Sly was just that sly and as slick as ever. Life had not always been kind to him. He was alive, which he could not say about his other friends. Most of his family didn’t make it, but there were a few left that he adored.
High winds made him swoop to the ground. Right onto someone’s porch for cover; humans were pretty nice usually. The occasion was shoo, but nothing wild.
He was a beautiful raven with wonderful black feathers with almost a tint of blue. The rain had stopped, and it was time to head out for his quest for breakfast. If he was lucky, someone fishing might have left some worms for him. He always checked the docks after his last score of eight worms!
Sly was a loving and protective bird. Probably because he was a lonely bird. He lost quite a few creatures already. So, he was protecting what he had! For six years, he tried to reunite with his family to no avail. This was going to be his year, and nothing was going to stand in his way!
Slowing himself down for landing. “Move, I’m coming in hot, he shouts!” Every year he stops to see Pike first. Not an intimidating scarecrow, he was tall but with a not-so-scary face. Sly’s friend Lote was a cardinal and took him to meet Pike six years ago. They typically try to meet up. Sly sometimes misses Lote, but Pike was always there without fail! Pike had become like his new brother; they antagonized each other a little!
“You fly so slow, said Pike! I will peck you, Pike, Sly shouts!” Pike came just in time. Sly was trying to find his family and got lost. As a new flying, younger raven, he couldn’t keep up with the big dawg, no big birds! Sly didn’t stay long that first year. Pike taught him how to get food. “Fly over and grab a mini pumpkin. Grab an ear of corn. What will the humans do, Pike exclaimed!
“This time, Pike, I am going to make it! Are you sure, Pike asks. You have been trying for years, Sly; maybe you should just stay here with me. After all, I’m not that bad! Okay, sometimes.”
“Pike, you know I would stay, but I miss my family! Okay, well the least you can do is land on me Pike says in defeat!” He sat right on his shoulder, and they talked and talked. It was their version of a hug! Pike was not the most comfortable, but he sure beat the concrete! He gave him a height advantage for predators.
Let’s face it, Pike and Sly got along because they were both ADHD. These two couldn’t stay on topic if you paid them! Pike would go on and on. “You need a mute button, Pike! Oh, like you are any better, Sly!” Deep down, they knew part of the reason Sly never found his family is that he kept getting distracted. He would meet someone new along the hunt and stay. Not forever, but longer than he should have! A few circumstances were beyond his control. The hurricane, the bird flu I cannot say he caused those!
Pike wasn’t mad; it got lonely out there in that field. He looked forward to his visits. It always felt sad when he left. He knew he would be back; he had yet to find his family. After six years, Pike wasn’t very realistic for Sly to find them! He didn’t have the heart to tell him that! They brought joy to each other, a sense of friendship, family. Neither had a family. Scarecrows are often created to sit alone. Or they are so far away; it’s not like Pike could fly or something!
After five days, Sly gives Pike the bad news. “I have to go, Sly says.” He sits on his head this time so he can’t see his reaction. “You know I hate when you go, Pike harps! I know you have to at least try to find them. Come back and see me, Pike says, just in case. Put ‘er there, Sly rubbed his head on him! You got it, partner in crime!”
Pike watched Sly fly away. He had other friends who came around Tasha the squirrel. Another bird named Phil, but they just were not Sly. Hopefully, Sly could find his family that he missed so much. That’s what good friends do; they wish you the best!
Sly decided to check on his old pumpkin friend Nutmeg. She was an older pumpkin, not like the younger ones. She was a little bumpy and full of lines. “Hey Nutmeg, are you missing something, Sly exclaims from across the field? Who in the world could that be, Nutmeg thought? Stay away, she screams! Nutmeg, it’s me, Sly!” She felt all the color return to her! “Long time no see, you scared the Bejeezus out of me!”
Nutmeg was happy to see him. They had only been friends for two years. Sly met her passing through on his new route to find his mother and father. “Did you hear about the storm, Nutmeg muttered? What storm he murmured? Oh, nothing, she muffled.” If he didn’t know, she didn’t have the heart to tell him. That a terrible storm had come through after their last visit and washed away everything. It’s possible his parents didn’t make it. No way, she was ever going to tell him that! She knew, though he just kept searching for them!
She quickly changes the subject! “How long are you here for Nutmeg stammered? I am not here as long as usual, Nutmeg. This time I am going to find my parents! I don’t know, Sly. It hasn’t happened yet. Hey, we have to keep hope alive, Nutmeg. Yeah, I guess you are right, she sighed.
“So, what do you want to do while you are here, she chirped. I don’t know. I am hungry; got any baby pumpkins? You know the drill, Sly, go pick out a small one!” She always fed him, just as long as he didn’t try to eat her! He ate facing her, with his little legs; she towered over him. She could have sat on him, and it would be over for him!
Maybe Nutmeg was right, maybe he would never find his parents? No, can’t think like that. He can’t be alone and without a family. He was going to go to his next spot soon. Sly was a creature of habit. He always stopped at all the same spots. He would add in a few new stops every time. No wonder he never gets anything done!
