FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

KAVUA

CHAPTER 1 - THE ARRIVAL

A tear swelled up in her eye and a tight pain made her stomach wince as she ran her thumb over a photo featuring a handsome looking, yet small family. The plane she had boarded had already taken off about fifteen minutes prior, but she had not noticed.

"Nervous?" Deago interrupted Siara's thoughts.

"No, I'm fine. Well, just a little I guess," Siara admitted, stuffing the photo of her family back in her medium-sized tan briefcase. "I'm just starting to have second thoughts about this whole thing."

"It's a bit late now, unless you want to get off this plane with a parachute," Deago chuckled with a wide grin on his face. Siara snapped back into reality for a moment as she saw fields and houses the size of small insects out the small, round window. "Siara, now what did your gut instinct say before you decided to do this?"

"It said for me to go for it, but now I'm not so sure," Siara replied, whispering the latter half of her statement to herself. Deago nodded in approval.

"Listen, the Kavuan Tribe are a very peaceful people. They will make you feel at home. Make you feel like one of their own." Deago said, speaking from experience. Siara smiled a little and gave a half nod. "You're in for one of the most exciting times your life."

Siara had always wanted to be an anthropologist. Even as a little kit(1), she was captivated by different cultures and ways of life. She carried more of an interest in researching the Muzoba Tribe of Eastern Pangia(2) or the Kalabara People in South Sai(3), instead of reading up on current fashions and celebrities as a teenager. She was smart, noone ever doubted that, and was seemingly athletic. She had always received the best of grades in school and high honors, and due to winning Academic Finals in her state, she had the opportunity to participate in beginning college during her sophomore year in High School. She learned of many more new cultures while in college, yet she had a hard time deciding which tribe she would prefer to study. By a freak accident one day at a local café downtown, she quiet literally ran into Deago, a professor at the University of Vildonia(4). After apologizing profusely to the professor, gathering up his scattered papers and accepting an invitation to coffee by him, she learned he too was a teacher of Anthropology. He told Siara he taught of the Kavua Tribe, a peaceful people living on a small chain of islands in the vast Marianic Ocean, which caught Siara's interest quickly. She would talk to him more and more as the days passed on, and decided to enroll in his class.

There was something peculiar about Deago, she had always thought to herself, her family and friends agreeing with her presumptions. He was a handsome, slender man near his mid-forties and sported a spiky, yet messy hairstyle. He preferred to be called by his first name and they developed a close friendship versus the typical student-teacher relationship. He had a sparkle in his eye, maybe even a sense of mischief, which gave Siara an inner knowing. A feeling that she was on the right path. She studied hard about this little known tribe named Kavua, learning their complex language and mathematical system and different cultural taboos and customs. Deago had lived with the tribe for a few years of his own life. He taught of the beautiful mountains and valleys, the pure white sands on the beaches and the exotic wildlife and insects. He taught of how the air was thick with perfume from gigantic flowering plants. He taught about the old growth trees and pure land, land that their own people had yet to step foot on. Siara hung on every word he had spoken to her like they were sacred treasures. She excelled in his class, so it was no surprise when Deago chose her to be the student who got the honor of going to live with this mysterious people. Siara was also close with her parents and being an only child, they were naturally protective over her. Yet, they gave her wings of freedom and tearfully parted with their beloved child on this cool autumn day. Siara had glanced back over her shoulders many times as she walked away to board the plane, seeing her parents' tears run down their cheeks, waving a bittersweet goodbye.

The trip on the plane was most unsettling to Siara. Her stomach tied in knots from nervousness and doubt. Deago spoke more stories about his experiences on the island, reassuring Siara that she will be safe, although she wasn't listening much. Her mind was racing with thoughts of "what if's" and "why's". She had shredded small packs of nuts and fruit in a nervous habit and fidgeted with anything she could. They had to switch planes in Cozanbul(5), which came with a forty-five minute delay due to a storm where they would then land in Pangia. During the trip on this particular flight to Pangia, Siara had her fair share of annoyances. From a small child sitting in the rear of her who happened to be amused by kicking at her seat, to an elderly man in Row 3 who decided to make a scene that his on-flight meal was stone cold, waving a rather beautifully engraved cane in the face of a frightened stewardess. Siara began to notice that Deago was toying with his watch.

