Chapter Two

Bethany's eyes flashed open as the bus came to complete stop. Her mind hadn't the time to snap into reality, the reality that her mother wasn't in. She rubbed her eyes and noticed everyone grabbing their belongings and slowly filing out of the bus. She stood and grab the backpack she had resting at her feet.

She joined the rest of the crowd leaving the bus. As she stepped off the bus in Libby Montana she felt a wave of relief wash over her. She could finally be herself soon enough, but until then she had to trek into the mountains area away from humans. She had felt someone watching her and shrugged it off not caring what the humans were doing.

Walking in the direction of where the packs home was, was difficult. Bethany wasnt use to long treks in her human form and the bus system for the town didn't make off road deliveries. She was soo use to human amenities that she forgotten who she was. She wasnt just human but something more, something greater than a human.

She grew more and more tired farther she got. She was about to give up but as she did she saw a small dirt road, almost unused and she was over joyed. She kneeled down and pulled out the written directions. She was close and she couldn't wait. She put the directions back into her bag and took one deep breath. She only had 15 more minutes of walking left and then she would be at the entrance to her new pack.

The sky starts to get darker, her eyes focusing, getting use to the looming night. She could see a small flicker of a candle in the distance. Her heart skipped a beat and she started speeding up.

As she got closer she heard a grumble and a tall man stepped out.

"Who are you," he growled, "what are you doing here?"

"I.....I'm Bethany," she said startled, "I am here to join this pack."

He let out a huff and led her to a small shed up against a rocky hill. He opened the door and walked right in and she followed suit.

her eyes still adjusting to the night were overwhelmed with the dark space. She grasped the wall waiting to regain her sight. the man in front stopped and looked back.

"What, have you ever been in this kind of god forsaken darkness," he asked perplexed.

"Not in a long time," Bethany muttered, "couldn't really shift where I was from."

"And where is that?"

Bethany could make out his shape and just glared at him, "does it really matter where I'm from?"

"I guess not," he said, "can you keep going?"

Bethany let go of the wall and nodded yes. He must of seen it and continued down the path. A few moment passed and they entered a small chamber with candles lit. He motioned to a small area with some curtains.

"You can change in there, when in this pack we are not to be in our human form while in the den," he said, "we respect the rules put forth by this pack."

Bethany smiled and looked up at the full figure, "what's your name?"

"Alexander!"

"Well thank you Alexander," she said smiling.

Bethany step behind the curtain pulling her bag in front of her. Each piece of article of clothing she folded and put it in her bag til she was naked. She forced herself into shifting, bones cracked and elongated. skin got replaced by scales and hair by feathers. Til Bethany stood not in her human form but of what humans would call velociraptor form. her light green scales blended well with the cave moss. She walked out from behind the curtain holding her backpack in mouth. Alexander went to reach for it and she let out a low growl, her feathers pressed up against her head.

"Okay, okay," he said raising his hands in defeat.

Alex stepped behind the curtain to change himself as well. When he stepped out in front of Bethany in his form she saw he was also missing an eye. He noticed that she was staring at him and continued on down the path.

Bethany felt that maybe her body language was giving something off, because how Alexander just continued down the path without even a glance back. She felt as if she offended him. She started to trot to keep up with him. The long winding path lead them to a large open space where many of the pack members were asleep. Alex showed her to a empty crevice in the cave.

"This is yours and yours alone."

Bethany looked up at him confused. She never had talked or someone else project their thoughts into her head. Alex could see that she was confused and nudged her.

"Yes, we talk like this, because it's easier to communicate with the pack and less noticeable."

"Thank you, I've never communicated in this type of way," she say projecting it into his head.

Alex nodded his feathered head, "It is also safer, we don't have to worry about them vile human ever finding us."

Bethany looked down as if to check out her surroundings, "yah them human, we wouldn't want that would we?"

Alex shook his head, "no we wouldn't and I think its...." he paused for a second, looking at her then back to the tunnel, "well I got to get back, if you need anything just ask anyone and they will help you."

"When will I see you," she asked almost pleading like.

Alex stopped, "mornining before the the hunt for our breakfast."

As if a wind just blew through at took Alex away he was gone. Bethany knew she had to make herself comfortable as possible she gently set her bag down on a small ledge in the crevice. Taking her tail she lightly brushed away the small insects that inhabited the space.

Alex didn't like human and the ton almost scared her. She would never tell any one she wasnt half human. She laid down resting her head on the ground. She closed her eyes and fell into a deep slumber.