Honk Honk

The sun rises, it is time to begin the day. I clean my feathers and look out from the cliffs and see the sun dancing upon the waves. The wind is blowing a bit strong and I ruffle my feathers to clean them more thoroughly. After a stretch of my pink feet I look to my partner. We have taken care of our goslings very well, all but one perished. Three strong goslings and all male. They will find good mates and provide well for them. The one that perished fell to a fox a moon past. I still am filled with sorrow for him, he was a kind gosling to his siblings. 

I look out onto the tundra and see many other of my kind. The wind bothers them too. A nest neighbour is cleaning himself. I do not like him, he went to a nice patch of grass and chased me away from it. I did not want to fight. I left him to eat it and found a better patch. The sun shines on me!

My partner is ready for going out with our children. It is good they are ready for winter flying. They went on small flights one night past. I am confident in their capability. My partner is waddling off with our children. I give a honk of encouragement. She honks back. We go our ways as I look for food, for I am hungry. I have found some berries near the ground. I eat them and they are good. I see something in the distance and honk a sound of warning. Further geese honk as well. We are aware of it and a few fly away. I look at them as they pass through the sky, flapping their wings eagerly to escape what they saw.

I waddle over to look, for I am curious. My hunger is forgotten, for I would like to see what it is. Some more honking nearby, and others waddle towards me and away from the sight. Soon I see a figure with fur around it's face and colorful, like some leaves on the islands when they reach a certain phase of the moon cycles. The figure is human, for it has two skinny wings that do not help it fly, and two skinny legs. It cannot fly, but it comes here. This one stays distant and has a small box, looking into the box. The clock makes the sound of small rocks hitting each other. I leave, humans are bad. I run towards the human and flap my wings fast. Very fast, I am now flying as I pass the human and I see beneath him more humans. I flap my wings more and the winds carry me upward. I glide upon the winds as I look down for nice patches. Many others are near me, as well as some gulls and crows. The crows are interested more in the human. The gulls as well, as they circle their big nest. The next has a cloud coming out of it and does not move. I have seen their nests move. 

Soon, we will see their moving nests across the water. Some of them have many fish in their nests. How do humans stay small, if they have so many fish? Many, many fish in one nest, so many I could eat all my life. Humans are confusing animals. I prefer the brown earth stone. It is delicious, my favourite. Many times humans ran to me when I found them. They also like brown earth stones. They are mushy, not like normal stones, and grow in the ground. 

The wind is picking up through the day. I feel that it is time to go soon, go south. We shall cross the great lake of many winds. The winds come warm from the south, and help guide us. As does the sky. It is also a feeling from deep within. A strong feeling. I feel it, all of us pink-footed geese do. I eat some grass and wander around. I honk absent-mindedly. I feel like honking. I do some more honking. I honk of satisfaction. Honk! Others honk near me. They also seem happy for honking. Loud honks echo throughout the grasslands. As I hear the honks fainting away in the distance, I clean my beak. It is time for a nap. I am near other geese. I should be fine.

I am rudely awakened by a vicious honk. A fierce honk of fear. Suddenly many geese are up in the air, but I am confused. Where is the danger? Where to run? They come up towards me and some fly right over my head, I follow the one closest to me. I begin to waddle quickly away, flapping my wings and honking in fear. Many others honk and a cloud of feathers and honking surrounds us, fear and worry all around. Once in the air I follow the main gaggle of geese in the air was we turn, dip an dive. It was not a bigger bird, but a fox. It is carrying away one of us, it's neck firmly gripped in the jaws of this brute. I honk in anger and my honks are answered. We honk in anger, and despair, for we are helpless. What a rude awakening from my nap. 

I land near me and my partner's nest. She has come back with only two children. I honk sadly at her, and she nestles her beak in my feathers. I keep her close and hold a wing over her. She is quiet and I honk encouragingly. It appears another child has died. I do not know how. She honks that it was water. Water animal. I honk sadly. He was careless, our child. Such is the way for those who are careless. We will mourn him, but not now. Another time for my partner honks encouragingly that we must leave. I feel it too and honk. It is time to go. Time to go across the grand lake to the south, for the warm cycles. We will eat well, rest, and mourn our children. The wind rises and so do we.