Hello, and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtime a dream. Have any of you ever tried to one dive into a swimming pool, or two do the long jump, or three perhaps attempt a tricky flip on the trampoline. If so, you'll have a good idea of how the Albatross is in tonight's story. Are feeling for tonight? We have front row seats on the runway at Albatross Airport where the newest recruits are learning some essential skills. It is a real hoot. So settle down into bed and shake off the day. It's time to give your body and mind a good rest. Breathe in through your nose and then now slowly and do that a few more times until you feel like you want to be still and listen. Whilst you do that, I'm going to remind you that Albatross Airways is based in Sleepy Forest and Coco, the Koala Peanut, the armadillo and the tooth fairies are all big fans of their impeccable flying skills. Today it's a crucial day when the new recruits come in to start to learn how to be a pilot for Albatross Airways. So if you're ready, snuggle down and let's begin. Captain Feathers New Recruits by Jane Thomas. Perhaps you've heard of Albatross Airways, the airline that's based in the heart of Sleepy Forest. It's where all the animals go when it's time to dissaber on holiday, whether that's to the highest, snowiest slopes of the mountains or the softest, sandiest beaches of the coast. Albatross Airways flies to all corners of the world, taking in the greatest cities, the tiniest villages, the most remote, duel like gems of islands, and a million more places than a single creature can visit in their lifetime. In England, there's a teeny tiny village called Great Snoring. It's one of Albatross airways most popular routes, along with Eggs and Bacon Bay in Tasmonia, Go Go Go in Madagascar, and of course Monkey's Eyebrow in Kentucky. It turns out, though, when there's so much world to see, it's hard to chew sometimes, so often the animals of Sleepy Forests just pick a place name that tickles them silly and go.

Hello, and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtime a dream. Have any of you ever tried to one dive into a swimming pool, or two do the long jump, or three perhaps attempt a tricky flip on the trampoline. If so, you'll have a good idea of how the Albatross is in tonight's story. Are feeling for tonight? We have front row seats on the runway at Albatross Airport where the newest recruits are learning some essential skills. It is a real hoot. So settle down into bed and shake off the day. It's time to give your body and mind a good rest. Breathe in through your nose and then now slowly and do that a few more times until you feel like you want to be still and listen. Whilst you do that, I'm going to remind you that Albatross Airways is based in Sleepy Forest and Coco, the Koala Peanut, the armadillo and the tooth fairies are all big fans of their impeccable flying skills. Today it's a crucial day when the new recruits come in to start to learn how to be a pilot for Albatross Airways. So if you're ready, snuggle down and let's begin. Captain Feathers New Recruits by Jane Thomas. Perhaps you've heard of Albatross Airways, the airline that's based in the heart of Sleepy Forest. It's where all the animals go when it's time to dissaber on holiday, whether that's to the highest, snowiest slopes of the mountains or the softest, sandiest beaches of the coast. Albatross Airways flies to all corners of the world, taking in the greatest cities, the tiniest villages, the most remote, duel like gems of islands, and a million more places than a single creature can visit in their lifetime. In England, there's a teeny tiny village called Great Snoring. It's one of Albatross airways most popular routes, along with Eggs and Bacon Bay in Tasmonia, Go Go Go in Madagascar, and of course Monkey's Eyebrow in Kentucky. It turns out, though, when there's so much world to see, it's hard to chew sometimes, so often the animals of Sleepy Forests just pick a place name that tickles them silly and go.

There are the.

There are the.

Wonderful way of choosing a holiday, don't you think. Marshal the Tortoise is heading to his job at Albatross Airways this morning. He's always one of the first to arrive, leaving home before the sun has peered across the horizon, and when the sky is a mass of dark blues and glorious purples, and is still dotted with speckles of silver stars. Marshall moves slowly through the fields and along the paths that lead to the airport, taking his time to nod a good morning and a hello to all the other animals who are just heading out into the new day. And he says sweet dreams to all the animals who are disappearing into their dens, the moles and badgers and hedgehogs who sleep during the day and head out into the world at night. For it's only polite to give others the appropriate greeting. Dew still glistens on the grass, perfect silver drops that glimmer and shine, And as the sun slowly rises and sunbeams stretch across the land, those silver drops each suddenly contain.

