Silver Wings, Silver Heart [CW: Short Story/Feedback]

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

A cold and brisk morning. It was one of those days... the days between seasons. A dying fall day. Long had the leaves fallen to the ground, to rest in their new earthy bed. A chilling wind passed through rattling the now empty branches. The dry rattling of a loose rib-cage, one that housed no heart any longer. It sounded throughout the clearing. But at one lonely tree sat a small bird all alone. A single hummingbird. It was late into the season, he should've migrated by now. But he solemnly looked out over the clearing. He'd lived here so long. Every spring he returned, and every summer he played in the flowers. However... now he just looked around the place he once knew. Ashes... everywhere. Nothing but a graveyard, where the husks of dead trees swayed eerily in the wind.

Ghosts of his once proud home. They taunted him. It had been days, maybe weeks, time... slipped away. He sat here so long looking at the destruction. Most of the other birds, the other creatures he knew had moved on long ago. Yet, he sat here the entirety of spring, all of summer. And stared longingly at the remains, the charred and mangled corpse of his home. At first, other animals left him food and water. But, eventually they stopped coming. Eventually he had to find water and food on his own. It was nearly impossible in this wasteland. But he managed somehow. All through the year until now, the dawning of yet another winter. He'd have to fly South, it was going to grow much too cold here. But, he just couldn't tear himself away from this ugly visage. He couldn't stop looking at his home that was now gone. The first thing he felt, hunger, snapped him back to reality. He couldn't stay here anymore. It was too dangerous. But, it had to be too late. He couldn't possibly make it in time... could he? It was too far now. His breast rose and it fell with a quick breath. He had waited much too long. It was only a few days until Winter had come. Her icy talons would grab hold of this place before long. If he were a human, he might find the notion funny. Winter was said to kill anything in her grasp, but, this place was already dead. Other than the lone tree the hummingbird sat in, and the hummingbird himself. Nothing else lived here. Not anymore.

He must go, he must try. Though he loved this place, he didn't wish it to be his grave as well. Too much died here before, he'd not add to the suffering that had happened here. He would at least try and fly South. He'd not die here. But... would he even make it? He had his doubts that he could outpace the icy grips of death. Not with how starved he was, how tired and weary he was. He heaved his tiny body, it weighed so much. He didn't know how... Perhaps, it was just the sorrow. He had to finally leave this hollow forever. He didn't want to ever leave it. He told himself he'd never leave forever. But, now he found that he had to. His heart felt a million times heavier in his chest. It's beat slow and steady. He took flight, despite the weight, his wings still worked.

Over a dead world he flew. Blackened ash, the fields he once loved. the scarce corpses of trees rattling as he passed. They seemed to be chuckling... no... saying goodbye. They waved in the wind. Perhaps he just wished it so, but he felt the trees say their farewells to him. His wings fluttered. A small bit of happiness touched his heart, Stained it as he breathed in. A silly thought, but one he was happy to oblige. If he had been a man, a weary smile would've crossed his face. One that was truly happy, despite the weight of the world on his shoulders threatening to crush him.

******

Two days had passed, too frightful days. Filled with uncertainty, darkness, turmoil. He hadn't stopped either of them for very long. He'd finally reached what would normally be fervent fields of green. However, they were nearly abandoned now. All the green had begin to flush away. The Flowers hid their faces, the trees now stood naked in the breeze. At least these trees were still living, still breathing. The Hummingbird, he could feel just how weary he was. He'd not had anything to sustain himself in nearly a week. He was nearing the end of his rope. He could feel it. The pangs of hunger each time he flapped his wings. He lethargically floated about, trying to remain awake... trying to remain... anything.

He couldn't recall how long it had been anymore. He was just... flying now trying to get to the South. Trying desperately to get as far as he could. He had to reach it. He had to. He couldn't die in the cold. But, his body could barely handle this anymore. He slammed to the ground. Hard. He couldn't keep flapping his wings. He laid face down in the dirt. Broken... alone. He had waited to long. And this was his reward. To die hungry in the dirt. If he were a human, he'd have cursed the gods and spit. But he wasn't. Instead he just wondered if he should accept his fate. He felt the cool grass on his body, the chill within it. He shivered. Death's icy touch. Was this what it felt like? He'd never been this close to the other side before. He could feel it press on him. He didn't want this. The hummingbird picked up his head, he barely had the ability, but he had to. He was met with a rather, peculiar new sight. In front of him, a giant tree. Was, this... here before? He didn't recognize it. Unlike the others, it still had it's leaves, but, they weren't any ordinary leaves. They were silver. It...how? He didn't fixate on this long however. He saw something much more intriguing. Not fair from him lie a beautifully red apple. A saving grace. If he could get to it, he could replenish his strength.

