Young Writers Society

**He meant fighting experiance**

Trent:

Trent nodded and found his seat. After a while he dozed off.

"Hey, grizzly, wake up." Someone said shaking his shoulders. "You snore loud."

"Sorry." He muttered sitting up. The train was stopped. "Where are we?" He asked.

"Ohio."

"Joy." He got up and followed everyone off the train and then grabbed his small little bag he always had and then looked at the others. They'd all packed light too. "I can carry anyone's stuff that they don't want to carry, won't bother me none to do so." He said.


***Um, they packed right?***

There were a couple people on the train but we could easily find enough space for all of us to sit near each other. I made sure I got into a window seat. I liked the comfort of having Jason on the other side of me. Plus, I was feeling a little paranoid so I liked to be able to look out the window.

After looking out the window for a while, a couple people started to drift off to sleep. I still didn't feel like I knew many people in our group. I mean, there was me and Jason, plus Trent and Heather, that I remembered.

I glanced at Jason next to me. He was snoring slightly, his head drooped down on his chest. It'd been a long day and it was already past midnight. I gently rested my head against his shoulder hoping he wouldn't think this was weird when he woke up. I wanted something solid to hang on to, you know?

I smiled at Trent's offer, but I didn't bring any belongings. Never really needed anything except a toothbrush.

"So now we go south," he said.

"I wish we had Damian here, he can fly and see overhead."

That was it! Am I Nothing But A Speck Of Dust?

"I can fly! I shift into a barn owl."

Before anyone could say anything I shifted easily and flew high overhead, looking over the Ohio landscape and to the far south.

Trent:

Trent smiled a little and walked long the ground keeping his eyes on the small barn owl above him.

They walked for a long time before coming to a huge wooded area, probably the only one before they got to the southern part of Kentucky. They would need to make sure they got to the eastern part of Tennessee or they would miss the National Forest.

"I don't know about y'all, but my animal is about ready to kill me. I'll be back." He turned and shifted. He streched in his bear form then ambled away.

After Trent changed, I followed suit. I couldn't keep up without running, but it felt indescribable to finally be able to stretch my aching muscles. I wished there was water near by, but this was good enough for now. All around me everone started to shift as well. I felt a little anxious since I'd never really been around so many people while they shifted besides the coffee shop. At the science lab, I never saw other shifters that I remembered.

And I knew if anyone happened to be taking a hike that day, they would not think this should happen, but it felt almost natural to me. I couldn't figure out why but it easily slipped my mind. I didn't like to over think things when I was in this form. It was easiler to just let things go.

Shade-

Three hours after the fight Shade groaned and sat down on the leather couch, the cat purred contentedly. Damien looked a little nervous in the plush surroundings of the private jet. He shot Shade a wry look and asked casually. "So, I take it the Pride is loaded."

Snorting, Shade reached over to the mini fridge and grabbed a pair of cokes, tossing one to Damien. "Very. A lot of the money went to safe houses and stuff all over the country. That way if someone from the labs finds you, you have a place to hide."

The door the cockpit opened and the pilot stepped out. He had reddish brown hair, and green eyes, with the same watchful quality of a shifter. Alex was in his early twenties. He tossed the folder he was holding to Shade. Who flipped through the first few pages, surveillance photos showed Trent and the others boarding a train bound for Ohio.

Raising an eyebrow he shot Alex a questioning look. "Ohio? I thought they were going to Tennessee, bird-boy."

Alex glared at him. "Best we can tell they couldn't afford to go any further. And would you stop calling me that."

Smirking Shade took a drink. "Law of the jungle Alex. The jaguar eats the hawk."

"But only if he can catch it." Alex shot back. "And just so you know, The Leo said you have three weeks to convince any of them to join the pride. Then he's pulling you out." He nodded to Damien before turning and going back into the cockpit.

Jason

He rolled his eyes as the others started away, "And here I was thinking I'd never get the chance." He changed, body becoming more fluid, everything about him less awkward as the ocelot emerged.

He sped across the ground, straight past the group, before he circled back around to trot beside them again. In this form, he could easily keep pace, but it felt good to be able to run as fast as he could again. He was almost forgetting what they'd left behind, all those other animals let loose on the public of New York City.

Peter

Harper glared at him, looking across the office from where he was standing, next to the window that overlooked the city.

"You really screwed this one up, Peter. They all managed to get away, and the pack you thought you had control of has taken some bad damage."

