The Barn Owl

They had just settled in for the evening thank goodness - frightening was not even a word for how I suffered. I had been in here too long, but... There was no alternative way for me to exist; I was thankful to finally be in peace and alone. These children, these humans, oh God my life was going to be hell.

I had shifted into the old barn at a very tender age, due to the very fact my Mother had been shot during the human hunting expedition, and now, I was alone. I had battled many scary creatures that first week alone in the woods. There had been no alternative, only one, to leave the only home I had ever known, a comfortable nest that my parents had built for my formative years. My Father had been killed by a human hunting party sometime before my entrance into this world. Since then my Mother had been on her own. I still can feel her magnificent feathers and the warmth of her body as she used to encapsulate me under her wing. The food was glorious and when I had first ventured from our nest as just an owlet, my Mother had been so patient in teaching me all the ways of flying and secretly hiding. Little had I known then how all this would come flooding back to me in my times of need. It was only my early teachings that were helping me survive now. I was so shy and the only recall I had of humans, was bad in my experience.

Two very noisy and nosy children had arrived this afternoon, whilst I was napping. Usually, nobody ever came in here anymore. I had purposefully chosen this old, cold derelict barn for a reason. I could sit out in sight of the mice who inhabited the barn and they would play around me. There were plenty of insects and spiders to nibble on in my new abode. The mouse family that lived close by only required a subtle hoot from me and alpha mouse would come running to see what was happening. They had become my Friends, not my food. little was I aware, of how my life was about to change.

The next morning I was greeted with stark terror. These two children and boy and a girl with not much variation in age came rampaging back into my barn. Had I not been quick to the flap then I would have been exposed to them. Oh, how I could not bear that!

They appeared to be well turned out and ran around in circles singing for a wee while - how utterly dizzying; as my head seemed to turn clockwise then anti-clockwise. All the while following them and willing that they would take leave from my barn. Hence this was not to be. They had found some of the old human costumes and books. And, looked as though they were seriously settling in for the day. I let out a very small sighing hoot at the thought of them being in my barn.

The children both looked up in surprize, one spoke and said "did you hear that, it sounded like the hoot of an owl; let us explore". Oh no, too late to move about, they would detect me for sure; although I had learnt from my Mother to become a master of camouflage. The angst I felt at that moment, the thought of them both looking up to see my roost above their heads would not leave me. I sat in silence too scared to move. No napping today!

"Look up there", I heard the boy child say to the girl. "Look look it's an Owl". "The Barn Owl". Now, these rafters were pretty high, however, that human boy could climb and he proceeded to make his presence felt to me. Higher and higher he climbed until he reached the top rafter where I was perched. I began to hoot rather loudly hoping to warn off this human predator; he took no notice and continued saddling across and balancing along the rafter.

There was no time to think - all of a sudden I was in flight and out that barn door so fast by gliding noiselessly through the air. Well, she did not see me coming as air rushed over my wing, creating a gushing noise and a large area of air turbulence build up. Before I knew it I was on the ground!

Oh my, with velvety feathers on the trailing edge of her wings. "Who are you" - "Is this some sort of elaborate courtship ritual"? This gorgeous owl enquired; with eyes so deep yellow, I was instantly in love. The answer I give this majestic owl was "The Barn Owl".