I Built a Divine Zoo in Another World

Lukas approached one of the fountains.

Golden fish swam peacefully beneath the crystal-clear surface, their scales gleaming like tiny suns.

Then...

A sound interrupted his thoughts. A faint noise. Almost imperceptible.

”Crack.”

Like a muffled scratching sound. Lukas raised his head. The sound came again.

Behind a cluster of tall bushes, rosebushes with thick thorns and red flowers.

He hesitated for only an instant before approaching. Carefully, he pushed a few branches aside. And froze.

There, on the ground, a small eagle stared back at him.

Its golden eyes were wide with fear, but also with a strange sense of pride.

Its brown and white feathers were disheveled, some scattered across the ground around it, others bent at odd angles.

One of its wings remained folded at an unnatural angle.

It was injured.

The bird immediately let out a sharp sound, a warning screech, and tried to move away. But it stumbled. Its left wing dragged across the ground, and it nearly fell.

Lukas remained still. It was small.

Much smaller than he had imagined when thinking of eagles. Its body was no larger than his open hand, and its feathers still had the soft appearance of a young bird.

The eagle spread its wings slightly. Trying to appear threatening. Lukas slowly crouched down.

”It’s okay.”

The bird retreated a few inches. Its eyes never left the boy.

Lukas knew that look. It was the look many animals gave when encountering a human for the first time.

Fear. Distrust.

He carefully extended his hand. Without any sudden movements.

”I’m not going to hurt you.”

The eagle remained motionless. Its breathing was rapid. Its body tense.

Lukas waited. Seconds passed. Then a few more. Finally...

The bird tilted its head slightly. Observing him. Lukas moved his hand a few inches closer.

No aggressive reaction. A few more inches. The eagle remained still. Then... with extreme caution...

His fingers gently touched the feathers near its neck. Soft. Warm. The bird shuddered. But it did not retreat.

Lukas smiled.

”Hi.”

The golden eyes remained attentive. But the same desperation was no longer present within them.

Lukas examined the injured wing.

It did not seem like a recent injury. The feathers around it were dry, without fresh blood. Perhaps it had been there for several days. Perhaps it had collided with something, a tree, a wall, a window. Or perhaps it had been attacked by another bird, by a cat, or by something larger.

”Last night... the shadow at the window might have been an attempt to fly.”

He frowned.

”It tried to escape.”

Lukas looked around. He needed to find someone. Or at least proper supplies, clean cloth, water, perhaps a healer.

He turned his attention back to the small eagle.

”Wait here.”

The bird let out a low sound, a weak screech, almost a whisper.

Lukas hesitated.

If he left it alone... perhaps it would flee. Or worse. Try to fly again and fall, injuring itself even more.

He took a deep breath.

”Can I pick you up?”

The eagle tilted its head slightly. Naturally, it did not respond.

Lukas slowly brought his hands closer. The bird remained still. Then, he carefully lifted it.

It was surprisingly light. It weighed no more than a book. Its tiny, sharp talons closed around the fabric of his tunic, but they did not hurt him. They merely held on gently.

Lukas felt a small smile appear.

”Do you trust me?”

The eagle watched him in silence. Then it rested its head against his arm. His heart nearly melted.

”This is dangerous.”

He knew that feeling.

It was exactly how everything had begun with Tilbo.

Lukas carefully adjusted the bird in his arms.

He needed to find water. Food, perhaps small pieces of meat or insects. A clean cloth to immobilize the wing and prevent it from worsening the injury.

He left the garden. Walking slowly through the corridors.

Some servants cast curious glances at him, a small boy carrying an injured eagle in his arms. But no one stopped him.

Until a familiar voice echoed behind him.

”Lukas?”

He turned around. Lady Elara was standing in the corridor.

The birthday girl wore a simple light-blue dress, without the elaborate embroidery from the previous night. Her brown hair was tied into two messy braids, as if she had done them herself without the help of maids. Her feet were bare.

She looked far less formal than she had the night before.

Her brown eyes widened immediately at the sight of the bird.

”An eagle!”

She hurried over. But stopped when she noticed the injured wing.

”What happened to her?”

”I found her in the garden.”

Elara brought her hands to her mouth.

”She’s injured...”

Lukas nodded.

”I think her wing is broken.”

The girl’s expression became determined.

”We have to help her.”

Lukas blinked.

”Do you know how?”

”No.”

Elara answered immediately.

”But we can ask.”

She broke into a huge smile.

”My father knows a lot of intelligent people.”

Lukas looked at the little noble.

The concern in her eyes seemed completely genuine.

He smiled.

”Then let’s go find help.”

Elara nodded energetically.

”Let’s save this eagle!”

The small bird let out a low sound, a weak screech, almost a whisper.

Its golden eyes shifted between Lukas and Elara.

As if trying to decide whether those two strange humans were truly trustworthy.

Lukas gently stroked its feathers.

”Don’t worry.”

The eagle closed its eyes for a few seconds. Relaxing.

As they walked through the corridors of Hark Castle, Elara chattered nonstop.

”I’ve always wanted to see an eagle up close! But they fly so high. My father said eagles are the symbol of our family because they’re brave and can see far away, as if they can see the future. Do you think she’ll recover? Do you think she’ll like me? I’ve never taken care of an animal before. Have you ever taken care of one?”

”Yes,” Lukas replied.

”I’ve taken care of two.”

”Two?”

”An ant. A spider.”

Elara stopped walking.

”A spider?”

”A spider.”

”...was it big?”

”Very.”

Elara’s eyes widened once again.

”You’re brave.”

Lukas thought for a moment.

”No. Just curious.”

Elara did not understand the difference. But she continued walking beside him, her eyes fixed on the little eagle.

Lukas felt something warm inside his chest.

Perhaps that morning would not be as peaceful as he had imagined.

And judging by the way the little eagle remained nestled comfortably in his arms...

He suspected that his family was about to grow once again.