The Romantic Owl

Nature offers wonder, awe, and the occasional mystical surprise.

“Who? Who are you?” The silent wings of the great horned owl settled in place on a tree branch above my head. Wide eyes regarded me as he asked once again, “Who?”

“I’m Marty Shaw. Nice to meet you. You are quite the friendly beast. Who tamed you? You’re certainly not the usual wild bird in this nature’s wonderland.” I lifted my camera to take a photo. The bird preened for me, not afraid at all of my undivided attention. I’m a nature photographer and loved the chance to visit with this wild guest.

“There you are.”

I turned to the sound of a young woman joining us from between the forest trees. “Pretty bird. Come here.” She lifted a padded arm. The owl turned its head and refused to move, seemingly entranced by the reflected light off my camera lens.

“Hello. I’m Martha. This is my bird. I’ve raised her from a chick. Her mother was ensnared in someone’s left over barbed wire fencing at an adjoining farm to this wild retreat. You must have gotten permission from Sam Snead or you wouldn’t be here. Am I right?”

I nodded as silently as the bird regarding us. “He’s quite the romantic figure, your aviary friend.”

“She. Her name is Willow. Come Willow. It’s time to feed you. Would you like to see the other wild creatures I’m caring for? I’ve a crow with a broken wing that I’m teaching to talk. He’s no longer fit for flying out and about. He’s becoming quite a friend.” Martha started walking, humming softly up at Willow to join us along the path back to civilization.

“You have a private wildlife sanctuary?” I enquired as we walked. Willow chose that moment to swoop down onto Martha’s arm. She bobbed her head in greeting at me, making Martha laugh.

“Willow is quite taken by you. She must know you are kind to the wild ones living nearby.” Martha regarded me and my gear with renewed interest.

“They are my bread and butter, have been since I was just a kid. I spend more time in wild places than at home. I’m lucky my talent as a nature photographer has paid so well.”

“Who?” Willow asked, nuzzling Martha’s side of her head. The girl lifted a dead mouse from a pouch at her side and fed the bird. “You know who,” laughed Martha. “Both Willow and I want to know more about you. Perhaps we can join efforts to help our wild friends.”

I nodded. Not having to search for creatures in the wild to find close up shots would be a welcome addition to my wildlife library. I wouldn’t mind sharing the sales of my photos to help fund her sanctuary.

Martha’s sanctuary was an unusual return to Eden, where beasts of prey were friends of their usually intended prey. The compound was quite open. Rabbits hopped near an injured coyote without fear. Willow snapped her beak, picking off an unwary dragon fly while maintaining her perch on Martha.

I began shooting the bird’s flight as she landed to greet each wild patient we passed. “Willow is my official caretaker. She lets me know when any of my injured folk need attention.She’s quite good at that.”

I took out my USB audio recorder, turned it on, and hung it from my neck to get Willow’s story from this captivating young wildlife helper. “Don’t use your flash. It will disturb my fairy.”

The soft fluttering wings of a hand sized human looking creature with wings hovered against my cheek. “Hello Bright. This is? I don’t know your name?”

“Marty Shaw,” I stuttered, shifting to bring my camera up to take a shot of the incredible sight of a living fairy.

“Won’t work. She’ll fog up the image. Watch,” Martha said, while laughing softly at me. Sure enough. Bright became brighter, a tiny shining sun darting off to buzz around Willow. She danced in a language all her own, asking Willow about me, is what it looked like, in the way she kept turning to face me then back to the owl.

“This is amazing.” I watched as Willow rippled her feathers, transforming herself into a wild otter, weaving and bobbing her head around as she adjusted to her new form.

Martha looked proudly on. “Willow is a shape shifter. She can be anything she wants. They are quite rare. Fairies are all around us, they just prefer their privacy.”

My fingers felt frozen on my camera. If I took photos of what I was seeing, This sanctuary would be invaded as soon as my pitchers were made public. Martha nodded in agreement at my startled expression. “You’re wondering how you can help me. I’ve been alone too long. I asked the ever romantic Willow to find a mate for me. She thinks you might be the one.”

Willow prefers the hunter instincts of becoming a great horned owl, to forage through mother nature’s retreats and find the surprising array of wild creatures living there. We’ve become good companions during my photo shoots.

Bright is always the first to welcome me back home. The sales of my nature photos is doing better than ever before. Martha and I nurture the hurts and pains of injured legendary creatures welcomed into the sanctuary by Willow and Bright. We’re now so well funded, you’d be surprised at the strange folklore creatures that really exist and come to us for care.

Willow the romantic owl, loves pairing off our patients with other magical guests. She’s quite the matchmaker. She’s having a bit of trouble finding a mate for our Fire Dragon. The beast has its eyes on Willow herself. And it’s about time Willow settled down and began a family of her own.

My camera eye would love to catch that mating call and see what form Willow might appear in that dance. Martha just laughs and say’s it will never happen. We’ll see.