The Haunt of Jackals

Black were his slick, shiny feathers like fingers. He stretched out his wings in the cool autumn breeze. His dark, piercing eyes watched the soldiers below him. The raven was watching for days from the trees. He bound from a branch. How impressive. His wingspan. He silently swooped, though the valley was wide. How guarded? How safe was the state of the kingdom?

He floated with ease to the far distant side. He counted the soldiers five, six, seven, eight. He wanted to laugh, but he made himself wait. Below him the soldiers made ready for war. But they'd never battled the darkness before. Black was the coat of the creature in hiding. Crouching and crawling with chest to the ground. Moving from shadow in silence to shadow.

And nearing the horses with nary a sound. Listening now from the thick of a thicket. The soldiers were boasting. The village was still the hound in the thicket. Then sneered in amazement and thought to himself they'd be easy to kill. He counted the soldiers one, two, three, and four. He felt that he needed to watch anymore, blind to an enemy they'd never met.

For once when they meet us, they'll never forget. Black is in darkness but blind is in color. Her hair was wound tight. In a long, lovely braid. Seeking medicinal roots from the forest. Presenting to others the young healthy. Made a keeper of children for women are gentle. She laughed. They were blind but believe they had sight. Unstudied. Unwise.

Uncovered. These people were highly unlikely to last through the night. She counted the children two, three, four and five. Don't kill them, they told her. We want them alive. So she taught them their letters and taught them to sing. And taught them to doubt in the covenant King. There was no raven, no hound, and no maiden. Only the hiss and an uncovered shell.

Methodically hunting the hearts of beloved. The capture of one was a victory in hell. One at a time. An intentional arrow. It flies through the heart. How the metal can pierce what you can't see. That's the message, my darling. The enemy comes and the battle is fierce. Ravens come swooping and jackals come stalking and uncovered. People can teach you to sing.

But you'll miss the story when Christ receives glory. If you fail to meet him, the covenant king.