31
Next morning, an uproar outside his tent woke Tarkyn well before his usual leisurely hour. As he emerged, he nearly stood on a dead rabbit that had been delivered by his devoted eagle. Said eagle was strutting back and forth in her feathered pantaloons, shrieking her pride in her catch, demanding Tarkyn’s attention and keeping everyone away.
“Good morning Tarkyn,” said Waterstone, who was lying in wait for him at a safe distance away. “Listen my friend, you will have to do something about this. Your eagle is putting us all in danger. She is making too much noise. Sooner or later someone will come to investigate.”
Stormaway added his voice to the woodman’s, “Eagles don’t usually make this much noise. It is rare to hear an eagle’s call. She is acting very strangely.”
Tarkyn ran his ha
