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I stood on the perch nervously as I watched Alex walk away. She held her arm out with the glove held high. I adjusted my stance on the perch, still uneasy about the idea. I glanced at the red paracord running from my feet to Alex's hip. It could be the only thing to save me if I have another incident. Elizabeth assured me there was no chance that I could break the string, but I still worried. We spent the morning with Alex trying to prepare me mentally, but I wasn't sure.

"Whenever you are ready," Alex shouted.

I opened my wings and gave a hard flap as my feet left the wooden perch. I flapped repeatedly, gaining a small amount of height with each repetition. Before I knew it, I was far above Alex's hand and missed the landing, distracted by the fear of losing my mind. Once I saw the hand fly past, I turned myself to begin a large circle around, the paracord line pulling slightly against my feet.

I swooped around and set my eyes on the owl's gloved hand. I lowered my altitude and began to bring my feet forward. With only a small distance, I began flaring my wings and slowed. As quickly as I started the flare, I felt my talons latch onto the glove. With movement from my tail and wings, I managed to balance myself. The rope seemed to overshoot my landing and tugged at my leg in the opposite direction.

Alex grabbed my tether with her thumb and rested her hand on my back to keep me from flying away. "Did you feel anything that time?" she asked.

Unbelievably, I never felt my control slip. I had the same feeling I did all that time ago, and it felt freeing to be myself, my true self, flying in the air.

I shook my head and let out a happy squawk. I felt like a child, but it was hard to hide my excitement. Alex moved her arm around like she was about to hug me but hesitated before shaking her clenched fist and squealing. Although, towards the end of the sound, it turned into a rather unmistakable hoot. I would have usually felt fearful, but the excitement was too high for my mind to care.

"Well, if you want to fly again, you have a bunch of free line to fly with. Just don't go more than a few hundred feet away, and you should be fine." Alex said happily. "Should be easier now."

Alex held her arm out, expecting me to take off from her glove rather than the small perch. Once I left her hand, I couldn't help but think about working with Eli. Would he train me like one of the other birds, or would he do it differently? What did falconry entail for me?

On the next flight, I spent more time in the air. I didn't want to stray too far or too high. Feeling the rope's weight on my legs was clear as I rose higher. Each flight ended the same, with me landing firmly on Alex's arm.

As I came in for the final landing, I could see Elizabeth standing at the door of the building. She smiled but kept her arms crossed as she watched. Alex unhooked my long modified tether and attached the shorter one from the glove. Although I felt better about my control, Alex and I knew how things could change. Alex and I walked to the door, where Elizabeth held it open. Elizabeth smiled at me as we walked past; she seemed just as excited as Alex, but something else was still on her mind.

Alex filled a bowl with water and placed it on the table with me. I drank profusely after the two hours of flying I had. Staying up for two hours would not have worn me out, but the constant takeoff and landings were tiring. While I was busy drinking, Elizabeth whispered something into Alex's ear.

"No! What are they doing about it?" Alex asked, surprised.

"They don't know. They found it, luckily, but there is no telling what he would do." Elizabeth shook her head.

I tried to eavesdrop but couldn't hear any of Elizabeth's quiet words. Once she noticed I was watching, she whispered one last thing and stopped. I couldn't imagine what they were talking about, but I could only guess why they wouldn't want me to know.

Elizabeth lowered her hand to my head before scratching the underside of my beak. "If you keep this up, Eli's going to need to free up some time. You're getting closer, I'm sure you know."

I nodded my head and accepted the scratches.

"It's going to be weird around here without you, Lyall. We may even get to use this room again." Elizabeth laughed. "Maybe Alex will get all of her stuff done on time."

Alex attempted to roll her eyes but instead moved her entire head. She looked confused as she tried to move her eyes again. Her head moved in multiple directions faster as she realized what was happening.

"Alex, hon, your eyes have been locked for a while. I don't think you noticed them until now," Elizabeth said, slowly stepping closer.

Alex's head flipped up, and she began panting. She hunched and held her arms out, trying to keep her balance as she stumbled. The feathers on her arms grew further down, covering her hands and fingertips.

