Flight of the Five Swans
Feathered Chapter 24

The Swans

It is light.

It is light and there is pain.

Then it is over.

The flock walks on the groundbehind She Who Leads. Walks around OurOther. The flock surrounds OurOther. Protects Our Other. Our Other must be protected. There is Other Other now. Other Other follows behind. Always behind. Always walking on the ground next to thehorse with feet that hurt, that kick, that crush. The flock must beware the feet thatcrush. The flock must not be crushed. Beware! Beware!

The flock must beware Other Other,for the flock does not know Other Other. Other Other is strange and stranger to Our Other and the flock. Our Other does not trust Other Other. The flock does not trust Other Other. Though Other Other does not smell bad. She Who Knows likes to smell OtherOther. Smells nice. Smells kind. Smiles nice. Smiles kind. Eyes nice. Eyes kind.

But the flock must beware OtherOther. The flock does not know OtherOther. The flock must stay with OurOther, must protect Our Other. It isimportant. Our Other is important. Our Other will help the flock. The flock must help Our Other. Our Other is part of the flock. The flock must stay with Our Other, mustprotect Our Other. Protect from OtherOther.

She Who Fights does not like OtherOther. Other Other bad for sure. She Who Fights is not gentle. Bite.

Other Other comes too close to OurOther. Bite.

Talks to Our Other. Bite.

Watches Our Other. Bite.

Smiles at Our Other. Bite.

Looks at Our Other. Bite. Bite. Bite.

She Who Steals wants to protect OurOther, too. Hiss. Bite. Does not like to biteOther Other. Other Other tastesbad. Hurts teeth. She Who Steals hurts to bite OtherOther. And Other Other has shinies. Shinies are pretty. Shinies are shiny. She Who Steals likes the shinies, wants theshinies, needs the shinies. She WhoSteals takes the shinies. Other Othertries to take the shinies from She Who Steals. Bite. Mistake. Other Other tastes bad. Hurts teeth. She Who Steals hurts to bite Other Other.

The flock does not like the ground,does not like to walk. But the flockmust walk. Walk on and on and on. She Who Honks wants to rest. The flock cannotrest, must not rest. The flock mustwalk. The path makes She Who Honkssleepy. She Who Honks wants to rest,wants to sleep, needs to sleep. Cannot sleep on the path. The flock will not let her sleep on thepath. The flock must walk. Walk on and on and on. But She Who Honks can sleep if she walks,too. She Who Honks sleeps on the horse,the back of the horse with feet that hurt, that kick, that crush. Sleeps while the horse walks, and then SheWho Honks does not need to walk. Thehorse will walk for She Who Honks. AndShe Who Honks stays with the flock. Withthe flock and Our Other. And with OtherOther. Other Other who lets She WhoHonks sleep on the horse with feet that hurt, that kick, that crush. Other Other who is strange andstranger. Who smells nice and kind. Smiles nice and kind. With eyes nice and kind. Other Other with the shinies that She WhoSteals can keep. Other Other walksbehind the flock. Always behind.

The flock can walk on.