In the Shadows of Greatness

Friendship Falls From the Sky

Echo stared up at the great oak. It was shadowed beautifully in the night, and she could just barely make out the green fringes of the lower most leaves. Hollows dotted its trunk, where birds of all sorts lived. Her father once told her that a family of owls lived in one of the spacious hollows.

"I'd like to meet an owl," She whispered into the night. Echo sighed and stood up. If she didn't hurry back, Birch would lecture her about how dangerous the night was for a pup.

Just as she turned to start the short trek back to the cave, something fell from the tree. Without hesitation, the young pup hurried up to the fallen creature. It was a bird, yes. It groaned and tried to flop onto its back, struggling. Its left wing seemed bent out of shape. Echo nudged it over. It had a beautiful white face, an odd looking beak, and large pure black eyes. Its feathers were fluffy, its body was tiny.

"Who are you?" He hissed. Echo jumped back in surprise.

"My name is Echo," She said. "I'm a pup of the pack here. Who are you?"

"I'm Silver," He groaned. He flopped upwards, testing his legs. He fluffed himself up in satisfaction that his legs were fine.

"Did you hurt your wing, Silver?" Echo sniffed it.

"Yea, I did," He chuckled nervously.

"Will you still be able to fly?" She asked.

"Oh, yes!" He nodded. "Yes. I'm much too young to fly at the moment, though. I don't have a single budding of flight feathers yet!"

"Did you fall?" Echo looked up at the dark tree, wondering which hollow belonged to the bird.

"Something pushed me," Silver shuddered. "I was just barely peeking out the hollow, looking for my parents, when suddenly I was tumbling past branches and landing hard on the ground!"

"That's horrible!" Echo said. She sat and lowered her head to the bird. "What are you, anyway?"

"I'm a barn owl!" Silver proudly said, stepping onto her head. Slowly she stood, walking around the clearing, the young injured owl on her head.

They talked mindlessly, random topics such as stories and legends and rules they found ridiculous and silly.

"It's pretty tonight," Echo mumbled. Silver hummed his agreement.

"Echo!" A terrified howl sounded from the cave. Three black shapes rushed out.

"Who're they?" The owl still perched on her head whispered.

"One of them is my father," She shrugged.

"Echo!" Fallow panted. "What are you doing out so late! You didn't even tell me!"

"I met a friend," The pup simply said. Fallow's tense body relaxed.

"Dumb pup," Dusk growled.

"How is she dumb," Birch growled. "She's a curious little one. Curiosity does not equal stupidity."

"Wolves and owls are not friends," Dusk snapped.

"In your eyes maybe," Birch huffed.

Out of the sky a screech sounded. Two owls landed in front of the unphased pup. Silver hopped down and ran up to them.

"Did you fall?!" His mother looked him over. "Your wing! My goodness your wing!"

"I was pushed!" He told her. "And this wolf pup helped me and let me stand on her head!"

The male nodded to the pup in silent thanks. He grasped Silver in his talons and took off up to their hollow, while Birch snatched up Echo. She plopped her down on her nest.

"What do you have to say for yourself, little one?" Birch asked her. Dusk rolled her eyes and walked off.

"I made a friend with an owl," She said. Birch sighed while Fallow laughed. The creamy she-wolf curled around the pup, gathering the rest of her litter close to her body. Echo nuzzled the sweet belly fur, her dreams filled with owls and the night sky and the vast expanse of the forest.