Companion of Eagles – Chapter XII

 The following is an excerpt from book three of the Leather Book Tales fantasy series ©Regine Haensel. More excerpts from the series will be available on this blog on Sundays this month.

 

Samel is travelling through the mountains with a caravan, which has stopped for lunch. Samel wanders off to eat on his own, and finds an eagle entangled in a snare.

So, very carefully I move aside branches until I can touch the young eagle. I begin gently to untangle its wing. The bird makes a soft chirping noise but doesn’t raise its head. I continue working at getting it released. I gather up the leather thongs tied to the branched trap and pull it out.

          Now the young eagle raises its head and takes a step toward me. I back up, holding branches aside. The bird brushes past my knees and hops out of the bush. I hunker in place, unmoving. The eagle spreads its wings, leans forward and launches into air. My breath catches in my throat and I have a sudden vision of leaping into the air myself and soaring over the valley. The bird circles a few times, making a whistling sound, as if in thanks. I crawl out of the bush and wave. Did it come from Aquila and is heading back? Or is it a mountain eagle? I wish I could send a message to Rowan telling her what just happened. Wouldn’t she be surprised! I’d love to see her face if that happened.

          The eagle dives toward me. For a moment I think it’s attacking so I back up and consider running. The bird land in a flurry of wings right in front of me. It cocks it’s brown head and hops closer. It looks at me.

          I squat. “You’re welcome,” I say. “I was glad to help.”

          But the eagle continues to sit there and I speculate on why. Could it be waiting to help me in some way, to thank me for what I’ve done? Rowan used to use her raven for sending messages. Now might be my chance to send a note to Papa at Aquila. No sense trying for my sister, because I’m not sure where Rowan is.

          Continuing to keep an eye on the bird, I take a bit of parchment out of my belt pouch along with a stick of charcoal that Ali gave me. I write a few lines, fold the parchment, and reach out slowly. The eagle doesn’t move, lets me tie the bit of parchment to its leg. I think clear thoughts of Aquila, where it is and what it looks like, and Papa. When I’m done, the eagle leaps at me, takes a nip out of my outstretched hand and is off into the sky again before I can complain. I hope this eagle will know how to get to Aquila. I watch until it’s a speck in the east, and then gone.

 

The Leather Books fantasy series (Queen of Fire, Child of Dragons, Companion of Eagles, Daughter of Earth) is available through the Saskatchewan Library system, for purchase online from SaskBooks, [Bookstore (skbooks.com)]on Amazon, or from booksserimuse@gmail.com.