A Squadron of Crows (Part 2)

I took the lead, breaking the silence with a low croak that only the squadron could hear. “Ready for Operation Scavenger?”

A series of soft, coordinated replies echoed back from my squadron.

“Yes, Commander,” Ravenna murmured, her voice low but strong.

“Ready,” Noctis added, his tone sharp and confident.

The rest of the squadron nodded their assent, each bird prepared for the task ahead.

The plan was simple: gather food from the mall. We would stay low and move quickly, using the cover of the parking lot’s rows of cars and the looming shadows of the mall’s walls to avoid detection. There were hazards to navigate – the humans, their metal beasts, and of course, the unpredictable nature of the area. But we had done this before. The Black Wings were as efficient as any other squadron. We knew the rules.

“Black Wings, move out,” I commanded.

The squadron shifted with fluid precision. Noctis took the lead, weaving between the trees and light poles, barely flapping his wings. Ravenna followed just behind, her form a black streak through the soft morning haze. I remained at the rear, making sure every crow kept pace, ready to adapt if something went wrong.

We moved toward the objective – the north end of the parking lot, where discarded food had been left by a careless group of workers the day before. We’d scouted it out, and now, it was time to claim our prize.

The first few humans began to swarm the lot, but the bulk of the crowd was still a ways away. We had time, for now.

I flapped harder as we neared the target. The humans still didn’t notice us, too wrapped up in their own routines. One car approached, but Noctis veered just in time, ducking low under its wheels. The rest of us followed suit, gliding effortlessly through the gaps between vehicles, keeping just above their exhaust fumes.

Ahead of us, the discarded food beckoned. We hit it like a thunderstorm. A flurry of wings, cawing, and the soft rustling of plastic bags. Within seconds, we had what we came for – chunks of bread, a stray apple, a few pieces of fruit.

I gave the signal to return. We lifted into the air again, soaring back toward the high ground, where we had more cover. The humans below had started to notice the growing flock, but they still didn’t pay us much attention.

As we regrouped in the trees, I could feel the squadron relaxing. The operation was a success. We had food, water, and no casualties. It was clean. Efficient.

Ravenna gave me a sharp look. “Another mission complete,” she said, her voice low. “Good work, Commander.”

I looked at my squadron, each bird settled back in place, their feathers bristling with satisfaction. The humans were going about their day, blissfully unaware of how close they had come to a full-scale operation.

As the sun began to climb higher, I felt the quiet satisfaction of a job well done. The Black Wings were always prepared. Tomorrow, we would do it all again.