Witi Ihimaera - Sky Dancer

It was Chieftain Ruru, who had maintained warrior scouts over the sea, who reported the developments at the late Karuhiruhi’s island fortress.

“Kawanatanga has taken over leadership of the seabirds,” he said.

Up to that moment, Chieftain Tui had been leading the landbirds in a celebration of victory, and this time he had made appropriate thanks to Lord Tane. He realised the import of Ruru’s words and, alarmed, flew to the highest branch of the paepae. He raised his wings for silence. “We have had grave news,” he reported. “Our intelligence tells us Kawanatanga has murdered his ancestor and taken his widow as wife. Our celebrations are premature. The war is not over yet.”

“You worry too much,” Chieftain Kawau said. “I haven’t even been touched in the fighting so far.”

“He koura koia, kia whero wawe?” Tui asked. “Are you a crayfish that you turn red so quickly? Do not assume that just because we won this morning the same will be the case this afternoon. We won the battle, but we have not won the war.”

Te Arikinui Kotuku agreed. “Are you always so smug, Kawau?” she asked.

Kawau took even greater offence, and very soon a squabble developed. The raised voices escalated.

“Do something,” Skylark said to Arnie.

Arnie quickly took the paepae. “It is a proper thing,” he said, “to debate the news of Kawanatanga’s plans, but let us not fight each other. We must retain our solidarity. If we don’t, we will lose focus on winning the war. On that count, I agree with Chieftain Tui. A first win does not mean a final victory. It’s not a done deal.”

“Ka tika, ka tika,” the landbirds agreed.

“Nor should anyone think,” Arnie continued, “that the next battle will be easier than the last. The next time we’ll be fighting the birds from the future and Kawanatanga himself. They have strengths and strategies you haven’t even dreamed of. They will stop at nothing to win. All must be prepared to fight to the death.”

Chieftain Tui took command again. “In that case, tend to your wounded,” he said to the manu whenua. “Get some rest. Eat. We have gained a breathing space, so let’s enjoy it while we can. It is as like a lull in a rainstorm.”

The celebrations broke up. Skylark watched as Arnie spoke with Tui, Kahu, Ruru and Kawau on preparations for facing Kawanatanga. There was much nodding and shaking of wings — and then Arnie’s head came up as if he was looking for somebody.

“I think you’re wanted,” Kotuku hinted.

“Me? What for?”

Kotuku gave a secretive smile. She saw Arnie’s gaze light on Skylark, the broad grin of relief and happiness that flooded his face, and his eager flight to join her. However, halfway across to her, the beautiful Kahurangi somehow blundered into Arnie’s flight path and fell, prettily, to the ground.

“The brazen hussy,” Kotuku said to herself as Kahurangi accepted Arnie’s wing, helping her up. However, Kotuku’s irritation turned to glee when Arnie, unaware of Kahurangi’s obvious wiles, simply said to her, “See ya.” Either the boy had common sense or was blind or incredibly dumb. Whatever, Kotuku was very happy to see him approach Skylark.

“I think I’ll leave you two alone,” she whispered.

“Let’s get out of here,” Arnie said as soon as he reached Skylark’s side. “I need a break. Do you want to go for a walk by the lake?”

“Are you sure? You can go with her —” Skylark indicated the scowling Kahurangi — “if you want to.”

“Who? No, it’s you I want to talk to. Come on.” Skylark shrugged her wings and followed. For a while, they picked their way around the mossy edge.

“I’m parched,” Arnie continued. “Feel like a drink?”

Together they hopped towards the water, put their beaks into it, and drank. Skylark went to take a second sip, and for a moment was confronted with her reflection. She had been expecting her own face — and Arnie’s — to stare back. She couldn’t help it. She burst into a peal of laughter.

“I know the feeling,” Arnie said. “How do you like me best? As a human or a falcon?”

“I’m not sure,” Skylark answered. “You’re just Arnie. It doesn’t matter what you look like. And you’re doing a great job here, oh chieftain.”

“You really think so? That’s a big compliment coming from you. It wasn’t so long ago that we couldn’t stand each other.” He stared at Skylark with his brown and blue eyes, and she felt her heart do a little flip.

“We’ve been through a lot, haven’t we!” Skylark said quickly. “It’s not every day that a boy gets the chance to change into a bird and save the world. I mean it, Arnie, I’m really proud of you.”

Arnie bobbed his head and kicked his claws together in an “aw shucks” way. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” he said. “If you hadn’t fired that shotgun, we’d all be slaves to the seabirds by now. I knew you would come through.”

“I almost didn’t.”

“That doesn’t matter. The fact that you did it is all that counts. And it saved the day. One second more and we would have been yesterday’s toast.”

“But the seabirds will be back,” Skylark shivered. “So it’s just as well we stayed, isn’t it. You’re the only one here who knows Kawanatanga and how to stop him.”

“Actually I’m clean out of ideas,” Arnie said. “That’s why I’ve come to see you. You’ve always been more resourceful than me. You have this habit of thinking laterally. Can you think of anything?”

Skylark grinned. “Well, you could phone for help again. Who knows what else Hoki might throw through the ripped sky.” Then she grew serious. “Whatever happens,” she said, “we’ve only got two more days to do it before we have to think of returning to Tuapa.”

Arnie nodded. He heard Chieftain Tui whistling for him. “I’d better get back. But hey,” he gulped, “you wouldn’t mind taking another walk like this when we get back home, would you?”

He had nothing to lose. She’d either say yes or no.

“Sure,” Skylark answered.

Arnie tried to be nonchalant. “Cool,” he said.

And Auntie Bella said he couldn’t get a girlfriend? Ha.

He flew back to the paepae. Chieftain Tui was in deep conversation with a deputation from Chieftain Kakapo of ground parrots, Chieftain Takahe and Chieftain Pukeko.

“We may not be windhovers or forest birds, but we are here to assert the mana of all ground birds,” said Kakapo, puffing up his chest. “Just because we have no wings it doesn’t mean that we are not fighters.”

“Ka tika, ka tika,” Takahe agreed. “How do you think we feel, sitting here on the ground while the fight is happening up there in the sky?”

“In other words,” said Pukeko, “and to cut to the chase, bring the seabirds to our level. If you birds with wings can get the seabirds down to the ground, leave them to us. We’ll finish them off, eh boys?”

“I don’t know,” Tui said, unconvinced. “Are you ground chieftains suggesting that we bring the fight to our forest home? Where our nesting places are? Our wives and children? I don’t like the sound of it. No, it’s too dangerous.”

“The proposal has merit,” Arnie intervened. “The seabirds have the upper hand only when they have a clear sky to attack from or a target that is in the open air.”

“You like what the groundbirds are saying?” Tui answered.

“Somehow or other,” Arnie said, “we’ve got to beat the seabirds’ odds. This is a way of doing it. The sky is their battleground. The trees are ours. Down here we’ll have the greater advantage.” He was liking the idea more and more. “Let’s change the rules. Use the forest as a trap. Give our wingless brothers the chance to do their job. Adopt guerrilla tactics. Hey, now there’s an idea.”