Silver Dust's Journey

The Blueberry Bush

Silver Dust adored how the tender, lush grass and soft soil felt underfoot. She ran at a steady pace around the tall wavering prairie grasses. A warm breeze whizzed past the kitten's ears with a soft whistle. The smell of prey hung in the air. The grey cat occasionally tripped and stumbled on prairie dog dens.

Compass, like usual, soared a bit ahead of his friend. The large bird was very bored flying over these lands that were everywhere the same so, to entertain himself, he sometimes flew very high until he was a dot in the sky, gliding on a warm air current. At other times, he would descend very low, casting a dark shadow that sent rabbits and hares running.

When the eagle and the kitten settled down on the grass for lunch, Silver Dust noticed a broad winged bird circling above. She was fascinated by it's brick red tail. 

"Compass," The young she-cat mewed, "There is a bird flying above us, big and broad winged with a tail like yours. A bird of prey, a raptor, from the royal bird family I suppose. Is maybe he one of your kind?"

Compass looked up and sighed with annoyance.

"Big, broad winged, with a rounded tail, a bird of prey, a raptor, from the royal bird family but in no way one of my kind!"

"Why are so overly annoyed?" Silver Dust inquired, "Who is he?"

"A Red-tail Hawk!" The bald eagle exclaimed and ruffed his feathers with irritation and disgust, "Red-tailed hawks are part of the royal bird family, as most birds of prey are, but of a lower order that the greatly honored vultures, eagles, and owls. They are so ignorant and pin headed! So selfish! Egoistical! Self-centered! Miserly! Parsimonious! Mercenary! Hoggish (no offence to hogs)!They walk around wagging their red tails and absorbing all the complements and comments from the 'fascinated' audience! They say that their red tail is a symbol of their greatness and even the snow white head of a bald can't compete with their beautiful tail!" Compass straightened out and tried to look friendly as the hawk landed next to him.

The bird was reasonably smaller than Compass, his head coming up to he eagle's shoulders and wing span was two times smaller. He was blocky and broad in shape. Horizontal streaks in his feather's patterning formed a dark brown band on his whitish underbelly. His hooked bill was short and dark, with a yellow cere around his nostrils. His legs and feet were all yellow.

"Goo-ood Morning!" The Red-tailed Hawk whistled humorously, glancing impudently at Compass and Silver Dust, "Or is it the afternoon? Never mind! My name is Skye the Red-tailed Hawk, if you haven't already noticed."

Silver Dust looked at Skye's red tail as he wagged it proudly.

"And what are your names, I may ask?"

 "Silver Dust, from the Mountains," The silver kitten greeted the hawk, bowing her head.

"From the mountains... From the mountains..." He murmured, "Very nice, nice to meet you. And you, young gentleman?"

The bald eagle answered calmly, "Compass the Eagle, Messenger of the Star Spirits." 

"Compass!? Compass!!??" The hawk burst out laughing, "That's the funniest thing I've heard in ages! Very nice nickname you picked for yourself there!"

Silver Dust could tell by his eyes that Compass was deeply offended.

"For your information, that is no nickname. I am Compass, son of Compass, son of Compass, and so on. My father, the last messenger died a few years ago and I, being the eldest son, became the next messenger of the Star Spirits," The Bald Eagle said crossly, "May the Star Spirits punish you for your audaciousness."

The hawk  first looked startled, but soon his beak melted into a mocking smile.

"Ha, Ha! You almost got me there! Your a good actor, aren't you?" Skye chuckled, shouldering Compass. The Bald Eagle gave up and tried to look placid.

"Say, there's something in that blueberry bush on the right! Yup! There's something there alright! I can hear it!" The hawk flew up into the sky and circled the bush. Silver Dust turned her ears to face the small berry bush.

"I can hear something too," She whispered.

As Skye the hawk flew up right next to the push, something small popped from the bush and pulled him down. Compass and the kitten hurried towards the bush where came Skye's screeches.