~~The wind whistles in the distance. The moon shows brightly up in the sky, making shadows of trees litter the ground. The only sounds come from the blows and chirps of nature and her wildlife.
Up in one of nature’s big oak trees, a family of robins prepares for night. The two chicks huddle in a corner of the nest, evading the chill of the wind which pushes their way. The mother waits on the edge of the nest for the father to return from his nighttime hunting.
“Where’s Pa?” one of the chicks squeaks out.
“Your Pa’s getting the two of you a night snack before you go to sleep. He’ll be home soon, I’m sure.” Nature sends another gust of her breath towards the small robin family, causing the mother to step back inside the nest so that she will not fall off the edge and into the dark depth of the ground.
“Look, here he comes now.” The mother points her wing up to the sky where a robin soars towards them. His sturdy wings propel his rust orange body forward.
“Pa, Pa, Pa!” the two chicks bounce on their feet as the excitement seeps out of their eager faces. The father robin lands in their nest. “What did you bring us, Pa?”
“I was supposed to bring you something?” The robin hides his smile.
“Come on, you know what we’re talking about. We’re hungry!” one of the chicks chirps loudly.
“Alright, Adelaide. Open your beak.” The larger robin drops a fat wiggling worm into his daughter’s mouth.
“And me!” the other chick chimes.
“How could I forget you, Merek?” The larger robin drops another worm into his son’s young mouth.
“Now, are your tummy’s full enough to fall asleep?” their mother asks them.
“Yes, Ma,” the chicks reply with much of their strength focused on keeping their eyes open for a few more second.
Soon the chicks’ eyes give out and they are fast asleep dreaming about juicy earthworms. The two older robins are the only things awake on their tree branch. Bats hang high above, asleep. The owls have disappeared for the night; it is their weekly trip time. Even the butterflies have found safe places to rest for the cool night.
“Why don’t we step out onto the branch for a bit, Isabel?” Isabel looks at her peaceful chicks before agreeing to do so. Once out on the branch, she turns to look at her husband.
“How bad is it, Hadrian?” she asks calmly.
“I could tell you it would be ok, but it won’t be if we stay here. I talked to Benedict today. He said it was confirmed by the owl tribe that the Dark Shadows are coming.” Hadrian looks down as he speaks. He doesn’t want his wife to notice the fear his eyes hold.
“I really thought we had found a safe place. We looked for so long for a place where they couldn’t find us, but it looks like they still did.”
“Isabel, look at me.” She looks at her husband and notices the soft traces of fear in his eyes. “They may have found our hiding place, but they haven’t found us yet. That’s why we have friends like the owl tribe and Benedict, to warn us beforehand.”
Suddenly a rustle sounds on the robin family’s branch. Merek and Adelaide pop their heads out over the nest. They have woken up.
“Who’s looking for us, Pa?” Merek asks. The larger robins look at each other before making their way back inside the nest.
“Yeah, who wants to find us?” Adelaide adds.
“Why don’t I tell you two a story, a story that my parents told me and a story that your mother’s parents told her when she was chick?” Both chicks smile and squirm in excitement for their father’s story. And so he begins.
“Once, a long, long time ago, before your mother and I were even alive, even before our parents were alive, there lived a small colony made up of robins like ourselves. These robins acted like a family, for there were at least a hundred or two. They took up residence in a few giant trees in the forest. They would have parties and go on trips together. Every other animal looked at them in envy for the fun they always had with each other. Whenever a different type of animal or bird wanted to join their group, the robins always sent them away saying they weren’t pure enough and they didn’t want to associate with their filth.”
“That’s not nice,” Merek interrupts.
“You’re right, Son. It wasn’t nice for the robins to do that.”
“So the robins turned down everyone unless they were their own type. Then one day, giant black birds wanted to come and join them on a trip the robins had planned. And what did the robins say? They said no. So the black birds took off. They were extremely angry at the robins for turning down their request, for no one had ever turned down a powerful black bird. Fueled by their anger, the black birds decided to form a group of their own and called themselves the Dark Shadows. They brought together all the black birds they could reach to form this new group. Their first mission was to show the robins who was the boss and head of their forest. So the night before the robins’ trip, they all gathered around the robins’ trees. And they…” Hadrian was stopped by the look his wife sent him. He understood. “They surprised the robins and made all of them disappear. So now, us robins in today’s world just have to be a little more careful when it comes to black birds and The Dark Shadows.”
Both chicks sit and stare at their father. “Will they hurt us if they find us?” Merek asks.
“They may, but it’s nothing for you two to worry about. Now get some sleep. We’ll probably have a big day tomorrow.” Hadrian doesn’t want to tell his chicks that The Dark Shadows made it their mission still to this day to rid the world of every single robin, or that his family isthe last known group of robins to be alive.
“So, we’re leaving tomorrow?” Isabel asks once she is certain her children are asleep.
“We have to, Isabel. Benedict said they’d be here by noon. We’ll wake up early and head out. It would be best to get some sleep now though.” And so they do. All four robins sleep in their nest, some more peacefully than others. However, there is one thing their friend Benedict forgot to counter in: the strong gusts of wind heading in the direction of their Island, which would speed up any bird’s travel if it were heading that way through the dark night sky.
 

~~A rustling is made in the bushes; no forest animal is awake to hear it. The creator of that rustling steps out of the encasing bush. She is a giant black bird. Bigger than average, her feathers on the top of her head are all rustled, giving her a dirty and mean appearance and feel. Each of her ankles has thick silver cuffs around them. Her wings are pierced with silver hoops, and she has a simple black eye patch covering one of her vacant eye sockets.
She sniffs the chilled night air with her piercing beak. “Smells like robins,” she murmurs. “Let’s move forward.” She steps farther away from the bush and into the middle of a clearing in the forest, which is housed by an island.  More black birds step out of the bush and follow her. There are at least twenty left for this mission; all the rest have died off or been killed.
 “Master Millicent,” a slightly smaller black bird whispers.