Wonderful way of choosing a holiday, don't you think. Marshal the Tortoise is heading to his job at Albatross Airways this morning. He's always one of the first to arrive, leaving home before the sun has peered across the horizon, and when the sky is a mass of dark blues and glorious purples, and is still dotted with speckles of silver stars. Marshall moves slowly through the fields and along the paths that lead to the airport, taking his time to nod a good morning and a hello to all the other animals who are just heading out into the new day. And he says sweet dreams to all the animals who are disappearing into their dens, the moles and badgers and hedgehogs who sleep during the day and head out into the world at night. For it's only polite to give others the appropriate greeting. Dew still glistens on the grass, perfect silver drops that glimmer and shine, And as the sun slowly rises and sunbeams stretch across the land, those silver drops each suddenly contain.

A perfect rainbow.

A perfect rainbow.

This magic trick of nature always makes Marshall smile, and he keeps an eye out for the spiders webs that have appeared overnight, because they will for sure be extraordinary, exquisite patterns and shapes dotted with the teeniest rainbows of all. Marshall waves cheerfully to the owl behind the information desk. However, early Marshal gets up to go to work, however much he tries to hurry his way through the fields, the owl is always there before him. Marshall secretly thinks she never leaves. He trots slowly past the vast hor where the flamingo has just arrived and is busy unrolling a series of sky blue yoga mats, ready for the arrival of the albatrosses who will visit her for their daily walmarp session. Marshall tried to join in once, but kept finding himself rolling onto his back and needing to be rescued by one of the others. So now he leaves the complicated wing stretches and neck rolls and leg bends to the experts. Marshall's job at the airport is perhaps one of the most important. It is a job that his family has done for generations. They've passed down their skills from father to son, from mother to daughter for thousands of years, and it is something tortoises do the world over. They first realized they had this particular skill over in the Galapagos, a remote clutch of islands that drift around in the Pacific oak and where some of the strangest, most ancient, most peculiar wildlife lives. That skill just happens to be clearing runways. Runways for albatrosses. Just like the Galapagus sleepy forest is full of trees and flowers and shrubs that like to sprawl about the place. Without Marshall and his coworkers' efforts munching and chewing the leaves away from the runway, the albatrosses wouldn't be able to take off without tripping up on vines and banging their wings on the trees. There are very few jobs in the world where you are paid to eat your favorite foods all day, every day. But Marshall the Tortoise has one of them here at the Albatross Airways Airport, and there isn't a chance he will give it up for anything. Today just so happens to be the day when new albatrosses are brought to the airport and for the very first time they start learning how to be pilots able to fly animals to all corners of the world. This is another part of the job that Marshall loves because it is so very, very very funny. Albatrosses, you see, are famously bad at taking off and landing. Flying is not a problem at all, and in fact, they can fly for days at a time with their wings spread wide and floating high on the air currents. But taking off and landing, oh dear. Since taking off and landing are both pretty important parts of providing an aeroplane service, the training is taken very seriously. Indeed, new recruits are brought in once a year. Marshall leads the team in creating an entirely separate runway just for their training, in order to ensure that the running of the usual airport services isn't interrupted at all. For the past few weeks, Marshall has overseen the creation of a three hundred meter long strip of clear land. Once he had cleared the plants, the earth needed to be stamped down as hard as possible to make the runway nice and solid, and for this they always brought in a team of elephants. The elephants slowly pace up and down, their giant feet, sending out vibrations into the land around, and for three whole days they will walk solemnly up and down the new runway, their trunks swinging gently as they go, and giant ears flapping the flies away either end of the runway. Marshall and his team leave huge troughs filled with bunches of bananas and watermelons and papayas and all the sweet treats elephants love to eat. And if they're working on particularly hot days, he employs groups of monkeys to run alongside and throw cooling water over the elephants as they stamp and sway, stamp and sway. It is the turn of Captain Feathers to guide the new albatrosses this time. And here she comes walking out onto the new runway, her shiny black pilot's cap in place, carrying out an inspection. One loose stone or one mistweed could spell disaster, and she walks along, wings behind her back, peering closely at the ground. He covers every inch of that runway, big feet, padding across the dirt, and Marshall waits, holding his breath for her final word of approval. Captain Feathers approaches him and issues a salute with her wing.

