title: Whoopsie the Starling: The Story of a Bird
author: Jacqueline B. Sices
description: Jacqueline Boulon Sices was born in Eu (Seine-Maritime), France. She taught English in French lyces, and then French language and civilization to American college students.
zlib_text: **Stronghold**
  
  Dragon Star book 1
  
  Melanie Rawn
  
    
  
  ![](Images/image00345.jpeg)
  
    
  
  ![](Images/image00346.jpeg)
  
   **PART ONE**
  
   **Chapter One**
  
  Rohan squinted into the Desert sky, watching his circling hawk. All at once
  the bird plummeted to the rough scrub of the Vere Hills. Rohan held his
  breath. A few moments later the hawk soared upward, a greentail clutched in
  her talons. She spiraled on a thermal, then swooped down to deposit the plump
  bird neatly at Rohan’s feet. When she balanced on his arm again, he whistled
  appreciatively; she replied with a grating coo of affection.
  
  “She’s flirting with you again,” Sioned observed.
  
  “I have that effect on ladies of taste and perception.” He fed the bird a
  morsel of raw meat, whistled the flight command again, and flung her smoothly
  into the air. The hawk flew off to seek her own dinner.
  
  Sioned sat down on a rock. “I assume that means Avaly of Rezeld would’ve had
  more luck if she’d batted her lashes?”
  
  “So that’s what’s been bothering 