A Case of the Missing Eggs! 2: Chapter 1

Most of the day was spent guarding the last clutch of eggs. After Zuli had found the Emie feather the trio kept it hushed to themselves as they formulated a plan on how to proceed without alerting the other grieving Kukuri couples and causing outrage and destruction in search of the thief. 

Ryoko had spent all day guarding the nest inside the stable, talking to the dove of the remaining nest was pleasant while she kept her eggs warm. The mother had been up all night on guard and had fallen asleep about two hours ago. Ryoko was beginning to go crazy. Every creek of the barn alerted her and she had to investigate. After a while she was used to all the noises of the barn itself. 

She had decided to stretch out herself to give her weary legs a rest. Her light hazel coat shimmered in the light trickling in from the window. Her crepuscular edios feathers lit up as she rolled over to get more comfortable. When footsteps approached, her head shot up like lightning. Only to see Zuli. 

The younger kukuri, Zuli stood before Ryoko with an annoyed expression on her face. Narrowing her eyes she glared at the older dove before her. 

Zuli’s coat is a darker shade of hazel than Ryokos, with shadow markings and larger blue hued eidos feathers. Their looks were close yes, but Zuli was completely different personality wise: easily irritated and not very social. Ryoko was classy and smart but also short tempered if provoked.  

Zuli thought about how she ended up stuck with this lazy bum as she had approached Ryoko. Oh yeah! their handlers…  they knew one another and crossed paths a few times. That was how she met Ryoko and befriended the other dove. She sighed in disappointment about her choice in friends.  

They always ended up doing things she would rather not do. This time they were both waiting for their handlers when they bumped into one another. When they both grew tired of waiting they hunkered down together for the night and when morning came the stryx, Bella, appeared asking for their help.      

Zuli tried to be nice, she really did, but Ryoko still got on her nerves. “Sleeping on the job?” hissed Zuli as quietly as she could, lest she wake the sleeping dove. 

Ryoko ignored her. She looked down the aisle instead. It was a good thing she did however as she noticed a small set of tracks! 

“Look!” Ryoko said excitedly. Zuli wanted to throttle her but decided to shush her friend instead. Both looking towards the dove, who was thankfully still asleep. Both sighed in relief before turning their attention back to the tracks. 

A lead! 

---

//Belladonna, the harpia stryx, had sent Zuli to fetch Ryoko to come and have some food. The large dragon-like bird’s galyx feathers shimmered in the light giving her a pink hue to her lush purple feathers when she turned her head and body. 

The rook of the empty nest and a few other kukuri had gone hunting while the trio was guarding his and the doves eggs. He had brought them back a large deer to share between the three of them. Grateful Bella let Zuli have her fill first since she was the one to find the feather. 

Bella had someone tracked her down and let her know about the offering of food. 

“Are you sure?” Zuli questioned politely both shocked and greatful since she was starving. 

“Of course” Bella confirmed. She was more than grateful that the two kukuri, complete strangers, would help her and the small village. “Eat as much as you like, but please save some for your companion. “As an after thought she added “I can go hunting later if need be.”

That and Bella could hunt for her own food, by the time the kukuri’s had their fill there would not be much left for her. 

Bella was correct of course as Zuli had nearly eaten half of the deer carcase before she was finished.  

Once Zuli was satisfied it was Ryoko’s turn. Bella had asked the blue feathered kukuri to switch places with the older one. Belly full she left without complaint. Looks like food is the way to that one's heart, Bella thought to herself with a chuckle.   

The soft crunch of fresh snow alerted Bella of Ryoko making her way over. “Evening” Bella greeted Ryoko. The sun was setting now on the horizon making the sky turn a coral colour. She was watching a few small song birds gathering the last of bits of food from the feeders nearby before nightfall. As they fluttered away, shadows chased after them as they took off towards the surrounding forest full of darkening shadows disappearing from sight.  