This magic trick of nature always makes Marshall smile, and he keeps an eye out for the spiders webs that have appeared overnight, because they will for sure be extraordinary, exquisite patterns and shapes dotted with the teeniest rainbows of all. Marshall waves cheerfully to the owl behind the information desk. However, early Marshal gets up to go to work, however much he tries to hurry his way through the fields, the owl is always there before him. Marshall secretly thinks she never leaves. He trots slowly past the vast hor where the flamingo has just arrived and is busy unrolling a series of sky blue yoga mats, ready for the arrival of the albatrosses who will visit her for their daily walmarp session. Marshall tried to join in once, but kept finding himself rolling onto his back and needing to be rescued by one of the others. So now he leaves the complicated wing stretches and neck rolls and leg bends to the experts. Marshall's job at the airport is perhaps one of the most important. It is a job that his family has done for generations. They've passed down their skills from father to son, from mother to daughter for thousands of years, and it is something tortoises do the world over. They first realized they had this particular skill over in the Galapagos, a remote clutch of islands that drift around in the Pacific oak and where some of the strangest, most ancient, most peculiar wildlife lives. That skill just happens to be clearing runways. Runways for albatrosses. Just like the Galapagus sleepy forest is full of trees and flowers and shrubs that like to sprawl about the place. Without Marshall and his coworkers' efforts munching and chewing the leaves away from the runway, the albatrosses wouldn't be able to take off without tripping up on vines and banging their wings on the trees. There are very few jobs in the world where you are paid to eat your favorite foods all day, every day. But Marshall the Tortoise has one of them here at the Albatross Airways Airport, and there isn't a chance he will give it up for anything. Today just so happens to be the day when new albatrosses are brought to the airport and for the very first time they start learning how to be pilots able to fly animals to all corners of the world. This is another part of the job that Marshall loves because it is so very, very very funny. Albatrosses, you see, are famously bad at taking off and landing. Flying is not a problem at all, and in fact, they can fly for days at a time with their wings spread wide and floating high on the air currents. But taking off and landing, oh dear. Since taking off and landing are both pretty important parts of providing an aeroplane service, the training is taken very seriously. Indeed, new recruits are brought in once a year. Marshall leads the team in creating an entirely separate runway just for their training, in order to ensure that the running of the usual airport services isn't interrupted at all. For the past few weeks, Marshall has overseen the creation of a three hundred meter long strip of clear land. Once he had cleared the plants, the earth needed to be stamped down as hard as possible to make the runway nice and solid, and for this they always brought in a team of elephants. The elephants slowly pace up and down, their giant feet, sending out vibrations into the land around, and for three whole days they will walk solemnly up and down the new runway, their trunks swinging gently as they go, and giant ears flapping the flies away either end of the runway. Marshall and his team leave huge troughs filled with bunches of bananas and watermelons and papayas and all the sweet treats elephants love to eat. And if they're working on particularly hot days, he employs groups of monkeys to run alongside and throw cooling water over the elephants as they stamp and sway, stamp and sway. It is the turn of Captain Feathers to guide the new albatrosses this time. And here she comes walking out onto the new runway, her shiny black pilot's cap in place, carrying out an inspection. One loose stone or one mistweed could spell disaster, and she walks along, wings behind her back, peering closely at the ground. He covers every inch of that runway, big feet, padding across the dirt, and Marshall waits, holding his breath for her final word of approval. Captain Feathers approaches him and issues a salute with her wing.

Top work, she tells him.

Top work, she tells him.

