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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Kids
- Theme: Fairy Tales & Fantasy
- Subject: Pets / Animal Friends
- Published: 06/09/2013
Might of the Meteor
Born 1985, F, from Mission Viejo, CA, United StatesDawn sprung upon the little oak in the middle of the forest. The warmth coalesced around Red Tail’s wingtips. He opened a single yellow eye. Suddenly, the tree trembled underneath him shaking him completely awake.
“Huh?” He said startled. He peered over the branches of his perch. Down below was Rump Tumple, his furry boar friend.
“It’s time to go Red Tail! We don’t want to miss this!”
Red cocked an eye towards Rump and glared down at him, “What a rude awakening. I was just settling into sleep Rump!”
The boar opened his tusked mouth to explain, “It’s the Shower. Don’t you remember?”
Well that was a good enough reason to awaken this hawk, thought Red Tail. “Oh all right.” With a quick hop off the branch he glided down and settled on Rump’s back. “Let’s be on our way,” he said.
They trekked down the leaf strewn path, Red clinging to Rump’s fur as he bobbed along. Autumn was beginning. It reminded him of the time he met his loyal friend he was now riding. It all began on an Autumn day like this one...
Red Tail was quite young at the time, at only a year old and very curious. One day he had decided he would leave the safety of his nest and go exploring. Fluttering down to a low branch, he decided to glide to the tree adjacent and work his way around the forest. His wings carried him sweetly between the trees until he noticed one branch spaced at a more significant gap than the rest. Bold as he was, he decided to make a daring leap. Being as he was new to flying, he didn’t quite make it. His wingtips lightly brushed the branch and he plummeted to the earth. His crash landing sent him right into a brambly bush.
His feathers were stuck fast, his wings spread open and caught on the thorns. He tried to wiggle free, but it was no use. He dipped his head down towards the bush and clamped on to one of the branches with his beak. Perhaps he would be able to pull himself out with a better grip. When that failed, he thought about what he should do next.
A short distance off, he thought he heard breathing, a deep snuffling sound north of him through the trees. Maybe it was a predator, in which case he needed to get out and back in the air immediately. Whatever it was, it was getting closer, shuffling through the fallen leaves and snorting. Then it suddenly stopped at Red Tail’s bush. Red was afraid to look behind him to see what he might be facing, but he gathered up some courage and craned his small head towards the animal.
It was a boar with very sharp looking tusks. It began to open its mouth. “Please don’t eat me!” Red wailed. He figured reasoning with it might be his only option, since he couldn’t get away. The boar shook his brown shaggy head slowly. “I don’t eat hawks,” he said. “But at the same time, you’re in my way. My breakfast is the roots below you.”
Wondering whether this boar would be of any help at all, Red stared into its dark eyes. “Well, I don’t know if you have noticed, but I happen to be STUCK in your breakfast.” The big animal blinked and twitched his ears. He trudged a couple of steps forward, lowered his head and thrust upward with his huge tusks, lifting the bush from its roots. The jolt forced the little hawk free. He shook himself and ruffled his feathers, standing back upright. He looked over to the boar whom was munching away at the delicious roots. “Um...uh, thank you.” He said softly. The boar snorted in response, mouth full. His back was turned and entirely focused on his meal.
Red Tail turned and spread his wings about take off, when he had a thought. This animal might be able to help in further scrapes or possibly he might even be able to help him. He hopped towards the boar again. “Um...excuse me,” he said, “I was thinking, seeing as you saved me and all, I think I owe you at least something.” The boar just seemed to ignore him and continued eating noisily. “Uh, hello!” The hawk said louder, patting his savior on the rump with his wing. The boar turned his head sharply towards the little bird. Roots were hanging from his mouth. “What do you want?” He said grumpily.
“I was just thinking. You freed me and well...I owe you something. Anything. I could find food for you. This forest is very wide and I have great eyesight. I can spot food, and oh...danger...from a distance!” He said helpfully, but cautiously.
“I don’t need your help. Go away. Go fly off to wherever you hawks fly.” The boar replied.
Red tried again, “Oh, but you see, we hawks have a lore: ‘saving a friend in need means you owe them a good deed’.”
The boar was taken upon by muffled laughter. His great body shook of it. “Is that so? Well, we boars have a lore too: ‘stick to your own, wherever you roam’”
Red Tail folded his wings back, a little sodden. “Can you at least tell me your name, to remember you by?”
“I’m Rump Tumple,” He said.
“And I go by the name of Red Tail,” The hawk replied. “It was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Tumple, and thank you again.”
“Please, call me ‘Rump Tumple’ or just 'Rump'. There’s no need for formalities. And...er, don’t mention it.” The boar turned back to his eating, and the hawk sprung into the air, taking flight. He looked back down towards Rump wondering about the life of this boar that he would keep to himself so.
Rump fought looking back towards the hawk, but the deep down part inside of him that contained a hint of friendliness won out. He was reconsidering the hawk’s offer. Food was indeed scarce around this part of the forest, and an extra set of eyes could be of a benefit to him. He looked towards the sky and he thought he saw a brief glimpse of the hawk’s bright yellow eyes meeting his.
And that was how it happened, the hawk recalled. Some days later Rump had caught sight of Red flying amongst the trees and called up to him. He asked for his help and Red was happy to oblige. He had also learned that Rump Tumple was fond of watching the stars in the sky, and this time the stars were falling like rain in a shower.
The two friends made their way to their favorite place for viewing the stars. Rump’s hooves clomped along to the peak at the edge of the forest. The night sky was vast, free from any elements which would block their view. The boar sat himself down right at the edge of the cliff which overlooked the valley beyond the forest, and he looked up. The hawk climbed atop his head to get a better view. The stars dotted the hemisphere like a million gems.
“Aren’t they beautiful?” Exclaimed Rump.
“They sure are,” said Red. “When do they fall?”
“Just wait.” After a few moments they saw the first fireball streaking across the sky. Then several more followed, and then...it became a storm of light. As many as these stars there were that were falling, there were still even more in the sky.
“I think I understand your love for the stars Rump...” He was suddenly interrupted by something else in the sky. “Wait...what is that?” He pointed his wing towards a very particular looking star that was quite larger than the rest. It was growing bigger by the second. It was very close. Suddenly a very bright green flash flooded their surroundings, and the two animals were blinded by the intense light. A second later the ground thundered, a handful of trees were knocked down by the blast, and the hawk and boar fell against them.
