Journey to Thorn Valley

Chapter 7

Timmy recalculated how long the journey would be, feeling terrible and frustrated because it was the fifth day and they still hadn't arrived. Did they get lost? Did he calculate wrong? Maybe he simply sub estimated how perilous the journey was and should have counted with more delay.

"Oh Timmy, don't feel bad," Teresa assured him, "for someone so little and without anyone to teach you these things, you're doing very good."
"Yeah, it was your first time calculating a trip like this. You'll learn for the next time," said Martin.

The conversation continued being the primary distraction from the arduous trip. "Jeremy, you think you could outfly a falcon if you trained to be faster?"
"Oh, uhm- no, hehe. Definitely not."
"The fastest crow in the world couldn't possibly outfly a common hawk," said Timmy, distracted from his maps for once. "It's not how much one trains, it's the feathers they have."

Timmy talked about wing shape and adaptations like the shape of the beak and the eyes.
Then Jeremy made one small correction, "There is one way that a skilled flier could beat a hawk: by impressing them. You do hear stories about birds who are chased by hawks, but then do these twirls and quick turns in the air, showing off how skilled they are, and the hawks just give up and go find some easier prey. Among birds there are many stories like that."

The kids made a collective 'ooh!' sound and asked how impressive was the greatest move he had seen. Jeremy told them about seagulls, and how, though they had the reputation of cheeky tricksters and gossipers with a great sense of humor, they were the most skilled acrobats he had ever heard of. Not only that, but they could be rather aggressive, and had a very strong beak, like a mix between a raven and a hawk, adapted to the changing currents of the sea.
Then Martin asked who would win in a fight, a hawk or a seagull, and the conversation turned back to the predator they had encountered, with Jeremy telling the kids how sometimes a hawk will hunt animals bigger than itself that were just standing on the ground by simply punching them so fast they couldn't see it coming.
It may be a bit morbid, but Mrs. Brisby supposed it meant the kids weren't so scared anymore. Jeremy also told them about hawks who can manipulate fire to hunt, which is seen as a greedy and cruel thing to do, and there was a legend about a king of birds who forbade the practice or found ways to restrain it...

They got to congratulate Timmy when, before nightfall, the shape of the mountains appeared ahead of them, and they reached it within the fifth day after all.

They sat on a branch to have some food and rest, and Timmy brought out his mapping equipment. He checked the distance they had done again, and switched to another map with only the territory of the reserve. It was big, but he had a better idea of the distance and how fast it was covered.
Jeremy told him he didn't need to worry with the map anymore, since he could just ask the resident birds for what they were looking for, but Timmy barely lifted his gaze from the papers. This was personal.

Jeremy told them to wait in a big crevice in the crook of a tree, promising it wouldn't take long.

"Be careful," said Mrs. Brisby, "you don't know this place, there must be many dangerous animals here."
"Oh, don't you worry Mrs. B, it'll only be a moment. Just a few minutes, no worries, I got it!"

He jumped and disappeared in a rush of leaves, and she told the others they should rest and stay quiet as they waited.

Jeremy flew around cawing from time to time, soon hearing a response and he followed it.
He perched on a branch a few paces from another where three crows awaited, looking at him with curiosity.

"Hello traveler. What brings you here?"
"Are you passing by or staying?"
"Oh, hello! Just passing, I need directions. The name's Jeremy."
"Jeremy, eh? Just passing? It's a little late, where are you gonna cuddle?"
"I already found a nook, it's very nice, the others are waiting there."