Soar

By Jeremy Kester

Liam doesn't think he can win, but then again, that's not why he's racing.

 

Only one kestrel has ever won the Great Northern Winged Race, a feat once thought to be impossible among birds – as only the fastest really have a chance at victory.

 

It just so happens that kestrel was Liam's father.

 

Determined to find out what really happened to his father in that last ill-fated race, Liam will embark on an adventure to learn where he is from and just how his father came to be the champion he had been. If he can truly soar, he might find out how to become a champion himself… if he can stay free of the talons of those other birds who do not want Liam there in the race.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jeremy Kester
• Release date: Apr 4, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224935444

Book preview

Soar

A story about a bird race by

Jeremy C Kester

Copyright ©2024 Jeremy C Kester

Cover image and artwork by Logan M Kester ©2024

All Rights Reserved

For distribution through Draft 2 Digital

This book did not use AI/VI technology in its production and use in any AI/VI technology (such as LLM learning) is not permitted.

For Logan

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

About the Author

1

Liam hopped around the branch excitedly. The small kestrel couldn’t contain himself. Kestrels were small falcons, and he was still even smaller. Bluish grey and brown feathers fluttered everywhere as he flapped in circles around the nest. At each hop, his mother looked less and less patient.

Liam, his mother scolded. You need to go fly off with your friends. She pushed him out of the nest. He was bothering his newly hatched brothers and sisters.

But I wanna see dad before the race! he complained, flapping his wings with boundless energy.

It was the day of the Great Northern Winged Race. Birds fly from all over to compete to find the best flyers of them all. Liam’s father had won the last two years and was the defending champion. He was the only kestrel ever to win.

Liam was as proud as a young bird could be.

Your father is out getting us something to eat, and he has to get ready for the race, Liam’s mother explained. He won’t have time to fly with you this morning. She appeared calm, but Liam could tell that she had little patience left for his antics.

I want to say ‘good luck’ to him! It was a lie. He indeed had hoped that he could fly with his dad on the day of the race. How cool would that be?!

As he prepared for his mother’s reply, another bird flew in swiftly with a beak full of squirming bugs and twisting insects. It was his father.

Food! all the little birds in the nest cried. It was the only word they knew.

Dad! Liam yelled, the excitement bursting out of him. He rushed up and hugged his father.

Good to see you, son, his father said as he returned the hug as he struggled to speak with a beak full. He let it last only a second before he said. OK, let me get feed your brothers and sisters.

Liam’s mom sat up, hopping to the side of the nest to let her nest mate in to feed their children. Liam’s been excited to see you, honey.

I can tell, his father said, as he stuffed bugs into each little hatchling’s face. Liam, are you bothering your mother?

Liam’s wings sagged as his beak turned down. He was embarrassed. I wanted to see you before the race.

He wasn’t looking up as his father hopped over to him. Well, you know that your mother has a lot to handle with all your brothers and sisters. I could use some help before the race.

Yeah, yeah. I’m sorry— Liam shot up. What?! You want my help?

Race you, his dad said, leaping off the branch.

Eyes wide, Liam watched as his father dove and then moved into a gentle glide. Finally, his mother nudged him. Well? Are you going to follow him?

Liam looked back at his mother in surprise before he leapt off to chase his father.

His mother called out after him. You both be careful! And bring me back some grasshoppers!

They lived nestled in a tree near the center of a forest. There were many pockets of trees between grasslands where they could find plenty of food to hunt without venturing too far. However, Liam’s father knew of a particular spot that was more plentiful than what was right near their tree.

It indeed was a great spot to find lots of bugs. Liam knew the spot. It was the same place last summer that his father had hunted to find insects to feed his other brothers and sisters, the ones who had hatched with him. It was near the edge of the forest where the human habitats began.

They soared high into the air; the trees shrinking as they flew higher and higher. Warm sunlight glistened against their feathers as Liam followed. He could barely keep up. It didn’t matter. His heart pounded as he watched his father fly, almost unaware of his surroundings. It was all that he could have hoped for.

Flapping his wings as hard as he could, Liam struggled to keep up. Then, right when he felt like he wouldn’t be able to fly any higher, he saw his father turn, make a quick wave, then go into a dive.

Liam hovered as his father flew towards the ground.

Excited to prove his own diving skills to his father, he tucked his wings in and turned himself into a dive.

Right at the last possible moment, he unfolded his wings to break his descent.

As he landed, his father hopped around laughing. I might make a great flier of you yet!

Panting, more from the excitement of racing than from being tired, Liam said, really? You think I’m fast enough? To be a champion like you?

Being fast isn’t the only thing you need to win. I am certainly not the fastest bird—

But you’re the best! The fastest! How else did you get to be champion? Liam insisted.

His father sighed. If all you worry about is speed, you will lose, son. There are many birds who can fly much faster than me, but they maybe aren’t as agile, having to take long ways around.

But you won!

Yes. But a lot of it was luck, his dad tried to explain after sighing again. And a lot a hard work and practice. I really only won because the competition was not as tough as other years.

Liam’s brows furrowed in confusion. He looked at his father, who talked as he hopped over and grabbed a large grasshopper that was trying to flutter past. Liam didn’t understand what his father meant by luck. And what did he mean by the competition not being tough? It was hard to imagine his father as anything but the tough champion he knew him to be.

Kestrels are a small falcon. Some of the smallest even, and they are not known for speed. Liam had seen nothing much larger than a golden eagle, and they weren’t that fast either, soaring lazily in the skies. It didn’t matter though, the image of his father being the fastest