When he came to, Red rubbed one wing on top of his head and shook it. “Wha...what happened?” He said. He looked behind him and Rump was lying against a splintered tree that was knocked flat. His eyes were closed. “Rump!” Yelped the hawk. He held onto one of the boar’s tusks in his wings and pulled it back and forth. It took some effort. Rump blinked his eyes open. “Huh? What happened?” He asked.
“That’s what I’d like to know.” They both looked towards the sky once more. The only trace of the star which shook the earth was a very strange looking green smoke trail descending across the valley to the west. Their eyes followed the trail, which ended behind a wall of boulders. They were surprised to see a matching green glow emanating behind the rocks. “Whatever it was, it seems to have landed over there,” Red said. Rump nodded. “What do you think it is?” The boar asked.
“I don’t know.” The little hawk jumped on his back. “Hey Rump, we should go check it out!” He said curiously.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea Red?” The boar said. “Since we don’t know what it is, it could be anything. It could be dangerous. We should stay away from it.”
“Oh come on Rump, where’s your sense of adventure? Haven’t you told me that you always wanted to see a star up close? Well, here’s your chance! Your star has found you, right in our woods!”
Reconsidering, Rump said “That is true. OK, we’ll go look, but just a peek all right? If I see something funny happening, we’re out of there! Deal?”
“Yeah OK, deal. And just to be even safer, I’ll ride on your back instead of flying so we can check it out together.”
The two animals made their way down the slope and into the valley. Pebbles and dirt were disturbed by Rump’s hooves as they carefully made their descent. The night air was cool with a soft breeze gently blowing. All was very quiet except for the occasional excited remark of Red Tail. Nothing so amazing had ever happened here before. The valley appeared to be very empty of any potential predators, but Red kept his eyes on the horizon just in case. After a few minutes of their journey down, the slope leveled off and they continued along the bottom. Looking to the west, the green glow behind the distant pile of boulders beckoned them.
* * *
Another creature watched them from the darkness. Her head peeked around from behind a rock at the center of the valley. She licked her left front paw and then arched her back into a stretch. It was a prime time for hunting and food was on the go. She had never caught sight of the boar before, but the hawk she remembered. She believed he went by the name of Red Tail. He, who so often robbed her of rabbits and mice. She recalled one instance where she had been getting ready to pounce on a young rabbit, when out of the blue, the stupid hawk swept down and carried it off. The forest was too small for so many predators. It was determined long ago that predators stuck to the crags and prey to the forest. Finding food in either situation was tough.
Now she had the dumb bird in her sights, and was more than willing to finally cut out her competition. She too had seen the glowing green thing fall from the sky, which was where they were headed. They faced it dead on. They probably didn’t know the secret way around the boulders. She would use that to her advantage. The boar perhaps might be a problem, but she would get there first and lie in wait. Then, when the time was right, she would spring! It was the perfect plan. She crept out of her hiding place and quietly as only a feline could be, started towards the short cut.
* * *
Rump Tumple and Red Tail approached the foot of the pile of rocks. It was about ten feet high. Climbing over it would not be an option especially since the boar’s hooves were not made for climbing unstable surfaces. The luminescent green glowed from between small cracks in the rocks.
“How do we get across this?” The hawk asked his friend.
Rump had an idea.“Allow me.” The boar motioned for him to get off his back and hover away from what he was about to do. With enough clearance, the large animal stepped forward and lowered his head towards the bottom of the pile. Then he quickly thrust upward with his tusks. Part of the heap of stones gave way and rolled down. The pile was now low enough for them to walk over. “Come on,” Rump said. They commenced their quest towards the strange object.
Rump could feel the warmth from beneath his hooves as they crossed over into the impact zone. The land had been pushed upward into medium sized crater. The two friends walked around the rim of it and looked down to where the star had fallen and steadily glowed that brilliant green. It did not look like one of the stars from the sky. It seemed hard and pitted. An aura surrounded it, which was the source of the green color.
“We should get closer,” said Red.
“I don’t know,” Rump replied.
“Well it hasn’t done anything weird yet has it?” The boar shook his great head. “I’m going to go look at it.” The little hawk hopped off his friend's back and waddled toward the glowing star. Up close it didn’t look like anything special. The color of the object itself was black as night. Back outside the rim, the boar watched and waited. Red Tail called back to him, “It just looks like a rock!” He lowered his beak down to it and tapped once. The “rock” responded in bolts and flashes which struck the young bird. The powerful shock erupted inside him, entering his blood, his organs, and the skin beneath his feathers. The sudden energy was too much for him and he fell over unconscious.
“Red!” Rump wailed. He quickly ran over to his small friend. He feared he was dead. He nudged him with his snout. No response. “Red, wake up!” He said frantically. He tilted his head and put an ear up to the little bird’s breast. He could hear his heart was still beating and he was breathing as well. “Red, please,” His voice broke worriedly. At this, the hawk came to and slowly opened his eyes. Instead of the yellow color of his young age, his eyes were now an emerald green just the same as the space rock.
“What happened?” Red asked Rump.
Rump turned his head back to the rock. “That...thing hurt you! I told you to be careful. Why did you touch it Red?”
“I just thought it was an ordinary rock, but I guess I was wrong. Maybe it really was a star. It was hot like the sun, Rump. Like lightning in a storm, it took over my body and the next thing I know, I’m awake again with you.”
“We should get out of here,” The boar said. “It just isn’t safe. We need to get away from that thing. Come on Red, let’s go home back to the forest.”
Red hopped back to his feet. “Hold on a minute. I feel different than before...like I don’t know...more energized. I want to try something--”
The boar sighed. “Red, I’d really like to get out of here now. Something doesn’t smell right. Let’s go.”
But the Hawk didn’t listen. He lifted into the air with one strong beat of his wings and then promptly disappeared...literally. There was no sign of the hawk anywhere above Rump Tumple. “Where did you go!?” He shouted.
“I’m right here Rump!” He could hear Red’s voice coming from above him and off to the left, but he still didn’t see him.
“Where? I don’t see you at all!”
“Really?” Red called back to him. The hawk landed down right next to Rump’s feet and reappeared.
