Karru the Black Cockatoo landed quietly on a low branch near the entrance, his jet-black feathers dull against the riot of colors around him. Unlike the proud Cockatoos with their crisp white wings or the dazzling Rainbow Lorikeets, Karru felt invisible. He watched as the Galahs laughed together, pink and silver under the morning sun, and the Kookaburras tumbled on the grass, already giggling at some inside joke.
Ms. Tawny Owl, the head teacher, scans the flock as she rings a brass bell with her talon. Squawk the White Cockatoo, captain of the sports team, struts past Karru, flicking his crest. Lila the Gang-Gang Cockatoo, her red head feathers bouncing, whispers something to her friends and glances at Karru. Karru feels the weight of their stares and shuffles his claws on the branch.
"Oi, mate, planning to join the footy team or just brood on your own all year?"
Kiki the Kookaburra, feathers ruffled from laughing, bounds over with a lopsided grin. "You know, you could always sit with us, Karru. We don’t bite—unless you’re a really funny worm!" Karru smiles shyly, unsure whether to join the chattering Kookaburras or remain hidden in the dappled shade.
Maggie the Magpie swoops down beside him, her white-and-black markings shining in the gloom. "Not easy being different, is it?" "No," Karru admits, "but I guess it means I see things no one else does." A sudden gust sends a branch tumbling. Karru leaps forward, using his strong beak to steady it before it can hit a group of Rainbow Lorikeets.
Ms. Tawny Owl floats down, her feathers damp but dignified. "Courage and kindness come in many colors, Karru. You may feel like the odd one out, but today you helped us all see the strength in standing apart." Karru stands a little taller, rain glistening on his dark wings, as the birds invite him to join their circle.
Kiki perches beside him, nudging his wing. "See, mate? Turns out being different is just what this place needed!" Karru beams, surrounded by new friends and the wild, beautiful world of his school.
