Shiners looks at me, then down at himself, confused. <Hey! I?m a raven, not a crow, and rainbow?> he asks, looking himself over, obviously puzzled by what I mean. Not sure he was confused. He's practically glowing like a rainbow. I try to give my head a shake in confusion. Is it something only I can see?
I stare at him. <You have purple and blue feathers. Ravens have black feathers.> I point toward the darker trees.
Shiners gives me an odd look, tilting his head. <What? We?re not black. Did you hit your head harder than I thought?> I blink at him, unsure what to say.
<Before I met you, every raven or crow I've seen was black.> I look around, trying to piece it together. Everything looks the same, except the snow. <And the snow didn't glow.>
He stares at me in horror as he fluffs his feathers, looking insulted. <I do NOT look like a crow,> he asks, as if it were a horrifying revelation. <To you, humans were the same colour?>
<Yeah, both are black, though sometimes I've seen a hint of purple in the right light. So this is normal for you? And I presume, for me, it's nothing to do with being shifters or whatever you are?> I ask him. I THINK I?m getting closer to the truth, but it made my brain hurt.
He tilts his head toward me, his beak wide open in disbelief. <How can you see without those colours?>
I shrug. <We see colours... just not the same way. It's like something extra is layered on you and the snow.>
Shiners fluffs out his feathers indignantly. <That is just weird. I wonder what other strange stuff is different beyond the obvious.>
I laugh at that. <I?m curious now, especially about how other animals see the world and what it will be like when I turn into them.> It excited me. I could imagine stalking through the forest as a jaguar, and then I realized... wait, I?m not exactly safe. I give my head a small shake to center myself, <But before I do that, I should probably get back to the fort before something tries to hunt me. Let's get back to flying.>
Shiners nods his head. <You're close to the fort. Thankfully, you only flew a few minutes before you crashed. We can get you there soon, just have to get you off the ground,> he says.
I gulp and look around, suddenly aware of how exposed I am on the ground. The strangeness of my new vision makes it worse. It feels like I?m lit up by a Christmas tree. I try to suppress a shiver, partly from the cold I've just begun to feel and partly from what might be lurking nearby. <Yes... at the least, I should get into a tree where it's safer.>
Shiners nods. <You were close before. All you have to do is stop your forward movement when you grab onto the branch,> he says. With a small shake of his feathers, Shiners takes to the air, his wings leaving twin trails of swirling snow behind him. His feathers shimmer hypnotically as he slows with a few backflaps. He leans back and gently perches on a branch, turning to me with a prideful look on his beak. <Like that. Remember to start with a run. I know it may be hard in the snow, but you can do it.>
I sigh and look up at the branch. It looks so far above the ground, but I know that's just my human instinct. I claw at the snow with my talons and find walking isn't too hard. It just takes some practice. What does bother me for a moment was the height of the branch. It felt to me like I was being asked to jump a story of a building. As a human, I could have grabbed the branch with a small jump, now it was towering above me. Man, that's high up.
I take a deep breath, spread my wings, and half-run as I try to get into the air. It's hard work as an eagle, and the snow and cold don't make it any easier. I do little hops with a few quick flaps every step, each one kicking up small puffs of snow that swirl around my wings.
As I near the branch, a gust of wind catches my wings and blows me off course. What the heck, stupid wind, forcing me to abort the landing. I pull up, gliding back toward the ground. With a couple of backflaps, I slow enough to land safely. I reach out with my talons to touch down but pull back too soon, dropping the last few inches with a grunt. Ouch... if I knew being a bird would be so painful I wouldn?t have wished for it so much. Thankfully, the snow cushions the fall, though it still makes me grunt in pain as I try to hide my embarrassment.
I turn back and glare at the tree I'd hoped to land in. I grumble, <This was so much easier when I thought it was a dream. Now all I think about is how it could go wrong.> Giving my feathers a shake, I glare at the branch, sending a few bits of snow flying. I can do this.
Shiners gives a sharp kaw and tilts his head at me. <Don't think about it too hard. You're an eagle now. You should know by instinct how to do it. It's your old human self getting in the way. Once you're in the tree, we can talk and figure out what to do next.> I try to roll my eyes, but it doesn?t work as I nod. I had guessed that, it didn?t make it any easier.
I take a deep breath and give myself a full-body rouse, a shiver running through me. It feels sharp and cold for a moment, but warmth spreads after, leaving me calmer. It's like a human shiver, only stronger. I narrow my eyes and focus on the branch above me. My vision sharpens for a second, almost like it zooms in.
Running forward while flapping my wings, I manage to take to the air again, the cold air ruffling my feathers as I climb. This time I focus on letting my instincts guide me, adjusting only when needed. I fly straight for the branch, slowing my momentum with a few strong flaps before settling onto it. My talons grip the bark, and I fold my wings along my back. It all felt somehow both natural and unnatural, like two parts of me were trying to comprehend what was going on.
Gripping the branch feels odd. I'm using my feet in a way that isn't possible as a human, and it leaves me slightly off balance. After a few moments, the strange feeling fades. The bark presses firm under my talons, rough but steady, and I realize how easily it keeps me balanced.
I turn at the sound of wings beating against the air. Shiners lands next to me. <See? So much better, isn't it? You'll learn fast, I bet. It'll feel as natural as breathing.> he says, giving a smug look that, even on a bird's face, is recognizable.
I nod, trying to smile, but it doesn't work so well with a beak. <I sure hope so. It feels good to fly, even if I haven't yet had a chance to enjoy it just for the sake of flying.> That was the truth. It had only been for a short moment, but once I stripped away all the strangeness, it was pure elation.
