Serena woke to the sound of palm trees gently rustling their leaves in a balmy breeze. The sun had not yet winked to life, although the distant horizon was already showing signs of red and orange hues, which rippled in golden reflections across the lake. She stretched up her long, slender neck and expanded her glistening black wings, noticing her beloved Hugh, and daughter Isis, were still asleep.

The dawn chorus was just beginning. Over thirty species of birds lived on and around the subtropical lake that Serena called home. As dawn broke each morning, a melodic cacophony of sounds began as a whisper with the rising sun. Soon she knew the air would explode with chatter and song.

There was a warm exotic aroma wafting in the wind, a combination of frangipani, gardenia, heaven lotus and jasmine. Large silver fish were starting to jump in the temperate still waters, making a plopping sound when they splashed back below the surface.

A vivid blue butterfly landed on a reed in front of Serena, fluttering its wings together until it seemed as though there was only one. She studied its beauty, musing for a moment about the very short lifespan of a butterfly, when Swifty happened by.

“Good morning,” he said respectfully. He spoke in a gentle tone, not wanting to wake either Serena’s family or his own.

“Good morning,” Serena replied politely, with a slight smile in her voice.

“She’s growing quickly,” he observed, looking at Isis.

“Swans do,” Serena confirmed.

“It will be that time soon,” he breathed so quietly it was almost inaudible.

“I know,” the mother swan replied sadly.

Swifty was the leader of the purple swamp hens who lived on Swamp Hen Island where Hugh and Serena had built their palatial nest. Although there were many species of birds in their world, only the most favored were permitted onto Swamp Hen Island. Some of their reptilian friends were permitted, such as turtles and lizards known as water dragons, but among the birds, with occasional exceptions, only Serena and her family and a non-native white duck, Lord Quacksalot, and his friends were given this privilege.

The swamp hen colony was large. No one was exactly sure how large as they had woven cave-like dwellings from reeds all over the island. They would come out to forage for food, to exercise and to enjoy the subtropical sun, but they never seemed to all appear at once. The swamp hens were diminutive in size compared to a swan, no larger than half the size of an adult swan’s wing, but they weren’t to be angered. Their formidable pointed red beaks and fearsome long claws made them a force to be reckoned with, especially when they swarmed. In appearance they seemed more closely related to their distant velociraptor cousins than most other birds. Almost all other water birds had evolved with webbed feet suitable for swimming, but the purple swamp hens had to swim doggie-paddle style with their talon-like claws. They were called “purple” because of the bright purple color of their chests but otherwise their feathers were black.

As reigning king and queen of the aquatic kingdom, Serena and Hugh were warmly welcomed. Indeed Swifty was honored that they had chosen to call his island their home. Lord Quacksalot was welcome because Lord Quacksalot was a friend to everyone. He had been a resident of the lake longer than most animals could remember. He was one of three non-native ducks that had been dumped as unwanted pets of the giants over the years, but he was the only one whose non-native status was obvious due to his snowy white feathers. His friends, Precious and Blondie, were brunette and golden respectively. To the uninformed, his two friends could have been mistaken for native species.

It was almost time for Hugh and Isis to wake and begin their morning patrol. Serena decided to wait just a moment more before stirring them from their slumber. This was a time of quiet reflection and she treasured it. As she gazed on Isis, now almost fully grown, Serena thought back to the time she was that age and still enjoying her father’s protection. That seemed a long time ago – a very long time indeed. She and Hugh had ruled over this kingdom for fifteen changing of the seasons. They had raised many children in that time – and made many friends.

It was time. Serena stood and flapped her wings. Most swans would have trumpeted to rouse the sleeping but Serena never trumpeted, it was why she was called Serena. In fact she never hissed to show her displeasure either. Even though hissing and trumpeting were the swan way of things, Serena considered them somehow undignified. Hugh loved her for her refusal to be like other swans just because tradition and instinct dictated it, even though he didn’t quite understand such a regal queen rejecting the accepted behavior of their kind. As long as it only extended to the sounds she made, or didn’t make, he found her behavior charming. There were some swan ways, however, that no self-respecting swan would ever ignore.

Serena knew the whoop whoop sound of her flapping wings would make sufficient noise to wake her family.

Blearily, Hugh opened his eyes.

“Is it morning already?”

“Yes, my love,” she smiled at him.

Isis snapped awake more readily, eager to take on the day. Hungrily, she surveyed the surrounds or, as she considered them, her surrounds. The pristine lake expanded further than she could see, surrounded by lush tropical foliage. It was a fitting realm to rule over, or so she considered.

