SHE's FLYING IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The murderous marauders were on the warpath again. It was horrible. The last chicken, poor little Quack, was killed right in his cage. A disgusting neighborhood dog was in the cage with what was left of him. Someone saw Nina fly off over the valley. Clickitty-Clack found saftey on the barn roof.

There ensued a vigorous chase - some shouting, tears. Different ones went out looking for Nina, but how do you find a single duck in a valley of orchards covered in snow in the dark? I mean, where do you even begin to look?

Could she survive? Would she dare come home again if she survived the cold night?

 Clickitty-Clack grieved silently.  alone.

Twenty- four hours later the cry was heard - "She's flying, in! Mom, she's flying in!!!"

It's a sight to behold... a duck circling in closer and closer... but still taking wide sweeps high above  the valley floor.  She's come back for her mate - but she's afraid. Afraid of the marauding dogs.

And so she continues to circle.

"Let Clickitty out!! Quick, let Clickitty out!!!" Instantly he's aloft flying in a low, wide circle matching the higher pattern of his mate. . .

and suddenly they are together. Flying, flying, flying...

They are still flying.

I don't know if they'll come home. Maybe they shouldn't have let Clickitty-clack out. Perhaps the ducks will try their luck elsewhere, the river is not far away, but who would feed them? Is home enough draw them in? Is it attractive enough?

We could have clipped their wings so they couldn't fly.
We could have severely restricted their freedoms with more fencing.

We would have lost the joy of watching them fly - and skidding to a stop on the pond. We'd have missed their dashing back and forth  across the water in sheer delight then jumping up and flapping away in tandem quacking happily. And too, had they been restricted to the ground they might have died as the chickens did and ducklings did.

I can think of  an object lesson or two... something to do with home and children...  I bet you can, too. Is home attractive enough? Is there enough love to draw them in?

PS. It was. They are home safe and hungry.