A bird in the hand

While the majority of their focus had been on constructing suitable lodgings before the onset of winter, that didn't mean Modesty would allow herself to neglect the outer reaches of their new domain. She looked over the wetlands wondering how many of these birds would stay for the winter and how many would migrate. Their proximity to the desert kept a warmth in the air and she would be interested to see if the marshy ground would freeze over. Ducks swum between the rushes and the sound of birdsong was everywhere. It put the leader at ease, for surely if something troublesome was afoot, the birds would cease their song.

“Speech.”