1 Red Kite

It all began while I was inside my shell, I felt slightly claustrophobic, like the shell was shrinking, but I soon realized it was actually me getting bigger - I was like I need to get out of this, I need to see what is out there beyond the shell. I was excited, to say the least.

I can't explain it but I felt my strength growing inside of me like it was my ability to break down my walls. I pushed and pushed hard against the inside of my shell and felt it weakening. When the first piece fell that first ray of light beamed through. I remember that clearly as I was ecstatic breaking away the remainder, singing away and waiting impatiently as I was very hungry, coz boy breaking out was hard work. Soon enough my mum came back with some food to rebuild my energy and strength, she leant downwards and I stuck my beak in, guzzling the food down, but it did not sustain me for long so my mum went out for more and she did this on a daily basis.

Every day I was waiting for food, too young to do anything else, the only thing I could do was look around me and it was like a huge dish made of branches and pieces of shells lying around - too much from one egg I figured that maybe my brothers and sisters may have hatched early, I didn't think much about the dangers.

Until one day I saw a bird circling above not much bigger than my mum, I may have been young, but I knew that it was getting ready to dive towards me. Thankfully my mum was nearby, she swooped at the other prey several times and she had won that time as the other flew away shamefully.

Thinking that my siblings didn't make it out safely, I made it my purpose to be stronger and more powerful, so at that moment I started to spread my tiny wings and began to flap them up and down. I practised on a daily basis, it took months and months till I started to float just above the nest. It took me a few more years to venture out and gain control of my own. Eventually I soared through the skies, feeling my wings cut the air allowing me to glide swiftly. Each day passing my wings allowed me to travel further. The scenery around me was like no other.

If I didn't get tired I would fly through the skies for eternity, all the wildlife that I saw, some I thought were predictable and some surprised me as I had never seen them before in the countryside area of my birthplace. I realised I was feeling slightly weak needing some food, but I realised I had been busy trying to fly strong and forgot to improve on my hunting skills. This I must do alone with the mere memory of my mum hunting from when I was a fledgeling. I scoured the grounds, my vision was so sharp I could pick up the tiniest movement all I had to do was to time my dive perfectly. I had failed a few times but like I did when I was trying to fly I just took my time and kept going until I got my meal to bring back my strength.

After only a few short months I had developed a routine for myself to survive. I became better at claiming my prize, and I also bettered my agility.

One day I travelled so far I heard a phenomenal noise, one that I hadn't heard before. Curious as I am too new surroundings, new sounds I would follow. Which I did. That had led me circling a man-figure, he looked straight at me making that whistling noise and swinging what appeared to be a mouse. I must be a fool but I was tempted, he just kept calling out to me. I began to get hungry with all this circling and without thinking too much I positioned myself to dive and accelerated, he didn't move, he stuck his arm out holding the mo...Nope...not a mouse...some fluffy material'.

"There you are" The Man-figure spoke "Aren't you a beauty, big and strong and healthy" He continued to compliment me.

He perched me on a solid tree stump and started to admire me from all angles whilst I cleaned myself, he looked with awe when I stretched my wings out. I must have startled him as I noticed him step back a little bit, I also saw him reach for something, whilst he muttered something that I didn't understand.

"Just going to take a few shots if you don't mind," He asked as he carefully whipped out his camera.

This was all new to me and I didn't know what his purpose was, I was startled by his object and as I started to flap my huge wings frantically, he fell backwards. When he got back to his feet he put up both hands and calmly said: "Whoa...whoa...take it easy, boy. I'm not going to hurt you, I only want to take a few pictures of you."

He really did only want to admire me.