Panic is my first reaction as I fall. OH SHIT OH SHIT!!! I try to comprehend what just happened. HOW THE HELL did I end up in a tree.
My stomach is doing flips as the ground comes toward me, and the only thing that keeps me from puking is that I apparently can't anymore. I feel the cold air flow through my hair as I try to comprehend what's going on, the speed making me panic even more. The only thing that manages to save me from hitting the ground hard is me flailing my arms about, which manages to slow my fall just enough as I wince. This is going to suck!
The next thing I know, I hit the snowbank, watching the world spin as I lie there, stunned and confused for a few moments, putting an end to my panicked yelling. It takes a few minutes, but I'm able to finally shake my head to clear the stars. Nothing looks familiar. It's all just white snow and dark trees lit up by the reflection. I'm lying in a small, open field near a couple of trees. Once I manage to regain my senses, I can feel my heart racing alarmingly fast.
I have no idea what just happened. The more rational part of me tries to comprehend how I ended up in a tree, even if I'm naked and cold. Wait, how did I get naked? I remember the dream and how it went from a dream to what seemed to be reality. How did I even fall? Why was I climbing a tree in my sleep?
Still a little shaky, I get up and look closer at myself. That REALLY hurt. As I take a closer look around, I notice something wrong. I can't see properly, like there's something in the way of my eyes, distracting me. It looks like I somehow have a bunch of yellow snow on my nose. Oh God, ew!!! I give my head a shake, but it remains.
When I try to touch it with my hands, I realize my arms don't bend right and are pressed against my back. With a bit of effort, I bring them forward and am shocked to see feathers attached to my arms. What the hell!!! Why are there feathers? Is my sister playing a practical joke?
I jump back, stumbling in shock at the sight as I try to yell in fear. At the same time, a weird bird cry comes from nearby, sounding like a sharp screech. I turn around quickly, trying to find the source, but just end up getting more confused.
Looking over my shoulder, I spot feathers sticking out of my butt, making me even more panicked. What the hell is going on? My confusion slowly gives way to fear as I stare at the feathers in horror.
That would certainly explain being in the sky a few moments ago, but how and why? I try to shake myself awake, even use my old trick of thinking hard, but nothing happens. I start to remember more of the dream, including meeting the eagle. WAIT, was I now like her, or some other kind of bird?
The limited view of my feathers, or maybe my wings, I realize, doesn't tell me much. I spot feathery legs disappearing into the snow and flex my talons, feeling the snow scrunch between them as I make sure they're mine and not some other bird's, the same kind that had cut me in the dream.
My concern grows as the light fades, but I can see the brightening of orange in the sky. The snow has a strange white look to it, almost like it's glowing too brightly. Did I hit my head harder than I thought? I heard something about concussions causing auras.
I look down at my supposed wings and up at a tree nearby as I frown. If I'm really a bird and not brain damaged, I should be able to get into it, right? Probably not safe to be hanging around on the ground. I gulp, examining the branch. Okay, just how hard can this be to get into a tree? Testing them, they seem to work fine despite the fall, a few snowflakes slipping free. I give them a hard flap and manage to get about half a foot into the air before falling. Success, sort of. I try a few more times but can't get much higher, already feeling a little exhausted. I start to get a little frustrated. If I'm a bird, shouldn't this be easier?
I hear a familiar voice call out from behind, causing me to freeze for a second as it says, ``Try running.''
ACK, who's that!! The sudden rush of fear makes me instinctively run and flap my wings in an attempt to escape, but this is much easier in theory. The snow makes running hard, and I'm not sure how well my body is built to run.
After a few hard flaps, I soon find myself off the ground and flying in the direction of the tree I had wanted to land in. It is a weird feeling, somehow feeling both lighter and heavier at the same time.
As I near it, I look at the branch in confusion. Now how do I land? Fortunately, my feet reach out and my talons grab the branch. Unfortunately, I didn't stop my forward momentum and, before I realize it, everything is upside down, and I'm still holding onto the branch. Uh-oh, I think, as I finally let go, dropping the last few feet to the ground.
I groan and look up in confusion as a weird bird sways into view. It seems like a crow or raven, but its feathers change color every time it moves. Man, I must have hit my head harder than I thought. I'm seeing a rainbow crow. It looks down at me as it speaks in the weird gravelly way that was familiar, ``Better... but not a very good first try.''
