...

Sapphy

I watched in horror and amazement as a large milky white owl was lying under a tree. It's wings— bleeding, was injured by something sharp metallic thing which was stuck into it. Thick red liquid oozed out from its side as little noises came out from the bird's beak.

It must be the deed of some cruel hunter who tried to kill the poor creature.

A pang of pain hit my heart as I quickly squatted down near the bird and picked it up carefully on my lap.

I proceeded to take a close look at its wound but as soon as I touched, it hissed and bared its cannies to scare me away while flapping its feathery posh wings to create distance between us in a natural instinct, only to worsen the cut.

"Shh... it's okay. Let me put it out for you. I mean no harm. Be a good baby." Though I didn't know if it understood my words or not I continued cooing those words and slowly started to take out the object from its wings. Thankfully the creature didn't make much fuss, probably too distracted from the pain.

With great difficulty, I sighed after finally taking it out and threw it aside as the owl stiffened beneath me.

As if testing, it tried to lift its wings but I restrained from doing so by gently putting my palm over it.

I took out my napkin which I always carried with me and tied it against the wings carefully to stop the bleeding.

"Soon you'll be fine and then I'll set you free. But for now please let me take care of you." I pleaded to it absentmindedly without bothering for a response as I saw it was looking at me curiously with its big doe eyes. Probably thinking just a minute ago a human tried to kill it and now another human trying to save it.

I chuckled at my own thought. The little bird was too scared to believe any human now.

Though it was pretty dark to make out the owl's details, I had never seen a bird as mesmerizing as it was. A short scar was running down its side of the face which made it look more alluring and its hypnotizing big yellow orbs seemed to see right past my soul as a pleasurable shiver ran down my spine.

I never felt like this before. Am I really attracted to a bird now?

'What was happening with me?'

I took the bird on my lap and started caressing its soft feathery body as it made a purring sound, trusting me completely.

"What should I call you, huh?" I tried to come up with a name and suddenly it clicked.

"How about Sapphy? Since your eyes are no less than a sapphire gem." I giggled as the creature was busy staring at my face confusedly.

Of course, it couldn't understand my stupid talking and thought me as a mad fool.

"Okay then, it's Sapp-"

"So you're here." I jumped back in fright and almost dropped the owl while looking up to meet with the same group of guys who were standing there, staring at me angrily.

"Ple-please, don't hu-hurt me." Instinctively I pulled Sapphy closer to me and oddly had the feeling to protect it, as they all started laughing like maniacs.

"You think, we'll let you go this easily? You're a funny woman." One of them, whose name I supposed David, stated.

I watched in anticipation as they started making their way toward me with a smug look on their faces.

'No!'

My whole body was sweating profusely by then. David jerked my arm and snatched Sapphy away from me as I kicked and screamed in his hold for anyone to help.

My head started spinning from all the laughter and cries and I collapsed to the ground.

But before passing out completely I heard an animalistic roar and next everything happened in a blur.

Bone cracking, skin slapping, tearing flesh, whimpering.

And I couldn't take it anymore.