"Is something wrong?" Siara questioned. Deago sighed loudly and agitatedly.

"I just hope that our next plane is still available." He answered back. Siara glanced out the window.

"The Airline will put us on the next flight if it isn't."

"Doesn't work that way. This is a small commercial aircraft from a small commercial airline. I had to schedule a flight with them, which was hard to do. They don't exactly fly people around, but it's the only way to get to Ter Azzo."

Siara slouched in her seat, looking rather annoyed.

"Ter Azzo? Why are we going there?" She wondered, puzzled. Ter Azzo is the capital of a poor island neighboring Kavua in which the Raimish(6) claimed centuries before. They had left the Kavuan's in peace and the two vastly different cultures live peacefully on neighboring islands.

"Ter Azzo has a small airport. We can't exactly land the plane on the beach, ya know. The Chief will be waiting for us there." Deago informed. Siara smirked.

"And how exactly do we get to the island? Swim?" She sarcastically retorted, slumping down into her seat.

"We go by canoe."

It was blistering hot when Siara stepped out of the airport in Pangia. She expected this, being so close to the Xelorian equator. The dry desert air stung her face as she ran full speed, Deago pulling her by the arm.

"Why are we running?" She screamed, holding on to her briefcase and hat as tightly as possible.

"We just made it! They'll still take us to Ter Azzo if we hurry!" Deago yelled back over the loud roaring of an airplane engine. Siara nodded as much as she could while running, before stopped dead in her tracks. She glanced upwards, a hint of exasperation on her face.

"Absolutely not," She stated blankly, peering at a small rickety aircraft. The plane creaked and rocked in the wind. The paint was peeling off, revealing rusted bolts that were barely holding the craft together.

"What's the matter now?" Deago huffed out of breath, oblivious to Siara's concerns.

"I'd trust a paper airplane before I'd trust that tin can!" Siara snapped.

"The sand in the air just peeled some of the paint off. No biggie. We only have to spend two hours in it," Deago coaxed, pulling on his reluctant student. Siara finally surrendered with a muttering growl and boarded the shaky craft. It creaked and moaned as she stepped inside, hitting her head on the ceiling.

"Very roomy!" She barked sarcastically. Deago scoffed to himself and sat in one of the two seats in back of the plane. Siara sat down in the only other seat beside him and strapped herself in as tightly as she could. She listened to the pilot arguing in a foreign language to another outside the plane. Deago seemed a bit nervous, like he was stressed for time. Siara carefully took out the photo of her family from her briefcase and gazed at it, a nostalgic smile spreading across her face. The pilot entered the plane and bantered something in a strange language to the two travelers, and quickly began to poke and pull at levers on the control panel. Siara looked at Deago, confused.

"I think he means to buckle in, it's going to be a bumpy ride."

If only Siara knew how bumpy of a ride she was to encounter, she would have never have boarded the plane. Near one hour into the last and final flight, they encountered a rather fierce storm. Siara had become very agitated, and Deago had to admit, he was a bit on the apprehensive side himself. The plane swayed and dipped like a roller coaster, seeming like it wanted to fall out of the sky. Deago mentioned that it was just another typical storm that passes through the Kavuan islands frequently. The storm did eventually pass and the flight became smoother again. Siara gazed out the window, seeing nothing but bright teal and blue waters below her. It was breathtaking. She, for the first time, really began to realize that she literally would be living in the middle of nowhere. As she drew in a deep breath, she noticed small patches of land dotting the wet blanket below. She tugged on Deago's sleeve.

"Is that Kavua?" She asked, her tail swinging to and fro with excitement. Deago smiled and nodded.

"Only islands in this part of the Marianic Ocean!" Deago exclaimed. Siara didn't notice the twinge of sarcasm under his breath. She stared in awe at the beauty of the small green dots. She could see the jagged, yet thin mountains reaching ever higher towards the Heavens and the deep valleys in between them. Tropical rainforest, never touched by her people, hugged the beaches of the islands. She even noticed a small amount of smoke arising from the largest of the islands and cocked her head slightly when she noticed a small glimmer in the trees. Siara's attention was averted when the pilot began to ramble on about something.

"We're landing," Deago translated. Siara smiled and nodded, her uneasiness now being replaced by excitement and anticipation.

