taigafictional

=Marco Polo: A Day in the Life of a Red-Headed Woodpecker=

by Kyrian W., Allisandra S., and Leila V.

"Good morning, Sebastian," My tree, Torrance cried. I've lived on Torrance since I was just a small egg. Torrance didn't mind my company, but I benefited greatly from his sturdy branches and dead wood.

I climbed out of the Eastern Red Cedar and made my way to a mossy rock. Since I had first learned to fly, I did my business there every morning. I was beginning to get the feeling that I was annoying the moss.

"Sorry I do this to you everyday, but it is important to me to get rid of my waste," I said to the moss below me.

"It's okay, Sebastian, but could you **please** do it somewhere else, I don't appreciate it," replied the moss, harshly.

Following my daily routine I flew deep into the forest and landed on a balsam fir. Being a red-headed woodpecker, I filled my rumbling stomach by pecking dead wood off of trees and eating the bugs inside. This is great because it gets the dead bark off the tree and gives me a nutritious meal. I can also catch food in mid-air.

"I'm sorry I have to eat you," I said sheepishly to the grasshopper on the tree, suddenly feeling guilty.

"It's alright, it is the circle of life... and you ate the rest of my family yesterday. I have no reason to live!" cried the tiny voice of the grasshopper pitifully.

"Alright little guy." I said as I eagerly gobbled down the bug and yelled to my stomach bacteria, "Thank you so much for digesting these delicious bugs."

"No problem, I am able to break down your food and eat some of it myself," said the squeaky voices as they fought for the delightful meal..

I contedly made my way to the lake to bathe, munching on seeds and berries on the way. I was washing my feathers when I saw the sillouette of my best friend Napoleon, the Lynx. "Napoleon!" I shouted excitedly.



Two hours passed, Napoleon and I were now playing Marco Polo in the water with some Amoebae when suddenly, the air seemed to stiffen. Napoleon didn't seem to notice. "Marco?" he called. Again. "Marco?"

Unaware of the danger, the Amoebae's voice called out a tiny, "Polo."

Suddenly, Marco the hawk and Polo the eagle came swooping down toward the water, laughing. Polo tried to take a nibble at me, "Napoleon!" I screamed in terror, "H...help me!" Napoleon jumped out of the water and wrapped his paws around Polo's wings. Polo immediately recoiled and let go of me. I flew out of the water when Marco started chasing me. I flew as high in the sky as I possibly could, Marco was suddenly joined by a frazzled-looking Polo, and they started gaining on me. I tried flying downward where hopefully the thick trees of the coniferous forest would protect me. I got past the highest canopy and was soon near the ground. I hobbled into a bush and sat there for a minute until I was sure they were gone.

Out of nowhere I heard a twig break and another. I held my breath, finally a, "Sebastian?" I breathed a sigh of relief. Napoleon.

I poked my head through an opening in the small branches of the small shrub. "Are they gone?" I asked, thoroughly shaken and concerned.

"Yeah, I think we lost them," said Napoleon with a sigh of relief. After I got myself untangled from the shrub, we walked back together to Torrance. On the way, Napoleon caught a mouse, something we both liked eating. We shared our dinner as the sun started to set.

"Well, good night Napoleon," I said, yawning, "I'm tuckered out from this extra average day in my life."

"Good night, I'll meet up with you tomorrow!" Napoleon crawled into a crevice in the ground. I watched him quickly nod off. I quietly climbed into Torrance's arms and said, "Wow a day, well, good night, Torrance." "Good night, Sebastian."