The council of war

It was sunset. The humans and Edwina had finally departed. The nights are too cold and too full of juicy blood-sucking bugs for them to enjoy the river. I looked around. The half eaten grass and the leafless branches stood out like the ruined columns of an ancient temple. Goat poop filled the floors of my tunnels. It was mixed with mud and with little bits of wood and wire left behind by the humans. I walked in, nervously stepping between piles of trash. The hiding place was ruined. It looked like a goat's toilet. I quacked loudly and clearly: " I call for a council of war ".

At the far end of the island there was a short tunnel that led to my last chamber. Edwina had not touched it because it was too far from where the two human children had been playing. Goats are herd animals, and Edwina is a very loyal member of the herd. We all gathered there to talk. Athena came rather grumpily. I had interrupted her hooting. Penelope, Philip and Cawlin looked sleepy, while Narcisa complained that I interupped her evening meal. The council was in the last hidden spot that was supposed to protect us from predator attack.

"The summer is coming to an end. We must leave now or never. The destruction of the shelter is a push towards departure" I say.

Cawlin: "To be safe from humans, we need an interpreter: a bird who can talk human."

Athena: "You understand human, but you can't speak it... not really"

Philip: "Maybe we should get a parot. They are famous for their human speach."

Cawlin:"Wrong! They are colorful and attrack attention. Humans sell them and will cage them whenever they see them. A talking parot would make us all a slowly waddling target! Some of us will be killed to be eaten, and some to be trashed."

Penelope: "Cawlin is right! We should befriend a startling instead. They are nicely coloured, and blend in the environment."

Cawlin: "I heard Mother say there is a talking starling half a day's flight from here in a town that humans call Ghizela."

Philip: "I know the place, and I think I know the man. He spends most of his time drinking some yellowish liquid by the one bar and getting louder and louder by the hour. He sometimes brings a bird along, who talks for him as he waddles home."

Narcissus: "Some of us are proud of waddling. But I see we must save this bird. You, Cawlin and Penelope can spend tomorrow by the bar, and watch for the man. If he comes alone, let the bird lose. Afterwards we can leave."

Philip, Penelope and Cawlin: "Great, we'll leave at dawn" they said in one-voice.

The council of war had ended. Cawlin, Penelope and Philip flew out together to find a tree to perch on and chat about their mission. Athena went on to hoot more and scare the old ladies of the neighborhood. Narcisa and I went to have a late dinner. There were some juicy water plants, a few dozen clams, and some snakes and fish who had gathered by the newly built dam.