"Phew........It was so tough for us to make the nest on this yard....Oh! I forgot to introduce myself...I am a bird, people call me Red-vented Bulbul, or just Bulbul...Although I have a name which my beloved hubby, who is also another Bulbul bird gave me, "Michi". Me and "Fluke"(my husband) are starting our new life in this nest within this house yard....as we are about to become parents.....so our happiness is beyond boundaries....now all I have to do is bring our munchkins in this world!!!!

Day 2:

I have laid 2 eggs..Fluke was very nervous but he never left me alone...we are so happy today...now we have to wait for somedays so that my babies will see this outer world...!!!!

Day 5:

Yaaayyyyy!!!! Finally!!!! My babies came out....They are so small...even they can't see this world now as their eyes are too small to accept light...Fluke is very happy to have 2 daughters now, he named them- "Pico & Toki"....We are a complete family now who will live happily in our "love nest"......

Day 10:

Ahhhhh at last the day came we all worked so hard for....today both of us will teach our Pico & Toki to fly...actually I am more nervous than them...I think that's the nature of every mother to panic about their child...Fluke seems to be quiet but deep inside I know he is more stressed than me..as it's the nature of every father to hide their love & pretend to be strict outside.....

All of us now came to the edge of fence wall of the yard we are living in...I am more worried for Toki..she is weaker than Pico...but somehow I encouraged them...

"Now slowly spread your wings and jump from this fence..be careful to keep your balance..."

Both of them were trembling little bit..but Pico jumped first followed by Toki....my heart almost stopped when they jumped...even Fluke was shaking in fear...although they jumped but couln't fly in first attempt & straightly landed on the garden....luckily we choosed a low fence wall to start, so they didn't got any injury...but I was crying in panic...

"Mom we are fine already...see no one got any injury..." Pico comforted me...

"Alright it's enough for today, let go home now...we will try again tomorrow" Fluke firmly replied & I agreed.

Day 11:

We came again today...though I am over-protective of my babies but I have to let them fly..so I encouraged them again to start their flight....

Both of them jumped together....although they couldn't maintain their balance first but this time they didn't fall!!!!!! After struggling a bit they were able to maintain their position in air......."Yasssssss!!!!! our babies did it" I shouted in excitement, even Fluke looked like an extremely proud father!! After flying for a few moments they were again trembling in air so both of them sat down on the fence of the opposite house...Both of us rushed hurriedly to our babies...both of them came to my arms and I patted their head..

"We are so proud of you two..."Fluke said happily while patting their back....after all this we returned to our home hoping for a best day tomorrow...but destiny will show up as a nightmare, we never imagined that...

Day 12:

Me and Fluke were watching our babies practicing their flight...but I felt two sharp lingering eyes watching my babies...suddenly Fluke screamed- "A cat!!!!" even I was shocked...a wild cat was sitting on the garden of the opposite house glaring at our babies...we were shivered in fear...Fluke rushed to stop our babies going to that fence wall but suddenly Toki lost her balance and fell in the drain..!

Both of us screamed in fear & went there...Pico came hurriedly near the sewer but it was too steep for Toki to climb back...she was continuously struggling to climb up but her wings were injured from falling so she couldn't fly....suddenly I saw the cat was slowly approaching towards the drain looking at its prey...I became cold in fear...Fluke saw my condition and said- "Don't worry, I won't let that cat come near my daughter..even if I have to stop him with my life.." Fluke rushed to the cat and started distracting him, however the cat was continuously attacking my husband...me and Pico were crying helplessly for someone to help us.....

Luckily a little boy was passing from that area, Pico hurriedly rushed to that boy & started flying over his head crying for help...that boy understood our pain & came to help us...He picked up Toki from that drain & placed it on the wall of our house....even that boy chased away the cat and saved my husband...he was like an angel for us that time...I couln't thank him enough for saving our lives....

.

Toki was shaken in fear....I was so afraid of loosing her that I started crying by hugging her...."Mom, don't cry...its my fault...I shouldn't have gone over the sewer, sorry Mom..please don't cry..." Toki comforted me...meanwhile Fluke came to us but he was injured by the cat..he was bleeding...but he bravely told me- "Its fine....see I came back to you alive..don't cry Michi, now nothing bad will ever happen to us.." .........

.

After all this trouble we came to our nest...but Toki couldn't fly higher, her legs & wings were critically injured from falling..so she was disbalanced...even she couldn't stand properly...as we made the nest on a small shrub so somehow she managed to climb the nest..but continuously trembling...I became more worried now...

"Mom, don't worry...I am gonna protect my sister..I won't sleep tonight and I will watch her, both of you and Dad must be dead tired today, please take rest", Pico said...

Assured by Pico, all three of us decided to sleep.......

It was almost midnight...suddenly we felt a huge shaking on the shrub that we almost fell down from the nest...waking up hurriedly I saw Toki was not there!!!!! My heart froze in fear...I screamed- "Toki!!!!!!!! Toki!!!!! Where is Toki!!!!".Both Fluke & Pico jumped out of the nest and started looking for Toki....but there was no sign of her...

"Its my fault Mom, I must have dozed off...please forgive me...I will find Toki...", Pico said while crying...

Suddenly Fluke and rushed down, both us followed him and we saw a small feather....Its our Toki's feather...I immediately understood something has happened...

"Let's go to that garden...the cat must know something...",Fluke said restlessly..