And then adds with a wink, as always, Marshall, as always, and the tatos grins and salutes back. Captain Feathers leans back her head and calls loudly the shriek, heading far away, up into the clouds, but more importantly, as far as the giant hanger, back where the new recruits have been limbering up under the watchful eye of the flamingo. Three albatrosses emerge, all blushing and giggling and excited, trying to march together in time for far to excited to get it quite right.

And then adds with a wink, as always, Marshall, as always, and the tatos grins and salutes back. Captain Feathers leans back her head and calls loudly the shriek, heading far away, up into the clouds, but more importantly, as far as the giant hanger, back where the new recruits have been limbering up under the watchful eye of the flamingo. Three albatrosses emerge, all blushing and giggling and excited, trying to march together in time for far to excited to get it quite right.

They have name badges.

They have name badges.

Hanging around their necks, and as always, Marshall picks his winner and whispers it to Captain Feathers. Sheila, he says, gesturing towards the albatross on the far right, who is wandering off to look at a burble flower. She will outshine the others. You mark my words. Captain Feathers raises an eyebrow and looks at Marshall, thinking to herself he's lost his touch. Sheila, she repeats, fine, not on a whole letters to you if she's the best, and a handful of seed to me if she isn't. It's a deal. Marshall potters off to check if the chinchillas need anything. They're the baggage experts airport and make sure all luggage is safely stowed away on the right albatross at the right time, and leaves Captain Feathers to the lesson. Sheila and the other two recruits line up at the end of the runway. All right, says Captain Feathers. Show me what you've got. I want a take off, a clean swooping arc in the air, and a landing. The first albatross fixes on a point at the far end of the runway. He spreads his wings. He starts running on the spot and stays there for a moment, and another moment and another, before he shuts his eyes and launches himself forwards. His great wingtips reach to the very edges of the runway and he flaps the giant wings. Ah burn down, ah burn down, his legs jumping furiously as he builds up speed. He opens his eyes just before he crashes unceremoniously into the mango tree, her little puff of feathers going.

Hanging around their necks, and as always, Marshall picks his winner and whispers it to Captain Feathers. Sheila, he says, gesturing towards the albatross on the far right, who is wandering off to look at a burble flower. She will outshine the others. You mark my words. Captain Feathers raises an eyebrow and looks at Marshall, thinking to herself he's lost his touch. Sheila, she repeats, fine, not on a whole letters to you if she's the best, and a handful of seed to me if she isn't. It's a deal. Marshall potters off to check if the chinchillas need anything. They're the baggage experts airport and make sure all luggage is safely stowed away on the right albatross at the right time, and leaves Captain Feathers to the lesson. Sheila and the other two recruits line up at the end of the runway. All right, says Captain Feathers. Show me what you've got. I want a take off, a clean swooping arc in the air, and a landing. The first albatross fixes on a point at the far end of the runway. He spreads his wings. He starts running on the spot and stays there for a moment, and another moment and another, before he shuts his eyes and launches himself forwards. His great wingtips reach to the very edges of the runway and he flaps the giant wings. Ah burn down, ah burn down, his legs jumping furiously as he builds up speed. He opens his eyes just before he crashes unceremoniously into the mango tree, her little puff of feathers going.

Up in the air.

Up in the air.

He walks slowly back to captain feathers, feeling a little sorry for himself. Don't worry, she says soothingly. Let me guess who closed your eyes, didn't you? The albatross nods sadly, picking bits of mango out of his feathers. She tells him this is a standard mistake that they all make when they first start. And let me tell you, she says with a smile, landing in a mango tree is a lot more comfortable than the cactus I crashed into. That raises a giggle, and the embarrassed Albertras smiles. Maybe he'll figure this out after all. The second albatross lines up to have her go. She also spreads her wings as wide as she can and fixes on a point at the far end of the runway. She pumps her feet up and down, up and down, and then launches herself forwards. She wants to close her eyes for she remembers the lesson and fixates on the point ahead, running towards it for all she is worth Everything is going so very well, until suddenly she's rolling over herself, her mad jumble of wings and beak and feet and feathers in a giant white ball, charging towards the edge of the runway.

