Maeng-maeng-i Takes Wing (2)
Yeouido Saetgang Ecological Park, home to the Big Rock.
This was Korea's first ecological park, a peaceful haven teeming with diverse flora and fauna, including the national treasure yellow-spotted eagle and fish like crucian carp and loaches.
The Big Rock area was a remote corner of the park where few humans ventured, so encounters with other animals were rare—except for Nureoguman, Seondeo, and Il-nam-i. But a cat?
"So... this black cat called Neoro showed up at the Big Rock? And he's the one who killed Maeng-maeng-i's family too?"
He's been around for a few months now. A real scary bastard. Word is he used to live in some alley with humans, which is why he's so damn feral.
Il-nam-i's long beak trembled faintly at the mere mention of Neoro, as if it terrified him.
The second you cross paths, he smacks you right across the face. Even Nureoguman got nailed a few times last time. Seondeo even had nightmares about it.
"Wh-what'd ya say? Who'm I, huh? Scared? Ya see that?!"
Il-nam-i gently shoved Seondeo aside with a wing as the squirrel flailed his fluffy fists in rage, then continued.
Anyway, Neoro's definitely the culprit. Seondeo checked the nest where Maeng-maeng-i lived, remember? There were 11 eggshells left behind.
"Eleven... so at least ten siblings plus parents makes twelve birds?"
Il-nam-i nodded his beak up and down.
Exactly. It doesn't make sense for twelve birds to vanish overnight, leaving just Maeng-maeng-i.
Hmm... his eyes are fierce, sure, but he didn't seem the type. Didn't Neoro always reek of kibble? Like a total house cat.
What're ya talkin'? Ya just eat acorns all day? Neoro eats kibble, chickadees, whatever. He even said he'd swallow ya whole next time he sees ya.
Eek! Don't remind me!
Seondeo swung his fluffy fist at Il-nam-i in fury, but it didn't faze the heron one bit.
'Hmm... a cat eating twelve chickadees.'
A joint study by researchers from the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand found that house cats roam an average of 100 meters from home.
Stray cats, however, have much wider ranges and are instinctual hunters, so wiping out a chickadee family was entirely plausible.
But for just Maeng-maeng-i to survive out of a family of thirteen? That still didn't add up.
Because...
"Maeng-maeng-i can barely flap his wings properly. Sounds harsh, but he'd have been the easiest target. Leaving only him alive feels off. And one cat devouring twelve without a trace?"
One overseas study on wild strays found they catch about nine mice per day.
Chickadees might be smaller than mice, but one cat massacring a whole family in a flash was hard to swallow.
Maeng-maeng-i hatched last.
Il-nam-i let out a soft sigh.
He's the smallest, the most timid. Everyone else left the nest first; he came out the next day. We found him flopping around on the ground, trying to fly.
"Hmm. Can't fly yet, and as skittish as Seondeo..."
Hey, bro! Whatcha sayin'? I ain't skittish!
Il-nam-i nudged the flailing Seondeo aside again and opened his beak.
And Neoro... rumor among the birds is he's not alone anymore. He's been hanging with some patchy-looking mean mug of a cat. We haven't seen it ourselves, but those two are behind Maeng-maeng-i's family vanishing.
Two feral strays with strong wild instincts? Taking out twelve chickadees in seconds would've been easy.
'Or... they were abandoned.'
The animal world was brutal.
Birds would smash their own eggs if they deemed the nest unsafe, or toss out the runts.
"Hmm... how about I keep Maeng-maeng-i with me for a bit? What do you think?"
You, bro?
Seondeo blinked his beady eyes, clearly caught off guard.
"Yeah. If those strays did kill his family, sending him back to the Big Rock like this could be dangerous. We can do foraging and flight practice safely at the clinic."
But... ya can't fly yerself, bro?
"I can't fly, but I know plenty. Remember how I nailed all your favorite foods, Seondeo?"
True enough. Everythin' ya said to try was delish!
