The Shovel

Meanwhile, Rosalie was flying through the air clutched upside-down in the claws of the One-Eyed Hawk.  She was angry at being caught and began to wiggle to free her feet.  The Hawk looked down angrily and clutched more tightly.   Rosalie then lifted herself and began punching at the Hawk.  From a distance it was amusing to see a flying Hawk with angry prey.  The Hawk bent down to snatch her with its beak and she punched its open socket where there was no eye.  The Hawk screeched, released its claws and she managed to climb on its back.  They flew as a team for a few seconds before the Hawk dove and twisted to try to remove her.  She held firmly and rode on its back when the Hawk suddenly flipped its wing causing her to fall off its back. 

As Rosalie fell through the sky she observed a cloud with a door attached.  She came closer to it and as she was just about to pass, the door quickly opened, a shovel appeared that Rosalie landed into and then quickly sprung back into a room with the door shutting loudly behind her.      

After a few moments to gather her senses, Rosalie began to scramble out of the shovel.  The room was unlit but had light streaming in through cracks in the walls so that Rosalie was able to make out a table in the corner with a lamp and a frog sitting at the table writing.  The frog kept writing and did not acknowledge her.  

She stood for several seconds staring at the large frog not knowing what to make of it.  She suddenly sneezed and the frog looked over at her.  The frog put down its pencil, hopped off its chair and walked over to Rosalie.  It said to her in a gutteral voice, “I see that my shovel picked up something unusual today.  I wasn’t expecting to find a human landing in my shovel.  You will be a new category on my inventory sheet under the heading ‘human’”.  Rosalie asked “What is this place and who or what are you?”  The frog introduced himself.  “My name is Marco.  I started this business called ‘Sky Debris, LLC’.  I designed this shovel that catches debris that falls from the sky.  I then sort the debris,  determine its value and then sell it on the black market to all sorts of shady characters such as rodents, research labs, and cosmetic facilities”.

Skirmish at the water bank

On the bank, the four Hawks lunged with their claws and open beaks at the Horse and the Little Owl.  The Little Owl looked in terror as he thought he was going to be torn to pieces.  Suddenly, Sensei swooped down and snatched the Little Owl in her beak.  She placed him gently in a tree away from the skirmish and flew back to join the fight.  Sensei, the Horse and the Owls clashed with the four Hawks.  There was a blur of claws, beaks, feathers, and hooves with spurts of blood from the injured.  After what seemed like hours but was actually only minutes, two of the Hawks were lying still and appeared to be dead, two Hawks flew off with loud screeching, three of the Owls were lying nearby and sustained deep injuries.  The rest of the crew including the Horse, Sensei, and the Owls stood bewildered for a moment and then tended to the wounded.  The Little Owl was too afraid to join them and remained safely in the tree where Sensei left him. 

Captured

The next morning Rosalie, the Horse, Little Owl and the team of Owls woke from their sleep.  The Horse greeted everyone with an annoying whinnie that only the Little Owl seemed to appreciate by giggling.   The group began eating their breakfast of mice and berries for the Owls, shrubbery for the Horse and cheese and bread for Rosalie. 

As they were eating on the bank near the water, a cloud suddenly darkened the sky and they heard a whooshing of wings flapping the air.  They looked up and saw five hawks menacingly hovering over them.  The lead hawk swooped down in a dive toward them.  Rosalie could see that it had only one eye with the other being an open socket where the eye should have been.  She remembered this hawk from their first battle.  As the hawk dove toward them Rosalie scooped up the Little Owl and everyone ran for the shrubbery for cover.  The hawks dove and tried to reach them.  Sensei had picked up the jar of optical particulates in her beak and handed it to Rosalie.  She told Rosalie to scatter the particles on them so they would be invisible to the hawks and disappear in the shrubbery.  Rosalie opened the jar and began sprinkling the particles over each Owl, Horse and herself.  Within moments they were no longer visible. 