 “What is it, Peter?” Millicent drawls as she scopes around the top of the trees looking for a nest of robins.
 “Up there,” Peter mutters as he holds up his wing straight above them. A small crowd of owls is flying away swiftly with two smaller birds hidden among them.
 “HOW!” Millicent screeches. “Go, go, go get them,” she orders her gang. Nineteen birds begin to take flight. She decides to follow once they’re all in the air. She quickly takes her place in the lead.
 He doesn’t know how he hears them. One second he’s fast asleep, the next a rustling fills his ears. As soon as Hadrian realizes what it is, his eyes shoot open and he goes right into action. First, he wakes Isabel, and then he sneaks up their tree and wakes a fellow owl neighbor who goes to find more owls to smuggle them out. Once the owls arrive, the chicks are woken up and the plan is put into action. The owls are to pose as if they’re going on one of their trips, and the robins are going to hide inside their circle. The only way the black birds will be able to see them is if they look up at the exact time they fly over them. The chicks ride on their parents’ backs, not making a single sound. They know the importance of a quiet beak at this moment.
 The group of owls are about to clear the black birds just as one black bird looks up and points. A high pitch screech sounds from below.
 “Change of plan,” an owl flying next to Hadrian whispers to him.
 “Huh?” he replies not getting what they are going to do.
 “Just follow our lead.”
 Soon the air behind them is full of black birds who are gaining speed on them. Hadrian looks over at Isabel. She is calm and focused on flapping her wings as fast as she can.
 Once the owls have cleared the forest entirely, they make a sharp right turn. The black birds continue to close the space between them. They are now flying over the clear crystal sea. Many minutes of vigorous flapping pass and the owls and robins are back over dry ground on a new island. The chase continues over a rocky and sandy beach.
The owls begin a slow descent. Hadrian has no idea why, but he trusts them with his family’s life. The mist of the ocean starts to spray up at them. Hadrian can taste the salt in his mouth.
 “Now listen closely,” the owl next to Hadrian speaks. “We’re going to make a sharp right turn up here at that boulder. We will be out of the black birds’ sight for less than ten seconds. That’s when your family is going to drop into this hidden hole that’s in the sand right by the boulder. You are to stay there until tomorrow at this time, and then follow the hole’s tunnel, but not until tomorrow night. Do you understand?”
 “Yes,” Hadrian solemnly replies.
 Soon the owls make the anticipated turn, and the robins drop out of the air to hide inside the hole. The owls continue flying as if nothing has happened, and the robins hide and stay quiet, hoping the black birds won’t find them. The black birds fly past; no one notices them.
 “Hadrian,” Isabel whispers.
 “We’re safe for now,” he reassures his family. “Merek and Adelaide, you two were perfect. Now we just have to stay quiet for a little while longer.
 “Ok, Pa,” Merek replies. He crosses his wings over his breast and attempts to reassure himself that he’s ok. The whole escapade shook him up a bit.
 “That was awesome,” Adelaide whispers. Hadrian would have laughed at his daughter’s words if he wasn’t so frightened.
 Hadrian looks around the hole. It is about a foot deep. He notices the tunnel that the owl had mentioned. The tunnel is dark, and he can’t see where it leads to; it’s dark depths are indistinguishable. He will have to wait until the next night to find out. All of them will.
 The owls continue flying, pretending that nothing has changed in who is flying with them, or who isn’t. They all realize the proximity of the black birds, but no one says anything.
 Millicent leads her gang. The robins had somehow known they were coming, and these owls had helped the robins get out, almost unnoticed. Well, she was going to get the robins and the owls; no one could escape The Dark Shadows wrath. She yells to her gang to pick up the pace, and they do for the fear of what would happen to them if they didn’t.
 “There’s nowhere to run,” one of the owls says to no one in particular.
 “What do we do?” another owl asks.
“We go down, but not without a fight,” the owl that had talked to Hadrian says. The group of six owls stop flying and land on the grainy sand, far away from where the robins are now. They turn to face the oncoming black birds.
 What do we have here? Millicent thinks. They finally gave up. She lands a few yards away from the six owls, and her gang follows suit.
“Where are the robins?” Millicent demands.
“They’re not here. You will never find them,” one owl says.
“Ever,” another owl adds.
“Well, then we have a problem here, don’t we?” Millicent says in a falsely sweet voice. She glares at the owls. “Have at it,” she tells her gang.
A few hours later, the sun begins to rise along with her mixed pastels that form the morning light. Light is given to the sandy beach and makes it sparkle. Shadows are cast off rocks, shrubs, and six murdered owls. Their crimson blood stains the beach floor and their feathers float astray through the light air. They tried to give a fight, but against twenty skilled Dark Shadows, they had no chance.
“That’s what happens when you fool around with The Dark Shadows,” Millicent laughs to herself as she and her pack continue their search for the family of robins.

~~The sun sets, allowing the day to rest and the night to raid. Hadrian looks at his family in the darkened hole, the only light coming from the full moon that sits in the star-filled sky, and gives their hole a shadowy glow.
His chicks are huddled under their mother’s wings, waiting anxiously to see what will happen next. Hadrian turns his head to the dark tunnel that’s like a door in the hole’s wall.
“Are you ready?” he asks his family.
“As ready as we’ll ever be,” Isabel replies. “Now, Adelaide and Merek, you stay between your father and me so we don’t get separated.” Both chicks nod. Again, Hadrian studies the dark tunnel that the owls—who gave their lives for his family—had instructed them to follow. The pure black plays tricks on his eyes, creating small colorful dots in his vision. He shakes his head, trying to concentrate, and sees what lies ahead: only darkness.
One small step at a time, Hadrian leads his family into the tunnel and underground. The temperature drops with the settling darkness. The hard-packed sandy walls encase the robins.
“Why’s it cold and dark here, Pa?” Adelaide looks up at the ceiling, wishing to see the freedom of the night sky.
