The Last Year of the Wild - Volume 2: Spring Equinox

Copyright © 2023 Lizzie Pepper

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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Contents

Meet the cast...

In order of appearance:

Rufus

Species: Robin

Scientific name: Erithacus rubecula

His mission - To defend the Human ‘Beings’ and protect his community.

Captain Mallard

Species: Mallard Duck

Scientific name: Anas platyrhynchos

His mission – To help Commander Bewick and to captain the Starling Regiment.

Percy

Species: Woodpigeon

Scientific name: Columba palumbus

His mission – To deliver the Royal Messenger Service.

Skyla

Species: Robin

Scientific name: Erithacus rubecula

Her mission – To make sure Rufus’s community stays alive whilst he is away.

Commander Bewick

Species: Bewick Swan

Scientific name: Cygnus columbianus bewickii

His mission – To defend the Northern Territories.

Corax

Species: Cormorant

Scientific name: Phalacrocorax carbo

His mission – To take over the Northern Territories.

Jack Sparrow

Species: House Sparrow

Scientific name: Passer domesticus

His mission – To find his family, keep up with Rufus and stay alive.

Commander Monty

Species: Tufted Duck

Scientific name: Aythya fuligula

His mission – To defend the Southern Station and to eat more bread.

Maximus (Max)

Species: Robin

Scientific name: Erithacus rubecula

His mission – Leader of the Robin Knights.

Fratercula

Species: Puffin

Scientific name: Fratercula arctica

Her mission – As Lord Morus’s most trusted friend, she must do all she can to help him.

Lord Morus

Species: Gannet

Scientific name: Morus bassanus

His mission – Mother Nature’s servant and Leader of the Northern Hemisphere

England

Chapter 1

Temporary Roost

Along the North East Coastline of England, a mile into the North Sea, a small island was about to receive the brunt of another storm. Sheltering under the island’s only group of bushes, a female Robin poked her head through the leaves at the world outside, as the dark afternoon skies swiftly surrounded the island above her.

‘Take cover. Storm approaching!’ she shouted in her North-Eastern accent, realising that the small flock of Chaffinch Songbirds on the shoreline nearby were about to feel the pain of the icy hail.

‘You heard Skyla. Head to the bushes you lot,’ reinforced the Blackbird next to her. ‘Get a move on. The hail is coming again.’

‘Thank you, Merula. But I am quite capable of organising everyone,’ Skyla said, fluffing up her red feathery chest to make her point.

‘Of course you are,’ replied Merula, mockingly. ‘Robins are naturally bossy after all.’

It never took long for a Robin to lose its temper and Skyla was no exception. She turned to look Merula in the eye. ‘Look, I know you’re not happy. But Commander Bewick has put me in charge whilst he is away. To be honest, I don’t want to be stuck here either and definitely do not want the responsibility of looking after you lot!’

As Skyla turned to look behind her, she instantly felt guilty. Having listened to her every word, a small group of multi-coloured Songbirds were lowering their heads in disappointment.

Swiftly, doing her best to retrieve the situation, she explained carefully. ‘No, I didn’t mean it like that. I know Rufus is your official Robin Leader and not me, but I’ve no idea whether he will return from the mission Commander Bewick gave him to fly South. Even if he manages to reach Lord Morus to let him know we need help urgently, will he ever make it home again? So, for now, I am all you have.’

The Songbirds began raising their heads one by one, as they watched Skyla re-folding her wings and doing her best to keep her emotions hidden.

The last few months had been the most demanding of her short life so far. Since Rufus had left on his mission, she had done her best to protect his community. Ever since she followed Commander Bewick to their island refuge, narrowly escaping the black waters which had engulfed the Northern Station, daily life had become a continual challenge of surviving the high tides and storms, which endlessly battered the island.

‘I am sure that the rains will stop soon. Maybe the Sun will come out and food will grow again. We just need to be patient that is all,’ Skyla said, doing her best to sound confident.

‘That’s optimistic. Another Robin trait I believe,’ smirked Merula.

‘Well, what choice do we have? Do you have any bright ideas?’ questioned Skyla, having regained her confidence, although still secretly hoping that Rufus would appear at any moment to save them. Just as she began to dream about how it would feel to see Rufus, her thoughts were interrupted…

‘Skyla, hurry! They won’t make it back in time,’ panicked a small pinkish male Chaffinch, pointing with his wing at his stranded family on the shoreline.

