Читать книгу Falcon's Captive - Vonna Harper - Страница 7

The wind screamed, prompting the female Falcon Jola to pull her wings more tightly against her compact body and increase her speed. Alive as only a newly mature predator can be, she dove for the ground at over two hundred miles per hour. Tiny, bony tubercles in her nostrils slowed the rush of air into her lungs while her protective third eyelids lubricated her eyes and kept her vision keen.

Jola’s prey, a dark gray rabbit, hopped from one low bush to another, oblivious to the threat above it. As the earth rushed up at her, Jola spread her wings, abruptly slowing her flight. For the briefest of moments she debated letting the rabbit live, but although the bulk of her diet came from other birds caught and killed in midair, today’s energy and excitement demanded expression. Instead of crashing to the ground, she spun around so she skimmed the rocks and bushes. When the now-terrified rabbit abruptly turned direction, she sank her talons into it, easily breaking its neck. Done! Instinct rewarded.

Jola had just settled to the ground when, with a sharp cry, another Falcon swooped down, grabbed the dead rabbit, and headed skyward with it. Screeching, Jola flew after the thief, but instead of fighting to reclaim her kill, she flew in tight circles around the other Falcon, a young male.

This was Raci, her mate, her life companion. And although her body had only accepted Raci’s a few times, she knew his contours. She also knew the dance that was part of their mating.

For a while Jola circled repeatedly above Raci. At length, surrendering to another ancient instinct, she hovered while he flew past her. Then, turning over so she was flying upside down, she extended her talons. Timing the act perfectly, Raci deposited the rabbit in her claws. The instant the kill’s weight started to pull at her, she righted herself and drifted toward the ground.

Raci watched her for a while. Then, his smaller, paler body a blur, he swept under her, grabbing the rabbit as he passed. Screaming as one, they flew upward as if reaching for the clouds.

Again and again the pair repeated the courtship flight, with Jola relinquishing her kill only to have her mate return it to her. Finally, their tiny hearts fluttering, they headed toward the top of Raptor’s Craig, where they’d begun preparations for their future nest by scraping a shallow hollow in the gravel and dead vegetation.

Raci was flying ahead of her, slowed only a little by the rabbit’s weight. Studying his slate-gray back and long, pointed wings, she pondered why they’d chosen each other. Yes, her body was ripe and ready to carry the three to four eggs she’d deliver and help incubate, and Raci was healthy and mature, but beyond that she didn’t know what had brought them together.

Right now, as a predator, instinct was enough, but later, when she changed into human form, she’d need more of an explanation.

Later, she silently reminded herself. At the present, following him home was enough. That and scanning the sky for an eagle. Fortunately, the greatest threat to their existence wasn’t around today. She and Raci were safe.

She had no way of knowing that her mate wouldn’t live beyond tomorrow, his heart stopped by an arrow.