Jessica's first day was tiring but reassuring the creatures Charlie had shown her weren't scary or made her feel uncomfortable. Today was her first official day of working, she had been told what to do. How to act around the creatures. Charlie would be observing her throughout the day and to help if she needed it. Jessica checked her to-do list for today.
Feed the Diricawls
Feed the Knarls
Feed the Nifflers
'Only feeding creatures today seemed simple enough.'
Jessica took all the buckets of food she would be needing, heading towards the Diricawl habitat, Charlie following behind her to see if she could navigate her way around the sanctuary. Jessica reached the Diricawl habitat climbing over the fence, she set the bucket down clapping her hands as Charlie showed her.
She picked up the bucket, her body tensed as they all came running towards her. Yesterday they didn't give her a second glance but now the Diricawls were swarming around her. Jessica took a deep breath, she reached into the bucket taking a hand full of the food, throwing it into the air.
All the Diricawls apparated to get their food, all but the little baby Charlie hatched, he was picking leftovers off the floor. Jessica threw another hand full, sneakily dropping some on the floor for the baby Diricawl.
"I saw that," Charlie said smirking at her
"It's just a little food," Jessica said, rolling her eyes at him.
"That doesn't matter, he needs to learn how to apparate and he can do that by at least attempting to get his food," Charlie told her,
"Sorry, I just thought-
"It doesn't matter, come on there's more animals that need feeding," Charlie said,
Jessica creased her brows he seemed to be in a mood today, she questioned if she had done anything else to offend him, Jessica climbed back over the fence, walking to a field filled with small hills almost like little hobbit houses. She tried to remember what Charlie had told her
'They're very cautious, so step lightly, so you don't frighten them'
Jessica carefully steps around the lumps of grass, Charlie had told her that these creatures liked to burrow themselves underground. Jessica reached the centre of the habitat, emptying the entire bucket of food on the ground, she carefully made her way back, standing next to Charlie.
They waited for one brave Knarl to come out, a small hedgehog-like creature, poked its head out of the ground looking around, he spotted the food, racing out of its burrow towards the food, he was quickly followed by many more Knarls coming out of their burrows, Charlie chuckled at them.
"Suspicious little things Knarls are," he said,
"They're actually pretty cute," Jessica said, watching them scramble over the food, Charlie glanced at her, a smile crawling on his face as she watched the Knarls
"Right shall we go feed the Nifflers?" Jessica asked snapping him out of his gaze
"Yes, last one for the day," he said, gesturing for her to walk ahead of him,
Jessica walked towards the Niffler habitat, the Nifflers worried Jessica the appeared to be a hyperactive little creature. Jessica was about to enter their habitat when Charlie stopped her
"Earring, Necklace take them off," Charlie held out his hand for them
"Why?" she asked
"They like shiny things, so unless you want them climbing all over you, I suggest you take them off," Jessica unclipped her necklace, pulling the backs of her earrings off, dropping them into Charlie's hand.
Jessica took a deep breath, these were a hyper bunch of creatures, she carefully opened the gate, she saw many nests filled with shiny things they had collected, she shook the bucket a small group of Nifflers hurried around her, Jessica kept her cool, but the fast nature of these creatures worried her.
She looked down so she didn't step on any of the Nifflers, but tripped over one landing on a nest, the Nifflers climbed all over her, Charlie rushed into the habitat, shooing away the Nifflers.
"Here, are you alright?" he asked, offering his hand to help her up.
"I'm fine," she said, her voice wary
"Are you sure? You're shaking,"
"I said, I'm fine okay!" she said storming out of the habitat, Charlie ran after her, stopping her.
"Jessica, you're not okay, you look like you're about to have a panic attack and you've cut yourself," Charlie said, grabbing her hand to take a look at her palm, she winced as he carefully looked at her blood-soaked hand.
"Come on, it needs to be disinfected and bandaged up," Charlie said, guiding her back to the building, "Mrs Winters!" he called, but there was no answer
"She must be out, here sit down," he said pulling a chair out for her, he took a medical kit from the cupboard,
"Is it going to hurt?" Jessica asked
"Only a little," Charlie said, spreading a herbal paste on to a cloth, he held her hand pressing the past onto the cut, she sucked air through her teeth attempting to move her hand, but Charlie's grip on her wrist kept her from doing so.
"Charlie it hurts," she mumbled
"I know," he said, "when were you going to tell me you're scared of animals," he asked
"What I'm not scared-
"I've been around animals long enough to know when someone is scared of them,"
"I honestly couldn't tell you why I just am," Jessica said, feeling really stupid about not having a reason
"Well, there has to be a reason for your fear, have you been bitten or attacked before," she shook her head.
"No I guess I get nervous because you can't tell what they're thinking or predict what they might do," he chuckled
"That's adorable," he smiled at her "What if I could help with that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I can't have you working around animals when you're scared of them, you'll end up spooking them, but what if I could help you get over your fear," Charlie suggested
"You'd do that for me?" she said, smiling at him,
"Yeah, no one should be afraid of animals," Jessica smiled at him, nodding in agreement.
Charlie's kindness was something Jessica was not expecting to have, he was supposed to be her boss, to order her around and bark orders at her all day long, but he chose to be friendly with her. Jessica admired him and the work he was doing here, but most importantly his passion for these animals.