Leaper pulled himself together and climbed onto the beak. He was lifted gently back to the trapped heron's back where he finished his untangling job. He stood unsteadily on the heron's back and looked out over the pond. All the herons faced him; as one, they dropped their heads in submission.
Leaper was going to just drop the tangle into the water but slung the mess over his shoulder instead, and pointed toward his hollow stump. The heron walked around the pond, then knelt until Leaper slid off onto the ground. He turned and looked the heron in the eye and pantomimed eating, then pointed at himself, then around the pond. He made a sharp motion with his hand. The heron bowed until its beak touched the ground in front of Leaper, then it stood up and made a loud call; the other herons flew u
