| Time for a Story |
An episodic adventure which will appear fresh online; comment at will.
Cara Bay ~~ 15th Installment - with 2 parts
(Installment 1 posted January 18)
Chapter 6: Part 2
Adeline stepped closer. “Tilde?”
“Chirrup!” the birds chorused.
“I’m glad you came back,” said Cara. “But why did Tilde send you?”
The birds chirped back and forth between themselves briefly. They didn’t seem to agree. Jane turned her back on Cecil as he stepped along the perch to face Cara particularly.
“Tilde is worr-rried! Tilde is worr-rried! You need to come back. You need to come back!”
“Back? Back to the forest?” Cara asked.
“Back to the falls. Back to the rock and falls.”
“I was coming up later today.” Cara’s words didn’t seem to reassure the birds. “Do I need to come sooner?”
Cecil ducked his head affirmatively. Jane turned and spoke up. “Yes, miss. Tilde was adamant we bring you back right away. We should go now.”
“Eat first! Eat first!” objected Cecil.
Adeline stepped in as well. “Cara has more training to do today. I’m afraid she won’t be able to visit the falls for the rest of the week—“
“Adeline! If Tilde wants me up there, it must be important!” Cara’s hot protest included shock at Adeline’s edict. Wasn’t that contrary to the very things a Discourse spinner stood for? Weren’t they supposed to help animals? Otherwise—what was the point of it all?
“You are taking them at their word?” Adeline asked formally.
The two cardinals looked at each other and flew out of the cage and sat at its crown, scolding Adeline in tones so fast and furious, Cara could barely keep up.
“Are you impugning our reputation? We are truth tellers,” Jane’s plumage fluffed up in indignation.
“Truth tellers. Truth tellers!”
“Why else would we risk returning to a suspect household if not to carry a message from our Protector? Chir-rup!”
“You mentor this one, this Cara. You mentor her. You can hear us for yourself. Hear us for yourself. Cara is the one Tilde honors in partnership. Cara is the one.” And here Cecil drew himself up and plumped his chest out and his crest up. “We have no need of you. No need of you.”
“And so far as Tilde is concerned, Cara has no need of you for training,” Jane added in prim, clipped tones. “Chirp!”
The birds fell silent. They did not budge from their perch but sat staring grimly at Adeline.
“Well,” Cara began quietly. “They seem to have spoken, Adeline. I need to go back to the falls. Today. And before I go, I think you and Bo and I need to discuss what really happened on Monday. It’s clear you know things I don’t, and I’m sure Tilde will fill me in regardless.” Her voice had risen as she spoke, but she spoke normally again. “I’d really rather hear what you know before Tilde tells me her story. And,” she glanced at the birds. “I don’t think we have much time.”
“Chir-rup. Chir-rup.”
“Correct, Cara. We will see you again when you meet with Tilde.”
The two cardinals flew off the cage and out the kitchen door.
Cara turned to Adeline. “I’ll go get Bo.”
Chapter 6: Part 3
Bo resisted getting between Adeline and Cara until Cara told him this wasn’t exactly about her training but about something more important. She outlined the morning’s events, explaining the urgency the messengers had conveyed and Adeline’s reactions to it, following him around the barn as he put up tools and added hay to feedboxes.
“You hinted to me that there was more to Monday than what I’ve remembered. I know you and Adeline have been hiding things from me. I want to know what , and I want to know why.” She took the bucket Bo handed her and hung it on its peg. “Then I am going back up to the falls to see what Tilde is so concerned about. I’m sure it’s all parts of the same story. “ Cara ran out of steam, “Please, Da. I can tell there’s something going on, and if my talent’s starting, I need to understand!”
Bo nodded, not bothering to argue. “I think you’re more ready to grow up than we saw, Pidge. I got no problem explainin’ what I know. But, I’m not so sure Adeline will be happy about that. Nor as willin’ as I am to tell you how things are. She and I have never quite seen eye to eye on such.”
“Thanks, Bo.” Cara cocked her head at her father, much like a bird herself. “You always seemed so worried about my going out in the forest alone. You don’t seem so, now.”
“Maybe I just realize that we can’t stop the inevitable, so what’s the point in worryin’ over it? Worry just gets in the way of dealing with a situation. C’mon. Let’s go tackle this thing.” He held out a hand to Cara.
The argument wasn’t pretty.