Pulled From The Fire
🦉❤️ Hazel
Not far from Hooty and Hoot’s cozy nest lived Hazel,
a tiny Northern Saw‑whet Owl —
small, round‑eyed, soft‑feathered,
and very different from the Great Horned Owl family that watched over her.
She wasn’t related to them by feathers,
But she was loved by them just the same.
Hazel had a broken wing,
wrapped gently in leaves and pine threads.
She couldn’t fly.
She couldn’t climb.
She couldn’t escape danger on her own.
And danger was coming.
The Shimmering Woods rested under a soft blush of first light, of dawn —
a gentle Valentine‑pink glow drifting through the trees as morning quietly arrived.
High in an ancient pine, Hooty the Great Horned Owl and his nephew Hoot slept soundly,
curled together in their warm nest.
But in a smaller hollow of the same tree,
Hazel, the little Saw‑whet Owl with the broken wing,
slept alone.
She was different from them —
smaller, softer, with bright golden eyes
and a voice like a tiny silver bell.
Hooty had taken her in when she was injured.
Hoot adored her.
And though she wasn’t their kind,
she was their family.
While they slept, a thin ribbon of smoke crept through the trees.
It curled upward, whispering around the branches,
slipping closer and closer to their pine.
A spark leapt.
A flame climbed.
A crackle stirred the air.
Then —
a sharp, smoky scent reached their nests.
Hoot blinked awake first.
“Hooty… something smells funny.”
Hooty stirred, sniffed, and his eyes snapped open.
“Smoke,” he said.
“Something is burning.”
Below them, the fire was already rising.
And Hazel —
tiny, injured, and different —
was in terrible danger.
🔥 Hazel’s Desperate Cry
A trembling voice squeaked from the hollow.
“H‑Hoot… Hooty… help me!”
Hazel pressed herself against the edge of her nest,
her broken wing tucked tight,
her eyes wide with fear.
Hoot gasped.
“We can’t leave her! She can’t fly!”
“And I will not leave my nephew,” Hooty said,
“and we will not leave Hazel.”
They were a family —
different feathers, same love.
But the fire was climbing fast.
A burning branch cracked —
fell —
and crashed down, blocking the only safe path out.
They were trapped.
🔥 Love That Refuses to Run
“Hooty, what do we do?” Hoot cried.
“We can’t leave Hazel!”
“And I won’t leave either of you,” Hooty said,
pulling both owls close beneath his wings.
Hazel whimpered.
“I’m scared…”
Hoot pressed his head against hers.
“I won’t leave you, Hazel. Not even for a second.”
The fire roared around them like a furious beast.
Heat pressed against their feathers.
Smoke stung their eyes.
They were out of options.
So they prayed.
“Hooty,” Hoot whispered, “ask God to save us.”
Hooty bowed his head.
“Lord… we need You. Please deliver us. Please send help.”
Hazel squeezed her eyes shut.
“Please, God… please…”
🔥 The Ranger’s Fight Through Fire
Then —
a shout tore through the smoke.
“I hear them! Owls — three of them!”
A forest ranger burst through the briars,
slapping flames aside with a heavy fire blanket.
Branches scratched his arms.
Smoke burned his lungs.
But he pushed forward anyway.
He saw them —
Hooty shielding the little ones,
Hoot holding Hazel’s good wing,
Hazel trembling but trusting.
“There you are!” he cried.
He beat back the flames,
lifted the burning branch with a grunt,
and reached for the owls.
Fire trucks roared into the clearing.
Firefighters sprayed water,
shouted orders,
and raced to save every creature they could.
Deer bounded to safety.
Rabbits darted through wet grass.
Squirrels scrambled up soaked trees.
The forest was chaos —
but help had come.
The ranger scooped all three owls into his arms
and ran them out of the fire.
They were safe.
📖 The Bible Truth (KJV)
“And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.”
— Jude 1:22–23 (KJV)
Hazel was different.
Hazel was helpless.
Hazel was loved.
And God delivered them all.
❤️🌙 After the Fire — Peace, Prayer, and a Lullaby
The fire was out.
The danger was gone.
And for the first time all day, the Whispering Woods felt still again.
The ranger carried Hooty, Hoot, and Hazel to a quiet rescue cabin at the edge of the forest — a warm, safe place where frightened animals were gently cared for until their homes could be restored.
Inside, soft lantern light glowed like a tiny sunrise.
Blankets were spread across a wooden table.
A bowl of cool water sat nearby.
Hooty settled the little ones down, his wings wrapping them like a sheltering hug.
Hazel sighed, her broken wing now bandaged.
Hoot leaned against her, refusing to leave her side.
Hooty rested behind them, feathers singed but heart overflowing.
For a long moment, none of them spoke.
Then Hooty lifted his head.
“Children,” he said softly, “before we sleep… we must thank the Lord.”
Hoot and Hazel bowed their heads.
Hooty prayed with a voice full of gratitude:
“Father, You heard us when we cried.
You sent help when we had none.
You saved us from the fire,
and You gave us a place of peace.
Thank You for Your love,
Your mercy,
and Your protection.
Amen.”
“Amen,” whispered Hoot and Hazel together.
A gentle peace settled over them —
a peace deeper than the quiet woods,
stronger than the fire they had escaped.
Hooty smiled down at the little owls.
“Now,” he said, “rest your hearts.
You are safe.
You are loved.
And God is watching over you.”
He began to hum a soft lullaby —
a tune he used to sing to Hoot when he was very small.
Hazel’s eyes drooped.
Hoot snuggled closer.
The melody wrapped around them like a warm blanket.
No yawns had dared to come during the danger.
But now, in the safety of God’s care,
they came freely.
One tiny yawn from Hazel.
One sleepy hoot from Hoot.
And finally, a deep, contented sigh from Hooty.
The fire was behind them.
The night was gentle.
And love — brave, rescuing, God‑given love —
held them all.
Susan Barker Nikitenko 2026©
Hooty's Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank You for loving us with a love that rescues.
Thank You for hearing us when we cry,
for sending help when we are afraid,
and for watching over us just like You watched over
Hooty, Hoot, and Hazel.
Teach us to love others the way You love us—
with courage, kindness, and compassion.
Help us to be brave, to protect those who need help,
and to make a difference in someone’s life.
Thank You for Your peace,
Your protection,
and Your never‑ending love.
Amen.
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)
God protected them, God delivered them, and their hearts overflowed with thanks.
Dear Lord, Thank You for loving us with a love that rescues. Thank You for hearing us when we cry, for sending help when we are afraid, and for watching over us just like You watched over Hooty, Hoot, and Hazel. Teach us to love others the way You love us— with courage, kindness, and compassion. Help us to be brave, to protect those who need help, and to make a difference in someone’s life. Thank You for Your peace, Your protection, and Your never‑ending love. Amen.
A gentle children’s song
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.”
— Jude 1:22–23 (KJV)
