47 Ducks 1.6

6.

The assembled ducks stood on the open ground before the Palace while they received their orders except for London. That duck had taken off just before dawn. Merlin stood there before the forty six ducks, and then told them of the new signs.

“Just before dawn, I saw a new sign.” Merlin told the assembled. “Colonel Saunders had acquired the services of the Golden Eagle to protect the King. You are no match to that bird unless you acquired new skills.”

“We will defeat the eagle.” Caesar quacked out loudly. “Form the testudo.”

The twenty one legionaries got into formation and formed the testudo; it was a formidable design that resembled a turtle shell. Othello not to be left out called the guards to form a two layer shield with nine guards in the inner layer and the rest formed the outer layer. Even Morgan had learned how to form the shield.

“Impressive but that is not enough.” Merlin replied. “You need to learn a deadly technique. It will be taught to you by the Master. Go to the inlet at Sounds Point. London Duck will be there.”

Both commanders nodded and adhere to that command. They left for the inlet

A distance away, London had made progressed on the journey towards the inlet. It had left before dawn, but there was another reason for doing so. Merlin had feared that there were spies among the ducks. That assumption was proven true.

London lowered itself down to the ground and focused it mind like how it was trained by the masters. With the body and the webbed pads flat on the ground, it was able to feel the vibrations. The feel of nature, the environment and then the unnatural feels.

London stood up. They were near.

London flapped out its wings and rose to the lower branches. There it perched like the vulture.

The ducks arrived.

Two of them; Mallards but not of the Guards or the Legionnaires, they were part of the perimeter sentries. They came round the trees and were set on by London. The later dropped in with the wings spread and the webbed pads onto them. The body dropping from that height and given the weight, it was like a heavy rock impacted on taufoo.

Okay, I exaggerated.

The two ducks were not out just yet but not before London did a spiral twist with the wings that knocked off the two ducks off. It was a complicated move involving the body to do a series of spins while the wings tips hit at the duck’ bills.

“A good move, duck.” London heard the voice and turned to look at the source. It was Schneider. “My name is Schneider. I am …”

London hit out at the chicken on its beak with the wings. The German chicken stepped back and used it long legs with the claws to fight off the feathered wings. London pulled back its wings, and rolled to the rear. It then pulled up its left leg up to the body and spread the wings for balance.

“I have seen that move. It’s the Crane …” Schneider was to reply while it’s readied its stance for the attack but London was not doing the Crane move. Instead the duck propelled itself up on its right leg using the wings to flap higher and forward. During its flight, it kicked out with the left leg while twisting the body to the side. It was an adapted version of round house flying side kick. The kick landed on the chicken on the left wing and broke it.

“Aargh!” Schneider crowed out. “You broke  ...”

“Yup, that’s the flying ‘fouette’ and this is the sweeper move. I learned it from a Southern bird that used its move to kick at the mud.”

London followed through with a kick at the slender legs of the chicken and broke it at the right joint. It was emulated from some silly game of twenty two people chasing a single ball.

Schneider hobbled on its good leg but with its broken wing, it was soon to be a dead chicken. Or when London gave the coup de grace to the chicken while it croaked the neck over the right wing.

“You talked too much, chicken” London lowered the dead chicken from its wing. “Auf Wiedersehen.”

A short time later when the sun reached the peak, London reached the inlet. The place was a picturesque with the shimmering water and the reeds. It was an ideal place for ducks if they ever needed a nesting.

“Welcome back, London.” The voice was behind the duck.

“Sansei Mouse.” London greeted the old master.

Sansei Mouse was a field mouse which had left the wide wheat fields for the sanctuary of the inlet with its silence and tranquility. It retired here among the reeds and bushes. The mouse had a dark brown fur with enormous eyes and ears for their size. They grow to about 10cm long and weigh 30 grams or so full grown with the long tail that assured longer than their body length. That particular mouse had a larger head which gave the mouse a gift for invention.

“I have received the word from Merlin. Your foe will be powerful. The Phoenix is not a real bird. It’s only a name for the assassin which was actually a bald headed eagle.”

The eagle was dark brown with a white head and tail. The tail is moderately long and slightly wedge-shaped. The beak, feet and irises are bright yellow. The legs were feather-free, and the toes are short and powerful with large talons. The highly developed talon of the hind toe is used to pierce the vital areas of prey while it is held immobile by the front toes. The beak was large and hooked, with a yellow cere. The plumage of the immature is a dark brown overlaid with messy white streaking.

“The Golden Eagle weapon is the talon. You need protection.” Sansei Mouse told the duck. “I have none in mind till just now.”

Sansei Mouse led the way for London to follow. Along the way, London saw the adversaries of the Sansei hung to dry on the branches; skinned off their flesh while their scaly skins were hung there as warning signs.

“Sansei, why does the serpents still come when they know it’s a death wish?”

“Simple, London. Why do the waves rushed to banks every night? Its ordained that they will do so and die trying.” Sansei replied. “Life is a series of repeat actions but how we avert the bad results calls for us to think.”

Soon they reached the lake side and watched the cranes perched in their long legs while fishing for food. Sansei asked London to look at the river turtle.

“That is my solution to your weapon.” Sansei Mouse told the duck. “Your back is exposed. You need a shell.”

“Sansei Mouse, did you not swore never to kill another living being?” London asked the old master.

“Except serpents.” London corrected itself. The later nodded and then took a few steps towards the lake.

“I have not forgotten my vow.” Sansei Mouse replied. “For us to get the shell, it may not need killing. We can always improvise. For the serpents, it was not me who killed them but the other lake dwellers like the eagles and cranes. They are just silly to come here to be eaten. I warned them but they still come.”