Starling's Dive

Falling, falling, falling. The baby starling was plummeting towards the ground. There was nothing that could stop him now. Nothing that could help him.

It had been days since either his mother or his father had brought him any food. The first couple of weeks after he had hatched, his mother would keep him warm, while his father brought him tiny berries to eat. Each day he felt warmer than the previous day. Each new berry tasted better than the one before. It was the good life!

One day, his father stopped visiting the nest. A day later, his mother went in search of food whilst looking for his father. Then, she stopped coming to the nest too.

He was three weeks old, and hadn't eaten in days. He was hungry. He was tired. He was exhausted from all the different wails, cries, songs and calls to his parents.

Just then, saw something red and shiny on the ground. The cries, wails and calls stopped. It looked just like the juicy berry his father used to bring to him. He was desperate now. He looked all around hoping to catch a glimpse of his mother or father. He didn't see them. He leaped... into the unknown.

As soon as he took the leap, he regretted it. He had left the warmth of his nest and now the cool, forest breeze coursed through his downy feathers making him shiver. He had dived head first staring at the abyss, with death seemingly certain. With nothing in the way to break his fall, he shut his eyes, welcoming what was to come next - mother Earth's warm embrace.

Then, something miraculous happened! His tiny wings opened. It spread wide on both sides. They began to flap and flap and flap! He began to fly! Slowly at first, then, with supreme confidence and authority. Everything was now within his grasp - water, berries and the entire world around him. Into the sunlit sky, he rose, rose and rose.