Zeus walks the north path after talking with Zuki to update her on the events of the morning. She had been providing positive energy to Kathy, the mother of the house, who was home ill. Zuki said she would be on patrol later in the afternoon.
After cutting through a couple of yards Zeus makes his way to the middle path and noticed a blue jay sitting on a fence. The blue jay watches as robins chase after grackles in every direction. Blue jays were known to be mercenaries so Zeus made his way over to the fence.
"You getting paid?" Zeus asks.
The blue jay looks down, looks back at the commotion in the skies then back at Zeus again.
"I have no stake in this."
"The time will come when you have to pick a side. Choose wisely."
The blue jay nods. "Believe me, I will."
"Have a name?"
"They call me Buster," and he flew off.
Zeus cuts through a couple more yards and makes his way to the main path. He catches a glimpse of Torch as he left the path and entered the brush. A hunger twinge reminded him he should eat and he makes his way over to Lucy's patio where a bowl is waiting. As he eats he keeps his eyes trained further up the path as he mulls over what needed to be done.
After a short nap Zeus woke to the angry sound of grackles voicing their displeasue of the robins chasing them. Zeus knew it was time for him to patrol the main path. As he walks the battle continues in the air above him.
Yak and three other grackles flew down in front of Zeus at the point he was expecting.
"Stop!" shouts Yak.
Zeus takes two more steps as a dozen more grackles quickly take their places behind their general and several more come down behind Zeus.
Yak snarls "You'll have to pay the toll!"
All the other grackles let out a chant of "Pay! Pay! Pay!"
Zeus takes another step forward. "You're not dealing with a little bunny or squirrel."
Yak's eyes widen. "You'll have to pay or else!"
The other grackles started their chant as they hopped around Zeus. "Or else! Or else! Or else!"
Zeus let out a primal growl and hisses. "Then it's or else!"
Yak is surprised by the response and hops backward as Zeus slowly makes his way forward. "You had your chance. Get him!"
The moment the grackles start to focus their attack on Zeus three howls were heard and Sundown, Torch and Zuki emerge out of the bushes and join the fray. It is a blur of claws and fangs against the beaks of the grackles. In less than a minute it is over as only two wounded grackles manage to get away. Yak is among those left on the ground. Zeus had taken out eight, Sundown and Torch got five each and Zuki claimed a dozen by herself.
Zuki walks over and places a paw on the gash on Zeus's left ear. He winces but lets her work her healing powers. After a couple minutes she finishes and Zeus surveys the victims of the battle.
"At least we put a dent in their numbers," Sundown offers.
"True," Zeus answers as he looked back up the path toward where the grackles had settled. "This should end their ground efforts. Now it's up to the robins to do it in the trees and skies."
