Pied flycatcher
© Michael Tangherlini 2006.

Daphne perched on the window-sill of the french window. She grasped the external handle with her right arm and opened it, balancing herself with her wings not to fall. The window-sill was in a dreadful state, partly for a former extensive use, and it wasn't a good foothold; Carlos had been promising to repair it as soon as possible for quite a long time, but he didn't do it yet.
Once opened the french window, she jumped on the floor, crouching and putting down the sack she was holding in her beak. She whistled to alert of her arrival, and her three hatchlings strongly replied to her call. Heartened by their presence, she picked up the sack and walked on her arms to the nest-room that she and Carlos had carefully furnished. Though, she always had the impression that Carlos didn't contribute much to it.
Her shortly hatched hatchlings were waiting for her with their mouths widely open, waiting for her to pour the food she had just bought into their throats. She allowed herself just a moment for admire her children, those unfledged little beings with their eyes still shut, hungry and chirping, her sweethearts, before starting feeding them. She wondered who they could look like, whether their mother or their father.

Daphne was a Pied flycatcher. Well, to be honest, her species descended from those that in the past had just been little birds with that name. Now, her species included rather big creatures, about one metre tall, that still had a strong resemblance to their ancestors; they evolved a brain similar to that of the now extincted mammalsn and their hind legs could grasp and manipulate objects.
They opportunely took possess of the wide dead forests which, in a distant past, clearly many other creatures had lived in. Many structures looked like big, squared trees, with wide transparent and reflecting parts, made up of an incredibly strong and not gaudy material. They looked somewhat cumbersome and unsettling, but they had to adapt to it.
Carlos and Daphne were one of many couples that liked best those residence far from the biggest dead forests, but lacking noisy lodgers. Their nest was a two-stories complex, and they took the second one. Carlos chose it because the wide, almost in pieces skylights made some parts of the environment very bright. To shelter during rainy days they just needed to cover them with the rectangular slabs they have found on the roof.
Carlos was a tough male. Daphne soon appreciated his vigorous, manly courtship; he looked like he wanted to keep the promises made during his courtship and with his attitude, and, shortly after mating, he had located and chosen the the right nest for them. He took care of everything, including furniture. In the recent times, though, she had the impression of some change in his behaviour. He wasn't surely less interested, less dedicated, but... Daphne tought the he was too dedicated. Too vacant.
For example, that morning he took charge to gather food to an old building, that he had described as virtually full of any deliciousness and titbit, located at the outskirts of the nearest big dead forest. But he wasn't yet back. It had already happened some other times, and usually Carlos came back in the evening, often trying to compensate with small gifts to be forgiven. But Daphne grew less and less sure about the sincerity of her mate.

She was once close to the outskirts of the small dead forest they lived in. The hatchlings were safe and nourished, watched by Carlos, who was patroling around their nest; so, Daphne could enjoy some spare time to communicate with their neighbours.
She was perched on a big boulder, made up of the same material as many buildings in the dead forests. The air was calm and the weather rather fine, despite a bank of clouds visible on the horizon.
She caught the call of another female, a stranger with a quiet tone. She was signaling her arrival into the territory, without exaggerating or using a too lowly tone. Dafne replied her call, stepping aside to let her perch near Daphne.
"Chloe," introduced herself the newcomer, after landing.
"Daphne," replied her. They scrutinized each other for some moments, before restarting talking. Chloe wasn't too different from Daphne, though she had a charming bang of ruffled feathers on her nape. Carlos could like it, she tought. "I've never seen you before here."
"I'm just passing by," Chloe replied, calm. "I have to reach the closest forest."
"Have you got a nest?" Daphne asked, curious.
"Yes, but only a few hatchlings," specified Chloe. "Too few..."
"It's a pity," commented Daphne, understanding her feelings: she could lay only three eggs, sadly, despite her and Carlos being strong and healthy.
"I see."
"How's her father like? Is he good?"
"Uh, I'm sure of it!" stated Chloe, emphasizing her certitude flapping her wings. "A very busy father, to tell the truth," she added.
"He reminds me of my mate," commented Daphne, feeling a sense of likeness to Chloe. "What's his name?"
"His name is Carlos."
Daphne was startled.. She shaked her feathers with a shudder. "Nice name," said, trying to hide her embarassment. There could have been another Carlos, since Dapne stated to come from somewhere else.
"Well, I don't like it that much. But he's so... tough-looking."
"Yes, I can see," commented Daphne. She noticed, around her left limb, a big yellow ring.
Carlos gave her as a present a big yellow ring after mating.
When she couldn't find it in her nest, Carlos heartened her saying that she could have lost it while looking for food, and that she shouldn't have cared for such a thing.
Daphne wouldn't have cared for Chloe's ring, if only she couldn't notice the same red and green markings that she knew were on her own ring: six red triangles and three green circles.
Same name, same ring. It wasn't just an accident.
"I apologize, I have to go now," said to Chloe, trying to sound sincere. "My hatchlings..."
"Yes, I understand. I should go, too, or I won't get back to the nest on time."
They said good-bye each other. Daphne rushed to her nest.
She perched on the window-sill, seeing the window open. Carlos was out, but she knew he was still around. She decided to wait for him inside the house.
She was flying into rage, almost without control, but she tried to look more decise than hot-tempered. Her heart was broken: her mate did choose another female. Another partner, someone she didn't know, and that maybe wasn't aware of her existence. He was polygamous.
She should have sensed it, bcause of their few hatchlings: she already knew of such cases, and every time there were an evidence of polygamy hatchlings were smaller both in number and size than those of the monogamous couples. She couldn't imagine that Carlos could hide his activities behind his behaviour; this could explain his long absences: time he spent with Chloe. And maybe with other mates.
The bastard had to pay for it.