"New ones shouldn't be any trouble." Peter muttered, giving his boss' drinks cabinet a quick glance over.

"They still cost money, Peter. And moreover, I had to get you out of animal control! Again, not difficult, but having to do it pisses me off. I know you lose control sometimes, Peter, but this?" The fifty-something man looked as though he were about to explode, despite his usually collected appearance.

Harper sighed, shaking his head, "And that jaguar, you say he had a Pride marking on him?"

Peter nodded, "I think he was the one you were going to send me after."

"Given the damage he dealt, and the number of other shifters he will no doubt soon have with him, we're going to have to step things up here, Peter. A bigger, smarter pack-" Peter couldn't hold back a savage smile, the damage he could do to the Pride with that. Harper held up a finger, "And, we're putting you to second in command on the operation."

Peter bristled, eyes suddenly ablaze, "What? After who? I'm the best hunter you've got!" Harper simply smiled at him. Peter's eyes widened, "No, not her."

"Dear boy, Elizabeth is the head of operations against the Pride for a reason. And the pack will answer better to a female."

Peter scowled. The prospect of having his big sister bossing him around again didn't appeal to him in the least. But, it seemed it was the only chance he'd have at getting another shot at bringing that panther down. And he would seize it with both hands.

Heather-

I looked up ahead and saw the Kentucky border. Did we skip Cincinnati? I didn't know we were so close.

I flew back and saw a group of animals, knowing who they were since you don't usually see a bear and an otter on hanging out terms in the wild.

I shifted back into my human form and looked around the group who were now enjoying a campfire.

"We're near Kentucky, it's just up ahead."

The others shifted into human forms and Trent spoke first. "We're that close already?"

"I guess. It's all so confusing and I need to sleep. Nocturnal you know."

I shifted and flew up to a branch and went to sleep, but not before hearing the others agree that this was a resting place.

..................

Sorry if our journey seems short especially through Ohio, but I guess we can prolong our travel in Kentucky? If that's okay.

*Try and stay in one place long enough for Damien and Shade to catch up, maybe spend the night and meet up at dawn?*

Sorry :}

~Damien~

I fidgeted, looking from one window to another. A bird wasn't suited for a plane, even though it was in the air. It made me nervous enough to do something I don't do: talk.

"What was that about?" Even though I had to do something so I don't rip the plane apart, the words probably sounded awkward and sort of childish. Shade looked at me.


**sorry it's so short**
***By the way, Damien can become a bad guy : )***

I woke up in the middle of the night and saw that the fire had gone out and most everyone was asleep. My eyes were drawn straight to the giant figure of Trent...

No! No! There isn't time. I'm hungry. Will you focus! Agh!!!!

(She can't keep her thoughts straight.)

Hoping to clear my mind I flew off and started hunting until a plum vole was in my talons. The field mouse was gone in two seconds and the pellet yarped up before I shifted to human form and just sat and stared at the stars. The night was clear and each star shone brighter than in the lit up streets of New York.

I tilted my head to the side as another sound came up from behind. I knew that I had to shift when a big hand touched my shoulder and I spun around. It was Trent.

~Damien~

"So how are we going to find the rest of them." Need to get out! Let me out of this sardine can!

"Their in the woods somewhere. We have to parachute." Shad said, matter-of-factly.

"We?" Walls...closing it...gaa!

"Me. I need to use a parachute." he corrected. I need to get out of here!

**He's a tad claustrophobic...**

Heather-

"Hey," he said.

I glared at him. "You scared me half to death."

"Sorry." He sat down next to me and looked out over the Kentucky landscape.

"So this wildlife preserve, do you know if there's anything around it? A town?"

"I don't know. I've never been to Tenessee. Why?"

"Just wondering."

"I don't think that we'll be disturbed by anyone there." That was kind of comforting.

"What about that horrible person back at the coffee shop. What about Damien and Shade..."

"Do you always worry this much?"

I felt myself blush. I guess I did worry a lot.

"That's okay," he said. "It's kind of cool..."

Suddenly I heard something and tilted my head while stadning up.

"What's wrong?"

"I hear, a... plane?"

Trent:

Trent looked up at the plane and then back at Heather, "Probably just some joy jumpers or whatever." He smiled. "I'm pretty sure there will be a town near it, there would have to be."



***All I had.

By the way, the closest town to the southern end of the Cherokee National Forest is Benson, in Polk County, it's real small. I'm not sure about the upper end. ***