Reasons
By Ebonhawk

It was a scenic buff. An ancient forest that breaks into a cliff overlooking the sea. In a movie the heroes would go in one side and go flying of the cliff at the other side. It’s the kind of place that all those artisty types like to come to look out and ponder. They would sit on this rock and draw or write or sometimes dance and sing. That was how he had met her. He was sitting in the evergreen tree. He wasn't there to write or anything. He had come here to think about what he was going to do with his life. He was so lost in thought he hadn't even seen her arrive. She sat below him and started to sing. . She wasn't the best singer in the world unless you asked him. When he looked down he didn't know what was in store for him.

He looked at her and saw a pretty wolf fur. She had black fur that shone so beautiful in the sun. And emerald eyes that were proof of a cosmic spirit. He wondered how good she would be in bed. Then it was in the heat of August and so what else was a young male to think about when a beautiful young femme came by.  

When he landed he spoke to her and gave her a clear view of his bright red plumage. Any Phoenix femme would be impressed and so it only would follow that she should be too – even if she was a wolf fur. 

He talked to her and she to him. She spoke words with the voice of an angel. They talked into the night. By the time the moon had risen, he had come he had forgotten some of his lusty intentions. He really liked her. He would wait, if she would give him another night to be with her. 

And so she did. 

One night leading to another. 

Two nights lead to a week and before they had taken a breath a year had past. He knew he couldn't live without her when he brought her back to this same tree to ask for her paw in marriage. He was under no illusion that their life would be easy. Neither did she when she said yes. All they wanted was a full life together.   They had almost gotten their wish. They had a child and he was a handsome hybrid of the pair. But, his joy was short lived. 

He was flying his family home from the birthing center when it happened. They were soaring home. She was in his arms and their child in her arms. She was beaming with joy. That was when the shot rang out. In a moment of blinding pain his arms went numb. He saw them fall. He dove to save them. She used her last breath to throw there child into his arms. He saved his boy and raced the ground to save the love of his heart. He caught her body but she was already gone. 

They say the bullet had done it's damage and that he couldn't have saved her.  They found the shooter some fur-hating human. But he didn't care. His love was gone and now this world holds no interest for him. 

So, he came back to this same bluff. One small step and he could be with her again. A little step. He walks to the edge and he can hear her voice again. He steps off into space. He keeps his wings at his side.  He is resolute to be with her again. The air rushes past his senses. He surprises his instincts. He will succeed. 

A thousand feet become  five hundred.

He can feel her so close again. Her fur against her feathers.   

Five hundred feet becomes three hundred.
  
He can see her and feel her love again.  

Three hundred becomes two hundred.

Then he remembers their child. He sees him cry. Who will dry his tears? 

One hundred feet 
 
He stretches his wings. He pulls away from the jagged rocks. 

He has one person to live for and he has to do it for both of them. 

"I'm coming home, son."