The Eagle & The Dove

  Just below the snow level, on one of the higher peaks, there jutted out a huge crag of rock, sticking upwards and outwards like an accusing finger pointing at the heavens. It was

  Of the two young eaglets, the male Canana was the first born, and as such, was larger and developed than his sibling. His mother was proud of her male offspring, forever praising his size and beauty and

Please help keep this site going by either purchasing through one of The Easylife Sites' adverts, or making a donation by clicking the tab above..

Thank You

overindulging him in both food and attention.

  She was always telling him that one day he would be the greatest and largest Eagle ever to fly the skies of this valley.

  In the eyrie now Canana cared little for praise at this moment, he was hungry, impatient and waiting for his mother. He had an empty feeling gnawing away in his stomach, and this was also eating away his limited patience. His scattered thoughts soon turned to the day his mother would allow him to leave the nest and teach him to fly and hunt.
   Canana stood up and stretched, allowing the chill mountain air to ruffle through his already well formed coat of feathers. Taking two quick skips he moved to the eyrie's edge, spreading his wings he began once more that day to prune himself. After a few moments lost in this self indulgence, he lifted his head and looked to the horizon for some sign of his long overdue mother. 
     Like all offspring’s - be they animal or human - who receive too much praise and flattery, their vanity will start to grow.  Canana was no exception.  Spoilt and over indulged by his mother he had indeed grown vain. And with this vanity, other small defects of the character had begun to form.  Stubbornness, over-confidence, and most of all he was developing an arrogance that one day would take a big fall. Turning to his sibling sister Sabino; who could smell the anger and recklessness omitting from his scent glands, Canana started to omit strange clicking sounds by flicking his tongue on the inside of his beak.
   One of the greatest mistakes made by man since creation, has been to underestimate the intelligence of all life forms other than their own. All of Gods creatures have methods of communication, because for both the hunter and prey, communication is an essential tool for survival in the wild. Among beast and bird it can take many forms and different combinations. It can be the rhythm of movement, particular sounds or signals, with some creatures it is a form of telepathy or it could be a mix of all these things.

  The Great Eagles along with all other creatures had their own methods of communicating with each other. Canana needed to convey a message to his sibling, clicking his beak and the simultaneous movement of his body was the method used. His sister was watching his movements carefully and what she understood sent a streak of panic through her.  
   If mother does not return soon” he had indicated, “I shall try and hunt some food myself.” 

  The sibling’s panic was soon replaced first by disbelief, then finally open scorn. Her reply was both truthful and very painful. 

   “You think yourself capable of that task Canana? You think because you're so well fed you've grown up already? There's a lot more to flying then flapping your wings and staying in the air, as for you trying to hunt, forget it! you wouldn't catch a sparrow sleeping in a tree without breaking every bone in your body.  Why don't you wait until mother arrives.  She'll have food, and she has promised that you can fly alone soon. You will be a great flyer Canana, that is already certain, but you must allow time and teaching to be your guide, not impatience, that leads to mistakes. Mother is always telling us: Those of us who make mistakes will be lucky if they live to remember them.” 

  Although good advice and well intended (for despite his arrogant and overbearing manner she really did love him), it only succeeded in stoking his already aroused temper. 

   “I would expect that sort of comment from you” he retorted, “it seems your jealousy of me is a lot greater than I thought. I will fly alone now, and when I catch some food I'll come back to show it to you, then you can swallow some of it along with your harsh words.”      Sabino was having none of it. Although smaller then her brother, she was nether the less a very intelligent and logical creature. 

   "No Canana!" she answered. "It seems your vanity and arrogance is greater than your natural given senses. If you try to fly alone, it will most probably mean your death. You are angry and hungry”, she continued more gently, “ but your coat is not developed enough to keep out the cold for long outside the nest. You are my brother and I love you to much to allow you to even attempt this foolishness".
   "At least I must thank you for those few kind words", replied Canana. "Yet it will take more than a few words to stop me now". As Canana finished his message, he moved once again to the eyries' edge. With a final look of defiance and just maybe a little fear, he spread his wings to their full width, leaped from the nest and took to the air.
   Sabino screamed and desperately tried to prevent his leap. It was to late, as she reached the eyries' edge she caught sight of her brother plummeting down the mountain side. She saw him desperately flapping his wings, in a frantic attempt to gain some control over descent. It was no good. The strong down draughts were bearing him ever further down the mountain and away from the nest.
   Sabino looked on in desolation, her eyes taking on a misty hue, as if tears would like to form. She had lost sight of Canana and she knew he would never be able to control his descent. He would be smashed against the mountain wall, or he would end up a broken mess of feather and blood on the valley floor. What ever his end may be, she was certain her brother was gone for ever.