CHAPTER NINE: CONCERNED PARENTS

Margalo arrived back at her nest and found her parents glaring at her. "Yes missed a flock meeting and have been assigned gather duty, again," Yvetta scolded her.

"Oops, that was today! Truly forgot!" Margalo groaned. In truth, she had totally forgotten about it. Still, it was probably for the best she hadn't be present. She might have ran her beak off and received a worse punishment than gather duty.

"You're getting a reputation around here, lately, for causing trouble. You're shaming the Adler family name," Rowan scolded her.

"So, speaking out against things I see as wrong is shaming the family, now?"

"You're bringing dishonor to the family by your actions. That is what is wrong."

"I think you care too much about your honor."

"Don't be a smarty beak with me!"

"I don't foresee a future for myself in this flock. Things need to change, especially with Landen and his crew. Every year, things get worse, not better. If I have children, I wouldn't want them living this way."

"I know that things aren't the best, dear, but you're talking about cutting yourself from your family and friends," Yvetta remarked.

"You can't have children if you don't find a husband. And you can't get a mate if you keep acting the way you are," Rowan said.

"The right one will like me for me."

"You're so-called right one doesn't exist."

"We'll see."

"Rambert says that he met with you and that you again rejected him," Yvetta said.

"He may be a good hunter but I don't like his personality. He's too stuck on himself."

"You're the one who is too stuck on yourself. Nobody seems good enough for you," Rowan snapped

"What's it matter? You're going to pick someone for me whether whether I love him or not!". Margalo flew off in anger, the burst of wind for her speedy takeoff slamming Rowan in the face.

"What did I do to deserve a daughter like her?" Rowan cried in exasperation.

"I know she has her issues, but she's still our daughter."

"I love her, but she's causing me so much stress that I fear my head feathers are going to fall out and I'll be an extra bald eagle!"

"Margalo's all we have. She nearly died in the cold that took the life of her brother and sister."

"I know. That's why I worry about her so much."

"If Landen hadn't started the practice of making us gather food for the the council and their families, we could have had time to warm them."

"You can't blame Landen for an act of God. That winter was particularly cold."

"We've had cold winters before and this isn't the first time that the flock has lost hatchlings to the cold."

"True. But there were over two dozen deaths that year. That was the worst ever we've suffered."

"Maybe so, but that's over and done with. We can't go on speculating with what ifs."

"We can't get them back. But maybe Margalo's right and Landen's a bad leader."

"Margalo would challenge anyone that bosses her around. She has a problem with authority!"

"She obeys us, well, mostly."

"She won't let me pick her mate."

"You know, she does have to live with the guy for the rest of her life. I think that she should have some say in it."

"You think I'm not good enough to pick her a husband, is that what you're saying?"

"No, of course not. Just that she will not like it if you pick one for her and just make her accept it."

"I still thank Rambert Falcon is the best option. She's shown no interest in any male eagle in this flock. A peregrine falcon would be a great hunter and protector."

"I agree, but if Rambert's not her type, they'll be bickering all day long."

"I stand by what I said earlier. She needs to find one by age 18. If not, then Landen's likely to just pick on for her. He's done it before. Two years ago, Lena Orzel was overly picky and got assigned one. Totally unhappy marriage. It's better that we pick one than the flock leadership."

"I know. And that's why I hope that we find the right one for her in time. And that she believes him to be the right one. I won't have my daughter living an unhappy life, no matter what the flock thinks!"

"Well, I guess that we know where Margalo gets her stubbornness from."

"Yes, but you don't have to brag about it, Rowan."

"Yvetta!"

"I guess she's a bit too much like us."

"I hope that she has some of our finer qualities too."

"I know she does."