The chickens in the farm were now happy, talking to each other in the light of the golden sunset. Meanwhile, Antler was talking to Kyros about what she had heard in the Forest of the North. Kyros listened intently, and it seemed he was satisfied. “You know, I guess I should thank you for helping me realize that everything does have a good purpose.”
Antler hugged him. “No problem! I didn’t really do much.
“Nonsense! If it weren’t for you, Reanne and I wouldn’t have professed our feelings to each other.”
Antler shrugged. “Well, and that.”
They both laughed.
“Hey!” a voice called from outside the gate. It was Pedro. On his back were Riley, Reanne, the Trio, and River.
“Are you joining? Let’s go for a swim!” called Riley, a smile stretching across his face, “The owner’s off with the others in an important derby council.”
Kyros and Antler looked at each other and beamed at each other. “Hop on!”
Kyros let Antler on his back as he flew above the fence.
The short flight was really loud and took a lot of wing power on the part of Kyros, unlike the smooth gliding of River. Once they were over the fence, Kyros bunched up for another flight. An enormous leap sent them flying into the long back of Pedro.
Antler jumped off. “Hi, everybody! How did you get here, River, Nate, Phil, Jack?”
River cleared his throat. “I caught a glimpse of Pedro here and followed him to fetch the Trio.”
The three raccoons looked annoyed. “And what a way to fetch us. Hawk, you rascal! You swooped on us and dropped us on the crocodile’s back.”
River puffed out his chest. “Hawk?”
Antler tried to switch the topic. “You know Pedro?” she asked River.
Pedro chuckled. “Of course he does! He just didn’t know before that I was the only crocodile in the river.”
Nate was astounded. “You’re the only one in the river?!”
Jack crossed his paws and closed his eyes. “I don’t believe a word of it. There has to be more of you.”
Pedro’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Oh, but are you sure of that? For I have been awfully hungry these past few days.”
The Trio hugged each other. “Please don’t eat us.”
“No thanks. I prefer softer meat.”
River widened his eyes. “Funny. I prefer my meat firm. The juices are better that way.”
Antler waved her hands in front of the two carnivores. “Let’s talk instead about how Kyros and you fly differently, River!”
The chickens Kyros and Reanne were fidgeting and the Trio had fainted altogether at the short conversation on meat. Riley, meanwhile, just stood there lolling his tongue in and out.
River, who was perched on the tail of Pedro, gave an example of his flight to Kyros. He extended his wings; far larger than Kyros’s. The wind picked him up and took him soaring high above them all.
As Kyros watched him high up in the sky, Antler noticed he was beginning to get sick. Antler muffed a chuckle. “You’re scared of heights?”
Reanne shrugged. “Yeah, he is.”
“Epic!” Riley barked. He swooped down in a rush of sharp air.
Kyros gulped. “This is how I… fly.” A violent pounding of wings sent large ripples across the river. He rose a couple of feet in the air, only to come back down quickly.
“Weak.” River sneered. Kyros was going to hit him with a spur when Reanne held him back.
The Trio rose from their unconsciousness earlier and faced River and Pedro. Antler introduced everyone to each other. Soon, everything went smoothly, with everyone knowing each other’s names. They began storytelling amongst themselves and their experiences.
Antler flicked her tail all of a sudden, hitting River’s beak. “Ow!”
“Oh, snap! I forgot to ask the Maker about Apple’s problem. Sorry, River.”
“It’s fine,” he said, shaking his head.
“Wait.” She stopped. What was the thing in common that made all their lives better? River had a family to keep him going through life, she and the Trio had found purpose in their lives in service, while Pedro and Riley had found purpose in watching over creatures and people, and Kyros had found happiness in being with Reanne.
Love. Love was the common trait in their purpose for living.
“What is it?” Riley interrupted her thoughts.
“Oh, nothing.” River began stretching his wings and feet. “Ready to go back to Caves?”
Antler stood up. “Sure.”
As she climbed up onto River’s back, her friends bid her farewell. “Bye!”
“Take care!”
“Keep visiting!”
“We’ll always remember you!”
River flew, Antler on his back. She watched her friends get smaller and smaller in the distance. A tear escaped her eye, reflecting the blue sky above her.
River glided slowly. It was almost as if they were in slow motion. Time was frozen. By now, she had gotten used to riding on a hawk’s back the second time around. She didn’t need to grip his feathers. She reveled in the moment, even standing on River’s back.
River smiled. “You’re liking this?”
Antler was too occupied to notice. The wind whipped across her fur. The learned hawk smirked. “Just wait and see.”
Antler looked at the landscape all around her from 1000 feet high. She saw the old nest. She might have missed it if she didn’t focus enough. It was nothing but a pile of sticks now.
