Chapter 3. The Council

Dorian’s frustration continued to build. The owl’s diagram was not going to make a difference. The parrots’ blind optimism wasn’t going to solve anything. And this was certainly not a time for the doves to gather with close friends and family to comfort each other. The eagle wondered why he was the only bird concerned enough to take action.

The following morning, dark clouds hovered just above the treetops. Through the mist arose a piercing cry. It was Dorian, and, his screech meant only one thing; the eagle had found something. It was time for an emergency council meeting.

Many moons had passed since the last assembly of The Bird Council, and the entire forest was buzzing with apprehension.

All gatherings to discuss serious matters were held at the Council Tree, a massive redwood more than 200 years old. Almost as if it had been designed for meetings, the Council Tree featured two wide branches curved in a semicircle just underneath a protruding limb that served as a platform.

Because there hadn’t been official business to conduct for a long period of time, the tree had remained empty—a symbol of the forest’s serenity and security. That, of course, did not include the many secret, late-night, parrot-only comedy sessions, aptly named I-Team Improv, a tiny fact that Indy and Ivy chose not to share with Dorian.

The doves, represented by Samuel and Sarah, were the first to arrive at the Council Tree and settled into their usual spots. Their calm demeanor hid an underlying uneasiness, as they found it difficult to connect with their fellow birds in such a formal setting.

The doves warmly greeted Dorian, who was eager to get the meeting underway. The owls arrived next, ready to take detailed notes. All the birds waited in silence for the parrots—who could be heard chatting in the distance. Finally, Indy and Ivy strolled to their seats. “Give us the scoop, Big D,” said Indy.

Dorian led all council meetings, just as generations of eagles had done before him. As usual, he cut to the chase: “We have a crisis on our wings.”

A hush fell over the group.

“A large tree has fallen not half a mile from this very spot,” the eagle continued.

“Oh, is that what this meeting is about? We saw that a few days ago,” Ivy interjected. “It was right near the road, and there were some wolves hanging around. We were wondering...”

“You saw a fallen tree and didn’t report it to me?” Dorian exclaimed, as he puffed his chest feathers. “Don’t you understand? All of our nests are now at risk!”

Ivy shrugged. “We didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“A big deal? Do I have to remind you that we live in trees? What if this was your tree that crashed to the ground?”

“Relax,” said Indy. “Trees have fallen before and I don’t see why—”

“Not like this one,” Dorian interrupted. “It was gigantic, healthy, and didn’t just fall by itself. We need to get to the bottom of this. Now!”

“Maybe a big gust of wind knocked it down,” proposed Ivy.

“Absolutely not!” screeched Clark, in a rare display of emotion. “Do you know the velocity at which such gusts would need to travel in order to do that? My estimate would be....” He began flipping through his journal. “Ah, yes, 86.7 miles per hour. Although, wind gusts of such magnitude are extremely rare. In fact, with a few calculations...”

“This was not a natural event,” Dorian declared adamantly.

Sarah gasped as a wave of concern swept over her. Samuel comforted her. Silence fell over the group.

“Well?” Indy asked, nearly bursting with anticipation. “What was it then?”

“I don’t know,” Dorian said sharply. “But I’ll find out.”

The owls sifted through their notes. “We all need to stay calm and not jump to any conclusions before we gather the facts,” said Crystal. She then turned to the parrots. “Let’s review the situation. Indy and Ivy, you saw this a few days ago?”

“Yup,” the parrots replied in stereo.

“I’m curious,” Clark probed. “Why didn’t you warn anyone using the Forest Alert System?”

“Didn’t think anything of it,” answered Ivy.

“Nobody pays attention to that anyway,” added Indy.

“Why do we create these systems if nobody is going to use them?” muttered Clark.

“Now that’s a good question,” said Dorian.

Clark threw the eagle a dismissive look and returned back to Ivy, “So you saw the tree on the ground and just flew away?”

“Well actually, we were more interested in the wolves. Indy does this great impersonation of a howl. Do it Indy. You all have to see him...”

“Not now,” Dorian snapped.

The doves, who still hadn’t spoken a word, glanced nervously at the parrots and then back at the owls but did not enter the fray.

Clark, thinking he could offer a solution, waved his notes in the air. “Dorian, I’m wondering why you weren’t flying along the new grid lines. It’s quite efficient and might have allowed you to identify this situation earlier.”

“Do you really think I spend my days following lines on an imaginary map?” snarled Dorian. “I don’t think so.”

Frustrated by the entire conversation, Clark stepped to the center of the platform. “My fellow Council members, we have developed processes and systems specifically designed to keep our forest orderly.”

“Oh, come on,” Ivy interrupted. The typically easy-going parrot was getting annoyed. “The purpose of Home is not to be orderly—it’s to enjoy life. We shouldn’t get worked up so easily. I say, ‘Live in the moment, fly with abandon!’ I still don’t see what the big deal is here. Owls take the fun out of everything. I’m tired of it.”

“That’s all well and good for you and your parrot fantasy world,” said Dorian. “But real life is not about playing games—though, if time permits, I see nothing wrong with healthy, competitive sports. Life is about accomplishments. We are here in this forest to leave our mark. Do you only want to be remembered for how much fun you had?”

Indy and Ivy shrugged and said, “What’s wrong with that?”

“Everything is wrong with that!” exclaimed the owls.

Within a split second, the owls, parrots, and Dorian were all yelling at one another. Meanwhile, the doves continued to sit quietly in the background, alarmed that a full-blown conflict had broken out. Sarah squirmed uncomfortably.

“What should we do?” she whispered to Samuel. “The Council is coming apart. They’re screaming at each other, and nobody is really listening.”

Samuel tried to comfort her, but he was also upset. “We can’t resolve anything by acting like this. We have to work together in harmony, or this situation will quickly turn into chaos.”

Suddenly, Sarah had an idea. “I think we need some outside help.”

“Xavier?” Samuel asked.

“The birds in the north are still talking about how he changed their lives after the big fire. It’s worth a try.”

“STOP!” screeched Dorian, his voice overpowering the owls and parrots.

Then Dorian turned to the doves. “Don’t you two have anything to say? Or are you just going to sit there?”

Caught off guard and feeling pressured, Sarah stuttered to find words. She hadn’t planned to speak and didn’t want to sound critical, but now all eyes were on her. She took a deep, calming breath to steady her nerves. “Well, I can see everyone’s perspective,” she began warmly. “I agree with Clark’s desire for order. We don’t want to live in chaos. And I also see Dorian’s point that one should seek to achieve important goals. As for what Ivy was saying, life ought to be enjoyed.”

Everyone reluctantly nodded in agreement.

“And?” asked Dorian, already frustrated by her long response.

“I guess Samuel and I just want to live in a place where we can all be friends and feel safe,” Sarah concluded.

“Is that it?” said the Eagle

His patience was exhausted. “With all due respect to your little pep talk, we’ve got a crisis here, and I’m going to figure out what’s going on. I suggest that you do the same. If anyone observes anything suspicious, report back to me immediately.”

The eagle leapt from his perch, and with a few mighty pumps of his wings he was gone. The group remained silent for a few moments, and then they parted ways. The Council meeting had, well, ruffled some feathers.

Although the birds had all lived in the same forest for many years, they had never faced a challenge like this before. Now, an uneasy mood hung over the land.