“Because we’re going on an adventure, Adelaide. This cool tunnel is going to lead us to a surprise.”
For the next hour or so the robins continue through the tunnel. As they work their way in, the sand walls begin to grow moist and the floor grows soggy. Hadrian suspects the tunnel has led them under shallow water of the ocean.  Still, the robins trudge on.
Under a full moon, Millicent leads her group of black birds through the forest that outlines the salty water.
“Can’t we take a breather?” one of the birds yawns. Millicent swoops down on this black bird and stares him in the face.
“Did I just hear one of my Dark Shadows asking for a break?” she crows.
“W…w…well I just thought since we’ve been searching for almost a whole day that a break of a few minutes wouldn’t hurt.” The black bird averts his head to the ground refusing to make eye contact with the Dark Shadow master.
Millicent grabs the bird’s shoulder with her claws and pushes him to the ground. She looks up and sniffs the air. “I can almost taste those scrawny robins. We’re not taking a break to let them get the best of us.” With that she pushes off the ground and takes her place in the front of her flock. “We’ll go back and search the shoreline again. They must be in a sand dune somewhere. It’s obvious they’re not in this forest right now.”
“Pa, I’m getting really tired,” Merek mutters trying to hold his head high. The robins are still making their way through the tunnel. They have been following it for well over two hours, and water has started to rise up to their ankles. Isabel sends Hadrian a look of worry, but as to whether or not he saw her face through the darkness, she does not know. The darkness makes it hard to see even a few inches ahead of them. It encompasses every outline, every shadow, and every expression, but it has a way of amplifying sound.
Suddenly, they hear the sound of strong wings flapping above them.
“What’s that?” Isabel whispers.
“I’m not sure, but I have a guess,” Hadrian mutters. Could it be that the twenty Dark Shadows are still around searching for them? “I think we should get going and find out where this tunnel is leading us.” The flapping soon moves on to another part of the terrain and disappears from earshot.
After what seems like another few hours for the robin family, a faint glow is finally visible, and an end is in sight. The walls have dried up and the water from the ground has disappeared, which makes Hadrian think they have left the shore. Merek and Adelaide are both asleep on their parents’ backs and snore softly. The last few steps couldn’t come fast enough for Hadrian and Isabel who practically spill out of the dark tunnel and into the softly lit room that is waiting for them.
A few small lanterns are nailed to the walls, and a straw woven round rug covers the floor, making it soft to step on. There are nests attached to the walls like bunk beds. Across from the door where the robins have just entered, a plump old hen sits on a fluffy nest.
“Oh dear me, dear me,” she squawks, fluffing her feathers. Hadrian stares at her as he feels the consciousness slip from his head and crumples to the ground from sheer exhaustion.
 

~~Hadrian soon wakes up and finds himself in a nest tucked in with his family. He stands up and recognizes where he is. The room is circular and has soft tan walls.  He looks down and sees the old hen sitting on her nest humming a tune to herself. He takes a deep calming breath and notices that the room smells of oak.
“Where are we?” he asks quietly.
“You’re in the Safe Tree,” she replies in a sing-song voice.
“The Safe Tree?”
“Yes. You’re the first robin family I’ve had in quite some time too. I’m sad to say your species is near extinction. It’s a shame that such an old grudge still makes the Dark Shadows cause so much pain and death.”
“Who are you?” Hadrian finds himself asking.
“I’m Matilda,” the hen hums. “I’ve lived in this tree ever since I was a young adult. I started this program to help robin families who are hunted by the Dark Shadows because I believe their motives are simply ridiculous.  I have made it my duty to protect any robins that cross this way,” Matilda says proudly.
“So you set up the tunnel?” Hadrian asks, curious about the tunnel that saved his family’s life. He didn’t see how one hen could dig such a long underground path.
“Not exactly, when I first began this movement, I had lots of followers who wanted to help the poor robins as well. So, we all got together and dug the underground tunnel, adding many entrances that all lead to the safe tree.”
“Are your followers still around?”
“I haven’t had any robins in a long while, which has caused my helpers to all give up, they think this movement is a thing of the past. But I have always believed there was at least one more family who would seek my help, and this is the only place I have to call home, so staying here was a no brainer for me.”
“And I can’t tell you how thankful I am for giving my family this safe resting place.” Hadrian bows his head in respect.
“Don’t give it a second thought. Now I will go catch your family something to eat. Stay inside we don’t need the neighbors gossiping and word getting out of your whereabouts.” Matilda leaves and Hadrian is alone with his napping family.
  Soon, Isabel stirs and wakes up. Hadrian tells her everything that Matilda told him. She, too, is extremely grateful for the generosity that the old hen is extending their way.
 When Matilda returns, the chicks wake up, sensing the food that she brought with her. Matilda brought everything from small fish to the strangest of grubs. The chicks eagerly devour the food until their stomachs ache and they can’t swallow another bite. Hadrian and Isabel eat what is left, which is still enough to fill them up.
The birds spend the rest of the day getting to know each other. Matilda falls in love with the chicks’ humor and their blooming curiosity on every new thing they see. She loves the way Adelaide interprets the different patterns on the walls, who knew a story could be told from squiggly lines. Or the way Merek cares for small insects that have escaped from the outside. As long as it’s not meal time, Merek treats the little animals with a most tender of touch. Matilda can tell this little boy has a loving and caring heart, and that the two day’s past events have disturbed him greatly.
Later, Matilda goes on another outing for food to feed her robin family, and once the chicks are fed again, they catch-some shut eye as the sun sets, revealing another night. 
Once Isabel is certain her chicks are fast asleep, she goes to sit next to Matilda’s nest where her husband is.
“What’s our next step?” Hadrian asks. “What did you do with all the other robins that came your way?” Matilda looks gravely at the two brave robins. It wasn’t fair for such kind robins to have death chasing them.
“There was this one place. It’s an island far away in the middle of the sea. Many even doubt it still exists; they believe the ocean to have swept it away with its ebb and flow.