“Good morning, good morning, good morning to all,” Lord Quacksalot cheered noisily, approaching Swamp Hen Island with Precious and Blondie.

“Well if I wasn’t awake, I am now,” Hugh quipped.

“Good morning, Lord Q,” Isis cheered. “Are you joining us on our patrol this morning?”

“Is that even a question?” he quacked back! “Of course we are. Right ladies?” he turned to Precious and Blondie.

The two lady ducks grinned at each other. “Of course, Lord Q,” they confirmed.

Hugh led the family into the water with an effortless and well-polished slide off the island. Isis followed with an enthusiastic but less elegant splash. Serena smiled quietly to herself, entering the lake with her usual grace and charm.

“Come on! Come on! Let’s go,” Lord Quacksalot called eagerly.

“Is there anything that duck doesn’t get excited about?” Hugh whispered to Serena with a slight grin.

Soon Swifty joined the procession with several of his colony, respectfully flanking the swans.

As the sun rose higher into the cloudless blue sky, bathing the lake in glorious rays of warmth and dazzling the water’s surface with diamond-like sparkles, other birds began to appear. Crows, parrots with feathers of bright blue, red, green and yellow known as Rainbow Lorikeets, and yellow-eyed Mynah Birds landed in umbrella trees to feast on seed pods that were thick with red berry-looking buds. When the swans approached, most stopped feeding, courteously acknowledging the presence of the kingdom’s ruling family. Only one young lorikeet was too hungrily devouring seed pods to notice the reverence shown by others. His mother quickly gave him a clip over the head with her wing.

“What was that for?” he complained.

His mother glanced in the direction of the swans.

“Oh. Sorry,” he whispered, covering his beak with his wing in embarrassment.

Hugh courteously nodded to the other animals.

“Be gracious, darling,” Serena whispered to Isis. “The respect of the other animals is earned, not a right.”

Isis studied the smaller animals, considering her mother’s words.

“It is the reigning swans' proud lifelong duty to care for other animals in our kingdom,” Serena explained.

Isis listened, but instead of heeding her mother’s advice she reacted to the adulation of the community with a satisfied, almost smug smile.

Hugh was a strappingly large swan but lately Serena had noticed his feathers were showing the tiniest tinge of grey around the edges. She hadn’t mentioned this to anyone, not wanting to draw attention to his advancing age. It didn’t matter to her, no more than it mattered to her that her own feathers were still a spectacular luminescent black, despite the fact that she was no longer a young swan either.

The edges of the lake were surrounded by tall reeds. Beyond those reeds, houses were distantly visible. That was the world of the giants, a place all animals knew to avoid.

Up ahead, the aquatic procession spotted an enormous flock of cormorants taking flight from the water, leaving just one sentinel. There were so many it was almost as though an enormous black cloud moved over the sun, creating an ominous-looking shadow on the water.

“Whoa!” Isis gasped. “That’s a lot of birds.”

“They’re an unsociable lot,” Lord Quacksalot commented.

“Now Lord Q,” Hugh almost scolded. “You know they serve a vital purpose.”

“I know, I know,” Lord Quacksalot mumbled. “But they’re no fun. No fun at all.”

Serena grinned at her snowy white friend.

“See you again when the seasons change,” Hugh called to the lead cormorant.

The long-necked leader of the flock saluted to Hugh in reply.

“I wish they would stay longer,” Serena mused quietly.

“Why?” Isis asked.

Before anyone could answer her, the tranquility was abruptly shattered.

“Eel!” Lord Quacksalot quacked loudly in alarm.

Instinctively, Serena wrapped a wing around Isis, leading her non-flight-capable daughter away from the danger.

“What’s that?” Isis gasped, looking back at the enormous black, slimy eel. It was almost as big as her father.

“The one real danger in our world,” Serena explained, ushering her daughter to the lake’s edge, somehow retaining her dignity with a sense of done it all before.

     “Run for your lives!” Lord Quacksalot quacked noisily.

Precious and Blondie looked at him.

“Run?” Precious queried.

“Swim… paddle… dash… make haste… get out of the water!” Lord Quacksalot blustered.

“Someone really needs to remind those ducks they can fly,” Swifty muttered to himself.

The three ducks waddled up the embankment behind the reeds as fast as they were able while Swifty squawked to his colony. Large numbers of swamp hens emerged from their reed caves to join those already flanking the swans. Flying as a single swarm in the eel’s direction, their claws that could cut leather to ribbons were pointed forward ready for attack.

Using his best weapon, the powerful joint in his enormous wings, Hugh pummeled the eel, thrashing the water to foam. He could not wait for the support of the swamp hens. Formidable en masse though they were, swamp hens were slow moving animals. Although they could both swim and fly, they were not designed for speed in either element.

