CHAPTER SEVEN: MEETING AGAIN
Three days later, Stuart was again fishing. It was getting late in the day and he was about to head to shore. Suddenly, an eagle dove toward him. He jumped into the water. He was going to stay underwater, as he'd done last time an eagle had tried to hunt him. However, this time, he saw a large fish heading his way. It looked like he was going to get eaten either way. He tried to outswim the fish, heading toward the surface, hoping maybe he could make it to shore and hide in tall grass. The eagle above the water was waiting for him to surface.
However, thankfully for Stuart, another eagle was watching as well. She made a quick dive, grabbing the mouse with one talon and the fish, which, realized, too late, that it was in danger, with the other. "Guess I snagged two meals. Lucky me!" Margalo said in response to the shocked eagle who glared at her.
"You stole my food!"
"It's not yours if it wasn't actually in your talon!"
"You're always causing trouble, Margalo! Some day soon, you're going to get kicked out of the flock!"
"Well, the flock isn't all that. I really think my life would be better outside of it."
"Hope you enjoy being single forever!" the eagle laughed, before flying off.
Margalo hungrily ate the fish. "I hope you're not thinking of having seconds with that," Stuart said nervously.
"While I like the taste of mice, I-"
"What do mice taste like? I'm kind of curious. I wouldn't know, as I'm not into cannibalism."
Margalo snorted with laughter at this remark. "Not as good as fish, but nice and hairy."
"Yeah, hope you're not going to eat me. I don't want to end up as eagle poop."
"It's peeoop, for one thing. And-"
"Peeoop?"
"Yes. The way my systems work, all the waste gets dumped into a single chamber called a cloaca and dumped out the vent when we have to go. Anyway, it's eagle peeoop plus a pellet."
"Pellet?"
"Yes. Think of how annoying it would be to have to pass all that fur and stuff out the back end otherwise."
"I wouldn't know. I don't eat stuff with fur."
"I still can't get over that you saved me. I'm a pretty feared hunter around here. if mice hear the name Margalo Adler, they shake in fear. Surprised you haven't heard of me."
"I have now. I heard of you when we first met."
Margalo laughed. "Where do you live? A burrow, a tree, in some human's attic?"
"I live in a house, yes. But it's a bedroom."
"Bedroom. Seems really risky to me. You might get killed."
"No, I'm their son."
"Son? You're the son of humans?"
"Yep."
Margalo laughed hard. "Ha! Ha! Ha! Good one, Stuart Little! Seriously, where is your family?"
"My birth family died years ago. I was in an orphanage for years. I never got to meet my birth parents."
"Never got to meet them?" Margalo felt a twinge of guilt. Stuart had never known his parents and here she was wishing she could get away from her parents, both of whom she had.
"I'm so sorry. But, you said you lived with humans, then? You're not joking?"
"Nope. Come over yourself and see."
"I've never been in a human house before. And since I've already eaten and don't want to be at home today-"
"Why wouldn't you want to be at home?"
"It's a long story," the eagle sighed.
"Well, you can tell me. Oh, but there are two things you should know before coming over."
"Ok. What?"
"First off, we have a cat, Snowbell."
"I have these talons. Any cat who tries anything on me will wake up in kitty heaven!"
"Yeah, I think he'd be too scared to try anything. I was just letting you know we have one."
"Probably wise for Snowball to-"
"Snowbell."
"Ok. Snowbell would be wise not to mess with me. Now, what else do you want me to know?"
"My mother is overprotective. She-"
"I know what that's like!"
"Anyway, she might not be happy if I was making friends with someone who could eat me. So, maybe it's best if you come right now. My parents are out at the moment. But it wouldn't be good if they spotted you. And since I didn't ask them first if you came, that's another reason why it's best if they don't see you."
"Ah, a rule breaker! Love that in a guy!"