When Sampson met Delilah

Three: High Flyers

"Oh Mum, that was a L-O-N-G way. I'm all puffed out." Bella sighed as she drooped her head and body so low her wing feathers rested wearily on the ground.

I had to get one drama queen in the brood, didn't I? Delilah thought and shook her head a little impatiently. L-o-n-g way indeed!

"You should have been there when I was just a flapper and our family made the Great Trek South from Lake Wallakirie. We flew for hours and hours for two whole days, rested at night and fed early in the morning, just like we will today." Delilah's breathless fledgling family wriggled themselves closer until they were crowded in front of her like a small bed of feathery flowers.

"Mum, Mum... did you have to keep on changing places like you and Dad and Alphonso did today?" It was Patrick- ever curious, ever needing to know. Even the twists and turns of a snail's shell intrigued him. Instead of gobbling them down like the rest of the family, Patrick always needed to drag each and every snail up onto the bank and study them from all possible angles. Alongside of him, Alphonso wriggled and preened proudly at the mention of his name - and being put up on the same level as Mum and Dad.

"I had a little turn, too. I did!" Tess looked most indignant. Alphonso always wants ALL the glory, she thought, and tipped her beak up in the air with a most unladylike sort of snorty snigger.

"And me," chimed in Ned.

"I did too, don't forget." Jamie looked quite cross. "Didn't you see me?"

Bella nodded vigorously and Sandy and Mandy bobbed their heads too, in perfect timing. These two always did everything together - 'my birds of a feather', Delilah often called them. But just now all three of them were babbling at once and no one could hear a word they were saying.

Oh no. Here we go again. Sampson was anxious to get to the worm feast awaiting him. Patience, he muttered to himself. Out loud he growled, "QUIET! NOW!" and then pointed his wing tip at the three of them and said, "ONE AT A TIME. REMEMBER?"

Sandy took a deep, quivery breath and bravely said, "We didn't take a turn at all yet Dad. Mum said so." And then she rushed to explain as she saw the wide eyes of shock and disbelief on the faces turned towards her. "Mum said as long as we quacked often it would cheer up the front ones and help them stay strong. Didn't you Mum?" All eyes turned to Delilah who nodded vigorously. "Mum said quality quacking is nearly as important as leading," Sandy added, and puffed her chest up high with pride. Then she sighed happily in time with Mandy as the rest of the family 'aah-ed' and nodded.

Fabian been a real concern for Sampson before they'd set off. She was the smallest babe, with barely enough feathers for the flight. She'd But now her voice was only a little wobbly as she said, "I was real scared one time when I couldn't hardly keep up."

"Ooh yes. I know," said Barnaby. Like the rest of his brothers and sisters, his bulging eyes revealed how young he really was. They all had eyes that seemed too big for their bodies. Barnaby's eyes widened even more, clearly showing his distress as he remembered. "You slipped right back out of the 'V' pattern we'd made... the one that Dad told us we must keep up."

"I did slip. I did! ...and it was dreadful." Fabian's eyes rolled as she glanced at Sampson. "You were right Dad. It's much too hard flying alone." Abruptly her beak quivered along with her voice, and suddenly there seemed to be something in her eye... she was blinking rapidly.

Barnaby wriggled through the others until he was pressed firmly against her side. In a proud voice he said, "I saved you, little sis... didn't I?" And he stretched his neck to stand tall beside her as she modestly ducked her head and snuggled close to her protector. "I love you," Fabian whispered, and out loud she said, "Barnaby knew exactly how close to fly to give me a 'lift' right back into place."