“I always sent the robins with a seagull who took them to the island.”
“Can the seagulls take us?” Hadrian asks. He was desperate.
“The trip there is dangerous. You must fight the raging waters, the mysterious sea creatures, and the harsh ice winds. Truthfully, I’ve never even heard back from any of the seagulls or robins that tried the trip. And even if you made it to the island, that only leads you to a life of solitude. No one is said to live there anymore.”
“How do you know about this island then, Matilda?” Isabel asks.
“That island is where I grew up.” Hadrian looks at her as if edging her to speak more. Matilda takes a deep breath and stares at a flickering candle on the wall before continuing to speak. “I grew up on that island, believing that nothing bad was wrong with the world. My island was perfect. It sheltered me from the problems our world owns. The plants were lush and the rocks sparkled. The stream was cool and the food was plentiful. We animals all lived in peace with respect for each other. I was orphaned as a child, and was taken in by a peacock couple who took in orphaned children. They also had another chick at the time; her name was Millicent. She was a black bird, but she was a sweet and loving younger sister. That is until the day the Dark Shadows discovered and raided our island. They slaughtered all the robins that lived there, and when the other animals put up a fight, they killed them too. The only reason I survived is because Millicent begged for my life, which they granted, but left me all alone on the island. They took Millicent creating her into a ruthless Dark Shadow.” Matilda’s gaze wavers from the candle she has been transfixed on during her story.
“How did you leave the island?” Hadrian whispers. He can tell this is a touchy subject for her.
“That, my dear friend, is another story. But you see why I’m not sure that I want you to try and take the trip. I don’t even know if that island still stands. Right now, staying here is safer than going there.”
“Then what are we supposed to do?” Isabel cries out. “We can’t spend the rest of our lives hiding in this tree. What about the chicks?” she pleads. The three birds sit in silence after Isabel’s outburst.
“Matilda, do you think your old helpers would be up to helping us out for the good of animal-kind?” Hadrian asks.
“Many of them would give their lives at this point to put an end to the Dark Shadows. They still come around here and taunt us every so often during their hunt for robins.” 
“If that’s the case, then we put together the biggest army we can, and fight to take the Dark Shadows down. I don’t want my chicks to grow up in this world of fear. Not like the way we did. It’s up to us to end this. After all, our ancestors started this feud all those years ago.”
Outside the stars glisten in their constellations and the crickets chirp. The wind coolly blows making the lush bushes rustle. Outside of a giant oak tree two birds stand.
“Is it them? Is it them? Is it them?” one of the quirky birds whispers.
“Shut up! They’re going to hear you, you dimwit. Let’s calmly go tell Master Millicent before she takes off to that island of hers to refocus.” The two Dark Shadows take off into the night, chasing after Millicent to tell her of what they found.
“I still find that hilarious how that island is our hideout and that lazy hen has never even realized it,” the dimwit bird laughs.
“All I have to say to that, is that seagull tastes better than I ever thought it would.”

~~The wind whistles, spraying a light mist of saltwater onto the sandy shore. A small group of black birds stand on a rock looking out at the horizon. The sunrise’s lemon yellows, peach pinks, and vibrant streaks of red mix with the crisp blue sky into a mixed palate of paint.
 “You sure you want to leave the grounds?” Peter asks Millicent.
 “When have I ever doubted myself, Peter? We have birds scoping this land. If they find anything, they’ll report back to me. But right now, I need to refocus and come up with a better plan.”
Millicent’s plan is to head back to her island and wait for any news on the robin family. She sent most of her Dark Shadows out to find the robins on this island while she intends to head back to her headquarters with her servant, Peter.
The two birds are about to take off when Peter notices two of their birds vigorously flapping towards them.
 “Look,” Peter points towards the oncoming pair.
 “Aw, it’s the dimwits.” Millicent refers to the two birds who are much lacking in the brain department.
 “Millicent, Millicent, Millicent! Don’t take off yet. We have news on the robins.” Millicent perks up at this. The two dimwits land, fighting each other for the front row; they both want to be the one to relay the information they have.
 “What is it, Bruce?” Millicent asks the larger of the two birds.
 “The robins!” he gasps. “We found them.”
 “And where are they?” Bruce and his partner take turns explaining to Millicent about their discovery. They tell her about the tree, the hen, and how the robins know about their island and may decide to head that way.
 “I see. So these robins may just fall right into our trap,” Millicent muses.
 “One more thing,” Bruce adds. “The father is planning to build an army, and he wants to fight us.” A moment of silence follows. Millicent takes in the new information she has just received.
 “Well,” she begins after much thought, “I always enjoy a good fight. Peter, you head back to the island in case they decide to try and escape there.”
 “Yes, Master Millicent.” Peter is about to take off when Millicent stops him.
 “Oh, and Peter, you know what to do if they do show up, right?.” Peter nods before taking off.
 “Bruce and Dimmer, you two go and round up the other Shadows.”
 “Yes, Master Millicent,” they both murmur and then take off.
 “And I will get my gear ready,” Millicent speaks to herself, followed by peals of her own laughter.    
 A few short days pass, during which time Hadrian locates all of Matilda’s old followers:  owls, toads, foxes, skunks, seagulls, and many other animals who all support the downfall of the Dark Shadows and agree to help fight for freedom and peace.
The sun rises on the fourth day of the robins’ stay at the Safe Tree. All of the animal fighters gather around the tree waiting for Hadrian to give a speech with their instructions. There are about forty brave volunteers who are willing to give their lives to help save the robin family and end the Dark Shadows’ reign of terror. Hadrian steps out of the tree and onto a rock which puts him above most of the animals. Matilda stands next to him, but his family remains in the tree.
 “I can’t tell you what it means to me to see you all here willing to give up so much.” Some of the animals nod and look approvingly at Hadrian. “When I was a chick, I watched the Dark Shadows murder my parents. I spent the rest of my life hiding and trying to stay safe. What I witnessed was more than just a grudge or anger in those vicious birds’ eyes on that devastating night they took my family. It was enjoyment of the power they had.
