Soon, we are flying away from the camp and the memories, just the feeling of the wind through my feathers adding to the excitement. Now to the greatest mystery of my life...what does the base look like? And does it really have nuclear subs? The questions are endless.
As we near it, I'm a little disappointed, it seems much smaller than I had expected or hoped for, more like a small couple of docks and helipads. From the shore, it is so much cooler as Shiners speaks up, <Hmmm, it looks quiet today, not much activity.> he says, often a lot of humans scurrying around.
I tilt my head a bit, looking around, <Must be everyone's day off, is it the weekend?> I ask, suddenly realizing that between losing myself for a day and not having school or other easy things to keep track of, I kinda lost track of what day it was.
Glancing over towards Shiners, <Is this what it's like to be an animal, where days are just today and yesterday, not much beyond that?> I ask, suddenly curious. I hadn't really put much thought into it.
Shiners just chuckles, <It kinda is, though I have a better sense beyond that, some days it definitely feels like just another day. Except Sundays, those are the best days as all the restaurants throw out their best food.>
<You know, we really haven't talked much about our lives before we met, heck, you probably know more about me than I do you.> I think as we pass over the base and I circle above, looking down below. Okay, there is a helicopter, a couple of cars, some sort of big naval boat. And...what is that over there?
<Well, we got a while back to the ferry to talk if you want.> he says as I only slightly notice Shiners speaking as I spot something below. It is just sticking out of the water like a rock or a small island, but it is right next to the base, something causing the sun to glint off of it. I nearly stop mid-flap as I stare at it.
Circling, I realize, wait....wait, is that???, <Yes, it's a Submarine!!.> I sound so excited, so they do exist, though not sure how to tell if it's a nuclear submarine. I doubt they let us go on there. If we wear a captain's hat with stripes on our wings and look all important, would they let us on there? probably not.
Shiners gives a mental wince I could feel, <Dude...not so loud, but yeah, one of those weird metal fish.> he says as I get excited, circling it a few times. It made the trip over here worth it. Glad I hadn't just turned around and gone home after the camp.
I chuckle at his response, <Lets head back, I can't wait to tell Charlie that those submarines are real, bet he won't believe me. And sorry, Shiners, just got excited.> I turn my head as best as I can one last time to check the submarine as we fly off.
As we bank back towards the south, I give a few extra flaps of my wings to get some momentum as Shiners responds. <You know, about this, we each take turns telling something about ourselves, or maybe we can ask something.>
Thinking about it for a few moments, I nod my head, <Sure, it could be fun, you tell me something about yourself first.> I say. Just what kind of things is a raven curious about?
Shiners looks at me and is curious, <What was it you wanted to be when you grew up? Was it some painter, a soldier, just working at McDonald's?> he asks curiously as my nares turn red.
<Ummm....it's kinda embarrassingly silly....though maybe not quite so silly anymore.> I say, feeling shy about admitting what I wanted to be. I fluff my feathers up, trying to calm myself as I think back to the dreams and ideas in my head since I was a kid.
Shiners perks his head up as he glances over in my direction, <Oh, now you have to tell me, it can't be all that silly. Maybe someday you can still do it, even if you're an eagle.> Making me laugh internally.
I take a moment to relax as I groan, <Umm....I kinda wanted to be an...eagle when I grew up. Least when I was a kid, just wasn't expecting it to happen, or happen quite this way...> I say. It feels both so silly, but so true, especially now.