He walks slowly back to captain feathers, feeling a little sorry for himself. Don't worry, she says soothingly. Let me guess who closed your eyes, didn't you? The albatross nods sadly, picking bits of mango out of his feathers. She tells him this is a standard mistake that they all make when they first start. And let me tell you, she says with a smile, landing in a mango tree is a lot more comfortable than the cactus I crashed into. That raises a giggle, and the embarrassed Albertras smiles. Maybe he'll figure this out after all. The second albatross lines up to have her go. She also spreads her wings as wide as she can and fixes on a point at the far end of the runway. She pumps her feet up and down, up and down, and then launches herself forwards. She wants to close her eyes for she remembers the lesson and fixates on the point ahead, running towards it for all she is worth Everything is going so very well, until suddenly she's rolling over herself, her mad jumble of wings and beak and feet and feathers in a giant white ball, charging towards the edge of the runway.

With a huge.

With a huge.

Splash and a crash, she rolls into a pond, sending and water boatmen charging to the sides. She sits up and spits out a goldfish, pouring herself out of the water and squelching back towards the others. Captain Feathers is there waiting for her, with a soft smile upon her face. Don't worry, she says, calmly.

Splash and a crash, she rolls into a pond, sending and water boatmen charging to the sides. She sits up and spits out a goldfish, pouring herself out of the water and squelching back towards the others. Captain Feathers is there waiting for her, with a soft smile upon her face. Don't worry, she says, calmly.

Do you know what happened there?

Do you know what happened there?

You were doing terribly well, but then you forgot to lift off, didn't you. Your feathers were going faster than your feet. She tells them all that this is another standard mistake, and that yes, she too, visited the pond on many occasions back in her early days of training. There's a babble of activity behind them, and they all turn to see a line of animals walking out towards a waiting albatross. The chinchillers are working in a long line, passing the suitcases and packages from one to the next, and then throwing them up to one who waits right on the tail of the albatross. He safely stows the bags, securing them in place with long looping bungee cords. The animals are getting into place on the wings of the albatross, strapping themselves into their seats and leaning forwards to pick up the leaflets about the in flight service. The three training albatrosses watch with wide eyes as two tigadees work their way along the rods, tightening a seat out here and handing out a blanket there, and then taking seats for themselves. In readiness for takeoff, The albatross pops his goggle in place and follows the instructions of a rabbit, who directs him to the correct place on the runway, waving and pointing with two large carrots. Once in place, the rabbit hops off and quickly eats the carrots. He'll pretend later that he's lost them and needs to get another two for the next job. These airport rabbits are like that, you know, very cheerful, very good at their job, but very very cheeky. The albatross flaps his wings slowly and evenly, and starts running down the runway. It almost seems as though he isn't going to take off in time, but then he gives one mighty flap and swoops up into the air, heading towards the puffs of drifting white clouds. The trainees watch until he is only a speck, and then just like that, he has disappeared into a marshmallow cloud to whisk all the animals away on their adventure. Captain Feathers turns to her recruits, and that's how it's done, she says.

You were doing terribly well, but then you forgot to lift off, didn't you. Your feathers were going faster than your feet. She tells them all that this is another standard mistake, and that yes, she too, visited the pond on many occasions back in her early days of training. There's a babble of activity behind them, and they all turn to see a line of animals walking out towards a waiting albatross. The chinchillers are working in a long line, passing the suitcases and packages from one to the next, and then throwing them up to one who waits right on the tail of the albatross. He safely stows the bags, securing them in place with long looping bungee cords. The animals are getting into place on the wings of the albatross, strapping themselves into their seats and leaning forwards to pick up the leaflets about the in flight service. The three training albatrosses watch with wide eyes as two tigadees work their way along the rods, tightening a seat out here and handing out a blanket there, and then taking seats for themselves. In readiness for takeoff, The albatross pops his goggle in place and follows the instructions of a rabbit, who directs him to the correct place on the runway, waving and pointing with two large carrots. Once in place, the rabbit hops off and quickly eats the carrots. He'll pretend later that he's lost them and needs to get another two for the next job. These airport rabbits are like that, you know, very cheerful, very good at their job, but very very cheeky. The albatross flaps his wings slowly and evenly, and starts running down the runway. It almost seems as though he isn't going to take off in time, but then he gives one mighty flap and swoops up into the air, heading towards the puffs of drifting white clouds. The trainees watch until he is only a speck, and then just like that, he has disappeared into a marshmallow cloud to whisk all the animals away on their adventure. Captain Feathers turns to her recruits, and that's how it's done, she says.

