WaterWing
© Debbie Sutherlin

(Picture by Debbie Sutherlin)

The little filly looked down at the waters edge and saw the water reflecting the sunlight between her hooves.

{{It’s a beautiful DAY! Time to PLAY!}} she sent with enthusiasm! The little creatures around the stream looked at Splash and realized it was their friend. They promptly went back to their own business much to the chagrin of the little filly.

{{Aw….come on! Doesn’t anyone want to play???}} A small squirrel jumped down on Splashes back and ran up to balance just behind her ears.

{{Hi ya’ One-Eye! How ya’ doin??}} She sent to the little squirrel, rolling her eyes upward even though she couldn’t see him very well.

Although the squirrel could not understand her language, he could understand the unicorn was his friend and would not harm him. She didn’t smell like a predator either, so he had made friends with her long ago. He would ride on her neck and get to trees he thought would take great time to reach the regular way. He also did not have to take the chance of being vulnerable while running across the vast meadow. IT was a LONG way for the little squirrel to travel in the open. He especially appreciated Splash because of the fact losing his eye to a rock made him twice as vulnerable to the hawks. They didn’t bother him when he rode upon the unicorn’s back. He chattered at the unicorn in squirrel fashion and reached over to tug playfully at her ears.

{*giggle* Quit that you silly boy! I will take you to the big oak in just…} She broadcast her reply when suddenly there was a big *plop* in the water of the stream. A mother hawk began to scream with terror. A terror any living being could understand. Splash saw the small head of a young hawk bob up once and then disappear beneath the surface. It’s little wings attempted to come up but the weight of the water must have proven too much.

Splash reacted instantly. Lowering her head, her front legs splayed in the shallow water, she gathered the force within her and projected the image of the water lifting beneath the little hawklet. The water of the stream reacted and suddenly a small waterspout formed. The little hawklet was lifted high up on the wave. Splash held it there. The startled mother hawk wasted no time and swooped down to grasp the baby within her talons. However, she missed, veering off at the last moment! A group of students came into view laughing and talking. The mother hawk flew off in fear, sacrificing her baby to it’s fate.

Splash, now very much irritated, re-directed the water to gently wash the baby onto the pebbly bank. Trotting across the stream, she came up to the wet, silent little bird. She nudged the tiny thing gently with her nose but realized she needed hands to lift the baby! Human hands! She looked up to see the strange Tantari girl and Smoke emerging from the brush beyond the stream.

{Please, Smoke! Ask your bonded if she will help this little bird!} Splash sent to Smoke urgently.

{Miranda, Splash wants to know if you will help the bird?} Smoke relayed to her bonded.

[Of course, Smoke….] Miranda smiled and took her jacket of soft leather from her shoulders. She knelt down clumsily next to the bird’s wet, pitiful body and placed one gentle finger near the heart. It was still beating! She placed the little hawklet gently inside her soft leather shirt. She gasped as the cold body touched her warm skin, but knew this was the best way to keep the little one warm. She placed the breast of the little one next to her own, knowing the warmth would penetrate there quickly. The sound of her heart might help the little one feel it was near its mother as well, giving it a reason to live.

{Ack! Is she smothering it??!!??} Splash cried out in alarm.

{I doubt it Splash. Her Feather Brotherhood are particularly known for working with the wild birds. Let’s wait and see…} Smoke tried to reassure the nervous filly.

{{Miranda? We want to know why you placed the bird inside your shirt?}} Smoke asked, broadcasting, so Miranda would realize she was communicating with both of them.

"Mother birds use their body heat to keep their babies warm. Right now this little one needs to be warm more than anything!" Miranda held the baby securely and turned to Smoke.

"Come dear one, we must get this little bird into a warm, dry place."

{{How about the stables! We can make it feel much more at home in the warm straw and my bed has the sun right about now….Splash, do you want to come with us?}}

{Oh yes, please? Will your bonded mind??} Splash had forgotten her little passenger who now chittered nervously as if asking a question. Miranda noticed the little squirrel and smiled.

"I see you have other friends as well. You must be part Tantari, Splash…." Miranda laughed gently trying not to disturb the little one. "Can you see the stream, Smoke? Come." Miranda looked down at the stream and placed her hand back to touch Smoke’s velvety nose, which now was only an inch from her right hand. Miranda had one hand holding the little bird securely against her and the other guiding Smoke.

{{It would be quicker with *four legs* instead of those limited two, especially with one all bandaged like that….}} Splash observed.

{{Yes, I agree. Can you get up Miranda, with the bird?}} Smoke asked her bonded.

"Hmmm, If I could just slide over onto your back, yes, but I can not jump up as I usually do, Smoke."

{{Oh! Over there! See? That big rock in the stream! I’ve seen Tempest load Coul from that rock! I also watched Sunstrike get his bonded
from that rock….I’m sure it will work!}}

{{How are you going to get me up close to it??}} Smoke asked with a worried tone.

"It may be too hard for Smoke to try that Splash. Would you consider letting me get on your back and slide over onto hers once we
were on the bank?" Miranda suggested thoughtfully.

{{Well, I’ve never….never had a….well…one of *you* on my back before…..}} Splash returned uncertainly.

{{They are remarkably light, Splash. Why, I bet it’s easier than carrying the gathering baskets for the Healers or the work baskets for Warrick!!}} Smoke replied gently and with reassurance.

