Shapeshifters

28

I WOKE AND went to review the plans, only to find that Dustfly changed it up a bit after I hit the hay. I reminded myself to talk to him about that later. The more I looked over the modified plan, the more I liked it better.

When Dustfly walked out of his room about an hour later, I hadn't moved. Meaning that I hadn't started getting ready. The two of us worked as one to get breakfast on the table, having an idea that it would be our last, we made a big deal out of it. Pancakes, toast, eggs, bacon, the whole shebang. 

We joked and laughed over breakfast. Dustfly told me stories of Sunpack after I left, and I snickered. Sometimes at the stupidity he had, and other times at how other people reacted to him taking some leadership.

He was born to lead, I thought. But not like this.

When he finished telling me stories, I told him a few adventures I had with Sunny and Petunia. I told him the one of the night before school, and of my first week at Williston High. I told him of my first day here, my confusion, my hatred of Sunny and Petunia for being all peppy. He chuckled as I told him these.

After we cleaned up our mess, we went to our rooms and changed. Neither one of knew why we did, knowing fully that we wouldn't be doing anything but doing last minute preparations.

Are you excited? Dustfly projected to me.

Yeah, I replied. I can't wait. I paused. What do we do if it doesn't work?

We were both thinking it, I was just brave enough to speak it. He didn't respond for a little bit. It wasn't until we were looking over the plan again that he told me he had no idea.

"Maybe we just try again the next moon," He said. 

I shrugged. I had asked him to explain his new idea to me. As he did, I saw movement below the window of the front door. At that moment, the doorbell rang.

I glanced at Dustfly as I walked to answer it. I opened the door to find a little human child standing there, holding a box of chocolates. 

They looked up at me and asked, "Do you want to buy some chocolate? I'm selling them for my school fundraiser for only a dollar."

So innocent. So cute. So unaware of the dangers of the world.

I put my hands on my knees, leaned down, and responded, "I'm sorry, but my friend and I are allergic to chocolate. Do you accept donations?"

The kid nodded enthusiastically. I returned with five dollars and sent them on their merry little way.

"Well," Dustfly started after I shut the door. "That was interesting."

I laughed. "After everything that's happened recently, you find that interesting!" I scoffed. "I thought you were more imaginative than that."

"I did come up with awesome return plans, did I not?"

I had to give him that one. I glanced at the time and saw that we had to go soon. It was 7:30 and if we wanted to get in position, before the packs arrived, we would have to leave sooner rather than later.

It was almost fifteen minutes later that we were at the wood line. Dustfly shifted and turned back, waiting for me. I hesitated. Unsure if this was the right thing.

Are you okay? Dustfly inquired.

Yeah. Just nervous.

Well come on already. He begged. Let's get going.

I shifted and we went towards the five pines. We arrived and glanced around. It was still the same way we remembered it. We saw the two trees on each side of the rock. Looking at each other, we opened our wings and flapped them. We lifted into the air and practiced for a few moments.

When we felt ready enough, we flew into the trees. Dustfly on one side and I on the other. We sat in the tops of the trees, where we still had a good view of the clearing. Not long after we were settled, we saw a pack. Valleypack. Sunpack trickled in not long after that, with Shadowpack right on their back paws.

As soon as the leaders were settled and about to begin, Dustfly gave me the signal and together we flew into the air. Tawny was the first to notice us flying, everyone else stared at us not long after. All confused. We flew closer and landed behind the leaders, causing them to turn around, to see what in Lupus' name was causing all the ruckus.

"Who are you?" the leader of Shadowpack, Cedarsky demanded. "What are you?"

Tell them. Dustfly said.

I took a deep breath. "I am Lighteye of Sunpack. Before I was Lighteye, I was Light. This is Dustfly. Before he was Dustfly, he was known as Dust." I looked over at Dustfly and he nodded. "We are the descendants of Shapeclaw and Shapetail. We were cursed to live as up-walkers, breaking the first part of the curse last big moon meeting."

"We owe that to Black," Dustfly continued. "From Shadowpack. He paid us a visit, taunted us with the names of our littermates. We accepted those names, giving us these wings." We both opened them wide for the packs to see. "Also, allowing us to break the first half of the cure. Letting us be here this big moon."

We let our message sink in. We knew how they felt, having reality ripped from you only to be brought back. 

 Stormsky was the first to recover. "Welcome back, shapeshifters."