Legal Seagull

Chapter Five

I clutched tight to Charles’s hand as Alpha and the rest of Flock 82 led us around the back of the strip mall and into the brambles behind the pavement. Once clear of the overgrowth, we reached a clearing filled with an oversized patch of dead grass that had likely only just been exposed again after months being covered in snow.

Alpha stopped and signaled for the rest of us to do the same. “Now that we have a bit more privacy, let us begin,” the leader gull announced, then flew up to perch on my shoulder.

Charles flinched but remained in place at my side, although now with a death grip on my hand.

“Go ahead. Tell us what you need,” I said with a very slight nod, not wanting to startle the wielder of the sharp beak that was currently far too close to my face for comfort.

Alpha turned his head at an odd angle to stare at my face, bringing that weapon-like beak even closer. “As I mentioned earlier, this is a most urgent matter. Flock 84 has declared war, and we have ten days to secure a peaceful resolution before that declaration becomes official. We want to avoid war at all costs, because—”

“Hang on,” I mumbled. “I need to be able to translate for Charles.”

Alpha let out an irritated cluck but waited for me to share what I’d learned so far.

“Okay,” I said once the other human was caught up. “Just pause every couple sentences as you keep going.”

The bird shook out his feathers, clamping his talons into my shoulder a bit too firmly in an effort to keep his balance as he did so. “Like I was saying, we want to avoid war at all costs, because Flock 84 is much larger and better equipped for battle.”

“What does a war between seagulls entail?” I asked, trying not to laugh as I pictured a pair of angry white birds fighting over a fast-food wrapper. It was a scene I had witnessed more times than I could count, growing up on the Bay.

“Silence.” Alpha gave me a sharp peck on my collar bone. He hadn’t applied much force, but it still really, really hurt.

I shook him off my shoulder and rubbed at the sore spot above my chest.

As I did that, Charles jumped into protective boyfriend mode. “If you hurt her again, I’ll end your war before it even begins by feeding all of you to my cats!”

A panicked caw rose up, and several of the gulls took flight in an attempt to add some distance between themselves and this new guy who was aligned with their biggest predator.

“If we must respect you, then you must respect us,” the gull told me. “You laughed at the thought of dozens in my flock getting slaughtered.”

I knew instantly that he was right. I’d been far too insensitive given that lives were on the line. “I’m sorry,” I said, my voice ringing out in the night like a bell. “Please do go on. We want to help however we can.”

“We have ten days to seek a peaceful resolution, and it’s up to us—the flock under attack—to declare the governing law. We chose human law, and that’s where you and your foul-mouthed little friend come in.”

I translated for Charles, leaving out the insult.

“Why would they choose human law?” he asked with a scrunched brow.

It was a good question. I wanted to know that, too.

“As I’m sure my second has already informed you, we keep tabs on you humans. Especially those of you who are gifted with the voice. All birds watch, but 82 watches closest of all. We knew we could reach out to you, a human with the voice and legal expertise. 84 will have a hard time finding someone to defend them within the allotted waiting period. Let alone to build a case.”

“Makes sense, but what are you fighting for?” I asked, hoping his answer would be the final piece needed to make sense of the flock’s needs and how Charles and I fit into it all.

“Land,” he said simply.

When he didn’t elaborate, Bravo spoke up. “Our neighboring flock, number 83, went missing several weeks ago. Assuming they’d abandoned their territory, we moved in to secure it for 82. But then 84 got it into their bird brains that the land should be theirs since they have a larger population.”

“Why do you think it should go to 82?” I asked, not letting it slip that I thought the warring flock had sound logic here.

Alpha narrowed his eyes at me—at least I think he did. It was kind of hard to tell with birds since their eyes were set on either side of their head instead of straight above their beaks. “Because we were here first. Also, 83’s former land sits nicely with ours.”

“Here?” I asked with a squeak as Alpha flew back to claim his place atop my shoulder. This couldn’t possibly be about some strip mall on the shady side of Dewdrop Springs. The rental prices here were practically free because so few ever wanted to step foot anywhere near this beaten-up town.

Alpha hopped from my shoulder onto Charles’s upper arm and used his beak to climb the rest of his way up to my boyfriend’s shoulder. “This is only a small part of the territory. We birds cover a lot of mileage in a day, so naturally our domains are large and encompass several human cities.”

“Does your flock cover Glendale, too? That’s where we live.” I had no idea birds kept their own maps and territory lines, but now that I thought about it, this made perfect sense. Just as their flock hierarchy and lack of a formal judicial system also made sense.

“Yes,” Alpha stated simply. “The entire bay is now ours with this new acquisition. Though, we need to avoid the war to keep it.”

“And you know where I can find my grandmother,” I reminded him since my involvement hinged largely on this one fact. “Does that mean she’s close? Somewhere near the bay?”

“She is closer than you know,” Alpha said in a maddeningly cryptic way. He shook out his feathers again, giving Charles quite the start. “Also closer than I know. Bravo is the one who tracks these matters.”

“But you’ll take me to her if we help?” I practically begged, needing this confirmation more than anything else in that moment.

“If you win our case, then yes.”

“We will,” I promised, because it seemed like the only option. “We’ll win it for you.”

He nodded. “Good.”

“Angie,” Charles whisper-yelled. “You never promise the client you’ll win, only that you’ll fight your hardest for them.”

“I doubt you’ll get disbarred over how you represent some flock of seagulls out in Dewdrop Springs,” I responded with a nervous chuckle.

“If your partner has doubts,” Alpha warned, giving me some serious side eye, “then we can call this whole thing off now. It’s only the lives of my flock on the line.”

“No, no, no!” I cried. “We’ll help, and he’s just being modest. He’s the best lawyer in all of Maine. I promise you that.”

“Angie—” Charles started again.

This time Alpha cut him off. “If you’re worried about your payment, worry not. The flock will arrange something worthwhile to thank you for your efforts.”

I quickly translated.

“It’s not about money, or whatever passes for money with birds. I just can’t make a promise I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep. I will definitely give your case my all, though.” Charles risked craning his neck to look Alpha in the eye. “I want to save your flock and prevent the war, too. And I think you have a very strong case in your defense. I’ll represent you to the very best of my abilities. I don’t often lose in court, and I don’t plan on losing this time.”

“Then I am satisfied,” Alpha said with a curt nod. “We’ll meet again tomorrow to discuss your progress. I’ll send Bravo.”

With that, the gulls let out a collective caw and rose into the night sky, leaving Charles and I to make our own way back to the parking lot.

Ten days.

If all went to plan, I would meet my long-lost grandmother in just ten short days. I still couldn’t believe it.