Chapter 18

Chapter

Eighteen

Barely awake andstill questioning my life choices, I step outside the next morning, only to find Morgan there, looking like he just stepped out of an early morning beach ad. He"s holding two cups of coffee, which immediately makes him my favorite person of the day.

"Morning," he greets me with that easy smile of his, handing me one of the coffees. "Figured we could both use a bit of a boost."

I take the cup, grateful for the caffeine. "You read my mind," I say, trying to ignore how my heart seems to think it"s a good time to start doing gymnastics.

He chuckles, and there"s this moment where we"re just standing there, sipping our coffees and not saying much, but it"s comfortable, not awkward.

"Ready for another go at it?" he asks after a while, nodding toward his jeep.

I take a deep breath, the caffeine starting to kick in, mingling with the adrenaline at the thought of what"s to come. "As ready as I"ll ever be," I reply, the determination in my voice surprising even me.

He grins, that infectious, confident grin that makes me believe, just for a second, that maybe I can actually do this. "Alright, let's head out then."

The early morning light wraps the world in a gentle, rosy hue, filling me with a sense of anticipation mingled with a flutter of nerves. Morgan, with his easy demeanor and occasional glances filled with warmth, tries to put me at ease, but the butterflies in my stomach seem to have a mind of their own.

"We"re going to try something different today," he says, his voice laced with a hint of mystery that piques my curiosity. The jeep veers away from the route to the meadow, taking us down an unfamiliar path.

The landscape changes as we drive, the open fields giving way to a dense canopy of trees, their leaves whispering secrets in the early breeze. The sense of adventure grows within me, pushing back the tendrils of fear.

As we come to a stop, I"m greeted by the sight of an ancient forest, its trees standing tall like guardians of old. The air here is different, charged with an energy that seems to buzz against my skin. "It'll be okay," Morgan assures me in this new, wild setting. "I want you to really focus on the sensation of the wind, the freedom it offers."

I nod, more to myself than to Morgan, drawing in a deep breath. The scent of the earth and the life within these woods fill my lungs, grounding me. He leads on, his confidence urging me to follow, to step into the unknown with an open heart.

The deeper we venture into the forest, the more I feel the weight of my worries fade away, replaced by the pulsing life of the natural world around us. Here, in this hidden grove, where the light filters through the leaves in a kaleidoscope of greens, I find a new space to explore the boundaries of my courage and the promise of freedom that lies just beyond.

Our journey leads us further from the beaten path until the dense foliage begins to thin, revealing the rugged beauty of a bluff ahead. The land rises steeply, offering a majestic view that takes my breath away. The expanse of the ocean stretches before us, its surface shimmering under the early morning sun, a canvas of undulating blues and greens.

Morgan"s stride is confident as he approaches the edge, his silhouette framed against the sky and sea. The beauty of it almost makes me forget my fear. Almost.

"I"m not sure I can do this," I confess, my voice barely above a whisper. The edge of the cliff seems to call to me, but so does the abyss below.

Morgan turns to me, his expression understanding. "It"s okay to be nervous. But trust me, the view"s worth it."

Taking a deep breath, I inch closer to the edge, my heart racing. With Morgan next to me, I finally dare to look down. The expanse of water stretches out to the horizon, and surprisingly, the vertigo I feared doesn"t overwhelm me. It"s unsettling, yes, but also strangely exhilarating.

"I know it"s daunting," Morgan says, his voice barely above the whisper of the breeze. "But this is what it"s all about—the freedom, the exhilaration. Here, the wind is our ally. It"s strong, capable of lifting us effortlessly."

I take a deep breath, letting the beauty of the scene, the open sky and the churning sea below, seep into me. It"s a wild, untamed beauty that speaks of possibilities, of uncharted flights.

Morgan"s hand finds mine, a warm, steady pressure. "You don"t have to do anything you"re not ready for. Just feel the wind, let it show you its power, its support. We"re not diving off; we"re just going to lift a little, feel it beneath us."

I swallow hard, the reality of our next step sinking in. "After we shift, you mean?"

He nods. "But we"ll start small. Just focus on lifting a foot or two off the ground. Feel the wind, let it guide you."

The thought of shifting here, at this height, sends a new wave of panic through me. But then I remember the freedom Morgan spoke of, the feeling of being part of the sky.

With a shaky breath, I agree. "Okay, I'll try, but promise me you won't let me plunge to my death off this cliff."

"I promise you. I'm not going to let anything happen out here. I got you."

Gazing into Morgan"s eyes, I"m drawn into the vastness that mirrors the ocean"s depths before us. His eyes, a maelstrom of blues and greens, hold a sincerity that"s palpable, a steadfast promise that grounds me amidst my fears. In those eyes, I see not just the promise of safety but a glimpse of shared dreams, of flights yet to be taken. The assurance I read in the steady calm of his gaze, in the unwavering support it offers, convinces me more than any words could. He"s here, truly here, for me.

We shift, the familiar sensation of my body changing form accompanied by a sharp edge of fear. As a parrotlet, I feel even more vulnerable, my small form buffeted by the strong ocean winds.

"Focus on the wind," Morgan reminds me, his hawk form a reassuring presence beside me. "Let it lift you."

I spread my wings, feeling the currents tug and pull at me. It"s disorienting at first, the sensation of being supported by something as insubstantial as air. But as I concentrate, something clicks. The wind isn"t just chaos; it"s a pattern, a dance I can join.

Encouraged by Morgan"s steady guidance, I allow myself to trust in the wind, to lean into it. And then, with a burst of courage I didn"t know I had, I push off from the ground.

For a moment, I"m airborne, lifted by the wind, surrounded by the expanse of the sky and the ocean below. It"s terrifying and exhilarating all at once, a sensation of pure freedom that I"ve never experienced before.

I don"t stay up long—just a few heartbeats before I settle back to the ground. But in those moments, I feel a shift within me, a glimpse of what could be.

The sensation of returning to solid ground, even after just a few seconds in the air, is both a relief and a disappointment. The earth beneath my tiny feet feels more real now, more solid because I"ve seen it from above, however briefly.

Morgan"s hawk form shifts back to his human self with a grace that speaks of long practice. He extends his hand to help me transition back, a silent offer of support that I gratefully accept. As I shift back into my human form, the cool morning air brushes against my skin, a tangible reminder of the heights I"ve just experienced.

"Wow," is all I manage to say, my voice a whisper lost in the wind.

Morgan chuckles, his eyes twinkling with shared excitement. "It gets easier," he assures me. "And better. That was just a taste."

I look out over the bluff, the immense ocean stretching out before us. The fear is still there, but it"s no longer all-consuming. There"s also a sense of wonder, a desire to explore this newfound freedom. In an instant, my perspective on what it means to fly, and perhaps, to live life itself, is changed. And I have Morgan to thank for it.