The plane landed on a small landing strip near a run down airport, if that is what you could call it. It looked more like a large, beaten up barn with the doors stripped off their hinges. Small shanties dotted littered dirt roads, children running around unsupervised. Still, the nature was beautiful. Odd flowering plants of every color and the smell of incense was in the air. The people seemed happy, almost like they didn't know any better; like maybe they didn't know they were poor. They hustled amongst each other, still smiling as they bought fruit and pottery and cloth. Still, Siara hoped Kavua was in better shape than this place. She followed Deago down a makeshift jet way into a virtually empty airport. Nobody standing at the counters to take flight stubs, nobody running trying to catch a flight. Even their baggage was thrown into a pile. Siara was about to head towards a small window to observe more of the people, when she noticed a morbidly obese and very tall male walking towards her at full speed. He had a smile on his face that could please any God. He donned a beautifully colored blue and green ula, a simple piece of cloth that a male or female wraps around their waist, which reaches ankle length. He sported a large plume of feathers on his back that overlooked his even larger, long furred tail. An exquisite headdress crowned his head, showing off even more feathers and jewels. His ears were pierced with wide gauge disks, each keeping a beautifully designed pattern inside and a clear, shining jewel was embedded on the middle of his forehead between his eyes. This brightly adorned male picked up Siara high into the air, squeezing the near life out of her with his thick, flabby arms and twirled around.

"Ka'i xakela!" He welcomed Siara with much enthusiasm, speaking his own native language. "I am Chief Polo. Welcome!"

"Hello again, Chief," Deago smiled, holding his hand out. They touched hands in the air, performing the Kavua version of a hand shake. Siara introduced herself, messing up on a few words out of nervousness, the Chief chuckling at her. Siara couldn't help but chuckle at the Chief as well. His size was overwhelming and frankly, she was surprised he could walk upright. Still, she could see nothing but pure beauty in him. His smile was intoxicatingly gorgeous.

"These are two of my warriors, Aleu and Miwa," Chief Polo pointed to two well-built men standing behind them. They too greeted Siara and Deago warmly. Chief put his arm around Siara and pulled her in close to him, her muzzle becoming trapped in a pocket of fat on his chest. She nervously chuckled, maneuvering her nose to a pocket of fresh air. "Come, let's go home."

The ocean was fantastic, the water so crystal clear you could see deep down into it. A vast array of unusual looking and colorful san(7) swimming graciously in the water, the sounds of squeals and haunting sounding howls coming from them as they leapt out of the water. Gigantic waves carried them to the island, although it seemed that they weren't going anywhere. Siara grazed the horizon for Kavua, but it was nowhere to be seen, only beautiful blue and green lagoons with kudzu clinging onto the vines. Siara looked up into the sky, never before seeing such a vibrant shade of blue. Large puffy clouds began to rise over the horizon. The Chief interrupted Siara's thoughts.

"We are almost home," He informed. Siara nodded politely as the warriors who were rowing the canoe brushed back some thick kudzu as they entered a large lagoon.

"We're underneath the island," Deago whispered to Siara. There was a pure stillness to the air inside the lagoon. Hand painted pictures covered the inside of the lagoon's walls, gems embedded in them as well. Siara noticed a glimmer to her right. She gasped silently as a large warrior came out of hiding from behind some kudzu, then another and then another. They stood tall, all around them, guarding the entrance to the island and stared at Siara intensely with curiosity as she stared back the same. She heard a giggle as a child of maybe five years of age dropped into the canoe. The child climbed onto Siara's back, inspecting her and laughing. Siara giggled as the Chief set the child beside him in the canoe. A warrior smiled down at them as he pulled the kudzu away, revealing one of the most beautiful sighs Siara would ever see in her life.

A swarm of bright pink flying insects scattered away from the kudzu as they exited the lagoon and back into open waters. Siara's jaw nearly dropped, as Kavua was finally revealed to her. Music could be heard throughout the valleys, a tropical beat playing to the nature around them, singing and laughter echoing louder than the music. A large Keil'i bird(8) flew above them, almost seeming as if he was singing along as he landed on a branch stretching out over the water. His five foot long multi-colored feathers bristled the top of Siara's hair as they passed underneath this marvelous creature. The child point at the bird, gazing at Siara, laughing. Large san leaped from the water, creating large waves which the rode towards the island.

