Chapter Three

The Birds Fight Again.

JULIE

As she watched Zapdos approaching, Julie felt an intense territorial rage rising within her, and cried a challenge, which, loosely translated, would be "Go away! Mine! Keep out!" She didn't know (and nor did she wonder) why she felt so strongly that this island was hers, but when Zapdos's only reply was a defiant cry, she felt that she had to act. She changed course to intercept this intruder.

Then from below she sensed another presence, and saw Articuno rise up to join them. She felt some sort of bond between them, something that in the human language might be termed kinship, for this was the same Articuno that the feather had come from that George used as a source of DNA to make Julie the way she was. Julie didn't analyse this, just knew that the island belonged to her and Articuno, and that they should defend it from the yellow and black interloper that looked intent on trying to take it from them.

Then she, Articuno, and Zapdos saw Moltres approaching, and all looked at each other for a moment as they circled warily. Julie, like the others, was watching for any signs of a weakness in her opponents. Then Zapdos attacked, and Julie felt the heat from the bolt's passage as it sizzled past her. It almost hit Articuno, which executed a quick bank to avoid the lightning, then steadied to fire back at Zapdos. Julie shot off an ice Beam at Zapdos too, just as Zapdos dodged Articuno's attack, and although Julie's aim wasn't perfect, she did catch the tip of a wing. Screeching in pain and rage, Zapdos turned towards the two ice-types, and began building power for a powerful Electric attack.

A powerful blast of fire from Moltres caught Zapdos unawares, striking it side on. It squawked and lost altitude, and its electrical attack went wide. Julie watched as Articuno followed Zapdos down, screeching and blizzarding, and Julie was alone to face the other intruder, the Fire Island bird Moltres. It gazed at her for a second, and then without warning loosed a huge plume of fire, and Julie was directly in its path.