How I Got My Feathers - WINNERS

 Comp A 
In anthro form. 
430 words
I really hope I'm not too late! 

It was never meant to be this way

He already had his feather at this point in his life. In fact, he had had many before this moment. But it was never meant to be this way. A small quail feather that lay hidden beneath the brush. The fascinating attraction of a lier bird feather. The dazzling effects of a peacock feather. The randomness of a duck feather out in the middle of nowhere. But none quite fit. None of them really portrayed his personality. Although he treasured his magnificent finds, they just didn't feel right on him.

Makatzu was in a new jungle; adding dots and scribbles to his 'jungle made' map. He clambers onto a low hung tree branch and sets himself up. He starts marking the places he has been. Something just hits him on its way down. He reacted to the touch and catches what it was. He pulls his paws in and takes a little peek at is capture. A tiny beak lunges at him. He pulls it away an uncovers it with one paw. A baby bird lay hungry in his paws. Judging by the size of the baby he knew it had to be a macaw of some sort. This baby bird could have fell to its death. But it wasn't meant to be this way.

Not having much experience with babies of any sort, he tried his hardest to rear it himself. He felt responsible for it. A close call with death appeared when he learnt that his little one could not hang on tight when crossing the river. His little one's pin feathers disappeared and his 'big bird feathers' came through. Makatzu couldn't be prouder that his little one was growing up big and strong. He was soon big enough to 'leave the nest' but he wanted to stay with Makatzu travelling around. But it wasn't meant to be this way.

The day had come that Makatzu and his little one would part ways. Many tears were shed and with heavy hearts they said their heartfelt goodbyes. One final last look into each other's eyes and his little one looked down and plucked a feather. The first feather that came through. He placed it in front of Makatzu, nuzzled his cheek and flew away. Sadly, it was meant to be this way.

From that day on, Makatzu knew that he wanted to help others in need of it. With an everyday reminder of his first patient; his reason to be; his first fitting feather of a majestic red and green macaw.

][Kochi ][ 441 Words ][ Competition "A" Entry ][

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Journal Entry: My Feathers
I was raised really well by my father, and he always did his best to make do even without me having a mother. I guess you could say I've had it hidden away in me for the longest time, but I used to feel rather guilty for my mother's death, and I guess I can't say I'm not guilty. It wasn't a great time to give birth, and it most definitely wasn't the right place for it. An abandoned building in the midst of a massive storm? She was pretty tough for that, and my dad would always agree with me on that. So once I finished high-school, I left the house in secret. My dad had to go to work so he wouldn't know until late that I had left. I had some money saved up and I knew where I needed to go. I wanted to say a real thank you and good-bye to my mom. My father had never taken me there, and I'm not surprised. It was a wasteland of bad memories for him. I knew it was dangerous, I knew they said some of it was still contaminated, but I had to do what I had to do, ya know? I made my way through the scrub, trying to recall where this abandoned building's ruins would be according to the stories my dad told me all the time. THere was a light drizzle going on, and I remember taking the slowest of steps there. I found some ruins and decided that that was where I'd say my good-bye. I was my mother's last energy, or so my dad would often tell me. Yet that day, there was a different sort of energy going on. An odd little bird flew right past the ruins, past the scrubs, past the wreckage, past me. I told myself to keep to mourning, yet the way that bird held a mystifying yellow in its feathers, I had to follow it. It was the first living thing I'd seen my whole trip there. The little fellow led me to its nest, where I saw three little hatchlings moving about in the nest lined with those gorgeous yellow feathers. I stood there staring at the life in front of me for the longest time. Call me crazy, but I swear that bird picked out five of the feathers from the nest's lining and dropped them just for me. Maybe it was just getting too warm in the nest, or maybe it knew i was ready- I don't know. All I know is that that's how I got my feathers.

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Journal Entry: Feathers
I was going through a difficult time right as I was becoming an adult. I managed to finish school okay, but I didn't know who I wanted to become after that. Things at home were bringing me down, everybody was either moving out or away all day, with the exception of my one father who I can't say I cared much for. I found myself spiraling into a depression, and it all changed with one night. I realized I was angry, and I had felt that way for ages, however it was always masked by a sort of rebellious distaste or sarcasm. I was weak, and I knew it perhaps too well. All it took was one moment, out and about on a rather dangerous alleyway. How does one put it? I guess I didn't care what would happen to me. Maybe I was lucky? I'm still not certain. Things changed there. Some gang members were goofing off, and all I could see was their sneering faces glaring at me. I was fed up with it all and attacked them without warning, and of course was knocked out. I woke up to find myself in a new place, with a higher-up grunt of the gang applying a bandage onto me. I felt as if I was under an anesthetic, and the man soon began to explain the situation. Regardless, I was soon a grunt of this gang myself, and given some basic fight training. Apparently attacking like a rabid animal seemed to show some sort of odd potential to them. I felt tougher after that, and my confidence grew miles high. Though dealt a lot of rough times but I began to react differently- I was in control. Or so I thought, until I got beat up pretty bad one time. I ended up in a coma state for a day and a half. I used to be too careful for this sort of thing. My brother [Orpheus] finally let my father [Mezcal] know of my whereabouts, particularly of the hospital's location. Mezcal sat there with me until I woke up. When I came to, the dried tears on his face got replaced with fresh ones, and he hugged me like he used to before I started fighting. I hadn't been hugged since the day I became a part of that gang. This time, I changed for real. I understood what I had been hiding from- what I needed to change, and where I needed to be all at once. I knew the process of getting feathers, and managed to garble out a request for one of my father's feathers, which he was thrilled to provide me. He said we'd go out and look for more feathers once I was let out of the hospital, and that's exactly what we did. We found some baldwing feathers laying not far from a nest, and I knew I was ready to start over.

