Beast, Blood, & Soul

* 22 *

I hold my breath, and Namjoon's body, as he jumps from my office window. He transforms into the great eagle and his wings open and catch the wind and flies us quickly above the treetops. It took me a while to get my lungs to work right so I could breathe. I hold on for dear life and marvel that while I could see the eagle beneath me, what I felt was Namjoon's body beneath me. Was that because I was on his back before the change? Was I being carried like Jimin's cellphone?

I had pet the eagle a few times. For heaven's sake, the eagle had slept in my room several times. I didn't feel Namjoon's body then. How in the hell did this work? I was technically bigger than the eagle but that didn't seem to matter at all. He carried me with ease and without effort. My scientist's brain wanted to study this very odd phenomenon and yet I scolded myself.

Pay attention Y/N, you're flying on an eagle! Get perspective!!

I laugh at myself. I stop analyzing my situation and just look at the world around me. I marvel at the treetops, like pointy little houses all spread out. I feel the wind on my face, squinting my eyes a little at the fierceness of the wind. It was also cold this high up. I can see the river that flows at the edge of the forest and I notice the edge of the cliffside where the truck fell. The world looks magnificent up here.

I watch other birds fly around, keeping a large distance from the big predator between my legs. I look down at the great bird and give into a naughty laugh. I'll have to find a way to tease Namjoon about his "big predator". Too bad this was as close as I was ever going to get to my mates. Maybe when we solve this curse, they won't be poisonous anymore. Now there's a thought to look forward to.

I notice an owl fly over towards us and I smile as I recognize Hobi's animal form. I smile at the other big bird in my life and faintly hear a hoot in our direction. The eagle and owl fly together, showing me the forest from their perspective.

Namjoon's POV

As we skim over the trees, I feel an incredible sense of joy with my mate on my back. Before the curse, I had heard of soulmates but I never believed in them. Then when I became an eagle I learned that eagles mate for life. I had been very worried about what that meant for me and my friends. We did everything we could to avoid being bound to the witch who trapped us in this life, but we also worried that our animals would mate with their species. After a long time, we realized that our animals were just as bound to the witch as we were. I didn't know whether to be scared or relieved. Relieved that I didn't have to worry about an animal I couldn't give my heart to and was scared that my animal would turn to the witch against my will. The questions of our fate seemed to build as time went on.

I know now that the answers I was waiting for have been given. The beautiful girl on my back seemed to settle me and my eagle. Jin and Yoongi were correct, being bound to her was an indescribable feeling of peace and joy that I never wanted to lose. There was no fear that our feelings would lead to enslavement.

I smile to myself as I hear her laugh in her surprise and delight as we show her the world that Hobi and I enjoy. When we realized we could carry things with us, we each brought our friends up to see the world we could see. It built within each of us a deep desire to protect this forest and we've been lucky to have this sanctuary. Our families could have turned on us, but they loved us instead and protected us. Now we had Brendan and Y/N on our side and I felt safer than I had ever had before.

"Is she feeling ok?" Hobi asks me.

"She is feeling overwhelmed with what Daniel told her today. I got her out of her office to take her mind off things."

"Let's take her to the treehouse. That will distract her." I like his suggestion. That would be perfect.

Hobi hoots toward me and I follow him as he flies in the direction of the treehouse. Given her love of the forest, I know she'll love the new perch.