Chapter 16

Now Hector’s flock was up to ten birds if you count Hector too. As time passed these ten would grow ever closer. More would join them as their trip continued westward, but these ten would always remain as the core leaders of the flock. They spent many a day and night discussing the ways of the world, the animals, and the strangest creature of all, man. They came to the decision that they were probably not that different from the other creatures that walked, crawled, swam, and flew the many reaches of the earth they had yet to see. The longer they stayed together the more they began to realize that all are connected though none of them was really sure how that could be.

It was rare that Hector ever told anyone what to do. Everyone seemed to know what needed to be done and they did it without being prompted. Once in a while Randy would crow about someone needing to be in charge and Larry would mock him, but with Hector and Geronimo always ready to break up the fights it never became violent and eventually Larry and Randy learned that Mockingbirds and Crows weren’t that much different, and became the best of friends. Then the two of them would sometimes team up to play tricks on the rest of the gang much to the annoyance of Sidney and Jeff who, being the smallest, were the usual victims of their pranks.

It was in this, the earliest days of their travels that Hector and the others began to see the need for certain rules to govern the behavior of the flock. They realized that while the group was small it was of little consequence, but as their numbers grew every little problem would grow into monumental problems. It was this that caused them all to agree with Hector when he spoke aloud the first rule, “Take only what you need, no more. The world in all it’s oneness will give you all that you need. Your needs may be more or less than the needs of others, and they will be different, but as long as you take only enough to fill your own need then there will always be enough for all to share.”

“Like deep thoughts, Dude,” Randy crowed. “Where did you ever learn that?”

“My little voice said it,” Hector answered.

“When?” Jeff asked.

“Just now,” Hector replied.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Larry complained. “The only voice I heard was yours.”

“Only you can hear your little voice,” Octavo said.

“I thought you didn’t believe in that,” Hector said.

“I didn’t,” Octavo said, “but lately, sometimes I think I hear someone talking to me from inside my head.”

“What does it tell you?” Desiree asked.

“Stuff like Hector says,” Octavo replied. “Could I catch crazy from Hector?”

“Maybe,” Dorothy said.

“I don’t think so,” Geronimo answered.

“Then I guess I’ve got a little voice too,” Octavo said.

“Hector,” Randy asked, “like what would a crow have to do to get my own little voice, Dude?”

“Try being quiet for a change,” Larry mocked. “All we need is a crow with two voices.” Then all the others, including Randy, began to laugh.