The Wren, the Sparrow, and the Snake

Fred and Alric had spent much of the day in silence. Fred said little to Alric's attempts to open conversation. "Likely he is just tired," Alric thought.

Towards the evening, there was turmoil in a meadow that had been quiet up to now. A rabbit dashed out of the grass. He crossed the trail, and was lucky not to be trodden under the hooves of the hoses. A murder of crows rose into a strand of pines, staring at something in the grass. Alric stopped the horses, and he and Fred dismounted. They could see nothing but a violent rustling in the grass. They could hear a wild hissing, sounding like tearing cloth, and a shrill twittering noise. Alric pointed and whispered, "There!" A little brown wren rose above the grass, struggling against something. It could barely fly. Then its enemy showed himself. A great red viper lunged at the hobbled bird.

"That snake looks deadly. This is a dangerous country," observed Alric.

"Let us stay," requested Fred.

"What do you see?" answered Alric. "I do not want to stay here. That snake looks nasty."

Fred stayed, for some reason wishing to watch the unequal battle to its end. The evil hiss grew louder. A terrible squeaky chirp croaked out of the wren's throat, and echoed across the meadow. A spray of reddish brown splashed and soaked the heads of the weeds that bobbed up and down. Alric turned away. Fred continued to stare.

A minute later, a flutter of four wings rose above the grasses of the meadow. A bloodstained wren and a dazed sparrow clutched the dead viper in their talons like birds of prey, carrying it with much trouble to a juniper bush. Neither Fred nor Alric could see them. "Tough neighbourhood," Fred noted dryly, "Now we can go."

Alric replied, "That is amazing. Have you ever heard accounts of wrens or sparrows doing anything like this?"

"No. It has to be a sign," answered Fred. "It looks like the dragon will fight two warriors and lose his life."

"That must be us."

"Maybe. One should never presume too much."

1. Fred and Alric arrive in southern Allaria safely.
2. Meanwhile, back in the caves.

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