“Once they eliminate the task of the robins, I believe they will move on to other animals that they can overpower. I believe these killings started as a grudge but eventually became part of the black birds’ culture. It became who they are. But because you brave and passionate animals have stepped forward with me, we will stop them and the pain they cause.” Hadrian holds up his wing and the animals around him clap.
“From what our spies have told us,” he nods towards the beach crabs, “The Dark Shadows are expecting a fight tomorrow morning. We will be ready and take them down then.” Hadrian turns his attention towards one of the giant barn owls. “Mouse, can you lead your men through the tree tops during the battle?”
“Of course, Sir. The tree tops will be covered.”
“The rest of us will cover the ground. Except for the toads, frogs and beavers who will take care of the streams, and the squirrels who will be covering the tree branches. Beavers will be walking around today and equipping everyone with the swords and shields they’ve made for us. If anyone has any questions, come to me or Matilda.  Thank you once again.” Hadrian nods toward the crowd one more time before turning back towards the tree with Matilda.
“That went well,” Matilda says. “I think all we’ve needed all these years is a strong leader to open this door.”
“Do you think this is the right choice?” Hadrian’s eyes hold the heavy weight of sorrow and worry as he looks up at Matilda.
“Hadrian, when it comes down to it, I think this is the only choice.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes. Tell Isabel, that would you?” Hadrian heads back towards the dispersing crowd and spots the seagull for whom he is looking.
“Gullfer?” He approaches the old bird that he recruited the previous day.
“Hello, Hadrian. Wonderful speech you gave. It gave us a lot of confidence here.” The wise greying seagull looks at Hadrian with sparkling eyes that is a trait of every seagull.
“Thanks, I was actually coming to ask you for a favor.”
“Anything for a hero like you.”
“I would hardly call myself a hero. Anyway, I was wondering what you knew about that island that all of the robins used to escape to.”
“Aw, the Island of Desire. I’ve heard it’s the safest, nicest place.”
“Have you ever been to it?”
“Actually, I haven’t. I’ve flown past it many times though, and it’s a true beauty.”
“Is it safe?”
“I don’t see why not. It looks like an ordinary island from what I’ve observed. It’s isolated, so I doubt the Dark Shadows give it much thought. They’re not that smart,” Gullfer chuckles.
“Could you take my family there? Just until this fight is over. It’s going to be big,  and I won’t be able to focus knowing how much danger my family is in here on this island. They need to escape.”
“I would be glad to, Hadrian. I’ve been past there many times. I even know the way to avoid the bad weather.”
“Thank you, Gullfer. Can you meet us at the Safe Tree tomorrow just before sunrise? If you leave just as the battle starts, all of the Dark Shadows will probably be too preoccupied to  notice.
“Sure thing. I’ll get your family there safe and guard them with my life.”
“I’m forever in your debt.” Hadrian goes back to the Safe Tree. Once inside, he informs Isabel and Matilda of the arrangement while his precious chicks nap without a care in the world.
“Hadrian, no,” Isabel argues. “I’m not leaving your side.”
“Isabel, we must do what is best for Merek and Adelaide. I believe this is the safest option for all of us. Matilda, what do you think?”
“Tomorrow this island is not going to be safe for anything that’s on it. Now, I don’t know if I trust the Island of Desire, but I trust Gullfer. He is one of my lifelong friends.” Isabel looks from Matilda to Hadrian.
“I will do whatever you think is best for our children, Hadrian, because I love and trust you. Just please be careful. Merek and Adelaide don’t need to grow up without a father like you did.” Hadrian nods.
“No one deserves to grow up the way any of us did,” he replies.
Evening soon approaches once again. Matilda gathers the robins some creepy crawlies for supper and then leaves the tree to give them one more evening alone.
“Ma, have you ever seen such a strange worm?” Adelaide laughs holding a crawling centipede in her beak before sliding it down her throat.
“Adelaide, that was a centipede, and I wanted it!” Merek cries. Isabel forces a smile at her children’s banter.
“Here is another centipede for you, Merek.” Isabel passes her son the other creepy crawly.
“Thanks, Ma.” Hadrian watches his family with tender, loving eyes. He doesn’t know how he will be able to say goodbye to them when morning comes; his love for them is too great.
All too soon, evening follows its routine schedule and turns into night. Adelaide and Merek begin to doze off and are put to bed with centipedes wiggling in their stomachs. Isabel and Hadrian stay up most of the night, recalling old memories and all the great times they’ve shared. But soon, the trance of exhaustion overtakes them as well.
The next morning, Hadrian rises before the sun, just as planned. He wakes his beloved family, and they share a quick breakfast of fat worms and slugs.
“I’m going to go see if Gullfer is here yet,” Matilda says, excusing herself.
“Now, Merek and Adelaide, you two and your ma are going to go on a small vacation with my seagull friend.”
“Are we coming back, Pa? Or are you going to meet us there?” Merek asks.
“Don’t worry, son. It will be one of those,” Hadrian says, ruffling his son’s head. Hadrian hears Gullfer outside and knows it’s time for them to get going. “Now come give your pa a great big hug.” Both of the chicks tackle their father, causing him to chuckle as he enjoys their weight in his wings.
“Hadrian,” Isabel whispers before joining the family group hug.
“I promise everything will turn out as planned,” he whispers, silent tears stream down his sorrowful face as he holds what is most precious to him.
 The robin family heads outside. Gullfer is waiting there with a basket attached to his back.
“Alright, hop in. The morning express is open.”
“Look, Merek, we get to take the morning express,” Adelaide squeals. The chicks hop in after giving Hadrian and Matilda their last heartfelt hugs. Isabel turns towards Matilda and her husband.
“Thank you, Matilda, for everything you’ve done.”
“Don’t mention it.” Matilda pulls Isabel into a warm hug.