Crowds of animals gathered in trees and on embankments to see who would emerge victorious. It was a pretty even match and they all knew it.

The eel thrashed and lunged at Hugh even as the huge swan beat the creature with his powerful wings. The swan was winning but he was tiring.

Serena watched on with concern, her wing still around Isis whose eyes were wide with alarm.

“Don’t worry,” Blondie said soothingly to Lord Quacksalot. “He’s never lost a battle with an eel.”

“There’s a first time for everything,” Lord Quacksalot retorted.

The eel leapt at Hugh, attempting to bite him in the throat with its potentially deadly teeth, but Hugh weaved out of the way just in time and struck the eel with a swift, forceful blow from his wing joint.

The eel crashed back down into the water but he wasn’t done yet. Under the water, Hugh’s exposed, delicate webbed feet were an easy target for the slippery serpent. He went to take a chunk out of Hugh’s flapping feet but the wily old swan had seen this tactic before. He kicked at the eel, catching it by surprise, but it snapped back around and bit him on the leg. Hugh cried out in pain.

The eel went in to take another chunk out of Hugh but the swan was faster this time, diving his long neck under the water. He may not have had teeth but Hugh needed to see where the aggressor was in order to strike back with his wings.

The eel thought this was the perfect opportunity to strike at Hugh in the throat but once again the swan was faster. He lifted his neck out of the water, hoping the eel would follow – and he did. Once the eel was semi airborne, Hugh struck a final body blow on it with his mighty wing, knocking the eel unconscious.

The black devil of the deep sank swiftly to the bottom of the lake as all the other animals cheered.

“Oh praise the stars,” Precious breathed in relief.

“I told you he’s never lost a battle with an eel,” Lord Quacksalot said to Blondie.

His fair feathered friend raised a non-existent eyebrow at Lord Q, knowing full well he had said nothing of the kind.

Hugh sighed heavily. He had managed to fend off the aggressor without assistance from the swamp hens but he was clearly spent at the end of the battle. Serena swept to his side, gracious and feigning calm.

“Congratulations, darling,” she offered charmingly.

Feathers were flapping in trees, on the water and on Swamp Hen Island. Everyone was hailing Hugh as the conquering hero. Isis glanced around at all the admiration, at first a little overwhelmed but rapidly deciding that being a member of the ruling family brought with it adulation befitting of her station in life.

Hugh was, as always, gracious in victory, but Serena could tell the toll it had taken on him. She could not help noticing he was breathing heavily.

“It bit my leg,” Hugh complained.

“The blighter,” Lord Quacksalot complained.

“Don’t worry, darling. You’re still the strongest animal in the kingdom,” Serena assured him. “Our community is only protected from the eels because of you.” Quickly, she winked at Swifty. He smiled discretely, understanding that she meant no disrespect to the swamp hens.

“It would take my entire colony to battle an eel,” Swifty admitted. “But we’re always ready to lend a claw if it helps.” Despite his name, Swifty was keenly aware that swamp hens were anything but swift. He had been given his name for his ability to think quickly.

Hugh smiled kindly at his queen, apparently pleased with her praise, but said, “Smarter, not stronger, is always preferred to violence.”

Serena nodded her agreement at Hugh’s wisdom, only vaguely aware of her daughter’s reaction to all this.

“I think you’ve earned a rest. I’ll continue with Isis on our morning patrol.”

“As you wish,” Hugh gratefully accepted her suggestion.

“See, that’s why she’s the queen,” Lord Quacksalot nudged Precious.

Precious and Blondie smiled at each other.

“Did I tell you about the time Serena first arrived on this lake? It was not long after it had been created by the giants,” Lord Quacksalot told his friends. “There weren’t many animals on the lake then and Serena was the first swan to arrive. There was plenty of food and no predators – the eels came much later. It was the perfect place to raise a family. Serena flew off to find a mate and brought Hugh back. They’ve reigned over the kingdom ever since.”

Precious and Blondie sighed.

“You’ve only told us that a million times, Lord Q,” Precious grinned.

“Oh, I told you that one, did I?” Lord Quacksalot muttered.

“And before you say it, yes we know you were dumped on the lake as an abandoned pet of the giants when you were little more than a duckling, not long after Serena arrived,” Blondie added.

Lord Quacksalot grumbled under his breath.

“Yes, yes, and Serena has been your BFF ever since,” Precious piled on. “Until we arrived, of course,” she added coyly, grinning at Blondie.

“We were abandoned on the lake by the giants as well,” Precious reminded him.