Aska sorrowfully looked at the robin’s peaceful features. Miltin had a little smile on his face. The afternoon breeze ruffled his feathers. He seemed to be asleep, dreaming of wonderful things. He could live in his dreams forever.
Rest in peace, Miltin, Aska thought. I will fulfill your wish.
The wind blew softly over the maples, as if in mourning.
The next day Reymarsh and his tribesbirds held a funeral for Miltin and planted blue flowers on the grave. After that the robin leader readied his troops and took out the red Leasorn. They flew toward Stone-Run with Aska in the lead, chanting furiously, “Down with Turnatt! Set the slavebirds free!”
Preparedness may avert danger.
– FROM THE OLD SCRIPTURE
20 PREPARATIONS
Turnatt waited for Shadow’s return, eager to hear of the destructions of the cardinals’ camp.
Those little woodbirds killed a score of my best soldiers, he thought. I’ll see them destroyed! To pass the time, he idly turned the pages of the Book of Heresy, although he knew every paragraph by heart. “ Defiance spreads like a plague,” he murmured to himself, quoting his favorite passages. “Let no one oppose you, even for a second. Crush them before thoughts of rebellion can spread.”
But Shadow had been left with no archers or scouts, half a cape, some patches of bald skin, and wounds from arrows and darts-none serious but all painful. He was winging his way, not back toward Fortress Glooming, but deeper into the forest, away from the cardinals and the blue jays and away from the hawk lord as well. Shadow had no intention of returning to face Turnatt and confess his failure.
First there was that strange incident at the Waterthorn tribe, he mused as he flew. Then those cardinals and blue jays defeated Slime-beak, and now even I could not conquer them. Turnatt’s fortune is changing, the raven decided. He’s no longer a lord I wish to serve.
The deep shadows of the midnight forest swallowed the raven, and nobird could tell where he had gone.
Glenagh sat in the hall of the cardinals’ main tree, bandages wound around his head. In front of him was the Old Scripture of the cardinals.
In the margin of the last page of the Old Scripture, Glenagh noticed some words: “The first verse will make Swordbird appear; the second will make him stay long enough. The first verse is in this book; the second will be from your heart. Express your wishes there.”
Glenagh stared at the page, his heart thumping excitedly. Here was the key. At last he knew what was needed to bring Swordbird and make him stay. He dipped his quill pen in the inkwell and started to write quickly on a fresh piece of paper.
Aska, Reymarsh, and his tribe fighters pushed on with their journey to Stone-Run during the night. They passed the White Cap Mountains quite smoothly, avoiding the Sklarkills by traveling in darkness. In the morning they soon passed the border and entered Stone-Run.
“I’m in your embrace again, dear Stone-Run,” Aska murmured happily. She forgot all the hardships on the journey and sped up, flying faster and faster.
The shortest way of getting to the Bluewingle camp was to pass the cardinals’ home first. So Aska, Reymarsh, and his robins headed there. Before they drew near, some cardinals darted out. “You’re back, Aska!” they cried.
Aska introduced Reymarsh and the robins to them, and the birds talked while they flew.
“Where’s Miltin?” one of the cardinals asked.
Everybird became sad and silent at the question, especially Reymarsh, whose face filled with grief. Aska said in a low voice, “He had been too seriously wounded at Fortress Glooming, and we were attacked in the mountains as well. He passed away not long after he reached home.”
The birds fell silent, mourning.
After a while Aska broke the silence. “How’s my tribe?”
“We have bad news, Aska,” a cardinal answered with his head bowed. “Your tribe trees were burned by Turnatt’s birds.”
Aska gasped in horror. “Have birds taken the flight to Sky Land?”
“Only a few, may Swordbird bless their souls. The rest are living with us now. Come and see them.”
Before the cardinal finished his sentence, they had already landed on the threshold of the Sunrise camp. Flame-back, Skylion, Glenagh, and others greeted them warmly, welcoming them inside.
Reymarsh took the red Leasorn gem out of his tunic. “Here’s the Leasorn that you urgently need,” he said, passing the gem to Flame-back. “With it, and the ‘Song of Swordbird,’ the great Swordbird can be called.”
Flame-back accepted the Leasorn and gingerly held it close to his eyes, examining it. The multifaceted gem was translucent and bright, and it seemed as though there were countless crystal windows inside. When Flame-back turned it slowly, it gave off gleaming red sparks. Everybird gathered around the gem in awe.
“Have you got the ‘Song of Swordbird’?” Reymarsh asked Flame-back and Skylion.
Skylion turned his head to Glenagh.
“Yes.” Glenagh nodded.
Reymarsh said, “Last time, when my tribe called for Swordbird, Swordbird didn’t stay long enough after he appeared. We don’t know what we did wrong. I only hope things will be different for your tribe.”
“I believe so,” Glenagh began with enthusiasm. “I found the instructions for the second verse of the ‘Song of Swordbird’ in the most unexpected place.” He held up a piece of paper.
“A second verse!” Reymarsh cried. “I’ve never heard of it.”
“You’re right,” Glenagh explained. “If we make the second verse ourselves, and it comes from our hearts, then Swordbird will not just appear but stay. I’ve finished the second verse. Here.”
Reymarsh read it eagerly. “Great. It’s well written. Let’s make some more copies for everybird.”
“Don’t forget us!” a loud voice sang out. Lorpil, standing nearby, had been listening. “If there is music involved, the Willowleaf Theater must play and sing. We have our professional pride, you know.”
Skylion laughed and promised to get copies of the music to the theater birds. “But where should we put the gem during the ritual, Reymarsh?”
“Well, when we did it, we first put the gem on a platform. But realizing the danger of its getting snatched away by the enemy birds, we let a tribesbird carry it in his beak. It’s dangerous work,” Reymarsh said. “That bird could easily become a target for the enemy.”
“Let me hold the Leasorn during the ritual. I’m not afraid,” Aska said quietly.
Glenagh patted her back. “You’ve done a lot for Stone-Run, young lass. You should rest a bit.”
“I need to fulfill Miltin’s last wishes.” Aska dipped her head. Everybird became silent when they heard this.
As Aska left the meeting room, she saw a blue jay standing in front of her. He held a red rose held in his claw, the first rose blossom of the year.
“It’s you, Cody. What a surprise!” Aska exclaimed.
“This flower is for you, our heroine,” Cody said sincerely, and handed the rose to Aska.
When Turnatt realized that Shadow was not going to return, he was so angry that he slammed the Book of Heresy shut. He shook his wings and screeched his rage so loud that it made everybird’s ears in Fortress Glooming ring for several seconds.
He would no longer send his captain and soldiers to do this job, Turnatt decided. He would lead an attack against the woodbirds himself.
They stared through the splendor of the lights,
through the clouds of faint colors that veiled