"She's right, Penny." Rafe and I exchanged looks full of memories. "Something like a panther might scare away a predator, but it's also a pretty big target. You could try sneaking away. Become something tiny. Like an ant or cockroach." He frowned. "Of course you can get stomped or kicked. Right, Glory?"
I shuddered; Penny too. "Ancient history, Rafe." I'd done the roach thing and had an unhappy ending. Literally.
"I'd much rather work the fear factor." Penny had obviously been thinking this over. "Panther, lion, cheetah. Obviously I'm partial to cats."
"That could work. But a hunter will just pull out a conventional weapon and shoot you. You could be wounded, which would slow you down." Rafe was solemn, all business. "Honestly, you need to try to get over this height thing. Now that you're a vampire, your perspective might have changed. Go for the bird, Penny. At least once. Are you game?"
Penny sighed, her shoulders tense. "Okay, I'll try. But no guarantees."
"That's a given." I smiled encouragingly. "Now pick a kind of bird and get it in mind."
"Fine. I've always liked bluebirds. Like that bluebird of happiness that dumped on my head a few nights ago." Her smile was wry. "Now what?"
"Now you visualize that bluebird. I mean, really see it in your mind and imagine becoming the bird from the claws up to the beak. Then flap your wings and fly up to a branch in that tree over there. Rafe and I will meet you. We'll still be able to talk to each other in our minds." I watched Penny. She closed her eyes, her forehead wrinkling as she concentrated, her fists clenched. Nothing happened. Finally she opened her eyes.
"What's wrong? Why am I still a person?" She looked down and stomped her foot.
"I think you're trying too hard and worrying too much about the flying." I smiled, totally sympathizing with her. I'd freaked out when I'd first tried to shift, sure I'd be stuck forever as a bird or a bat. Not that I was sharing that concern with her. "Take a few breaths, relax and picture yourself that beautiful blue. Feel your feathers, the air under your wings. Now close your eyes and let yourself transform."
Rafe gave me an elbow. "Can't believe you're actually pretty good at this. I thought I was going to be the one giving the lessons."
"I'm just telling her what you told me to help get me over my own phobia." I grinned when I saw Penny suddenly change. She looked down at her feet, now claws, then up again.
"Am I . . . ?"
"Yes, you're a beautiful bluebird. Now flap your wings and see if you can fly." I did my thing, becoming a mockingbird and Rafe became a blackbird. We did a few laps around the hilltop before we settled on a branch near the top of a tree to watch.
"Come on up!" I was talking in my mind now. We all were.
"I - I can't." Penny sounded panicked. "Get me the hell out of here!" She looked up at me, then hopped a few steps. I flew down to land beside her.
"Calm down. Take it easy. Hey, you did shift. Great first step. But if you could just flap your wings and come up a foot or two, I know you'd like it. It's really amazing to fly." I took off and soared above her.
"Says you." She sat in the dirt. "I'm not flapping anything. How do I get back to me?" Her voice was shaking and I could see panic about to set in.
I landed beside her again. "Okay, Penny. Just relax. Maybe we tried this too soon."
She stabbed me with her beak. "Get me back to myself. Now!" Her bird eyes were wild.
"Calm down and we will." Rafe flew down to her other side and his quiet voice finally seemed to penetrate her panic.
"I'm a failure." Bird tears dripped off Penny's beak. "Intellectually I should be able to overcome this ridiculous phobia. Talk myself out of it." She trembled, her feathers quivering. "But, but I can't." Big birdie boo hoos.
I wanted to reassure her because I'd been where she was now, but I still smarted from that stab with her beak. Hey, she'd drawn blood. I let Rafe handle her.
"No, you're not a failure." Rafe moved closer. "Glory's right. We did rush you. Now let's get you back to your human form. Imagine yourself Penny as usual. Don't overthink it, just picture feet, body, head. I'm right