A Means to an End

Egrets

Ragtag awoke to find the human gone. Through the window, he saw that the boat was anchored in a small harbor. The sky was blue and the sun had already risen. The storm was over.

He jumped up, horrified he had slept so long. Tattler was dozing next to him. "Tattler, wake up!"

Tattler yawned and stretched her wings. "Where are we?"

"I don't know. You okay?"

"Yes, you?"

"I think so...." Ragtag's voice trailed off. He glanced around, half expecting to see Loki's jet-black plumage and hear the crow's familiar cackle.

"Poor Loki," Ragtag said.

"Yeah," Tattler replied, then added, "Never thought I'd hear myself say that."

"Come on, we can't stay here."

Tattler followed Ragtag out the window, startling the human, who was throwing nets out into the water. He waved to the birds as they flew past and headed for the shore.

"Where are we?" Tattler asked.

"I don't know," Ragtag replied. "We'd better stop and get our bearings."

They landed on the beach and looked around. The landscape was alien to the city birds. Strange bushes dotted the shore, and there was nothing but towering sand dunes as far as the eye could see.

Ragtag had a sinking feeling. Since leaving the city, they had traveled farther than he'd ever thought possible, yet it seemed they were no closer to their destination.

"What now?" Tattler asked.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do I mean? You're the leader!"

"So?"

"So lead!"

"How am I supposed to lead when I don't even know where we are?"

"I told you this was a fool's quest!" Tattler shouted. "We should never have left the city!"

"Nobody forced you to come," Ragtag replied. "It wasn't my idea for our guide to get washed overboard!"

"But it happened!" Tattler said. "So how do we deal with it? Ragtag, we're lost! We have no hope of finding your eagle. Not only that, we have no hope of getting home!"

"Don't tell me what I already know!" Ragtag said. He fluttered onto a piece of driftwood and scanned the shore.

Tattler alighted next to him. "Headstrong will have the Winged Regiment regrouped by now. They're going to be slaughtered!"

"Be quiet and let me think!" Ragtag yelled. He didn't mean to sound so harsh, but he had reached his breaking point. The entire quest for the eagle had been a long shot to begin with. Now that Loki was gone, it seemed hopeless.

"What are you going to do?" asked Tattler as she hopped up and down in frustration.

"What am I going to do? You mean what are we going to do! Why do I always have to be the one who makes the decisions?"

Tattler's beak fell open in astonishment. "Because you agreed to be our leader, and I agreed to follow you. Headstrong was right. I should have taken command. You're nothing but a child!"

Ragtag angrily collided with the sparrow. The two birds fell off the wood, pecking at each other as they rolled across the sand. But their fight came to a sudden end when they bumped into a half-dozen egrets, who glared at them from atop their stiltlike legs.

"Well, well," one of the egrets said with a sneer. "What have we here?"

Ragtag and Tattler were speechless. The egrets were enormous, larger even than the raptors. Long drooping feathers adorned the lower part of their backs, and their necks curved strangely.

"Trespassers!" a second egret shouted.

"Let the blue heron deal with them," yelled a third.

"Yes, yes, to the blue heron we go," they all said.

Ragtag and Tattler tried to take flight, but the egrets lunged forward and grabbed them by the back of their necks. No matter how much Ragtag struggled, he couldn't break free. He finally gave up and watched his captors with fascination as he and Tattler were whisked away. The egrets had legs that bent backward, making them look as if they were walking in reverse.

Ragtag glanced over at Tattler. He could see that she, too, had given up trying to free herself and was waiting to see where they were being taken. He felt a pang of regret over their argument. They had allowed themselves to be caught off-guard in a foreign land.

"The fledglings are missing," Gunlad said as Surt stalked back and forth through the attic of the Old South Church.

"What about Hod?"

"He was seen flying south alone."

"Deserter!" the falcon snarled. "Spread word that if he's found, he's to be killed on sight."

"With pleasure, m'lord."

"In a way, I'm glad he's gone. That kestrel was weak. He didn't have the backbone to serve the empire." Surt stopped pacing and looked appraisingly at Gunlad. "Unlike you. Now that I've taken the throne, I suppose I shall have to designate an heir. I choose you, Gunlad. Serve me well, and one day a red-tailed hawk will rule the Talon Empire."

Gunlad bowed. "You honor me."

A black-hawk suddenly flew in and dumped a pigeon on the floor. Bragi was trembling with fear but otherwise unhurt.