I lightly scratched Seondeo's fluffy little head as he bobbed it. He'd be even cuter if he just shut up sometimes.
"Once Maeng-maeng-i can fend for himself, I'll bring him back to the Big Rock. Until then, let me know if you hear anything about his family."
All I could hope was that Seondeo and Il-nam-i found some trace of Maeng-maeng-i's kin while he stayed with me.
After Seondeo and Il-nam-i's surprise visit...
A week had flown by, and today was a big day: Kang Ha-neul's first official shift at Hanmaum Animal Hospital.
"Good! Faster! Pin the wriggly ones with your front talons first, then... yes! Perfect. Swallow 'em quick like that."
Mmm~ Tastyyy!
But before welcoming Kang Ha-neul, in the early morning hush before everyone arrived, I was handling another crucial task on the rooftop: Maeng-maeng-i's rigorous training!
"Hey! No picking just the mealworms—crickets and pumpkin seeds too. Teacher's told you a dozen times: balanced meals are key."
Yeth!
"What comes soon?"
Fall!
I nodded solemnly as Maeng-maeng-i proudly stuck out his plump belly and bellowed his answer.
"Right. Fall. Never take it lightly. They call it the season of great appetite..."
Thnack?
"Yep. Food everywhere. Everyone lets their guard down, but you gotta stuff yourself and scout good spots. Once fall ends and winter hits, what then?"
Cold! Thuper cold!
"Exactly. Winter's war."
He got it right away—repetition paid off. Arms crossed, I pressed on.
"A chickadee eats 85,000 to 100,000 larvae a year. They help leaves grow by munching pests, saving forests. That's the noble chickadee diet!"
Tho cool!
Good thing I couldn't hear insects like crickets or mealworms—animal voices only.
"To live that epic life, survive fall and winter. Come fall, stash tree fruits anywhere you can—home, secret bark cracks, under rocks only you know. That's how you endure brutal winter. Got it?"
Got it!
"So practice mixing in those pumpkin and sunflower seeds. No picky eating."
Mmm, delith! Tho good!
Thanks to his hearty appetite, Maeng-maeng-i had gone from underweight to normal, and his butt-lifted poops were firm and perfect.
"Good. Meals and poop training: flawless. Next up?"
Flight... Can Maeng-maeng-i do it?
Head drooping like his belly moments ago, he looked defeated.
"Chin up, Maeng-maeng-i. You haven't forgotten our training, right?"
Thort of...
"Key is unbreakable spirit! No fear—start low branches, work up. Go!"
Here goeth!
Over the week, Maeng-maeng-i had crushed mealworms with his beak and snatched crickets like a beast.
Flight training? Near failing.
'Show me. Show you've changed since day one!'
Tense moment.
Maeng-maeng-i, grim-faced, launched at the bars on varying-height cages.
Flap flap!
I did it!
"Stage one cleared! No slacking—next bar! Keep going! You got this!"
Maeng-maeng-i can do it!
Chirping fiercely, he soared higher, nailing stage two.
His determination misted my eyes.
But I was the cold drill sergeant now.
Suppressing the swell, I pointed to stage three: aerial swing.
"Stage three—careful! Wobble? Don't panic, grip hard... yes!"
I can do it!
Incredible.
He aced the aerial swing—30% success before—first try.
Flap! Flap! Flap flap!
p>
Confidence boosted, he rocketed to the highest bar a meter away.
Maeng-maeng-i can do it!!
"Y-yes! Wings steady to the end—higher!"
His bold leap to stage four branch—the one he'd never touched!
'No way!'
Stage four crushed—electric thrill shot through my clenched fists!
'Perfect. Just stage five left!'
Stage five: two full rooftop loops, land in my hand.
"Fly! You're a wild chickadee! Devourer of 100,000 bugs!"
Maeng-maeng-i ith chickadee!!
Like a dragon piercing the sky!
Maeng-maeng-i shot up too fast to track, looped twice—no, three times—then winged straight to my hand.
Hop!