“You’re back. Where did you go?” The boar asked.
“Nowhere.” Red replied. “You really couldn’t see me?” Rump shook his head no.
“Hold on, let me try again.” The hawk took flight once more and once again disappeared. “Do you see me?” He said looking for confirmation.
“No!” Rump answered.
Red swooped down, reemerging from his new state and grabbed the boar’s fur with his wings . He stared back at him with his changed green eyes. “Rump, I can turn invisible!” He giggled excitedly. “I disappear when I fly!” He laughed, leaning his head against his friend.
Rump looked at him queerly. “That’s not the only thing that’s changed, your eyes are green!”
“Like that rock over there? How interesting.” He thought a moment. “I think that rock gave me the ability to turn invisible when it zapped me!”
“You shouldn’t have touched it,” said Rump.
“Relax Rump, I’m fine aren’t I?”
The boar flashed him a side eye. “We don’t really know that. What if, one day I don’t see you and you don’t become visible again?”
“That’s not going to happen Rump.”
“If you say so. Come on. Let’s go home. I think we’ve seen enough of that thing.” The little hawk drooped his wings slightly in disappointment, and hopped back on the boar’s back. They headed back out to the clearing beyond the rocks.
* * *
She had seen what happened. Red Tail had wandered up to that strange green glowing thing. She had watched as he was knocked down, only to awaken and turn invisible. What power this stone had! And what an advantage it would be to Janis. No creature of this forest would be aware of her presence if she could turn invisible! Taking out any competition, she would no longer have to worry about food. First she would start with that hawk. He could not remain invisible on the ground, but perhaps she could, as she was no flyer. As soon as he settled in for the night, she would use her new power to sneak up on him and then...pounce!
With renewed enthusiasm, she crept towards the object of her desire. Silently on padded feet, she entered the crater. Facing the rock now, which was glowing strongly as ever, she slowly approached it. Crouching down, she gave the thing a sniff. It smelled just like the dirt she laid on...nothing special. As she lifted her front paw, she thought of how this would change her life forever. Her paw descended and gave a swift bat at her treasure. The rock responded with a jolt of energy, which enveloped her just as it did the hawk. Janis fell aside. When she came to, she opened both green eyes. She stood up and walked around in a circle. Lifting a paw up to her face, she could still see herself. She wasn’t invisible. It didn’t work. Angrily, she leapt up and landed on top of the rock. It cracked in half as well as the ground below it. The landscape fissured all around the crater. Janis looked around in astonishment. Perhaps that rock did give her a power after all.
She decided to test it again. With her two front paws, she pounded them against the ground in front of her forcefully. The terrain buckled into a seismic wave across the crater. She could use this, she thought to herself slyly. Her eyes slit piercingly. She would take out that hawk and get her revenge! Nose to the ground, she caught their scent and followed it.
* * *
The night sky turned to a lighter shade of blue as the early dawn hours approached. Rump and Red had been awake all night, but the only one who seemed to have all the energy in the world was the hawk. “Imagine all the places I could go without being seen!” He said.
“The only place I want to go to right now is that happy place in my dreams,” Rump replied as they reached a clearing through the trees. He settled down next to Red's favorite Oak tree, folding his legs underneath his furry body. It wasn’t long before the boar was snoring. Red sat perched on a branch above him.
The hawk couldn’t sleep however. He was far too excited to experiment with his new found powers. He jumped down to a lower branch and preened his feathers. Where to explore? He thought. The Grizzly’s den? A badger’s burrow? Then he remembered the mountain. He had always wanted to check out Moonrock Mountain. Yes, he said to himself. I shall go there. Normally it was a place to be avoided, a natural territory of predators. Yet now, cloaked from their sight, he could venture there in safety.
The mountain towered over the forest, black as night and craggy. It was a dark shadow beyond the hopeful dreams of the woods. Red Tail began his journey above the tops of the trees. Just a whisper in the dawn, he glided effortlessly with the mountain in his sights. The leafy tips of the evergreens seemed to point the way forward. Soon the woods thinned out a bit to be replaced with the desolate terrain familiar only to buzzards, jackals, and bobcats.
Red landed on one of the last trees of his home. He became visible, but still hidden by its branches. The tree swayed slightly with the waft of rot in the air. The source of the smell came from below. The hawk looked down to see a jackal tearing away at a recent kill. Taking a breath, the hawk dared to fly out to the predator in his first experiment.
Hovering unseen above the animal, Red could hear its heavy breathing and crunching away at its meal. The hawk was just a few feet or so from the predator's head. The jackal swiveled one ear back as though listening for the hawk’s steady wing beat, but it continued eating. Red breathed a sigh of relief. He was ready now to proceed to the mountain safely. He soared higher and continued onward.
* * *
Janis reached the thickness of the forest where she had often seen the hawk flying about. She dreamed of revenge and continued following the scent of the large pig. He was of course much smellier than the birdbrain. Her cat ears perked up at a sudden snort. There, she saw the beast. He was sleeping behind a bush. She carefully maneuvered around it. She didn’t want to take a chance of waking him. As fierce as the bobcat was, she was no match for the boar’s sharp tusks. Her battle was with Red Tail anyway. She looked to the trees, but there was no sign of the hawk anywhere. Then again, if he was invisible she wouldn’t be able to spot him. Janis yawned deeply. It had been a long night, and she decided perhaps it would be best to continue her search in the light of day. Sneaking past the boar, she began back towards her home at Moonrock Mountain.
Exiting the forest, she followed the path which lead back home. She happened to glance up and see a familiar looking animal. The hawk! Sitting near the top of a tree. She could see him! But he was beyond her reach. Up ahead was the smell of decay. A jackal was standing there feasting on carrion. She decided to crouch low and wait to make a move. The hawk left its perch and vanished. Janis lifted her head up. If he was heading towards the mountain she would find him. He would have to land eventually.
In the meantime, there was an obstacle in her path. With one roaring leap, she lunged towards the jackal, taking its throat in her jaws. Rocks flew up at the powerful strength of her landing, and the canine fell lifeless with one last yelp. Finished, she licked a paw and resumed her hunt.