"M'lord," the black-hawk said to Surt. "I caught this pigeon talking to a sparrow in one of the outlying towns. I believe it was passing along a message."

"Well done," Surt replied, and dismissed him with a wave. The black-hawk bowed and flew out.

Bragi looked around, terrified at being back in the attic, alone this time. Any thoughts of escape were crushed as Surt leaped forward and grabbed hold of her.

"P-please d-don't eat m-me!" Bragi begged.

The raptors in the attic howled with laughter. Surt brought his hooked beak closer to the pigeon's head. "If you don't want to be consumed ... you'd better start talking."

"I'll te-tell you everything—"

"What did you say to that sparrow?"

"Nothing. I was just—"

As Surt squeezed his talons, Bragi cried, "We're c-c-carrying m-messages for the F-f-feathered—"

"Go on!" Surt demanded. "What type of messages?"

"S-s-secret messages f-for the Winged Regiment t-to regroup on the morning after the f-f-full ... f-f-full..."

Surt shook the pigeon mercilessly. "Spit it out! I don't have all day."

"...full moon for a surprise attack," Bragi sobbed. She knew she was betraying the alliance, but she couldn't help herself. Pigeons were horrible at keeping secrets even at the best of times, and having a peregrine falcon shaking her certainly didn't help.

Bragi squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the final blow. It never came. Surt turned his back on the quivering bundle and motioned for Gunlad to join him out of earshot.

"The fools," Surt whispered. "We beat them once over the river. Do they really think they can defeat us in a second battle?"

"Give me a few minutes alone with this pigeon," Gunlad proposed, "and I promise you the location of their secret headquarters."

"No," Surt replied. "We would take their leaders, but the sparrows would still be at large." The falcon looked thoughtfully at Bragi. "I have an idea. We're going to let this flying rodent escape...."

Ragtag and Tattler were whisked over a dune. Ahead of them lay a shipwrecked boat, half buried in the sand. The egrets bent their long necks and carried their captives in through an opening in the wood. The interior had long since rotted away, leaving only a bleached hull that kept out the wind. A clear blue sky could be seen above them, and the prisoners wondered if they would get a chance to make a break for it.

Thoughts of escape dimmed as they were roughly dropped into a crowd of birds even stranger-looking than the egrets. Wrens, loons, and sandpipers all pushed forward to have a look at the newcomers.

"You okay, Ragtag?" Tattler asked.

"Yeah, you?"

"Yeah. Sorry about our argument."

"Me, too. What do you think they want?"

"No idea."

"Be quiet!" one of the egrets roared. "The blue heron will deal with you soon enough."

Ragtag and Tattler stared with a mixture of curiosity and fear at the foreign-looking birds. They didn't have to wait long for the arrival of the blue heron. A hush fell over the crowd, and the birds parted to reveal the oddest creature Ragtag had ever seen.

The blue heron dwarfed her subjects. Her plumage was blue-gray, except around her neck, which was tinged red. A giant white crest rose high above her head, giving her a dignified and regal look, and she had the same piercing eyes and swordlike beak as the egrets.

A wren quickly hopped forward and whispered in her ear.

"You were found trespassing upon my land," the heron said to Ragtag and Tattler. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

"I'm sorry," said Ragtag. "We didn't know this was your land."

The crowd broke into snickers. The blue heron wasn't amused. "Didn't know? Do you take me for a fool? Are you spies for those infernal crows?"

"We're not spies for anyone," Tattler said. "We were blown off course by a storm. We're lost."

Ragtag hopped forward. "My name's Ragtag. I'm the leader of the Feathered Alliance, a coalition of birds who live in the city across the Great Water."

The blue heron leaned forward with interest. "Did you say the Feathered Alliance?"

"You know of it?" Ragtag asked. If the shore birds knew of the Feathered Alliance, perhaps they would help.

"Of course I know of it!" the heron snapped. "Just because we live far from the city doesn't mean we're ignorant of its existence." She leaned so close that Ragtag could smell the fish on her breath. "But you're a liar. An old owl named Hoogol leads the Feathered Alliance."

"Hoogol is dead," Tattler said.

The crowd erupted at the news, forcing the blue heron to shout for silence. "Dead?" she repeated. "How?"

"He was killed by an empire of raptors," Ragtag said. "I was elected to take his place."

"Really? There must have been a shortage of qualified candidates. So tell me, little Ragtag, why are you so far from the city? Are you being pursued?" Her eyes narrowed. "Have you brought these predators to my shore?"

