Ol' Flint the Crow

The Runt's Tale pt. 5

Yards away was an entrance to a small cave with a wooden door crudely built into it. Fireflies danced above the door and illuminated a lone jackrabbit tapping its foot on the ground as it nibbled on blades of grass. This rabbit yawned and scurried to the door and slipped through a small hole cut into the wood and entered the cave.

Standing behind The Alpha to watch over his shoulder, I could hear the faint noise of jubilant chatter seeping from the door. Barks howls, quacks, and hoots sounded together like music to my ears. I must admit, it brought a smile to my lips. I had forgotten what a warm abode could feel like.

And the smells! The glorious fragrance of fresh cut veggies and fruits made my nostrils flare up. Even if there wasn't a scent of meat to speak of, the food smelled so delicious that my mouth watered.

My joy was cut short, however, once the front door swung open with a bang. Blinded by the beams of light shining from the cave, I could barely get a glimpse of what or who had come outside. However, the creature immediately slammed the door behind him angrily. And once my eyes cleared I could distinctly see a black colored bird with a slight tint of grey on the edges of his feathers. It was the crow. The murderer of my child.

I gasped at the bird, pacing back and forth by the door with his head bobbing above his shoulders. The crow scowled angrily like he had just undergone an intense argument with someone from inside the cave. On his back hung a blade. The blade that kill my pup. For a human, it must have been used as a dagger since it was rather small. But for the crow, it was the size of a heavy long sword which weighed him down so much that his back arched even further than a normal bird would usually go.

When the crow suddenly spun around and looked at the corn field as if staring at a far off land out of reach, I immediately ducked my head, too afraid that he had seen us. I then noticed that The Alpha was lying prone with his feet digging into the dirt. His teeth chattered, and his eyes were poised at his enemy. They were eye level with each other.

Not perceiving anything amiss, the bird cocked his head to the ground and sank down to his belly. The crow's expression was so pitiful that I could not help but feel a pain in my heart as I watched my mate slowly crawling closer to the enemy who was only a leap and a bound away.

Before The Alpha could attack, the wood door to the cave creaked opened again and out lumbered another creature so big that it blocked out all the light from inside the cave. It was a brown grizzly bear, huge and covered in muscles. Its face shown of a feminine quality... A motherly quality. Her black nose quivered around as she snorted. Although she was big in size, her steps were soft and careful. Clinging onto her shoulder, like a loving cub, was a squint-eyed mole resting peacefully on top of her. The bear lumbered over to the crow.

The bird darted his eyes at the bear as if he were irritated, but Flint's beak quickly softened once the bear sat on her haunches besides him. With a snort, the brown grizzly extended out her claws and gestured to the bird, asking him if there was anything wrong. Meanwhile, the mole on her back stirred and opened its eyes. It didn't enjoy the fact at it had be disturbed from its sleep.

"Mother Bear!" Flint wailed to the grizzly while he shoved his head deep into his wings. "I must go! I can't stay here anymore!"

The bear cocked her head to the side causing the mole to slip off her back and bounce off a mushroom top.

While the grizzly helped the mole to its feet, Flint explained, "I don't belong here! You know how many enemies I've made. They'll stop at nothing to find me. I-it's not like I wouldn't love to say with the other animals and you forever. But if I remain, terrible things will happen. I've been here for too long."