Ryoko greeted Bella in return. The sight of food distracted her for a moment, before she told Bella of the tracks she found between mouthfuls. Once finished there was not much left of the deer. Bella picked away at what was left before she gave up and decided that maybe it was time for her to go for a hunt. 

They decided that Ryoko would go back to guarding inside the stable, while Zuli would make rounds, guarding the property and maybe finding the trail of those tracks. Bella could not enter inside to see them but from what Ryoko told her, they were tiny. 

Gathering her sling, Bella picked it up with the top of her beak before allowing it to slide down her neck. You never know what a stryx might find! 

Zuli exited the stable and Bella made sure Zuli promised no to go far. 

Satisfied she walked away from the stable, to where she deemed would be a good area to take off, so she did not disturb any tracks. Lifting her wings away from her body she unfurled them and with a few mighty flaps she was airborne! 

Good riddance to the snow! Her feet were beginning to get cold. Not even her fluffy down could save the soles of her feet! Below her snow drifted off of the surrounding buildings to the occupants below. “Sorry!” she called from above, before departing the area with haste. 

---

While Bella was gone Zuli made her rounds. She did a few laps around the stable but there was no one hiding in the bushes. It was easy for her to see far in with no leaves at this time of year. There was no movement either besides the swaying of tree branches whenever the wind picked up.   

Deciding to try tracking the prints from inside the stable she made her way to the entrance. Inside the rooks stood to attention as she entered. She nodded towards them in greeting as she headed towards the start of the tracks. She spotted Ryoko and the dove chatting to one another, talking about the clutch of eggs. Yuck.  

Turning her attention back to the tracks she found them with some difficulty. They were small after all. She sniffed the ground, but only the earthy smell of the stable floor greeted her nose. The familiar seemed to take a few steps and then leap away before repeating.  

The closer she got to the entrance the tracks were becoming harder to find. At the doorway she could not pick up the last few tell-tale spots it landed. Too much bloody traffic! Zuli huffed in frustration to herself. 

Heading outside she searched the doorway for anything, but she had no luck. Giving up she decided to circle the property, stopping in the direction where she found the feather. 

What luck! She was able to find the same footprints again! The tracks were covered with a light layer of snow but it definitely was them by their shape and pattern. Sniffing them confirmed it was the same smell as the feather. The tracks were only a day old!  

Zuli let out a groan as she was so close, yet she had to stay and guard the stable. She had promised she would not leave the yard to Bella. Giving the trail it made a once over, she took in her surroundings, memorizing its exact location. 

She sighed before backing away and leaving the area. She did not want to scare it away if it used this trail a lot, it could lead to where it was hiding, or better yet its home.

 Zuli grinned like the cat that ate the canary as she continued to search for possible other trails. 

---

Bella soared over the treetops, gliding low, only flapping when necessary. The sun was low in the sky and shadows danced all around below her. She loved the smell of conifer trees: fir, spruce and pine trees grew all around the area. She had circled high above the rolling hills of the landscape below and knew there was a small clearing she could find something to eat in.

Sure enough she was correct as a small herd of deer were grazing as she came gliding over the treetops in a surprise attack. The deer darted towards the forest's edge. Bella had seconds to choose a target. It ran between some trees but it was futile as the harpia elegantly weaved and crashed into her target. 

As she finished her fill she left the rest of the carcass for the wolves nearby. Waste not! Want not! thought as she left it for them. Waddling through the trees her feathers were now covered in tree sap. Frowning at the mess she made she headed towards the small creek nearby. 

She cleaned herself up and turned to leave when something shiny and round caught her eye. Carefully peering at the hidden items there appeared to be multiple round objects hidden under some dead plants. Carefully she peeled back the previous summer's reeds only to discover the kukuri eggs! 

She squawked in excitement before realizing she made a commotion. Looking around the snow covered ground she did not hear or see any movement in the forest. Good! she thought, she could gather them in peace. Carefully she collected each egg in her beak and placed them inside her sash around her neck. She could need to be extra careful when she took off and landed of course but she was confident the knot would hold all their weight without coming undone. 

