Kirek: Feather Trial

Peering into the narrow cave, Kirek felt a tightness forming in her chest as she caught sight of a slight glint at the far back of it.

She had spent years dreaming of what courageous feat she would brave in order to earn her feather – and in none of those fantasies had she considered dragging herself through a cold, narrow cave in order to earn one. Kirek closed her eyes tightly, taking in a few deep breaths before she forced them open once more. Slowly, she lowered herself into the cave, desperately trying not to focus on the way the damp stone walls pressed in all around her. The cave was far too small to walk through, and Kirek was forced to pull herself forward on her hands and knees, inching towards the far wall.

Tight spaces had never been something she was comfortable with, and it was all she could do not to panic as she crept along the rock. After what felt like hours – though she was certain it was only a few minutes – Kirek breathed in a sigh of relief as she felt her hand grasp the feather. She slowly began to back out of the cave, almost collapsing in relief as she gasped in deep breaths of the crisp air and admired the feather now shining in her hand.

[223 words]