From above the hawks continued to circle and dive.  But after each dive they saw fewer and fewer of their prey in the shrubbery.  Until finally all of their prey had disappeared and the Hawks saw nothing but shrubbery below them.  The Hawks circled for awhile longer and then flew off into the distance.  Rosalie and the group were still covered in the particles and invisible even to each other.  One of the messenger Owls quickly walked to the water to remove the particles from himself.  Slowly he began to become visible.  The rest of the group began also walking toward the water when they heard screeching and a hawk dove to scoop up the wet messenger Owl in its claws.  It flew off with the Owl trying to free itself from the Hawk’s grasp. 

Rosalie and the group were invisible as they had not yet washed the particles from them.  Out of the sky, the four remaining Hawks landed on the shore near the water.  Rosalie and the group were invisible to the Hawks but any sound or movement would trigger the Hawks’ attention.  The Hawks were assembled in a circle talking among themselves.  Rosalie was holding the Little Owl in her arms when without warning the Little Owl let out a small sneeze.  Thinking they heard something, the Hawks stopped talking to listen more closely.  The one-eyed Hawk began walking toward the sound where the Little Owl had sneezed.  He came closer and closer to Rosalie and her eyes became wide.  

Just then a gust of wind came out of nowhere and kicked up sand all around them.  A blinding dust storm swept over them.  In the same instant, it was suddenly gone with everyone dusted in sand and those who were invisible were now visible to each other. 

The one-eyed Hawk cleared the sand from his eye and saw Rosalie and the Little Owl directly in front of him.  Rosalie dropped the Little Owl to the ground and prepared to fight the one-eyed Hawk.  She attempted to kick him but the Hawk caught her foot in its claw and unfurled its wings.  The Hawk suddenly rolled to its side and the Horse was standing over it.  The Horse had kicked the Hawk where it had lost its eye and caused the Hawk to stumble aside in pain.  He was still holding onto Rosalie’s foot and she tumbled with him.  The Hawk managed to recover and took flight with Rosalie in its claws.                  

An Angry Voice

Rosalie joined the group as they were eating around the campfire, however, she sat off by herself in the darkness.  Sensei sensed that a darkness had come over Rosalie but Sensei did not acknowledge it. 

After eating they cleared the area and prepared places to sleep.  After a few hours of sleeping, Rosalie suddenly awoke and sat up.  It was dark except for a sliver of moon that provided some light.  She heard the wind and looked toward the wooded shrubbery.  She got up and walked into the woods not knowing why or where she was being drawn.  Sensei heard Rosalie’s movements and quietly followed behind her.  

Rosalie walked for what seemed to be a long time.  She stopped and heard a ringing in her left ear.  The ringing turned into a high pitched sinister voice that said “Who are you? You’re not anyone I know or care to know.”  The voice turned into a further high pitch and the sound was suddenly gone and there was slience.  Sensei did not hear the voice but saw that Rosalie was disturbed.  She kept her distance without making a sound.  Rosalie looked confused and then angry.  She turned, walked back toward the camp and lay down to sleep until morning.  Sensei knew there was danger but she did nothing while she gathered more information.  

Sensei's story

Sensei was quiet as she took in the Little Owl’s words.  Little Owl then said “Who are you?”  Sensei proceeded to introduce herself.  “I was born a long time ago.  My parents were scholars and they taught me science, medicine and law.  My life has been devoted to learning and protecting those who cannot protect themselves.”  The Little Owl’s eyes widened and he said “You must be very smart.  I wish I knew as much as you do.  Why do you protect those who can’t protect themselves?”  Sensei looked off in the distance knowing that there was a reason for her wanting to protect the weak but did not explain this to the Little Owl at this moment.

Sensei rose from her seat and began to clear the table and asked the Little Owl to help her.  The Little Owl was pleased to be of service to this majestic creature.  It was getting chilly in the room and so Sensei began a fire for them to sit by.  They sat on chairs and there was a brief silence where only the crackling of the wood in the fireplace could be heard.  

Sensei then began to speak.  “My family and I lived on a farm not far from here.   We made our home high up in the rafters in a barn that was on a farmer’s land.  The farmer, named Samuel, was a kind and generous man who helped many poor farmers and people of the community.  His crops were abundant, he grew hay, fruits and vegetables.  When other farmers had trouble feeding their livestock, he would offer some of his hay free of charge until they could afford to buy their own.  He would give children whose parents were too proud to ask for handouts gifts of strawberries and green beans. 