* * *
Heat rose from the surface of the black mountain. Red Tail had never traveled this far before. It was a dark place with hardly any vegetation. Buzzards gathered below to peck at some last scrap of the remains of an animal. Perhaps he should have told Rump where he was going, but the boar would most likely have told him not to go. He just didn’t have Red’s sense of adventure, and there was no way he was going to miss this opportunity. Being able to turn invisible opened up a lot of avenues for him. He could freely explore without the threat of danger. Flapping at the base of the mountain he began to feel a bit woozy. He had been out and active a long time, longer than he had ever been before. Maybe his burst of energy was finally running on low. He scanned the area for a place to sit and rest in a location away from prying eyes. It would only be a minute and then he’d be back in flight once more hidden from view.
He found a place behind a rock and settled down folding his wings. “Such a nice little hawk by this little rock...all alone,” came a delicate voice from behind him. Red whipped around and was face to face with a bobcat staring at him with bright green eyes. She crept towards him slowly. Red had been backed into a corner against the rock. “It isn’t everyday that dinner presents itself to you,” she continued. “Tell me, do you remember that day...about a week ago...you caught a lovely mouse? Not to mention all those other times you stole food from me...”
Red Tail began breathing heavily, he thought about flying, disappearing, but he wanted to know what this cat meant by her words. “St-st-stealing?” He stammered.
“Those morsels were mine. Every time, you spoiled my hunt. You were there, taking it away from me!” She growled.
“Well...well, you don’t own the forest!” He huffed.
“No, but we’re not in the forest are we?” She retorted, and at her words, Red Tail started for the sky. “I don’t think so,” said Janis as she pounded her paws towards the ground. The power of the star rippled the ground and sent rocks flying towards Red. Struck by one of them, he tumbled back to the surface. He let out a very loud screech. Red tried to take off once more, but he couldn’t. His wing was injured. The bobcat couldn’t have created such a force on her own. He had noticed her eyes were green. So, she had touched the star. He wished Rump was here now... That’s it! Rump would hear his call that he was hurt. He remembered a time when his foot got stuck in a hole of a log. One big screech had sent the boar running. In the meantime, he would have to hold the cat at bay. A lot of dust was scattered from falling rubble. The bobcat wasn’t searching for him. The dust had blinded her and she simply paced back and forth. Quickly, he swept some of the dirt over his body. It wasn’t easy with only one working wing, but he managed. If he couldn’t be invisible in the sky, he would camouflage himself on the ground. Keeping still, he waited.
Janis wandered amongst the destruction trying to sniff out the hawk. She smelled him, but couldn’t see him among the rocks. She went to them one at a time, smashing them with her paws. “I will find you!” she addressed the hawk. Please hurry, Rump, Red Tail thought to himself.
* * *
Rump Tumple awoke with a start. A branch had snapped and fallen. He got to his feet and rubbed his back against the tree he had laid next to, giving himself a good scratch. Dawn had broken and he was ready to eat. He looked up to the higher branches, and called “Red!” There was no reply. He called his name again, but the woods remained silent. Where did that bird go? He thought. As if in answer to his pondering, a shrill screech pierced the forest. The boar turned to the sound. It was coming from Moonrock Mountain. There was no way Red could have gone there. But then he realized, that’s right, he could fly there past watching predators’ eyes. He knew that screech was unmistakably his friend and he knew he was hurt.
Shaking off drowsiness and finally alert, he started for the mountain. Up a ways he noticed some indentations in the moist ground. They were paw prints. A feline left these tracks. “A bobcat.” Rump muttered. His eyes widened. “Oh no,” he said, and began running, replacing the paw prints with his own hoof prints.
As he raced down the path to his destination he passed by two carcasses. One long dead, and the other freshly dead, burdened by fang marks. The boar quickened his pace. Then...there he saw her standing by a group of rocks. He watched behind her as she smashed rock after rock to pieces with unfathomable strength. The ground trembled with each impact. This cat was suddenly more dangerous than before with her enhanced powers. There was only one object capable of granting such a power. Rump scanned the area searching for his friend. One of the rocks had a green eye he noted. There he was! The hawk was covered with dust from wing tip to wing tip, staying perfectly still and trying to avoid detection. Why doesn't he fly? Rump thought. Red’s terrified eyes spotted his friend’s, and he motioned to the bobcat. Rump knew what he had to do.
Planting all four hooves into a firm position, he readied himself. Then, with a quick burst of speed he charged towards the cat. His tusks struck the unprepared animal, and flung her into the air. She crashed back down against a boulder. Now that the bobcat was unconscious, he quickly went over to Red.
He blew some of the dust off him with his snout and asked, “Are you OK? Why didn’t you fly away? What are you doing out here!?”
Red Tail stood up straighter, but his wing hung flat and limp. “I think it’s broken,” He said. “I guess I got a little too carried away with the invisibility. I was wrong, and never expected to meet my match.” He hugged Rump’s leg one-winged, “Do you forgive me?” He said.
“I was only doing my duty for a friend in need,” the boar replied.
“How sweet.” Janis interrupted. Back to her feet, the bobcat looked angrier than ever. “How dare you interfere!” She growled and slammed her front paws against the ground at the same time.
“Brace yourself!” Rump shouted down to the hawk who huddled underneath him.
The entire mountain quaked all around them. Rocks were tumbling everywhere down in a rock slide. Unluckily for Janis, she didn’t realize what she had done. Down the mountain, rocks and other debris were racing right for her. Unable to outrun them, she looked back in shock and was suddenly buried alive.
As rocks continued to slide down and rain upon the two friends, Rump set the fastest course he could to get out. Dodging rubble here and there, and Red hanging on tightly, they barely escaped with their lives. Only looking back once at the landslide, they left for their home under the trees.
The sun was high in the sky by the time they got back. Rump Tumple laid down under the shade and Red Tail settled next to him, leaning against his shaggy fur. Though his wing was still injured, it would soon be on the mend with his best friend’s protection. “Thank you for rescuing me,” he said softly. “I’m sorry I left without telling you. I was just so excited about these new powers, and I didn’t think you’d let me go.”
The big boar snorted. “You’re probably right.” Rump looked far out to the edge of the forest, beyond to that blurry place where he couldn’t see any further. He sighed and said, “The world’s a big place isn’t it? Next time let's explore it together shall we?” The hawk nodded his little head and restfully closed his emerald eyes. Rump Tumple closed his eyes as well and joined his friend in their dreams.
