Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 257: The Sky's Bounty

"Birds and rodents are constantly raiding our crops," Nina explained, her voice heavy with the exhaustion of a researcher losing years of work. "It is a massive blow to our progress. We need a way to protect the fields that doesn't involve poison or traps."

She adjusted her glasses, her tone shifting to professional urgency. "Paying people to chase them off is a waste of resources. The money disappears faster than the results, and even then, they miss things. I have to take a team to the capital for a conference soon, and we have a new batch of seeds that have to be grown outdoors in direct sunlight."

Nina looked at Nancy with hope. "We want to hire a consultant from your zoo to look after these fields."

Nancy considered the request, her brow furrowing. The best choice for Nina’s problem was a large raptor. They were the natural nightmare of every thief in the grass.

The problem was that her zoo didn't currently house any large birds of prey. She could ask Master Crow to pull some strings with his friends in the wild, but she hesitated. The image of a golden eagle soaring through the sky came to mind. These were the kings of the air. Forcing them to clock in for a shift at an agricultural base felt wrong, and semi-captivity was never good for a wild predator’s spirit.

Seeing Nancy’s hesitation, Nina quickly added, "Don't worry about the pay. We’ll take the entire budget we had for human guards and put it toward the animal consultant. I’ll personally guarantee they’re well-fed and given the best possible care."

Nancy couldn't help but smile at how desperate the woman was. "Don't worry. We can look for a permanent solution later. For now, I can find some temporary help to get you through the next few days and save those seeds."

She figured she could have Master Crow organize a rotating shift of raptors to keep the fields secure for the time being.

"By the way," Nancy said, changing the subject. "The zoo is looking to buy agricultural products for our regular feed. What kind of pricing are we looking at?"

"The price is the easy part!"

Nina’s face lit up. A massive weight seemed to lift from her shoulders the moment Nancy agreed to the partnership. She pulled a contract from her briefcase and signed it on the spot.

"As long as we're partners, we’ll supply your feed at cost. Plus, for every project we do together, we’ll pay a consulting fee for you and your animal friends."

Nina leaned in, offering an even better deal. "And it’s not just crops. If you need meat for your carnivores, I can put you in touch with suppliers who are reliable and affordable. We’ve built a solid network over the years."

Nancy’s eyes sparkled. This was a godsend. If she could secure this supply chain, the quality of life for every animal in the zoo would skyrocket. She could see it now, every creature in Loren Zoo becoming healthy, well-fed, and energetic.

But first, she had to talk to Master Crow about getting some muscle from the streets to help Nina out.

They settled on a time for Nancy to inspect the fields the next day, and Nina headed out with her team. Nancy was just starting to process the day’s chaos when Master Crow came barreling through the air, his wings flapping frantically.

"Nancy! Something happened!" he shrieked, his voice thick with panic. "I found a witness! A kestrel saw the guy with the kite!"

He landed, gasping for air, his feathers standing on end. "But he’s hurt bad! He's dying! You have to save him!"

"What?!"

Nancy didn't waste a second. She grabbed her emergency medical kit and headed for the door. "Lead the way!"

She jumped on her electric scooter and followed Master Crow as he sped toward a small park northeast of the zoo. When she arrived and pushed through the bushes, the sight made her blood run cold.

A kestrel with reddish-brown feathers lay huddled on the ground, barely conscious. Its once-strong body was a mess of blood and torn feathers, and one wing was twisted at a sickening angle. The worst part was the cold steel ball embedded in its chest, with blood still seeping from the wound.

Someone had shot it with a steel ball from a slingshot.

"Stay with me," Nancy whispered. She held her breath as she gently lifted the bird, immediately moving to stop the bleeding and stabilize the wing.