“Shall we try the fireballs again?” Fin asked once everything settled.

Liz caught Simon out of the corner of her eye, his shoulders fell with Fin’s suggestion. He wanted to try shifting again. He kept the words from his mind and therefore didn’t tell her his desires directly, but she knew he wanted to. On the same level, Fin appeared to be putting off the inevitable.

Probably because of how she’d reacted to Simon’s change the last time.

“I’d rather work with Simon.”

“Are you sure?”

Liz took a deep breath and one firm nod. “Yes.”

Although her pulse climbed, it wasn’t like before.

Ian stepped in and placed a hand on Simon’s shoulder. “If you do change, Simon, don’t fly farther than that branch there.” He pointed to a nearby tree, its first sturdy branch no more than twelve feet from the ground. “If you were to change back outside of your will, a longer fall could be quite painful.”

Liz hadn’t thought of that. From the expression on Simon’s face, neither had he.

“Good point.”

Ian stood back.

Fin took a position beside her. Although they had an unresolved battle to fight, now wasn’t the time. All eyes centered on her son.

Simon removed his shirt and closed his eyes before opened his arms wide. Small mumbled whispers trickled out from his lips. His thoughts sang in her head. I’m a bird. Big and powerful. My talons stretch and want to claw into the top of that tree. Liz’s gaze drifted to the top of the tree. It was forty feet high. She must have flinched because both Ian and Fin rested a hand on her arm in reassurance.

When she glanced back at Simon, she felt his hesitation, his concern for her.

You can do this, Simon. Your big, powerful with wings the size of an airplane. You can do this!

He stood taller and started over.

Liz chanted with him. His neck bubbled as it had before. A mirage blurred in front of her eyes as Simon moved his arms like that of a bird, feathers sprang forth and then disappeared.

He tried again.

Fin’s grip on her arm tightened. Concerned, but saying nothing.

Simon chanted again and everyone held their breath.

As the skin on his back bubbled, Liz coaxed him again. Let go and become the bird.

And he did.

One minute he stood there, then the rest of his form shifted, morphed into that of the falcon he wanted to be. His pants fell from his taloned feet and pooled where he once stood. For a brief second, Simon simply stood there as a bird. Then, without warning, he let out a screech, spread his wings, and took flight.

“Oh my God.” Liz leapt to follow him fearful he couldn’t hear or understand her. Ian’s arm slipped from hers, but Fin held tight, grasping her fingers.

Simon whirled above her head, Liz was desperate to catch him.

“God’s teeth, Lizzy, what are you doing?”

She looked over at Fin who yelled his question.

Only he was below her by a foot, his hand still managing to hold onto her hand. Dear lord, she hovered in mid air. Just as all the sisters did when they came together in a circle.

In a flash, all thoughts of Simon disappeared, her concern shifted. She fell to the ground and stumbled to her knees.

Are you all right?

“I’m fine,” she cried before realizing Simon posed the question in her head. “You can hear me?”

Oh, man this is so friggin’ awesome, Mom. Wow!

Simon swooped down and back up again.

“Is Simon talking to you?” Ian asked.

“Yes. Thank God!”

Fin’s eyes skirted away from her, but only briefly. “Ask him how he feels.”

I feel great. I can see everything from up here.

“He’s fine. Excited to be flying.”

“You understand us?” Ian turned in a circle, keeping Simon in sight.

Simon answered in a squawk before landing on the designated perch.

Can I go higher, Mom?

“Please don’t, Simon. I know you’re excited but let’s play this safe.”

Okay.

His lack of an argument surprised her.

I did it.

“You did it.”

Fin helped her to her feet and held her arm.

“Is your vision sharper, Simon?”

Simon peered toward the stream and back to them. Oh, yeah. He took off again, aiming toward something just above the water. He swooped down, caught a large fish, and returned. Lunch is on me.

Liz started to laugh. Ian clapped his hands together one time and cheered.

“I can’t believe it.”

Simon flew over to a fallen log before hopping to the ground. I’m gonna try and change back.

“Good idea.” Liz told the others his intentions.

Her son’s voice echoed but only twice. I’m human again. With legs to run with and hands and feet. His change back came quickly. Had she blinked, Liz would have missed it. But she hadn’t. His pink skin glistened as if the feathers had never been there. He was whole.

Liz started running toward him before he cried in horror, “Mom, stop looking! I’m naked!”

She scrambled to a stop and turned her back to him. His delicate teenage modesty needed some privacy. She had to laugh. Her son had shifted into a bird, flew into the trees, caught a fish with talons and not a pole, and now stood worried that she’d see his private parts. Parts she’d diapered and bathed too many times to count.

She laughed harder.

Her pulse returned to normal while she listened to her son gathering his clothes and putting them on. He did it. Really did it. The possibility held nothing to the reality.

Simon, her son, was a shifter.

“Okay, you can look now.”

His smile reached to the far corners of his eyes.

Fin clasped his back beaming with pride.

“It was amazing up there, Mom.”

“I’ll bet. How did your body feel?”

Simon cocked his head to the side. “Normal, I guess. I didn’t really think about it once I changed.”

Simon put a hand to his stomach. “I’m starving. Are we gonna eat that fish?”

“We just got here.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t like sushi.”

Simon walked over to the small ring of rocks and tossed his hands toward the half-burnt logs.

Inside a large flame leapt to life. He stepped back to avoid the fire reaching toward his long hair.

“Wow. I didn’t mean for it to be so big.”

Ian tossed the fish to Simon. It slipped through his fingers a few times before he caught hold of it.

“Once your true gift is realized, your others enhance.