Arvia: Heart of the Sky (Tales of Arvia Book 3) by Willison D. H

Author:Willison, D. H. [Willison, D. H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-12T00:00:00+00:00

◊ ◊ ◊

Several of the other birds cluster together by the main tree. Probably planning the morning hunt. I step toward them, using my wing to feel for any trees in the way. I should know the position of every tree around the nesting grounds, but without a mental anchor to tell exactly where I am, I can’t be sure.

I will not perch at the nesting grounds waiting for one of the other birds to bring back prey. I’m not a chick.

The group disperses. I’m too late!

I hop over to Velara. “Hey. Where are you going today?”

“Hunting. To bring back food for the useless members of the flock.”

“I know that. Where?”

“Western thicket.”

“Let me come with you. I can help. The woods aren’t very dense there, especially at the southern edge.”

“I don’t need help. That’s the point. I can spot prey visually myself.”

“They can still get away from you. Plenty of places to hide.”

“Still enough trees that you can’t fly on your own without running into something. Not without your little seeing-eye human. You’d have no chance of catching anything.”

“So what! Our prey doesn’t know that. All they know is that I’m a big predator coming their way. What if I drive prey to you?”

“Hmm. Like a decoy. I suppose even you have a good idea every once in a while.”

We take to the sky, make a half circle around the clearing to gain altitude and head west.

“Here’s the plan,” says Velara. “I’ll direct you to land someplace without too many trees to run into. Or at least no trees that are big enough to kill you if you run into them. You stomp around, trip on things, make a big commotion. Should be second nature for you.”

I can do more. “I could do that. But when you miss your first strike, I’d be out of position to drive them again.”

“I can’t strike and direct you at the same time.”

“You don’t have to.” I flap a couple times to bring myself alongside her again. “But we could do better if we direct each other.”

“I am not going to let a sightless sandpiper guide me.”

“Just in the general sense. They’ll be dropping in and out of sight. But I can sense their location all the time. I direct you where they’re going when you can’t see them.”

“Watching you stomp around as a decoy would be more fun.”

“Catching lots of game would be more fun.”

Velara grumbles.

“Think how great it would be for your status if you caught the most game today.”

“I already have the highest status. At least until that doddering old coot Jenolen recovers. And I will not take credit for another bird’s kill.”

Hmm. There must be a way to convince her. She’s much less thick-headed than Beatriz.

“Hey! I think there’s a group of boar ahead.” I nod the direction with my head.

“Excellent. I love boar!” She changes course toward the boar. “Wonderful succulent little tubes of meat, without the fuzz and long legs of a caprid.”

A chill washes through me. I sense a dark cloud of magic energy in the distance.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.