I gulp, looking down from my sister to the mouse, unsure what to say or do. I cannot exactly respond, so I end up letting out just a light skree, which could either be me acknowledging her question or just giving a regular bird call.
Charlie returns his gaze to my parents. ``Seeing if you are ready to accept Mike is one half. We wanted to get a feel for what excuse you are using for his absence. His friends are starting to question what is going on.''
My dad sighs. ``We... had no idea what to tell anyone. We were not sure if we were ready to accept the truth, but even if Mike had you lie for some dumb reason, he was safe. So we have just been thinking about it. We can use the he is sick excuse, but with another week of school, that only lasts so long. And we still have grandparents at Christmas,'' he says, frowning.
My mom thinks for a moment. ``We had discussed saying that Mike went on a trip to Hawaii that we got him, so the rest of us would continue as normal. We just... do not know how long this,'' she says, motioning in my direction, ``will go on for. It is hard to make plans for a week and a half from now if he will be human tomorrow.''
I shake my feathers out a little bit as Sarah gives a small cheer. Hearing my parents hesitate does not hurt as much as last time. Before, it felt like they were rejecting me, but now it is more like they find it hard to believe. My chest aches as I try to focus on Sarah while listening to them. I had not realized how much of a strain this was putting on them, and it could be a few weeks or years or decades, or even never, before I return. I do not want them to lose hope, but I also do not want them to rely on it being any time soon. I keep it to my favorite saying: hope for the best, plan for the worst.
Charlie shakes his head giving a small weak smile. ``We do not know how long he will be an eagle for, but best to plan for a long time. We do not even know where to start. But he is planning to become a wolf once he figures it out. That should allow you guys to be a family even if he is pretending to be the family pet. Until then... just be there for him. He is cold, he is confused. We are not even sure what species of eagle he is. If you could find a way to help him here, he could use food,'' he says, motioning to the mouse. ``At least we know he can provide for himself.''
I am distracted as my sister looks up at me in awe, still making me a little uncomfortable that she might try something. I turn to fly closer to my parents, but a bit higher and out of reach. I look down at Shiners and give a mental sigh. <So far it is going better than I imagined.>
Shiners laughs mentally while looking up at me. <Well, anything that does not end in you turning feral and flying away is an improvement. It sounds like even if they are not fully ready, they are moving toward accepting.>
My dad looks up as I fly closer and then back down at the mouse and Charlie. ``We have a small shed in the back of the yard, far enough that Sarah might not notice. If she spots Mike in there, we could just tell her he must have snuck in. I wish we could let him in the house, but there are so many problems. Least of all, would he be comfortable unable to come and go? And what about food? I somehow imagine we cannot just feed him hamburgers or birdseed. If he is eating that, he might need something more substantial. Though I bet he is happy he will not need to eat any more veggies.''
Charlie looks up. ``Well, he eats raw meat now. Cooked food, extra seasoning, and salt are probably not healthy. And it is best to avoid anything we are unsure about until we know what might harm him. So no chocolate, same as with a dog. Safer to allow more things later than risk it too soon. If you can, but understandable if not, freshly killed meat that is still covered in, well, juices might help, but raw is fine if you cannot do that. There are things we do not know, but there is also a lot we can make safe assumptions about.''
Mom nods as Dad says, ``Well, I can leave some food out for him tonight. It is too late to make the shed into somewhere safe, but if you two... three... can keep him safe, we will set something up at the shed tomorrow. I think I know a place we might be able to get fresh raw meat. I have a hunter buddy who often field dresses deer and hunts.'' At this word my head perks up as I give a light skree as I feel hungry at the idea. I have seen Dad's buddy a few times, and think it would be a good idea.
Charlie smiles and then smacks his forehead. ``Hey, a potential place for live food, or at least frozen. Most pet stores have feeder mice for snakes and such. A way to get Mike some regular meat when he cannot hunt or other options are unavailable,'' he says.
I watch as my mom smiles. ``That works well, and he will not have to go out and can stay home and eat,'' she says. Charlie was about to say something when my dad ahems. ``Honey, he is a bird. He will need to get out and get exercise. You do not want a couch potato with a beak, do you?''
