“I’m here to get you out, and this is the key.” He fluffed up his feathered. “And I’m not just a bird, I’m araven.”
“But how are you both a wolfandaraven?”
“Remember when I said my tribe had differentabilities?”
“Okay,” I said simply, since my mind was too boggled to sayanythingelse.
“I stole the other key from Delta while he was berating you,” Virgil explained. “That will cause some confusion. Gunner will likely be angry with Delta for losing the key. We can use any chaos to ouradvantage.”
“You slyraven.”
He hopped off the bed. “Come now. I’m sure there’s somebody you’d liketosee.”
Curiously, I followed him as he strode up the aisle. Even in his raven form, he was confident andproud.
“What about Delta?” Iasked.
“Nobody except you knows about my raven form.I’ll cause a commotion so you can sneak out,” he explained. “Once he’s out of the way, go straight to the clearing we met in before. There’s someone waitingforyou.”
I stayed low to the ground, hiding in the shadows. It was dead silent until suddenly, Virgil cawed so loudly that I nearly leapt out of my skin. He flapped around like a sharp shadow, crying outnon-stop.
Instantly, the door flew open and Delta’s horrified face appeared. “Whatthefuck!?”
“Go away! Get!” He swatted at the raven uselessly. “How the hell did a bird get inhere?Ugh!”
While Virgil distracted him, I slipped out of the door. I kept low to the ground and hid amongst the shadows. With my heart racing and all my senses on high alert, I snuck through the backalleys.
A moment later, a black shadow whipped over my head. Virgil, still in his raven form, flew in the sky above. I realized that he was showing me the way. Silently thanking him, I followed histrail.
When I finally arrived among the thicket, I was breathless and tired. I grumbled and thought about how much easier it would have been to run in my wolf form, but of course, the shock collar prevented that. That was another thing I was looking forward to - having this wretched weight removed. I longed to be in my wolf form and feel the earth beneath myclaws.
I reached the clearing and looked around before I saw him. In front of me, waiting, wasDavid.
Up above in the sky, Virgil cawed once, then flew back towards the town, as if to say it was up tousnow.
“So… He really wasn’t lying about being a bird, huh?”Davidsaid.
“Nope.” I chuckled. “You should have seen my face when I found him inmycell.”
“I can imagine.” His smile slowly turned into a frown. “What happened after Gunnertookyou?”
“He tried to brainwash me again,”Isaid.
David cocked an eyebrow. “Tried?”
“Yeah. He’s not getting away with that anymore. I refused to let him warp me like that everagain.”
David smiled, genuine and warm. “You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear yousaythat.”
“So… you were waiting here for me?” Iasked.
“Yes.” His gaze flickered to the ground. “Niko, I reallymissedyou.”
“I did, too. I mean, I didn’t before, but…” I ran a hand through my hair. “Something happened. Like a light switched on, you know? It was like I completely forgot about my wolf, but now it’s awake again, and there’s this overwhelming urge to - “ I paused, not wanting to soundawkward.
“Towhat?”
I sighed. “To bewithyou.”