Might of the Meteor(Elise Cook)
Dawn sprung upon the little oak in the middle of the forest. The warmth coalesced around Red Tail’s wingtips. He opened a single yellow eye. Suddenly, the tree trembled underneath him shaking him completely awake.
“Huh?” He said startled. He peered over the branches of his perch. Down below was Rump Tumple, his furry boar friend.
“It’s time to go Red Tail! We don’t want to miss this!”
Red cocked an eye towards Rump and glared down at him, “What a rude awakening. I was just settling into sleep Rump!”
The boar opened his tusked mouth to explain, “It’s the Shower. Don’t you remember?”
Well that was a good enough reason to awaken this hawk, thought Red Tail. “Oh all right.” With a quick hop off the branch he glided down and settled on Rump’s back. “Let’s be on our way,” he said.
They trekked down the leaf strewn path, Red clinging to Rump’s fur as he bobbed along. Autumn was beginning. It reminded him of the time he met his loyal friend he was now riding. It all began on an Autumn day like this one...
Red Tail was quite young at the time, at only a year old and very curious. One day he had decided he would leave the safety of his nest and go exploring. Fluttering down to a low branch, he decided to glide to the tree adjacent and work his way around the forest. His wings carried him sweetly between the trees until he noticed one branch spaced at a more significant gap than the rest. Bold as he was, he decided to make a daring leap. Being as he was new to flying, he didn’t quite make it. His wingtips lightly brushed the branch and he plummeted to the earth. His crash landing sent him right into a brambly bush.
His feathers were stuck fast, his wings spread open and caught on the thorns. He tried to wiggle free, but it was no use. He dipped his head down towards the bush and clamped on to one of the branches with his beak. Perhaps he would be able to pull himself out with a better grip. When that failed, he thought about what he should do next.
A short distance off, he thought he heard breathing, a deep snuffling sound north of him through the trees. Maybe it was a predator, in which case he needed to get out and back in the air immediately. Whatever it was, it was getting closer, shuffling through the fallen leaves and snorting. Then it suddenly stopped at Red Tail’s bush. Red was afraid to look behind him to see what he might be facing, but he gathered up some courage and craned his small head towards the animal.
It was a boar with very sharp looking tusks. It began to open its mouth. “Please don’t eat me!” Red wailed. He figured reasoning with it might be his only option, since he couldn’t get away. The boar shook his brown shaggy head slowly. “I don’t eat hawks,” he said. “But at the same time, you’re in my way. My breakfast is the roots below you.”
Wondering whether this boar would be of any help at all, Red stared into its dark eyes. “Well, I don’t know if you have noticed, but I happen to be STUCK in your breakfast.” The big animal blinked and twitched his ears. He trudged a couple of steps forward, lowered his head and thrust upward with his huge tusks, lifting the bush from its roots. The jolt forced the little hawk free. He shook himself and ruffled his feathers, standing back upright. He looked over to the boar whom was munching away at the delicious roots. “Um...uh, thank you.” He said softly. The boar snorted in response, mouth full. His back was turned and entirely focused on his meal.
Red Tail turned and spread his wings about take off, when he had a thought. This animal might be able to help in further scrapes or possibly he might even be able to help him. He hopped towards the boar again. “Um...excuse me,” he said, “I was thinking, seeing as you saved me and all, I think I owe you at least something.” The boar just seemed to ignore him and continued eating noisily. “Uh, hello!” The hawk said louder, patting his savior on the rump with his wing. The boar turned his head sharply towards the little bird. Roots were hanging from his mouth. “What do you want?” He said grumpily.
“I was just thinking. You freed me and well...I owe you something. Anything. I could find food for you. This forest is very wide and I have great eyesight. I can spot food, and oh...danger...from a distance!” He said helpfully, but cautiously.
“I don’t need your help. Go away. Go fly off to wherever you hawks fly.” The boar replied.
Red tried again, “Oh, but you see, we hawks have a lore: ‘saving a friend in need means you owe them a good deed’.”
The boar was taken upon by muffled laughter. His great body shook of it. “Is that so? Well, we boars have a lore too: ‘stick to your own, wherever you roam’”
Red Tail folded his wings back, a little sodden. “Can you at least tell me your name, to remember you by?”
“I’m Rump Tumple,” He said.
“And I go by the name of Red Tail,” The hawk replied. “It was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Tumple, and thank you again.”
“Please, call me ‘Rump Tumple’ or just 'Rump'. There’s no need for formalities. And...er, don’t mention it.” The boar turned back to his eating, and the hawk sprung into the air, taking flight. He looked back down towards Rump wondering about the life of this boar that he would keep to himself so.
Rump fought looking back towards the hawk, but the deep down part inside of him that contained a hint of friendliness won out. He was reconsidering the hawk’s offer. Food was indeed scarce around this part of the forest, and an extra set of eyes could be of a benefit to him. He looked towards the sky and he thought he saw a brief glimpse of the hawk’s bright yellow eyes meeting his.
And that was how it happened, the hawk recalled. Some days later Rump had caught sight of Red flying amongst the trees and called up to him. He asked for his help and Red was happy to oblige. He had also learned that Rump Tumple was fond of watching the stars in the sky, and this time the stars were falling like rain in a shower.
The two friends made their way to their favorite place for viewing the stars. Rump’s hooves clomped along to the peak at the edge of the forest. The night sky was vast, free from any elements which would block their view. The boar sat himself down right at the edge of the cliff which overlooked the valley beyond the forest, and he looked up. The hawk climbed atop his head to get a better view. The stars dotted the hemisphere like a million gems.
“Aren’t they beautiful?” Exclaimed Rump.
“They sure are,” said Red. “When do they fall?”
“Just wait.” After a few moments they saw the first fireball streaking across the sky. Then several more followed, and then...it became a storm of light. As many as these stars there were that were falling, there were still even more in the sky.
“I think I understand your love for the stars Rump...” He was suddenly interrupted by something else in the sky. “Wait...what is that?” He pointed his wing towards a very particular looking star that was quite larger than the rest. It was growing bigger by the second. It was very close. Suddenly a very bright green flash flooded their surroundings, and the two animals were blinded by the intense light. A second later the ground thundered, a handful of trees were knocked down by the blast, and the hawk and boar fell against them.