I take a moment to collect my thoughts. <I've been feeling for a while that there was someone nearby, calling to me, trying to get my attention, like they could change my destiny. Was that you?>
He laughs. <Most likely it was. I sensed you were different. I stayed nearby, and over the last few days you changed, started to feel more animal. I even watched you play hide and seek the other day.> He stops and takes a deep breath. <I finally got the courage to speak to you down at the beach, though I kinda panicked at the last minute. I wasn't sure how you'd react. Maybe it would freak you out.> I thought that was him, I think, as I shake my head.
Thinking back to the other night, I nod. <Yeah, it was strange meeting you. I almost wondered if I had hallucinated since there was no evidence someone had been there. But I probably wouldn't have been ready for a talking raven then. I also assume that was you last night pretending to be a squirrel?>
He gives what I'd call a smirk, even with that beak. <Sorry about that. I was a bit worried you might try to eat or kill it. You're hardly equipped to do so and might have gotten hurt.>
The thought makes my head ache for a second. I can imagine what would've happened, probably indigestion or a face full of claws. There's no way it would've turned out well. At best, I'd have felt embarrassed. I give him a quick nod. <Well, that's in the past, and hopefully someday in the future. Though now the idea of a squirrel sounds rather appealing. I guess I'll have to figure out what to eat. I left a sandwich back at the fort, though I don't even know if it has any meat. Heck, I'm not even sure what an eagle should avoid.>
<You're a short way from the fort. You flew for a few minutes before you did your "graceful" landing,> he teases as I roll my eyes. Hey, you try waking up mid-air and see how well you do. <But I know where it is. If you feel up for it, I can help you fly there.>
That doesn't sound like a bad idea. We still have to figure out how to handle my parents. I hope they'll understand. I frown, trying not to think about my situation. But sitting there in the snow, with the wind blowing past me, I realize I won't be spending a warm evening at home tonight. And depending on my luck, it might be a while before I get the chance again.
Trying to forget about my long-term problems for the moment, I look back at Shiners. <Anything else I should know about flying before we leave? The last thing I want is something going wrong mid-flight.> I claw at the branch nervously.
<My best tip is, remember you can glide. If you start to have any problems, try to land in a tree or on the ground. Your wings are your best asset.> Shiners spreads his wings as if to emphasize the point. <Never forget that you're now an eagle.>
I spread my wings again, feeling the cold air slip through the feathers as I relax. I'm getting tired, but I also feel hungry, like I haven't eaten in weeks, which isn't all that far off since I skipped breakfast. I'm not sure how well I'll sleep without eating. I nod to him. <Sure, lead on.>
We take to the air. The flight is still nerve-wracking, but more stable. The air billows through my feathers, causing a sensation of elation. It feels so natural to me. It's everything I ever dreamed it would be, and far more. Would it be so bad if I was stuck this way forever? Sure, I'd rather be able to turn human from time to time, but I love the freedom. For the moment I just close my eyes and allow myself to enjoy the feeling.
Now that I have time to think, I wonder where that desire to change went. When I really focus, I can still sense it, but it feels sated, like whatever pushed me to turn into a jaguar is finally content. Maybe it's just because I finally shapeshifted. But that makes me wonder if I could ever change again without that same drive pushing me. I'll have to figure that out after I eat and sleep. Though I'm glad that, while I'm hungry, I wasn't in a ``let's eat my classmate'' kind of hunger mood.
I glance over toward Shiners. <How should we break this to my parents and sister? I'm not sure they'd understand. Yes, you can speak for me, but I'm not sure they'll accept it.> I don?t think I would have at first.
<You could tell someone else. What about one of your friends? Charlie seems like a nice guy. I could talk to him about you.>
I nod back to Shiners. <I guess, just worried, I guess.> I stop talking and just focus on what's below me.
I watch the trees below, spotting the occasional rabbit or deer. Instinct urges me to dive after the rabbit. My talons tighten as I imagine swooping down, snapping its neck with my beak, and feeding. But before I can act, it's already out of sight. I focus ahead, where the sun dips behind the mountains. It's a view I've only ever seen from a plane, but seeing it under my own wings feels more thrilling and alive. I wish I could share this with my friends or even my family. I want them to see what I see now. Maybe I can tell them about it some day, especially Charlie.
Soon our flight ends as the fort comes into view in the distance. Shiners descends, and I do my best to follow. I flap a few extra times to slow myself, still not as smooth as he is. I realize the hardest part is coming. How am I supposed to fly through a small window? The thought of smacking into the wall flashes through my mind.
<You can do this. Just relax and calm down. As you land, fold your wings along your sides to avoid injury, like this.> As he speaks, he drops down and lands neatly on the window ledge without any trouble.
Fighting the trepidation in my chest, I swoop down toward the window. The wind races past my ears as I pull back at the last second. I?M GOING TO HIT, I?M GOING TO HIT!!! I think, freaking out as it was so spooky. I wince as one feather grazes the window's edge just before I grasp the ledge with my talons. I feel the faintest brush of the frame against my feathers as I press close and steady myself. I stay there, panting for a few seconds nervously, letting my heart calm down before I drop down onto the floor.
<Well, well, look at this,> Shiners says, tilting his head as he points to something partly hidden from my view.
Moving past him, curiously wondering what he saw, I see what caught his attention, and the sight stops me cold. It takes me a moment to realize it's real. I'm staring at a plate where I left my backpack the night before. On the plate is what looks like ground beef, and beside it lies a note: ``Don't worry about your parents. I told them you were staying with me. I thought you might be hungry, so I left this.'' The note is signed Charlie. I tilt my head, staring at the note, thinking, this... is awkward.
