Malcolm gave his big brother a pat on the shoulder, then crouched low. The little raccoon was extraordinarily quick, moving stealthily from one cedar to the next. The crows on the ground were too busy to notice. The tall cedar tree was one more tree away.

He hid under an evergreen and looked out of the branches at Isaac, who waited for his moment. Malcolm looked up. Two crows sat below the thief, one halfway down the tree, the other near the bottom. He picked up two rocks and took aim at the bottom crow.

“Come on, Malcolm. I know you can hit ‘im!” Isaac whispered.

Malcolm lined up his victim with his fist, pulled back, and let the rock go. Whap! He hit the crow square in the head and it fell unconscious against the branch.

“Nice one, little brother!”

The crows on the ground didn’t hear or see anything, but the crow above felt the branches shake. “What’s the matter, Lucky? You afraid of heights?” Malcolm took the other rock and aimed at the more difficult second target. “Lucky? You down there?” Bap! He lost his footing and fell through some branches before landing on Lucky’s.

“Bardo, who’re you talking to?” the crow at the top of the tree asked. Malcolm looked up at his final target and knew he was too far away for a dead shot. He grabbed another rock and checked the area. It was clear. He raced from the evergreen to the cedar and clawed his way from the base to the first branch.

“Bardo? What did you do, fall or something?” Malcolm knew it wouldn’t take long before he found out. As quietly as he could, he ascended the trunk.

The two knocked-out crows were waking up. “Rock, Bardo… buh muuh,” Lucky mumbled. Bardo’s wings fluttered. Malcolm continued climbing, the rock in his mouth.

The crow with the collar was troubled. “Bardo, answer me or I’m coming–”

“Hey, Clack!” a crow yelled from below. “We all think it’s time for you to give that collar to Don Diego!”

“Mind your own business, pea brains!” Malcolm was on the branch beneath him. He looked for a clean shot at the crow’s head but didn’t have one. Isaac had to act.

“That shiny collar would look good around Don Diego’s neck, eh, boys?” A burly crow pushed his way through the others. “Why don’t we go up there and teach Clack a lesson in loyalty?” Snap! The crows looked over at Isaac, who’d stepped on a dead stick.

“Hi, guys!” Isaac said. “Is this the right place for little Diego’s birthday party?”

“It’s one of Marlon’s goons! Get him boys!” Caw, Caw!