I was the last one to hatch among my brothers and sisters. I remember their faces when I finally got out of my egg. I remember my parents' faces as well during my first few blinks. You would expect them to have these happy, smiling faces to welcome you into the world, or my siblings to cheer for my successful escape from my egg prison. But I didn't see smiles, nor did I hear cheers.
My parents looked shocked, bewildered even, and my siblings all gasped in surprise.
I was a sickly little chick. The freezing night air pierced through my skin, almost too painful to bear. Yes, it was night time when my siblings and I began to hatch, and I was shaking so badly that I cried for warmth. I reached out to my brothers and sisters, but they moved back, as if they were afraid of me. My mom reluctantly picked me up and tucked me under her lovely wings. I remember my smile that night as I closed my eyes, falling asleep quicker than a blink.
The next day, I woke up to my siblings playing a game. I wanted to join, but they told me to stay away, saying that I couldn't join them. I didn't understand, but I didn't want to ruin their fun, so I backed away to the other side of our nest. The sun was up, but it was still cold. I did not understand. That is, until I looked at myself. I could see my pinkish skin... I didn't have any feathers. My siblings all had fluffy white feathers to protect themselves from the cold. I was...envious, but I stayed quiet. Some way, somehow, seeing them smile and laugh gave me a strange warm feeling inside. I wished that they would let me play with them, but it was alright. As long as they were happy, so would I.
A few hours later, the sun rose high above the sky. I didn't feel cold any more, and it was a very wonderful feeling. But I was hungry. We all were. But dad came on time, bringing us some worms to eat. Well, my siblings were given something to eat. Dad pushed me away with his wing. I was hungry, I told him, but he ignored me. Mom came, and she brought more worms for...my siblings to eat. I told her I was hungry. She gave me a worm to eat. It made me happy. Even if I was still hungry, at least I ate something. I smiled and said my thanks.
Mom just gave me a reluctant smile.
Days have passed. Weeks, even. Every single day, mom kept me warm at night, and gave me a worm to eat a day. And she did all this with unease. I did not understand why, but I didn't care. As long as she was there...
One day, we woke up from the sound of collapsing trees. We were confused of what was going on. There were many birds flying to a direction, and the sight of those many colors blurring past my vision was...amazing. It was beautiful. I was mesmerized until the loud noise of another collapsing tree echoed in the forest. Mom and dad told us to fly and leave.
Where were we going and what was happening? Those were the questions my siblings were asking them. I told my parents something that silenced them...
"I don't have feathers, so I couldn't fly..."
I saw my mom trying to say something. But my dad beat her to it.
"Tough luck, kid."
He ushered my siblings and my mom to fly away quickly. I called out to my mom. She could just carry me with her strong talons. That could work, right? I ran up to her, but a mighty wing slapped me back to the nest. My father glared at me, and I froze in fear. I've never seen something as scary like that before.
"You're not my daughter. I don't know what you are, but you're not one of us."
I remember mom wanted to take me along, but dad slapped her and told everyone to fly now or else...
...I don't want to ruin their smiles... I don't want to be a burden to them... So with a heart-aching smile, I told them to fly. Mom cried. I didn't want her to cry.
But before they could spread their wings, something bright and powerful yanked them off of the branch. I gasped and ran out of the nest, but our tree started to shake, and soon, air was rushing towards me as the ground got closer and closer.
Our tree hit the ground, creating that weird and loud crashing noise we kept hearing around. The impact slammed me on the ground hard and I rolled to this very freezing cold water. I resurfaced and gasped for air, but the current carried me away and away from home. My home where the trees kept falling down, and weird two-legged creatures with horns using some sort of flashy things to capture birds...
I tried to swim back, but the currents were way too strong and the cold was paralyzing me... I crashed on something hard, and everything became black...
...
Everything happened so fast... If only I had feathers, then maybe, just maybe, we could have flown away from whatever was happening to our home. If only... But nothing's going to change...
I wake up on the edge of a stream. I feel cold and weak as I quietly cry in pain.
Mom and dad used to tell us about the dangers on the ground...that we should stay in our nest, or else predators would kill us and eat us.
I'm scared. I want my mom. Where is she? Where are they? I can't move. Am I... a-am I going to die? I...I don't want to be eaten...
"Dearest sister..."
I hear a voice. Is it mom? It sounds different. It sounds...sad...
"Please forgive me..."
This voice... Is this a predator? Is it a she? ...Is she crying?
"I...I had no choice..."
Clip-clop sounds... Slow, gentle, yet as it grows louder, so is my nervousness... Is it coming closer? Am I...?
"Oh? What is this?"
Her voice definitely sounds louder now. She is close, and I can't do anything to save myself. I...I... I close my eyes and whisper a sad goodbye to my family...
Something weird starts to surround me...like a...weird something. I feel like I'm floating. Am...am I flying? I slowly open my eyes and see my shivering and featherless body.
"Oh, you poor thing..."
I see a large white wing... I feel that lovingly familiar warmth as the massive wing tucks me in... I feel warm... I feel safe... I feel tears start to stream down my eyes as a sob escapes my throat...
"There there, little one..." the gentle voice says as I feel her start to move. "Don't worry... I'll take good care of you."
I continue to cry. I... I want... "M-mmom...?" I want to see her again.
"Shh... I-it's alright," she says, almost choking on a sob of her own. "I... You're lost, aren't you? Don't worry... I'll... We'll find your family. Don't worry."
