Panic is my first reaction as I fall. OH SHIT OH SHIT!!! I try to comprehend what just happened. HOW THE HELL did I end up in a tree?

  My stomach is doing flips as the ground comes toward me, and the only thing that keeps me from puking is that I apparently can’t anymore. I feel the cold air flow through my hair as I try to comprehend what’s going on, the speed making me panic even more. The only thing that manages to slow my fall just enough is me flailing my arms about as I wince. This is going to suck!

  The next thing I know, I hit the snowbank, watching the world spin as I lie there, stunned and confused for a few moments, putting an end to my panicked yelling. It takes a few minutes, but I’m able to finally shake my head to clear the stars. Nothing looks familiar. It’s all just white snow and dark trees lit up by the reflection. I’m lying in a small, open field near a couple of trees. Once I manage to regain my senses, I can feel my heart racing alarmingly fast.

  No idea what just happened. Wait, how did I get naked, and why would I have climbed a tree in my sleep? I remember the dream blurring into reality. How did I even fall?

  Still a little shaky, I get up and look closer at myself. That REALLY hurt. As I take a closer look around, something is wrong. I can’t see properly, like I somehow have a bunch of yellow snow on my nose. Oh God, ew!!! I give my head a shake, but it remains. Not the best way to wake up.

  When I try to touch it with my hands, my arms don’t bend right and are pressed against my back. With a bit of effort, they come forward, and I’m shocked to see feathers attached to them. What the hell!!! Why are there feathers? Is my sister playing a practical joke?

  I jump back, stumbling in shock at the sight as I try to yell in fear. At the same time, a weird bird cry comes from nearby, sounding like a sharp screech. Quickly turning around, I try to find the source but just end up more confused.

  Looking over my shoulder, I spot feathers sticking out of my butt, making me even more panicked than before. What the hell is going on? My confusion slowly gives way to fear as I stare at my feathers in horror. My brain just stalls for a second.

  That would certainly explain being in the sky a few moments ago, but how and why? In disbelief, I try to shake myself awake, even use my old trick of thinking hard, but nothing happens. I start to remember more of the dream, including meeting the eagle. WAIT, was I now like her, or some other kind of bird?

  The limited view of my feathers, or maybe my wings, doesn’t tell me much, I realize. Spotting my feathery legs disappearing into the snow makes me want to flex my talons, feeling the snow scrunch between them as I make sure they’re mine and not some other bird’s. The same kind that had cut me in the dream.

  My concern grows as the light fades, but I can see the brightening of orange in the sky. The snow has a strange white look to it, almost like it’s glowing too brightly. Did I hit my head harder than I thought? I’ve heard something about concussions causing auras.

  Looking down at my supposed wings and up at a tree nearby, I frown. If I’m really a bird and not brain damaged, I should be able to get into it, right? Probably not safe to be hanging around on the ground. I gulp, examining the branch. Okay, just how hard can this be to get into a tree?

  Testing them, my arms seem to work fine despite the fall, a few snowflakes slipping free. I give them a hard flap and manage to get about half a foot into the air before falling. Success, sort of. I try a few more times but still can’t get much higher, already feeling a little exhausted. I start to get a little frustrated. If I’m a bird, shouldn’t this be easier?

  Hearing a familiar voice call out from behind causes me to freeze for a second as it says, “Try running.”

  ACK, who’s that!! The sudden rush of fear makes me instinctively run and flap my wings in an attempt to escape, but this is much easier in theory. The snow makes running hard, and I’m not sure how well my body is built to run.

  After a few hard flaps, I soon find myself off the ground and flying in the direction of the tree I had wanted to land in. It is a weird feeling, both lighter and heavier at the same time.

  Nearing the branch, I look at it in confusion. Now how do I land? Fortunately, my feet reach out and my talons grab the branch. Unfortunately, I didn’t stop my forward momentum, and before I realize it everything is upside down and I’m still holding onto the branch. Uh-oh, I think, as I finally let go, dropping the last few feet to the ground.

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  I groan and look up in confusion as a weird bird sways into view. It seems like a crow or raven, but its feathers change color every time it moves. Man, I must’ve hit my head harder than I thought. I’m seeing a rainbow crow. It looks down at me as it speaks in the weird gravelly way that is familiar. “Better… but not a very good first try.”

  I just stare at it as if it’s an animal talking to me, which, coincidentally, it is. I groan. “You can talk?” Well, that’s what I try, but it comes out more like, “Squawk!” Hearing that sound again makes me jump before I realize that was me doing it. I try to say something and all that comes out is another squawk. This isn’t good. I can’t talk.

  The weird bird shakes its head, and I feel a strange buzzing as I hear the voice again, not with my ears this time, but the same way the voice in my dream spoke. It’s odd, not like normal hearing, but more like my own thoughts in a strange voice. it says.

  Sighing, I pick myself up, feeling weird. Everything is in the right place and feels the way it should, but my human side keeps telling me I’m going to break my arms holding them like that. Trying again, I think, My head starts to swim, making me wonder how much weirder this day can get. What’s next, magical spells? Feels like a video game or old movie.

  With a few clicks of his beak he nods, making me jump slightly. He walks around me curiously, looking at my wings and tail as I try not to be embarrassed about being naked. Hey!!! Well, at least I have an idea as to what I am. It was always a dream, but now that it’s real, I’m even more confused.

  Shrugging, I send, The absurdity of what’s going on isn’t lost on me. But what else can I do? Obviously something happened. I expected to become an animal after the last few days, maybe, but an eagle? I’m not like this strange blue, and purple rainbow crow. My wings seem odd in their coloring, with a faint purple glow to them, nothing like the eagles I remember seeing.

  Is it because of what this bird and I are? Not that I’m entirely complaining. I’ve always loved the idea of becoming a bird, especially an eagle. I just never expected it to happen. I finally try again after a few moments.

  The raven shakes its head. It all feels like a dream until I feel the cold air against my feathers, making me fluff them up again.

  That makes me tilt my head and fluff my feathers up. Does that mean I have more than one form? And there are others like myself. My mind reels from all of this, leaving me completely confused.

  Musing this over, I finally nod. It takes a second for the implications to hit. My eyes widen in shock and panic.

  The raven shrugs. I nod, trying to comprehend this.

  Remembering the feeling of something being close the last few nights, I realize after a few moments that it’s likely him. Our meeting isn’t random but something important. Maybe my “mom” has set this up.

  Thinking about being called son makes me start to worry again. If this isn’t something that will be fixed quickly, then what am I supposed to do? Should I go home and tell my parents and hope they understand, or live out here? I think of my bed, my sister, my friends. What am I losing? It all feels like a dream, but too many of the things I’m feeling seem real. Dream or not, I should treat it as real.

  The raven clicks his beak again, as if he somehow knows what I’m thinking. Feeling a glimmer of hope, I think, Maybe this won’t be quite so bad. Tilting my head, I realize I’d been wondering how he spoke English.

  Taking a deep breath, I calm myself. I gulp as the thought sinks in. I could spend forever, or maybe just a short while, as an eagle, and my family would never know. The idea makes me shiver and fluff my feathers out. Sure, I could return, maybe in time if I get my human form back, but how long would that take? Weeks, months, even years? And what could happen in that amount of time?

  He gives a quick head bob.

  I groan and hope this is going to go better than before. I can’t help but laugh at his name, so typically raven. His colors are really bothering me, almost hypnotic.