47 Ducks 1.13

13.

London would never have made it if it had not bribed Reginald on the last trip. The centipede had renegade on their worms’ allocation.

“Reginald, please be considerate.” London pulled its feathers on the wings; it was soiled on the run from the chickens. “We agreed on two worms. I got you that.”

London dropped the dead worms at the centipede’s feet but Reginald had demanded three worms.

“Or your feathers will line my bedding.” Reginald threatened the duck. London had seen its share of foes, but never one as formidable like the centipede. It knew the way to appease the other was to give it then.

“Okay, you may have the other worm.” London told the centipede. “Let us sing to that.”

“The leg number in the front gave the back a kick

Legs number five got clobbered by leg six in the front

Oh, and leg number eight got twisted on the nine

While legs twenty go bonkers with leg nineteen

For it had not a two to its name.

In came Jenny Legs all leggy and sezy

The storm before the fair weather

I got all my legs untwisted and working

Soon I got Jenny loving over my legs.”

It was then when London saw its chance to kill the centipede. The later was wobbling on its legs and under the rock trap set by it. It pushed at the pebble holding the rock and it toppled onto the centipede. The rock crushed the crown of the centipede and broke its antennas.

“London, yonder a braver duck than I think.” London was taken off its thoughts of how Reginald died. “You dare to come in when your life hung by the feathers of yours.”

“Aye, Mae. I had returned. I grieved too for Reginald. It was all an accident.” London replied. “My prayers to your departed son.”

“And add in yours too.” Mae Centipede told her other sibling. It was then the other ducks struck with their reeds like when they did with the serpent. It was all so fast and then the centipedes were all rolled over with their legs raised high.

“Oh! I doubt Jenny will love these legs.” London quipped out. It looked to the dead Mae centipede and bowed. “Your sons were brave but in our line bravery needed smart thinking too.”

The ducks moved on and soon emerged into the clearing that show them their first glimpse of the Chicken territory. If there was a way to describe the terrain was its rocky and covered with sparse vegetations, with the spots of spring waters. At the distance was Kentucky Court with its high imposing structure. They saw the camps there with the high stacked up shed which was the stronghold of King Drumsticks.

“London, how we going get in there?” Othello asked.

“We are going to raise an army.” London replied and then described the plan. “If you see over there, you will see a creek there. It’s barricaded and held some nasty scoundrels like us.”

“I don’t understand.” Caesar replied. It was Cleop who replied.

“There is something which I did not tell you.” Cleop stepped forth. “I have my army on the other side.”

“Army? What others things I was not made of?” Caesar looked to the other. “Did you conspire with London? Like how you loved Anthony behind my back.”

“I have my ducks there.” Cleop told the Legionaries leader. “The creek there housed several hundreds of my ducks. Beside the ducks, there are others. They were taken by force and kept there to feed the predators.”

“Predators?” Othello was surprised.

“Yes, London have advised us all of the so named scoundrels there. They are all ducks from the different clans.” Cleop replied. “I came to your clan to see El Gluck to plan the attack but it died in the sinister plot by the chickens. So Merlin improvised on the battle plan and had us come here. As a smaller group, we could get through here and rescue the ducks. If we had mounted a direct war, those ducks will be dead before we reached them. Instead we are to free them and get them to fight here while the other clans marched in.”

“It’s crazy. How long before the so named army arrived?” Caesar asked. “And who’s leading?”

“Augustus is their leader.” Cleop replied. “My fiancé, as agreed by the  elders to consolidate the clans.

“It can’t be. You are my bride.” Caesar retorted.

“Your bride by your own admission but we were never given the sanction. I may be your lover, as with Anthony but never yours to be your bride.” Cleop replied. “I was assigned to Augustus at birth.”

“No…” Anthony hoarse out. “This is crazy.”

“Ducks, we have a battle ahead of us. The…..love affairs would be secondary now.” London told the ducks. “Othello, I need your Guards to hold this section to prevent the reinforcements from getting the creek. The Legionnaires will take the Creek direct. We will hold the positions until the army arrived or with our last duck swimming. Othello, I will speak to you of my plan.”

Caesar had stepped away in shame while Anthony sought its own corner. Brutus smiled at the new conflict and looked to Cleop. The female duck had cheated them all. It saw Iago looking and walked over.

“Brutus, I believed we have a common agenda.” Iago told the other.