A short while later we return and perch in separate trees near the fort, watching for Charlie. I want to sit with Shiners, but he pointed out that it would start looking weird for an eagle to have a pet raven instead of dinner sitting next to him all the time.

  I finally spot him in the distance. Man, this zoom feature is so handy. Okay, maybe a little less handy, since I can see some of the food still in his teeth a long way off, and I wince at that.

  Soon he is getting closer, but I am so fixated on him that I miss the two shadows behind Charlie, about as stealthy as a bull in a china shop, at least until Shiners calls out, he says.

  I wince a little when I spot them. I add while trying to think of how to alert Charlie.

  Frank is the first to say something as they get closer, yelling out, “So what are you up to? Seeing Mike in secret?” He looks around as if I am hiding behind a tree.

  Charlie goes completely still as he turns and sees Frank and John behind him. I can see the look of terror and nervousness in his eyes. He has been caught. he says.

  John looks around curiously. “So where is Mike? His parents say he is sick, but no one is allowed to see him. And I see you coming out here every day, so what is the deal? Mike got a girlfriend he cannot talk about?”

  Frank laughs. “Nahhh, I bet he has a boyfriend and is hiding that. Too embarrassed,” he says, and I cringe inwardly at how close that might be to the truth.

  Though worst of all is Charlie’s response. “No no, of course not. Why would he have a bo, I mean girlfriend?” he says, as I keep glaring at him. Oh shut up please, you are not helping.

  John just stares. “Come on, bro, you are hiding something. It is obvious from your reaction. Something is up,” he says, looking around. “Is Mike in trouble?”

  Charlie is about to say something when there is a loud skree. Suddenly something drops from the sky in front of me, and I skree out loud in surprise as it lands on the ground not too far from the others. Then I see it. It is a freshly killed rabbit.

  I look up and spot an eagle that looks like the one from the other day, though it is hard to be sure as I was not completely sure of the markings. Eagles look rather similar to me and I have not had time to figure out which is which. I cannot help but shake my head as this is the worst possible timing.

  John and Frank look up, laughing at the situation as Frank just shakes his head. “Ohhh maybe Mike has an eagle girlfriend and it is dropping him food.”

  Frank grins. “Nahhh not even an eagle would go after Mike, but it would be a clutzy bird,” he says, making me groan, as right now I wish I could avoid an eagle boyfriend.

  Charlie just looks exasperated. If it was not so embarrassing I would find it funny as he practically yells, “Mike is not dating anyone, least of all an eagle. He is sick and I am just out here for a walk,” he says.

  Shiners helpfully adds, he says, giving a loud mental laugh.

  I shake my head. I say, trying not to stare at the rabbit.

  John just stares at Charlie as he asks, “Is there someone in the fort there? Is that why you are being all shady? Is Mike hiding in there?”

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  I blush as I try to figure out how you shoo unwanted advances from a male eagle, and I give out an annoyed skree, trying to make it sound threatening. It does not seem to impress the male that continues to circle above, but it does get the attention of John and Frank as they look up in my direction.

  Frank jumps slightly but tries to laugh it off. “See Charlie, you have angered the eagle gods. They know you are hiding something. I think we should check the fort,” he says as I panic. Then something I did not expect hits me. MINE. NEST. I feel overly protective of it.

  Charlie tries to get in their way as John quickly dodges around him and climbs into the fort as I fight the urge to dive bomb them.

  As soon as I see John move out of sight I hear a confused shout from him. “You hiding Mike in here? I see frozen uncooked chicken, a blanket and hand warmers,” he says.

  Frank quickly goes past Charlie while he is distracted, trying to think of how to explain as I groan. This is such a disaster. At least I will not have to use it for a while, even if everything tells me it is my nest.

  Shiners shakes his head. he says with a small smirk. As much as he was joking I cannot help but feel like it is not a bad idea.

  I see Charlie quickly try to climb back into it. “It is just a fort. I was leaving chicken out for the animals,” he says, trying to disarm the situation as he points around. “The blanket and hand warmers have been here for a while like the comics.”

  I take the risk of dropping down to a lower tree further from the fort. I can now see into the fort but also stay more hidden from view. I see Frank looking around. “Well I doubt Mike is eating raw chicken, even frozen, so maybe you got a pet owl. Or is that eagle outside your pet? Hiding a secret illegal pet are you?” he jokes, obviously not fully believing that idea.

  John laughs as Charlie almost falls over coughing. “Maybe that weird eagle outside is his weird pet. Should we report him to the police?” he asks, laughing.

  This is getting annoying as I give out a loud skree, hoping I can spook or at least chase them off. All my instincts say INTRUDERS. Frank turns in my direction and says, “What the hell, I think we angered the eagle.”

  Charlie nods his head. “Okay, you got me. I saw this cool raven and was trying to befriend it by offering it food. As you can see, he has been in here eating,” he says, his body still tense but trying to act normally.

  That gets my attention as I glance back toward Shiners. I ask with a chuckle.

  Shiners watches them for a few moments before giving a mental sigh. he says. I watch as he drops to the window ledge and lands with a loud kaw.

  John and Frank jump, and even Charlie jumps slightly. Charlie takes a frozen chicken and carefully holds it up to Shiners face as I laugh.

  Shiners rolls his eyes. he says as he opens his beak and grabs it a bit too quickly, making Charlie jump back.

  I wince at that and say to Shiners. I ask, watching Charlie rub his fingers as Frank and John go back to looking around.

  I am just about to get annoyed when suddenly my boyfriend decides I am getting too stressed, and he dive bombs the fort, landing on the roof with a loud skree. I see Shiners drop out of character for a second and jump into the fort to hide from the angry eagle.

  John looks up. “Guys, I think whatever the reason, that eagle wants us gone,” he says, starting to back out of the fort along with Frank, while Charlie turns and gives Shiners a small thumbs up.

  I watch from the tree, shaking my head at all this. Has the whole world gone a little mad? Finally Frank and John climb down as Charlie also gets out, the male eagle watching from the top of the fort, conflicted. He helped me, but he is also helping me. A bit of a paradoxical problem.

  This is so frustrating. I want him gone, but he actually helped me, so for today I will not attack him, and I will not eat the rabbit. Maybe he will learn. I give him a look before giving a small nod, doubting he knows the meaning, but it feels right for now.

  Once they are out of the fort and a short distance away, I decide to teach them a lesson. I drop from my tree and give a skree as I fly over them, dive bombing playfully as a way to let out some stress, and maybe take it out a little on John and Frank.

  I hope Charlie will forgive me, though I catch Charlie giving me the finger as I fly past. Laughing inwardly, it makes me feel better, giving in to my human frustration and my instincts as they both agree this is our home, and they need a little lesson about being nosey around an eagle’s nest.