He did not know how long he had been stumbling, and the pain grew worse with every step. Blood throbbed in his head, almost pounding his brain to bits. Thoughts whirled inside. Glipper and Tilosses…Aska and her tribe…Fortress Glooming…peace…freedom…

Suddenly Miltin tripped over a stone and fell facedown. He didn’t bother to get up, just lay in the dirt with his eyes closed. Oh, he was tired. Oh, his wounded shoulder hurt. Though his feet still kicked wildly as if running, his efforts were in vain. Blood had covered his right shoulder and a part of his right wing and had now dried in layers. Despite his tiredness, he struggled to rise once more. The pain was too intense; tears squeezed out of his eyes as he tried. Panting, he lifted his head a little. In the distance he could make out a camp of some sort. He was tired. So tired. Darkness began to take over Miltin’s mind. “Freedom!”-that was the last word he wanted to shout out, just before he fell unconscious.

14 THE LEASORN GEM

Miltin opened his eyes with a feeble moan. He heard a voice: “Miltin!”

He smiled weakly as he recognized a face. “Aska,” he managed to whisper. His questioning look prodded her to explain.

She gestured to a far-off place through the branches. “My tribe found you not far from the northwest shore of the Silver Creek, unconscious. We managed to get you here and call for a medicine bird. I expect him to arrive any minute now. Hmm…since you’ve escaped, no doubt there will be trouble from that hawk again.”

Miltin let the information sink into his brain. He immediately sat up, in spite of his wounded shoulder. “I must go at once!” he declared.

The medicine bird and Glenagh came in just at that moment. They looked strangely at the robin.

“Where do you need to go?” questioned Aska, thinking that Miltin had become slightly delirious.

Miltin blinked several times, rubbed his eyes, and sighed. “To my home, the Waterthorn, of course. I must! The red gem…”

“What gem? Why?”

Miltin slouched, but his eyes shone brighter than ever. They seemed to see nothing yet everything. “I must…my friends-the slavebirds-they need it…so does your tribe… I must! The red Leasorn! Let me take you to get the gem and call for Swordbird!” Miltin paused and panted with the effort of speaking. His voice faded to a whisper. “Call for him! Let Swordbird come!” With that, the robin collapsed back into his bed, exhausted.

Aska was silent for a moment and then turned to the elder, Glenagh, in confusion.

The old blue jay went into a spiritlike trance. His eyes grew bright as he murmured: “The Leasorn gem! The valuable gem of the Great Spirit!” He gazed up at the sky for a moment, his face illuminated with joy.

The medicine bird who had been examining Miltin’s wounds was surprised by the actions of the elder. “You scared me for a second, old Glen.” He took out a bandage from his bag. “What’s all this about the Leasorn gem and Swordbird?” Aska looked puzzled too.

“Oh, dear friend, don’t you see? To make Swordbird come we need to learn the song, and we also need a Leasorn gem. However, legends say that there are only seven gems on the earth and another on Swordbird’s sword!”

Aska gasped. “You mean, Miltin’s family, the Waterthorn tribe, has a Leasorn!”

The medicine bird paused as he looked up. He met Glenagh’s excited gaze. “The problem of Turnatt is solved!”

Glenagh smiled widely. “Not yet, my friend, but soon!” He put a wing tip to the robin’s shoulder. “Thank you, Miltin!” he whispered as he left the room. “How the birds at the meeting will rejoice at this information!”

The meeting was held not far from Miltin’s room, at a branch that curved into a perfect oval. Many important birds perched on it. Smaller twigs stretched off into the oval, covering the hole in the middle and making a suitable table after a tablecloth was draped on top.

The red and the blue were arguing and discussing when Glenagh made his appearance. “I have the solution, ladies and gentlebirds!” he declared, wings spreading out. The noisy talking ceased immediately. All eyes turned to Glenagh. “Our only chance to fight off the hawk and survive is to call for Swordbird.”

Flame-back, the cardinal leader, spoke with urgency. “Quite right. We have no other choice since most of us believe that Turnatt will launch a second attack. We must try to prevent him from doing further damage to our Stone-Run. In order to do so, we need to learn the song and find the Leasorn gem.”

“I’m translating the song,” Glenagh said.

“But the Leasorn!” The cardinal leader went on. “How in the name of Swordbird are we going to find such a rare gem?”

Glenagh’s smile became very wide. “Ah, that was what I was coming to. Our friend, Miltin, the robin, knows how.”

“How?” the meeting members asked in unison.

“His family, the Waterthorn tribe, who live beyond the White Cap Mountains, has a Leasorn.”

The red and the blue turned silent. Outside, leaves rustled as the wind grew stronger.

“We must pick a few who will fly on a mission to borrow the Leasorn,” Skylion proclaimed solemnly. “It won’t be easy. The mountains are high and desolate, and those robbers the Sklarkills haunt the passes. We must choose birds who can withstand all dangers to protect the Leasorn, birds who can be of good health even without food and water for days.”

“Aye, that’s for sure,” murmurs came from the meeting members.

“I’ll go.” Cody spoke earnestly. “I would like to do anything I can for Stone-Run.”

“And I’ll go with him,” Brontë added. “Two are better than one.”

“They are both kindhearted lads,” the birds whispered among themselves.

“Aye, they are.”

Just then a voice pierced the air. “No, I will!” Aska cried. Her eyes shone with determination and bravery. She stepped through the doorway and looked at the silent crowd.

Glenagh turned around in surprise. “And why is that, young lady?” He shook his head slowly as he looked up and down at the blue jay. “Can you survive the dangers of the White Cap Mountains? Can you withstand hunger and thirst if supplies run out? Can you make your way through all the obstacles?”

Aska bowed her head. “I can,” she whispered.

It was only a second before she suddenly stood tall, and her eyes opened, filled with love for Stone-Run. Her voice became louder and stronger with every word. “I can! Being a girl doesn’t mean I can’t stand these hardships. I should be the one to go. Why, here, two strong, able-bodied warriors are willing, but they shouldn’t go. They are needed here. Who will defend the old, the young, the sick, and the disabled when they are gone? Who will stop Turnatt if he plans a second attack and tries to destroy Stone-Run once and for all? They are our protectors. They should not leave for such a task. I can get the Leasorn. Besides, Miltin will go with me; he knows the way.” She breathed hard as she finished her speech and shifted her gaze from one bird to another.

The meeting members were silent for a second. Then a small wave of clapping gradually turned into a thunderous applause. Tears were in some birds’ eyes, they were so moved by the speech.

“Well said, lass. Well said,” declared Skylion. Cody and Brontë agreed.