When he came to, Red rubbed one wing on top of his head and shook it. “Wha...what happened?” He said. He looked behind him and Rump was lying against a splintered tree that was knocked flat. His eyes were closed. “Rump!” Yelped the hawk. He held onto one of the boar’s tusks in his wings and pulled it back and forth. It took some effort. Rump blinked his eyes open. “Huh? What happened?” He asked.
“That’s what I’d like to know.” They both looked towards the sky once more. The only trace of the star which shook the earth was a very strange looking green smoke trail descending across the valley to the west. Their eyes followed the trail, which ended behind a wall of boulders. They were surprised to see a matching green glow emanating behind the rocks. “Whatever it was, it seems to have landed over there,” Red said. Rump nodded. “What do you think it is?” The boar asked.
“I don’t know.” The little hawk jumped on his back. “Hey Rump, we should go check it out!” He said curiously.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea Red?” The boar said. “Since we don’t know what it is, it could be anything. It could be dangerous. We should stay away from it.”
“Oh come on Rump, where’s your sense of adventure? Haven’t you told me that you always wanted to see a star up close? Well, here’s your chance! Your star has found you, right in our woods!”
Reconsidering, Rump said “That is true. OK, we’ll go look, but just a peek all right? If I see something funny happening, we’re out of there! Deal?”
“Yeah OK, deal. And just to be even safer, I’ll ride on your back instead of flying so we can check it out together.”
The two animals made their way down the slope and into the valley. Pebbles and dirt were disturbed by Rump’s hooves as they carefully made their descent. The night air was cool with a soft breeze gently blowing. All was very quiet except for the occasional excited remark of Red Tail. Nothing so amazing had ever happened here before. The valley appeared to be very empty of any potential predators, but Red kept his eyes on the horizon just in case. After a few minutes of their journey down, the slope leveled off and they continued along the bottom. Looking to the west, the green glow behind the distant pile of boulders beckoned them.
* * *
Another creature watched them from the darkness. Her head peeked around from behind a rock at the center of the valley. She licked her left front paw and then arched her back into a stretch. It was a prime time for hunting and food was on the go. She had never caught sight of the boar before, but the hawk she remembered. She believed he went by the name of Red Tail. He, who so often robbed her of rabbits and mice. She recalled one instance where she had been getting ready to pounce on a young rabbit, when out of the blue, the stupid hawk swept down and carried it off. The forest was too small for so many predators. It was determined long ago that predators stuck to the crags and prey to the forest. Finding food in either situation was tough.
Now she had the dumb bird in her sights, and was more than willing to finally cut out her competition. She too had seen the glowing green thing fall from the sky, which was where they were headed. They faced it dead on. They probably didn’t know the secret way around the boulders. She would use that to her advantage. The boar perhaps might be a problem, but she would get there first and lie in wait. Then, when the time was right, she would spring! It was the perfect plan. She crept out of her hiding place and quietly as only a feline could be, started towards the short cut.
* * *
Rump Tumple and Red Tail approached the foot of the pile of rocks. It was about ten feet high. Climbing over it would not be an option especially since the boar’s hooves were not made for climbing unstable surfaces. The luminescent green glowed from between small cracks in the rocks.
“How do we get across this?” The hawk asked his friend.
Rump had an idea.“Allow me.” The boar motioned for him to get off his back and hover away from what he was about to do. With enough clearance, the large animal stepped forward and lowered his head towards the bottom of the pile. Then he quickly thrust upward with his tusks. Part of the heap of stones gave way and rolled down. The pile was now low enough for them to walk over. “Come on,” Rump said. They commenced their quest towards the strange object.
Rump could feel the warmth from beneath his hooves as they crossed over into the impact zone. The land had been pushed upward into medium sized crater. The two friends walked around the rim of it and looked down to where the star had fallen and steadily glowed that brilliant green. It did not look like one of the stars from the sky. It seemed hard and pitted. An aura surrounded it, which was the source of the green color.
“We should get closer,” said Red.
“I don’t know,” Rump replied.
“Well it hasn’t done anything weird yet has it?” The boar shook his great head. “I’m going to go look at it.” The little hawk hopped off his friend's back and waddled toward the glowing star. Up close it didn’t look like anything special. The color of the object itself was black as night. Back outside the rim, the boar watched and waited. Red Tail called back to him, “It just looks like a rock!” He lowered his beak down to it and tapped once. The “rock” responded in bolts and flashes which struck the young bird. The powerful shock erupted inside him, entering his blood, his organs, and the skin beneath his feathers. The sudden energy was too much for him and he fell over unconscious.
“Red!” Rump wailed. He quickly ran over to his small friend. He feared he was dead. He nudged him with his snout. No response. “Red, wake up!” He said frantically. He tilted his head and put an ear up to the little bird’s breast. He could hear his heart was still beating and he was breathing as well. “Red, please,” His voice broke worriedly. At this, the hawk came to and slowly opened his eyes. Instead of the yellow color of his young age, his eyes were now an emerald green just the same as the space rock.
“What happened?” Red asked Rump.
Rump turned his head back to the rock. “That...thing hurt you! I told you to be careful. Why did you touch it Red?”
“I just thought it was an ordinary rock, but I guess I was wrong. Maybe it really was a star. It was hot like the sun, Rump. Like lightning in a storm, it took over my body and the next thing I know, I’m awake again with you.”
“We should get out of here,” The boar said. “It just isn’t safe. We need to get away from that thing. Come on Red, let’s go home back to the forest.”
Red hopped back to his feet. “Hold on a minute. I feel different than before...like I don’t know...more energized. I want to try something--”
The boar sighed. “Red, I’d really like to get out of here now. Something doesn’t smell right. Let’s go.”
But the Hawk didn’t listen. He lifted into the air with one strong beat of his wings and then promptly disappeared...literally. There was no sign of the hawk anywhere above Rump Tumple. “Where did you go!?” He shouted.
“I’m right here Rump!” He could hear Red’s voice coming from above him and off to the left, but he still didn’t see him.
“Where? I don’t see you at all!”
“Really?” Red called back to him. The hawk landed down right next to Rump’s feet and reappeared.
“You’re back. Where did you go?” The boar asked.
