working today." "Yup" Gaius said "I didn't really work so much yesterday as I was showed around, and given this uniform. But today I will actually work.
"That's good and the uniform looks really good on you Gaius," Mirielle said shyly. "Thanks" He said smiling and the group then made their way outside. They would be going their separate ways when they left the hotel. Gaius worked closer to the upper ring walls while Solana was somewhere in the middle of the lower ring and Mirielle was outside it at the zoo. "Well everyone we'll meet at the restaurant when our job is over," Mirielle said looking at Solana and at Gaius. "Sounds like a plan" Gaius said waving to her as he made his run. He had a long way to go. Mirielle wave goodbye to them both and headed over to the zoo. She found Kenji waiting for her at the gates with a smile. "I see the uniform fits just fine" He said. "Yeah thanks," Mirielle said smiling at Kenji. "Well today we get to see how you handle a large herd and a large animal" Kenji said "I am going to watch you these first few days so I can make sure every animal is ok with you being around." "Okay that sounds fine to me," Mirielle said to him. "We will go with the Elephant Mandrill first" He said smiling softly and leading her to its pen. "Okay," Mirielle said following Kenji to the Elephant Mandrill's pen. The large animal was grazing at the moment but it sensed her coming in and tensed a bit. She was new. "It's alright I don't mean you any harm," Mirielle said softly and gently before she began to sing a gentle song to ease the animal as she moved closer to it so it can get use to her. The creature snorted a bit but the song seemed to work to calm it. It even let her get close to its feet and fur. Mirielle smiled and continued the song as she gently touched the creatures shoulder. Soon after it calmed completely and went back to grazing. Mirielle could see its water pails and the place where most of its waste was from her vantage point.
Mirielle smiled and refilled the water pails and worked on removing the waste of it. Kenji watched hoping that everything would continue to go well. He knew that Elephant Mandrills could easily be spooked. Mirielle showed that she knew that too by the way she made sure her movements were careful and was in the Elephant Mandrills sight. She also continued to hum the song she used to help calm it. Kenji watched this and smiled. Soon enough Mirielle was done and returning to him. "Did you come up with that soothing melody?" He asked. "Yeah I did," Mirielle said as she left the pen and looked at Kenji. "Now this next bit will be just to see if you can handle a group." He said "All their food and water is contained fairly well but there are rare times when I have to relocate them for a moment to fix something, do you think you will make a good Shepherd to lead them around?" "I think I can try by using this song," Mirielle said. "Go ahead its a beautiful tune" Kenji said. Leading her to the fairly large pen that housed both a herd of Fox Antelope and a herd of Bull Antelope. Mirielle entered the pen containing the creatures and began to sing that song once more. The animals heard her and tensed a bit but relaxed when the tune got closer to their ears. They could tell that she wasn't going to harm them. Continuing the song Mirielle moved to work on gathering them together and having them all get use to her in their pen. "Remember to keep them in separate groups" Kenji called softly "They can co-mingle but they don't like to be crowded together as one group." Mirielle nodded and smiled as she continued the song and did what Kenji said. Kenji was amazed at just how well the song was doing with the herds. "Alright" He said gently "You can handle them quite well come on back."
Mirielle nodded and on her way back she kept doing the song and gave each of them a pat. Kenji smiled as she walked back up. "You are a natural animal handler" He said. "Thanks," Mirielle said turning to look at the animals that she just got done handling. They all had gone back to grazing and seemed peaceful "Did you also say you were from the water tribe?" Kenji asked softly. "Yeah," Mirielle said smiling and turning to look at Kenji. "Can you actually waterbend or do you just simply heal like most females of the water tribe?" He asked. Mirielle looked at Kenji with worry seeing if she could really trust him. After a few moments she believe she will give him a chance and said, "I've always been careful of how I answer that and who I answer that to. Kenji can I trust you to not give this away to anyone else." Kenji smiled and nodded "If it is important to you to be kept a secret then I won't tell anyone." He said "But if it is a talent you have you should show it" "The reason I'm careful is because of the raids that had happened at my home when there were waterbenders there," Mirielle said before she looked at a nearby source of water and began to make the movements of a waterbender. Kenji smiled and showed her the way to the animal's pen for her to place the water. Mirielle smiled and set the water were Kenji wanted her to place it. "You move the water very well and very beautifully" He said. Mirielle smiled shyly and said, "Thank you." "Other then the animals you already dealt with yesterday I think you are done for today" Kenji said. "Okay I'll take care of them then Kenji," Mirielle said smiling. "Once that is done you could probably get cleaned up again before heading back to wherever you are staying" Kenji said.
