Black Swans

Chapter 1: Five Cgynets

In Tasmania, during the wet wintery month of June two proud Black Swans waited for their brood. After three years, they considered themselves pros at this sort of things. There were five eggs in the nest this year and they were both hoping for five cgynets as well.

The pale-green eggs started to crack, but the first one to crack open was the palest of all the eggs. A tiny grey cgynet emerged from his shell after thirty seven days. He made a tiny whistling sound, and looked to his parents expectantly.

"Barley," the pen announced with an approving nod from her spouse. She named her first cgynet of the season Barley. Aves was her own name and her partner was called Don.

The second cgynet to emerge had a browner color to him then his brother, but he was a swan nonetheless. He looked at his parents just as expectantly. He did not know how he could do anything else, not until he had a name.

"Henry," Aves decided, "My little Henry."

Henry waited patiently for his other siblings to arrive. Barley was already looking into the water near their nest, he was not so patient.

Henry watched as the third and fourth egg cracked open almost at the same time. Two little cgynets emerged waiting to be named just like their older brothers.

"Maggie, and Chen," Don named these two. Maggie the first girl born in the brood, and Chen the loudest of the group.

Just one more cygnet needed to hatch, and it looked like it was struggling. The egg was cracked a little, but the nosies and sounds from inside the egg had stopped earlier.

While Maggie and Chen waddled towards the water with Barley, Henry hurried over to the remaining egg. He knew he should not help, it was only proper that a cgynet hatch itself, but Henry wanted to make sure that this little one made it.

Several minutes past where parents and Henry looked on intently, but after those minutes the other cygnet started to whine. "We want to go swimming. Please Dad let us go." They cried. Baby swans were able to swim, and learned to feed themselves very quickly. They had no desire to stay around the nest, they wanted to swim.

Aves and Don exchanged a calculating look. The cob rose from his position in the nest and moved to the water's edge. "Well lets go swimming then." He announced. The cygnet cheered together following their father into the lake.

All the cygnet except Henry. He stayed in the nest. He did not even look at the water. He was worried about the little egg that would not hatch. Don turned back to the nest, after getting his water legs, "Henry are you coming?"

"No Dad," Henry looked up his dark eyes full of concern. No other prodding or teasing occurred, Henry wanted to stay in the nest and his parents let him. Aves stayed with him while Don and the others swan away looking for a mossy meal.

After two hours Aves finally let out a soft whistle. "Henry, honey, sometimes cygnets just give up before they hatch. There is nothing we can do."

"I know I can do something," Henry thought out loud. He waddled closer to the egg placing his little beak on the surface. "Cygnet? Baby swan, are you in there?"

Henry listened. Aves listened. The surrounding lake grew quiet, like it listened as well. Several minutes past and no answer was given. Henry hung his head and stepped back. He supposed his mom was right. She knew how the world worked, and this was just one of the ways. He sighed looking up at his mother a gentle tear in his eye.

"It's alright Henry. I have four cygnets that I am proud of," Aves promised him. It was a nice thought but it did not cheer Henry up.

Nothing cheered Henry up, not until he was at the water's edge, ready to join his father and other siblings in the lake. From inside the nest came a loud whistle, it was not Aves as she was already in the water. Henry jumped with joy. "Mom did you hear! I heard it. Did you?" He jumped up and hurried over to the source of the sound.

There in a cracked egg was a fifth swan smaller then the others, it was grey, with white tips on his back feathers. "Baby swan?" Henry asked.

"That's my name?" The cygnet stared, excepting a name but not excepting one like that.

"No, umm..." Henry turned to look at his mother.

Aves was shaking off a few drops of water. She looked over at her two sons. The corners of her beak curled up and she smiled, "I think you can think of a name Henry."

Henry looked surprised at first. Then he just looked pleased. He turned to his brother who was looking expectantly at him. "Cobham." He looked at his mother who nodded her head.

"Cobham," said the name again. He seemed happy with it. It did not seem silly or unexcepted. It did not keep him from making his way to the water. He entered the lake before Henry, "Come on Henry." He called.

Henry hurried to the water finally. He entered the water for the first time and knew he loved it. He whistled happily and swam circles around his younger brother. Aves joined them, and together they went to find Don and the others. This brought all five cygnets and their parents together.