But even he.

But even he.

Started his flying days in the pond, and he knows that mango tree better than anyone else here. Don't worry, you'll all get there in the end. Okay, Sheila, show me what you've got. Marshall moves across so he can see the trainee's runway. He settles down with his lunch of cucumber sticks and waits to see if he has backed the right albatross. He watches as Sheila walks nervously to the end of the runway. Sheila looks up and finds a distant point to aim for. She stretches out her wings first, her left as far as it will go, and then her right, as far as that one will go. She flexes her legs, she checks her tail feathers. She starts a mantra inside her head. I must not close my eyes. I must not close my eyes. I must not close my eyes, she tells herself. Slowly, she starts to flap the great wings up and down, and slowly she starts to walk forwards. Then this turns into a jog, before finally it is a full on sprint. Her eyes are fixated on the final point, and she feels the wind rushing against her face. Her wings flap faster and faster, and just before she thinks she's going to become a giant ball of feathers and wings and beak and feet, she launches into the air. She flies for a few meters, and then her feet touched the ground again. She paddles quickly, pushing off once more from the hard red earth and flapping harder and harder, and off she goes once more. This time she's made it. She tucks her feet in neatly and soars up into the sky, smiling to herself and daring to look down on sleepy forest as it spreads out beneath her. Sheila lets herself fly for a full minute before she tilts her right wing and turns in a slow, graceful arc. She swoops back towards the runway, lowering her feet just in time. And suddenly she's a ball of feathers and wings and beak and feet after all, and she's rolling past the others, and there's nothing she can do to stop herself barreling into Marshall's shell. Sheila looks up, unbelievably embarrassed to see a kindly tortoise smiling at her and offering a cucumber stick. So very nearly perfect. He says to her, you know, I think you just need to tilt those wings of yours a little bit as you come into land, get the brakes on earlier, and you'll be fine, just fine. Of course he's right, and Sheila realizes it a moment he says it. It's a perfectly timed lesson, because she turns to see an albatross swooping into land, watching how he curves his wings to slow his descent. There is no jolting, jarring, awkward landing, but a smooth, easy glide towards the ground, the feet barely doing any of the work, and the wings doing everything. The albatross comes to a halt alongside her, and Sheila watches as the rabbit rushes out, grabbing two carrots from a pile and shrugging as if to say he has no idea where the others went. The rabbit guides the albatross slowly forwards to the perfect spot, where a team of chinchillas waits to start unloading the luggage. Sheila sees sparrows and skylarks, and field mice and koalas and all manner of animals comes sliding down the giant wings and on to the runway, all of them wearing giant straw hats and clutching books and bottles of sunscreen. She hears a pair of doves chattering excitedly about how beautiful Mexico is at this time of year, and Sheila instantly disappears into a day dream filled with golden beeches and Mayan ruins buried deep in the jungle, and hopes that one day, maybe this could be one of her flying roots. Walking back towards Captain Feathers and the others, Sheila is glowing. You did very well, says Captain Feathers, Marshal explained to you about the wing tilt, didn't he. Sheila nods, and the Captain smiles. You could do a lot worse than ask Marshall for tips, all of you. He's been around here for years and years, probably knows more about flying than I do, if truth be told. They'll come back tomorrow for another go at, taking off and landing under the watchful eye of Captain Feathers, But for now, the four of them head back towards the main building. Marshall smiles and waves, raising his eyebrows at the albatross in the peaked black pilot's cap, who nods and mouths that yes, she'll get the lettuce delivered to his home that very evening. They pass by the flamingo, who's rolling up the sky blue yoga mats and stowing them neatly in the corner of the giant hangar. They've all done wonderfully, says Captain Feathers. Just one quick visit to the mango tree and another to the pond, one encounter with a tortoise's shell.

