Ellie felt the warm tongue of her mother lick her fur clean. Ellie spread her wings, yawning happily, and smiled. Her mother nuzzled her gently. She opened her eyes for the first time, and sat up, shocked. There was so much! Her eyes could barely handle the explosion of light and colors. She waddled up to the entrance of the den. The entrance was surrounded by long, swaying grass, and lilies. She stepped out into the light, and felt grass and dirt under her feet. She listened to the sounds, birds that chirped, the grasshoppers that buzzed, the bees that hummed.

"The world has opened up to you, Ellie." He mother stepped out, ans stood beside her. Her white fur blew in the wind.

"How much is out there, mother?" Ellie asked.

"Too much to see in your lifetime. But there will be things you'll find that will make up for it."

"But I want to see all of it..." Ellie looked up, at her first cloud. It was the only one, and hung in a loose shape in the sky. The trees around waved their leaves to her, and a huge butterfly flew in her front of her. She began to follow it, and stared, fascinated.

"Mother! It's not on the ground!" Ellie gasped.

"No dear, it's a butterfly. It has wings, and that keeps in the air." Her mother said.

"Wings?" Ellie asked absent-mindedly.

"Wings. Like these." Her mother pulled out Ellie's wings with her nose.

"I have wings? So...I'll be able to fly?" She gasped.

Her mother nodded. "Just like that butterfly."

Ellie laughed and ran around with the butterfly. "I can fly! I can fly!" She jumped and bounced, and stood on a rock, smiling. Her eyes wide, she looked at all the wonders Mother Earth had to offer. An Eagle flew above. Ellie watched it, and a feather slowly drifted down, and landed at her feet. She sniffed it, and picked it up with her paw. "What's this?"

"It's and Eagle's feather. They have magical powers, you know." Ellie's mother observed her feather. "It's a big one."

"What kind of magical powers?" Ellie asked.

"They keep you safe from harm if you have them with you. Here, let me hold onto this for you." She took Ellie's feather, and tucked it under her leg strap.

Ellie watched the Eagle fly around, and flapped her own wings, stretching them out. A gust of wind picked her up, and sent her soaring 100 feet, until she lost control and fell to the ground. She got up, shaking the dirt out of her fur. Ellie growled, determined, and found another high place. She spread her wings, and waited. The next gust came, and lifted her up. Ellie flapped, and went higher. The kept her wings straight, and flew. "Mother! I can fly!"

Ellie looked around, carefully turning. Her mother was beaming, and shouted, "Ellie!" she had an urgent tone, and was frantic.


"What?" Ellie didn't understand why her mother had called so urgently. Ellie turned around, and screamed. The Eagle was flying towards her. She flapped, and suddenly began to fall. She was so high, a fall would cripple her.

The Eagle screamed, and dove. She spread her huge wings, below Ellie, and caught her on her back. The eagle wavered a little, but clearly landed next to her mother.