A black and grey carrion crow sat atop the mud brick wall of the city. She had perched there through the night, enjoying the trapped warmth of the sun on her gnarled black feet.
But the slight vibration as the oliphant rubbed against the wall made her pull her head out from under her wing, and she heard the stumbling and cursing of the handlers in the dark behind her.
The crow flipped her wings and, landing heavily on the oliphaunt's back, strutted up the spine and stood behind one sail-like ear. She idly pecked a tick from the wrinkled hide, and snapped it down.
"Enjoy your rub-down, dearie, while you can. Sounds to me like your presence is requested for the next war."
"Get off, Corvu", mumbled the pachyderm, "Your claws tickle." Then her nimble probosis sent a shower of dust cascading over her back, causing the crow to beat a retreat to the top of the wall, where she ruffled her feathers to shake out the dirt.
[ April 27, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]
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