Silverling and Silverdrop

“Once upon a time, there was a lone bird. This bird was a special bird, called a Silverling. Silverlings were especially rare so if you had seen one, you would be blessed with good luck all year. The Silverlings were thought of as majestic creatures, and they knew this too. This particular Silverling was more arrogant than the others, it was prideful of the fact that it was a beautiful bird. And this Silverling would tell it to every other animal in the forest.

To the bugs and bees, the willows and trees. To the other birds in the fountain, and the bear that lived on the mountain. Each day, all day the Silverling would say:

"Look at my beautiful wings

My delicate feathers are more valuable than other things

So wonderful are my eyes and beak

There is no other word except magnifique!"

The Silverling would tweet this to anyone with ears, and would chant it to those who could hear but didn't have ears. It would chirp its glorious appearance in the morning and would whistle its amazing features at night. Gradually, all the animals got annoyed with this arrogant bird.

They all met up and complained about the bird.

"How annoying is that Silverling!" The monkey screeched.

"Its arrogance and haughtiness is very irritating," the Owl preached.

"Perhaps we should get rid of him, to let us be free!" The squirrels chattered.

"And we will put him somewhere where no one will hear him!" The other birds clattered. And then, with a nod from each other and a hoot from the owl, they crawled in the night to where the Silverling slept. And they pounced on him, clamming his beak shut and tying him up in vine.

Then they hoisted him out of his nest and threw him off of the cliff of the forest, cheering as they walked away. The Silverling, however, managed to break free of his bind but not fast enough for him to safely fly to the ground. His beautiful wing got scratched by a side branch and he fluttered to the floor. He wailed in pain as he couldn't move his wing.

However, his cries were not heard, for barely anything is in this barren, snowy land. The Silverling cried for three days and nights, his tears being heard by no one. While he was whimpering over his hurt wing, a voice called out to him.

"Are you the creature that has been crying these past three days?" the tiny voice squeaked.

The Silverling looked around, before looking down. Almost covered with heaps of snow, a tiny plant had grown.

"Who are you?" The Silverling asked.

"I am a Silverdrop. I used to be a seed but your tears have watered me and your feathers have given me warmth. I thank you, for if not because of you then I would not have sprouted."

The Silverling, astonished at the statement, blinked twice. Not once had he ever helped someone, nor had felt the warm feeling of appreciation after. The Silverling and Silverdrop became good friends from then on.

For weeks, the Silverling and the Silverdrop talked, laughed and learned from each other. However, the Silverdrop talked less and less each time until there came a point where the Silverdrop could only speak a few words at a time.

"What's happening to you? Why are you in this state?" The Silverdrop cried, looking at its dear friend.

"You must already know my good friend. My petals are falling and my leaves are shriveling. It's near my time to go," the Silverdrop replied.

"But you cannot go! It's too soon!"

"You can leave too. Your wing is already healed. There is no point in you staying down here in this dark cave with little to no sun. You belong up there in the sky, flying freely."

"But there is a point! No one likes me up there! You are my dearest friend! Please don't abandon me..."

"I will not abandon you, but I cannot stay here much longer. For my brief time upon this earth, I thank you. You, who had given me the nourishment to grow and who has made me laugh up till now. I will never forget you, my dearest friend. If you could just do me one more favour..."

"Anything for you! Just say it," the Silverling replies.

"Take one of my petals to your home and plant it. Watch it grow and sprout. Though it will not be me, it shall be one of my children. Repeat this for me until there is a valley of flowers just like me. And while you take care of all my children, they will continue to laugh and talk with you after I'm gone."

It was in those last moments that the Silverdrop lay limp across the ground. The Silverling, head turned down, plucked off a still-shining petal and flew. It flew all the way home to its mountain and buried the petal next to its tree.

And for many days, the Silverling cared for the petal until it grew. May of the mountain animals had seen the change in the Silverling and came to apologise. Influenced by the kindhearted Silverdrop, he forgave them, continuing to spread his story of the Silverdrop and its wise words.

To this day, the mountain where the Silverling had lived is covered in Silverdrops. And only at the edge of the mountain cliff lay the Silverling, its grave surrounded by Silverdrops and memories of his first friendship.”

"Mother... did the Silverling and Silverdrop ever meet each other again?" Silver asks, his shiny silver eyes peering up to his mother, who held the book.

"I wonder. Do you think they met again?" Arabella asks. Silver pursed his lips, before nodding. Arabella smiled as she kissed her son on the forehead.

"Then they must have. Now per our agreement, you must now go to sleep."

"Aw, but just five more minutes."

"No more minutes, I'll not have you falling asleep in the middle of the King's birthday banquet. But... I'll sleep with you just for this night," she smiles. Silver's eyes glistened in excitement as he snuggled in his mother's arms.

"I'll go to sleep then! Good night mother!" he says.

"Goodnight, my sweet Silverling..."

That's the story of the Silverling and Silverdrop! Hope you guys liked it!

And just asking, but how would you feel if I start publishing another story?