Tim tells his children a story to try to get them to sleep. Everyone is present in this tale, but what's unusual about them, they are all birds.

Bird Song

Part 8: Caught by the Wind

"Oh no! Timoti!"

Dick watched in horror as the wind swept his brother away. It was what he feared all along, that the wind would carry his brother way from him.

"Timoti!"

Seeing that his brother was in trouble Dick flew after him, but the wind gust was too strong, even for Dick, and he quickly tired. Even so, he wasn't going to let the wind take his brother if he could help it.

Timoti fought against the wind, but his wings were quickly getting tired. They were still weak from disuse. Finally he reached a point where he couldn't fly any more, and he started falling. He couldn't do it. He couldn't get back to the life tree. Tim fell, not knowing where he was going to land.

Selina the cat saw Dick flying after his brother. "Wait for me." She jumped down through the branches and hurried after them. "I saw him land near the pond. We need to hurry."

"Keep working on the nests," the bat ordered, and he flew after the cat and Dick. "The owls . . . If they spot him he will be killed. The pond is their hunting territory."

The bat hoped that they would reach the little red robin in time.

Tim crashed through the branches of some bushes. The branches had broken his fall. Once he was on the ground, Tim didn't know where he was. It was strange and he could see there was a body of water nearby. What was this place. He spotted a large shape in a tree. It looked like a young fluffy bird, a fledgling, like him, but its talons sticking out from its body were long and looked very sharp. Tim became frightened, not knowing if that bird was friendly or not. He was not a life tree bird. He tried to move, but his little wings were so tired, trying to fight the wind. At least he could still hop. He hid under a bush to make sure the large bird didn't spot him. What he didn't hear was the owl's parent, flying in his direction.

Selina spotted the owl flying toward the pond. "There's one coming now. I'll take care of the owl. Get the bird."

"No, you get the little bird," the bat stated. "I cannot take off from the ground. I will distract the owl."

Selina led Dick to his brother. "Birdie, where are you?" She slinked through the bushes calling for the little bird.

The bat flew into the path of the owl and taunted it. "Try and get me owl."

"It is you," the owl hooted out "You will make a tasty meal for my fledging." And the owl flew after the bat with its talons bared.

In the meantime, Tim was chirping with distress. "Help, help help, help, . . . . . . Brother, brother, brother. I want my brother."

"I can hear him, he is under there," Selina pointed with a paw.

Dick looked under the bush to find his distressed baby brother.

The bat dodged and weaved, the owl nearly catching him that time, but he was able to lure him away from the bushes. The bat veered into the thicker portions of the trees going into the canopy to hide against the dark. The owl, however was persistent, his eyes were just as sharp.

With the owl distracted, Selina picked up the birdie. Dick landed on her back and clung onto her as they headed back to the bird house. "We have him," Selina said. "We'll need more cover."

The bat sent out a sonic cry to other bats. 'They will shield me from the owls,' the bat said, 'And I can head back to the life tree.'

Hearing the cry of their fellow bat, hundreds of bats swarmed the area like a cloud. "Distract that owl . . . . Swarm it!" the bat screeched.

Soon the owl was surrounded by the bats, confusing him, The owl had to land on the ground to get away from the bats or face being bitten. He decided to hunt more easier prey.

The bat flew back to the life tree, satisfied that this time, there was no tragedy.

Continued with Part 9: Stolen Food