he heard the cry, barely audible
he didn’t know from whence it came
he thought it was a woman’s cry
he could not be sure
the cry could have emanated from the cave
with a small entrance in the side of the hill
but
the cry also could have come from
deep in the brambles of the surrounding wood
he was not sure
he heard the cry again,
soft, almost a moan
crying for something, he thought
he did not know why
he stopped and listened
he heard a murmur, a moan perhaps
he stooped and entered the cave
he turned to the left tunnel of the two
he stepped in only to fall into the chasm
down he plunged into the abyss
the moan became louder
changing into a soothing call
he felt the change in him
he saw her fluttering up to him
his fall stopped
he found he had wings
she touched him with her left wing
he found his right wing touching her
the two soared upward
out of the chasm
out of the cave
they soared over the wood
to the sea
the two ospreys flew together
into the rising sun