Shiners looks at me, then down at himself, confused. 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. I point toward the darker trees.

  Shiners gives me an odd look, tilting his head. I blink at him, unsure what to say.

   I look around, trying to piece it together. Everything looks the same, except the snow.

  He stares at me in horror as he fluffs his feathers, looking insulted. he asks, as if it were a horrifying revelation.

   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.

  I shrug.

  Shiners fluffs out his feathers indignantly.

  I laugh at that. 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,

  Shiners nods his head. 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.

  Shiners nods. 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.

  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, 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. 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.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  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. 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. 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.

  He laughs. He stops and takes a deep breath. I thought that was him, I think, as I shake my head.

  Thinking back to the other night, I nod.

  He gives what I’d call a smirk, even with that beak.

  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.

   he teases as I roll my eyes. Hey, you try waking up mid-air and see how well you do.

  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. I claw at the branch nervously.

   Shiners spreads his wings as if to emphasize the point.

  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.

  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. I don't think I would have at first.

  

  I nod back to Shiners. 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.

   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.

   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.