...Of a feather
by CeleryPony
~~
Even if you hide yourself from the world in fear of what you’ve become,
don't lose sight of your real nature.
We love you.
Chapter One
Fluttershy had bought some more carrots, cabbage, and other vegetables from one of the stall in town, taking it back to her cottage up in the North-West. Angel and some of the chickens had finished off the last of their supplies, so it was best to buy some more for later tonight and tomorrow. ‘Angel will get fat if he keeps eating as much as he does!’ she thought to herself. Today was so lovely. The clouds in the air looked like large scoops of ice cream melting and dissipating as the breeze passed them. The birds sang their song about their own personal ball-like party they held away from all the ponies; after all, it was private. Fluttershy had seen it though. She had hidden herself far away, but close enough to see. It was the most magnificent sight she’d seen in a long time.
“Hello Fluttershy!”
“Afternoon, Fluttershy!”
“How are you doing, Fluttershy?” The ponies greeted her as she passed by. Sadly, she couldn’t reply a customary greeting to them since the basket of vegetables was in her mouth. She walked happily through the town until she got on the outskirts. She finally started out on a full trot towards home.
She had to pass through a small wooded area on the way home. It was beautiful small area. Wildflowers dotted along the path; the leaves letting through a lovely, sparkling pattern on the ground. It was beautiful. Oddly enough, Fluttershy heard a couple of ‘caw!’s. ‘Crows? Already?’ Crows were strange birds. Smart, but strange. She would never get used to how they can migrate on their own. All the other birds needed guidance to find their spring homes. She didn’t mind their presence, though, and it would be rude not to greet them..
“Good afternoon, Mr. Crow!” she greeted, when finally finding him (or her). The crow sad upon a branch, ignoring her. It was cawing at a relative on the ground. “Has a baby fallen on the ground?” she asked, seeing the bird. She went to take a closer look. “Oh.. oh my!” She quietly exclaimed upon seeing its condition.
The crow on the ground’s appearance was quite appalling. It would be bad enough if it was injured, but that would be an understatement. This poor crow, who wasn’t an infant, was missing a wing, its feet, and was cut open on the bottom of his stomach. He ranked of blood and Fluttershy was almost crying at the sight. He was beyond help. Such a sight was rare. He had to have been attacked by some wild creature. She couldn’t leave him here to die slowly, and he had no hope for rehabilitation under Fluttershy’s care. He could never fly again, or walk, and would always have digestion problems.
She had to do what was best. What a terrible thing it was. She positioned her hoof over the bird, and firmly pressed down as hard as she could. The crow’s skull beneath her hoof let out a few cracks as it was crushed. That did it. Streams of tears flooded down her face. It was so terrible, but letting the poor thing suffer was even worse. She had to do it. The crow who was watching from a branch went mad. He cawed fiercely at her, showing his anger. How dare this pony kill his friend. He flew up high, preparing to dive-bomb her a few times, but decided to fly away instead.
Fluttershy didn’t realize the deceased's companion’s anger. She headed home, very depressed. Soon the sun was going to go down, so she prepared for the night.
~~
Fluttershy stretched ever so slightly as she got out of bed. Her wings were stiff; her back was stiff; her hooves were a little achy. She had overslept! Oversleeping was okay though since she didn’t have anything planned for the day and she had such a lovely dream last night. She went to the kitchen to prepare for breakfast. … Or was it lunch? What time was it?
Angel busted through the door. He somehow knew that Fluttershy was up and making something yummy, so he hopped up in the chair, awaiting his food. The little, prude rabbit tapped his paw impatiently.