“Nowhere.” Red replied. “You really couldn’t see me?” Rump shook his head no.
“Hold on, let me try again.” The hawk took flight once more and once again disappeared. “Do you see me?” He said looking for confirmation.
“No!” Rump answered.
Red swooped down, reemerging from his new state and grabbed the boar’s fur with his wings . He stared back at him with his changed green eyes. “Rump, I can turn invisible!” He giggled excitedly. “I disappear when I fly!” He laughed, leaning his head against his friend.
Rump looked at him queerly. “That’s not the only thing that’s changed, your eyes are green!”
“Like that rock over there? How interesting.” He thought a moment. “I think that rock gave me the ability to turn invisible when it zapped me!”
“You shouldn’t have touched it,” said Rump.
“Relax Rump, I’m fine aren’t I?”
The boar flashed him a side eye. “We don’t really know that. What if, one day I don’t see you and you don’t become visible again?”
“That’s not going to happen Rump.”
“If you say so. Come on. Let’s go home. I think we’ve seen enough of that thing.” The little hawk drooped his wings slightly in disappointment, and hopped back on the boar’s back. They headed back out to the clearing beyond the rocks.
* * *
She had seen what happened. Red Tail had wandered up to that strange green glowing thing. She had watched as he was knocked down, only to awaken and turn invisible. What power this stone had! And what an advantage it would be to Janis. No creature of this forest would be aware of her presence if she could turn invisible! Taking out any competition, she would no longer have to worry about food. First she would start with that hawk. He could not remain invisible on the ground, but perhaps she could, as she was no flyer. As soon as he settled in for the night, she would use her new power to sneak up on him and then...pounce!
With renewed enthusiasm, she crept towards the object of her desire. Silently on padded feet, she entered the crater. Facing the rock now, which was glowing strongly as ever, she slowly approached it. Crouching down, she gave the thing a sniff. It smelled just like the dirt she laid on...nothing special. As she lifted her front paw, she thought of how this would change her life forever. Her paw descended and gave a swift bat at her treasure. The rock responded with a jolt of energy, which enveloped her just as it did the hawk. Janis fell aside. When she came to, she opened both green eyes. She stood up and walked around in a circle. Lifting a paw up to her face, she could still see herself. She wasn’t invisible. It didn’t work. Angrily, she leapt up and landed on top of the rock. It cracked in half as well as the ground below it. The landscape fissured all around the crater. Janis looked around in astonishment. Perhaps that rock did give her a power after all.
She decided to test it again. With her two front paws, she pounded them against the ground in front of her forcefully. The terrain buckled into a seismic wave across the crater. She could use this, she thought to herself slyly. Her eyes slit piercingly. She would take out that hawk and get her revenge! Nose to the ground, she caught their scent and followed it.
* * *
The night sky turned to a lighter shade of blue as the early dawn hours approached. Rump and Red had been awake all night, but the only one who seemed to have all the energy in the world was the hawk. “Imagine all the places I could go without being seen!” He said.
“The only place I want to go to right now is that happy place in my dreams,” Rump replied as they reached a clearing through the trees. He settled down next to Red's favorite Oak tree, folding his legs underneath his furry body. It wasn’t long before the boar was snoring. Red sat perched on a branch above him.
The hawk couldn’t sleep however. He was far too excited to experiment with his new found powers. He jumped down to a lower branch and preened his feathers. Where to explore? He thought. The Grizzly’s den? A badger’s burrow? Then he remembered the mountain. He had always wanted to check out Moonrock Mountain. Yes, he said to himself. I shall go there. Normally it was a place to be avoided, a natural territory of predators. Yet now, cloaked from their sight, he could venture there in safety.
The mountain towered over the forest, black as night and craggy. It was a dark shadow beyond the hopeful dreams of the woods. Red Tail began his journey above the tops of the trees. Just a whisper in the dawn, he glided effortlessly with the mountain in his sights. The leafy tips of the evergreens seemed to point the way forward. Soon the woods thinned out a bit to be replaced with the desolate terrain familiar only to buzzards, jackals, and bobcats.
Red landed on one of the last trees of his home. He became visible, but still hidden by its branches. The tree swayed slightly with the waft of rot in the air. The source of the smell came from below. The hawk looked down to see a jackal tearing away at a recent kill. Taking a breath, the hawk dared to fly out to the predator in his first experiment.
Hovering unseen above the animal, Red could hear its heavy breathing and crunching away at its meal. The hawk was just a few feet or so from the predator's head. The jackal swiveled one ear back as though listening for the hawk’s steady wing beat, but it continued eating. Red breathed a sigh of relief. He was ready now to proceed to the mountain safely. He soared higher and continued onward.
* * *
Janis reached the thickness of the forest where she had often seen the hawk flying about. She dreamed of revenge and continued following the scent of the large pig. He was of course much smellier than the birdbrain. Her cat ears perked up at a sudden snort. There, she saw the beast. He was sleeping behind a bush. She carefully maneuvered around it. She didn’t want to take a chance of waking him. As fierce as the bobcat was, she was no match for the boar’s sharp tusks. Her battle was with Red Tail anyway. She looked to the trees, but there was no sign of the hawk anywhere. Then again, if he was invisible she wouldn’t be able to spot him. Janis yawned deeply. It had been a long night, and she decided perhaps it would be best to continue her search in the light of day. Sneaking past the boar, she began back towards her home at Moonrock Mountain.
Exiting the forest, she followed the path which lead back home. She happened to glance up and see a familiar looking animal. The hawk! Sitting near the top of a tree. She could see him! But he was beyond her reach. Up ahead was the smell of decay. A jackal was standing there feasting on carrion. She decided to crouch low and wait to make a move. The hawk left its perch and vanished. Janis lifted her head up. If he was heading towards the mountain she would find him. He would have to land eventually.
In the meantime, there was an obstacle in her path. With one roaring leap, she lunged towards the jackal, taking its throat in her jaws. Rocks flew up at the powerful strength of her landing, and the canine fell lifeless with one last yelp. Finished, she licked a paw and resumed her hunt.
