Of Birds and Wolves

Pain was a normal feeling in a person’s life, but this pain was like the pain of a thousand lives. When she opened her eyes, Leara expected to see her brains scattered against the cave walls. There was rarely ever a time when she didn’t feel pain for the past month. The pain seemed to grow every day, but yet she was still alive. Even her dreams were filled with pain, along with rage and blood.

Speaking of blood, she had developed a nasty temper at strange things and a blood lust she couldn’t overtake. So when she was upset because of something silly, like the sun being too bright, she took out her anger on herself. Her canines would dig into her arm that she brought up to her face and she would continue biting until she tasted the familiar copper-ish blood in her mouth. It was a horribly nasty bad habit, but it had to be done so she wouldn’t go outside and kill some innocent soul.

Her stomach roared angrily at her, breaking her thoughts. Lifting up her shirt to see her stomach, her ribs poked out, reminding her of a skeleton. That’s what happens with no food. Thank God for the lake outside.

Outside, around the lake, was a huge family of hawks. Thankfully, they accepted her like a huge-partially featherless-step sibling. They never bothered her and warned her whenever humans were nearby with a dead silence.

Deciding to get another drink, Leara stepped out onto the lip of the cave, but the hawks were silent. Taking a step back, she looked all over the sky for an airplane or helicopter.
Instead, there was a small dot in the sky that was flying closer. Fatigue and sickness had turned her razor sharp vision almost back to human strength. But, the hawks went back to their normal lives, chicks squawking and life coming back to them.

The thing that was flying closer had wings and looked… human. It was too big to be an animal because she could see it as the shape was so small.

There’s no way. How would anyone know where to find me? I’m just imagining things…Leara told herself, holding her stomach. She remembered she was going to get a drink, so she flew down to the lake quickly without another glance to the sky. Ignoring her reflection, she splashed her feverishly hot face with the cool water and slurping the water out of her hands noisily, trying to settle herself.

Until she heard footsteps behind her in the dirt. She quickly turned with a snarl, baring her canines. The figure held their hands up and their pale face looked back at her with surprise. “Leara?” the voice spoke, sounding familiar, like one of the voices she always heard in her dreams.

Pupils dilating, she recognized the face as him. Her mouth dropped open a bit, as she took in the reality that he was really here, looking at her. Then she remembered what she must look like and turned her face away. “Don’t,” she whispered, “don’t look at me, Fang. I’m… I’m a monster.”

Pain flared through her body, causing her to grit her teeth, holding back a howl. Fang could see her muscles clench and his gut twisted just watching her double over.

“Just tell me what they did,” he said calmly, staying where he was standing. He didn’t want to move any closer; afraid she would run or attack.

With a pause of hesitation, Leara explained, “They started where they left off last. Wanted to turn me into a bird-kid-Eraser. Didn’t care if I went insane because of the snow leopard genes. It hurts so much, everyday, all the time.” She covered her face the whole time she spoke, too afraid to see Fang’s reaction. Her face was probably covered in blood and dirt and probably mutated or something from the genes.

To her surprise, cool fingers grabbed her hands and pulled them away from her face. He noted the dirt smudges on her face and some reddish smudges around her mouth. Her brown eyes were wild and her pupils were in a cat-like slit. Nonetheless, it was still the same face he’s seen before.

“What's to hide? You look about the same,” he gave a half smirk, looking into her eyes.

“Because I'm not the same person on the inside. Why do you think I've been here this whole time?” Her words came out colder than she meant them to, so she bit her tongue in frustration. “I've done things I don't want to talk about. I've thought things I can't repeat. My mind isn't the same that it used to be.”

Still holding her hands, Fang said, “You can tell me anything. Just because you have a bit more of a mixed DNA doesn't mean I won't understand.” But she stood up, taking her hands away and crossing her arms over her chest. “No, you don't understand. It's... difficult.”

“Have you been eating?” He clearly noted her too-skinny stomach.

“There's nothing to eat here,” Leara shrugged it off. “I've been drinking water.”

“Then it's settled. I need to get you out of here,” he seemed to command. “We need to find you a safer place than this.”

“Are you insane?! I can't leave here. Out there, I'll hurt people.”

“Look, I know someone who could probably help you. Besides, if you've been out here for so long, you probably haven't hurt anyone. If I'm guessing right from the marks on your arms, you've mostly been hurting yourself.”

Turning red with embarrassment, she thought about her little predicament. Well, maybe I could get some food. Insane people have medicine they take, don't they? Besides being locked up in a padded room. A doctor could get me some food and meds. And along the way want to take blood samples and look and experiment... “This person you know; they don't happen to be a doctor, do they?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Well, kind of; she's a veterinarian.”

After a couple minutes, Leara made up her mind. “Fine. I'm only doing this because I trust you. One false move from anyone and I'm gone.”

“Great; c'mon, her house isn't too far from here,” Fang beckoned as he took off into the sky. The sun hit his feathers just right, making them shine.

Once again, Leara got those butterflies in her stomach whenever she looked at him. These feelings made her almost feel in touch with the old version of herself. It felt great to have those feelings again.

In the air, talk was very sparse and there was definitely an awkward silence. But as Leara began to take in a huge breath, a scent tickled her nose and she stopped flying forwards.

“I... I smell something. Something strangely familiar, but I can't put my finger on it...” Turning towards the scent, she began to follow it.

“Wait! You can't just follow something that you smell. What if it's a trap?” Fang flew right behind her, not very comfortable getting off track.

“No, it's something good.” She kept sniffing the air, almost like a hound dog. “Just let me find it.”

Since she trusted him, Fang decided to do the same. There was another awkward silence as Leara trailed the scent.

Soon, a few specks in the sky came into view. “No,” Leara breathed. “It couldn't be.” With a lurch, she began to pick up speed and flying at almost a hundred miles an hour.

Slowing down when the shapes were glowing larger, their eyes caught hers and too flew faster.

It is. It's them.