Messenger Hawk

"Why are you smiling?" He asked her, not sure of what was funny this time.

"How could you hit your head on the barrier? Where you sleep walking?" She scolded him.

"Pfff, you're one to talk. You ran into the barrier, a barrier clearly set up by you. Who forgets such a thing? I should be the one asking you if you were sleep walking" he scolded her.

"I completely forgot as the bird's pain and your fall woke me up, as I saw the injured bird I wasn't thinking. I just wanted to pick it up and save it" she said in a low voice as she moved her gaze from his face.

"And you stupidly ran into your own barrier".

"At least I have a reason, what's your excuse?".

He kept quiet before speaking again, "Same as yours. I wanted to help the bird up".

"Really now?".

"I told you not to erect it yesterday" he said trying to change the topic.

"Did you? Never mind, the bird" she said as she made her way close but before moving any further, she calmed herself down and removed the barrier.

She quickly picked the bird up, "What do we have here?".

"That's a hawk".

"I know, I'll keep it".

Alarmed, he quickly went to meet her... "You can't do that".

"And why not?".

"Because, it's a messenger hawk".

"Perfect, even better if you ask me".

"It's not yours".

"So?".

"It belongs to someone Astrid".

"There isn't any message on it" he couldn't help but face palm himself.

He took a deep breath, then sighed before speaking again. "Huh, it belongs to me".

"Hahahhaa ha haha haha haha".

The next thing he knew, Astrid started laughing at him... "What's so funny?".

"You, you simply want to not let me have it but next time come up with a much better excuse".

"What!!! ".

"You heard me, next time come up with a much better excuse".

"Are you calling me a liar?".

"I didn't, you're the one insinuating it".

"I'll show you then" he whistled and the bird flapped its wings and flew from Astrid's hand to Jareth's shoulder. He used his fingers to gently caress the hawk's feathers then turned with his back facing her.

Soon the hawk started making some noise and Jareth spoke to it in whispers, seeming to understand the bird.

"Yeah, don't mind her. She put up a barrier that injured you and I, then still fell right into it" he giggled a bit still stroking the bird.

"I'm sorry. I was at fault, I completely forgot she put up a barrier and called for you" the bird made some noise again and Jareth replied.

"Hmm, won't happen again. I know it's no excuse, but I am not used to waking up with an invincible bar... ".

"Are you two talking about me?" Said a feminine voice from their back. Jareth quickly turned to Astrid and shook his head.

"Liar, I heard you... ".

"Well since you did, then what ask?".

"You, you're so... Hmm".

"What? I'm so what?" He asked her in a teasing manner.

"So you really own it huh?".

"Yup, I told you".

"Can I hold it?" She asked giving him an innocent face.

"No, you can't".

"Why?".

"Because you didn't believe it was mine" he said boastfully.

The hawk groaned, as Jareth's hair hit it while he raised his head up high. Astrid felt its pain and rushed to it.

"Hey what are you doing?" He asked her as she stretched out her hand to reach for the bird.

She mentally communicated with the bird and it hopped from Jareth's shoulder to her hands as she caught it.

"What! Its mine, give it back you".

"Hey there, I'm Astrid, you?".

The hawk made some noise again and Astrid nodded.

"Ohh, I see. Thunder, nice name. I had a bird back at home in the forest, its name is Sebastian. I really miss him" the hawk made some noise again.

"All right let me fix u back up. It must have hurt hitting the barrier, I'm sorry" it made some noise and stopped.

Astrid gently put her hands on its head and soon a blue light shone on the bird and after a minute it started flapping its wings.

"There you go, all new" she said with a smile on her face and lifted her hands into the air, giving the hawk some momentum and it flew. It soared high and flew back to them, flying above their head and it came to land on her shoulders and made some noise again.

"You're welcome" It then flew to Jareth and rested on his arm as he raised it for he's bird to perch on.

"Hey you... You left me for her, now I'm feeling hurt".

"Well it needed some healing and I offered it" Astrid chipped in on their conversation.

"He is really happy, thank you".

As he was busy conversing with his hawk, she approached him and touched his shoulder. He turned his head to look at her and she place her right hand on his head. She rubbed his forehead and soon the blue light danced on his forehead and within a minute the bruise and bleeding was gone. Then she removed her hand and walked away from him.

He touched his forehead, searching for something, she turned and saw his actions and just shook her head.

"It's gone you know".

"Yeah, thank you".

"Anytime. Now why is your messanger hawk here, where was it before?".

"I sent it on an errand earlier on before I met you, I'm about to send it on a message again".

"To where?".

"My father" she looked at him with an uncertain expression.

"Anything wrong?" She finally asked after a long pause.

"I just want him to know I am doing fine".

He took out the paper he rolled earlier on and put it in the pouch of the hawk and patted it.

"All right Thunder, go to Father".