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pulled the feather out of his palm, simultaneously watching the birds walk away.
    A short time later, having retraced his steps, he found himself back in the clearing. On the ground where he had left the adult bladebeak, he found the remains of his bola. Apparently, while he was rescuing its offspring from the pit, the bird had recovered, somehow gotten the piece of bark off its beak, and then used its bill to saw through the bola’s cord. Then, of course, it had come after him.
    Marveling at how he had survived this latest encounter, Errol spent a few minutes searching the nearby underbrush until he located his sword, and then headed home.

 
    Chapter 4
     
    They were waiting for him when he got back to the Station House later that afternoon – two Wardens (recognized as such by the telltale black uniforms they wore, like Errol himself) and a scribe whose head had been shaved bald. The “ guests” Errol had mentioned to Berry earlier.
    This was a moment Errol had been dreading ever since his brother Tom had disappeared. Although he had, by almost every measure, been providing stellar service as Warden of Stanchion, he did not officially have the position. In fact, even the title of “ acting Warden” was something that he had bestowed upon himself. Truth be told, Errol had no authority whatsoever to perform the duties he had taken on, or to even be staying at the Station House.
    That said, it was fairly common for someone in Errol’s position to inherit the title of Warden. His brother had been the previous Warden (and in Errol’s opinion, still was), as had their father before him. Thus, the fact that Errol had assumed the duties of the position was not without precedent. Still, much as a prince might inherit the title of “ king” from his father but lack the ability to rule, someone who came into the title of Warden might not have the necessary skill set. That being the case, these men were here to test Errol.
    What was probably more surprising than anything else, however, was the fact that Errol actually wanted to pass this examination. There was a time in the not-too-distant past when the thought of being Warden was abhorrent to him. Now, however, he wanted it more than almost anything – not so much because he wanted to be Warden, but more so because of what it said about his brother. Basically, the way Errol saw it, any failure on his part was a reflection on Tom, and his brother had always been a first-class Warden. There was no way Errol was going to allow his name and reputation to be smeared or besmirched. Not if he could help it.
    In addition, becoming Warden was the only way to firmly preserve the position for Tom. Stanchion needed a Warden, and if one were appointed during Tom’s absence, then that person would have superior claim on the title. In other words, Tom wouldn’t be able to become Warden again if another person was put into the position during his absence. However, if Errol himself became Warden, he could simply resign in favor of Tom whenever his brother returned. At least, that was the plan.
    As he approached the Station House, Errol sized up the men waiting for him. One of them he recognized: a big, grizzled Warden named Bander who had been a contemporary of his father. With nut-brown skin and dark hair that was just beginning to gray, Bander was one of the most famous Wardens alive. He was revered by (and practically legendary among) most Wardens. More than that, he was also a decent human being; by way of example, he had made a special trip to Stanchion to pay his respects after the death of Errol’s father.
    The other Warden was not anyone that Errol recognized. Almost as tall as Bander but far more rotund, he went by the name of Prap. Callous in manner and slovenly in appearance, Errol immediately got a bad vibe from him.
    The third man, the scribe (whom Errol recognized as such by his robes), was called Till. While he did not trigger the same level of negative response in Errol