Like all lyrebirds, Quipper was an average height of one and a half feet tall, covered in fluffy brown plumage with a white underbelly, and gorgeous, two-foot long wispy flowing tail feathers.
And of course, he could imitate sounds. Quipper was especially talented in that skill. He could imitate the buzzing of insect wings, the scuffling of leaves, the screech of an eagle. He could trick birds into following the nonexistent sound of water, make wombats panic and scurry to safety while hiding in the brush, quietly sniggering at his success.
The woods were dangerous, but Quipper used his tricks to steer clear of danger. However, there are always things that slip past the most keen of senses. This fact did not bear well for Quipper's future.
As it happens, the clever lyrebird was rummaging for various insects hiding in the leaf litter, scraping away debris with his long, strong legs and claws. A shadow fell overhead.
Quipper's head shot up, eyes scanning the sky. A falcon swooped overhead, its large wings cleaving the sky with ease and grace. Not just any falcon: A peregrine falcon, fast and deadly. Luckily, they never came around this part of the forest very much, but every bird knew a peregrine falcon was the fastest bird in the world. Which meant, Quipper thought, that he needed to get into hiding now, right this second.
YOU ARE READING
The Voice Inside
FantasyIt's a story about a lyrebird-a mimicking bird that lives in Southern Australia. I came up with this idea at school for a project!
