As a cat I could hunt, as a bird I could fly, and as a dog, well... I could chase my tail. My name is Trey Rivers and I live on a small farm outside of Belon, Colorado. I'm a shapeshifter, someone who can change their appearance into any animal they so please to be, but only I know that. It's really quiet where I live, on my parents farm. The only loud times are when Mama rings the bell to call us to eat, everything but breakfast, because we have to wake up for that. I wake up about 6:45 in the morning to prepare for school. I eat breakfast, kiss Mom and hug Dad goodbye, then I pace out the door, get on my bike, and ride to school. It takes me somewhere around twenty minutes to get to school from the farm on my bike, and if I'm lucky my dad will take me in his old white Ford. Once I get to school I put most of my things in my locker and head to my classes. After school I leave on my bike and go back to the house only to drop off most of my school supplies. Then I head over to the forest near the farm and explore deep into it. I shift into a fox and head over to the hut I've made for myself, then I nestle down and nap. Afterwards I play around in different animals, jumping, climbing, flying, you name it and I can do it. Then I become a human again and head home, running through the tall barley fields. Thick and tall enough so that you can only see above my stomach. Finally I eat dinner outside and head to bed, and hat happens to be the full routine of my day, except on weekends. Weekends I will sleep more and play longer and get more time with my family. Somedays they want to see my fort, so especially for these times I bring them out and show them it. It is pretty much just a pile of sticks with a hollow center, covered in mud. You can walk in and sit on a chair of sticks or mats made of leaves. On the outside it looks like one of those pueblo homes with the dry mud on the outside. What no one but me knows is that there is a trapdoor beneath the mat. That is where I sometimes hide snacks of some kind. Anyway, they head back to the house and I mess around some more until dinner. But one day... it all changed.

I woke up at 7:53 in the morning and went downstairs to eat. When I got downstairs Mama said, "Pancakes, eat up!" Dad was already chowing down on his with banana slices mixed in. She told me, "I got some special ones for you, just like your dad's." She handed me ones with chocolate chips on top.

"Thank you Mama", I replied. I sat down and picked up my fork. I poured some maple syrup on top and ate three. I washed my plate and put it in the dishwasher. Then I picked up my backpack, told them goodbye, and ran out the door to my bike. I hopped on and rode all the way to school, watching the houses roll by as if they were moving, and not me. I picked up the pace and made it to school in 17 minutes, a new record for me. I was about 10 minutes early so I passed the time by helping the teachers into school and helping them unpack. When school started I was already in class waiting for school to begin. The teacher gave us all papers to finish some math problems. I finished a lot earlier than most of the class so I acted like I was still working on it so Mrs. Kenny wouldn't give me extra work. I drew a gryphon, a dragon, and a couple other things I wish I could become. Then we all handed them in to the teacher and headed to the next classes. I first went to English, then Music, finally everyone headed to lunch. I grabbed $2.00 out of my pocket and headed up to the lunch line. Showing my school ID to Fred, one of the 'Lunch Ladies'. He let me near the front where the kids with passes got to go. The rest of the kids either brought lunch or forgot their pass.

I got my food and headed out side in the grass in my usual spot, next to the fence. I started to eat my salad until a girl headed over and sat near me. "Um, hi." I said, obviously showing that I am not a conversation starter.

She looked over at me, "Let's cut to the chase. I saw you yesterday in the forest."