Parrot Cool

 Surfing-with-Whales has hired a kayak.

There he is now.

Kayaking across to the other side of Lake Rosebery.

Cutting through pristine waters, surrounded by myrtles, sassafras and eucalypts.

Nature is magnificent.

Or is it?

He thinks of the problems ahead.

Gaius watches from the shore.

He wonders how much Surfing-with-Whales paid for the hire of the kayak. And how long he has hired it for. Perhaps he should have hired one himself. They could have kayaked together. But then of course there is Terence. Terence! Where is he?

Terence is not far away. He is sitting under a myrtle with Little Mystic. 

Giving him lessons.

Mosquito, says Terence.

But Little Mystic doesn't want to learn the word mosquito.

Okay, try and say mozzie, says Terence.

Little Mystic suspects that mozzie might be a short version of the same word.

He does not say it.

You're not my best parrot, says Terence.

Parrot, says Little Mystic.

That's better, says Terence. And what do parrots do?

Little Mystic looks up at the sky.

Terence looks up too, to see what Little Mystic is looking at.

And wonder of wonders! Guess what?

It's Roo-kai!

Roo-kai lands beside them.

You came back! cries Terence. 

Who's this? asks Roo-kai.

Little Mistake, says Terence. He's learning to be my new parrot, but he's hopeless.

He's a baby masked lapwing, says Roo-kai. He hasn't even got his grown-up mask yet. 

Will he get one? asks Terence.

Of course he will, says Roo-kai. Hello, Little Mistake. I'm Terence's old parrot, Roo-kai. Nowadays I'm  more of a freelance.

Hello, Roo-kai, says Little Mystic, And my name's Little Mystic. I swallowed an egg, and they made me eat two mosquitoes.

Ha ha! laughs Roo-kai. You need an ally.

Kek kek! 

How cool is Roo-kai!