[Belin]

Kadwyr winged northward impatiently, ahead of those that followed him. This was the first time he'd been out as a captain, and his voice was louder yet than usual, and his wings felt stronger. Behind him straggled a company of apprehensive young crows, most of them on their first mission and all of them too slow for his taste.

He checked his flight, just slightly, just enough to hear what they were saying.

"Why?" croaked one, an irritating young bird that Kadwyr hardly knew. "Where are we going?"

"I know," boasted another. "I talk to Akaaw."

"Nah." This sentiment was widely and vocally echoed. Kadwyr, who agreed, called to them. "Come on! Come on!"

He heard the chatter in the company increase, mimicking him, but they flew no faster. He clacked irritably and quickly and quietly circled around behind them. Entirely too pleased with their own cleverness at Kadwyr's expense, they took for the moment no notice of Kadwyr himself.

A sensation ran through the company at the low and improbable sound of an owl's hoot. The groups of gossipers broke up, many of their younger members wheeling around in surprise, ready to attack. "Where? Where?" they cried, seeing nothing.

"Hah!" cried the liar, "an owl in broad daylight, near a murder this size? Ha!" But the as the younger crebain continued on their way, they seemed even more nervous than they'd been--and they were certainly more swift.

And suddenly, strangely, Kadwyr was ahead of them again, chuckling slightly.

[ December 17, 2002: Message edited by: Belin ]