Once there was a young robin named Chirp, of all of the birds in the forest he is the only bird who can't fly. Despite having left the nest for quite a while and had a little more flight lessons nothing seems to change Chirp. He perched himself on the top of a high tree greeting everyone that passed by. His goodmorning song is quite a beat that it would be impossible for him to not be noticed, but despite his positive outlook in life everyone expects him to fly just like every bird his age, even if it might be the hardest thing that he must do.
(Image by Aneta Rog from Pixabay)
There was also a time on Chirp's young life when he thought he should just give-up on flying that time when some of the birds his age decided to give him an urgent flight lesson. He was told of a ripe fruit at the top of the tree but when they reached the top he was thrown down from the top branch down towards the ground below. It was the most frightening thing his wings had gone through and in his little heart of hearts Chirp almost gave-up on flying. Yet, ever since that unfortunate day of his life, Chirp leaned on his gliding because he just can't flap his wings like some birds do, he practiced his gliding on a side of a rocky cliff. He now had memorized every steps towards the top of the cliff, every turn, and every plant it had but on one unfortunate morning Chirp heard an unpleasant noise, he thought it was an herd of cows grazing at a distance but found out it was a black little bird he just heard quacking a strange song at the top of the cliff.
"A pleasant morning to you, little birdie." Tweeted Chirp as he began to climb up the cliff again.
"I was greeting everyone with my morning song, what are you doing climbing the cliff?" The little birdie asked smiling. Then Chirp realized that the little black bird was the famous 'bird' who cannot sing, and that was the start of an unusual friendship of the bird who can't fly and the bird who can't sing.
On the cliff, Chirp practiced his flying each day but weeks go on, but Chirp still couldn't fly. It though build his muscles and his momentum that he could now glide farther away from the cliff down towards the long river and he went there after his flight training to drink some water and Chirp couldn't believe what commotion he was greeted in that afternoon, a beaver has been reprimanding a big fluffy bird for stealing the clam he just fished and opened.
"Why are you stealing the clam I just dived, you ugly bird?!I never seen such an ugly bird as you? What a stealer and what an ugly bird you are!?" The beaver accused, and after the big fluffy bird refused to give back the clam he stole, the beaver swam away muttering his insults. The rock-colored big fluffy bird is still a chick, in Chirp's eyes he wasn't really ugly but he was a chick that should learn his manners.
"Why are you stealing his clam? He tried to dive it underwater." Chirp asked questioning the stealer.
"Sorry, I'm so hungry. I don't know why I'm always like this, little robin." Confessed the big fluffy bird.
By his size and his big belly everyone can notice his big appetite because by a one big gulp the big bird devoured the entire meat of the clam leaving Chirp dumbfounded at his act.
"I'm Sid by the way and, you? Who are you little birds, who is this black little raven with you?" Asked Sid wiping his mouth with his feathers. It was also then when Chirp noticed that Rae the bird who can't sing has been following him.
"I am Chirp and I am learning how to fly, and this is my friend Rae." Chirp answered.
"She is Rae the raven and you are Chirp the robin but I will call you Rob, Chirp, because you are a robin." And Chirp wanted to be called that way.
"What kind of bird are you, Sid? You are so big and fluffy!" Chirp asked that even Rae could tell that Sid would still grow bigger because he is still a baby bird.
"I don't know Sid, my mom never told me." Sid answered. No one wanted Sid to feel bad that day so Chirp and Rae volunteered to find him fish, crabs, shrimp, worms, and caterpillars. Everyone got so happy as they all shared their meal together and as they laughed together the river was filled with happy shouts that late afternoon.
A thunder clapped at a distance as the skies began to get dark with rain clouds. Every bird in the forest is hurrying to hide in their shelter and it was also that moment when Sid noticed in his sharp eyes that Chirp couldn't fly as he jump along the rocks hurrrying to take shelter. The rain came later as the sun begin to sunk on the horizon. Heavy rain poured down the entire night and the three birds huddled together behind the shelter on the cliff where Chirp founded. The storm left the tree tops bare as the sun began to rise the next day. The rivers had overflown and the forest was almost wiped clean by the strong ferocious winds. All the birds who survived has been left awake the entire night bracing for the storm. There were no goodmorning songs heard that dawn, no birds were hunting for food as the storm left them flightless. But not Sid, not Rae, and not Chirp, they were hidden behind the big rock on the cliff when the storm passed.
"Let's fly, Rob." Invited Sid.
"Hop on my back."
Sid stretched-out his big wings eager to fly excited as the sun began to rise on the mountains. Chirp hopped on Sid's back following little Rae, he braced himself as they were lifted up to the skies. Chirp closed his eyes, he began to feel nauseous but he held it in. Rae was singing as they were soaring above the wind, who cares now if the little raven cannot sing.
"Rob, open your eyes, now!?" Sid screamed high above the air, and the entire view of the forest unfold before Chirp's eyes. They were above the mountains where the winds were cold. The river looked like a snake winding down the hills and fields. It was the first time Chirp felt so much alive that his wings wanted to be set free. His right wing broke, he remembered it clearly now that time when he was still a chick defending their nest from a forest cat and that pain he felt everytime he practiced his flight has been gonner now, he realized. How can he forget those time, when someone hurt his wings?
They were circling above the forest near their home and for the first time in Chirp's life his tiny wings opened-up wanting to fly, he forgot the pain on his right wing as he felt the wind beneath his wings. Chirp closed his eyes and loosened his grip on Sid's back--and he jumped away! He felt the wind passed through his feathers and he fought it still closing his eyes, his wounded wing still ached but Chirp tried not to think about it. He thought of flying instead. He flapped his wings as best as he could, he braved the wind as it tried to cross his way just like the eagles do and then he remembered Sid was a baby eagle and not an ugly bird. He remembered how Sid opened his wings not wait for the wind, he braced his wings and faced the wind, he bravely fly above the sun and circled around the mountain, and Chirp did the same with his tiny wings. What Chirp didn't know is how the other birds looked above him as he learned to fly, they hoped to fly with him too instead of waiting for their wings to dry. They sang a goodmorning song cheering for Chirp and Chirp open-up his eyes when he heard it. His tears welled-up in his eyes because he felt the same when everyone else was flying above him before and he wiped his tears clean, he don't want to be sad again. No longer will he be called the bird who can't fly, he is now the bird who learned to fly the hardest way.
Chirp landed on the top of a tree that overlooks the entire forest. His heart beats so fast as he perched above the tree enjoying the view in front of him. He will not forget this day. Sid and Rae soon joined him on the branch where he perched. They were all silent yet happy. Chirp sang his goodmorning song and everyone else joined in to sing it with him--even Rae sang it too as they all welcome the new day as it slowly unfolds.
ABOUT ME
@janesuiren is an introverted night owl who enjoys coffee a lot. An otaku and a foodie, she also lives inside the stories she dreams to publish one day. You can catch her admiring her rainy and picturesque hometown in Western Leyte, Philippines.