Started his flying days in the pond, and he knows that mango tree better than anyone else here. Don't worry, you'll all get there in the end. Okay, Sheila, show me what you've got. Marshall moves across so he can see the trainee's runway. He settles down with his lunch of cucumber sticks and waits to see if he has backed the right albatross. He watches as Sheila walks nervously to the end of the runway. Sheila looks up and finds a distant point to aim for. She stretches out her wings first, her left as far as it will go, and then her right, as far as that one will go. She flexes her legs, she checks her tail feathers. She starts a mantra inside her head. I must not close my eyes. I must not close my eyes. I must not close my eyes, she tells herself. Slowly, she starts to flap the great wings up and down, and slowly she starts to walk forwards. Then this turns into a jog, before finally it is a full on sprint. Her eyes are fixated on the final point, and she feels the wind rushing against her face. Her wings flap faster and faster, and just before she thinks she's going to become a giant ball of feathers and wings and beak and feet, she launches into the air. She flies for a few meters, and then her feet touched the ground again. She paddles quickly, pushing off once more from the hard red earth and flapping harder and harder, and off she goes once more. This time she's made it. She tucks her feet in neatly and soars up into the sky, smiling to herself and daring to look down on sleepy forest as it spreads out beneath her. Sheila lets herself fly for a full minute before she tilts her right wing and turns in a slow, graceful arc. She swoops back towards the runway, lowering her feet just in time. And suddenly she's a ball of feathers and wings and beak and feet after all, and she's rolling past the others, and there's nothing she can do to stop herself barreling into Marshall's shell. Sheila looks up, unbelievably embarrassed to see a kindly tortoise smiling at her and offering a cucumber stick. So very nearly perfect. He says to her, you know, I think you just need to tilt those wings of yours a little bit as you come into land, get the brakes on earlier, and you'll be fine, just fine. Of course he's right, and Sheila realizes it a moment he says it. It's a perfectly timed lesson, because she turns to see an albatross swooping into land, watching how he curves his wings to slow his descent. There is no jolting, jarring, awkward landing, but a smooth, easy glide towards the ground, the feet barely doing any of the work, and the wings doing everything. The albatross comes to a halt alongside her, and Sheila watches as the rabbit rushes out, grabbing two carrots from a pile and shrugging as if to say he has no idea where the others went. The rabbit guides the albatross slowly forwards to the perfect spot, where a team of chinchillas waits to start unloading the luggage. Sheila sees sparrows and skylarks, and field mice and koalas and all manner of animals comes sliding down the giant wings and on to the runway, all of them wearing giant straw hats and clutching books and bottles of sunscreen. She hears a pair of doves chattering excitedly about how beautiful Mexico is at this time of year, and Sheila instantly disappears into a day dream filled with golden beeches and Mayan ruins buried deep in the jungle, and hopes that one day, maybe this could be one of her flying roots. Walking back towards Captain Feathers and the others, Sheila is glowing. You did very well, says Captain Feathers, Marshal explained to you about the wing tilt, didn't he. Sheila nods, and the Captain smiles. You could do a lot worse than ask Marshall for tips, all of you. He's been around here for years and years, probably knows more about flying than I do, if truth be told. They'll come back tomorrow for another go at, taking off and landing under the watchful eye of Captain Feathers, But for now, the four of them head back towards the main building. Marshall smiles and waves, raising his eyebrows at the albatross in the peaked black pilot's cap, who nods and mouths that yes, she'll get the lettuce delivered to his home that very evening. They pass by the flamingo, who's rolling up the sky blue yoga mats and stowing them neatly in the corner of the giant hangar. They've all done wonderfully, says Captain Feathers. Just one quick visit to the mango tree and another to the pond, one encounter with a tortoise's shell.