{Comp A} [Panem Giovanni] [Words: 432]
My twentieth birthday was a very cold day, very chilled. It didn't seem to be a good sign for me, even though the day

was already going hideously enough, and I had just woken up too. My parents had forced me home, the rich jerks. 'Time

our disappointment of a son learns that he needs to take responsibility for our company' was the message they'd sent me

on a postcard. Basic nonsense from them, but it infuriated me none-the-less. Nonsense, yes... but I still needed to

return home. This time, though, I had a swift thought. 'Probably shouldn't bring Eli this time'. Not the best idea I

would've had, to bring him to my home in Italy once more. The first time was an absolute disaster, in hella many more

ways than one.



Before I was to set off to the airport, I stopped by Tai's bakery. He's my mentor.. and the father of Elijah, my now

husband. I needed... absolutely needed for Tai to send me off. His nurturing calm always kept me out of trouble and on

track while I went to college at the age of fifteen and started on my career as a baker along side him. Just my luck,

Elijah was waiting for me, or well... glaring at me as I walked in. What a shapely birthday, just perfect. My boyfriend

had obviously found the post card- he probably agreed with my parents anyways- and I had to face my parents the second

I got off the plane they'd sent me. Damn, I didn't want to go. This was going to be one hell of a fiasco.



Sure enough, five hours later and I was sitting in my room at my parents, listening to Elijah scream at me and use the basic

'I hate you', 'You're so embarrassing', and 'God you're worthless' remarks he'd made everytime I messed something up. It

was a mess. I'd blown up at my parents, accepted my right as heir, became a millionaire, and gotten my boyfriend to admit that

he liked me at least a bit. What a terrible birthday indeed. By this point, I just wanted to throw myself off the cliff that was a hundred feet away from me. I couldn't take it anymore.



It took until I was flying home for things to calm down. My responsibilities crushed me, and I had to deal with a whiny, tired Eli as

well. Nodding off slowly and delicately, I couldve punched Eli for waking me. "Happy birthday." He mumbled in his tiredness, slowly giving me my feathers,



Best birthday ever

{Comp B} [Anarchy Tachibana-Giovanni] [Words: 274]

I wish to pass on the tradition of my family. Well one half of it. My mum, Elijah, got his feathers from his parents.

And as much as my parent infuriate me, i wish to get two of their feathers as well. Yeah, it seems kinda basic, but

what could you expect? My grandparents feathers are really really important to my Mum, and I know that for me, they'll

be just as important and cared about. In addition to my families.. I would love a feather from each of my bandmates. A

symbol of the musical bond we share. In all, I'd have six feathers. And if I could find anymore room for one single

feather more... I'd find myself a magpie's feather. Magpies obsess over shiny items, always bringing them back to their

nests. In a musical way, I am like them. If I happen to find a music piece or instrument I take a shine too, I'll probably

bring it home one way or another. Needless to say, my collection of musical mementos seems to grow larger each day.

So, with the ability to have seven feathers, I would most likely own all seven. One from my Mum, One from my Father,

one from Toketsu, one from my best friend ever, Pippin, one from Regina- even though we bicker more than beavers-,

one from Icarus, and one singluar feather of a magpie. I apologize, I seem to have put a bit too much thought into how

I wish to get my feathers... but honestly they'd come from some of the most important individuals in my life. I'd be little

without them.



-A



{Note: Could I ask for a minor extension? I get out of work at 8 PM EST, and if this could end at like.. 9 PM EST, I'd be absolutely OVER THE MOON. if not, thats fine XD}

Comp a Finch-
When I was very young my mother had no idea what to name me. She could not find one word that could embody my bright, joyful personality. Once day a small yellow bird tapped on the window with its tiny beak. My mother tried to shoo it away, but the little bird only flew away for a second only to return and hop around. Eventually she just let the bird be and watch him. The yellow bird cheerfully hopped and twittered about, pecking at the ground and fluttering about. My mother grew curious, and asked around to find out what type of bird he was. She soon found out that he was a gold finch, and at that moment she knew what to name me; Finch. She kept one of the feathers that my name sake left, giving it to me once I became an adult. 