"Siara, look!" Deago pointed out some surfers, flipping and spinning and frolicking with the waves. They all laughed as one surfer fell off his board and tumbled into the water. The two warriors maneuvering the canoe glanced at each other and nodded.

"Hold on," Chief exclaimed. He gripped the sides of the canoe as a large fifteen foot wave took them high in the air. Siara screamed for her life, clinging to Deago while the Chief, warriors and the child cheered. The warriors spun the canoe back and forth, riding the wave as it nearly came crashing on top of them. Everyone was laughing, everyone except Siara who was still hanging on to Deago, her eyes wide with fear and fur puffed out. The Chief consoled Siara and she calmed herself again.

They were nearing the island. The jagged, green mountains stretched higher than the clouds. Lush rainforest blanketed the entire island. An abundance of tropical plant life dotted the sandy beaches. In the not-so-far distance, two other warriors were practicing their fighting techniques with each other. They were balancing on a thin beam of wood, which was about ten feet above the water. Siara was amazed at their balance. One warrior with thick, black colored fur and greenish markings noticed the newcomers and waved cheerfully. The other, a muscular golden-colored warrior turned around, dropping his spear into the water.

"Ai xolo," He whispered to himself as he saw the most beautiful creature he had ever seen riding in the canoe. It was mutual, Siara noticed him too. His gentle gaze meeting hers, his thick black hair whipping in the wind. The gaze was broken as the black warrior tripped the golden one, causing him to fall in water. Siara giggled as the golden one shook the wooden beam, causing the black warrior to lose his balance and crash to the water as well. They both climbed into their own canoe and headed for shore.

Siara was now nearing the entrance to the Kavuan city. They passed between two gigantic opal-like statues of odd creatures. The statues looked fierce, like they were ready to come to life and attack anyone who meant harm. Water poured out of the mouths of these stone guardians that were protecting the entrance. 'How did they create pumps?' Siara thought to herself as she stared at the man-made waterfalls. The two strong, yet wet warriors pulled the canoe onto the beach as they reached shore. The golden warrior leapt out of the canoe.

"Come on! Let's go!" He insisted to the black warrior, who nodded and followed his friend. They ran through the city, dodging people and random items. The golden warrior grabbed a beautifully carved mask donned with plumes of feathers and his staff and scurried up a large tree to get a better look at this angel that had just arrived.

Siara's eyes were adverted to large, jewel-encrusted temples. Siara knew this was the glimmer she saw when she was in that horribly rusted plane. Children ran along the beach, jumping and waving at them. The music was so beautiful. She could now hear every beat and the words to the songs. A warm breeze rushed through her fur as the pulled into the entrance to the city. A mystic woman stood above them atop a stone-carved staircase at the entrance, welcoming them with a smile. Deago helped Siara out of the canoe as the warriors placed the luggage onto firm ground.

"Welcome to Kavua!" Chief said to Siara, his hand outstretched to his beautiful city. "Now, before you settle in, would you like a tour of our island?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful," Siara agreed, clutching her briefcase.

"Leave it here, Siara. It's a long hike," Deago advised. "It's safe. I promise."

"Alright, I guess," She reluctantly set her tan briefcase against a tree. The golden and black warriors were in the same tree above them. The golden one crawled from branch to branch to get closer to Siara.

"Now, we only need to find Kuve," Chief said to himself. Coincidentally, the golden warrior stepped on an unsteady branch, falling out of the tree and crashing to the ground. Siara winced; it was a long fall. The golden warrior moaned and put a hand to his head, rubbing where a bump would surely develop. "Ah! Kuve! There you are! Would you be so kind at to guide us on a tour of our island?"

"Uh... yes?" Kuve agreed, balancing his weight on his arms as he stood up, smiling anxiously at the Chief.

"Wonderful! Now, where is Kio'he?" Chief asked as Kio'he, the black warrior, who had also stepped onto an unsteady branch, fell out of the tree and landed on Kuve. Kuve buckled under the weight of his arms as his buddy landed on his back. "Great! Kuve, Kio'he, meet Deago and Siara. Siara is the one who will be staying with us."

"Nice to meet you," Siara said as Kuve quickly stood up. He pressed his nervous, shaking hand to hers and stared into her eyes. Siara smiled and nervously glanced away.