“And thank you, Hadrian,” Isabel hiccups, her sobs becoming uncontrollable.
“Don’t say that, dear. This isn’t the end. This is the beginning of a new life our family is going to share. I’ll see you really soon. Stay strong for our brave chicks.” Hadrian lets go of his embrace on Isabel who hops into the basket with her chicks who are giggling at a joke Gullfer told.
“I’ll see you soon,” Hadrian mouths to Isabel as Gullfer takes off towards the ocean.
“You’ll see them before you know it.” Matilda wraps Hadrian into a comforting hug.
The sun begins to show and lights the beach front. The eighteen Dark Shadows are gathered around Millicent who is in her fighting gear. Each Dark Shadow has a silver metal helmet and a pair of metal claws; a few daggers and spears are spread out among them along with some lit torches.
“This is it. Time to get that robin family and murder this island.” Millicent’s eyes gleam as she speaks. “They’re expecting us, so this should be a fun challenge. Just remember to keep your cool and don’t leave anything living.” Her crowd nods. “And you three…” She points to three of her armed Shadows. “Take care of the sky in case someone gets the fighting jitters. Patrol the skies between here and our island.” The three appointed birds take flight. “Now, let’s show these animals who owns this land.” The remaining sixteen birds take off into the forest, heading for the Safe Tree.
Hadrian has his army gathered around the Safe Tree. The various animals are all equipped with the weapons they need for a successful battle.
“Are you ready?” Hadrian yells to his army. They all silently nod.
“Just remember that whatever happens, we all did the best we possibly could. Believe in yourself and what we stand for right now. We stand for freedom and equality for all. No one should be put down or raised high for whom and what they are. We’re doing this for future generations. This is the great battle that’s going to change the way we live, and we all will be forever remembered for our part in this event. Let’s go to our places now and wait. The first move will be made soon. I can feel it.” The army scatters and all is still.
A rustling sounds as Millicent emerges from of a bush followed by her gang. Hadrian stands by the Safe Tree with half of his army by his side. He eyes their weapons and fire torches, but doesn’t lose hope.
 By the maddened look that appears on Millicent’s face, Hadrian can tell she is surprised by the size of his army. He grabs a sharpened rock and nods to his soldiers.
Chaos breaks out as the sound of metal and stone collide into a shivering clash. Soon, screeching and other yells of distress echo throughout the island. Mutated soldiers fall to the ground from both sides. Hadrian races out of the main battle to prevent his fate turning fatal. He hides behind a large rock but can still hear the gruesome echo of the battle behind him. Suddenly, a bundle of red feathers falls to the ground near him. Hadrian approaches the bundle to realize the nearly unrecognizable bundle is Mouse, the owl.
“I’m sorry,” Mouse whispers. “I should have lasted longer.” Hadrian has a hard time locating the owl’s face under the messy feathers and the thick layer of blood. But once he spots it, he wipes away the blood and feathers from Mouse’s eyes so he can hold a comforting contact.
“No, I’m sorry, Mouse. This is all my fault. I’ve bitten off a bigger bite than I can chew.” Hadrian lowers his head and weeps as he feels the tense owl loosen up and leave the world. Once Hadrian reclaims his composure, he grabs the silver dagger that is stuck in Mouse and continues on his way. Like he preached to his army before, he is going to believe in himself and hope for the best. Hadrian heads back to the main battleground, planning to claim as many black birds’ lives as he can and hoping that none will return the favor and claim his.
Miles away from the raging battle, an old seagull is flapping vigorously with three robins on his back.  “Everything is going as planned. We should be there shortly,” Gullfer calls back to the three robins. He sees the clear island in the short distance, looking as perfect as ever.
Unexpectedly he hears screeches as three Dark Shadows fly up to his side. Gullfer only has enough time to yell, “Hold on!” before the three birds slam into him, killing him on impact, and send him spiraling towards the ocean, the robins still in his basket.
“Do you think that killed them?” one of the black birds asks.
“It had to. We crushed them all, and they’ll drown if they aren’t dead already. Let’s go back and join the fight.”
 “Yeah, we finished those robins.” The three Dark Shadows leave, evading the scene, and head back towards the raging battle.
The sun’s plan is to set soon. The day was long, gruesome, and murderous. The forest and beach are littered with dozens of lifeless bodies. Some are Dark Shadows, some are Hadrian’s soldiers, and some are innocent animals who had nothing to do with this affair. The ground is stained red, and the stenches of smoke and death are clearly defined among nature’s ordinary smells. Bushes and trees everywhere are burned, and some still smolder along with multiple corpses.
 Matilda sits in one of the trees that still stands; she takes deep calming breaths. Some of her feathers are burnt, and dried blood is caked on one of her wings. Silent tears fall down her eyes, as all of her close friends’ lives have been taken today.
Hadrian stands on the burnt ground unseen from Matilda. His left wing is broken, and he still holds the silver dagger that took Mouse’s life. Millicent suddenly appears before his eyes; she, too, is in poor condition. Her eye patch is missing, revealing her absent eye, and her feathers are charred and stained red.
“What do we have here?” she mocks. “One last robin.”
“What do we have here?” Hadrian returns. “One last Dark Shadow. And you didn’t find my family, so there is more than one robin left,” he spits out.
“Oh, but we did, Hadrian. My Shadows killed them all and sent them to their watery grave.”
Hadrian crumples to the ground from the dreaded news. He should have known better than to send his family to that blasted island. He should have known better than to have loved again after the fate of his parents; love is too painful when combined with death.
Millicent smirks at his defeat and sends her dagger straight through him, pinning him to the ground through his chest. Hadrian’s lifeless eyes stare at Millicent before rolling to the back of his head.
“I won,” she murmurs to herself. Millicent knows she lost all of her Dark Shadows to Hadrian’s army, except for Peter who’s on the Island of Desire. However, she’s ok with that, because she won. On her way out of the broken island, Millicent stops by one of the trees where a hen sits and weeps tears to the ground.
