Final answer:
Sibi must protect the dove from the hawk due to a sense of loyalty to nature, highlighting a moral choice that reflects broader themes of environmental preservation and feminist ideals.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sibi feels he must protect the dove from the hawk because of a deep sense of loyalty and connection to the natural world. This theme emerges in a narrative that contrasts the innocence and beauty of the dove with the predatory nature of the hawk. Sibi's character is faced with a moral dilemma where the life of the dove represents the purity and vulnerability of the wilderness that Sibi feels compelled to shield from harm.
Moreover, the portrayal of Sibi's struggle to save the dove brings forth an undercurrent of feminist or proto-feminist themes, focusing on the agency and inner conflict of a young woman who chooses the life of a bird over the potential rewards offered by a guest, who represents both a threat to the bird and a possible betrayal of her own values.
In the broader scope of the narrative, Sibi's actions go beyond saving only the heron. By keeping the location of the heron's nest a secret, she is preserving the sanctity of the forest and the creatures within it, asserting her own moral compass over the destructive tendencies of human intrusion.