My Ottawa Eagle. Virginie T.

pet. But don't be nostalgic.

      — That's right. I also believe that my soul mate is not on the island. If you'll both allow me, I'd like to go away for a while and try to find her. We're in a slow tourist season, so my colleagues will do fine without me.

      The two brothers look at each other and communicate silently, only by looking at each other. They often do that. It's confusing and frustrating. How can you counter their arguments if you don't hear them? It is Achak who takes the floor again.

      — You're probably right. Your soul mate is not among us, you would have discovered it by now with all the people you come across all day long. Besides, the fox clan hasn't taken any reprisals since Takhi's death. Her family has accepted the fact that she acted badly and knew her well enough to know that she died because she refused to submit. So you can go exploring quietly. We can get along just fine without you for a while. You're not as indispensable as you think you are!

      Despite what she says, her sparkling eyes prove to me that I matter to them as much as they matter to me. His joke helps me relax. I didn't realize until that moment that the idea of this confrontation had gotten on my nerves. It would have been very bad for me if they had refused.

      — Where do you plan to go?

      — The Great Spirit remains vague in spite of my prayers. All I know is that I have to go to the northwest, which remains vague.

      Achak nods his head. He knows something I don't know, no doubt about it. Logically, he communicates with all spirits without exception. Our shaman is very powerful and close to the totem spirits.

      — Head for Kipawa Lake, but be very careful. You will find the object of your quest, but you will have to prove your worth to get it.

      Ah, that's right. Spirits love riddles and mysteries. They keep us on our toes, but they never give us all the answers. It's up to us to decide which path we'll take to reach our goal, because after all, the path is as important as the destination. I didn't expect it to be. I have their blessings, which is very important to me, and most importantly, a clue as to where I will find the love of my life. For the first time, I'm touching my dream with my fingertips and I don't plan to miss it. It's up to me to do everything I can to make it happen now and I won't back down from any obstacle.

      — I'm sorry I can't give you more details. I know it's not a lot of information.

      — Don't worry about it. I wouldn't expect so much, so thank you. I could really use your help. Thanks to you, I'm not going in blind. My pet should be able to do the rest. He's as impatient as I am and will do everything in his power to find the one that belongs to us. I'll see you soon. I'll come and introduce you to my wife as soon as I get back.

      — See you soon, Apenimon. And don't hesitate to call us if you need any help. We're here for you, even from afar. Bring your soul mate home.

       I'm going back to my house to pack while I think about the shaman's warning. I should prove my worth. What did the spirits mean? I am a warrior, my strength and loyalty are no secret to anyone. Not from any ottawa, anyway. My soul mate is certainly outside this world, and as a matter of fact, my name will tell him nothing about me, I'll be just another man in those eyes. And value certainly doesn't depend only on physical strength, it takes more than that to impress a woman. I set off as soon as my travel bag is ready and loaded into the car, my head full of hope and questions. I can't wait to meet the woman who will fill my soul and that of my pet. I am ready to do anything to seduce her and keep her close to me.

       

       Chapter 2Cayla

       Leaving on a whim in the middle of the Kipawa Lake Ancient Forest seemed like a good idea at the time. When the MFFP, the Ministry of Wildlife, Forests and Parks, proposed this mission, I thought "great, I will be able to combine my passion with my need for solitude". Now that I find myself in the middle of this vegetation that has been preserved for more than 400 years, certainly magnificent and lush, but completely lost, I am less convinced by my flash of genius. Solitude is nice, but certainly not when there are only trees as far as the eye can see and orientation is far from my strong point. I am still convinced that I had all the right reasons in the world to exile myself in this way, but it is no help to me when my map does not give me any information about my position. How do you read this thing? I have no idea where I am and my head is buzzing with parasitic thoughts, short-circuiting my rational, calm side. My last love affair ended with loss and smash and left me more bruised than I had told my family, leaving me full of bitterness. My parents thought that a change of scenery would help me bounce back and so supported me in my wish to go to the other side of the world, alone. Anyway, my family never liked Richard and it was essential for my mental health that I change my mind.

       I am originally from Lorraine, where I discovered my passion: animals. Since I was very young, as far back as I can remember, I was in admiration of them and I forced my parents to go to the Amnéville zoo at least once a month. My parents knew the alleys by heart by dint of driving me there constantly and despite their weariness, they always acceded to my request. The zebras and tigers with their irregular black stripes, the white lions with their thick fur and all the other inhabitants of the animal park had captivated me at first glance, like all children I suppose, but more than anything else, I fell in love with the birds of prey. Their aviary is one of the largest in the world and their spectacle is simply breathtaking. Harris' huge falcons, fishing eagles and buzzards, among others, fly freely in an exceptional ballet that ends with a final flight of more than sixty birds simultaneously that leaves you speechless. For the little girl I was on my first visit, it was a revelation. I envied their freedom in the sky and their so majestic appearance. I felt as if I was tiny under these masters of the skies. So, I decided to become a veterinarian and work in this zoo. I studied, persevered and studied some more. I immersed myself in this universe with every fiber of my body, regularly putting my life as a carefree party student on hold and telling myself that I would make up for it later. While my crazy roommates dressed up to laugh, flirt and be honest, have sex, I immersed myself in my books on dog anatomy and animal behavior. I achieved my goal at age twenty-five and have never regretted my sacrifices.

       Only here I am four years later away from home because I made the wrong choice. A bad choice from the beginning of my life and I find myself thousands of miles away from my family. If I do have one regret, it is that I gave in and put my heart before my brain. I should have gone on as before and listened to my head screaming at me not to do that. Dating my boss was a big mistake. And yet, it had started so well. The zoo director, Richard Watson, 10 years my senior, gradually gave me attention and I felt flattered. True, who wouldn't have been. Richard is rich, charismatic, pleasant to look at and I respect his work and his fight to save the species. We sailed in the same professional environment, which was an advantage for me. I naively thought I had found my alter ego. It was flattering to attract such a leading authority in his field. It started with small attentions: he kissed me instead of shaking my hand, he regularly came to the care centre to check that I didn't lack equipment, regularly asked my opinion on the animals to come... Then one day, everything became more concrete.

      ''I really like you, Cayla. I've been watching you for months now, and I've been telling myself that I'm your boss and that employee relations are not recommended, but I can't stay away from you anymore. "Come and have a drink with me.

      I had thought about it, weighed the pros and cons, and finally agreed. His manly smile on firm, full lips and his eyes shining with desire for me had gotten the better of me. Our relationship had begun a year earlier with a fiery kiss. The kind of kiss that leaves you with wobbly legs and wet panties and I naively thought we would end our life together. Even though we didn't live together, we sometimes talked about babies. Finally, looking back, I realize that it was mostly me who envisioned this logical continuation of our love, while my lover systematically dodged the subject.

      ''I feel so good for you. Do you ever think of a little person who looks just like us? A mixture of you and me?

       There's plenty of time to think about it, Cayla, there's no rush”.

      I didn't necessarily agree with that remark. After all, we were a decade apart and I sometimes wondered if his