It was around sunset when Xephos led Lomadia through the forest, hand in hand. There had finally been a time when Xephos got a break from working at the factory.
"You need to get Honeydew to let you take more days off," she teased.
Xephos chuckled. "When pigs fly," he retorted.
"So how's owl island doing?" he asked.
"Good, not too much happens, owls come and go. So why are we in the forest?"
"Well I thought we could camp out the night, have a nice campfire. That okay with you?" Xephos asked.
"Of course, just make sure you don't set the entire forest on fire, you scrub," she teased.
"Hey!" he protested. "You only have to worry about that with Honeydew!"
Lomadia snickered and ran off to get some wood.
The fire roaring in front of them, they sat there holding hands. "Hey Xephos?"
"Hm?"
"This is nice."
Bringing her into his embrace, the spaceman whispered in her ear. "I'm glad you like it."
"If you listen closely you can hear the owls singing."
Xephos chuckled. "It always comes back to owls."
"What? They have pretty voices. Listen."
The dull hooting in the background sounded no different to Xephos than Mr. Owl's own hoot.
"You don't get it do you?" she asked.
"N-no," he replied embarrassed.
"The one hooting right now- its a Barred owl. Because it sounds like it's saying 'who cooks for you?'"
"Sure whatever," he smiled. He leaned over to give her a kiss when there was a screech. Both of them jumped to their feet. "The heck was that!?"
"It was an owl!" Lomadia raced off in the direction of the sound.
"Lomadia, wait! It might be danger-" Xephos broke off and grabbed his sword and chased after her. As he broke through a barrier of thorns into a small clearing, Lomidia put her finger to her lips to tell him to stay quiet. Edging closer to where she was crouching, he looked over to see a tiny fragile body of a tan-colored owl. He had to resist wincing. It must have been a young owlet trying to fly before it was ready. Its small wing was bent completely backwards. "Northern Saw-wheat...partially fledged..." She said to herself. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.
She gently felt the edge of the owl's wing and slowly shook her head. "The wing would have to be amputated. And even if he survives, he would never be able to fly."
Even though Xephos was no owl expert- he knew that not being able to fly for an owl, would be like never being able to walk for a human.
"Are you sure there's nothing we can do?" He knew how much owls meant to her.
She looked down at the ground. "Promise me you won't freak out." It was a statement.
"I promise." he said without hesitating. Lomadia sighed.
"I am part of a rare race of animal healers. My animal being an owl of course."
"So you can heal it?!"
"Theoretically yes, but I haven't used my powers in a long time...I might hurt it Xephos... I've hurt one before..."
"Listen to me," he said. She pulled her eyes away from the limp body of the owlet.
"If there is a chance, a chance to save it, then do so." His voice was stern but compassionate.
"I know you can do it, Lomadia, you're the best owl-maiden I know. At least try." He gave her a confident smile.
Lomadia put a hand on the owlet's broken wing and concentrated. Xephos said nothing, not wanting to distract her. He heard its small hollow bones cracking as they morphed back into place. The little owlet stirred. It rotated its head so it could look at Lomadia and hooted. She opened her eyes and smiled.
"Let's get you back to your nest."
After the owlet was safely returned back to its nest, it was nearly morning. "We need to head back, the others will start worrying. Sorry this was a bit of a crap date Lomidia." Xephos apologized as they reached the factory's compound. Lomadia shook her head.
"It was a wonderful date, Xephos. And now I'm not afraid of using my powers anymore. I'd call that a pretty good date if I were you." The owl-maiden gave him a kiss and ran off in the direction of Owl Island, leaving the Spaceman to stare after her.
"How'd your date go Xephos?" Honeydew teased. Xephphos turned to face his friend.
He smiled.
"Pretty good."