Many of the farms were owned by families where the land had been passed down from generation to generation.  Except at the edge of town there was a farm that was purchased by a wealthy company.  The owners came with large equipment to pick and spray the crops.  The company began to offer money to the farmers who owned the land around them.  The farmers were poor and they took offers that were well below the market value.  Slowly the neighbors began to move out and the large equipment continued to move in.  Samuel saw what was happening and my parents and I could hear him in the barn curse the big company and tell himself never to sell his land.  Up in the rafters, we vowed to help him keep that promise since we also did not want to lose our home. 

We could see from the barn slick cars drive up to Samuel’s house and people in nice clothes get out to talk to Samuel.  Later we would listen from the rafters and hear Samuel complain about the visitors that they were trying to bully him off his farm.  But Samuel wouldn’t budge.

A few months later, in the spring when the crops were ready to be picked, it was evening when I was asleep and my parents woke me to the smell of smoke.  I climbed onto my Mother’s back and we flew from the barn.  We saw a man and woman pouring gasoline around the farm and my parents, with me on my Mother’s back, flew and clawed at them.  The intruders swatted at us but continued their work.  

Samuel was outside of his house and could see his crop being destroyed by fire.  He stood there dumbfounded.  Meanwhile, my parents continued to peck and claw at the man and woman when the woman took out a knife and began swinging it in the air at us.  My Father was darting toward her eyes when she held up her knife and speared him.  My Mother placed me in a tree and began to attack when the man also pulled out a knife and clipped her wing with it.  She was hurt and after several moments of fighting she flew back to the tree where she had left me and without words her breathing became heavy and then silent.   
   

With my Mother laying still next to me, I looked out at the field as it was consumed by fire.  The flames had spread to the barn that was previously my family’s home.  I saw Samuel sobbing but safe from the fire.  I flew toward him, allowing my wing to gently brush his hair and then I flew off into the night without looking back.” 

After telling her story, Sensei and the Little Owl sat silently for several minutes.  The fire in the room was turning into embers and slowly the Little Owl’s eyes became heavy and his head bobbed until he fell asleep.  

The Separation

It was only a few months ago when it happened.  The Little Owl was sitting in the family’s nest that they had just moved into.  The previous owners were doves who had moved out to look for a bigger nest to accommodate their larger family.  The Little Owl looked around the nest and could see baby feathers and digested food from the previous family who lived there.  The Little Owl heard its stomach growl and was wondering when the family would eat.  Mother Owl had left earlier and said she wouldn’t be gone long and would return with a juicy mouse or other rodent.  After a long time, or what was several hours, the Mother Owl never returned.  The sun began to set and it became dusk.  

The Little Owl was hungry and worried.  It climbed up and out of the nest and stood on its edge.  Looking out it could see a vast canyon and trees.  It would have been beautiful to see, except the Little Owl was worried and very hungry.  As the Little Owl looked down it could see a mouse scurry below.  The Little Owl in its excitement leans over to locate the mouse and loses its balance.  It had not quite developed its wings yet in order to be able to fly.  And so, it fell through the air, hit the ground and rolled and rolled along the side of a hill. 

Things went dark.  When the Little Owl next opened its eyes, it was in a room that looked like their nest at home but was much bigger and had debris from partially eaten mice and other prey.  The Little Owl was confused as to where he was and called out for its Mother saying “Mother, where are you?  Are you back from hunting?”  The Little Owl could hear shuffling in the next room.  The door slowly opened and there appeared a majestic Owl who looked at the Little Owl with kind eyes.  The Little Owl demanded to know, “Where am I?  Where’s my Mother?”.  The majestic Owl said, “My name is Sensei.  I was flying high above the canyon and saw you lying on the ground and took you into my home.  I am sorry, I don’t know where your Mother is.”  The Little Owl wasn’t frightened.  There was silence for a few seconds when the Little Owl’s stomach growled for food.  It quickly put its little wing over its stomach and Sensei said “How rude of me, I didn’t offer you any food.  Let’s go into the next room and I have prepared a supper for us to eat and to get to know each other better.”  The Little Owl hopped behind Sensei as they walked to the next room.  

