The Blue Eyes of Sparrow

Chapter 7: Are We Training or What?

The yawning sunrise woke Fleck from her sleep in the fern cover, her mind fuzzy from howling until midnight. Her legs ached from running through the forest with Finch. She lay in the fern covering until a realization hit her like a stone hitting her.

Streaker is going to teach me how to hunt! Fleck let out a happy howl and leaped out of the warm ferns. The dawn chill pierced her fur, but it didn't hinder her. She looked excitedly around for Finch, which he was near the herb storage.

Finch looked at her warmly. "Your big day!" he woofed softly. Fleck nodded happily, her tongue lolling. "I hope I impress Streaker." She chirped. Finch licked his chops and looked down. "I hope you get a vole while you're out." He said. "They're my favorite."

Fleck started to groom herself. "My favorite is rabbit." He looked up curiously at Finch. "What do voles taste like?" Finch spoke without looking up from two piles of leaves he was mixing. "They're tasty." He said jokingly.

Fleck shook her head and barked in mock dismay. "Not what I meant!" she growled good-humoredly. Finch waved her away with one paw. "Oh, away with you." He woofed good-naturedly.

Fleck ignored gesture and burst out an excited question. "Isn't mid-morning yet?" Finch shook his head, sighing. "It's barely after dawn! Be patient. The lesson won't run away."

Fleck yelped in disbelief and started to run in excited circles. Finch looked up from the leaves. "Go to the fern cover, stop wasting your energy." He snapped. Fleck froze in surprise and hurt. That was the first time Finch had snapped at her like that.

"But-" Fleck began, but Finch interrupted. "Unless you want Streaker to send you back here because your too tired to learn how to hunt."

Speechless, Fleck glumly dragged her feet toward the fern covering, crawling inside it. She closed her eyes and willed herself to go to sleep, but it never came, and she ended up rolling around in her nest, too scared to go out and be yelled at by Finch again.

Finally, Finch's voice sounded though the ferns. "There's someone here to see you Fleck."

Excitement bubbled up in her again and she pushed her way through the ferns. Streaker's dark head was poking out entrance to the tunnel. "Wow, this place was a lot cleaner last I remember it."

Finch's eyes were bright with amusement. "Last time you were here, I was rather busy." Streaker nodded slowly. "True, True. You were."

Fleck almost started to frown in disappointment when Streaker turned his friendly gaze towards her. "Are you ready?" Fleck nodded earnestly.

Streaker nodded back. "Then follow me." He turned and bounded away into the tunnel. Hastily barking a farewell to Finch, Fleck pelted after him, bursting into the forest air, and following the fresh scent trail left by Streaker.

He had stopped up ahead, and Fleck nearly crashed into his hindquarters. Fleck let out a shocked squawk, and Streaker snorted an amusement. "Not yet used to the forest, little one?" he rumbled.

Fleck grunted, exhaling loudly. "I guess not."

Fleck never had a good chance to look at the beauty at the forest, but now she noticed the pretty colored leaves on the trees, green with others a golden-brown. The sun light lit the forest floor and made it look like the trail below her paws shimmer.

Streaker nodded then ordered lightly. "Go into your best crouch."

Fleck lowered her knees until they almost hit the ground. Streaker nosed her hind legs tighter under her. "If you keep your hind legs like that, you won't be going very far, let alone catch anything."