The Owl and the Bee

Abbie’s days have always begun with the sun.

Even the first one- she remembered vaguely that the day she was born was an unnaturally bright day in January. The Queen was actually praised for laying eggs with such good timing, because more of Abbie’s siblings were able to survive. She recalled the first time her eyes focused on the golden, reflective surface of the beehive, which she now knew like the back of her, well, wing.

Abbie felt herself slowly come to consciousness. Her wings twitched gently, shaking off the night’s drowsiness. They cast iridescent light on the walls, catching the rays of sunrise at just the right angle. A familiar buzzing was growing slowly in amplitude around her as more honeybees awoke. The beehive was readying itself for yet another day.

“Good morning!” one of Abbie’s many siblings, Polly, greeted her happily, and lifted off the ground, wings buzzing so fast the naked eye couldn’t discern their movement.

“Hello!” Abbie responded.

The rest of the honeybees also rose, spinning and chattering about their night’s sleeps, dreams, and hopes for the day. And, at exactly the right time which no human could name but every honeybee knew by heart, they whizzed out of the beehive, one by one.

Despite doing this every day, Abbie felt this feeling never lost its luster. The sky became ground and the ground became sky as she and her friends whizzed into the light of the morning sun. They zoomed past the patch of grass with the magnolias, circled around the branch of the huge maple, spiraled around leaf stems, and cunningly dodged silver, dew covered spiderwebs. Abbie was enthralled by the hum of her own wings, moving her faster and faster, leading her siblings.

As they flew, the bees chattered happily with each other. Abbie saw Polly tilt her wings and speed up to catch up to her.

Abbie smiled at Polly. Well, as much as a bee can smile. “I bet you I’ll find the absolute best flowers today. The Queen will thank me forever.” She did a little twirl in the air, as if she was bowing to a nonexistent audience.

Polly giggled. “You say that every day.”

“Because it’s true! Who found that amazing patch of lavender by the old Bear Winnie’s den? Half the honeycomb almost fainted.”

Polly bounced excitedly up and down, riding the bursts of summer air like waves on a surfboard. “I guess we’ll have to see, shall we?”

The bees hummed excitedly.

As she did every morning, Abbie nodded to Polly and swooped downwards from the rest of her siblings to greet the rest of their neighbors. She greeted the brown rabbit that used to be afraid of bees until Abbie brought him honey on his birthday, buzzed at the bluebird that was eating her breakfast of berries, and made sure to stop to talk to Colin the caterpillar for a bit longer than usual- he would be cocooning soon, and needed some reassurance.

Once Abbie was done making her rounds, she looped back into the horizon, in search of the perfect flowers.

********************************************************

A day of hard work behind her, Abbie returned to the honeycomb when the sky was just beginning to tint pink. After circling her hive to ensure that all her siblings have gotten back safe, Abbie flew back to the entrance.

Polly looked up. “Abbie, where do you always go at this time?”

Abbie smiled. “I tell you every day- I’m visiting a friend.”

The bees buzzed drowsy goodbyes, and Abbie flew off.

For though Abbie was very close to her family, they weren't quite acquainted with Abbie's best friend.

The one that started every day with the sunset.

A huge oak stood on a hill just a little journey west. The silhouettes of its branches stretched outwards and formed intricate curls against the pastel sky. Abbie watched a large figure emerge from a carved hole in the trunk, and flutter over to the strongest branch.

An owl’s eye always spotted even the tiniest of creatures. Abbie saw a yellow eye flicker and follow her as she buzzed closer to settle on the branch near the great brown owl.

“Good evening Ollie! Isn’t the sky beautiful today?”

Ollie the owl looked up calmly, turning his head almost completely around to survey his surroundings. “It’ll be a little more beautiful later tonight.”

Abbie, as someone who could never stay still, rose from the branch and drew figure eights around the owl. Ollie’s yellow eyes followed her with a look of soft amusement. “You say that constantly. How can it be more beautiful? It’ll be dark and frightening.”

Ollie hooted. “I can assure you it’s not frightening.” The owl looked off into the distance. Abbie knew what he was thinking about- every night, the owl emerged from the oak, waited until the perfect darkness, and flew through the night. By that time, Abbie and her siblings would be long asleep, safe in the honeycomb. Abbie had never been out at night, and couldn’t imagine spending a whole one in solitude, with no sun to guide her, but she had long learned that this was Ollie’s greatest enjoyment. She had even been able to speak with a particularly rebellious mole who was awake past his bedtime (his bedtime being sunrise), to inquire about the night so she could ask Ollie questions.