Not a bad start at all.

Not a bad start at all.

The flamingo nods in agreement, pink Head bouncing up and down, and she high fives each of the three recruits in turn as they pass by, pink and white feathers meeting in mid air. As the day draws to a close, Marshall heads home. A few chinchillas hop on his back. He'll drop them off at the night bus stop. On his way past. He waves goodbye to the owl at the information desk, the one he swears never leaves her post, and trundles slowly back along the lanes and through the fields that lead him to his home. At one point, a shadow looms over his head and he looks up Sea Captain feathers flying low in the sky a huge lettuce cawed between her feet that she drops gently just outside his home. She gives him a wave as she sweeps off into the sky, heading to her cozy bed in the treehouse she calls home. Marshall opens the blue wooden door to his cottage and breathes in the wonderful scent of home. He rolls the lettuce into the kitchen and peels off a leaf, munching contentedly as he heads towards his bed. He climbs the stairs slowly. A sweeping spiral of a staircase that leads to his bedroom. Marshall climbs into his favorite blue and white striped pajamas and tumbles into bed, pulling the covers up to his chin and closing his eyes with a happy sigh. To morrow, he and his team must head to the northeastern edge of the runway. The honeysuckle has started to creep back, its long green tendrils and golden sunset colored flowers spilling their way on to the earth. It will be the day for polishing the floors of the hangar too. When he puts one cloth beneath each foot and slides and glides slowly from left to right, back and forth across the shining wooden space, he knows the floor is finished when he can slip from one side to the other in a single movement. One of the few times he ever feels the wind in his face, and he closes his eyes and pretends that he is flying. In his sleep, he is flying too. He is on the back of a giant albatross, white wings stretched out wide on either side of him, moonbeam dancing off the feathers as he heads into a sky filled with stars that sparkle and shine They are flying far above sleepy forest, far above the animals all tucked up in their beds, and heading for an adventure in a place he has never known, at the other end of the world, known to

The flamingo nods in agreement, pink Head bouncing up and down, and she high fives each of the three recruits in turn as they pass by, pink and white feathers meeting in mid air. As the day draws to a close, Marshall heads home. A few chinchillas hop on his back. He'll drop them off at the night bus stop. On his way past. He waves goodbye to the owl at the information desk, the one he swears never leaves her post, and trundles slowly back along the lanes and through the fields that lead him to his home. At one point, a shadow looms over his head and he looks up Sea Captain feathers flying low in the sky a huge lettuce cawed between her feet that she drops gently just outside his home. She gives him a wave as she sweeps off into the sky, heading to her cozy bed in the treehouse she calls home. Marshall opens the blue wooden door to his cottage and breathes in the wonderful scent of home. He rolls the lettuce into the kitchen and peels off a leaf, munching contentedly as he heads towards his bed. He climbs the stairs slowly. A sweeping spiral of a staircase that leads to his bedroom. Marshall climbs into his favorite blue and white striped pajamas and tumbles into bed, pulling the covers up to his chin and closing his eyes with a happy sigh. To morrow, he and his team must head to the northeastern edge of the runway. The honeysuckle has started to creep back, its long green tendrils and golden sunset colored flowers spilling their way on to the earth. It will be the day for polishing the floors of the hangar too. When he puts one cloth beneath each foot and slides and glides slowly from left to right, back and forth across the shining wooden space, he knows the floor is finished when he can slip from one side to the other in a single movement. One of the few times he ever feels the wind in his face, and he closes his eyes and pretends that he is flying. In his sleep, he is flying too. He is on the back of a giant albatross, white wings stretched out wide on either side of him, moonbeam dancing off the feathers as he heads into a sky filled with stars that sparkle and shine They are flying far above sleepy forest, far above the animals all tucked up in their beds, and heading for an adventure in a place he has never known, at the other end of the world, known to