He answered the sound of Master’s voice, cawing, wheeling, crying, "Hah! I’m free, I’m free!" But Master would have none of it, tut-tutting, shouting, "Come back, come back! Come to me!"

Bird cried, wheeled again, flew low past Master, cawing loudly its protests, circled back, gliding to kill, gossamer wings spread wide. Screaming it dove, down, down, until it disappeared into the bushes and was no more. Then up, up, up, screaming; "NO, NO, NO! Its mine; I had it; No!"

Master watched Bird soar, whistling lowly; proud, so proud. Bird screeched ‘Freedom! Freedom! I can do it!" It spun, clipped its wings as it dove, plummeting towards earth, screeching all the while, "Mine, mine, mine!"

Finally Master called him again; calling, "Come, come, come; come back to me, forget it!" Bird screamed, rose higher, circled once, flew screaming back to Master, lingering a while in the air, defiant,  then dove to his outstretched arm, to the calm, quiet man awaiting him. Unsteadily, it stepped across his forearm, careful not to hurt him.

Bird cocked its head to one side, inquisitive eyes watching Master closely, beak open, tilting its head more, cawed quietly, apologetic, whining, "I can do it? Another chance?" Chest heaving, it ruffled feathers dark as ink. Its keening grew to a loud crescendo of, "I can do it, I can do it; one more chance!"

Master released Bird, throwing his arm wide; Bird screamed and took off once more, making a show of wheeling, darting, spinning, gliding past kill, wheeling around; flying up, up, up, gaining altitude, clipping its wings, letting out an ear-piercing cry, diving down, down, down.

Bird wheeled up, a piece of kill in its talons, cawing triumphant, wheeled back, twice, thrice, flew low; spun, dove past Master, spun again, circled, wheeled, dropped lithely, spreading its wings, gliding to Master’s arm, dropping kill at his feet, screaming, "I did it! I did it! Freedom!" before landing on his arm.

It cawed proudly, carefully walking the length of his arm; sure now, proud now; he was hunter now. Master stroking, cooing, soothing, settling its beating heart, long feathered wings shot out, accepting the wind’s caress.

"I did it! I did it!" it screeched near his ear, settling on Master’s shoulder, beak open, beady black eyes watching man, kill, then back to man again. "Freedom! Freedom?" It asked.

Master gave a whoop of delight, swung his arm wide. "Freedom!" Bird cried, taking flight once more, wheeling away, leaving bloody talon marks on Master’s homespun tunic. Master was proud. Ignorant Bird did it.

"Yip, Jeppa!"

Dog ran, screaming blindly into the woods after Bird, following its erratic flight in the air; spin, dive, wheel about, "Here, here, here!" Bird wheeled again, spun, dove, weaving through the thick brush; Dog behind, screaming, "Its here, its here Master! I found it!"

Bird appeared again, triumphantly beating long wings, gaining altitude, playing circles in the sky above kill. Master laughed, screamed, "Yip, Minna!" watched as Dog raced after Dog, scenting easily the trail it’d left behind.

"Amyntor! Come to me, to me!" Master screamed, Bird wheeled one last time, sped home, gliding once more on gossamer wings to Master’s arm; alighted, stepped unsteadily along his arm, screeching its defiant protests, spreading wings again, ready to fly.

"Freedom, freedom!" It screeched, clawing Master’s arm. Master stroked, soothed, cooed, laughed, saying, "Ah, ye can do it, Amyntor, you can!" all the while ignoring Bird’s cries of disdain, shouting "Freedom, freedom!" over and over until Dog whined at master’s feet, dropping kill before him.

Bird cooed lowly; Master stroked its ink black wings, ignoring sharp talons in his arm; ignoring Dog whining; ignoring, "Freedom, freedom!" But Master had tamed Bird, and freedom was the sky, not a cage; not a cage where Bird could only see Master and Dogs; not a cage where could not spread gossamer wings; not a cage where sky was no more; not a cage; freedom was the sky!

But Master had tamed Bird, and freedom was the sky.