I hesitated. Despite being in their human forms a second ago, they were back as coyotes now. A single mouse walking up to a pair of predatory canines wasn't a story that ever ended well.
I wasn't just a mouse, of course. I was easily as capable of shifting into human form.
Yet Cloud's words rang in my mind. When he told me it was taboo for shifters to eat one another, my first instinct was disbelief. It was easy for him to say that. But it was the only way his grandiose story about his family made sense. If it was forbidden for predator shifters to eat prey shifters, then of course deer and wolves and hares and whatever else could live in harmony.
I wanted it to be true. But that meant trusting Cloud.
Taking in a deep breath, I approached the coyotes.
This is stupid. This is so stupid, Meeko. You're insane.
Maybe so. But I had to know the truth. If there was a different way to see the world—one that didn't involve glancing paranoid over my shoulder every second of my life—it was worthwhile to find out.
Each hair on my pelt raised as I stood a few feet from the coyotes. They finally noticed me, their big ears and pointy snouts swivelling in my direction. They were both soaking wet and I might've thought they looked comical if I wasn't so scared.
"Is that a mouse?" Tai asked. "What's it doing running up to us?"
"Easy breakfast?" Ry joked, grinning at his mate.
Cold fear drenched me.
Then I remembered what Cloud told me about his dads. The hunt was over the instant his koi father revealed himself as a shifter.
When the coyotes looked like they were going to climb out of the stream and pounce, I yelled, "Wait!"
They halted.
Ry sighed. "Never mind. We're looking for nuts for breakfast again..."
"I don't have to look for nuts. I know exactly where they are," he teased, elbowing his mate.
I blinked in shock. It worked. It actually worked.
As soon as the coyotes knew I was a shifter, they completely lost interest in eating me.
It felt like the whole world tipped sideways. Everything I knew was wrong.
And then came frustration at myself. Cloud was right all along. How much of my life had I wasted being afraid when I didn't need to be?
"So, um, do you like, need something?" Tai asked, tilting his head.
It took me a second to realize he was speaking to me. I wasn't used to conversing with predators.
He's not just a predator, I reminded myself.He's a shifter, just like me. Just like Cloud.
After quickly organizing my thoughts, I said, "I overheard you talking about the bird-man. I mean, the harpy."
He scoffed. "Did he wake you up too? I swear, spirits are so annoying. They do whatever they want as if it doesn't affect the rest of us."
I found myself grinning at Tai's honesty. That certainly matched up with my opinion of them.
"The spirit you're talking about—Mistral—he stole something very important from me," I explained. "I'm trying to get it back, but me and my… friend don't know where he went. If you have any information, I would appreciate it."
"Oh, awesome! Are you guys gonna go kick his ass?" Tai asked excitedly.
Ry rolled his eyes. "Can you stop waking up and choosing violence? Anyway, my little mousy friend, as a matter of fact, we can help you."
I sat up eagerly, fidgeting with my paws impatiently. I was so hopeful that I didn't even care that he'd called me that. "You can?"
