Chapter Four: Pine Row Cottages
Fatima of the Gold-dust Feathers was doing just fine, thank you very much. She adored her new coop, and her run was nearly twice as big as the old one! There was even a little skinny stretch perfect for playing "Catch Me If You Can" in with the Ones with Great Hands, though she doubted the Great-Handed Ones enjoyed it much. Olympia of Midnight christened their new home Pine Row Cottage, after the line of pines dividing the property that was right next to the coop. There was a roost inside the run that the warm morning sun hit just right, and Fatima adored taking her midmorning nap up there.
Water had started freezing as it ran down in the creek. Fatima and the rest of the flock were puffed up most of the time, even while sleeping. She had never een this cold before. She considered herself lucky her comb was a rose comb,a nd a small one at that, for Rita of Fire's gigantic red single comb was going to get frostbite. Rita said so, and this was already her second cold-season. Fatima wondered what this strange new cold would bring. Frozen drinking water? She did not like this thought and immediately went inside to get a drink from her perfectly fine waterer. She noticed a heating pad under it. Oh, good. The water would never freeze. She quickly gulped down some water- delicious water!- then headed back out to the run. Phoebe the Striped One was scratching about, looking for bugs.
"What does this cold-season bring?" Fatima asked her, because for Phoebe too this was her second one.
"Snow," she replied, mouth full of earthworm. She slurped it down and ruffled her barred feathers in a most satisfied way.
"What is 'Snow'?"
"Cold white stuff that comes from the sky." Phoebe went back to scratching.
"Like rain?" Fatima of the Gold-dust Feathers did not like rain. It made her wet.
"Worse."
Fatima's amber eyes grew wide as she barreled off. Worse than rain? Yipes.
However, her small head had no room for unpleasentry and she soon engaged in a mock-scuffle with Lillith of the Starry Night. It felt wonderful to raise up her neck feathers and jump on top of Lillith. Lillith was a wimp, however. She ran away very quickly and Fatima's thoughts turned unhappliy back to Snow.
