The Message That Coulda Changed The World

Deep in the 17th century, a tiny island lay oblivious to the human menace spreading across the globe. Though the most elite of their inhabitants guarded and patrolled their borders, the battle they would have to face could overwhelm them.

On one outpost out at sea, Del, one of the more enthusiastic members of the border police watched the horizon menacingly. He stalked up and down the deck of the wooden outpost, occasionally spinning around on his webbed feet to catch anyone lurking behind him unawares. Del was the original commando, a bird who was truly devoted to duty. And tonight that devotion would be tested.

On the horizon, appeared a ship; a Dutch ship in fact, but as Del had never heard of the Dutch, this is an irrelevant detail.
Ahem.

So a ship appeared on the horizon, and it glinted with an evil light in Del's mind. The island had to be warned! Del plumped his tail feathers, and plunged into the icy waters, paddling determinedly towards the island, his mind focused on the task at hand, and nothing else, the message of danger repeating over and over in his mind. He was so focused on the ship behind him, that he didn’t notice the ship in front of him until he plowed into it beak first. Del let out a startled squawk before his tongue slipped out the side of his mouth and he floated away, webbed feet pointing at the sky, message of danger still rotating in his mind, one beat faster than the little golden stars rotating around his head.

Aboard the ship, a large Dutch man peered down at the stunned bird floating away from his ship in the pre-dawn light.

"Dodo" he muttered disparagingly.