Laughing, I spot Shiners out of the corner of my eye falter in his flying for a second as he practically hits the brakes mid air staring at me, <Wait....wait, you wanted to be an eagle when you grew up? And now you are? Wonder how that worked. Did you become an eagle because of those wants? Or did you have those wants because you were part eagle?>
I can't help but shrug at that, <Good question. Growing up, I made nests out of my blankets, thinking it would turn me into an eagle. It was always there...before the dream, now that I think about it. Maybe it was the part of me that calls that eagle my mother. It knew what I was going to be somehow.>
Shiners nods his head, <It sounds different and awesome. I wish we knew more about what you are. The shifter I met didn't say much. Hopefully, we will know more soon, but definitely feels that you turning into an eagle wasn't as random as we thought.>
We keep flying for a little while as I think about that, <Well, it's quite possible.> I say eventually as I think, <You never did tell me much about the shifter that taught you about those like myself.>
He looks over to me after a moment, <Not much to tell you, it was shortly before I left here, I didn't know what I was, just that I was different. It was a little uncomfortable as I seemed to understand and know stuff no other raven did.>
I give a small nod, <I can imagine it was. If I hadn't had you and Charlie around, I couldn't imagine what would have happened to me, eagle with a human mind. Would I learn to hunt, or what would happen?>
Shiners gives a smile as he watches the ground below, <I'm glad I met you too, we both would have been alone, but together we have our own journey. Whatever form or whatever life you make of yourself, I will be there.> He says. Taking a breath, he then continues, <As for the shifter, I was just settling into your town when I heard a voice in my head, similar to when we talk.>
This makes me perk my head up, wondering if we could meet others by calling out, but I don't interrupt him as he continues. <I was confused at first as I didn't realize it was in my head, but soon realized it, and with help, he explained to me. He was looking for someone that was somewhere in the region, wouldn't say who. Said it was something I would learn in time. But told me that he was a shifter, someone who had been human but somehow ended up as a cougar. And that someday I might meet someone like him and to try to help. He didn't stay long, saying he needed to move on, but spent a day just helping me a bit. Taught me some simple things and gave me the means to learn more about humans, and made me more interested.>
That caught my interest. He had mentioned the shifter, but I didn't realize how much was known. <I wish he had explained more, but then again, maybe knowing more might make it harder. Like to turn human, I have to collect a dozen items from around the world or some grand quest.> I think.
He nods his head, <Once he left, I wasn't sure if I would meet anyone like him again, then I noticed you. The first time it was odd...you were human, but it almost looked like a shadow of some kind over you. It caught my eye while I was hunting, so I got curious and followed you. Shortly afterwards, it became clearer until you left school.> Man, I wonder what I looked like, and did anyone else notice?
<That is kinda cool, I had wondered what it was about me that caught your eye. I guess it's your turn. Anything you want to ask me about?> I was finding this interesting, sharing bits of ourselves.
Shiners is quiet for a little while as we keep flying north, and finally he responds, <How did you and Charlie first meet?> he asks, making me slow slightly in response, Okay, there is a good question.
Thinking about it, I finally respond, <We've known each other for years, even longer than John and Frank. It was when I was like eight, he lived next to me before he moved out north of town. We played a lot of games, watched movies. He would come over every few nights, and I would go see him. We've been quite good friends. Maybe that's part of why he's accepted me being an eagle so readily, he's known about my interest in eagles.>
<Makes sense, I could tell you two are close, you seem to be quite happy and willing to discuss things with him. I noticed that while I was watching you in the days leading up to you turning into an eagle.>
I nod, thinking about a question to ask him, and then I realize the right one, <Next question, how did you first realize you were different?>
I notice Shiners looks a little startled at the question, but he soon responds, <Well, early on I didn't really notice anything different. I just assumed all other ravens were like me. We seemed fairly similar, but as I got older, I started to notice words humans used and understand more of what they were saying. At first, through context clues and over time, I got a vocabulary. I had tried talking about it with other ravens, and of course, they didn't respond much beyond mimicking a few words.>
That made me wince slightly, <I'm sorry to hear. Do you regret being different? Or are you happy with who you are?> I ask him, technically a second question, but feels like it's part of the first one.
He tilts his head to the side, thinking before responding, <No, has it bothered me at times? Sure, but at the same time, I'm happy knowing what I do and being myself. Only troubling thing about it was the loneliness, but that's finally cured after all this time.>
I smile at this, <Well, let's hope I'm a good cure. Whatever happens, I hope we can be friends, whether wolf, leopard, dolphin, or even human.> I think, hoping for a long friendship, as while I've only known him a short time, it feels like I've known him my entire life.
Shiners nods, <Well, you better...except maybe leopard, I might have to ignore you while you're that, cats are just too annoying.> he jokes. I was tempted to thwap him with a wing, but wasn't sure it be a good idea for either of us.
As we fly back along the path north, we keep talking and asking questions and telling stories about our more mundane things. He asked me about my favorite games, and I asked him about his favorite shinies and things. The time passed quickly as we only stopped once to grab something to eat, and soon were nearing the ferry dock.
