The Owl of The Night

The Night Owl must remain vigilant; keeping an eye on the evening sky. Persistent in her skill of hunt, The Night Owl searches the lands for her next meal. What will it be?

Survival is priority. Awareness is necessity. Just as the sunset is coming to an end, the mistress of the night glides out once more to fulfil her role in the eco-system. As she hovers above the expansive floor below, she notices a shimmering glint in the distance. Although blessed with one of Mother Nature's best senses of sight, she cannot decipher the object in view. What could it be?

Eager to uncover the mysterious blip presented to her, she swoops elegantly into unexplored terrain. Her wings so carefully crafted to coincide with Nature's breath allow her to manoeuvre with haste. Her instincts to fill a rumbling belly have been overridden by the curiosity of her conscience. She is fearless; unlike her fellow owl kin.

A peculiar sense of awe is alive in our girl. A genetic pre-disposition has engineered her for very particular thought processes. The divine source of inner-knowledge is apparent in all life on Mother Earth however, all beings hold a unique element of intuitive wonder.

As she hones in on the targeted destination, the shine seems to dissipate; reappearing every few moments. The pattern is sporadic. Our lady of the night experiences a heightened adrenaline level as she moves closer but, she is not one to turn away. The blessed fruit of free-will allows her to bypass her instinctive bindings. Perhaps this is the key to the ultimate plunder.

Finally reaching the location and after perching on a nearby branch, she notices the light has disappeared completely. In its place, a marvellous architecture of superior complexion. Thick smoke pours out from it's roofing. Whom is housed here? The chilling stone walls are constructed with fascinating precision. Pockets of light pour out from various transparent panes. All except one...

A strange shaft points out of the wide-open window into the night sky. Our owl does not hesitate to muster a closer look. She floats over to the windowsill to inspect the device when all of a sudden a door swooshes open and the room is flooded with blinding light! Her heart rate increases dramatically and before even a single second can pass she hurdles away back to the comfort of the tree. What was the cause of the disturbance?

It just so happened that the young man residing in this cottage managed to catch a glimpse of the marvellous fleeting bird. He was filled with amazement. Could this be the same one he spotted earlier on through his telescope? Either way, he sees her now nested in the nearby tree. "Honey! Come and take a look at this!" He screams with excitement down the stairwell.

The Owl's neck is turning rapidly to scan for danger. Her heartrate slowly decreases as she more so recognises her safety. "I can't see it." Said The Wife. "Look! Just across from us, in that tree." The Man points ecstatically. "Oh yes! That's a Barn Owl. I wonder what she is up to..." Just as the woman had finished her sentence, The Owl leaped out of the tree and shot straight back over to the couple's windowsill. They jumped back in shock! "Wow! She is very brave." The man exclaimed. "look at her talons. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side." The Owl's head tilts as she reads their body language. She had never felt so alive. What were these strange creatures in front of her?

"I don't know what to do." Said the wife whilst she clung to the man, slowly reaching into his pocket to retrieve his smartphone. The Owl gave a soothing hoot and spread her wings as the man took a photograph of her. "She is quite the show-off!" he says in an impressed tone. "I wonder if she will let us touch her." The woman slowly reaches her arm forward with her index finger at full extension and steadily begins to creep towards The Owl. The Owl doesn't know what to expect. She is scared but, the feeling is mutual. Now, less than a metre apart, the woman's finger makes contact with The Owl's feathery coat. The Owl gently presses her head against The Woman's skin and both parties are filled with an immense warmth and feeling of trust.

The Man, recording the entire endeavour also starts to move forward in pursuit of The Owl's affection. Just before he is able to make contact, there is a loud bang in the distance. The Owl's reflexes force her into a crouched position and her head jolts to inspect the noise. Having concluded the source of the shimmering glint she had no further interest being here and before the young couple knew it, their feathered friend sprung off of the windowsill and vanished into the night sky to chase her next adventure.