"No," Ragtag replied. "We're on a mission to find an eagle. His name is Baldur. I'm going to bring him back to the city to fight the birds of prey!"

The blue heron laughed and visibly relaxed. "A lone eagle won't prove much worth against the likes of the Talon Empire. Yes, you don't have to look so surprised. News of their advance has preceded you. This emperor..."

"Surt," Ragtag said.

"It seems to me," the blue heron said thoughtfully, "that this Surt would make a powerful ally if properly approached. Perhaps if he were given a gift. Say ... the leader of the Feathered Alliance?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Tattler yelled, and hopped forward. A pair of egrets forced her back.

"Oh, I assure you I would," the heron replied.

"Coward!" Tattler shouted as she struggled against the egrets.

The blue heron ignored her and kept her eyes on Ragtag. "I'm sorry, young swallow. Try to understand, it's nothing personal. I simply must protect my own kingdom by whatever means I can. And you, I'm afraid, are one of those means."

"You think you can make a deal with Surt?" Ragtag asked quietly. "You wouldn't be the first. The Talon Empire is not interested in sharing power, only in taking it."

The blue heron paused to consider this. Ragtag detected an opening and hopped forward. "Join us! Help me find my eagle and we'll fight Surt together!"

The crowd watched their leader to see what she would do. The blue heron stared at Ragtag for a long time. Finally she said, "You remind me so much of myself at your age. I can still remember a time when I was as young and full of ideals as you are now. Luckily I outgrew them. I'm sorry, Ragtag, but ideals will only get you so far in life. Then they'll get you killed. Hoogol would be a good example, I think.

"Take a message across the Great Water," she ordered a sandpiper. "Inform the Talon Empire that we have a swallow named Ragtag in our custody. Tell Surt that the blue heron will personally hand him over as a token of respect and friendship between our two kingdoms."

"No!" Tattler screamed as the sandpiper hopped out.

"You have no idea what you've just done," Ragtag said.

"I have every idea," the heron replied, then turned to her egrets. "Keep them here until the raptors arrive."

The heron was about to depart when a sandpiper shouted a warning. Ragtag and Tattler glanced up, their spirits soaring as Loki plummeted out of the sky along with a murder of crows.

"Don't just stand there! Fly!" Loki yelled to his stunned companions while the crows dive-bombed the crowd, scratching wildly at the blue heron. With the crows distracting the shore birds, Ragtag and Tattler spread their wings and followed Loki up out of the boat and over the sands.

They skimmed between the dunes, zigzagging wildly to avoid pursuit. Finally, after putting some distance between themselves and the egrets, Loki glided to the ground and waited for Ragtag and Tattler to catch up.

"We thought you were dead!" Ragtag gasped, struggling to catch his breath.

"For a while, so did I," Loki replied. "I swallowed quite a bit of water and nearly drowned. When I resurfaced, the boat had vanished. So I kept on flying, and arrived just in time to watch you two getting into trouble again. Sorry for the delay, but it took me some time to find help."

"But how?" Ragtag asked, still not believing his eyes.

"I told you we crows stick together," Loki said. "I found them south of the harbor. It didn't take much coaxing to get them to help. They hate the blue heron. She's a big bully in these parts."

"She would have given us to Surt just to save her own miserable neck," Ragtag said.

"And Surt would have killed her without a second thought," Tattler added.

"Yes, well," Loki replied a bit uncomfortably. "We all make mistakes. Don't judge her too harshly. She thinks she's far more powerful and important than she really is. Now hurry! If you still want to find this eagle of yours, it's only a short distance to where the humans are keeping him!"

Bragi flew through the streets of Boston as fast as she could. In her excitement, she almost forgot what Headstrong had taught her. She quickly landed in a plaza crowded with pigeons. The instant the others saw her, they came together to form one giant mass of wings and feathers. Then, a few seconds later, they took to the air and scattered.

Bragi continued, confident that not even a hawk's keen eyes could have kept track of her. She banked sharply and entered the Public Garden. Instead of making a beeline for the bridge, however, she landed at the water's edge.

The two swans glided across the lake, seemingly ignoring her presence. When they reached the far end, one turned and nodded. Bragi quickly flew forward, confident that no raptors were watching.

Beneath the bridge, Bobtail was busy making plans with Headstrong and Gini. The other clan leaders gathered around Bragi as soon as she fluttered into the shelter. The pigeon was so agitated, she could barely talk.

