Mrrgh turned her sharp green gaze on him. “I don’t do scared,” she said, and flicked her tail.
“What do you say guys,” Ang glanced back at his five friends, “shall we show these weaklings
how real people hunt? We’ll sneak up and take your scary creature for dinner!”
A chorus of “Yeah Ang, let’s do it, show them how...” was interrupted when an extremely
large claw slowly appeared next to Peep, then another one next to Grum bracketing them
together neatly. Mrrgh stopped grooming. Uh-oh, she thought, sitting very still.
Ang, who was slightly taller than Grum (Grum on four paws that is) and therefore big for
a human, started to look up, following those huge claws, then legs, then the beginning
of a brilliantly coloured body. Suddenly a very large head bent sideways and dipped down to
look at him. A bright, intelligent amber eye looked at him. A razor-sharp long beak opened.
“Boo!” said the creature quietly. Ang fled, pushing through his stunned group of followers
who stumbled, turned, and shouting followed in his wake.
In the silence that ensued Peep studied the large shiny claw next to her.
“...It had huge claws, a sharp beak,” she finished the sentence that Ang had interrupted,
“and was really quite beautiful.”
She looked up into that quizzical, intelligent amber eye. “Are you going to eat us?” she
asked politely.
“No thank you,” replied the creature, equally polite, “I don’t care for small mammals, too
much fur and gristle,” he glanced at her friends who were rigidly silent. “I prefer fish. You were
on your way to the river I believe?” Peep nodded. “Then perhaps I could help you fish?”
Peep drew a deep breath, “That would be very kind of you.”
“Well then, climb on.” Gorgeous sky coloured feathers rustled as the creature half-turned
and dipped a broad wing to the ground as a pathway to its back. Grum and Mrrgh shook their
heads violently at her as the large head turned away from them. Peep shrugged back at them
and made the hand wiggle sign for fish.
“I hope I’m not hurting you,” said Peep as she scrambled up carefully onto the broad
back. She settled near the neck, in the hollow between the shoulders, where the wings
extended from.
“Not at all, you’re as light as a proverbial feather. Are you ready? Then hold on tight.
Your four-legged friends can follow us on foot.”
The huge, stunning iridescent wings spread fully, and with one strong beat and a powerful
jump the creature sprang into the air.
Summer/Fall 2015
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