* * *
Heat rose from the surface of the black mountain. Red Tail had never traveled this far before. It was a dark place with hardly any vegetation. Buzzards gathered below to peck at some last scrap of the remains of an animal. Perhaps he should have told Rump where he was going, but the boar would most likely have told him not to go. He just didn’t have Red’s sense of adventure, and there was no way he was going to miss this opportunity. Being able to turn invisible opened up a lot of avenues for him. He could freely explore without the threat of danger. Flapping at the base of the mountain he began to feel a bit woozy. He had been out and active a long time, longer than he had ever been before. Maybe his burst of energy was finally running on low. He scanned the area for a place to sit and rest in a location away from prying eyes. It would only be a minute and then he’d be back in flight once more hidden from view.
He found a place behind a rock and settled down folding his wings. “Such a nice little hawk by this little rock...all alone,” came a delicate voice from behind him. Red whipped around and was face to face with a bobcat staring at him with bright green eyes. She crept towards him slowly. Red had been backed into a corner against the rock. “It isn’t everyday that dinner presents itself to you,” she continued. “Tell me, do you remember that day...about a week ago...you caught a lovely mouse? Not to mention all those other times you stole food from me...”
Red Tail began breathing heavily, he thought about flying, disappearing, but he wanted to know what this cat meant by her words. “St-st-stealing?” He stammered.
“Those morsels were mine. Every time, you spoiled my hunt. You were there, taking it away from me!” She growled.
“Well...well, you don’t own the forest!” He huffed.
“No, but we’re not in the forest are we?” She retorted, and at her words, Red Tail started for the sky. “I don’t think so,” said Janis as she pounded her paws towards the ground. The power of the star rippled the ground and sent rocks flying towards Red. Struck by one of them, he tumbled back to the surface. He let out a very loud screech. Red tried to take off once more, but he couldn’t. His wing was injured. The bobcat couldn’t have created such a force on her own. He had noticed her eyes were green. So, she had touched the star. He wished Rump was here now... That’s it! Rump would hear his call that he was hurt. He remembered a time when his foot got stuck in a hole of a log. One big screech had sent the boar running. In the meantime, he would have to hold the cat at bay. A lot of dust was scattered from falling rubble. The bobcat wasn’t searching for him. The dust had blinded her and she simply paced back and forth. Quickly, he swept some of the dirt over his body. It wasn’t easy with only one working wing, but he managed. If he couldn’t be invisible in the sky, he would camouflage himself on the ground. Keeping still, he waited.
Janis wandered amongst the destruction trying to sniff out the hawk. She smelled him, but couldn’t see him among the rocks. She went to them one at a time, smashing them with her paws. “I will find you!” she addressed the hawk. Please hurry, Rump, Red Tail thought to himself.
* * *
Rump Tumple awoke with a start. A branch had snapped and fallen. He got to his feet and rubbed his back against the tree he had laid next to, giving himself a good scratch. Dawn had broken and he was ready to eat. He looked up to the higher branches, and called “Red!” There was no reply. He called his name again, but the woods remained silent. Where did that bird go? He thought. As if in answer to his pondering, a shrill screech pierced the forest. The boar turned to the sound. It was coming from Moonrock Mountain. There was no way Red could have gone there. But then he realized, that’s right, he could fly there past watching predators’ eyes. He knew that screech was unmistakably his friend and he knew he was hurt.
Shaking off drowsiness and finally alert, he started for the mountain. Up a ways he noticed some indentations in the moist ground. They were paw prints. A feline left these tracks. “A bobcat.” Rump muttered. His eyes widened. “Oh no,” he said, and began running, replacing the paw prints with his own hoof prints.
As he raced down the path to his destination he passed by two carcasses. One long dead, and the other freshly dead, burdened by fang marks. The boar quickened his pace. Then...there he saw her standing by a group of rocks. He watched behind her as she smashed rock after rock to pieces with unfathomable strength. The ground trembled with each impact. This cat was suddenly more dangerous than before with her enhanced powers. There was only one object capable of granting such a power. Rump scanned the area searching for his friend. One of the rocks had a green eye he noted. There he was! The hawk was covered with dust from wing tip to wing tip, staying perfectly still and trying to avoid detection. Why doesn't he fly? Rump thought. Red’s terrified eyes spotted his friend’s, and he motioned to the bobcat. Rump knew what he had to do.
Planting all four hooves into a firm position, he readied himself. Then, with a quick burst of speed he charged towards the cat. His tusks struck the unprepared animal, and flung her into the air. She crashed back down against a boulder. Now that the bobcat was unconscious, he quickly went over to Red.
He blew some of the dust off him with his snout and asked, “Are you OK? Why didn’t you fly away? What are you doing out here!?”
Red Tail stood up straighter, but his wing hung flat and limp. “I think it’s broken,” He said. “I guess I got a little too carried away with the invisibility. I was wrong, and never expected to meet my match.” He hugged Rump’s leg one-winged, “Do you forgive me?” He said.
“I was only doing my duty for a friend in need,” the boar replied.
“How sweet.” Janis interrupted. Back to her feet, the bobcat looked angrier than ever. “How dare you interfere!” She growled and slammed her front paws against the ground at the same time.
“Brace yourself!” Rump shouted down to the hawk who huddled underneath him.
The entire mountain quaked all around them. Rocks were tumbling everywhere down in a rock slide. Unluckily for Janis, she didn’t realize what she had done. Down the mountain, rocks and other debris were racing right for her. Unable to outrun them, she looked back in shock and was suddenly buried alive.
As rocks continued to slide down and rain upon the two friends, Rump set the fastest course he could to get out. Dodging rubble here and there, and Red hanging on tightly, they barely escaped with their lives. Only looking back once at the landslide, they left for their home under the trees.
The sun was high in the sky by the time they got back. Rump Tumple laid down under the shade and Red Tail settled next to him, leaning against his shaggy fur. Though his wing was still injured, it would soon be on the mend with his best friend’s protection. “Thank you for rescuing me,” he said softly. “I’m sorry I left without telling you. I was just so excited about these new powers, and I didn’t think you’d let me go.”
The big boar snorted. “You’re probably right.” Rump looked far out to the edge of the forest, beyond to that blurry place where he couldn’t see any further. He sighed and said, “The world’s a big place isn’t it? Next time let's explore it together shall we?” The hawk nodded his little head and restfully closed his emerald eyes. Rump Tumple closed his eyes as well and joined his friend in their dreams.
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