“You’re welcome.”
Chapter Eighteen
The magpies, and theother birds were back on the feeder Friday evening.
Romeo shook his head at them.
They hadn’t learned.
The predator still lurked close by, but they were outside again, putting their lives in danger.
“Why do you look at them like that?”
For all Chad had remembered, the raven alluded him.
“Romeo?”
“Before we went away.A raven swooped down in front of us and killed one of the magpies.”
“I don’t remember.”
“I know you don’t.There were more magpies back then, six, but it killed one of them.Then the next day, I put seed out, and I sat outside for most of the day, but the minute my back was turned, it came and killed another magpie.I wanted to protect them but couldn’t.I threw rocks where I knew the raven hid but couldn’t kill it.”
Chad joined him by the window, looking out on their field.
“The next day, I removed the feeders.But the magpies still came.They hopped about in the field, looking this way, waiting for the seeds, and the raven killed number four and number three until there were two left.”
“Those two?”Chad asked.
“I reckon so.You told me not to interfere.To let nature run its course and balance would be restored.That is what I am doing, but it doesn’t make looking out the window comfortable viewing.”
“They look pretty content to me.”
And they did, or as content as a magpie could look.
Romeo sighed, glancing at Chad.“Sorry.”
