As a matter of fact, there was enough cakes. Well, there’s nothing left, but I think everyone are satisfied. About half of the humans have left, and the wolves have scattered too, I’m guessing I could find a lot of them taking naps in the Den.

Most of the wolfkin have left too, and the remaining people are in either of the two groups, chatting, or helping with the cleanup.

Man, I’m tired. Mentally, anyhow; despite having made a job for myself working with people, I just can’t get used to… interacting with people for such a long time, and especially not large groups. Physically I’m fine, of course.

Sigh, I should take a flight after this to clear my mind and unwind.

“What’s that?” Asks Hilde.

“Huh? Oh, did I say that out loud? I’m… socially tired, and flying is so… Let your mind drift as your body through the skies, or something like that. I don’t know how much you’ve flown, but… don’t you agree?”

She’s quiet for a moment, before quietly nodding, “Yeah. I should- I should do it more often.”

With so many helping hands it doesn’t take long to clean up, and the two groups, who are smaller now, come over.

“Hey Lars, did the wolfkin really make all these… inscriptions?”

“Yeah? Well, those who helped with setting up the array.”

“Is that safe?”

“Eh, I checked them, and aside from looking kinda like those egyptian images and displaying me like I’m a pharaoh or god or something, I found no issues. And I had already told them they could make what they wanted within reason, so I couldn’t really do anything about it.”

“But… you didn’t help them?”

“Nah, I was busy setting things up.”

They look at each other, looking surprised. Are they surprised at the artistic sense and/or creativity of our furry friends? There’s a reason why I advocate for their rights…

“So what are you doing next?”

“I’m gonna finish up here and go for a flight to unwind, and it’ll be bedtime after that.”

“That’s not what I meant, you told about everything you did since the Upheaval, but what are you gonna do from now on? Any big plans?”

“Ohh.”

I scratch my chin as I collect my thoughts.

“Well, more of the same, really. Gonna keep pushing for the wolfkin and other intelligent non-humans to get more rights and have an easier time… integrating with our society. There’s so much they need to be able to live among us. It’s nice that some of us let them live with us, but on the long term, they need the education and economic strength to be independent.”

Someone throws out an idea, and we soon discuss obstacles, potential issues, and solutions, but of course we don’t come far. They seem impressed by the level of research and thought I’ve put into this, so the conversation kinda drops of with a number of things that needs to be done.

Then the same guy offer to help, and most of the others follow suit, and minutes later it’s decided that we should make an organization to champion the rights and integration of non-human intelligences. A host of new idea flow out, but I wave my hand.

“We can discuss that later, I’m really tired.”

“Oh, uhm, you, are you okay?”

“Yeah, just mentally tired. To return to your question, the coolest plans I have is probably going to space. The space hop was cool and all, but i didn’t technically get to space. We, by which I mostly mean the company I’ve been working with, I lack the machines and technical expertise to actually model and build and test anything more complex than what I used back them, but we’re almost ready with one we think can take me all the way to space.”

“If that works I’ll go to space, and after any necessary adjustments, take it through the icelandic gate to the other world and use it there to get some high altitude images. That entire world is almost completely unexplored, so that’s exciting. Leda and I have been working with the icelanders and we’re going to try making a second, artificial, gate in about three weeks…”

I let it sink in, and the humans soon look some variation of shocked or confused at the other’s shock. “Then you can make portals between anywhere?”

“Ehh, no. Not yet, at least. But we can make new gates close to each other or other gates, and this one will be wider and more ideal for vehicles. That’s the limit of mana range, sadly. That said, the long term goal is anywhere-to-anywhere gates, but that will take longer.”

I answer a few more questions and chit-chat a bit more, before we finally break up. All things considered, we don’t have much trash after all that, but what we have I dispose of properly, then head home. When it comes to the other stuff, like cake tins and cutlery, I can thankfully just throw it in the dishwasher.

After fixing some other things I head outside and take on a feathery form, heading north. I’m about to land at the edge of the northern forest when a large, winged creature takes to the skies, and soon after continue north, after Hilde gave me a wordless nod.

Up north, above forests and lakes, gliding, flying, and diving and rising at the occasional thermal. We turn northwest, over sweeping fields, swoop low over a larger lake and continue, on and on.

Trees and trees, and lakes and pond, and hills, and eventually mountains in the distance. Once we reach one, she dives towards it, rise on a thermal made by the setting sun, the circle down, landing at the mostly barren peak.

I land next to her, and we stand there in silence, taking in the sunset view.

“Hey.” she says, the first word since the Den.

“Yeah?”

“This, this is…”

“Beautiful? Breathtaking?”

“Yeah. But…”

I turn to face her.

“You do so many cool things.”

I open my mouth to speak, then realize this is not the time for that and instead motion for her to continue.

“And you’re going to do so many more cool things, things I- I never would’ve dreamt of before the Upheaval. No, before I met you, before did so many crazy thing and showed the world many things you can do with magic.”

Nod and listen. Nod and listen.

“I… I… can I join you, for some of those things? Going to space sounds scary, what if something goes wrong, but that other world… is it like this?”

She sweeps a wing across the mountains and forested valleys, and the rivers and lakes in them.

“It’s… If you fly across iceland, and go through the gate… you could be forgiven for thinking it was the same place. It has fjords and mountains -taller than this stubby lil thing- and all of that. More like the west coast.”

“I see…”

A companionable silence falls yet again, as she methodically straightens some of her feathers.