"Yeah you're right about that," Mirielle said smiling at Kenji before she took care of the Hog Monkeys and the Platypus Bear. Kenji went on to work with the other animals; it didn't take very long for Mirielle to be done with the animals she cared for. Once Mirielle was sure she was done with all of her own animals she went to clean herself up before she will leave the zoo. That also didn't take her long and Mirielle made her way back to the restaurant seeing Solana still working when she made it there. Mirielle smiled and watched her friend. Solana finished up with the other people and moved to look to Mirielle. "Having fun Solana," Mirielle said smiling at her. "Sure" Solana said smiling "Did you have fun?" "Yeah I did," Mirielle said smiling still. She wasn't sure how long Gaius would be so she was happy that she was able to talk to Solana. "He should be here soon enough" Solana said almost reading Mirielle's thoughts. Mirielle smiled at Solana and nodded. Solana was right it wasn't too long after that that Mirielle saw Gaius walking into the restaurant. Mirielle smiled and wave at Gaius to let him know where she was at. Gaius smiled back and walked over to her. Mirielle smiled and waited for Gaius to join her and Solana. Gaius smiled and walked over to them. He looked really tired but happy to see them. Mirielle smiled and looked at the menu to see what to try next today. "This time I will be your waitress" Solana said smiling "What would you guys like?" Mirielle looked at the list and looked at Gaius for help once more she wanted to get to know the other foods before she picks the regular that she will eat. "Let's see how about today we try a more meat based meal?" Gaius offered "I will take the hamburgers myself."
"Okay then. I'll do the same," Mirielle said. "Sounds like a plan" Solana said "I'll probably eat the same on my break later" "Alright then," Mirielle said smiling at them both. I didn't take long for Solana to come back to them with their food. "Enjoy" She said smiling. "Thanks Solana," Mirielle said smiling as well before she began to eat. Gaius smiled at her and began to eat himself. Mirielle enjoyed her food and between bites she told Gaius about her day at the zoo today and gave him a chance to tell about his day as well. "Its sounds like you had fun" Gaius said smiling. "Yeah and maybe sometime I'll sing that song for you and Solana," Mirielle said smiling as well as she began to finish her food. "I'd like that" Gaius said smiling. Soon enough Solana came to them on her break and smiled as she sat at the table. Mirielle smiled at her friend and just stayed quiet for the moment and looked outside the windows of the restaurant. "You know I saw someone come in today" Solana said softly looking out the window too. "He was a nice guy but he seemed to have stuff on his mind" "Oh really is he still here," Mirielle asked smiling at her friend. "I am not sure" Solana said looking around. She saw the young man still sitting in the corner, still under the hood that hid his face. "Do you see him Solana," Mirielle asked also looking around with her friend. "Yeah" Solana said smiling looking his way. Mirielle could see the young man now sitting in the corner. "I wonder what could be bothering him. He looks about our age so why would he have so much on his mind," Mirielle said. "Maybe something is going on in his life" Solana said. "Yeah maybe so," Mirielle said.
"So what's the plan after we eat?" Solana asked "I was thinking about showing you both the fountain this time" Gaius said "You missed out last time Solana" "Really?" Solana asked "Are you sure?" "Yeah it will be great to go back there," Mirielle said and then added softly so that only Solana and Gaius could hear her, "I could also practice my waterbending again too." "I want to see that again anyway" Solana asked smiling as she finished up. "Okay then," Mirielle said smiling. "Are we ready go then?" Gaius asked standing up slowly. "Yeah let's go," Mirielle said looking at Gaius and then at Solana. Gaius smiled and then walked with them outside and towards the fountain again. Mirielle let Gaius lead the way smiling. Soon enough they were back at the fountain "Wow" Solana said smiling "It's beautiful" "Yeah I know," Mirielle said. She then looked around before she went over to the fountain to practice her waterbending once more. She could just barely spot the man from before in the dark near the edge of the firelight. Mirielle saw this and looked again to be sure she wasn't seeing things. She didn't want to cause any trouble are get caught by the wrong person when she waterbends. He didn't seem to be doing anything bad, he was watching Solana more then her. Smiling and believing that he was safe Mirielle moved in the motions to create the octopus with water like she did last night making sure she had plenty water to be able to make the eight arms. Solana watched impressed while Gaius just smiled at her again. Neither had noticed the man in the darkness.