“Oh don’t worry! I haven’t forgotten you!” She giggled a bit. Slightly out of embarrassment. Angel was a bit antsy at this time, since he didn’t have breakfast ready for him this morning in a hoof-formed terin-clay bowl, delicately painted with Grecieaux berry juice. “Such a lovely color at lunchtime!” She found the errily iridescent bowl from the upper cabnet, pulling it down. “How about having it for lunch? Since it didn’t get used this morning?” She looked back at Angel with a warm smile, but the bunny just grimaced. Fluttershy’s ears drooped as she put the overly ornate bowl back, and reached for Angel’s lunch bowl. She placed the bowl in front of him, and grabbed the serving bowl. She filled his and her bowl up. She sat beside him and started to slowly dine on her lunchtime salad. Angel devoured his entire bowl in a matter of minutes, even though it was almost three times as large as hers. He gave a salute (his current form of a “thank you”.), and jumped off the chair.
After lunch, the shy pegasus cleaned up and stored away any leftovers. She brushed her mane and tail, and then headed out the door. Fluttershy decided that she would see if a family of squirrels needed her help in any way. Off to Whitetail Woods she went.
As she traveled, a pair of crows sat on a fence. She began to pass them, but one angrily cawed at her. She squeaked and stumbled a bit, turning herself around to face the pair. “W-were you talking to me?” She asked hesitantly. His caw didn’t sound friendly at all. The crow spoke again, but this time, to its pal. The other didn’t hesitate to reply. Then the two joined eachother in antagonizing Fluttershy. They spread their wings wide and bobbed up and down this way and that. “O-Oh dear.” Fluttershy backed up from the two, keeping her head down. “Is...this about what happened to your friend?” She looked up to face them. “R-Really, I am terribly sorry, but he was hurt.” The trotted a few more steps back, but one crow jumped off the fence and darted for her. The other called him back to the fence. “Honest!” She felt her throat grow dry. “He was suffering. I was doing what I could to help! ….I couldn’t stand to see him suffer like that...” She turned back in the direction of whitetail and began again. The crows on the fence grew quiet, but kept their eyes on her.
~~
Fluttershy made it to the woods with minimal contact with other ponies. She felt a bit plagued, though. The little event with the ‘injured’ crow rattled her mind and plagued her. The event flashed through her mind over and over as she trotted. It was safe to say that her mood for today was ruined. How could she have woken up this morning and forgotten? “Well, I’m sure the squirrels will help cheer me up!” She said, doubtful of her own words.
Fluttershy picked through a few fallen branches, making her way to the last location she knew the squirrels were taking refuge. Sadly, when she arrived, she peeked through one of the many holes in the trunk, and saw not a single squirrel. She gave a sigh and thought to herself. ‘Well, there are more than just squirrels out here. Now let’s see...’
She looked about. This and and that. Under and over. To and fro, but couldn’t find a creature to aid, or even talk to. Save for one, who was so spooked, he hopped away into the bush. Deeply saddened, she sat in a small clearing. It didn’t take long for her to find some creature, though. The crows. It wasn’t just one or two, though. It was a whole flock.
Each sat around Fluttershy, furiously spreading their wings and cawing. They boobed their heads and stepped side to side. Somewhere on branches, rocks, brushes, and the grass itself. Fluttershy stood, but kept her head low, still. “”O-Oh dear... I don’t want any trouble.” She was spooked herself. She took a step back, but accidentally stepped on one crow. She quickly let her foot off, but the crow packed at her hoof. “I-I am so sorry!” She recoiled and hunkered down. A few more birds started to come closer to her. “P-please go! You’re scaring me!” They refused to listen to her. They grabbed on her mane and swatches of fur, tugging and pulling. She gently tried to knock them off, but the ones that had her man had a very good grip. She then yelped and jumped up, turning around. A crow that was behind her dropped some yellow fur in his beak as he started to practically laugh at Fluttershy. Her flank now stung in pain.
“Oh... don’t make me!” She cried out softly. The crows came closer. Coming down from branches and rocks, hopping closer to her. Last choice, she took a breath and glared at a group in front of her. Her wide eyes did alarm them a bit, but not by much. One took a few more hops in front of her. Fluttershy hardly knew what was happening next. She cried out in great pain and put her hoof over her eye. It was worse than anything she had felt. The crow’s beak had a small dribble of blood on it. The flock all took flight. Though she hoped they would fly away, they did just the opposite. They all flew in a circle around her for a moment.
Then they all started to dive.
