I woke from a horrible nightmare, not something many people want to have on their birthday.
I was watching myself from a distance through some type of animals eyes. When I moved on what I thought was my run before I went to bed, the animal was always right behind me, and I never knew it. I had the slightest feeling that this wasn't a dream, but some sort of warning. I couldn't wake up no matter how hard I was trying. It was watching me closely and when I stopped near the base of the tree to go back up into my room I saw it inching ever closer. Something was hunting me and whatever it was it was big. It was then that I saw the flash of emerald and the swish of a tail. It was a full grown panther up in the tree I was about to climb into to go to bed! How the hell do I miss something like that? Whatever was hunting me didn't, in fact I felt it step back a few steps as the panther stared at it. When the panther started to get up I lost sight of myself at the base of the tree and of the panther all-together. It was turning tail and running, whatever it was. The thought struck me just as I felt myself waking , whatever it was, I knew would be back.
I was pouring sweat, and smelled of the forest from last nights run. Thinking a nice warm relaxing shower might ease my mind I walked quickly and as quietly as possible from my room down the hall to the bathroom. When I finally came out of the bathroom after my long hot shower I smelled the wonderful scent of pancakes and bacon. I can't help that my stomach controls me, because I completely forgot about last nights discussion with my parents, or was that part of the dream too? No, it couldn't be, but it should have been. Anyway, I tossed caution to the wind and raced down stairs to the kitchen to find mom at the stove in the middle of flipping flapjacks.
It was like she didn't know what to say, at the sight of me. I was pretty speechless myself. What do you say when someone tells you your what they call a mythical creature, and your parents died trying to protect you. You don't, you sit there awkwardly staring at them in the kitchen while they make breakfast. thankfully dad as ever a morning person, walks in holding a steaming cup of coffee and brushing back his wet hair says, " Good-morning! I saw you went for a run last night, you beat your time? Oh by the way I'm thrilled you are taking this transition so wonderfully. You certainly did better than me when my parents told me, that's for dang sure."
" Dad, this is handling the transition wonderfully?"
" well I called my parents liars to there face and refused to believe them until my dad turned into a full-blown mountain lion in a rage about to attack me. Needless to say I quickly apologized and started listening carefully."
" My abilities started showing themselves before I was eighteen and therefore I believed my parents readily on my eighteenth birthday. Being a mythical was much better than being a freak." my mother said as she carefully slid three pancakes onto a plate. What she did next had my jaw hanging, with complete unabashedly. If unabashedly is even a word, but that's what I was going with. I didn't know what to say. Her finger lit up like a lighter and she held the syrup container over the flame. I don't know about you, but if someone does that, you don't take it with a grain of salt. Here was my proof. Somehow, it was all easier to believe. I had finally gotten my wish.
"So, what will I be able to do? Thanks for the pancakes mom."
"well, It all depends on after your first shift if abilities present themselves and when exactly. some take more time than others and some require that you be put under pressure before they fully present themselves in their entirety. "
"And when can I shift?'
"whenever you're ready" dad said with the biggest smile on his face I'd seen since my first big buck I'd shot with my bow.