"You... you did it! Nailed it!"
Hah... huff... Maeng-maeng-i ith chickadee! Did it! Chickadee Maeng-maeng-i!
"Hahaha! Great... poop training aside... no, perfect."
Hehe, Maeng-maeng-i ith chickadee!
Relaxed? He plopped a firm poop on landing—but it was endearing. Nature was his toilet anyway.
Dad... can't Maeng-maeng-i stay with us? No family's at Big Rock anymore.
After final training.
Ssal-i drooped his ears and tail, radiating gloom at news of Maeng-maeng-i's release tomorrow.
"Ssal-i, he's wild. Birds love open skies over cages—like your daily walks."
...
I patted the sulking Ssal-i, slumped like a puddle.
"Sending him back tomorrow evening, so take good care today?"
Ugh... fine. But we visit Big Rock lots for Maeng-maeng-i!
"Of course. Oh, Ssal-i—Dad's got dinner plans. Can you handle yours?"
Yep! Bye! Maeng-maeng-i, where? Play with big bro!
Perked up, Ssal-i bounced off to find him. I headed downstairs.
"You're here, Director. We're ready."
"Morning."
"Sorry if we're late. Shall we? It's Ha-neul's welcome—pick his faves."
"Haha, I eat my size worth. No picky eater. Don't know local spots—your call, Director or tech."
"Hmm? For foodies, our Mi-so..."
"Got it. My expertise. Follow me."
Kim Mi-so shrugged proudly—her hobby was scouting eats—and led.
I quizzed Kang Ha-neul on his first day as we walked, arriving soon at a pork spot.
"Here. Iberico pork specialist—tasty stuff. Ha-neul, Iberico okay?"
"Haha, told you I eat big. Let's go."
No prime Hanwoo, thank god—mouth dried less with pork.
'...Why's pork priced like beef?'
Pre-menu thought.
But first welcome couldn't bankrupt me.
"Boss! Premium set, please. Rice, cold noodles, cola too."
Still okay. Installments exist.
Premium Iberico—waiter grilled tableside.
"Quick rundown: you ordered bellota, Iberico's top grade. Purebreds raised 17+ months, acorn-fed pasture from October to March for certification..."
Explanation sold the price—natural grazing made sense.
"All done! Start with plated."
"Thanks. Dig in."
"Enjoy, Director!"
"Eat up. More if needed."
Waiter left with golden bellota. Kang Ha-neul clasped hands, eyes shut.
Like prayer.
"Churchgoer, Ha-neul?"
"Nah, not church."
"Then why pray?"
Kim Mi-so's curiosity made him scratch his neck sheepishly.
"Might seem weird. Silent moment of respect and thanks for the animal's life before meat. Ritual to recall that feeling. Sorry if it bothers—old job had folks uncomfortable..."
"No way! Super cool. I don't pray, but can't snap pics of meat dishes either."
"Haha, yeah. Our job, after all."
Lifelong vegetarianism? Near impossible—humans built for omnivory. So personal thanks it was.
Bellota bites and sips loosened us up.
"No fair! Size means large animal vet?"
"Prof saw my build, pushed hard. Did large animal internship briefly, but small pets fit better, haha."
Local clinics: small animals (dogs/cats). Large: cows, pigs, horses, sheep, goats—industry.
Build-based prof? World had weirdos.
"Enter free, but leaving? Nah. Stay at Hanmaum forever?"
"Hahaha. Deal, Director."
"Cheers again to Ha-neul! Glasses high!"
"Director drinks like a fish but can't hold it. More meat? Ha-neul needs."
"Kinda full, but light five more portions?"
Buzzed bliss vanished like midsummer dream.
"...Boss. Pork belly five servings. Boss?"
Shaky hand calling—staff mesmerized by TV.
"Whoa... psycho? What kinda scum?"
"Lock trash like that up. Tsk."
Angry mutters drew my eyes to the screen.
"Ha..."
Rage like lightning struck my brain at the news.