Bright Eyes

Chapter 9

I looked around for him and put my back against a nearby tree. Ooooooooookay It's dark, I'm by myself, next to a weird tent, and there's a squirrel staring at me on that branch over there. That is weird, it's moving not one bit. I clasped my hands around the tree as if it were a lifeboat and I was to drift out to sea. The squirrel still didn't move. Then it blinked. Great now its real. I scooted to the other side of the tree and looked around for Oliver hoping he was just playing a joke and he would pop out. Nothing for almost an hour, well what felt like an hour. I scooted back to the other side of the tree to find the squirrel gone. 

"Oliver." I whispered into the forest in front of me. 

No answer.

I saw the tent move. Yep I'm running. I ran far from the spot I was in and into the brush, getting scrapes on my arms from the branches. I kept running even though the branches smacked me in the face. I'm almost there. I'm almost there. I kept telling myself. I finally came out into a clearing. I tripped and tumbled in the grass, landing face flat in the dirt. I just sat there for a moment, not wanting to look up because i know something worse is going to happen.

I finally stood up and something did happen. The sun was rising. I can actually see where I'm going. Oliver popped up finally, I wanted to punch him in the face by then. "You left me!" I shouted trudging after him in the piles of dirt I made from my miraculous landing. He laughed as he walked ahead. 

"Real funny huh?" I went to pull my beanie farther over my head but I only felt hair. Oh no. I felt around. Oliver watched me run in circle looking for it. Then I ran back. I heard him chasing after me. 

"Kason! You no run that way! Breakfast is soon! Kason!" He shouted after me. 

I think that's the most I've ever heard him say. I looked around for it. It was grey just like the bark of the trees and it had a brown smudge when mom and i had a brownie fight in the kitchen. Dad was pretty mad when he got home. The forest was those exact colors making it turn out to be camouflage. Great.

Oliver's footsteps eventually disappeared and only the tapping of my feet echoed about me. I ran in circles through the forest searching for my lost beanie.It kind of reminded me of those movies where the house is on fire and the dad goes back in to save the hamster. He ends up dying. Now that's a soldier.

I ran out into the small area where I saw the tent and the creepy squirrel. The squirrel was gone, still leaving me snooping around outside the tent, seeing if I dropped it over there. I sighed and scratched the back of my head. Then I saw it peeking outside a bush just a foot from the tent. I dove to snatch it but it flew under. I dug around in the bush hoping to find it. Then my spine scrunched then extended and I spun around to see my tail had grown. I was still myself but I had a tail. So now I can be half cat half human, what fun, can't wait until Halloween. 

I piece of grey poked out from another brush and I pounced on it. It flew out from under me. I saw it take off, with little legs under it running. We can play that game. I turned into my full cat self and ran after it. I was getting used to it now, besides a few trips here and there I was running normally, for a cat. The hat zig-zagged through the brush as I chased it. I finally got close enough and I pounced, able to stomp on it. The small animal inside flew around looking for a way to escape but I already turned to myself and flipped it upside down. "Well well, are you that little squirrel that likes scaring me?" I chuckled. Then before my eyes it turned to an arctic fox.

"Whoa." I flew back and dropped the hat.

 "Ow!" It crawled out from under it. "You could be more careful!" It barked. 

"Uh, sorry, fox squirrel animal."My mind was jumbling my words.

It turned to Violet who had her hands on her hips. She grinned and walked off. I saw her tail still swaying back and forth as she walked and my head swayed with it. She spun around and i quickly stopped, hoping she hadn't noticed. The tail had a black tip but turned back to white after a few inches. 

"Your an odd little boy." she giggled.

Little? I shook my head. "You can turn to other animals? Well, besides the white fox." I said picking up my beanie and dusting it off. She nodded and turned back around, walking.I put my beanie on and I followed her expecting she lead me back to camp, I guess. I looked back and saw her tail gone. Then I looked at mine to find it gone too. Really weird.

We came out in the clearing where I'd shouted at Oliver. I kept walking looking behind us, seeing if Oliver were still here. Then I bumped into something. I spun back around to find Dylan smirking down at me. I quickly backed up. "Ready for training?"He asked bending down and outstretching his arms in like he wanted to fight. "Ummmmm right now?" I asked unsure of what was to happen.

He rolled his eyes and turned to a wolf. I saw Violet look back before turning to the fox and entering the woods behind Dylan. I grinned and still looked in that direction. "C'mon bright eyes! We ain't got all day!" Dylan growled. "Oh, sorry." I turned to the cat much easier from the first time I did it. 

"Good, you've been practicing?" He asked. 

I shook my head.

"You need to."

I frowned and scratched behind my ear. He ran past me and I guess I'm supposed to follow him. Whatever. I ran and tried to keep up but I still tumbled a little when we got near rocky places. I cut my paw on a sharp object and stopped. "Ow!" I quickly licked at it, that would make it better, I think. I probably have healing magic in my blood too. 

"Good you spoke!" He snickered.

"I did?" I covered my mouth, surprised. 

"I did!"