My heart was beating so fast in fear but still I decided to go there and check...three of us went in the garden of that house...suddenly Pico screamed....

"What happened??" I asked...

"Mom!!! Blood!!!" Pico almost fainted while saying...there were blood stains in the garden..!!

Now my heart froze...we decided to follow that blood stains to that cat...when we went near we saw the cat was sleeping peacefully.....but near the cat some feathers were lying on the ground...!!

I felt a huge blow on my heart...I understood what terrible fate my daughter had to face due to this bastard cat!!! It killed our Toki!! It snatched our Toki from us!!! It must have attacked our nest when we were sleeping...

Pico started crying bitterly....Fluke became frozen in pain...he loved Toki more than anyone...he was in unbearable pain & guilt of being failing to save his dear daughter in the end.....

I became furious in pain & anger...I rushed to the cat and started attacking it..."How could you bastard!!!! How could you prey on my daughter!!! Die!!Die!!!!!!!", I screamed like crazy....

Now the cat pounced on me back, I was injured but to save me from severe injury, Fluke came between.....he faced a huge scratch by the cat...I hate to admit..but we were nothing compared to the strength of the cat......

Day 13:

It was almost morning of that horrible night....the house owner chased the cat and us away due to all the ruckus we were making....Heartbroken, we all came back to the nest....except our Toki...we only came back with one feather of her....everytime I was seeing the feather, my pain was churning me from inside causing me to weep like a baby...Fluke and Pico were devastated....our happy world fell apart in one night....

"Mom, Dad it's all my fault..I shouldn't have dozed off...please forgive me...I promise, I will always stay by your side...I will never leave you two alone...", Pico said...

Fluke, inspite of having injuries, patted her back and said- It's not your fault, it's our failure to protect our child...but now we only have you...please stay by our side...." I nodded with tears....

.

It was almost afternoon, we were hungry from yesterday...mainly Fluke goes in search of food everyday, but today he is injured...& even I was injured....

"I will go today and search for food," Pico said firmly..

"No!!! You won't go anywhere..I will go..it's the duty of father..", Fluke objected...even I agreed to it...

"But with this injury you need to rest atleast today...Don't worry, I know the place you go everyday...and I will return as soon as possible..both of you take rest now...let me do the duty of a daughter.." Pico replied...

After a lot of arguments both me and Fluke agreed...our Pico while going she turned back & said- "I will come back to you...just wait..."

"Don't go in the territory of other birds..especially crows...", Fluke warned her.....

.

We were waiting in our nest....it was almost evening...she didn't came back...now I started to panic...Fluke was more worried...

"Why isn't she coming back??? It's almost evening!!! " I asked Fluke...but he was silent..now my heart started beating fast...

In the meantime our neighbor Sparrow rushed to our nest...."Michi!!! Fluke!!! Hurry!! Go to your daughter!!!! She went to Crow territory...They were chasing her...they will kill her!!! Go!!!"

I almost fainted with fear....immediately me and Fluke rushed to that area from our nest....Fluke couldn't fly properly but he was shivering in fear....after reaching we didn't saw a single crow there....we started searching all the nearby areas...but there was no one....

"Pico!!!!!!!! Pico!!!!!!" both of us started screaming like crazy.....there was no sign of our daughter....

Suddenly I saw something was shinning near the public garbage bin...it seemed like "Déjà vu".. I went there & saw a feather with blood stains..."It's our Pico's!!! It's her feather!!! I screamed....", gaining all the strength I looked into the bin....

My heart almost stopped.....my beloved Pico was lying there fully covered in blood...one of the wings was torn off...one leg was missing...I lost balance and fell in the ground...Fluke came to me and saw the bin...he was so shocked that he couldn't believe his eyes...we both couldn't believe our fate would be this cruel....

Now Fluke fell on the ground and broke down..."It's all my fault, it's all my fault...I shouldn't have let her go...I failed as a father...why!!! Why I am still alive!!! Why our fate is this cruel!!! Why you are so merciless God??? You took our Toki now Pico too??? Why I am alive?? What was our fault???? She promised to come back to us!!!Why you took her from us??? Why????"

I became expressionless in pain..all I remembered was her smile when she promised us to wait for her.....I took her blood stained feather and returned to the nest....I placed the feather on Toki's feather...all we dreamt was to have a happy family and a happy life....was it too much to ask for???? I looked at the sky, tears were rolling down..."it's a mother's job to protect her chidren..I failed...I failed to become a good mother....I should die too...why I am living!! How I am supposed to live!!", I blamed myself...

Day 14:

It was almost morning...Fluke came back to nest...

"Michi..."

"Fluke, don't blame yourself...I should die...I failed to protect my daughters...I am the cursed mother.."

Fluke hugged me while I was sobbing...."Michi, let's go somewhere far away...we will never come back here again...let's go...I know we can't be happy ever again...but we will try to live with the memories...I will try to live as long as I have you..."..I nodded...

.

Both of us prepared to leave....Fluke was in tears...all he dreamt was to live a happy life with his daughters...my heart choked in pain...all I was doing was staring at the feathers...

"Let's go...Michi..", Fluke gently said...

Finally...we left the nest....while going away I looked back for the last time....The feathers of our Pico and Toki were shinning in sunlight as if they were waving us goodbye.....my eyes filled in tears...

The nest we built with love will now be a symbol of our painful memories, that will haunt us...forever....!!

....Based on a true story❤️❤️