He inched forward slowly, surely. He felt pain. It shot all over his small frame. He didn't care. It was in sight now. He only had to keep moving. It burned, it ached, and the stabbing pain nearly made the poor thing lose his mind. He felt a dampness on his chest, but ignored it. He found his way to the apple at last. It was, ripe. Strange. Wouldn't any apple be dead by by now? Rotted? He didn't have time to question this gift though. He only looked at the ruby skin, eyes full of wonder. But... how would he get to the juices inside? He violently stabbed at the fruit. A wild frenzy. He desperately tried to break the skin of the apple.

*snap!!!*

The sound of something wet crunched through the silence. But, it wasn't the skin of the apple. The Hummingbird found a new sensation... one of immense pain. He had broken his beak in his attempt to get at the juicy insides of that fruit. He'd have cried out in pain through his tangled maw, but... he didn't care about the pain anymore. His spirit died.

He turned over and faced the sky. If he was human, he'd have thought to himself "I've come this far for nothing... only to have in my moment of weakness, the gods spit on my head once more before I pass from this cruel existence." However, he wasn't. He just sat there in silence as his life slowly dripped away.

*****

A flash of silver came from behind the giant tree, the one that had suddenly appeared. A man stepped forward form that flash of light. He wore an otherworldly garb of mad fashion. The dress of an eccentric for sure. For example, on his head sat a miniature tree, a small bonsai made of pure silver. On the very tip dangled a silver apple. It bobbed wildly about as he took any step, or if he even moved slightly. He walked gently over the earth, sliding his feet as they touched the ground in an elegant manner. He moved, a soft babbling brook through a soft gentle countryside. He had a mastery over his body unlike any other. Despite his outlandish fashion sense, it didn't hamper his movements at all. He quickly hurried to the spot he'd seen something land from before. He looked down as he arrived at the crumpled form.

It looked like a small paper crane that a child had smashed in dissatisfaction. A tear welled in his eye but he suppressed it. "How could a life be wasted like this? One that persevered so strongly... how is it fair?" he asked seemingly no one. He placed his hand over the crumpled form of the hummingbird. He couldn't bear to look on the injustice anymore. He sighed deeply. What was he doing? He saw this injustice. He knew this wasn't what should've happened. Life had played it's cruel trick on a poor unsuspecting victim once more. Not this time. He'd not let let his gift take itself away from an individual who didn't deserve death. This kind soul... it didn't deserve this. This soul who had lost everything it held dear, everything it loved, only to be taken by death's foul trickery. The man placed his palms together, a silver spark shot between both as his hands lit up with a swirling and powerful energy. "I'm sure my brother, Death, won't mind or miss the soul of one hummingbird." he said as he placed his two hands on the bird's wings. The silver power then began to fill the bird's tiny frame.

The hummingbird's body began to glow with a silver light. it represented his true from, his body at it's peak. The crumpled and pathetic form he had become, suddenly surged and began to fill the silver outline. His body rearranged itself until it finally matched. And, once it had, the silver light sunk deep into his heart. With a sudden pulse, he breathed once more.

The bird blinked his eyes, light entering them once more. He looked straight into the kind and warm face of a man. His beard, an ivy green, nearly touched his chest it was that long. His eyes, silver, as was his clothes. Who... what was he?

"Hello little one. I saw your journey." he said, the smile on his face widening. The Hummingbird understood his voice. He... how? He could speak to him? The Hummingbird warbled something. "Who am I? I'm no one special. You however little one are very special."

He replied. So, the man could understand him. "How am I special?" he warbled.

"Hmmm, because you have a spirit I admire. It's why I saved you. Little One, do you have a name?"

The Hummingbird thought for awhile. But, what was a name? He'd never really known the concept. Being a bird, all he knew was the ways of the wild. Where none had names, none but those that were legend; He was no legend. He stared at the man, perplexed. He couldn't even think of a good lie to tell him. So, he warbled to the man "I have none that I know."

"Well, how about I name you then? You have a strong spirit, so... I think I shall name you... Perseverance. It is something I know you have. Even if you failed before, I know you still can fight to find success. Only did overwhelming odds tell you to give up before. Who'd not have given up in your shoes? Your spirit though, I admire it; I find it beautiful. I find it strong. So, I will name you Perseverance. Do you like that name?"

The Hummingbird, he wondered if it was okay to take the name. Was he really special enough for this honor? He still wasn't entirely sure who this man was, but... he had saved him. He knew this. He could feel his body was new, he didn't hunger like he had been. His beak was fixed, his body no longer in pain from his crash landing. His old aches gone, as if they never existed. Perhaps, he was special. "Yes, I do like it."

"Hoooo! Then it's settled!" the man said, his cheeks suddenly becoming rosy red. He smiled from ear to ear. He placed the little bird in the palm of his hand. He was careful with his fragile and tiny form as he brought the little bird to eye level. "so, one last question, Perseverance. Will you be my friend and travel with me?"

This man had saved his life... the answer was simple. "Yes."

**********************