Falcon Wild

Falcon Wild — page 3
standing She’s probably my age since we’re doing this demo for an eighth-grade biology class Her straight blond hair falls in a glossy sheet over her shoulders nothing like my frizzy auburn hair She points to Stark and the two girls sitting next to her giggle I realize I’m still staring at her and rush to answer Gyrfalcons are the largest falcons in North America And females are bigger than males so she can get heavy Almost the same weight as a bowling ball I say I mean the small kinds of balls You know the kind you bowl with when they have all the neon lights going like it’s a party It actually was my party We went on my birthday From the look on her face I know I need to stop rambling rambling But I hear myself reaching to keep her attention My neighbor Michelle came bowling with us She lives a few houses down We’ve been friends for ages even though she’s three years older than me She goes to school Stop talking Stop it Maybe you know her Michelle Miller Before the girl can answer I feel a shift in the audience as all eyes turn to me My attention snaps back to Dad My daughter Karma is one of the best bird handlers in Montana She’ll show you how fast falcons can fly by swinging a lure for Stark to chase he says Stark is a gyr falcon the same family as Gremlin my peregrine here Are you ready to meet her I give the girl an apologetic smile then stand taller and walk to the center of the pit One of the teachers starts a round of polite clapping The October sky hangs blue and clear A brisk northerly picks up speed coming off the mountain range 6