Breathing heavily and exhausted from climbing the stairs to get up to the Owlery, Sander leaned agains the wall to catch his breath before walking over to where his barn owl, Asgard, would be arriving. He had asked his mother to get something for him and he was now waiting for it to arrive.

Sander squinted in the distance but couldn't see anything. Was it going to be today that Asgard would be arriving or had his bird been delayed? Sander hoped not. He had something he wanted to do and he couldn't do it if the package didn't arrive. Sander looked out the window again and almost had a face to owl encounter with Asgard, as the bird came flying in from the east...not in front, like Sander thought it would.

"Hi Asgard, you made good time. Here's some pellets for you," Sander whispered to his family friend as removed the package from Asgard's beak, while allowing the Barn Owl to rest on his upraised arm. Sander placed the package inside his jacket pocket before turning to feed Asgard and and waited patiently for Asgard to eat his fill, before walking over to place him on a stand next to his cage.

"Okay Asgard, let's see what mother has picked out for me," Sander whispered to his bird as he slipped his hand into his pocket, pulled out the package and unwrapped it to reveal a tiny box. Sander slowly opened it and looked inside. It was exactly what he had hoped for. His mother had picked a very beautiful one. Sander prayed that Tessa would do.

Stroking Asgard as he showed the contents of the box to the barn owl, Sander whispered a question to it, "Do you think she'll like it, Asgard? I really hope she does," before closing the box shut and slipping it back into his pocket.

"You did great, Asgard. It's time for you to rest now. I'll come back and see you tomorrow," Sander stroked his bird one more time, before turning and making his way back downstairs.