46
Billi attacks Bater and attacks and attacks
Billi crouched low and waited. Bater
stepped out of the grass clump, walked about four steps in front, towards
Billi. The drongo continued to call out in single syllables. The bulbul
continued to sit quietly. Billi waited, hoping that Bater would take at least
two more steps. Bater seemed to have different ideas. He retreated three steps.
Bater stood quietly, and moved forward once again, and stood still further than
he had come before. This is probably the best chance he could get today,
thought Billi, and jumped up, hungry, forgetting his injured leg. At the very
moment, the drongo called in a long screech, and Bater disappeared back inside
the grass, just as Billi pounced on the spot, barely a microsecond later.
Kotwal - the black drongo - gave a warning call to Bater
Billi was worried that Kotwal was helping Bater to escape.
[Photograph - Govinda Swami]
Billi landed on the spot with a thud,
and raised his paws hoping that he had caught the jungle bush quail. But there
seemed to be no such luck. Bater was gone. Bulbul now seemed to be looking at
Billi very intently, wondering what had happened just now. The drongo in the
high branch continued to call out in short and single syllables. Confused,
Billi looked around. There, that Bater was back, standing scared. But only this
time, he seemed to be about four feet away. How did he move so fast? Billi
wondered. The jungle bush quail seemed to be absolutely unconcerned that Billi
had just then pounced on him. He seemed to be going around, excitedly at a
small rock, pecking at something nearby. It must be an insect, Billi thought.
How greedy can this jungle bush quail be? He had just then been attacked by
Billi, and here he was, standing there, absolutely unconcerned, feeding on
insects.
The jungle bush quail was not moving
away from the rock, pecking repeatedly at the ground. Billi crouched again, and
crawled nearer. Once again, Billi looked around, at the mynas, at the drongo
and at Bulbul. There did not seem to be any other bird or animal visible
nearby. The jungle bush quail was coming closer, and would again be near reach
for a successful lunge by Billi. Crouching again, Billi covered two feet and
jumped the other two feet. Landing
heavily on the ground, Billi checked out his paws, and realised that he had
once again failed to catch the jungle bush quail. He was almost certain that
the drongo had not called out, but could not be sure. But, the bulbul certainly
seemed to be smiling at Billi’s failure. Was he laughing at Billi’s problems?
Billi wondered.
