Page 63 of His Impossible Elf Mate
I woke slowly.
Everything looked different, my sight so much sharper than before. Everything in our room looked the same, just bigger.
Or I was so much smaller than before.
Looking down, I saw white feathers and creamy taloned feet ending with wickedly sharp claws. In my agitation I fluttered long wings. My claws, so sharp, dug into the bedding, creating holes.
What on earth had happened?
Why did I havetalons?
Perfect for catching prey, a new voice said in my mind.
Who are you?
I am you, but more.
That does not answer my question.
You may decide to give me a name later. There is much for us to discover together.
This strange voice was cryptic. They did not feel threatening. I felt no urge to panic.
I took stock of what was happening. Trying to be rational and calm. Nothing would come from acting hastily.
I was an owl.
A snowy owl, from the reflection in the dresser mirror, just like that of my family line. My body had either changed, or my mind had slipped its hold on sanity, or my consciousness had escaped my body and entered some owl that just so happened to be on our bed.
Looking around myself, I saw no trace of my elf body. No. I was now in this animal shape or had lost my mind.
You are quite rational. You are the owl, or rather, we are the owl. You are just seeing me while you come along for the ride, elf.
An owl!
I got the impression the voice I was hearing was laughing at me.
Somehow, I had turned into an owl and had a voice speaking to me, like that of shifters with their alters.
Did that make me a shifter now?
Unless this was a dream.
Under me, I could feel the sheets from the bed and the remaining ashes from when I burned the blanket during my attempt at magic. I tweaked at a feather with my sharp beak earning a grumble for the alter voice and a bite of pain.
No, this was really happening to me. I had shifted!
What did this mean? Was I no longer an elf? Would I only shift once? Was this part of the strange illness I had?
I think that was me being born,my alter remarked.I’m sorry if it was painful. Can we go outside? I would like to see the sky.
Give me a moment, please. To adjust.
We should explore, it, or rather, he, suggested.Yes, I think we will be friends. First, let’s explore. I want to feel what the wind is like through our feathers.
Was I wasting this opportunity by staying in the house?
Taking that as an agreement, my alter took charge of our body and flew out of the room, tracking the air currents to the front door. The closed front door.
