Week 11 story: The Owl Who Fell In Love With the Hunter.

(Owl picture from pixabay)

There was once an owl and a hunter. The owl was wise in her age and wanted more than anything to become a human. The owl was flying over the forest when she saw a hunter. The hunter was beautiful, and she was hunting for her meal. The hunter’s father called out to her and was calling her home early. 

“Julie come home right this instant. We do not have time for you to be out hunting; we need to find you a suitor.” Her father called. 

“Coming Father,” Julie said with a sigh.

The Owl overheard this conversation and instantly realized that this could be her ticket to becoming a human she just needed to control her power to shapeshift long enough to really get to know the hunter. The hunter’s name stuck out in her mind and would not leave the back of her mind alone. From the creation of the world, the animals that had created them had designed them to be with the same gender, and the owl was not aware that she would be destined to fall in love with the hunter. 

The Hunter was walking along the path by her home when she took notice of the owl flying above her. She took note of how free the owl seemed to be, but she also noticed it as it flew down below a thicket of bushes. The hunter, thinking that something was wrong with the owl, went to check on it. As she approached the bush, the hunter felt a rush of wind and guarded her face against the leaves that were flying up around her. 

The owl had by this time shapeshifted into her human form. She knew that the girl would be expecting an owl but instead would find a human behind the brush. As the hunter approached the owl. The owl now in human form looked up into the eyes of the hunter. 

“Oh, I was expecting an owl which fell behind this bush. But oh well. I hope you are okay. Let me help you stand.” The hunter replied as she helped the owl up on her newly formed feet. The hunter then asked “What are you doing all the way out here?

“Thank you for helping me. I fell into the brush while I was on my way to the hunter’s fathers home. I have heard stories of the hunter needing a suitor and was on my way to present myself.” The owl explained. 

The hunter heard this story couldn’t understand why she had not seen another woman so lovely as this one before on the path, but she knew that she would want to marry her as long as she was wise and was brave. 

The two women soon after headed back to the hunter’s home. On the way, the couple ran into a bear. The owl who was wise guided them out of the bear's territory by using her logic along with the hunter’s hunting skills to be able to escape the bear without harming it. The owl was afraid with such a detour that she would shapeshift before she could meet the father.

“There is something that I need to tell you before we get to your father.” The owl said.

“You can tell me anything.” The hunter said. 

“Well you remember the owl you saw flying above you?” the owl said cautiously 

“Yes, I remember. What about that owl?” The hunter asked. 

“Well that owl was me in my own form I have the ability to shapeshift. I didn’t want to tell you because I was afraid.” Said the owl. 

“You had no reason to be afraid. I have fallen for you. I wanted a suitor who was both brave and wise, and you have demonstrated both. Will you marry me?” The hunter spoke the one question that the owl wanted more than anything in the world. 

“Yes! I will marry you, but you will have to work with me to control my shapeshifting can you promise me that you will do that?” The owl asked. 

“Yes, I will.” The hunter said. 

The two women walked back to the hunter’s father where they broke the news. The father blessed them and told them to be happy together. The couple was soon married, and they lived happily ever after. 

Author’s Note: This story was written from the Cherokee story about an owl and a hunter that fell in love there were a few differences that I incorporated within my account. The owl originally was a male, and he was supposed to be a great hunter, but his gift of hunting was not appreciated by his wife. The story describes the daughter of a widow who was looking for a suitor which I took and changed the widow to the father, and I also made the owl a female. The gender swap of the owl was quite fun for me to write about. I also could tell that the owl in the original could control when he shapeshifted and I wanted to make it a journey that the lesbian couple could explore together. I also wanted to explore the possibility that the hunter had two specific qualities for her suitor. This story was enjoyable to work with, and I look forward to getting to maybe write another story similar to this one. I do know that this story will be going into my portfolio. I also enjoyed twisting the ending to make it a happy ending. The original story ended with the owl dying, and I didn’t want that ending for my own story.

Bibliography:
The Owl Gets Married -original story.