✓ [18+] COMMITMENT

O N E : B I R D S O F P R E Y

A/N: New chapter names, what do you think? Basically, if there's no name, that particular chapter hasn't been worked on yet. Also changing the music videos at the top from what they were originally. Trying to pick out a song that either correlates with the chapter or what I was listening to while editing it. If there's more than one that catches my attention, I'll list below the author note ;D

One thing I'm definitely keeping is the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I'm a quotes kind of gal so deal with it ;P

Also big WARNING to FTR; in this book, I was a major sucker for details and long as hell chapters. I calmed down a bit with the sequel and my other stories. Not everyone is into a 7,000-12,000 word chapter *shrugs*

Enjoy this chapter as Katarina is finally introduced ^_^

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O N E : B I R D S O F P R E Y

Deep into that Darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before—Edgar Allen Poe, The Raven

K A T A R I N A

During a dark and dreary afternoon in Los Angeles, California on an October afternoon, a frantic elderly woman literally ran into the animal clinic I work at.

This incident was the same thing I've seen countless times before, especially with elderly people. I don't know why, maybe because they're older and have seen so much cruelty in their long lives that they feel the need to make up for whatever wrongs they did, or the amount of rights they ignored.

Either way, there's always a few a day, that come running in here trying to save the neighborhood squirrel that got a little too froggy with the neighbor's dog.

I don't mind it at all.

I love animals more than people anyways. People are assholes that always seem to disappoint you in the end.

However, that never stops me from being kind to someone in need. My best friend Emanuel is always giving me hell for giving my change to the local bum hanging outside the 7-11 that I frequent on my lunch break at the clinic. Yeah I'm sure he's not using the money for food like he says, but who am I to judge that?

"Excuse me miss! Can you please help me?!" the little old lady shrieks with trembling fragile hands and wispy white hair atop her head.

"Yes ma'am, what seems to be the problem?" I calmly ask, while approaching the front desk from the back. First thing I learned from working at the clinic is to always remain calm. If you're frantic with an already frantic patient, then you're in a whole lot of hell that only ends in a massive migraine.

"Well you see, I was going out on my afternoon walk and I happened to come across this bird that was laying in the bushes. I'm pretty sure my neighbor, Mrs. Wilson's cat got a hold of him."

I then noticed she was carrying a bundled up white towel with hints of crimson seeping through. I walked around the counter to find a black birds head poking out. I gently grab the towel from her and cradle the bird in my arms as I push the button on the wall to open the doors into the examination room, with the little old lady in tow of course.

The bird lets out a little squawk, trying to move under my grasp and flap his wings, but with the way the lady swaddled him in the blanket he doesn't have much of a choice but to stay put.

I find myself wondering how the hell she got him into the blanket like this in the first place. I smirk at the thought of this little old lady laying him down on the blanket and wrapping him up like a newborn, while he flaps his wings frantically.