As far as she could remember, Hinata always wore the cardinal feathers in her front bangs.
She knew the meaning by heart: protection and duty to family; and seeing the deep red feathers in her black hair, the meaning that she was expected to do her duty before following her heart because of a Feather Code, akin to the shinobi secret flower language, the Hyuuga created long before she was born…
She wasn't the first or the last to wore such feathers; while usually reserved for the Branch House, it was a traditional feather for the Hyuuga.
Some days, Hinata thought as she faced the mirror, she hated the feathers fiercely.
But it wasn't until she met her Team 8 that she actually changed her meaningless feathers for one that would speak for her.
-oh she had tried with flowers, but flower are not as easy to use, and they're not as bold of a statement that her father would actually notice. Flower language isn't as meaningful to Hyuuga, but the Feather Code taught as soon as one walk?
She expected the harsh glare her father gave her rather loud declaration, the first day she wore rooster's in addition to the cardinal's feathers, but it did not hurt any less, and almost make her want to put away the new feathers she was wearing.
But instead, Hinata closed her eyes to give herself courage, and gave her father a calm smile and then went to eat breakfast without a word.
(family is not borne of the water of the womb, but of the blood she would spill for them)
(she would destroy the world for them if it meant they could still be smiling by her side)
Kiba and Shino didn't understand why she changed her hairdo, but the secret and proud smile Kurenai-sensei gave her was what gave her the courage to do it again, and again.
And she would do it again just to see Kiba coming up one day and asking her what kind of feathers he could wear because they were so cool Hinata! I need to get more! And she couldn't help but laugh when he tried to hug her in order to convince her.
(in the end, she gave him an eagle owl's feather. Fierce and unmatched on the battlefield certainly seemed to fit her Inuzuka friend)
(two days later, he was wearing it on his jacket, and Akamaru on his collar.)
After the fight with Neji-nii-san, Hinata started to wear magpie feather in lieu of all the others she wore before.
(she gifted to Kiba and Sino her rooster feathers: she couldn't bear to wear them, but it was still the promise she made to them to protect and guard them fiercely.)
(feather code might be used to pass messages in clan at first, but Hinata used them to remember why she fought and for whom.)
And, if a few days later, Kiba wore proudly an earring with the feather attached to its end, and Shino showed her the bracelet he made with it, she absolutely didn't cry.
(she totally did. Hinata loved them so much it hurt her.)
A few days after the failed Sand invasion, and the death of the Hokage, Hinata replaced all her magpie feathers by a crown of dove feathers and started to grow her hair.
(she wasn't the heir anymore and she wouldn't keep it short to show her loyalty to the Hyuuga.)
And while her father seemed glad to see her returning to a more traditional feather, she knew he wouldn't approve of the meaning she intended for those.
(she didn't, wouldn't forget all her precious people that fought so valiantly during the invasion, and the Ideal she was loyal to was one where Naruto-kun ended up as Hokage.)
(Hinata swore to herself that she would make it happen, one day.)
(That, she reflected while pinning her longer hair in a bun and working the crown of dove feathers around, was her new nindo.)
When the Fourth Shinobi War was declared, Hinata took a look at her uniform, and breathed deeply before attaching in her hair the different feather she would take into battle.
Rooster, at the front, with twice as much dove's feathers; Lark, for luck; and Sparrow for the peace that would come one day.
She only smiled at Neji-nii-san when she saw him wearing two Peacock feathers.
The only one that saw her changing all her war feathers to the seagull's was the stone monument bearing her cousin name.
Hinata watched with tearful eyes her war feathers burn in an offering to Neji's spirit.
(she couldn't bear to see them anymore: what good was peace when all she got to show for it was a heart even more empty?)
The day she married Naruto, she looked at her father and told him that she would wear no more feathers.
He only gave her a sad smile before gifting her a box, saying that Hinata's mother would have liked to gift them to her.
Long after, when she finally opened the box remised in the basement of her house, she could only smile tearfully when seeing the tasteful arrangement of bluebird, crane, egret and falcon.
(I miss you mother, but this little bird has finally flown away from the nest.)
(feather meanings:
Cardinal: Duty and protection to family; I am loyal to my blood family.
Rooster: Fierceness and Protection; I am loyal to my chosen family.
Eagle Owl: My prowess in battle is unmatched; Fierce.
Magpie: I grieve for a missed opportunity; Sorrow.
Dove: I am eternally devoted; Loyalty to an Ideal.
Lark: Renewal and good fortune; I am feeling lucky
Sparrow: Peace offering; I am peaceful
Peacock: I am prideful; My eyes see all that can be seen
Seagull: Deep sorrow; Spiritual journey; I am grieving
Bluebird: Happiness; I soothe fear
Crane: Honor; I keep true to my word
Egret: Elegance and beauty; I am in awe of your beauty
Falcon: Messenger; My spirit goes with you)