[Vfw-times] Adventures In Chattahoochee Hollar - On Eagle's Wings - PART 1 (3/?)

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Cloudchaser Shaconage angled the “Golden Eagle”, his Curtis JN-4D “Jenny”
biplane into a left yaw.  He flew over the remnants of the Appalachian 
Mountains
towards the small township of Chattahoochee Hollar.   The sun’s position told
him is was ten o’clock.  With high spirits and an eager grin, the red wolf 
flew low
over barns and rooftops to see children of all ages come running outside.  He
circled around the small town and flew another pass, this time over the Foxley
home.  Travis, who was still in the middle of doing various chores, heard the
plane and bolted for the door.

“He’s here, he’s here!” the vulpine boy yelled at the top of his lungs and 
jumped
up and down.  Travis ran outside and was soon joined by his family.

“He’ll be heading for Mr. Parker’s barn,” Mr. Foxley said to his wife, who 
was
shielding the sun from her eyes and was trying to follow the golden biplane.  
“I
was supposed to meet him out there with Pastor Frye when he got into town.”

“Do you supposed the pastor is already at Mr. Parker’s house?”  His wife 
asked.

“Yeah, he said he was going over there this morning to help finish with the
decorations.”

“Do you kids want to ride over there with me?”

“YEAH!”

“How about you?” the vulpine man asked his wife.

“Well, I don’t know, I’ve still got some things to finish up here.”

“You’ve been working hard all week.  Put that stuff down, and come on out 
there
with me.  I’m sure that missionary won’t mind if everything’s not in 
place.” he
said, reaching for her hand.

Mrs. Foxley blushed in front of the children.  “Well, give me a few minutes 
to get
myself ready!  Heavens, I must look a mess!  Anna and Stephanie will need to
change their dresses too.”

“You look more beautiful than the day we first got married,” Mr. Foxley said 
in his
deep baritone voice.

Mrs. Foxley took her hands from her husband’s and placed them on her blushing
face.  “Oh!  You make me blush so!”

The flushed vixen turned to her smiling girls.  “Come on, let’s get ready 
and we’ll
go!”

“Okay Mama!” Both girls giggled at their parents, following their mother 
inside.

Mr. Foxley looked at himself and Johnny, who had been working in the field 
that
morning.   “Come on, let’s get changed too.    Travis, just wait for us in 
the back
of the pickup.   We’ll grab the food, blankets and instruments on the way 
out.”


Youngsters came up to Jabe Parker’s field, following Cloudchaser like chicks
following a mother hen.   The young red wolf barely landed his biplane when 
the
children came up in droves on their bicycles, mules, and horses.   The 
Foxley’s,
Mr. Parker, and the Frye’s were approaching when the begoggled pilot jumped
out of the golden Jenny.   The children crowded in, asking the pilot dozens of
questions, and tried to get near his plane.  Travis leaped from among his 
family
to join in, but his mother caught him by his wrist and shook her head at him. 
 

“Woah!  Hold on there kids!” Mr. Frye called out loudly to the children as he
approached Mr. Shaconage.  The owl had his wings spread to get their 
attention. 
The children quieted down as the great horned owl extended a wing in 
friendship
to the chuckling pilot.  

“It’s quite allright, Pastor Frye,” Cloudchaser smiled, shaking the owl’s 
wing.   
“In fact, I have a little something for them.”  The wolf reached into the 
front seat
of his plane and retrieved a large bag.  He opened it, and passed out candy to
each child.    Pastor Frye looked at the biplane and noted 'Shaconage’s Aerial
Ministries' written in small cursive underneath the second cockpit.  He also
noticed 'Golden Eagle' in cursive near the nose of the plane.

“How long have you been in the ministry now?” the owl asked.

“This will be my fifth year.” the wolf said, tousling the hair atop a 
passing child’s
head.   “My next stop will be in Atlanta.”

“Do you ever get a chance to fly with your family in the circus?”

“Not much, unless I’m visiting with them of course.  In that case I may tour 
with
them for two weeks, but I haven’t seen my folks for a while.”

“Well, let me introduce you Mr. Jabe Parker, the man who owns this field, and
the Foxley’s.   The Foxley’s are the folks you will be staying with.”   
Cloud looked
at Mr. Parker, a badger, and then at the family of foxes.

