Sal's POV
Sal saw the apex predator bypass him.
The harpy eagle wasn't after him, it was after Rosa!
-No…NO!-
Rosa's POV
Carefully climbing the tree and nimbly jumping from one branch to another.
But with each jump, she felt more and more…tired.
-Lately, talking with Sal seems to be…-
-...Such a burden-
The usual elegant strides have now turned into sluggish trudging. Each step seems grimmer and grimmer. Eventually with each step, no matter how slow and lethargic she was, Rosa arrived at her destination.
-Why am I having such negative thoughts?-
-I came out to explore the rainforest, to be a talking buddy.-
-I am here to have a positive time.-
-So let's do what I was here in the first place. To be a good talking buddy. To be a good talking buddy.-
-Wait, what's that?-
Narrowing her large crimson eyes, Rosa saw a figure, a large figure. So large in fact that it seemed its wings could cover the night sky.
It was headed towards her.
With no flapping sounds, the figure silently swooped down, weaving through the trees, gliding towards Rosa. With its wings forming a cupping shape, its fist-like claws grabbed the thick tree branch, clamping down firmly.
The harpy eagle gracefully landed right in front of Rosa. Rosa didn't even move an inch.
The moon hanging in the sky was particularly bright tonight, its glittery beams shone down, draping the harpy eagle in a thin sheet of silver glow, illuminating the eagle on one side whilst cascading a shadow on the other side.
The glow was just strong enough to show off the blackish-gray feathers on its wings, dusky and somber. The center of its body was a pillow of white, thick, soft feathers. Reaching up to the neck of the harpy eagle revealed a collar of black feathers like a regal necklace.
What stuck out most was the crown.
The eagle's face was a soft gray, with tufts of white, but on the top of its head were dozens of feathers layered on from small, short feathers, then stacking in the back of those small feathers, increasingly larger, longer feathers, like a growing mountain range. The colors of those feathers became darker and darker, until the largest, longest feathers were darker than night.
It was a crown.
The majestic harpy eagle wore the crown, the symbol representing the epitome of aerial predator, imposing an unspeakable aura of an ironfisted, unshakable power running through its blood.
"Why hello there," Rosa said, her red eyes glimmered in the dark, like flickering embers.
The harpy eagle didn't say anything.
It just stared at Rosa, its golden eyes shone.
Rosa didn't continue to speak. She simply stared back, her eyes burning, bursting, growing in intensity as a hungry fire.
Interestingly, the golden eyes narrowed, then closed. With some time, it opened its eyes up, opening its mouth.
"I'm-"
"GET AWAY FROM HER!"
With a rumbling, a growl tore the silence, a glint of white followed through.
With remarkable reaction time, the harpy eagle flapped its wings in reflex, crying in confusion.
A couple of gray feathers fell and drifted down.
"Sal?" Rosa said.
There he was.
Panting and huffing.
His long arms extended, his white claws, curved like a scythe, were ready to attack again.
There wasn't a goofy smile nor a tearful frown.
There was a death stare.
Before the harpy eagle could register what happened, another swung and nicked its body, ripping a couple of feathers out.
If it wasn't for the thick layers of feathers, that swing could've drawn blood!
With a sudden realization, the harpy eagle quickly beat its wings, gaining some momentum, and flew back a little.
The traces of shock still lined the eagle's face.
"Sal?" Rosa tentatively asked, a wave of relief and shock washed her away.
-Sal is different. So different.-
-It's like, he's…-
Sal's entire body was in front of Rosa, protecting her.
Tall and large.
There was an unwavering desire to defend Rosa, he was an impenetrable shield.
-He's like a giant.-