They were now floating above the prairie. “Okay, you’ll be starting your descent now.”
Antler laughed. “Okay!” She stopped dead. “My descent?”
“Bye!” River twisted, sending her plummeting down a thousand feet into prairie. River maneuvered to pick her up with a wing before she hit the ground.
She rolled on the grass of the prairie, hyperventilating. “River! You truly are a hawk chick at heart. Just wait till I tell Forest!”
River flew away, calling to her, “Goodbye! I won’t forget you, Antler!”
Antler huffed and started towards the city.
“It’s love.”
“Yuck!” Antler had re-met with Apple in the backyard. She had just told Apple of all her travels and the creatures she met.
“No, no, you’ve got it all wrong. Love isn’t just about the romancey stuff. Love can be of many creatures, yourself, or of The Maker, who is Love himself.”
"Oh."
Apple shook his leaves. “Well, sure, I’ll try all you told me. I’ll help and thank others.”
“I’ll supervise you from your branches.”
“Thank you!”
And so Apple performed the tips given to him by Antler. He had grown his leaves even thicker. Of course, this had garnered more attention. But when he fell out of fashion, he kept his leaves. He grew into a shady tree which purified the air greatly.
Antler even began joking that he might just be the leafiest tree she had ever encountered. The leaves also attracted birds and other creatures to his branches. But instead of ignoring them, he thanked them and welcomed them. He also invited them to come again.
Months passed. He had become a happier tree since Antler returned. He also found that his leaves grew a lot greener and his bark was wider as a result. He had found happiness in service, like Antler did.
Antler rubbed her eyes as she woke in the shade of Apple. “Morning.”
“Good morning.”
Antler stretched and flicked her bushy tail. It struck something. “Hey! That tickles!” Apple called.
Antler looked behind her. “Apple! Guess what?”
“What?” Apple shook his leaves. Now, his shaking, which used to be involuntary and gloomy, was now almost a dance. Something fell from his branches. An apple landed on the ground.
Apple was delighted. “Hey! Guess what? I’ve bore fruit!” He laughed with joy.
Antler laughed with him and picked an apple from one of his branches. “You’re tickling me again, aren’t you?”
She bit into it. “Well, prepare to get tortured with tickles, since these are the best apples I’ve ever tasted!”
Apple’s tone became embarrassed. “Aww, really?”
“Yeah! I’m not joking!” She picked a couple more and placed them in her satchel, causing Apple a ton more laughs.
“Hahaha! Stop it! You’re killing me!”
She placed it in her satchel and she jumped down from the branches. She looked over to Apple. “You know, you’re going to need a new name. Apple is too stereotypic. I have known many Apples in my travels. You are definitely not ordinary.”
Apple’s tone was grateful. “Thank you, Antler!”
Antler paced about. “Would you like Night, Freedom, or Hope as your name?” Apple replied. “Scratch the first two off. I like the last one though!”
Antler gave him a wave of the tail. “Well then, you name shall now be Hope, to be a symbol of hope to everyone you may meet. Share your story to all you help.”
“Thanks. I like my new name. Wait, where are you going?”
Antler began walking off into the dawn. She looked back at Hope. “I’m a roving squirrel, remember? I’m going to journey back southwest. I probably might not meet River again, but I’ll surely meet Pedro, Kyros and Reanne, and the Trio again.”
“I had wished you’d stay. We could have so much fun spending time with each other.”
Antler sighed. “If I stayed, what would happen? I’m sure I’d be content living off your apples and greeting passers-by who settle in your branches. But I wouldn’t be able to help as much as I can.”
Hope sniffled. “I won’t forget you though.”
Antler smiled. “And vice-versa.”
Antler walked back to Hope and gave him a hug. Hope thanked her. “You’re one in a million, Antler. Thank you so much. You have made me realize my happiness and meaning to life. If it wasn’t for you, I probably wouldn’t be this happy and fulfilled.”
“No, thank you. Without your request, I wouldn’t have delved deeper into myself and others to find the reason to life.”
“You have made me more confident. And because of your request, I have fixed many other creatures’ lives. In a way, you have brightened other’s spirits, including mine.”
Hope shook his branches. “I guess everything happens for a good purpose, after all.” They laughed, and it came together like a song.
Antler felt a warm feeling spread across her. But this felt different. It came from her heart and radiated throughout her entire body.
She waved goodbye at Hope, and as she went away facing the rising sun, he couldn’t help but wonder what could have been if she hadn’t stumbled into his life. Now, he didn’t mind not being able to move.
It was sunrise, and the sun shimmered and glowed on the horizon.