The Crow Capers - part 4

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It began last Monday. We met the Crow family, Colin, his missus, Cara, and the source of some ire to them, their son Clarence (stage right). The young 'un is a typical youth, enjoying the fast life. According to Cara, Colin is as much to blame for it as the boy. They argued and Colin had a brush with an auto. He was fine. The same could not be said for the stick. Colin now faces up to his paternal duty...

After repeated cawing from the father, the wayward son finally appeared on the fencinnade in a flurry of disordered feathers.  Colin, having been energised by his brush with the auto, got stuck in.

"Clarence Chetu Crow you are in sooooooooooooooooooooo much trouble!"

Clarence tried to interrupt, but his father was in full flight of fury.

"All that buzzing brahmacharins and banking along the Ananda Track is causing a lot of talk in the neighbourhood.  You and those three loons from the hotel side are cutting things way too fine. You think all humans are like that amma you colided with? Not at all, most just barely tolerate us. I've heard the ashram humans are getting very jittery and there is talk of bringing in exterminators for troublesome teenagers."

At this comment Cara gulped and glanced sideways at her mate.  He fluttered his wing against hers lightly in the crow version of a wink.  Cara returned to her ongoing task of pulling sticks.

"Exterminators?" quavered Clarence.

"Exterminators - yes!  Men with great big nets and cages and ...and…"  Colin looked around for inspiration; what was Clarence most afraid of? "...and eagles.  Trained eagles.  Trained to chase and take down crazy crows."  He looked at his mate.  Cara was close to having a fit of the giggles.  Instead she worked harder at the piece of vine she had been pulling for the last ten minutes.

"Eagles?" asked Clarence, his voice even more tremulous now.

"YES!  Just like that one!" said Colin, indicating somewhere over and behind Clarence's head.  The young bird fluttered his wings and puffed his ruffled chest somewhat before taking a deep breath and turning round.

High in the tree behind him was a Black Kite.  Staring  straight back at him.

"AWWWWKKKKKKK!"  He couldn't help himself.

Colin shrugged and looked away. 

"This might actually be working!" he thought to himself.

…tbc!  Come back tomorrow for the Crow Capers part 5, where-in Colin listens to lame excuses, a cackling Cara and the prattle of parrots...

 © Yamini Ali MacLean 2013