“Good day,” she smirks. Matilda stares at her with livid eyes.
“It will be a good day when your heart stops beating,” she returns bitterly.
“I love you too, my dear sister, Matilda.” Millicent takes off, flying back to her home with a giant sense of pride and accomplishment.
The sun has set, and the only light comes from the moon and stars. On the Island of Desire, Peter paces back and forth, waiting on the beach. He hasn’t heard anything all day.
“Help.” A small voice catches Peter’s attention. It comes from the water. He approaches and sees the smallest of birds he’s ever seen sitting on the wet sand: drenched. The little bird looks so vulnerable to Peter that he picks it up with his strong wings.
“What’s wrong, little thing?”
“My, my, my, ma and sister disappeared in the water. They went under and never came back up, along with Gullfer. I need help,” the little chick chokes, coughing up water. Peter realizes who this chick is. He is a robin. But the look on the scared chick’s face makes Peter disobey Millicent’s orders. He takes the chick back to the Dark Shadow camp and warms him up and feeds him.
The next morning, Peter wakes up and notices the now-dry chick is huddled in his wing, sleeping softly. He also notices a tired Millicent staring at him.
“Can we keep him?” he pleads. “He’s young enough that if we raise him right, he won’t remember a thing and he can become one of us.” Millicent sighs. She knows what Peter says is true and that an heir to the throne would be a good idea. Besides, even she has a little sympathy for what that little chick went through and will go through when he asks about his family upon awakening. Millicent gathers up all of the kindness and understanding in her and comes to grips with keeping this little robin alive.
“His family is dead, he’s your responsibility, and I’m going to sleep. Make sure he is fed when he wakes.”
Peter looks shocked at Millicent’s admission. “Even the evilest of birds can be a little understanding,” he thinks, as he stares down at his new sleeping little friend.
 

~~The sun begins to set, taking with her the light of day. The Island of Desire sits off in her own little world, protected from outsiders because the secrets of her whereabouts are long gone, along with the holders of those precious secrets. The Island doesn’t hold many living things: a few fish, some frogs, a variety of stray insects, and three birds, three birds with a secretive past, a past that remains unknown to one.
“Where is that boy? I swear, doesn’t he know the time?” A black bird, that appears older than her actual age due to what she’s been through, paces back and forth in the mouth of the cave.
“No, Millicent, he doesn’t. He’s a growing child, and with that, his curiosity grows too,” Peter replies even though his attention is focused on a painting he is creating on the cave wall with charred ash.
“Well, he worries me, and he should learn to return before the sun leaves.”
“Tell him that when he returns then. But there is nothing to be worried about. This island is deserted, remember?”
“Talking about this deserted island, Peter, what do you think our next move should be?” Millicent asks.
“What do you mean? I thought we decided to spend the rest of our days here. It’s safe, and has everything we need.”
“Peter, you know I need adventure and something to live for. Our agreement was to wait until Merek grew up and was fully trained. He’s a fine bird now who is growing up into a strong, young Shadow. He’s almost mastered all of the skills we’ve taught him. We should start considering relocating.”
“To do what, Millicent? What would we do somewhere else? What happens if someone recognizes us? It’s too risky.”
“What’s too risky?” A handsome robin swoops into the cave. His eyes have a natural sparkle to them and his feathers glisten due to natural oils. His buff from the training he’s been doing since he was a chick.
“Oh just eating raw frog, Merek. You know how your Mother Millicent is about raw amphibians. Now give me that nice frog you just caught, and I’ll roast it up.” Merek tosses his recent catch to Peter and turns to his mother.
“Merek, what took you so long?” Millicent demands.
“I was just waiting for the fattest frog to appear. I lost track of time.”
“Well, the sun is gone, so it’s too late to practice your spear throwing. You’ll have to do it in the morning before your hunt with Peter. And from now on I want you home before the sun sets.” Merek nods at his mother’s strict rules.
The three birds eat the cooked frog in silence before turning to their hammocks for the night.
Almost a year has passed since the great battle. A year since Millicent lost all but one of her Dark Shadows, a year since Merek’s family was murdered, and a year since Millicent and Peter took Merek in as one of their own. With proper raising, Merek was conditioned to forget everything that had happened to him prior to his life with the two black birds. He has spent the last year growing up and learning such skills as hunting, weapon-wielding, and distancing himself from the poor animals that fell victim to his trainings, coming to see them as tools instead of living things. Millicent’s plan is to raise him into one of-her-own after all.
The next morning, Merek is found flying spears into target trees and hopping frogs on the beach shore.
“Keep your head tucked in, Merek. You’ll get less wind resistance that way,” Millicent yells from her eye view on a tree branch.
“Yes, Mother.” Merek picks up another spear and flies it into his next target. The spear pierces the tree a good three inches deep, causing the trunk to crack down the middle.
“Merek, come here,” Millicent yells. Merek flies up to her and takes a seat on the branch.
“That was a good throw, right? I mean did you see the power that spear held?”
“The spear didn’t have power, Merek.” Merek looks at Millicent quizzically. “You held the power, but you chose to work and transmit that power to the spear so it could do something that you would never be able to do without it. Am I making sense?”
“Kind of.”
“Merek, I’ve had all the power in the world. My kind has loved me and looked up to me. Other animals have listened to me and obeyed me. You can have the same. Just never let someone stand up to you, Merek. If something’s happening that you don’t like, make it go away. You’re special like me, and you can call all the shots no matter what other animals say. You don’t follow anybody else’s rules or requests except your own. You’re a leader and a creator, not a follower or a sustainer.” Merek listens intently, absorbing every word his mother says. His mother, who he looks up to and wants to be like when he is older, his mother for whom he will do anything for. All she has to do is ask.
“Merek, you are the spear. I have spent your whole life teaching you these valuable skills and giving you these mini-sermons, so that I can pass on the last of my power to you.”
“I can tell, Ma.”
