One for Sorrow by Clive Woodall

Author:Clive Woodall
Language: eng, eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ziji Publishing
Published: 2011-11-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Kirrick and Portia sat anxiously, watching the conflict from their vantage point in a nearby tree. Upon reaching the battle site, they had left the eagles and had alighted, knowing that their task was done and that others, more powerful, now held the hope and doom of Birddom. Things were not going well. In spite of the initial advantage of surprise and the fact that each of the attacking force was individually superior to their opponent, sheer weight of numbers was against them. Portia had to physically restrain Kirrick from joining the affray, knowing that he would stand little chance against the much larger foes. The owls, seeing the way that the battle was going, took to the air as a phalanx, and soon scored significant victories with their size and strength. Tomar and Isidris fought side by side, each protecting the other’s flank from attack. Elsewhere, Storne was in mighty form and reaped a savage harvest amongst the corvidae. Darreal and his falcons held their own, but it soon became apparent that each eagle and falcon was taking on two or three black and white defenders. Why wasn’t the poison working? Had Tomar’s plan failed?

Some of the falcons had fallen, dragged earthwards by mobs of magpies and crows. Whilst many corvidae lay dead or wounded, it was clear that the attackers’ numbers were slowly dwindling. For the corvidae had realised, at last, the desperateness of their plight. They had abandoned their orgy of self-gratification and had united in this fight for their very lives. Many among them were, by nature, cowardly and would have fled, had the opportunity arisen. But there was no escape and, now that they had no alternative but to fight to the death, most surprised even themselves by their fortitude, in the face of such fearsome opponents. They began to look around them, at the battles raging across the skies and see, here and there, signs of hope that they might yet be victorious. This bolstered their courage and they continued their fighting with renewed vigour. A huge cheer went up as the first of the eagles lost his fight, and plummeted to the ground. He was immediately set upon by a veritable swarm of magpies, who pecked the last vestiges of life out of his huge frame. Then, rejoicing, they took to the air once more, eager for another victory. Fearing that all would be lost, Kirrick turned on Portia.

“I can’t just sit by and do nothing!” he pleaded.

As he turned to look again, he gasped in horror. The magpies had managed to separate the two valiant owls and now Tomar was surrounded. The old owl fought on alone and not without effect, but the odds against him were beginning to be overwhelming. It had seemed that for a while Tomar held back his foes with some unseen power, which belied his physical frailty. The magpies seemed reluctant to strike a blow, as if he had some magic which would undo them. But

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