Immediately, Skyla hopped out of the bush, exposing herself to the winds of the storm and shouting loudly, ‘You need to gain height. Flap harder, fly higher.’

Fluffing up her brown wings she darted down over the sand, reaching the small flock as quickly as she could.

‘Ouch, ouch,’ they called, as the hail hit their tiny black and white wings.

‘Stay underneath me. I’ll get you back to the bush. What on earth were you doing out here anyway when the clouds are so dark?’ Skyla asked from above, doing her best to protect them from the hail’s icy edges with her wings.

‘Searching for food, Skyla. What did you think we were doing?’ one of the Chaffinches called back. Seconds later they made it to the safety of the bush, collapsing on the wet muddy floor underneath its leaves.

‘I know you are all hungry. Food will appear soon, I am sure. But will you all stop risking your lives?’ Skyla said, shaking her wings and double checking that the Chaffinches were safely out of the storm as it passed overhead.

‘That was close,’ Merula said, cocking his black head on one side with a serious expression.

‘Yes, it was. At least we are all safe for now,’ Skyla replied, confidently, hoping he would stop making comments about everything she said.

‘For how long though? And when will Commander Bewick and Captain Mallard return? It has been ages since they left,’ Merula questioned, oblivious to Skyla’s exhausted face.

Skyla had to agree. Several storms had passed over since they left and the light was beginning to fade. The responsibility of looking after Rufus’s community was one thing. When Commander Bewick and the Captain left her in charge of the entire island, was quite another level of worry altogether.

‘I don’t know when they will return. You know as much as I do,’ Skyla confirmed, crouching on the ground and wrapping her wings around herself to keep warm.

‘Or if they ever will?’ Merula hypothesised, as he peered through the leaves at the outside world.

‘What do you mean?’ Skyla snapped, getting tired of always being questioned.

‘It is dangerous out there, that is all I am saying. Without knowing the local news, how will they know where to look for food? I mean, that is what I am trained to do. Report, on the local news,’ Merula said, also trying to make his point.

‘I know that this is frustrating for you, Merula. But what do you want me to say?’ snapped Skyla. ‘I am sure they are doing their best to find us better feeding grounds,’ she pointed out, as she began to question herself aloud. ‘Maybe I should try and find them? They have been an unusually long time.’

‘Skyla, no. If you leave us now, how would we survive without a Leader?’ said the male Chaffinch, who had been listening intently to the conversation beside him. ‘That is the craziest idea ever. So, what? You are just going to fly off across that ocean in this icy hail? You’ll die instantly.’

‘Ok, ok. I am not going to leave you all. Calm down,’ Skyla replied, tightening her brown feathers around her red chest again. Whether she liked it or not, she knew she had to stay and protect everyone.

It wasn’t long before the hail stopped battering the leaves above their heads, although the dark clouds continued to chase each other across the sky. Looking through the leaves at the storm above, Skyla lost herself for a moment in its swirling colours of blacks and blues. It made her wonder whether Rufus would be trying to fly across such a turbulent sky at that very moment. Having been given special permission to use the Skyways above to head South, she speculated whether he had even survived that journey, given that long-distance flyers were the only birds able to cope with the pressure of flying that high. The thought prompted a sinking feeling deep within her stomach. Even though they were both so young and had barely had a chance to get to know each other, she couldn’t deny that a feeling of affection seemed to grow within her every time she thought about him. But the last words they had shared were spoken in anger, in relation to Skyla’s unhappiness at being left alone with his community for a second time. She hoped that somehow, he would have found it within himself to forgive her.

‘Come quick, Skyla! It is Lady Bewick, she needs you urgently,’ squeaked a little brown Wren, abruptly interrupting Skyla’s thoughts, as she suddenly appeared next to her with fear in her eyes.

Skyla sighed, ‘Again? What does she want this time? I had no idea Swans could be so needy.’

‘She wishes to know what is happening and why the Commander hasn’t returned?’ The Wren shook the rain of her tiny light brown feathers, sending a fizz of spray around herself.

Skyla tilted her head and scowled in exasperation at the Wren. ‘Can you tell her Ladyship from me, that once again I don’t have any news for