"The Storm is Here"

Part 4

 

Storm leveled his gaze on the creature before him. The white squirrel's tail swished irritably as he held his staff in a defensive posture.

 

The large blue jay stared at the red-eyed squirrel. Storm watched the wicked bird clack his beak.

 

"I asked your name, Child of Snow," the blue jay said dangerously.

 

The young squirrel straightened to his full height. "I am called Storm. And I don't care who you are."

 

Storm swept his staff toward the bird's legs, and the blue jay jumped, landing lightly on the branch again. The white squirrel scowled. He thrust the staff at the bird's chest and grazed the jay's feathers before it leapt back.

 

"Feisty little morsel," the bird taunted.

 

Storm growled and lunged forward, driving the staff into the blue jay's abdomen. Thrown off-balance, the bird stumbled backward, and Storm pounced. He struck the jay repeatedly, attacking the body, face, and wings. At last, Storm heard a loud crack when his staff thwacked the blue jay's right wing.

 

The jay looked into the white squirrel's eyes for one startled moment before he lost his balance and tipped over the edge of the branch. Storm watched the bird flap its one good wing in vain as its broken wing trailed helplessly through the air. The jay's body collided with a branch and spun in sickening circles, striking a second branch before it landed on the ground with a satisfying crunch.

 

Storm gazed down at the bird's lifeless form. His remorseless red eyes flashed with understanding.

 

This was his first kill. 

 

It would not be his last.