I entered another flash fiction challenge at Indies Unlimited last week and this time my entry was the winner! Apparently I rounded up enough friends to get the most votes. You can check out the link with my story and the photo prompt: https://www.indiesunlimited.com/2018/04/29/cindy-young-turner-wins-flash-fiction-challenge-2/#more-72893. My winning entry is also posted below.
Feeding Time
Originally posted at Indies Unlimited
“Wanda, we’re all going out to the wire tonight. You coming?”
Wanda sighed and dropped another worm into the open mouth. “Wish I could, Carol, but this one is so hungry. I can’t leave her.”
“Mama, mama! Hungry!”
“See what I mean?”
Carol flapped impatiently. “Can’t you get Jack to watch her? You need a break!”
“Jack’s busy with the older girls, teaching them how to fly. We had to get them to leave the nest. He wants to make sure they’re ready. Hold on, be right back.” Wanda swooped down to snatch up another worm for her hungry chick. She thought about all the good times she’d had on the wire, twittering away with her friends. Those were the days, before all the eggs and the hatching and nurturing. She’d been more than just a mama bird.
“Carol, I really want to, but you know I can’t.” She landed in the nest and delivered another worm. “Maybe in a few weeks when she’s older.”
“That’s what you said the last time. A few weeks. And then there were more mouths to feed.” Carol squawked. “Suit yourself then.”
Wanda watched Carol fly off to the wires in the distance. Already some of their friends had gathered, and their playful songs echoed on the breeze.
“Mama, mama.”
“Yes, little one? Are you still hungry?”
“No, mama, sleepy now.”
Wanda curled up next to her fuzzy chick. Sometimes being a mama really was what she liked best.
Cindy Young-Turner 
My mission was to scout ahead for the pre-invasion force. The commander decided to transport me down to Earth in the form of a dog. A white, fluffy dog, to be precise. They dropped me in the middle of a place called New York City with orders to avoid contact and determine how much firepower we needed to conquer the humans.
Piece of cake, as the natives would say.
Avoiding contact was easy. They were all too busy staring at their communication screens. Everyone had them, and those who didn’t would stop at stare at the ones on top of buildings or in store windows. Most of them were communicating with primitive symbols or watching silly cat videos. My job was done. We’d have no trouble invading this planet.
I sent a message to the mother ship to pick me up and trotted across the street to wait. Suddenly a human driving a yellow and black vehicle barreled toward me. I froze. Horns blared. A voice screamed, “Not the dog!”
A young girl dashed into the street and scooped me in her arms. “You’re okay,” she whispered and carried me to safety. “You look just like my Fluffy. I still miss her. Do you have a home?”
Then I felt it. Love. That tail of mine started wagging and I had the sudden urge to lick the girl’s nose.
I cancelled my transport and the invasion. I wanted to stay a while for snuggles and bacon treats.