Epilogue

Katya watched with pride, as her young and powerful offspring practised his flight. He swooped and soared, spiralling in his joy at his own ability. Then he dived, pulling out late, and skimming the surface of the gully, before rising again and rejoining his mother on her perch.

“Well done, Venga. You are improving every day, my son. You are already strong and will grow stronger. Work hard, Venga, and hone yourself. Your enemy is very powerful. Yes, and evil. But you have the power of good on your side. And good will prevail. Nature knows that evil must not triumph for long. And I have been given a fine son to conquer that evil. A fine son indeed!”

The young magpie’s chest swelled with the compliment and he launched himself once more into the air. How he loved to please his mother!

As dawn’s light touched the treetops of Tanglewood, Portia sat contentedly on her nest. In the weeks that had followed Kirrick’s death, she had mourned for her mate. But Nature’s healing processes had eased her sadness and the two reddish-brown eggs beneath her gave her a joy to match her sorrow. Theirs would be the future. Her children would be able to live in a world of freedom, thanks to the efforts of her Kirrick, their father. Portia spoke his name aloud, calling on him to be with her at this time.

“Kirrick, my love. I promise you that I will bring up our children to honour your memory. We had such plans, you and I. My wish was selfish, compared to yours, and I have what I wanted. But, in losing you, I have realised that you were right. Birddom is much more than a single pair of robins. So I vow to you, my hero-husband, that I will strive to follow your example and to work, in whatever way I can, for the good of Birddom. Wiser heads than mine will make the decisions which will affect our future, but I will do whatever is asked of me – and do so in your name, and in your memory. For, thanks to you, the evil has been swept away and right once more prevails. Thanks to you, my darling Kirrick, we are free!”

And so, as the sun rose majestically over the horizon, Portia tilted back her head, opened her throat and began to sing.