The gentle rolling hills were a golden brown colour, as if they were proving that they had been baked in the sun like biscuits in an oven. A keek-keek-keek-keek-keek, the cry of a flying Karearea, rang out across the open land. The bright, cloudless sky stretched endlessly, and the little, old, and slightly rusty shack next to Falls dam seemed like nothing in the huge landscape.

As John Smith looked out of the perspex window, he felt like he could feel the Karearea calling to him, a plea for help… It was a cool winter evening, and John had biked to Falls Dam from Ranfurly, where he lived, to stay a few nights there and maybe have a fish or even go hunting in the hills. He had been told by his grandfather that he was allowed to stay in his old fisherman’s crib there, as long as he looked after it well. When John had first arrived in the small, rather meagre fisherman's village by Falls Dam, his first impression was how beautiful and vast the landscape was.

He had never been to a place with skies this big, and he felt so small compared to what surrounded him. He went inside the little, beaten-up shack his grandfather had told him to go into, the closest building to the Hawkdun range, and he checked out the broken-down old house. There was only one room, and inside were 2 sets of bunk beds and an old, moth-eaten armchair. Luxury! He set up his warm sleeping bag, ready for a cold night ahead—the nights out there could get really cold, especially in winter, and the old shack didn’t look very warm to John. John decided to go for a short walk around the village to explore and see all of the other houses.

As he was walking, he suddenly heard a sharp, fast flapping sound, and when he looked up to see what it was, he saw a brown speck zoom past his head. A Karearea. There must be a nest around somewhere, John thought. The falcon was relentless with its dives at him, so John thought that it would perhaps be best for him to go inside. He settled down into the cosy, albeit old, armchair and fell asleep. In his sleep, he heard a high-pitched screech and looked out of the window to see the falcon sitting on a fencepost nearby. It was so close that he could see it in fine detail, even its black eye with yellow surrounding it.

It seemed to have a sorrowful expression on its face, and when John looked at it, he was suddenly compelled to follow the falcon wherever it went. It might be in trouble. He had to save it. John went back outside and walked over to where the falcon had been perched, but the falcon wasn’t there. He then heard a shrill keek, and when he looked up, there was the falcon, swirling around as if waiting for something to follow. Waiting for someone. For him… John opened his eyes. He had fallen asleep looking out of the window. It had been a long bike ride, and he was very tired.

He looked out of the window once more, just to make sure that what had happened was all just a dream, but then he saw the Karearea sitting still on the fencepost. It took off and flew up, just as it had done in his dream. John was amazed. He should be resting right now, maybe enjoying a hot chocolate or even a hot meal from his gas stove, but instead, he was outside in the cold, reliving his dream. He followed the falcon until out of breath, and he reached a place where there was a flying blur frantically dive-bombing something up in a willow tree by the dam.

It was another falcon, defending it’s nest John immediately stepped in and chased the cat away. So this was why the poor Karearea had been so troubled. Their nest was in danger. The falcons couldn’t nest where they were right now, John was certain, because the cat would just come back at night and eat their chicks. He would have to find a better, safer place for them. But it was already getting dark, and John wouldn’t have much time to find the falcons a better nest. And would they even trust him and follow him? The falcon John had first seen seemed to be reassuring the other that he was a friend, someone they could trust.

After a moment, the two Karearea reluctantly agreed—they had no other option but to follow John. He decided to bring them back to his hut and find a blanket or something soft for them to rest on. The male, who had bravely guarded the nest, was clearly injured and struggled to fly. John had to carry the poor, tired bird and the nest with three baby little chicks in it back to his grandfather’s little shack, and by the time he arrived back, it was getting really dark and cold. He decided to light the fire, and he got some dry bits of wood, then lit the fire in the small fireplace.

Then, he went back inside his home for the night and found an old, manky blanket that looked like it had been sitting underneath one of the bunk beds for decades. John gently carried the injured falcon into his small hut, laying him carefully on the folded old blanket near the fire. The other falcon perched uneasily on the back of the worn, dusty armchair, watching John’s every move with sharp, wary eyes. John rummaged through his supplies, hoping to find something that could help with the falcon’s wounded wing. As he worked, he spoke softly in a calming voice, trying to reassure the birds that they were safe.

The hut, which before had been completely quiet, now felt alive with the soft rustling of feathers and the chirping little voices of the baby birds. After that night's rest and a few more days of care, the falcon's injured wing grew stronger. The whole little family of Karearea got much more used to living so near a human, and they settled and were much more relaxed than they had been the first night. John knew that anywhere near the lake would be unsafe for the falcons to nest, because the cat that had previously attacked them might come back and eat the not fully fledged chicks. Every day, John searched up and down the countryside for a possible spot to build a nest.

Finally, one day, John found a sheltered, secluded ledge high above the valley, safe from predators and perfect for anything the Karearea needed. Gently, John led and coaxed the falcon family to their new home. As John watched them settle on the rocks, he felt a sense of quiet satisfaction, knowing that he had given them another chance in their lives. With a final fleeting glance back, he left them to begin their new life, the bond between them unspoken but still very strong. They had finally found a happy home.