Deke lazily floated on the warm updraft of air high in the sky. The Bright Light seemed dimmer even though the space around him was free of clouds. When he led The Flock, he never flew this high but when he was alone, well, this was wonderful. Way up here, he could spread his wings and just coast. And think. He sighed. It was unfortunate Protector came across him. He was getting used to that place. The seasons were just beginning to change. The grass beginning to grow, and those bushes would soon be growing berries that he could eat. The pond had plenty of little fish and it was clear. He absentmindedly shook his head in disappointment. There are other places just as good as that one. He remembered when he first found the warm home of The Flock with that magical cave.
The Flock was growing as other geese began to join them. The first challenge he approached Daniel and his team, The Wist, was to find them a new home. They suggested sending out scout teams to find a location big enough for the size of The Flock at the time but with the possibility of The Flock getting even larger. He agreed with them and teams were sent out with instructions to find a place no longer than two days from their current home, with a nice size water source, and provide plenty of protection. The plan was that when the teams came back, Deke and Daniel would return to their choices to make the final decision. He thought it would be a quick thing to do but it wasn’t. In frustration, he went out on his own one day, flying toward the Bright Light’s early morning rise into the sky. His eyes followed the hills and valleys below him when a level area appeared. Trees were around its edges and the ground plummeted down from it. He followed it down with his eyes and they fell on a body of water. This drew his attention and he flew toward it. He leveled above the water and flew around the perimeter. It was a good size pond bending in a small semi-circle with tall grass and reeds around its edges. Trees surrounded it but with nice borders of smooth, dirt beaches. As he flew back toward the flat land, he noticed a dark hole at the base of its hill. He landed a short distance from it and floated toward it. He noted that it was a cave mouth and he decided to enter it. He paddled silently and cautiously, letting his eyes adjust to the soft gray light inside it.
The space opened and rose high above him. He looked up and saw the shadows of tree roots hanging from the ceiling. The water went deeper inside and to his left was a small beach with huge, snarling tree roots shaped in huge circles, coming down and bending upward back into the ceiling. He continued paddling toward the back of the cave as it grew darker. Deke began to hear a trickle, turned to his left and followed the sound. The further he swam, the louder the sound became until he could make out the rear of the cave and at its base, water fell from the wall. He turned to face where he came into the cave. A dome of light shaped the opening, letting enough light inside for him to envision a meeting place for The Wist. He remembered how he made his final decision. He had brought only Daniel there and they stayed overnight inside the cave. When the Bright Light rose, the cave revealed its real secret of the shower of colors that began each and every day, and in the midst of the rainbow on the walls, they agreed that this was the place.
Deke smiled at the memory as he lazily floated on the warm air. Yeah, he will find himself another home and he knew just where to go. He turned away from the Bright Light and flapped his wings once, twice, and drifted. The wind had shifted, and he was turned into it causing him to squint his eyes. He angled his tail feathers and he began to rise higher. Slowly, keeping his wings outstretched, he rose above the Windstream and the air calmed and flapped one, twice, and he floated. His mind returned to his memories. This time further back to his childhood.
His parents were similar geese in that they looked almost identical to him, small birds, blackish brown with white feathers on their wings and large white collars around their necks. His father, Nathaniel, was strong-minded and determined to be a stronger than his size might indicate. His mother, Mar, was just as strong wiled but her approach on life was more thoughtful. He was one of three goslings, a sister that was named Dee and a brother Kreek. Deke hatched last so he was considered the baby of the bunch. Family life was simple; they followed their mother during the day to learn to swim and find food leaving their father to protect their nest. They would return at the end of the day, then Nathaniel would leave and return right before the Bright light had disappeared into night. It was during this time, when his father was gone, he played alone. His mother received his mass quantity of questions and she sometimes turned him away.
He remembered observing his first leader change. Magna, the leader of the flock had died, and two geese challenged to replace him. The flock was gathered on land on the outskirts of the pond in a huge circle. The two combatants were huge white geese who were in the center of the circle. He was mesmerized as we watched them jump and dart at each other, stabbing with their bills and beating with their wings. One gained advantage by darting and then rising above his opponent and jumping upon him. He heard the snap of the loser’s wings and Deke left his place in the circle. He didn’t like what he just witnessed.
Deke drifted on the warm air, leaving his wings outstretched and his memories behind as he returned to the present. He averted his eyes from in front of him to the ground below. The patchwork of earth featured different shades of brown and soft green. A small, round color of blue appeared in the near distance. Its shape and location were familiar to him and he started to glide downward. He hoped his good thoughts of childhood were accurate as he drifted closer. Deke was returning home.
To be continued…
My First Stories 