Sarah runs up hearing this. ``We should get him a blanket if he is cold, and what about a name?'' she asks curiously, then thinks. ``Where do eagles even sleep?'' before shouting, ``Ohhh, Marahute, from the movie we watched!'' The last one makes me almost fall off the branch as I am caught off guard by that one.
Charlie jumps slightly at that as my parents look a smidge confused by Charlie's and my reactions. Shiners cannot help but give a kawing laugh. <Oh man, she got you there, Mike,> he says. I try to look as dignified as I can in the situation and go about grooming as if nothing happened. My parents were not there for the movie, so they did not see it might have been part of the trigger for this.
As my sister interrupts us, my mom says to her, ``Hey honey, would you like to get one of the drumsticks in the fridge, and Charlie can give it to the eagle later?'' My head perks up, a feather still sticking out of my beak, making my dad laugh as he spots me, leaving me even more confused.
I watch the two of them as they watch Sarah go in, and my father gives my mom's hand a squeeze as he says, ``I know we have to make up to you what happened. Believe me, we did not mean to scare you off. We just were not ready to admit the truth. We are still unsure, but it is impossible to deny something is going on here. We will set up the shed for you: straw, blankets, maybe a heater, but we would be worried about a fire hazard. We will figure something out.''
I gulp at this. If I could cry, I would, but instead I just give a small, hopefully thankful chirp. I really am glad for this. Part of me wants to beg to go into the house. But realistically they cannot, and I am not even sure I would want to, at least not right away. No easy way to get out if I am claustrophobic, and how would we explain it to Sarah? The important thing is for me to master turning into a wolf soon, so I have options for forms.
Charlie smiles. ``I will keep an eye on him tonight. We will have to figure out a place to let him sleep, but he will be good. Just know none of this is your fault. It just happened.''
As Charlie and the others are talking, I suddenly feel like I am going to be sick, well, sort of like that. Something feels like it is coming back up. I worry that I ate the wrong kind of food. Maybe the mice were not such a great idea after all. I look over to Shiners. <I think I am going to be sick,> I say as I try to keep it down. It is like puking, but not quite.
Sarah comes back with the chicken and hands it to Charlie, as it looks like this is going so much better than last time. Then the urge to puke grows again as it feels like my stomach is lurching, but higher up and weirder.
I hear from Shiners a small laugh. <Oh, your first lesson in being an eagle,> he says as I lurch forward again. Something comes out of my beak and hits the ground, and I stare. I gulp, thinking, did I just cough up a hairball?
My mother just stares at the pellet on the ground, looking confused, as my nares burn hot with embarrassment. Oh great, I have done it. I am never going in the house if I might accidentally do that. I hear my dad try to say, ``Umm... what is that?'' He asks, staring at it, seeing tiny bits of bone and fur and wondering, ``Is that what is left over of a mouse?'' I turn to leave, thinking I had better go before I lose what little dignity I have left.
I give my family one last chirp before I take off across the street, a bit higher in the tree this time to hide. Charlie looks toward me and then back at them. ``I think that is probably normal. I hope,'' he says.
Sarah giggles excitedly, hopping up and down. ``That was cool. I want him to do it again,'' she says, pouting and waving. ``Bye birdie,'' she says as I leave.
It is a little hard to hear from where I am in the tree, but my parents start to talk to each other while Sarah remains focused on me. After a few moments of talking, my dad comes over. ``Tell your friend they are welcome to come back tomorrow around the same time,'' he says, trying to keep things quiet but giving a small wave to me and a thumbs up, making me relax a tiny bit, still too embarrassed to show myself for at least a year.
Charlie smiles and turns to head off. ``Okay, I will be back tomorrow,'' he says as he gets on his bike and starts to pedal down the road away from my home, or does it really even count as that anymore.
Shiners, who had been quiet, gives me a smile. <Well, looks like we got you a place starting tomorrow, but for now we should catch up with Charlie and figure out where to stay tonight. And other than that natural mistake at the end, you did well.> I agree, as for once in the last few days I actually feel like there is a future for myself.