“What did you just say?”
“I meant Mother. I don’t know where Ma came from. Sorry.”
“Just don’t disappoint me when it comes time, Merek.”
“How will I know when the time is, Mother Millicent?”
“Trust your gut. You’ll know.”
That night with Peter and Merek huddled in the cave with her, Millicent decides to let her new plan be known.
“You want to what?” Peter screeches. “Why in the world do you want to return to Battle Island?”
“We have unfinished business there,” Millicent states calmly.
“What’s Battle Island?” Merek asks.
“You’ll be told when you’re older,” Peter says, turning back towards Millicent. “No matter what I say, I won’t change your mind, will I?”
“No, Peter, you won’t. Merek and I are leaving in the morning whether you join or not.”
“I guess we have a trip to prepare for then,” Peter sighs.
“A trip, really? That’s so cool!” Merek chirps.
The sun’s rays beat down upon the Safe Tree. The forest still hasn’t completely grown back, leaving little shade to be found on Battle Island. A hen jumps up from her nest in a cold sweat, her chest heaving from a nightmare.
“Who was it about now, Matilda?” a tawny old owl questions her roommate.
“It was, Merek, Jean. He was alive and all alone,” Matilda explains. Her eyes are watery and her head is droopy.
 “Matilda, it’s been almost a year. Your robins are gone, along with almost every other animal on this deserted island.”
“Don’t remind me, Jean. Please.” A single tear slips down Matilda’s face. After gathering herself together, she gets up to face the world. She was left all alone on her island with only an old owl to befriend. Barely any creatures survived the great battle, and the few that did fled as soon as they could. As far as Matilda knew or cared, Jean and she were the only living things left on the planet. However, in the back of her mind, she still knows Millicent is out there somewhere, waiting to continue her raid on the world. Because of this constant thought, Matilda keeps the Safe Tree full of weapons just in case someone decides to show up on her doorstep. The tawny owl call it obsessive, but Matilda calls it protective.
“What’s that?” Merek yells over the wind. The three birds are on their way to Battle Island and can just now see it in the distance.
“That’s Battle Island, Merek, our destination,” Peter yells back. The three birds land on the shore. Right away, Millicent notices how deserted it is.
“Do you have your spear, Merek?” she asks, holding her own dagger, and Peter, his sword.
“Yes, Mother, but why do I need it? Am I going to get to kill frogs?”
“Don’t ask questions right now, Merek. Just remember everything I’ve told you. Peter, let’s head to the Safe Tree. I want to check on something there.” They make their way to the tree and stop right outside of it.
Inside the tree, the two old ladies hear a rustling and the snap of a twig. Matilda looks out the window and gasps. “It can’t be.” She grasps a sword and has Jean do the same before stepping outside.
“What do we have here?” Millicent crows. “I wasn’t sure you would still be alive after all the grief I put you through.” Millicent eyes the old hen—her sister.
“Is that Merek?” Matilda stutters towards the handsome robin—he’s the only robin left. The scene is tense as each bird stares at one another.
“How does she know my name?” Merek questions.
“No, need to worry, Merek. I told you, you’re special.” Millicent calms her son.
“Merek, it is you. Remember me, remember your….” As Matilda speaks, Peter moves his sword to cover a yawn. The nervous owl, Jean, takes this movement the wrong way and lunges with her weapon at Peter.
Jean’s sword stabs into Peter creating a hole in his chest for the blood to flow out of. Millicent’s instincts kick in and she sends her dagger through Jean, killing her instantly. Millicent rushes over to Peter while he takes his last few breaths. Matilda uses this free moment to approach Merek, who is staring helplessly as Peter slowly bleeds towards his death.
“Merek, please try and remember your past, your real family, and me!” Merek stares up at the old worn-down hen. His eyes close as he begins to see the hen in foggy pictures in his brain.
“Why do you look familiar? I know I’ve seen your face before.” Millicent stands up from where she was kneeling by Peter’s body. She grabs her dagger and faces Matilda.
“Whatever she’s told you, ignore it, Merek.”
“He can’t ignore it!” Matilda screams, tears pouring down her face. “It’s his past, his past that you ruined. She killed your Ma, Pa, and sister, Merek. She stole you and is trying to raise you into this emotionless monster like herself. Stand up to her, Merek. She’s the villain.”
   Millicent has finally had enough of the hen’s banter. She begins to approach her, the sadness from Peter clouding her mind, but even an old hen can have one last laugh. When Millicent is just inches away, Matilda pulls out a poison dart from her wing and pricks Millicent with it before she can even realize what’s happening.
Millicent hits the ground with a soft thud. Merek runs over to his dying mother and kneels by her side.
“Do what’s right, Merek.”
“But I don’t know what right is,” Merek sobs.
“Remember everything I’ve told you. Follow your gut…now,” Millicent whispers, as the poison takes control of her body and her eyes close into their permanent position. Merek stands up and stares at the hen.
“You killed my mother,” he says to Matilda.
“No, Merek. Don’t you see? Now we’re free. You can be that loving bird like you were as a little chick. ”
“I don’t care who you are, or about the lies you’ve told about my mother, or that I can see pictures of you in my head from the past. You killed her!” Merek yells. Merek grabs his spear and flies it right into the hen’s chest. She was hardly aware of what happened. Merek lands back by Millicent’s body.
“You’d be proud, Mother. I followed my gut, and I killed your killer.” Merek stands there for a few moments as waves of grief wash over him for his two lost loved ones. These strong new emotions frighten him like nothing else ever could.
 Merek is deciding what to do when words of wisdom from Millicent come to focus in his mind: If something’s happening that you don’t like, make it go away. Merek stares at the four still bodies around him then picks up his mother’s dagger and points it at his own chest.
 “Make this feeling go away,” he whispers to himself, and with a deep breath, he thrusts the dagger through his shield of feathers and straight into his own heart; his light body lands without a sound. Millicent indirectly killed the last robin, and for once, all is completely still.