Reaching for the stars.

The beat of my powerful wings settled to a steady rhythm as the uneven leap into the sky was balanced. I rose higher and higher, watching the emerald green farmland grow smaller.1

I swiveled my head up to gaze at the marvelous night sky, the stars winking at me in easy companionship and the moon my ever-present friend. I ruffled my feathers in a half-hearted attempt to impress them, knowing that I could never hope to rival their silver glory.2

With one last powerful beat I landed on a hot air rise, letting it take me up above the clouds. I floated towards the night, trying to get as high as I could. The free lift spluttered and expired and I was forced to resume manual work. I strained against gravity, longing to join the gleaming suns in their silent aloofness. 3

Exhaustion took over and I swooped back down to Earth like a rusty arrow, my gold feathers brushing out in the free fall. At the last minute I pulled out of my dive and heard an exhalation of breath from a nearby bush. My sharp eagle eyes were instantly drawn to the sound and I spotted the glint of the monkey's equivalent to my eyes. I pondered whether to show off more, just for the sake of it. I decided against it.

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The blush of dawn bloomed across the grey sky, tinting the clouds pastel shades of purple, pink and orange. I perched high up on a tree and watched it, cocking my head to one side to see it better. Eventually I got bored and 'fell' off the branch, braking at the last possible second.
I sped through the forest, avoiding gently falling leaves. I traced in and out of old trunks and new shoots just beginning to emerge. I saw a mouse scurrying frantically through the dark brown dirt and decided not to eat, I wasn't hungry.

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A sharp click from behind me alerted my finely tuned sense. I turned to see a feathered dart zooming towards me, as if in slow motion. It's wake blew out the leaves from either side, leaving it's passage clear. With a sharp pang it hit me just under my out stretched wing. I struggled to force my dizzy brain to keep me aloft but the sleepiness was too strong. I dropped like a rock on top of a handy pile of soft petals, some still spiraling down to me. My eyes flickered open just enough to see the monkey with strange feathers leaning over me with it's claw about to grab me. I collapsed into blessed darkness...

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I woke in a strange place. A room with only one opening through which I could see the hills. I flew over to it and attempted to escape. I sped at it at full force. I was nearly there - Bang! I collided with something. My poor mind was completely bewildered. The air had hardened? I tried again and again until I was covered with bruises, slowly emerging into their purple splendour. An exclamation of suprise came from behind me.

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"Wow birdy, you got spirit!"

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I squawked at the monkey angrily. The strange noises coming out of his beak annoyed me, and why couldn't I go home. He slowly came towards me, holding out what looked like a sharp piece of rock. I backed away and slammed into the hard air. Unused to being cornered I tried desperately to get a hold on the smooth trunk reaching up to the wooden sky.

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The monkey came closer and I gave up, knowing that he was stronger. The needle sank deep into my smallfeathers and I again fell into blackness.

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I awoke in a cage. I was sitting on a fake branch surrounded by interlocking iron lines, no way out. I screamed mentally at being so close to freedom but still not being close enough to soar once more into the deep, never ending blue. I leaped off the branch in the huge aviary, only to crash to the ground. I tried again to soar up high but my wings wouldn't support me! I inspected the longfeathers. A deep cut had sliced away the necessary wingfeathers. They were completely gone, disposed of in a neat, precise clipping.

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I squawked in anger and frustration, what had I done?! Again and again I tried to rise up, to reach the branch again. Eventually I fell into a natural sleep, heavy with exhaustion. The next morning I discovered a bowl filled with seed. I took one bite and spat it out again. Euch, this wasn't anything like mouse! I looked around for an alternate food source, there wasn't one.

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I stayed imprisoned for many days. Days turned into weeks and weeks into years. I was kept away from my home just for the simple want of a pet to impress others. Has anyone ever considered an eagle's point of view? I finally gave up on escaping and spent my days slumbering.

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In my dreams I still flew high above the clouds, in the never ending blue, with my silent companions the stars as my guides.

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