In the next room was a table with two places for Sensei and the small Owl to sit.  Sensei said “Please have a seat and we will start with an appetizer.”  She left the room to the kitchen and came back with a plate of snails and grasshoppers.  She laid the food down and said “First let us say grace to the Big Whale”.  The Little Owl bowed its head and Sensei said the following “Big Whale thank you for letting me find this Little Owl so I may have someone to share this bountiful dinner with.”  

The Little Owl was famished and quickly ate two of the grasshoppers.  He was not used to the snails that were also placed on the table since his Mother never fed him such exotic food.  Sensei took a snail into her claw and using her beak she pulled out the salty flesh, showing the Little Owl how to eat this food.  The Little Owl then proceeded to eat a first, then a second and a third snail, enjoying this new delicacy.  After they had finished the appetizers Sensei went back into the kitchen and brought a catfish on a plate for them to share.  She used her beak to break the flesh from the bones and placed some of the fish on the Little Owl’s plate.  The Little Owl hungrily ate the fish.  

As Sensei saw that the Little Owl was satiated she began a conversation.   “Tell me Little Owl, do you remember why you landed on the ground where I found you?”  The Little Owl cleared its throat and said “No I don’t.  All I remember is that I was waiting for my Mother to return to our home and she never did.”   Sensei was quiet as she took in the Little Owl’s words.  

Little Owl then said “Who are you?”  Sensei proceeded to introduce herself.  “I was born a long time ago.  My parents were scholars and they taught me science, medicine and law.  My life has been devoted to learning and protecting those who cannot protect themselves.”.  The Little Owl’s eyes widened and he said “You must be very smart.  I wish I knew as much as you do.  Why do you protect those who can’t protect themselves?”  Sensei looked off in the distance knowing that there was a reason for her wanting to protect the weak but did not explain this to the Little Owl at this moment.  

Turmoil and sadness

Rosalie and the other Owls listened as Sensei described the plan for the group.  In her mind, Rosalie’s thoughts raced as she became resentful.  She had also stayed awake through the night thinking about how they might use the particles against the Hawks and what needed to be done to secure the area.  Her mind was telling her that she was the one who had found the particles in the first place and who had shown it to the others.  But now Sensei was standing in front of the group as if she had been the one to discover these mysterious particles.  Rosalie was silent and withdrawn avoiding eye contact with Sensei as she spoke.   

At the end of the meeting, it was beginning to get dark, the group was hungry and they decided to look for food.  They formed groups and spread out to look for mice for the Owls and fruits, vegetables, and nuts for the others.  Rosalie went off by herself to look for food that would suit her, not finding the current menu very interesting.  

As it was becoming dusk, she walked into the bushes toward where she had found the particles that made things turn invisible.  As she walked she could hear the branches creak in the wind.  The creaking sound of the branches reminded her of when she would walk in the woods at her home.  She stopped to listen and looked up at the branches to see them sway in the wind.  There was sadness in her stomach.  Clouds moved in over her above the branches.  

Then she heard a voice.  It sounded tired and depressed.  “Rosalie, what are you doing?  Nothing is important since it will all pass anyway.”  Rosalie looked around and could not see where the voice was coming from.  She felt very tired and confused, as if a weight was on her.  She sits down and then lays down to take a nap.  Things go dark.  Seconds, minutes or maybe hours later she hears rustling and isn’t sure if it’s a dream or real.  

The rustling becomes closer and closer until something soft knocks aginst her and falls off to the side.  She hears the something say “Excuse me!  Excuse me?”.   Rosalie sits up and sees the Little Owl on its side.  She rushes to the Little Owl and hugs him tightly.  The Little Owl is squished in her arms and says “I couldn’t find you and went looking for you.”  The Little Owl said “I brought the Horse who’s behind me.  Horse, Horse?  We’re over here”.  The Horse walks up and nuzzles Rosalie on the neck.  

The Little Owl says “We brought you some food since we didn’t think you would like to eat Mice or some of the other menu items”.  Rosalie looks in the Horse’s pack and finds cheese, water, French bread and an apple.  She hungrily takes out the food and eats.  They then all walk back in silence to the camp.  Rosalie did not mention the voice that she heard among the bushes.