Elizabeth grabbed Alex's arms and tried to hold her steady. "Woah there, lady, don't you go changing on me now."

Alex's panting continued while the feathers grew fuller. Slowly, the pants began to change in sound to a quiet, low hooting. Alex's eyes and head locked forward, staring into nothing as the changes progressed.

"Come on, Alex, snap out of it," Elizabeth pleaded. "Alex, come on now!"

Alex's changes seemed to stop, and she turned her head to look at Elizabeth. She tried to speak, but only a hoot and a screech left her lips. Elizabeth ran her hands up and down the wings forming from Alex's arms. Alex closed her eyes, and the feathers receded into her skin. While the feathers did mostly revert, many were still longer than before the episode.

Alex's voice finally returned, "hooo, I need toooooo." She hesitated as the hoot escaped her mouth, "I ahh, need to do something, Elizabeth." Alex's hands pointed to me and then the door.

"Alex, Lyall is fine, he's seen-"

"Take him out to the hall, please." Alex pleaded before sliding against the table and down to the floor, her panting still leaving her lips.

Elizabeth picked me up like a baby and held me on my back. My talons rested in her hand as she quickly made for the door. Once in the hall, she walked us to the front waiting area. She placed me on the chair and turned back towards the room.

I waited alone and nervously on the chair. Each moment made me worried about the possibility of Alex being in danger. Not much audible sound came from the room. I found myself pacing around on the small coffee table, wondering if there was much of Alex left in that room. As I contemplated jumping to the floor and running to the door, I heard the latch click, and the door swung open. Elizabeth walked calmly to me and picked me up in the same fashion as before.

As we walked back, Elizabeth spoke, "Sorry about that. Just a little situation to take care of."

We entered the room, and Alex was standing with her back turned to us. I could already see a thick layer of feathers covering the back of her head. The white feathers now stood in place of her hair. Once Elizabeth placed me on the table, I slowly approached the owl. Her feathers lifted away before coming to rest smoothly against her body. Her head turned to face me in a quick, defined movement startling me. Her yellow eyes and white feathers creeping on her face made her look more like the owl she would become.

"A little bit at a time, right?" Alex said nervously. "Just a little bit..."

I felt terrible for the poor girl. She was visibly scared of the changes, but I knew of no way to comfort her. I bobbed my head towards her, causing her to chuckle.

"I'm sure you know..." She said, running a hand across the back of her head. "At least the hooting is over for now."

I nodded.

Elizabeth sighed, "Maybe that's a good stopping point for today. Congratulations, Lyall on flying again, and Alex, well done keeping yourself together."

Elizabeth pulled her phone from her pocket as a call came in. I could see the name on the screen reading 'Eli.' I knew what that meant, both good and bad. She left the room and answered as the door shut.

Alex tried to don the glove, but her hands shook while lining the hole. She said nothing but finally inserted her hand on the fourth try. She offered her hand to me. I stepped onto the glove, and she gave me a tired look.

"The house?" she asked.

I nodded, and she gave a slight smirk as we walked towards the door.

The drive felt different this time. I couldn't help but watch the trees and field go by as the car hurried down the road. It wouldn't be long until I was back out there again. I couldn't believe it was starting to look like I was going home.

I didn't pay much attention to Alex as we drove, and it wasn't until we reached the house that I saw her saddened face. I tried to get her attention as she placed the car in park. Bobbing my head as my regular go-to. She squeezed the steering wheel, causing her knuckles to lighten.

"Can I be honest with you, Lyall?" she said, looking forward. "I am excited to see you getting back to flying, and I couldn't be happier you are going back out there," Alex sighed, "but I don't know how I'm going to do it without you."

I looked in the same direction as Alex, out the front window.

"You are the closest thing I have to a friend now. As much as I love being here to help you heal, I don't know what I will do once you are gone. Do I just go back to what I did before? Until I turn into an owl?" She closed her eyes tightly. "I don't even know what will happen to me then. I was supposed to choose months ago, but nothing sounds like a good plan."

I knew what she meant. In retrospect, picking the wild route seems like it should have been my plan from the beginning, but at the time, it was scary to think I could have died if I failed to adapt. Choosing to live captive came with a world of restrictions.

