NIGHTBIRD

The fledgling sparrow, no larger than a curled leaf, clung to the edge of the branch, his heart drumming an uncertain rhythm. He longed for the wind to carry him effortlessly, to whisper his purpose in his ear, yet each gust only rattled his resolve.With a deep breath, he finally leapt, his wings flailing against the pull of gravity. Below, the world stretched vast and unknown, a puzzle of shifting trees, winding rivers, and distant mountains. He had not found his place, not yet, but he knew now that the search had only just begun.