Read Online One Minute to Midnight by Steve Lang - Free Book Online Page B

White
Paws had been dead of old age for five seasons. Leadership of the
forest was now in the paws of Kills Buffalo black bear and he had
become aloof, not holding as many council meetings as his
predecessor. In his absence, she would have to take matters into
her own hands. Sharp Tooth noticed Talons eagle flying high above
her head, so she called to him to come down for a talk while the
cubs ate.
    "Brother Talons, you have known me for
many years, and my carcasses have kept you well fed, but now I need
a favor." Sharp Tooth said.
    "What can I do to help?" Talons
asked.
    "We lack leadership and have not had
many council meetings since White Paws’ spirit moved west many
seasons ago. Kills Buffalo is not wont to resolve these matters in
the near future, and we both know this to be true. I wish to hold a
meeting with the woodland animals immediately to discuss our mutual
problem of mankind and what we may do about them, together. I want
the insects there as well. Do you have any contacts with their
nation?"
    "I have contacts everywhere, because
I'm the eye in the sky! I will take to the air and herald all who
wish to hear my call. We shall meet after the moon sets." Talons
let an echoing birdcall loose and took to the sky, soaring out of
sight in an instant.
All sorts of creatures began to appear before her the next morning
for the emergency council meeting. Deer, squirrel, muskrat,
porcupine, wild pig, roaches, centipedes, they came from miles
around to hear Sharp Tooth speak. So many birds lined the trees
that their bodies threatened to blot out the sun. Speculation about
the intent of this meeting caused a low murmur to roll through the
crowd, as birds high above chirped and squawked gossip to one
another. After the forest was sufficiently filled, Sharp Tooth
stood on her hind legs, raising a paw to silence everyone. The hush
radiated back through the crowd like a receding wave on the ocean
as they all waited for Sharp Tooth to speak.
    "Blood Maw was murdered
yesterday by humans in our forest, and one of them mentioned
hanging his head over a fireplace. Now is the time to go to war
with the murderers." Sharp Tooth said, her growling voice booming
through the clearing. Rumblings arose through the audience. Sharp
Tooth continued, "Brother Red Clay and sister Fawn of the wolf
clan: Were you not hunted almost to extinction by humans who
refused to respect our territory?" She asked the wolves.
The wolves howled long and low. "Brother Talons, how many of your
feathers have been stolen by treasure seekers? How many of your kin
were shot out of the sky to become trophies?" Talons flapped his
wings and squawked with anger. "They poison us, shoot at us, and
tear down our homes so that they can put theirs in place. Well, I
say no more!" Whoops and hollers rang out. "Today is when we take
it all back!"
    The hunters, who had been field
dressing Blood Maw at their camp several miles away, were startled
by an ear-shattering racket, as the entire wilderness came alive in
one frightening roar. The unified growl of predatory beasts and the
screeches of millions of birds filled the morning air as if the
world had split in two. And then for a single moment all became
silent. The cold hand of doom swept their spines, and suddenly the
men were very far from feeling close to the top of the food chain.
Thunder shook the ground beneath their feet, trees rattled,
boulders rolled down the mountain, and the three men who had been
vacationing for a weekend retreat and some trophy hunting were
suddenly running for their vehicle. The hunters had no chance to
escape the stampede of charging animals, and were killed as fast
and sure as Blood Maw was. Word quickly spread as all animals
everywhere passed on Sharp Tooth's message to kill the humans. Five
hundred miles away at a local radio station, Dave Clarkson was
getting a cup of coffee when his coffee maker sparked, smoked, and
quit working.
    "What the...?" he said, confused and
frustrated.
He looked down