I just stare at it as if it's an animal talking to me, which, coincidentally, it is. I groan, ``You can talk?'' Well, that's what I try, but it comes out more like, ``Squawk!'' Hearing that sound again makes me jump before I realize that was ME doing. I try to say something and all I get is another squawk. This isn't good. I can't talk.
The weird bird shakes its head, and I feel a weird buzzing as I hear the voice again, not with my ears this time, but the way I heard voices in my dreams. It's odd, not like normal hearing, but more like my own thoughts in a strange voice. <You don't have the means to speak as you used to. Try thinking something and direct it toward me,> it says.
Sighing, I pick myself up, feeling weird. Everything is in the right place and feels the way it should, but my human side keeps telling me I'm going to break my arms holding them like that. Trying again, <Do you mean like this?> My head starts to swim as I wonder how much weirder this day can get. What's next, magical spells? Feels like a video game or old movie.
With a few clicks of his beak, making me jump slightly, he nods. <That's it. You're a bit hard to hear, but I can get the gist. Just keep practicing.> He walks around me curiously, looking at my wings and tail as I try not to be embarrassed about being naked. Hey!!! <You are an eagle, but I'm not sure what kind.> Well, at least I have an idea as to what I am. It was always a dream, but now that it's real, I'm even more confused.
I just shrug. <I'm not even sure why I'm like this, let alone what kind of eagle I am. I went to sleep this afternoon, dreamed of becoming an eagle, and the next thing I know, I'm falling out of a tree... or was it the sky?> The absurdity of what's going on isn't lost on me. But what else can I do? Obviously something happened. I expected to become an animal after the last few days, maybe, but an eagle? I'm like this strange blue-and-purple rainbow crow. My wings seem odd in coloring, with a faint purple glow to them, nothing like the eagles I remember seeing.
Was it because of what me and this bird are? Not that I'm entirely complaining. I've always loved the idea of becoming a bird, especially an eagle. I just never expected it to happen. I finally try again after a few moments. <So... why am I an eagle? And how come you can talk? Are you like me?>
The raven shakes its head. <No, I'm not a human that ended up a bird. I've always been a bird, just somehow smarter than other birds. Though I did encounter one like yourself a few years ago as it was passing through. Taught me a few things. You are what he called a shape-shifter. You can take on animal forms, but the human form is something you'll have to rediscover in time.>
That makes me tilt my head and fluff my feathers up. Does that mean I have more than one form? And there are others like myself. My mind was reeling from this and confused.
Musing this over in my head, I finally nod. <But I'm just a boy... I was asleep. I didn't do anything. I dreamed of an eagle calling me her son and then telling me to become this.> It takes a second for the implications to hit. <Wait WHAT? I can't turn human again?> My eyes widen in shock and panic.
The raven shrugs. <Well, that's what I was told by someone I met years ago. But I'm here to help you. I've sensed you for a while and wanted to help.> I nod my head, trying to comprehend this.
Remembering the feeling of something being close the last few nights, it takes me a few moments to realize that it was likely him. Our meeting isn't random but something important. Maybe my ``mom'' had set this up. I nod. <Well, I've been feeling like something was out there. Maybe that was you.>
Thinking about being called son makes me start to worry again. If this isn't something that will be fixed quickly, then what am I supposed to do? Should I go home and tell my parents and hope they understand, or live out here? I think of my bed, my sister, my friends. What all am I losing? It all feels like a dream, but too many of the things I'm feeling seem real. Whether it's reality or a dream, I should treat it as real.
Seemingly knowing what I'm thinking, the raven clicks his beak again. <I can maybe help you go home if you think your parents would accept what happened.> I feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe this won't be quite so bad. <I've learned to speak human and can probably convince them who you are.> I tilt my head at that. I was wondering how he spoke English.
Taking a deep breath, I nod. <It's probably a good idea. After all, if I take too long to get home, they'll be worried. And the worst that could happen is they don't accept me until I can turn human again.> I gulp as the thought sinks in. I could spend forever, or maybe just a short while, as an eagle, and my family would never know. The idea makes me a little scared. Sure, I could return, maybe in time if I get my human form back, but how long would that take? Weeks, months, even years? And what could happen in that amount of time?
He nods. <Well, before that happens, you first have to learn to fly and be like an eagle, which hopefully shouldn't take too long. The next thing will be learning how to land in a tree. Oh, and my name is Shiners. Picked it out myself.>
I groan and hope this is going to go better than before. I can't help but laugh at his name, so typically raven. <My name is Mike, and I hope we'll be friends. And... before we go on, just what the heck are you? Some kind of weird rainbow crow?> His colors were really bothering me.
