Pepe And Pilar
A mother red bird flies so high early in the morning, looking for food to feed her young birds. The mother bird has six small ones. Every time she comes back for the fourth time feeding all her young before each sunset she noticed that one by one a young bird disappears. Until the sixth day that her sixth disappeared.
She was distraught, wondering why there are so many predators around even when she has already transferred many times, only to keep all her young safe with her all the time.
After a few months she laid six again. She was so happy because she can start all over again as a mother. After about two weeks, all six eggs hatched. Four of the six birds look the same except for the two other birds. They look different. What's so depressing is that one of the two birds died on the third day and only one survived.
Two months later, all the five birds are now learning to fly. The four birds of the same feather and appearance usually play and fly together. They have red feathers. The lone bird, with black feathers, is usually left alone.
One late afternoon, the little black bird asked his mother, "Why do I look different from your other children?"
Mother bird replied, "No, you don't look different. Only in your brothers' eyes make you look different. I am your mother, to me you are just the same!"
The mother hugged the little black bird and was consoled.
One early morn, hunters are around the area where the mother bird and all her five birds nest. The mother told all her young to fly as fast as they can and leave the place immediately. All of them flew away from their nest, but hunters saw them and fired at them. All four red young birds were shot and the mother bird too. Only the little black bird survived. He was shot at the side of his right wing and fell on the grassy ground. When hunters ran after him, they didn't find him and left. The little black bird was bleeding and lost his consciousness. But before that happened, he was able to hide in a tree's bark with a small hole and there he fell asleep. The next day he almost forgot about his injured right wing that was bleeding. The shot he endured was light and lucky for him still to be alive. He was so scared about what happened yesterday to his mother and his four brothers. He wanted to go back where he came from, but rested for three days until the rains stopped on the fourth day. On the fifth day, he searched for his mother and four brothers but found no one on the ground where they fell. He grieved for many days.
Two more weeks passed, the black bird has now recovered. He found a place where no hunters can sense him. He lives inside a wooden box on top of a tree. He thought that somebody may have thrown a wooden crate on top of the tree sometime ago. He strengthened it by adding more plant stems and dried leaves so even during the storm he will be safe and protected.
One morning, a female black bird was flying and found the male black bird's tree. She stayed there for a while, hopped on the tree branches and chirped. While the male black bird was sleeping, the female black bird saw a yellow flower on the ground. She flew down and stared at the yellow flower. Then she saw a plant with yellow thorns on the sides. She was fascinated, but was shocked when she saw an insect flew over it, played with the plant's thorns and was trapped. She wanted to help free the insect from the plant, but the plant's thorns are so strong. The plant happens to be a Venus trap.
The female black bird was in hysteria -- shouting and crying for help. The sleeping male black bird was awakened. He heard the female black bird's shriek. He was just watching her from a branch of the tree.
The female black bird saw him, "What are you looking at? Can you not help?"
The black bird said, "I wish I could, but the plant is very dangerous for everybody. The insect is history."
"Who are you?" asked the female bird.
The male bird replied, "I don't have a name, but you can call me 'Pepe'. Who are you?"
"My name is Pilar," said the female bird.
After a few hours, Pepe and Pilar are now friends.
Pepe asked Pilar to live in Pepe's tree and that he will build a small house for her to stay in. Pilar was gladdened, but refused Pepe's offer. She said, "Maybe someday I can stay with you... just maybe! I'm leaving now..." said Pilar.
"Wait!" yelled Pepe. "When will I see you again?"
"Tomorrow morning, I will visit you here, then I will show you my place!". And Pilar left.
The next day, Pilar went to Pepe's place. Pepe asked Pilar, "How big is your tree?"
Pilar replied, "I don't live in a tree. I live in a cage."
"How could that happen?!" asked Pepe.
"I'm a trained raven and my master takes good care of me. He trusts me. Whenever I leave the cage, he knows I'm coming back."
"Wow, that's amazing!" said Pepe. "Can I go to your place?"
"Sure, why not?" said Pilar.
Pilar and Pepe went to Pilar's place. Pepe was impressed because Pilar's place is so beautiful. Pepe was seen by Pilar's master and already understood that both of them are friends. Pilar's master offered a separate cage for Pepe to live in. And Pepe thanked Pilar and her master for letting him in their haven.
Years and months passed, Pepe and Pilar learned to love each other and had a family. They have six young birds -- four black birds that look like them and two red birds. Pepe recalled his experience when his mother took care of him despite being a different one in appearance. He told Pilar about it and what happened to his mother and four brothers before they became closed.
Pepe heard what their two young red birds asked to Pilar as their mother. Like Pepe's mother, Pilar said the same words. That all mothers will always be mothers for all time. No matter what you look like, you will always be loved and accepted as you are. It's in your blood!
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