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.