The Death Breathers

Chapter X

That night I dream of Death.

I haven't had a vivid dream in quite a while. The ones I've been having are just hazy ones I don't really remember.

I dream of defeating the Death Beholders, but there being one left over, and killing all us Avis's.

I feel like that may happen.

Something may not be clear to you guys.

The oxygen that humans breathe is fatal, but it is not as fatal to the Avis' and Death Beholders as humans. So the Avis' live longer than most human beings.

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The next day of training, Jay talks to me straight away.

"Phoenix, I'm sorry for not talking to you. I may be teaching you and that's strictly professional, but I was being childish. I shouldn't have ignored you."

I hug him. "Hey, it's alright. You were just embarrassed, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I was."

We smile at each other.

"Okay. Now it's professional."

Now he's teaching me to communicate with him in his bird form, and when I perfect it, he shows me how to change into other birds.

"So, what kind of bird do you want to be?"

"Mm... maybe a crow! I find them really intimidating."

"Okay, go ahead! Just do what you usually do; picture the bird, and imagine being it."

I picture the crow, take a deep breath, and open my eyes. I fly upward, and circle Jay's head.

"Ha! Very nice," he says as I go back to the ground and turn back to myself.

"Thank you."

I've got a good plan.

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After training has finished for the day, I go back to my nest.

I look in the mirror.

Jesus, I think. I've lost a bit of weight.

I used to be... beefy, you could say. I was never the skinniest person around. I never used to be able to find clothes that would fit, but as I got older it became easier. I thinned out slightly as I got taller but I never got really thin.

I'm skinnier now.

I want to see what I look like as a bird. I grab the chair and put it just in front of me, in the mirror.

I picture myself as a phoenix, and fly upwards, and perch myself on the chair.

I don't feel different. Not really. I definitely look different, that's for sure.

Hopping off the chair and onto the floor, I turn back into myself and into a bluejay.

I fly out of my nest and into Jay's.

"Oh, hello little birdy," he says in a pet voice.

I chirp at him.

He narrows his eyebrows and thinks.

"You're not a real jay, are you?"

"Nope," I say, and turn back to myself.

"Oh, hey Phoenix."

"So uh, do you want to try us again?"

"We were never 'us'."

"Well, do you want to try?"

"Yeah, maybe. I'll let you know when I feel up to it."

"Jay... c'mon, I like you, you must like me, you kissed me for God's sake-"

My rambling was interrupted by another kiss.

From Jay.

"I really do like you. And I feel up to it."

"So... do you want to go out?"

"Yeah!"

I smile and hug him.

"Hello, girlfriend," he says.

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We go to dinner together, happier than ever before.

Sparrow notices I look more joyous than usual, because she comes to my nest after dinner and talks to me.

"Why are you so happy?"

"Oh, nothing."

She rolls her eyes.

"Of course there is something. I literally know every sign that says you're in love!"

"Okay, you got me."

"Did Jay finally come around?" she asks excitedly.

"Yeah, he did. He's my boyfriend now too."

"What?!"

"Yeah." I smile.

"You're so calm about this. Why?"

"It's just a relationship. There's nothing really exciting about it."

She raises an eyebrow.

"Is this your first relationship?"

"Yeah."

She double takes. "Okay."

"You seem surprised."

"Wha- yeah, I am."

"Why?"

"I would have thought that someone like you would have a million boyfriends so far!"

"What do you mean, someone like me? I'm normal."

"You're not normal, you're unique. Like all of us here, we were always unique out of our school groups. I was always willing to do things when others weren't."

"Yeah, I guess. I've got a 'fiery personality' though."

"Yeah, exactly! It would take all the firetrucks in the world and more to put out the fire in your soul."

I laugh. "Thank you."