Squirrel Patrol

Farmhouse - 1

  The farmhouse, sitting amongst a few overgrown shrubs, was little more than soggy kindling. Long since abandoned with most of its windows broken, a portion of the main roof sagged in where a lightning-struck oak tree had toppled, and a corner of the house where a fire had blackened the faded whitewash. 

  Yet, it wasn't entirely abandoned. As the day's light faded, birds swooped in through all available openings. Some in pairs, others in groups, and of every breed imaginable.

  Inside was as deteriorated as out. The walls, where the weather had not reached, held faded remnants of flowery wallpaper. The only furniture was a small kitchen table and chair, both broken. Cabinets were unhinged or otherwise had missing doors. Walls that were affected by the wet had large chunks of plaster and lath missing.

  The condition of the place suited the birds. Wherever there was space, a nest filled it. The scene was unusual for all the numerous roosts, yet reached a bizarre level when it was noted that robins lay next to blackbirds who lay next to finches. None of the avians attacked, much less troubled another. There were some issues in communicating between breeds, but the robins appeared to work as translators in those cases.

  Chatter ceased abruptly as a shadow passed over the flock. A large gyrfalcon, attended by two peregrines, swooped in through the break in the outer wall. It flew through the living area to land in a large hole in the wall that separated the kitchen. From this perch, this grand predator could see and address the gathering. And the gathering looked up to him.

  Orn surveyed the gathering. His underlings took positions away from him, giving Orn the rooms' undivided attention. He flexed his wings for effect and began his address.

  "Brethren, I am humbled and privileged that you accepted my invitation this night. For what I present to you is a glorious future! Since times before our elders were born, we have been challenged by the lesser denizens of the land." Assorted twitters and whistles erupted in the house. Orn wanted to rise to the finale, but forced himself to stick with his script. He didn't want any avian having second thoughts about what was to come. "These 'vermin' invade our lands, they take the food from our young, and proliferate to an obscene level!" More noises from the assembly, but not at the level of excitation Orn needed. "It's one thing to assimilate in peace, live and let live, all that honorable code avians have lived since time began. But these dirt wallowers have desecrated that code, ignored it completely, and have started a war that they cannot win!"

  His audience was with him as their chirps, caws, and whistles reverberated through the building. He paused to let their emotions sink in and solidify. Starting again, Orn spoke as if he were simply one of them, or even better, one of their brood. "I see before me the bravest, truest, most honorable species that ever soared the planet. I see before me Avia willing to do their part to save their friends, homes, and families. I see before me the future of our kind!" As he finished with a triumphant shout, the cacophony in the house reached a new level.

  While the cheering went on, Orn nodded slightly to his Peregrine assistant, who immediately took to flight through the break in the roof. In less than a minute he returned. Moments after, crows began arriving at every opening. They were carrying small pouches which were dropped casually throughout the house. On impact, the contents were released. Seeds. Enough to feed the entire house, and then some.

  There was a short lull in the noise until awareness set in and a new level of madness set in, accompanied by the motion of a thousand birds rampaging for their share. Orn and his helpers oversaw the disarray calmly. He would wait until the frenzy was completed. Wait until the food told their bellies were full. Then, being pliant, he would direct them to his professionals.  Avians with a martial background who could organize them into groups, to be used as necessary to conquer the enemy.

  As the feeding subsided, Orn leapt from his high perch to land amongst the chosen. The next nearest in size to him was only half. He strutted and allowed himself to be preened by these underlings. Distasteful as it was, he tolerated the attention. The proles would have bragging rights that would attract new members.

  Orn returned to the perch, directing his aides to to dispatch the flight. Those crows that delivered the seed were now leaving with groups of various species. When the house was near to empty, a group of starlings flew in through the kitchen window.

  "Reconnaissance Team Twelve to report, sir!", said the team leader, distinguishable from the others only by an odd, dull red swath of color that ran diagonally between its eyes. Orn drew himself up and nodded to the young starling.

  Crisply, the young starling began. "Sir! As ordered, my team and I performed a scout of the south and southwest sectors. We saw what appeared to be a large an enemy encampment some kilometers beyond our range limit. Perhaps twenty kilometers from this location." Hesitantly , he continued. "Also, on our outbound leg, we saw a short skirmish between a bluejay and an enemy scout party." A longer pause. "Our orders were to reconnoiter, not to engage. So we did not assist."

  Orn digested the report, but something wasn't right. Then it came to him. "You said 'a bluejay'. Where was the bluejay's partner?", he demanded.

  The starling stammered. "Ah, there was only the one 'jay. Sir.", he added quickly.

  Orn stepped along the perch impatiently. He snapped his head to the left and spoke to an aide. "Find out which group of bluejays were active in that area! And do not return without this  soloist who is so special that he can go into battle by himself!" The aide ducked his head in salute and flew out through the roof.

  Turning back to the starlings he regained some composure. "Your service is appreciated. I want you all to return to your squadron and instruct your flight leader to step up patrols in that area, first thing in the morning. We will need as much warning on their main forces as we can get."