[ 95 ]

WILL I BE FIENDISH ENOUGH?

Everything is set.

This is the last night Fribby and I have alone in the cave. Tomorrow morning at first light we and our army of animals will set off down the mountain.

Now that the time for conquering this planet is near, I’m feeling nervous. Tomorrow I will begin the Great War against the man-creatures. I’m sweating a little. I sure hope those trees know what they’re talking about.

Fribby and I lie next to each other, talons entwined.

Will I be ruthless enough?

Will I be fiendish enough?

Do I have what it takes?

She gives me a kiss on the beak and tells me she loves me and then falls asleep. She whisks her silver tail in her sleep.

Meanwhile my heart is pounding like a creature trapped inside its coffin, buried alive. And I’m seeing yellow dots swimming through the air. I start to worry: What if tomorrow when we encounter our first man-creatures, I faint?

I think about the fact that Rexro and his goons are somewhere out there. Looking for me. Eventually I will have to deal with them.

I roll over and something pokes me in my belly. I reach under with my talons and pull it out and hold it up in front of me where I can see it. It’s the gold disc with the red gem set in the middle of it.

The Prophecy.

When I stand up, Wolf starts to get up too, but I say, “No. Stay.”