Little Robin

The sun shone brilliantly through the thread-bare branches of the swaying trees. 

Robins chirped at a rapid pace, trying to keep in tune with the immensence song of the Swallows. 

It was a constant battle. 

Robins had been at war with Swallows since time began. 

Finally a little Robin, who had been standing his distance for a while, sang out. 

For a moment all that could be heard was silence, then the outranges racket of the applauding Robins.

All Swallows were now cowering under the friendly stare of the singing star.

No birds noticed the one Robin that wasn’t cheering.

His face showed only signs of pure anger and hatred.

No one noticed his evil glare as he unleashed his mighty wings and took to the sky in a stormy gesture.

Everyone, apart from the little champion. 

It gazed up at the great bird as it soared through the bright horizon,

until only a small black speck was visible. 

An uneasy feeling buried itself in the little Robin’s stomach, dreading what was to come next.

When nobody was looking, he too flew in the direction where his big brother was headed. 

It was a much slower experience as its little wings could only stretch so far.

Soon, it too had disappeared over the hills.

Still, the merry celebration continued, even at the un-noticed loss of the celebrant.

An orangey array was emerging on the horizon line, the little Robin had to squint to see where he was going. 

The Robin’s own feathery orange breast seemed to merge with the brilliance of the rising sunbeams, and was a beautiful match in the warm sky. 

There was still no sign of the bigger bird, but Robbie, the little Robin, still had faith he’d find him soon, though how long ‘soon’ was, was a different matter.

He’d left behind all who loved him, admired him, to seek the one who didn’t.

But even so, everyone had a purpose in the world.

Robbie was determined to help his brother to find his. 

A small rumble sounded.

That was when Robbie realized he’d taken off without eating anything.

He sighed, he’d have to stop to find food. He might as well take a nap too, Robbie thought, he was rather tired.

He scoured the nearby trees, scanning them for a tasty snack.

His eyes set on something smooth and shiny, in a pleasant oval shape.

An acorn, not Robbie’s thought of tasty, but rather desirable at this current moment.

With a final flap of his exhausted wings, Robbie collapsed onto a slim green leaf. 

He pecked the weak shell of the tender acorn, and feasted on the soft center before retiring to a make-shift bed of fresh leaves.

The wee Robin’s delicate eyes began to close, as he drifted off into a dream.

The peace only lasted for an hour. 

A heavy vibration shook the delicate wee body resting on the slim leaf. 

A great gale blew through the tops of the trees, causing the pulse of the tree to sway. 

The little leaf gently dropped from its branch, the little Robin with it, and fell lightly to the earth below. 

At the unearthly bounce, little Robbie rose from his arrangement, gazing up at the blackened ceiling above him.

Rob, The bigger Robin heard the faint flutter of wings, and glanced behind him. Robbie was following him.

Of cause he was. Robbie had such a warm heart full of compassion and love.

He remembered the day little Robbie had hatched.

Robbie’s face was one of pure joy and spark for life.

Mama had always seemed to love Robbie more than she loved Rob.

He held back tears.

After Mama had been shot down by humankind, Robbie was left in Rob’s care.

Rob showed no affection whatsoever to little Robbie, neither did he repent it.

At least, he told himself he didn’t.

What Rob really needed most in the world, though he would never admit it, was love. 

Robbie rubbed his eyes and lay still, trying to adjust to the blur of light he was looking up at.

How long had he been asleep?

The morning sunlight told Robbie that it had been awhile. 

Why had Rob decided to leave him?

After all, they only had each other.

Since Mama died, Rob had pretend that Robbie never existed, treating Robbie like the girl in the fairy tale he’d heard humans reading once.

Only, Robbie wasn’t going to reach a ‘happy ever after,’

he just hopped his brother would find his.

Robbie stretched out his little wings and once again took to the skies. 

Rob could feel the tears coming, he couldn’t stop them.

His wings faltered and he found himself falling from the sky.

The dirt clouded his vision as he collided with the ground.

Rob slowly shook himself and tried to get back into the sky, but his wings failed him. His left wing was immensely sore, and there was a bone the size of a fingernail jutting out of his feathers.

He lay motionless on the ground, wishing he was perched on the highest branch of the tallest tree.

Rob lay there for quite some time, unmoving.

Eventually, the soft flutter of wings came into earshot.

It was Robbie.

Rob summoned all his remaining strength to call out to him.

“Robbie!” He called, “Help me!” 

Robbie hovered in the air for a few moments; surely that wasn’t Rob calling out for him?

“Help me!” The voice cried again.

Robbie looked down, there was Rob, lying among the thorns, staring up at the sky. Robbie flew down beside him and drew in a breath.

Rob’s wing was broken. Robbie helped Rob up to his feet and found an acorn for him to eat.

“Robbie, I don’t know what to say-” Robbie smiled sympathetically.

“Then say nothing.” Rob nodded and then smiled at Robbie.

He opened his mouth to say something else, when a shot was heard ringing through the forest. 

“Run Robbie!” shouted Rob.

Robbie shook his head, “I can’t leave you here alone!”

Rob tried again, “My wing’s broken Robbie! You have to go!”

Before he could say any more, a figure emerged from the mist.

It was Human, and he was carrying a gun.

The human slowly lifted his gun and aimed it at Rob.

Without any hesitation, Robbie pushed his brother out of the way and took the shot himself.

“Run Rob! Go while you still can!” called Robbie from the ground.

Rob ran, without looking back.

He ran until the piercing shot of the gun could no longer be heard.

Rob slowly made his way back to Robbie. 

Robbie felt the sharp blow from the bullet and collapsed to the ground.

He felt his life slowly slip away from his grasp.

He wasn’t scared.

He was happy he’d finally been able to help his brother.

Rob stared at Robbie’s small, lifeless body in front of him.

There was a smile on little Robbie’s face.

There always was and aways will be, he thought.

A flurry of anger swelled up in him towards humankind, but then faded away into tears.

Robbie wouldn’t want him to feel this way.

All the good people in his life were gone now.

All of them were protecting Rob in the act.

He realised that now.

His attitude towards life needed to change.

And it would, it would change to reflect the love that his family had blessed him with. 

A lonely pigeon was gently drifting through the cloudless sky. 

In seeing the Robins in their moment of victory, he gracefully halted to a stop on a nearby sapling, shaking the delicate branches. 

A single acorn fell from the leafy arms of the tree, and tumbled to the ground below.