Usual disclaimers apply.
*****
It did not know why it flew all the way up there. The others were content enough to stay in the lower half of the mountain, where food and companionship was plenty. It didn't need to fly higher, to beat its wings on cooling air.
But it did. And it still did not know why.
There was nothing here, in this place so high up the mountain. Few dared go up here; none staying for more than a day. There was nothing here but rocks.
It hopped forward, glancing this way and that. A pile of rocks stood in front of it, rising high above. More piles stood beside the first one, forming something like the things man uses to catch others-like-it. It did not know why man likes to catch others-like-it but it knew it did not like being caught and kept behind those things.
It hopped forward a little more. There was something behind the man-thing-like-rocks, hidden far away in the dark. The thing was lighter than the dark, bigger than it.
It chirped at the thing.
The thing moved.
It chirped again, seeing that it was smaller than a man. But the thing was still a man. A man-chick then.
The man-chick held a claw out towards it. It hopped onto the claw, not feeling danger.
The man-chick opened its beak wide in that strange safe/excited expression, all the while raising it higher. It flapped its wings and tightened its perch on the man-claw.
But there was no danger. The man-chick just kept staring at it and showing that strange safe/excited expression.
It still did not know why it flew up here.
It flew up there a few more times in the following days, still not knowing why. But it didn't bother thinking about why. The man-chick was always there, always showing that expression in greeting.
Sometimes the man-chick would chirp to it and it would chirp back. But the man-chick did not seem to understand. Sometimes the man-chick would chirp in man-chirp, something it did not understand. But the man-chick continued chirping, neither understanding the other. And somehow, it found the sound comforting as though it missed the noise of the others-like-it.
More days passed and it knew it was weakening. But it still flew away from the others, to the top of the mountain, where the man-chick was.
It took longer this time with its aging wings but it kept going, kept flying higher and higher.
When it finally reached the rock-nest where the man-chick was, it could only hop a few steps before collapsing. The man-thing-like-rocks stood many hops away, the man-chick even more hops farther.
But it was so tired and weak, it could only close its eyes. And for a moment, it knew why it flew all the way up there. Only for a moment.
*****
A/N: Just thought I'd give this idea a try. I think it's my first one-shot fic. Man, it's hard to think like a bird.
Dedicated to my cousin, Nikki (aka wrinkle). who's been missing out on some activities.