Elephant Holmes adjusted his deerstalker hat, his long trunk brushing against the fabric of his tweed cloak. Beside him, Duck Watson quacked softly, his own cloak slightly askew. "I say, Holmes, quite the peculiar case we have here," remarked Duck Watson, peering at the looming structure. "Indeed, Watson. The death of a hen at such a notorious locale cannot be mere happenstance," replied Elephant Holmes, his eyes narrowing in contemplation.

The two detectives moved cautiously through the lobby, their eyes scanning for anything out of place. Elephant Holmes paused, his trunk hovering over a set of muddy footprints leading to the kitchen. "Observe these prints, Watson. They suggest a hurried exit," he noted, tracing the path with a deliberate nod. "And what of these feathers scattered about?" inquired Duck Watson, gesturing with a webbed foot. "Ah, a breadcrumb trail, quite literally," Elephant Holmes mused, gathering a few feathers thoughtfully.

In the kitchen, they found Mrs. Beakly, the motel's cook, nervously wiping her hands on her apron. "Mrs. Beakly, we require your account of the events leading to the hen's demise," stated Elephant Holmes with authority. "Oh, Mr. Holmes, I swear I heard nothing but the usual clucking until that dreadful squawk," she replied, eyes wide with sincerity. "And did you notice anyone suspicious in the vicinity?" pressed Duck Watson. "Just that odd traveler with the feathered cap," Mrs. Beakly added, glancing nervously towards the door.

Elephant Holmes led the way, his trunk acting as a guide through the dim light. The trail of feathers led them to the back of the motel, where an old barn stood creaking in the wind. "The plot thickens, Watson. Our culprit may be closer than we think," he whispered, pushing open the barn door. "Let us proceed with caution, Holmes," Duck Watson advised, his feathers ruffling in anticipation.

As their eyes adjusted to the darkness, Elephant Holmes and Duck Watson spotted a figure attempting to escape through a side door. "Halt! In the name of the law," trumpeted Elephant Holmes, his voice echoing off the barn walls. The figure froze, turning to reveal a man with a feathered cap and a guilty expression. "Caught red-handed, I presume," quipped Duck Watson, waddling forward with a confident nod.

With the culprit in custody, Elephant Holmes and Duck Watson stood on the motel steps, basking in the glow of their success. "Once again, dear Watson, our combined efforts have triumphed over villainy," Holmes declared proudly. "Indeed, Holmes. A most satisfying conclusion to a rather fowl mystery," chuckled Duck Watson, adjusting his cloak. And with that, the two detectives set off into the sunrise, ready for whatever adventure awaited them next.