After a little while she looks me in the eyes, “Well?”

“What?”

“Can I join you for some of those things?”

“Sure. Well, there’s contractual limit on some of it, but things like going to that other world… Leda and I have permissions, and I could probably brings someone with me.”

She perks up at first, then looks more thoughtful.

Silence descends. I don’t mind, but this time I realize there’s something bothering her. Or… there’s something at least.

“I think…” She finally mutters.

Then, so clearly that I reflexively check if we have a mind bond, her entire way of being changes. No, there’s no bond. But she turns directly to me, where before she faced away. Eyes straight, and quite open. The birdkin features makes her faces harder to read, but she’s determined.

“I know. I know that I like you. And, I…” She falters.

Oh. Oooh. Let it not be said I’m as dense as a shounen protagonist. This is where I smile encouragingly, lower my posture slightly, open my body language, and nod.

“Can we become friends?”

“Friends?” I furrow my brow. “Aren’t we already friends? Is that… actually what you wanted to ask?”

“More than friends! I want to be more than friends! I really want to get to know you, all about you, and maybe we could fly like this, but in the other world, and explore and find more weird creatures, and- not get into mortal danger, but…”

She finally trials off, a number of emotions flashing across her face, her body shivering.

It isn’t that cold, is it?

Well…

I close the distance between us, standing back up to my full height, and but my wings around her, enclosing her and gently patting her back and she rests her head on my shoulder, her eyes closed as her form tilts her head up instead of down.

“I… I’ll say the same as before: Sure! But I… I can’t promise much; I have… no experience with those kinda things.”

“So you don’t… me… Of course not.”

“Hey, don’t be so harsh on yourself-”

“Because you’re asexual? ‘Or grey or something like that?’”

“Oh, so you have watched that video.”

“Then why did you say yes?”

“Why shouldn’t I? Just sex isn’t what pops into my mind when I see or think of you, or anyone else, for that matter, doesn’t mean I can’t have an intimate relationship or enjoy the pleasures of the flesh. I mean, I usually don’t give my forms genitalia because it’s unnecessary, but if I did, I have one hell of a repertoire to pick from.”

I let go of her and step back, making as close to a superman pose as I can in this form.

“Besides, it increases my aerodynamic properties!”

“Ahaha, but, you don’t have a penis right now!?”

“No. Why would I? It’s not like I intend to impregnate anyone, and you would be the only compatible mate anyway. Besides, have you seen bird penises… or is it penii?”

“Anyway, those things are terrifying.”

“Yeah, they’re amazing!”

I stare at her in disbelief, then I notice I’m gaping and shut my mouth.

Did she? But…

I take a half-step back, look at her in faux horror with a hand over my mouth, and do my most girly scream:

“Help, help, there’s a pervert!”

She looks a bit mortified at that, so I quickly revert to a more neutral disposition.

“I’m kidding. Don’t worry I’ve seen a lot worse.There was a period where I had a number of clients who apparently all -at the same time- found out that there’s this guy who does amazing magic and teaches shapeshifting, and what they want-”

I pause for drama.

“-is tentacle sex.”

“Pfft, ahahaha…” Her laughter turns to mild horror, “Wait, you have sex with them?”

“What? Nonono, I just shapeshift them - or teach them how to. But as you can imagine that leads to seeing a lot of naked people in… various states.”

I shudder.

“What’s your worst- no, what’s your best story?”

“Uhh, there’s this british lesbian couple who’s really into sex in weird forms. Their first order was for me turn the arms and legs of one one them to tentacles, but when I got back three hours later -as agreed- they were still busy, and didn’t want to turn back. After several more delays I turned her back almost a week later, when she had to go to work. Things… got even weirder from there.”

“What’s the weirdest?” She says, leaning towards me in rapt interest.

“I know I said it as a joke, but you really are a pervert.”

“But-”

“It’s not like I’m not. I’ve learnt more about myself than I would’ve imagined, from all of that, so I’m not one to shame.”

I shake my head.

“But I’m not a customer, so…”

“Are you implying something, miss?”

“Can’t a girl want some tail?”

“Hah!” I say, throwing my wings out.

“This tail has standards, and will not be obtaining without going through a mating ritual which to an unknowing third party would seem strange.”

And with that, I throw myself into the air and glide down over the slowly cooling mountainside, the sun finally hiding for the night.

There isn’t many people living around here, but if any of them happen to look up at our mating ritual, as we dance through the sky, they would surely find it strange indeed.

Eventually I ‘slip up’ and she forces me to land in the forest, but what she doesn’t know is that the hunter is about to become the hunted.

And so, I chase her substantially furrier tail among the underbrush, occasionally startling an animal, even one with a noticeable magic signature, until I grow tired of all the almosts and pounce upon her. We roll across the forest floor, ending up on our sides, me embracing her from behind.

We lie like that for a like while before she softly asks, “Why aren’t you doing anything?”

“Hm? Did you want me to do something?”

“Yes! I’m so ready! You’re torturing me here!”

“Oh. I wasn’t expecting this, and didn’t bring any protection, did you?”

“No…”

“Well, given how late it is, how about we find a nice place to make a small shelter? We can spend the night out here, and with a bit of creativity, there’s a lot we can do and still stay safe. Besides, I barely scratched the surface of the weird shit I’ve seen, and since we’re both competent shapeshifters…”

“Yesss… I like that idea.”