“Ollie, what constellations do you expect to see today?”

The owl was looking thoughtfully into the sky. “I believe I may see the Cancer today, and maybe Draco- that’s a dragon.”

Abbie considered this. “You keep talking about seeing all these animals in the sky, but how come you don’t come out to visit all the animals I know? I could show you the rabbits, the butterflies, and the rest of my family!”

The owl continued looking at the sky. “I’ve told you many times, Abbie. I don’t like spending time with others, nor do I need to- I’m happy here, alone. And I have seen those animals you speak of- just not as close. And that’s enough for me- I can observe the few that run around at night, learn about their lives. I don’t need anything more. Plus,” he added thoughtfully, “I’m a night animal. I don’t think your day animals would like to see me.”

Abbie continued to flit up and down, circling around the owl’s tawny feathers. “But how? How can you spend all that time alone? Do you at least fly with other owls or bats when you go on your night flies?”

Ollie smiled. Well, as much as an owl can smile. “No, Abbie, I don’t. I fly alone, and that’s how I’ve always enjoyed it. I have never taken anyone with me.” The sunset reflected in his yellow eyes- streaks of pink, orange, and cream. “Solitude isn’t loneliness. You can only be lonely if you feel like there is no one there for you. And I think that one can be there for themselves, so if that’s true, they can’t be lonely.”

Abbie frowned. Sometimes Ollie would say things like this, wise things, probably, and she never really understood. “Well, I think you should come visit during the day. You can see the sun, and meet my friends, and finally get out of that hole you’re always in.”

Ollie chuckled. “You say that every day. Let’s talk about something else.”

And so like they did every dusk, the bee and the owl talked about everything. Abbie described the flowers she saw throughout the day- the red poppies that Polly had found before her, but only because Abbie let her to see her happy, the daises that ruffled with the wind, and the sunflower field that had a family of squirrels moving through it, wrinkling their noses as pollen sprinkled lightly onto them.

In return, Ollie told Abbie about constellations and stars that she’s never seen, the moon that sometimes looks like a pearl and sometimes like a smile, and crickets that cause noises by rubbing their legs together. The owl also gently praised Abbie for her kindness for her siblings, explained what causes the wind, and revealed that pollen is a common thing that can irritate noses, like those of humans.

Abby didn’t know how Ollie knew all these things, and didn't understand all of them, but she listened nonetheless, enraptured seeing the cogs in the owl's brain turn. Soon, the sky was turning violet, and the rays of the sun became very dim. Abbie slowed down her loops around the owl’s head, wings drooping from sleepiness. The owl quickly noticed.

“It’s time for you to head home. You always stay so late, and I know you’re afraid of the dark.”

Abbie yawned regretfully. “I know, I know. Hey,” She puffed out her chest and put on an act of bravado. “Maybe someday I won’t be. And then, maybe I can fly at night too!”

Night animals began howling in the distance. Abbie shrank and looked around. “Well, maybe. I’ll have to take some friends.”

Ollie looked at her with a look of both amusement and admiration. “Sure, maybe one day. Now fly home.”

Abbie nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Ollie!”

Ollie watched her fly away. “I’ll be here.”

The owl quietly lifted off the branch and flew upwards. Keeping a distance above the trees so Abbie wouldn’t notice, he watched to make sure the little bee made it back into the hive. When he knew his friend was safe, the great owl flew off into the night.

And for some reason, that day, Ollie thought about Abbie’s words a little more than usual.

*******************************************************

The next morning, Abbie was getting ready to leave for another day of work when she heard screams from her siblings. She saw a shadow form in the green grass and immediately recognized it. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Ollie came.

“Guys, guys, it’s okay, this is my friend! Stop! Stop!”

He should have warned me, I never thought he’d actually come, I would have told them, I didn’t know…

But chaos had already ensued. Bees swarmed back into the hive, buzzing loudly, and the rabbits and mice scurried into their dens in terror. Abbie turned in horror to watch her friend.

The poor owl flapped in the air, not knowing what to do. Abbie watched Ollie’s beak open and close again, usually so prepared and ready to impart wise and witty responses, but no noise came out. Ollie, who had always been so calm and confident, looked strangled and unprepared.

“Ollie, here, I’m over here!” Abbie flew towards the owl, but as Ollie’s eyes focused on her, they failed to see a branch sticking out of a bush, close to Ollie's leg. Abbie froze, watching her own reflection in Ollie’s eyes as she saw Ollie cry out in pain.

