Rebellion

Chapter 8

Aurae's POV

   I rise out of my seat slowly. "You're not allowed to leave your room," I remind him.

   "There's a window," he gestures to the open window, the one I entered from.

   "We're two stories up!"

   "Can't you shift into something and lower me down?" He asks, standing up as well and walking over to me, looking down at my face. He reached out slowly, his huge hand cupping my cheek. His hand is rough, but nice. "Even if it's only for today, don't you want to escape?" I can't help it, a grin forms on my mouth.

   "Yes," I whisper, then shift into an Andean condor, a bird with the wingspan and strength to carry a man, but only for seconds. "Go to the window." I order Rowan. His eyes widen. 

   "You can talk?!" He exclaims, his face full of awe and wonder.

   "Yes, I'll explain later," I tell him, ushering him towards the window. He follows my commands and stands in front of it. "Don't move and don't do anything." I tell him firmly before walking backwards, my talons scraping on the hardwood floors.

   Now that I'm at the other side of the room, I charge forward, tensing my wings. When I'm mere feet away from Rowan, I leap into the air, my wings still flat. I dig my talons into his shoulders, gently, but enough that I get a good grip. He lets out a yelp and I extend my wings out, flying right out the window with Rowan below me, his hands holding onto my ankles tightly. My wingspan is larger than his arm span and I love the feel of flying; the chilly wind blowing into my face and the sky all around me. No one can touch me when I'm an animal, I'm invincible. 

   I dive towards the ground, zooming as fast as a car. I tuck my huge wings in and bomb. Rowan screams from below me and I let out a laugh. He screams like a banshee. When I'm a couple yards away from the ground, I propel my wings out. They catch the air and I'm lifted up, like a parachute. I look down and see that Rowan's feet hit the ground, his boots sinking into the thick snow. I release him and he lets go of my ankles. 

   Once he's safe on the ground, I coast back into the air, flying to my bedroom window, where I fly inside. Everest is laying on my bed, startled at the form I've taken. He always knows it's me.

   "Ev, are you healed yet?" I ask him, preaching on the windowsill. Everest has always healed quicker than any animal on the planet, almost like it's a power of his own. And I've never seen him actually age. Sure, he grew up to his adult size, but he isn't getting any older.

   "Yes, why?" He asks, giving me a sideways look. Without replying, I soar over to him and land inches away from his head. 

   "Come on, we're going outside!" I exclaim, pointing my head to the window. I don't wait for him, but fly out the window and land on the snowy ground. Andean condors don't do well in snow, so I shift into an Arctic fox, sitting on the cold ground. Moments later, I see Everest leap out of the window above me. He lands on the tree branch and climbs down the tree with ease.

   "Aurae, human!" He yells suddenly, flinging himself onto me, knocking me over. Without a moment of pause, he scoops me into his jaws, being careful not to hurt me with his teeth. Everest takes off towards the woods, his legs pumping.

   "Ev, wait!" The human he mentioned is Rowan, who is yelling and chasing after us, although he's long behind us now. Everest stops in his tracks, releasing me where I tumble to the ground. "That's the man from earlier," I explain, looking back. Rowan is sprinting towards us, but he's a bit far away, so I run towards him, Ev behind me.