"Kuve... Kuve, Kuve! Isn't your father the Chief Warrior?" Deago interrupted. Kuve's deep lustful gaze towards Siara was immediately broken.

"Well, uh - he, he was. He died 5 years ago. I took over his position," Kuve stammered, looking away with an air of unhappiness.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Damn, last time I saw you, you were only this high!" Deago exclaimed, hand positioned at his knee. "You've really grown."

"Enough chit-chat. The sun will be setting soon. We must be on our way now," Chief insisted. They all followed the Chief, who chuckled silently over his two head warriors as he looked at the broken branches on the ground. "Ask and they shall come."

Siara was led deep into the rainforest. She stayed close to Deago and the Chief as Kuve and Kio'he walked far ahead of them.

"Don't embarrass me, Kio'he," Kuve growled. Kio'he peered at his friend.

"What? What did I do?" Kio'he asked, offended. Kuve sighed.

"You landed on top of me!"

"Whatever, you fell out of the tree first. What a way to impress her!"

"Just stay calm. I know what I'm... what do you mean impress her?"

"The staring, the heavy breathing, the drooling. You're easy to read, Kuve, and don't play like you're not all about her. You never wear your warrior mask. Ever! You just want to look pretty, " Kio'he informed. He was correct. Kuve muttered to himself. He began to make another retort towards his friend but an ear piercing scream from Siara broke their argument. A very large, very hairy insect, about the size of a large house pet, was sitting in a thick web. Siara backed herself into a tree.

"It's ok, he won't hurt you. They are gentle," Kuve informed as he walked towards Siara. She was near hyperventilation, but moved forward. "We're almost to our destination."

"I never want to see another one of those again!"

Of course, she did. She saw three more of those giant insects on the trail, screaming louder each time. They eventually arrived at a clearing in the rainforest, the sun sleepily lowering to its resting place in the sky. Siara walked away from the group. She turned 360 degrees to view her surroundings. She was astounded; stepping carefully on what she knew was sacred ground.

"Miss Siara?" Diego chuckled in query. Siara stared, awestruck, high into the canopy into trees larger than the skyscrapers in her own native land. Multitudes of every color of flower scented the air with a thick perfume; the sheer green of everything took over her senses. Some of the trees had intricate carvings on them, each telling a different story. She was so close to the thick pink and orange clouds, almost as if she could grab one and embrace it tight. Wilderness peeked out of its hiding, curious of this new creature in their home. Glowbugs flew around her, performing their own detailed dance that nature was conducting.

"I wasn't prepared for such beauty,"

It was almost nighttime, the sun saying its last goodbye to its children on Xelaros. Siara was worn-out from her trek through the jungle. Deago gave her a plate heaped with different fruits and grains. Siara sniffed at her dinner and put a thick round substance in her mouth.

"This is delicious! What is this?" Siara asked, stuffing more of this exotic food into her mouth.

"It's a grub," Deago stated. Siara stopped chewing, eyes wide open. "You like it. So eat it!"

Siara swallowed the mass of chewed up insect in her mouth and cautiously picked at the rest of the food on her plate.

"Remember, if you can eat it alive, they will eat it. Don't expect meat here. Only raw grubs and raw san is as close as you will come, lots of vegetation," Deago reminded. Siara nodded and did finish her meal, even the grubs. She watched as children gathered around in beautiful garbs made for dancing. Longs skirts made from leaves and grass and necklaces made from nuts. The musicians were tuning up their instruments. Siara also spotted Kuve, speaking with the children. His outfit was even more beautiful. Bright red and orange feathers atop his dancing skirt, a feather plumed hat and a strange instrument that looked like a gourd covered in a fur pelt.

"Ok kids, you know what to do. Let's practice," Kuve winked at the children as they all took their place behind Kuve. The music started. A melodic percussion started off the song, followed by the twang of string instruments and soft flutes. A heavyset male sang the words, the children and Kuve singing along in chorus. The dance was stunning, twirling and spinning, unusual dance steps involving the arms and legs yet in perfect harmony with the song. Siara was impressed, but more so with Kuve. His sense of balance dazed her. She was mesmerized by the way his large tail swayed behind him, the cheerful expression in his eyes - his very soul. Siara didn't noticed Kio'he leaning against a tree smiling, shaking his head and a roll of the eyes towards Kuve. The dance slowed for just a moment, the dancers held in a single position. A warm, salty breeze from the ocean flowed through Kuve's fur as he began to levitate off the ground the moment the tempo picked back up. Siara gasped and hid behind Deago, still watching. Kuve dancing in the air but not too high, tears of joy flowing from his eyes.

