"So let's get this straight. This happened when we were at the beach, right? So they must have come after 4, which is the last time we went to Brea's house."
The friends were sitting in a circle in the Lodge Grounds, a huge grassy park with a play area and several small gardens. They were trying to suss out when the animals had come on the day of the beach party, the day that everything changed. The animals, excluding the birds, were with them, after being successfully hidden for five days, though it was a little harder for Abbie, who's mum had seen the tiger. Now, however, they had some strange charm that made them look like ordinary pets to passers-by, but not to the friends.
"I never saw or heard anything," Breanna pondered with a frown.
"But it must have been round about then, and animals can be very quiet when they want to be," Chloe pressed, stroking the silky fur of her wildcat.
Suddenly Cera stood up and looked towards the beach.
"Did you hear that?" she whispered, and the others all perked up.
The screech of a bird carried faintly on the breeze and everyone in the Lodge stopped to listen.
Cherry's wolf gave a great bark just as eight huge birds - their birds - came soaring into view, landing gracefully on the grass to the astonishment of the people all around them.
The friends gasped as they saw their birds for the second time. They had not come back since that first meeting, and rightly so. People were beginning to point and shout, some getting their mobile phones out and others even starting towards them. Alex, normally very quiet, decided it was time for action.
"Get to your birds!" he shouted, to the surprise of the others.
"Come on! Before it's too late!"
He ran towards his owl and startled the others into motion. Running as fast as they could, without really thinking what they were doing, they leapt on to the giant creatures, their beasts leaping on in front of them, shrinking somewhat to a carryable size.
People yelled at them, they were mad, what were they doing, get back to the ground, but their words fell on deaf ears as the great birds rose into the sky and flew to those same secluded beaches they had went to almost a week ago.
Where are you taking us? the friends all asked, knowing they were all thinking that same question.
To somewhere you can try out your...skills, the birds all replied at once, coming in to land at a quiet spot.
Sliding off, the riders all looked at one another and turned to face their animals. The zebra stepped forward, dipping its head towards Jodie.
You first, it said, nudging her arm. Concentrate on an animal, and feel your body changing to that of its shape, the zebra murmured, stepping back again. Jodie thought hard. Nothing happened. She thought harder and, as she did so, her limbs contorted, getting longer, body stretching and head widening until she dropped to all fours as a...
Zebra. How Jodie-like.
The others gaped in astonishment, the animals bounced around with joy and Jodie stood, motionless, testing out that new thought - I'm a shapeshifter. The full force of it hit her. I'm a shapeshifter! She galloped forward, completely at ease with this new body, yet giddy with happiness and excitement at what she could do. Her own zebra galloped along with her, two striped blurs, twisting and turning, breathing and braying as one. Eventually they stopped, sides heaving, in front of the others. Jodie swayed to a little fold of rocks where she promptly lay down with the zebra and kestrel.
VOUS LISEZ
The Eight
Aventure*NOTE* This story is mainly about me and my friends so I'm sorry to any of you who don't know me and are confused. Also it's REALLY bad since I wrote it years ago. Please don't judge my account solely on this book. Eight friends, all completely norm...
