The Wings of an Eagle

[Therin]

I finished my practice with a quick bow to an invisible opponent. I leaned my sword against the bole of a rough, knotted tree, and lay down beside it, my head caught comfortably at the joining of two roots, pillowed by luscious green grass. My loose fitting light blue gi spread itself out flat around my limbs. The trickle of a small stream floated through the air from somewhere nearby, carried along with the mild scent of wildflowers and the quiet titters of meadow birds by a light, cool breeze that ruffled my loose hair playfully. I looked up at the sun, flickering through the leaves of the tree, and the sky, a deep, magnificent ocean hue, stretching out in an infinite bowl above me. Between the leaves of the tree, I caught glimpses, mere snatches of an almost imaginary form floating effortlessly above the ancient trees and peaceful clearings that made the wild lands so beautiful a place to train. My eyes narrowed as I looked more closely through the crisscrossing branches, trying to make out what the effervescent figure might be. The sounds and smells around me became clearer, the light breeze and the grass beneath me honing themselves to pure, intricate detail. I could feel the individual blades that folded beneath my hands, and every speck of dust that brushed against my skin. I felt it all drawing inward around me, the world coming closer, wrapping itself about me like a blanket of senses.
Then, suddenly, it burst.
All was laid out below me as I soared wonderingly through the air with indescribable grace and skill. The trees resembled a huge, green ocean, the movement of the boughs mimicking that of the blue waves of the sea that lay hundreds of miles away on the horizon, the many clearings poked through like bright islands of life
Air sighed lovingly over my feathers as I skimmed through the air like a minor wisp of the clouds around me. I was tiny, infinitesimal, and yet, from this beautiful panorama below me, I might have owned it all. My eyes could see every bug, on every blade of grass, every mouse scurrying its way toward home or a meal. I could feel the world, in the shape of the air, the sounds of the trees, in the simple perfection that floated below and above me, riding along with me like so much flotsam would ride on that far ocean. As my vantage point changed, something spread itself below me that had been concealed by the Great Father, the supremely ancient and gnarled tree that sat at the center of the forest. A figure lay there, prone, resting peacefully in the crook of Father’s gnarled roots. A figure human in nature, and yet…not. The solid form was clothed in blue that seemed to come directly from the sky, a bright, reassuring sign that he had been accepted. I banked and altered my path in a graceful circle, coming round to face the figure that lay in Father’s embrace. My eyes focused tightly upon him, taking in every detail.
My wings folded, almost of their own accord, and I plunged.
Wind whipped past me, shrieking across my body and ripping at my wings and feathers. The ground accelerated upward towards me, seeming to enfold me in its earthy embrace as I stooped toward the figure of sky. My wings snapped open and I streaked agilely through the forest with the speed of a leopard, banking and snapping between trees to bleed off some of the accumulated speed, the forest pressing in around me, enclosing, trapping.
Then, in an instant, it peeled back.
My eyes snapped open in time to see a huge eagle burst between two trees and flap his wings mightily to stop. I hastened to my feet and, without knowing why, lifted my arm toward him. He alighted there, lighter than I had thought, and yet carrying the weight of ancient years. His eyes bored into mine, burning with a hunter’s intensity, blazing from the enclosure of white feathers and brown. For an instant, my heart soared along with his, stroking mightily through the air, lifting high above the world.
I felt the time.
I lowered my arm slowly, and then jumped up into the air, throwing my arm as high as it would go and launching him into the air. His legs jumped exactly on cue, as if he had known this was coming, and his wings beat fiercely at the air, straining for altitude. As he pulled himself forward and up, he reached down casually and touched the highest leaf of the tree I had been lying against with his foot.
Understanding arrived.
My eyes lowered, and I bowed deeply and with great respect to the Father. Then I retrieved my sword, slung it over my back, and strode thoughtfully through the forest towards home. I had discovered something new that day…
He would always watch over me.
My mind was at peace.

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Recommended listening: The Road to Perdition OST, Track 7
As always, comments are much appreciated.

[Shandriz]

You oopsed on one spot-- putting Wing instead of Wind, but I caught it and knew what you meant. Other than that, it's quite beautiful. You're so much better at descriptions than I am!

[Therin]

hehe

fixed it!

As to descriptions: Simile. With descriptions, simile is your bestest friend, with metaphor running a close second.

edit: There. You happy now?

[Enon]

The description and detail were awsomly written.
What is this for and who is it? what took place before and why were they worried?
hehe okay i think i'll stop now.

[Minosheep]

And what's funny is that it's spelled simile.

[Therin]

*beats demonic with a leather tomato*

Enon: It's not for anything, simply an inspired piece. As with most short shorts, there is no background, and no real plot detail.

I wrote it to try to express the feelings that I got when listening to the song. This is what I came up with.

[Minosheep]

[Therin]

*beats Demonic with fixed post*

[Minosheep]

Ow.

To clear up any doubts you may have, I know full well that the comment he made was directed at Shandriz's correction of 'Wind.' It was just a petty attempt at humor.

[Therin]

[commence ranting] So, my mom and my aunt both told me I should send this in to a magazine and get it published. So I went "What the hell? Why not?" and looked at a few of the sites. Here's what I discovered: This is nowhere near good enough to be published. Not even remotely close. Also, even if by some miracle it did get published, I would only get forty-two dollars for it. Not worth the effort, but it still makes me depressed. Oh well. [/ranting]