It was not the flutter of feathers outside his bedroom window that drew Jayben’s attention away from the mirror, as much as it was a subtle tapping against the panes of glass.

On his bed, Slayer who had up to that point been fast asleep in his cage suddenly stood. Fully alert he spun quickly three times looking about the room for the source of the strange noise. His pointed snout poked through the metal bars of his coop and he sniffed the air. His thin yellow cat eyes narrowed in on the window across the room. His very tiny red ears perked forward and a low growl reverberated in his throat.

Tap … tap … tap.

“SQUAWWK!” Slayer boldly alerted as his body shook like a wet Chihuahua.

 “Quiet Slayer,” Jayben said as he walked by the bed and climbed atop a comfortable, padded bench at the window. He rested his hands on the sill and stared into the peaceful garden outside. In the center of the yard stood three Chequer trees with long, broad leaves and tiny berries that provided shade and sanctuary to a small flock of finches flitting cheerfully about its branches.

Tap … tap … tap.

Jayben glanced to the left corner of the windowsill to find a large raven with a long black beak and coal black eyes crouched slyly as though avoiding detection.

“Caw!” it cried quickly as it lifted its thick beak toward the window.

Tap!! … Tap! … Tap.

 “Ok!! Ok!! Hold your horses!!!” Jayben said as he unlatched the lock and raised the heavy pane of glass, not entirely knowing what to expect. To his complete surprise the raven jumped up from the sill, flew into the room and landed on the foot board of his bed.

“SQUUAWWWAK!!” Slayer cried frantically as he spun about the floor of his cage and blew out a large red flame that never quite made contact with the unyielding bird.

“Slayer ... Shuuuush!” Jayben ordered as he jumped off the window bench and slapped the side of the cage with his hand. But despite Jayben’s order, Slayer let out another deep fiery breath.

“CCCAAAWWWW!!” the raven cried as it jumped into the air narrowly avoiding a singeing of its tail feathers.

“SLAYER!” Jayben said in a startle, banging his hand down atop of the metal cage, “Bad Slayer! Down!”

The protective young pup looked to Jayben’s outstretched finger and the determined look in his master’s face. Slayer growled his disapproval even as he slowly wrapped his tail aside his body and lowered to the floor of the cage. However, he did not take his watchful eyes off the hovering raven.

 “Hurry!” the large bird nervously ordered as it dropped from the ceiling and landed back onto the edge of the footboard. “Close zee drapes!”