"What the fuck?" Siara gasped, jumping behind Deago, peeking out to watch the dancers.

"He's a spirit dancer," Deago informed. "I told you about them, remember? I told you to expect the unexpected while you are here."

Siara nodded, still huddling behind her teacher. "But how do they do that?"

"It's easy. Just requires elevating your vibrational frequency up a few notches," Deago grinned, looking back at Siara.

"Can you do it?" Siara asked, peeking out over Deago's shoulder.

"Hell no!" Deago chuckled. Kuve gently set foot on firm ground as the dance stopped. He staggered over to soft spot on the ground, his energy depleted, his friends circling him with praises.

"Hope you're impressed," Kio'he stated as he walked past Siara.

"Beyond it."

Siara was still dumbfounded. She went through every possible explanation of what could have happened during Kuve's dance. She couldn't come up with any. She brushed off her tan briefcase and opened it up, revealing a laptop inside. The laptop was given to her by her college. It is nearly indestructible and was given an energy converter to use that ran on solar power since there was no electricity at Kavua. Siara was still hooked up to a wireless Internet, the only bit of technology that would remain in her life. This was important to her since she needed to report back to Deago about her studies of the Kavuan tribe. She would also be able to communicate with her family. She sent her parents a short letter, telling them in brief about her day and that she was safe. She carefully put her laptop away and crawled into her bed. It was very thick and laid on the floor. It had a soft covering over which felt like it contained moss and grasses.

The Kavuans built Siara a beautiful hut of her own before she arrived. She glanced around her new circular home. It seemed to be made out of a type of clay. Parts of it were painted with artwork. She had three main rooms in her hut. A main room that contained a large pit for a fire. A bathroom area, which housed a hole, that sat over running water that must have led out of the ocean for doing your business. Finally, it contained a room for sleeping in. Deago slept beside Siara in his own bed. He settled in and took a deep breath.

"So, what do you think?" He smiled, looking at the moon as it dipped behind some storm clouds.

"I don't know what to think. It's just all too much, " Siara admitted, laying her head on a soft pillow.

"You'll readjust soon. You rest up now. You have a busy day tomorrow," Deago stated. Rain started to drip from the clouds. It was comforting to Siara. The small raindrops hitting leaves and stones. It reminded her of the drumming she had heard earlier that day. The village was now quiet for the most part. Some talking could be heard amongst the warriors who stood guard at night. Loud chirps, screeches, squeals and squawks came from the wildlife in the jungle. It was their turn to sing. Siara smiled to herself as she relaxed to the sounds of nature. Soon, she drifted off to sleep to dream of her old home. And her new one.

(1) Baby and toddler Xelorians are called kits.

(2) The Muzoba are a warrior tribe in the deserts of Pangia, a continent in the southwest hemisphere. Unfortunately, society has damaged their people and they have conformed to modern day religion.

(3) The Kalabara are a colorful people residing in the jungles of the island of South Sai in the northwest hemisphere. Their culture is becoming exstinct due to Eastern society constructing hotels on the beautiful beaches of South Sai and tearing down their homes.

(4) Vildonia is a territory in the country of Mariana in which Siara was born and raised. Vildonia is a small providence, located on the Eastern side of Mariana.

(5) Cozanbul is the capital of the Baji Straits with a population of 850,000. The Baji Straits stretch between Mariana and the continent of Ghali.

(6) The Raimish hail from Raim, a country in the continent of eastern Ashlin. In all truth, in 1569, the Raimish landed on the shores of Kavua. This was one of the few times in history when the Kavuans had to fight to protect their islands. The Kavuan warriors were greatly outnumbered by the Raimish Army, yet Kavua was the victor in the war. In 1624, a treaty was made between Kavua and Raim that the Raim could settle on one of the islands nearing Kavua. To this day, they live peacefully side by side.

(7) San are brighty colored, medium-sized aquatic creatures that live in tropical oceans.

(8) Keil'i are flying warm-blooded animals that are native to Kavua. Large feathers plume from their heads and tails.