{{Okay…..I’ll give it a go…..only for the baby you understand…..}}

"Yes, Splash, I understand. I will be most anxious to be with Smoke so that I can be ‘her eyes’ anyway. I will try not to hurt you, I promise," Miranda replied with a gentle smile.   Her bandage was mostly for support but her ankle was beginning to scream at her.

Miranda moved carefully over to the relatively flat surface of the tall rock using the stones as a bridge.   She balanced with a length of stick she found keeping one hand on the bird at all times.  She looked over and Splash was already in place. Watching her nervously.  Miranda did not waste time and moved onto the blue mottled back. Splash’s ears flew back and forth for a moment, conveying her mixed emotions. Then they rotated backward.

{{My…..this isn’t so bad…..}}

"I know you will make a wonderful bonded someday, Splash." Miranda said smiling. The little filly whinnied with delight and true to her name, sent a fine spray of water over herself and her passengers. She was rewarded by an irritated tirade of chattering.

"Okay Splash, now I know why they call you that!" Splash moved very carefully now, suitably chastised by the little squirrel. She was picking sure footing in the stream bed to be considerate of her special cargo. Miranda winced at the chill shower but smiled at the little filly. The Tantari girl was well balanced and Splash was amazed at how easy it was to carry her. Smoke was right, carrying a human was easier than the work baskets by far!! This human moved *with* you… She rather liked this….maybe bonding wouldn’t be so bad, she thought to herself.

{{May I have my bonded back now, Splash?}} Smoke asked with laughter in her broadcast. Splash stopped and realized she had gone out of the stream bed. Smoke had fallen in step beside her, using Miranda’s mindsent vision to ‘see’.

{{OH! Oh my, sorry Smoke….I…well, I….I guess I was thinking about something….}} Splash replied lamely, a blush causing her bluish-tinged, delicate head to appear pale lavender momentarily.

"Splash, thank you so very much for your efforts! It will be to your credit if this little one makes it." Splash sidled over next to Smoke so Miranda could easily move across.

{{Thank you, Splash! Did you know I can now *see* through my bonded’s eyes?? It is SO wonderful! I never realized how pretty you are!}} Smoke responded to Splash to help cover up her embarrassment. Splash looked over at the blind older filly and saw her with new understanding..

{{Thank you, Smoke…..uh I…..well, thanks.}} As if adding his two cents the little squirrel chattered happily at Miranda and tilted his little head. Miranda laughed and spoke to him in her native lilting tongue.

"Yes, you may come along to the Unicorn Hall. Smoke would be delighted to have you join us I’m sure!" Miranda responded to the little squirrel. Splash whinnied.

{{Yes One-Eye, we will go with them! You can get off at the Oak or stay, whatever you prefer!}} Splash responded in sudden high spirits.

::Funny, I thought I understood the humans, seeing them all these seasons….but, well, suddenly bonding isn’t such a scary thing….well, it’s scary….but what if…..what if I got one….well that could understand me? Is there such a two-legs? Hmmmm:: Splash walked next to Smoke, quiet and very much lost in her thoughts. They passed the oak tree but the little squirrel made not one sound. It appeared he was very interested in seeing this human creature work on the baby bird.

With concentrated efforts, Splash and Smoke blowing warm breath over the baby bird and Miranda cuddling it close after drying it carefully with straw, the baby bird opened its eyes on its new world. The little hawklet seemed to accept its new family quickly, the baby was spending the nights with Smoke and during the day would stay with Miranda, Splash or Smoke, whoever was free. In another week the hawklet had lost all its baby down and it’s flight feathers were completely in. Miranda knew soon they would need
to teach the baby to fly. Smoke and Splash had been terribly funny trying to teach the hawklet to hunt. Their own aversion to the practice made Miranda laugh many times. Splash in the meantime had insisted the little hawk have a name. WaterWing became his name after much discussion between Splash and Smoke. Miranda smiled and accepted the name making both of the fillies very happy.

As the hawklet grew, Miranda was thankful the mother had already taught it to watch the thickets for rabbits and mice. The LightWing was the bird she always dreamed about finding but a hawk was a great companion bird. They could spot from the sky and their cry would not alarm anyone. Only one who knew the cry of their own hawk would know and heed the warning. She spent many hours teaching the little hawk. It was not so little though. It was thriving under the care of the two unicorns and Miranda. The
unicorn stables were a favorite place for WaterWing to hunt, as he invariably caught mice there, after the grain. Kenyon learned to enjoy the hawks presence, as he removed the mice.

Miranda was seen with the hawk riding upon her shoulder on occasion although his brilliant shimmering blue-green feathers were coming in and he was becoming a full grown hawk. Miranda’s shoulder soon needed to be padded with a special leather padding to protect her from his claws. His beak now was able to remove someone’s finger. WaterWing liked the Academy students and the unicorns having been around them, so he was no danger to them. He would twist his head into Miranda’s cheek when he wanted her
attention. For Smoke or Splash, he would land on their back and screech at them. If he really were irritated at them, for example the time Splash sent a spray of water into his face, he would hop up to their mane, grab a mane hair and take off, pulling it out with a yank. Splash learned quickly that WaterWing did NOT like water in his face. They made up quickly though.

WaterWing maybe because of his early trauma was not afraid to fly in the rain and Miranda discovered he had a waterproofing oil on his feathers that allowed him to remain aloft for hours in the rain. She wondered if it had to do with his watery beginning but had no way to tell for sure.

Waterwing was attached most to Miranda. It was the comfort of her heartbeat he flew to the most.