“Goodbye, Nutmeg! Are you sure you want to go see them ugly things Nutmeg shrieks? They are not ugly, Nutmeg; they are my friends! I think they are ugly Nutmeg scoffs, fine have it your way, Sly.”
He was off to see Lily and Bone Crusher. What an odd couple they were! He pecks his beak into the door. “Hey, anyone home Sly squeaked.” Lily was pretty nice, but Bone Crusher scared him just a tad. “Who dares knock on this door, a loud voice screams! It’s me, Sly, your little raven buddy! Sly, you’re still alive? Why yes, I am, and I was wondering if you had heard anything about my parents? Come in, the skeletons croaked.”
Bone Crusher is a pretty funny name considering he is made of bones, Sly thought to himself! But he did scare him. He was much bigger than him. Something about bones was just spooky to him. He wasn’t sure why; it just was. Weird and strange.
They didn’t have much to eat because, well, they never ate. They would let me scour the yard for whatever I could wrestle up. “You’re still looking for your parents, huh, Lily stammered. Wouldn’t you, Sly suggested? I guess you are right. Where are you going next Lily asked? I have a new spot I want to check out. I try to check with everyone I know first. Keeps it interesting, Sly said.”
“I am surprised you are still looking, Sly you are much better than I am!”
They had the house. So, he could lay in a bed for once. An advantage over the other friends. They had an actual roof. They also had windows; yuck, he hated windows!
They had a luxurious bird bath. Sly had to admit he was nervous about his next stop. He was going to ask Bone Crusher to go with him. Skeletons can’t go out unless it’s Halloween, right?
“Hey Bone Crusher, want to come out with me tonight? I want to search for a new place for my parents. What new place, Bone Crusher grunts? Sully’s. No shouts Bone Crusher you cannot go there! Lilly shouts, you can’t let him go alone!”
Fine, Lily wins this time.
Who was Sully? Only the biggest and baddest ghost on this continent. Even Bone Crusher was a little scared. He would never tell Sly that! He had a reputation to keep. “I heard Sully is so mean one look scares you forever, shouted Sly!” Oh, come on, he can’t be that scary, says Bone Crusher.
Bone Crusher knocks on the door. “Sully, exclaims Bone Crusher! Who wants to know, the ghost said! Look, I am not here to cause trouble, Bone Crusher said. My friend Sly and I were looking for some information. About his parents, the ghost looked down.
Why aren’t you a cute little fella, the ghost shrieks!”
Sly hated always being the smallest. Maybe he will make friends with a grasshopper next time!
Sly and Bone Crusher are shaking. But they would never have told each other or anyone else that. They were too big and masculine for that!
“This way, says the big ghost named Turf.”
They see different skeletons, and ghosts, and wolves. They were all misfits, so might as well join forces.
The door creaks open.
“I heard you have a question for me, demands the scariest ghost yet. He had on a big, huge chain. My name is Scar. (Hence the big Scar down his face). Bone Crusher is more like Bone Baby at this point! “My friend here, he ugh umm…. Sly has to take over. I am looking for my parents. Two Ravens, Mona Lisa, and Pivot. Have you seen them, Sly croaked. Why would I have seen them, Scar asks? I don’t know Sly asks you seem to know everyone! Mona Lisa oh yeah, I think I did see her, Scar claims. Where, Sly shyly asks?
“They are down by the airport, Scar growls.”
“Bone Crusher, let’s go, shouts Sly. I mean, if that is okay with you, Scar!”
“Go ahead, said Scar!”
Neither of them could believe that his parents were alive!
This was going to be an awesome reunion!
Oh man, don’t make me cry, thinks Bone Crusher.
Scar never told them where at the airport.
They are scowling at the outside first.
Oh no, they are going to have to go inside!
Going by baggage claim, bathrooms, and security.
Nothing, zilch, nada.
Felt pretty defeating. Maybe he should just give up. Another dead end.
“Mona Lisa, Sly hears!”
He sees his dad calling out to his mom.
Sly flew so fast that Bone Crusher could not keep up.
“Mom, Dad, it’s me, Sly. I have been looking everywhere for you!”
“Why didn’t you find me. Sly asks?”
“We couldn’t find you his parents, stammered.”
“We have missed you!”
Just like a little kid (he was a teenager now), Sly showed off his parents to all of his friends.
“You did it, kid, Pike shouts! “Hey, Sly, you better still come and see me!”
He was pretty unimpressed by these other ravens, though. Sly was the only cool one to Pike!
Nutmeg found his parents charming. She was just glad they were reunited for Sly’s sake.
“Are you going to come see me again, Nutmeg exclaims? Of course, says Sly!” I can’t miss my best pumpkin!”
Bone Crusher was just happy to be home with Lily. Until the next day he was allowed outside!
This was written by our contributing writer, Christy Granger.
Image Source: Unsplash, Todd Morris
Leave a Reply