Courtships

Neriya stayed flat to the ground as she watched the deer walk by her. Her bright feathers were stuck to her body with a layer of thick brown mud, leaving a mottled appearance that allowed her to blend in with her surroundings more than she typically could. The deer were upwind from her, leaving enough of a buffer to let her sit almost entirely under their migration path, a well worn divot in the grass that stretched from one end of the forest to the other. She k...

Summer was in full swing on Seffe’s corner of the beach, and with it, the inexplicable urge to build a nesting display. And not in the cave he and Swavelli lived in, no, he needed something individual. Personal. And, most of all, visible to everyone passing by! It was a very serious ordeal to find the perfect place for construction. The beach was beautiful, and the sunsets would give his feathers a very flattering glow at the right hour, but the tide put his whole pl...

"Have you ever made a nest before?" It was a simple question but it rooted Sparrow's feet to the floor. His nests so far had been rudimentary living quarters, scraps of material to suit him and whoever was bunking with him at the time. His usual roommate had been his twin sister, and she was just as unfussy as he was. He didn't know where to begin with making a fully functional nest to incubate eggs and raise hatchlings in. He swallowed his pride and turned to S...

Despite being known for clear skies and sunny days, summer had been nothing but tumultuous weather. In the same day it could be blustering, then stagnant and hot, then thundering rain, all of which were problematic for Fainel and her thick coat of feathers. She’d been so excited to get away from the constant spring showers, but that had hardly changed, and when it did, it was replaced with something worse. Lately, she’d become nocturnal to deal with it. At the very least, it helpe...

The dawn painted the forest in hues of gold and pink, tinting Ataahua’s scales a lovely shade of amber. Like a goddess of light and beauty… To F-23 no flower, nor sunset would ever compare to the sheer beauty possessed by Ataahua. Even F-23 looked dim and dull in comparison, not that she cared. Their beloved deserved to shine like the very sun that she resembled....