Making note of where she found the eggs Bella took to the skies. Thankfully the sash did hold, just like she thought. 

---

All was quiet when Ryoko headed outside of the stable. Zuli has reluctantly switched places with her so she could stretch her legs and get a breath of fresh air. The stables smelled earthy but otherwise clean yet her lungs still begged for a breath of fresh air. She was about to go make a run around the yard when Bella returned. 

The stryx’s sash was full of something. What she could not make out but whatever it was, it held quite a lot. Curious Ryoko waited until Bella came closer, not wanting to stray too far from the stables. 

Bella made her way over carefully cradling the sling. When she was close enough Ryoko could smell what the Stryx was carrying. “Where did you find those?” she breathed, sucking in air, trying to quiet herself. Her body shook with both anticipation and rage. 

Bella kept her voice low “Not far from here. Are these the stolen eggs?” she questioned cocking her head to the side to peer at them. Ryoko took a long deep sniff, “yes, these are the family's eggs.” 

“How sure are you?” Bella questioned her. 

“Ninety- five percent positive...” she paused “one or two do not smell like any of the parents here.”

Great, more devastated families out there somewhere. 

“Okay. Now how do we go about figuring out whose eggs belong to who?” Bella croaked. 

Ryoko almost laughed in the Stryx’s face. 

“Why Bella! We will just leave that to the parents! After all a Kukuri has a great sense of smell!” she giggled playfully. 

Bella looked surprised for a moment as she got what the light hazel kukuri was getting at. She scowled before muttering “very funny.” Ignoring the insult Bella changed her tune and asked that Ryoko go fetch the grieving parents as they wanted to get the eggs back to them as soon as possible. 

---

At first Ryoko had a hard time trying to get a few of the first parents' attention. Soon enough with everyone heading outside the other grieving parents became curious and made telling them the news oh so much easier. By the time she got to the back of the stable Zuli and the parents of the last clutch were curious about the news as well rising from their spots. 

All three of them spoke at once and Ryoko did not know who to answer first so she just blurted out that Bella found the missing eggs! The dove and rook went to leave and celebrate with the others outside but Ryoko was quick to stop them and Zuli from leaving. 

“We can celebrate when we catch the culprit!” she exclaimed quickly. 

The dove and rook agreed and hunkered back down beside their eggs. 

Zuli agreed reluctantly and stood watch while the others slowly made their way into the stables with a basket of their eggs cradled in each parents jaws.  No one in the barn was making the mistake of leaving their eggs unattended ever again. 

When the last couple came into view Bella called to Ryoko and Zuli “that is the last of them!”

The stryx scared the kukuri’s when her massive eye appeared in the window. 

“The last couple to enter have decided to adopt the other two eggs if they cannot find their parents,” she announced, “they will sit on them in the meantime.” 

“Good!” Zuli blurted out relieved. Less work for them. 

“Excellent!’ Ryoko chimed in a little more enthusiastically, happy with the help. 

Looks like neither of them wanted to sit on the eggs to keep them warm Bella chuckled to herself. 

Bella turned to leave but Ryoko yelled out “Wait!”

Surprised Bella appeared beside the window once more, “yes?” she replied curiously. 

“Before you go…” Zuli started before bringing Bella up to date about the tracks she found. 

Before long Zuli let out a big yawn. 

Bella paused for a moment mid sentence before she continued “It is late, one of you two get some rest, then switch” Bella commanded. 

“Tomorrow we will try and catch the bugger!” she spat before she disappeared from the window. A retreating sounding “good night” was heard from her before the silence told them she had wandered off.  

The two looked at one another before Ryoko relented and let Zuli get the first bit of rest. 

“Tomorrow we will hunt it down together,” Zuli promised before leaving to curl up in a corner of the stable. Ryoko bid her good night before quietly propping herself up. 

Her watch has begun.