"Calm down and take a deep breath," Bobtail said. "I can't understand a word you're saying."

The pigeon's head bobbed up and down even though she tried to calm herself. Finally she managed to blurt out, "I was captured and taken to the attic of the Old South Church!"

The birds froze in alarm.

"Don't worry," Bragi said. "I didn't lead them here. I'm not stupid, you know."

"Let me get this straight," Bobtail replied. "You were captured and brought before Surt?"

"That's right!" Bragi insisted. "The falcon emperor himself!"

The clan leaders crowded around her. Bragi suddenly found herself the center of attention, and she loved it. This must be what it feels like to be an important bird, she thought.

"What did you tell him?" Gini cried.

"Nothing, of course," said Bragi indignantly. "Oh, he tried to pry all sorts of secrets from me, but I wouldn't tell him anything. I kept my beak shut. I was very brave!" And in her own mind, she had been. An unfortunate fact about pigeons is that they tend to remember events the way they want to, not the way they really happened.

"How did you escape?" Bobtail asked.

"When Surt was done questioning me—mind you, I didn't tell him anything—I was pushed into a corner and held captive by two merlins. They were ferocious, vile creatures with cruel-looking beaks and the sharpest talons you can imagine!"

The pigeons around Bragi cooed appreciatively.

"Yes, we know," Bobtail said. "Just leave out the embellishments and get on with it."

"Embellishments? Hmmph!" Bragi snorted, then quickly continued, "After several hours, they fell asleep. Slowly, so I wouldn't wake them, I crept toward the window. It was very scary. One creak of those floorboards and that would have been the end of poor old Bragi."

"Poor old Bragi!" the pigeons chortled.

Bobtail and Headstrong were both tapping their feet impatiently, but Bragi would not be rushed. This was her moment in the spotlight, and she was determined to make it last as long as possible.

"Were you scared?" Blackcap chirped from a crowd of chickadees.

"Terrified!" Bragi said. "But I knew I had to be brave. I had to escape, because I had learned something very important, something that could save the Feathered Alliance!"

"What? What?" the pigeons asked with bated breath.

"Yes, what?" Bobtail asked. "Please tell us before we die of old age."

"While the falcon emperor was talking to those nasty raptors," Bragi said, ignoring Bobtail's quip, "I overheard him say that he was going to be hunting alone at the field with the obelisk tomorrow at dawn."

Bobtail exchanged a glance with Headstrong.

"One of the bigger and uglier hawks asked Surt if he wanted a guard," Bragi continued. "And do you know what the emperor did? He laughed! He said why would he need one? No bird in the city would have the courage to attack him!"

"You did well," Bobtail said, and Bragi beamed with pride.

"I'd say. We pigeons are braver than I thought."

She walked away and was instantly mobbed by her flock, who demanded she retell her story from the beginning. Bobtail watched as they vanished out the far side of the bridge.

"What do you think?" he asked Headstrong.

Headstrong snorted. "Hugin and Munin falling asleep and allowing a pigeon to escape? Not very likely."

"But what if it's true?" Gini chirped. "After all, they think pigeons are stupid. It's possible they might have let down their guard. And that information she overheard—"

"About Surt hunting at dawn?"

"If the falcon emperor is going to be alone and unguarded," Gini said, "is that an opportunity we can afford to pass up?"

"I think it's a trap," said Headstrong.

"It could be," Bobtail replied. "But I think Gini's right. We have to take the chance."

Headstrong shook his head. "Ragtag left you in command, Bobtail, but I strongly advise against this. Tonight the moon will be full. We should stick to the original plan and wait for your brother. He's due back at noon tomorrow."

"You're right about one thing," Bobtail said with a hint of annoyance. "Ragtag did leave me in command. And as commander, I say this is too good a chance to pass up! Send word to prepare for the attack. I want the Winged Regiment regrouped and in place at that field by dawn."

Headstrong was about to protest when Bobtail whirled on him. "That's an order!"

The sparrow's beak snapped shut, and he flew off. Bobtail and Gini watched as he vanished into the trees on the far side of the Common.

"He doesn't trust you," Gini said. "His loyalty lies with Ragtag and Tattler."

"It doesn't matter. As he said, Ragtag left me in command. Headstrong will do what needs to be done. And so will we! Wouldn't it be ironic if Ragtag were to return tomorrow at noon to find the war already won?"

"The Feathered Alliance would probably elect you their new leader."

Bobtail stretched his wings. "Yes," he said thoughtfully. "Yes, indeed."