With a great flap that shook the honeycomb, Ollie was gone, back towards his oak. Abbie knew she could never fly fast enough to catch up.

The bees and animals emerged, and Abbie bopped up and down in tears. “Guys, I told you, that’s my friend!”

“Friend? An owl? Abbie, are you serious?” Polly flew up, looking at Abbie with concern. When she saw her sister’s tearful expression, she waved at the other bees to calm down. “Come on, he’ll be okay. I saw it- it was just a scratch. Now let’s go, we have flowers to pollenate. You can even make less rounds today- Colin’s officially becoming a butterfly.”

******************************************************

That day, Abbie was seen working in a frenzy and returned extra early.

The hive was emptier than she’d ever seen it, with only bees with other shifts and the Queen in it. Abbie said hello to a couple, but quickly zoomed out, a plan on her mind.

But she didn’t go for the oak yet.

I would like to make him feel welcome- I have to ease him into it, make up for what happened today.

Abbie flew into a denser part of the forest, one she usually didn’t visit by herself. She found a tree that had huge leaves hanging off it- Ollie had told her about it. Then, carrying honey back and forth from the hive, Abbie worked. As she did, bits of flower petals and pollen stuck to the honey she spread across the leaf.

It was definitely clumsy- a smeared, lopsided drawing. But the idea was there- a sticky picture of an owl. Abbie hoped to get some friends from the hive to hoist up the leaf and hang it next to the hive- a welcome ceremony of sorts for if Ollie ever forgave her and decided to come again.

It was getting dark to be outside alone- at this time, Abbie would usually be with Ollie or with her family. She turned to start heading home when she heard a crack in branches.

An animal that Abbie hadn’t ever encountered firsthand emerged- probably a coyote, which Ollie once said were usually active at dusk.

Abbie tried to stay quiet, but it was too late- the coyote’s eyes followed her, threatened by the bee, and Abbie’s eyes widened as she saw a huge paw lift to swat at her.

Ow.

It took a second for Abbie to register what happened. She heard the coyote squeal, and limp away. The bee’s wings began to slow. Like a leaf falling from an autumn tree, she slowly drifted towards the ground. She remembered dimly what the Queen had always said.

You can only sting once.

Abbie managed to make her way back to just outside the honeycomb, wings growing more and more tired. She couldn’t shake the feeling of how easy it would be to just fall asleep right now, just lay down and close her eyes. And that was immensely more scary than anything she’d ever experienced.

“Abbie!”

The bees swarmed around their fallen member as she came to a rest on the ground.

Everyone was talking, everyone was crying, there was just so many sounds, too many, she didn’t want all of this…

“Have you guys seen… the owl? I have something for the owl…”

Suddenly the bees backed to the sides, looking into the sky. A great brown owl landed softly, making sure not to step on any bees. Abbie looked up at Ollie.

For the first time, her reflection in the owl’s eyes was blurry.

“I was wondering where you were.”

“I was… did you see the tree?”

“I did, don’t worry.” The owl chucked softly. “Good drawing, but my head isn’t that big.”

But Abbie saw how softened the curves of feathers were around Ollie’s eyes. She had learned to read his expressions a while ago, and this one only appeared when Ollie was in admiration- talking about the stars and the night. Abbie laughed quietly.

Night was approaching. Abbie looked up dreamily. “Wow- the moon really does look like a pearl. I’ve never seen it this bright before.”

The owl nodded. “It’ll get even brighter.” He paused, considering something. “Would you like me to show you?”

The bees watched in shocked awe as the little bee crawled up the owl’s wings to settle in its soft feathers. They couldn’t believe what they were witnessing, and chattered regretfully about their actions earlier. They decided to prepare some honey and find Ollie the next morning to thank him. Abbie overheard them.

“See, Ollie? They want to be your friends, just like I told you.”

Ollie blinked his huge eyes. “I only ever really wished for one friend.”

And so the great brown owl flew up as the sky turned navy. The little bee rested on the owl’s back, looking up into the dark sky that she’s never seen before. The owl pointed out the Big Dipper, the milky way, and constellations of creatures the bee has never heard of. He showed how the moon was so bright that it turned the sky around it light almost like daytime, and pointed out the craters and imperfections on its white surface. The owl explained the inner workings of the universe that night, as much as an owl could.

Eventually, the kind friendly bee grew silent on the owl’s back.

Some say that the owl flew the little bee straight into heaven.