Changing

Chapter 16

We were fast approaching civilization!

The signs were all around us. There were paths down here intersected with wooden markers displaying the names of each particular trail. 

Also the smell. The glorious, intoxicating smell wafting through the trees. The smell of food! Real food--not the stuff we’ve been eating for who knows how long now.

My stomach grumbled, and my mouth was overflowing. 

I couldn’t wait to see people again! 

Real people…

People who aren’t like us…

I pushed away the troubling thought.

That doesn’t matter, its not like I have to tell them anything. And plus this is just a stop along the way. 

I was going to find a way back to my Mother. Bonnie had agreed with me but was still a little uneasy with the idea. 

Though I was full of enthusiasm to the approaching town. The feeling was not mutual. Bonnie had been jittery ever since her stronger nose had picked up the sent yesterday afternoon. 

She wouldn’t talk she was too tense. Her eyes were wide and could not seem to stay still. They wondered aimlessly taking in every shift in the leaves, she listened intently too. Her ears wiping back and forth along her head. She jumped at any small noise. 

It was starting to get on my nerves. 

What was she so scared about…

It didn’t make any sense to me of course I’ve seen human civilizations before, maybe she was just scared because it was something new. 

I changed back into my human shape. We had been traveling as animals. It was faster that way. But I wanted to talk to Bonnie before we got there. 

We were staying off the trails so the humans wouldn’t see us, that made it a bit more uncomfortable. The low hanging branches had been scratching me all day. I would have preferred the trail but being naked and all…

Bonnie turned to look at me her eyes were still wide with fright and she was panting like she was exhausted. But I knew that that was not. We usually ran all day. And today we couldn’t even run, not the way the trees were packed in together. 

“Bonnie, you have to calm down, nothing is going to happen to us.” 

A low whine escaped her throat. Clearly she didn’t believe me. 

I rolled my eyes. 

“No one will even recognize us. Promise. And if someone does…” I grinned “you can eat them for breakfast.” I laughed remembering the time she had almost eaten me. It seemed so long ago now. Almost like a passed life. 

Bonnie didn’t laugh. She didn’t find it funny at all. 

I sighed “can you please say something to me?” 

She shimmered into a human and curled into a little ball. 

“I’m scared.” she said hiding her face from me. I knew how much she hated being scared and how much harder it was for her to admit it out loud. 

I softened my tone, “don’t worry I’m scared too” a little, but it was too much overshadowed by my glee to really register in my brain. 

Bonnie now looked up at me, and the disbelief was clear on her face. “your lying!” she hissed. 

“No I’m not…” I could tell she still didn’t believe me. “But its okay to be scared, you’ve never been with other people before, but don’t worry. I’ll stay with you and no matter what, I’ll make sure your safe.”