"I'm sorry for being a downer on your big day. I love and hate to see you take these steps. But I know it's selfish."

She let go of the steering wheel and began to put on the glove.

"Enough of my issues. Let's get you inside," she said as I climbed onto her hand.

"Welcome, my favorite raptors!" Nash greeted us before getting a side eye from Rylie. "My favorite... raptors from another... you guys!"

Rylie laughed, "Yeah, backpedal faster now."

In the room, Nash, Rylie, Dan, and Matti sat around on the chairs. Shelby was standing behind Matti's chair while he held his arms upwards in a stretch. Dan looked nervous with his hands crossed over his legs.

Rylie took notice of Alex's new changes. "Woah, no more haircuts for you? The bars look fantastic on you!"

"Thanks..." Alex said, embarrassed. "It happened again, and I lost my cool."

Rylie waved off the thought, "No worries. It happens to everyone."

Alex wasted no time placing me on the couch before sitting down herself. I kept my wings neatly tucked and laid my belly down against the cushion, resting my legs. I watched as everyone caught up on Alex's new changes. Nothing specific was said, but I could tell they were alluding to something. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Dan place something in his mouth before swallowing. Usually, he was more of a nectar sort of person rather than seeds or berries. Dan bounced his leg and kept looking around the room as if he was waiting for someone to arrive.

"So Lyall, you ready to go back yet?" Nash asked.

I shrugged as best as I could.

"Only a little more, and you'll be ready, right?" Nash leaned in closer.

"Whatever Eli wants to do, he is supposedly going to be ready to return. Elizabeth and his mom are still worried about his hunting abilities," Alex said. "If he takes any longer, maybe I'll be next to him in training."

I glanced at her before she quickly looked away.

"Maybe a little time away could be good for you, Alex. Maybe like a little vacation, yeah?" Nash asked.

"I don't know, who will feed the kid his dead mice? Not many of those just laying around in the fields." Alex shook her head.

Dan got up and walked towards the kitchen, his steps still stumbling with his new feet. He almost fell to the floor when one of his toes got caught on the rug. Thankfully, he was able to grab a chair back and catch himself.

"At least it gets easier, still fresh to him," Nash said quietly. "Will take a little for the hummingbird brain to catch up."

Not long after, Dan came stumbling out of the kitchen. This time, he fell to the floor, calling out for Nash.

"Nash, I don't feel right," Dan shouted.

Nash jumped to his feet and sat next to the boy. His eyes closed, and he winced, moving his limbs randomly. "You alright, Dan?"

"I don't feel right. My head is aching from it," Dan answered.

"From what?" Nash asked.

"Don't be mad at me, okay?" Dan answered after a short hesitation.

"No. No way you did what I think you did," Nash said, leaning away from Dan.

Dan nodded before wincing hard again. "Agh! Now it's starting to feel bad." Dan began to writhe around on the floor.

"What is it?" Alex shouted in fear.

"He took the damn pills Lyall left," Nash shouted angrily.

I watched as the young man wiggled uncomfortably. The memories of how the drug felt slowly came back to me. Every bird part of my body felt wrong and foreign. I remember the terrible sensations I had from the tail, not all the feathers Dan had.

"I can't see! It's too blurry," Dan said frantically.

"Well, your eyes aren't human. They aren't adjusted anymore." Nash answered. "Maybe once the pill wears off, you'll be able to see.

Eventually, the writhing subsided, and Dan was left lying on the floor, unable to stand on his bird feet. His attempts at controlling his toes were rough and slow to respond as his brain tried to figure out how the feet were supposed to operate.

Dan seemed to relax and even started to act confident about his choice. It's safe to say we all knew what this could mean for Dan. Everyone here had heard the stories; the history of rubberbanding changes after the drug wears off. With Dan as susceptible as he is, I couldn't begin to guess if he would still be around once the pill wore off.

"Maybe I should have waited," Dan said. "This doesn't feel right to me."

Even now, I could see the feathers move haphazardly as his brain desperately tried to figure out how the feathers moved. In two days, it was possible we could be left with a full hummingbird.

And I was the reason the pills were around.