“Sure!” Cloudchaser said, taking off his goggles and aviator’s cap.   
Stephanie
startled when she saw the face of the handsome young wolf in the dark brown
leather jacket, the white silk scarf breezing in the wind, and the black shiny
riding boots.   'How handsome!'  Her palms started to sweat and she looked at
the ground.   What was going on with her?   Why did her heart race?  Oh, how
embarrassing!   She looked back up to see the wolf shaking hands with 
Mr. Parker.   She wondered if anyone could hear her heartbeat as it pounded 
in her
ears.   Butterflies swirled in her stomach, and she felt a little faint.   
The pilot was
now shaking hands with her parents!  'Oh no', she thought!   It was 
unavoidable,
she would have to meet him.   A large lump formed in the back of her throat.  
Cloudchaser was now bent over and laughing and talking with Travis, who was
acting like an excited puppy, jumping up and down asking a million questions, 
in
Stephanie’s opinion.   'Oh, why am I acting this way?  What’s wrong with me? 
   
I’m just being silly!'  Stephanie wiped her sweaty palms on the sides her 
faded
floral dress when the wolf met with Anna.   Then, the dark red eyes of the 
pilot
met the soft blue ones of Stephanie’s.

“H-h-ello, I-I’m S-s-tephanie,” the vixen stammered, reaching for his 
outstretched
hand.   'Oh I’m such a baby!' What’s wrong with me?  Now I’ve really made a
fool of myself!'  The vixen’s heart thundered even louder.  

Anna laughed and whispered rather loudly to her mother, “I think Steph’s weak
in the knees over Mr. Cloudchaser!”   

Stephanie shot Anna an angry look, then looked nervously at the smiling 
pilot.  
Cloudchaser saw the frightened vixen and gently reached for her trembling
hands.  The wolf gave her a gentle smile.

“I’m Cloudchaser Shaconage,” he said looking at the vixen, whose bashful eyes
turned away to look at the ground.   With her hands in his, he came up with a
cheerful thought to ease her mind.

“Let me introduce you to my Jenny!”

The trembling vixen’s eyes looked up once more to look at Cloudchaser.  
“Jenny?”

“Yeah, she’s a very special girl!  I want you to meet her!”  Cloudchaser 
looked at
the Foxley’s for approval who were busy chatting with Pastor and Mrs. Frye and
Mr. Jabe Parker.   Unable to meet their gaze, Cloud led Stephanie to the
biplane.  The wolf’s grip was warm, yet firm in hers.

“This is the 'Golden Eagle'.  She’s a Curtiss JN-4D, but everyone who knows 
her
calls her Jenny.   The military commissioned the production of these little
beauties.  Nearly ten thousand were made, but they were never used for war.”

“Oh?”

“Heh..they were used as trainers.   By the time civilian pilots were trained 
for
combat, the war was over.   Kind of funny, isn’t it?”

Stephanie reached out to touch the gold plane, fingers lightly caressing the
fuselage.   “Well, I think it’s beautiful.”

“Well, I’ll have to agree with you there!  I’ve flown her with my brother in 
my
father’s flying circus, but now I just fly solo for my work in the 
ministry.”   Cloud
reached inside an inner pocket of his leather jacket and produced a folded 
piece
of paper.  “Look, my pilot’s certification is even signed by Mr. Orville 
Wright,
himself!”   Stephanie watched the red wolf unfold the distinguished document,
and studied the certification in awe.   

“Did you get to meet him?”

“Yup, shook hands with him when I got this license!”

“Oh Mr. Shaconage!”

“You don’t have to call me by my last name, you can call me by my first name 
if
you’d like!”

Stephanie was at ends with herself, not knowing what to say or do.    The 
vixen 
walked the length of the plane, inspecting the wings, struts, and flying 
wires. 
She unable to take her eyes off the beautiful machine.  “I-I’ve never flown 
in an
airplane before.   I’ve always wondered what it’s like to fly, free as a 
bird.”

The red wolf watched the vixen with a sense of pride at her adoration of his
plane.  “Well, maybe I can take you up later today!”

Stephanie turned around quickly to face the wolf.  “Oh, I can’t!  I’m scared 
to
death of heights,” she added, drawing her hands to her face.  “Besides, Mama
would never allow it.”

“Well, if Mama says no, then I understand!  But maybe one day, you’ll get a
cha...”

“Come on Stephanie,” Mrs. Foxley called to her daughter.  Stephanie looked
over at her parents, who were unloading the truck.

“Well, I’ve got to go and help.”

“Okay..I’ve got to get ready for the airshow this afternoon.  I’ll see you 
then!”

Stephanie walked away towards her parents and let out a sigh of relief as her
fluttering heart eased it’s beating wings.   Cloudchaser turned to his plane 
and
then turned back around to watch the young vixen walk off with her long auburn
hair and dress blowing gently in the southerly wind.  When she was out of
earshot, he whistled and shook his head, smiling as he went towards his craft.