32
Kotwal meets his family
He was correct. His father was indeed
there, along with Kotwal's two brothers, one sister, one aunt and her two sons.
They seemed to be in a very serious meeting insde the very shady branches of
the arjuna tree along the river bank that faced the grassland. They seemed
happy to see him, he thought. His two cousins and his aunt did not seem to be
so happy. They must have again come to seek his father's permission to hunt for
insects in the grassland, he thought. His father would never permit it, he
knew, for it was given to Kotwal and two of his sisters only. His father had
given him strict instructions that he would have to be careful not to invite
other black drongos for otherwise he would not get enough insects to catch.
Kotwal’s elder brother welcomed him by
raising his crest and fluffing himself, while his sister fluttered her wings in
appreciation of how well he looked. The discussion was about locating the best
trees to build their nests during this approaching season, Kotwal’s father told
him. It seemed like this year’s choice was between the arjuna and the banyan
trees. These trees would withstand the severe summer that would surely hit the
region this year. The climate seemed to be getting bad and bad each year. The
days were getting hotter each year, while the summer, winter and the monsoon
was longer. Every aspect of the climate was getting to be too much each year,
Kotwal’s father told all his children. Kotwal and his brothers and sister
nodded respectfully.
This was the problem with meeting his
family, Kotwal thought. His father had to lecture them and instruct them. He
seemed to think that Kotwal and the other children did not know how to live
like black drongos. Someday he would tell his father about his own adventures
in the grassland, and of how all the birds lived together. But Kotwal’s father
seemed to think that the grassland was not able to feed more than two or three
black drongos. Once Kotwal had got used to the grassland, he did not wish to
hunt for insects near the river banks or in the village. His sister had also
begun to like to hunt for insects among the bushes between the grassland and
the scrub forest. She hated going to the village or to the river banks.
Kotwal interrupted his father the
moment he paused in his lecture. I need your help, and I need it urgently,
Kotwal told his father. Before his father could answer with another lecture,
Kotwal told everything about Billi, about Teetiri and Salonki, about Salonki’s
family in the babool tree chattering nonstop, and about Guturgu’s advice. He
now had to search for Bater urgently. It seemed to be the only option left for
the birds to be able to protect the grassland. Billi should not be able to hide
out in the marsh tonight. If he would do that comfortably, even for a single
night, he would return to the marsh regularly and it would not be a safe place
anymore. Only Kotwal’s father could help them out at this moment, Kotwal said.
And as Kotwal had hoped, his father took charge of the situation. He
immediately began to lecture to Kotwal and his brothers and sister on how to
search for Bater.