Comp b Rosalba(not grown yet)-
Oh, how I wish I had feathers like all the grown kiamaras. All the kiamaras seem to have the most interesting and intriguing stories, and I hope to have one someday soon! It would be the coolest if I found them in some remote place, that I ended up by accident, or I earned them by doing an incredible feat! But if I had to choose one way that I could get my feathers it would be if my fathers gave them to me. I really hope that they both give me a feather so that my whole life, where ever I go I will always have a reminder that they are there for me, no matter what happens.

Entering Competition B with Anabelle.
[414 words]

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Mama has feathers. Mum has feathers. Chernobyl has feathers. I don’t have feathers yet, but that’s okay. Mama says I have to wait until I turn two to get them, but I think that’s silly.


I want to get my feathers for my next birthday, which isn’t until next year, but I don’t think a year is that long. I’m not sure though. I want six blue feathers and five green feathers, and then a rainbow one. Mama says that’s “a bit excessive” but I don’t even know what that means. She tried to tell me that three feathers would be better, but I want a whole bunch!


Mama has some really pretty ones, and I want a few like that, and a few like Mum’s since they’re pretty too. Chernobyl says I should tie a whole bird to my tail instead but that’s not okay because I want a pet bird and not tied to me. I would name him Cupboard, because I like that word. Mum says I should think of a different name for my bird, but I think it sounds cool. I also want a feather from my bird. Maybe five.


I want a lot of feathers because I can’t decide on a colour. There are a lot of different colours of blue and green and I love all of them, and also rainbow because that includes all of the colours. Maybe not all of them, but a lot of them and I like that. I like the colour of the sky in the morning and at night and in-between, and the colour of the ocean, and I also like the colour of the grass and leaves. One time Chernobyl wasn’t feeling too good, and he puked in the sink. There was green in that, but I didn’t like that colour of green.


When Chernobyl got his feathers, he says that Mum and Mama put them on for him, but I want to do it on my own. I’m a big girl, I can tie knots pretty good. One time I tied my own shoelaces and Mama had such a hard time getting the knot out that I had to get new shoes. I’m an expert knot tie-r! Maybe Mama and Mum will have to help me because I might tie it too tight around my tail, and I can’t see my ear to put it on but that’s okay. They can help because it would make them happy, too.

It was more than twenty-five years ago. So long that it should be a blur, but it isn't. The best place to start is where my courage was truly tested for the first time. It was the largest fire of the year, and my squad captain Freddie, a large Thoroughbred stallion, was leading me through the flaming forest to save lives:
"Stay close, and don't try to be hero. If I say run, you run like hell back to here. Got it?"
"Got it," I followed after Freddie. As we loped through the forest, the sound of crackling got louder.
In the blink of an eye, we were surrounded by flames. It was hotter than anything I've ever experienced, and trees were collapsing beside us. Freddie jumped a log, "RUN BLADE!" He shouted as he try to pull a bird from a tree. As he freed the Robin, the tree collapsed on top of him,
"FREDRICK!" I raced over to him, dodging fire. He was screaming like I can't even describe, and the tree just kept burning him. I panicked, trying to push the tree off with my paws. I was screaming for help, when shadow shot past me,
"Who is it?! Pl-please H-HELP M-ME!!" A fiery red wing shot past my view, the gust of wind it caused knocking me back.
By the time I scrambled to my feet the winged shadow, whatever it was, was gone, but so was the log. In it's place a feather. One that resembled fire, stuck in the dirt. I snatch it and throw it in my pack before helping Freddie to his feet and almost dragging him out of the forest.
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"He's gone..." Zeus, a large lion, whispered, staring at the mound of fresh dirt where his best friend laid. It was a week later, and the fire was gone, though it had taken 64 lives with it. One being Freddie, having died from his wounds a day later. I felt it was my fault. I couldn't be the tree off myself, though a burn across the right side of my face and my now rough, scarred paws showed I had tried. Claire, a bull, lumbered up bedside me, and dropped something on the ground. It was the feather I found, the end tied to a piece of para-cord,
"Found this in your pack. I know how hard it is for Kiamaras to earn their feathers. I think you've earned it," I glanced up at her,
"I let him die...I wasn't strong enough... How did I earn it?" She smiled,
"It was Freddie who said you'd earned it. I asked him, and he said that, 'a true firefighter would never run and leave someone behind. It takes a special type of animal to be a firefighter, and Blade Ranger is the type. He has the courage of a warrior and the heart of a horse. I know he will one day be the hero the world has been waiting for."