Once upon a time in the not so distant future… or past… well, one of those… there lived a mighty mob of emus….
Yes, I can hear your brain screeching to a stop as you reread the introduction. The answer to your question is yes, large groups of emus are called mobs. Of course, that brings up all kinds of wonderful images in your head: The Boss emu ordering the unlikely demise of a poacher intent on capturing them, an army ready to do battle against the huge mob of emus (BTW, this really happened in 1932 in Australia – the winner: the emus!), or the emus coming to the rescue. Oh, just think of all the lovely stories that can be written for the mysterious and mighty bird that hatch from the eggs a little Dragonling carried home.
It is funny how some things just come to you. They often say right about something you know. Well, I’m no expert on emus, but it helps that we pass by a friend’s house that raises them. The stories Tom has told us about his attempts to raise emus for meat which quickly turned to them all having names and being pets has amused me for years. When I wrote The Dragonlings’ Very Special Valentine and The Great Easter Bunny Hunt, I knew I had to write Pearl’s story – and include the very unusual eggs that were brought back from Earth.
In Pearl’s Dragon, we get to meet the unlikely heroes who are as protective of their dragon friends as the dragons are of them. A clutch of eggs from Earth, a misunderstanding, love between an old dragon and his true mate, a couple of mischievous younglings, poachers, and a lesson in how to be the perfect mate come together in Pearl’s Dragon: Dragon Lords of Valdier.
Sounds like a fabulous story! I used to live down the road from an emu farm as well. They always seem so curious.
It is funny watching them with the horses.