Birds come home..(Gaia)

[ally]

Birds roost in trees , right? Thats what the scientists had told her, or at least thats what she thought. It was difficult to tell which memories were real, and which were not. It was 10 minutes to 7, and she cringed inwardly at the time, but she savored what freedom she had. For the next ten minutes, she would be as close to herself as she could until they screwed around with her mind once more. It was dark, and her normally blue eyes had turned a tawny gold in color, hidden behind dark sunglasses. Everything about her was hidden. Her tawny tail tucked neatly into her jeans, cougar ears hidden in her red hair and under the mesh-winter hat. Still, it was difficult to pass for normal. Without her tail for balance, she was incredaly ungainly, though still looked lithle. No, she wasn't human, she was human-concolor, a human feline hybrid. Crossed with a cougar which enabled her great sprints and leaping abilities.

If she hadn't been kept alone her entire miserable life, she might have thought herself lucky. Chimps and human differ by only 2 percent of there DNA, and she had almost 2 percent of her DNA feline. She could have looked freakier, but she could pass almost human. This had been the reason the scientists had chosen her to detain the avians. Of course, her fighting spirit had been a complication, but with the collar she was almost managable. And so, the girl stalked through the darkening park, climbing a tree with relative ease, then crouched over on the branch.

Her sensitive nose could pick out a new smell out of the pungent cars and and lush vegetation. Straddling the branch with her legs, she placed her hands along the thick branch, looking around sharply. Her other sense, of empthy, stretched out, searching for emotions. She could sense something, but it was dim, and judging by the way the emotions were strengthening, coming closer.

She faced a moment of doubt, wondering what to do. Looking back at the watch, which she could read easily despite the gloom, she saw it read 7 minutes till. Standing up carefully, one hand gently wrapping tightly around a higher branch, she started to walk down the branch. Her body was half crouched, but tail tucked in. Had her tail been out, she could balance along the edge of a knife without help. What to do...she had a mission, but she wasn't sure that was what she wanted to do. Not that she had much choice with the collar embedded in her neck. Still, she told herself, it might not even be one of them.

[gaia]

It was her day off, her one day off from following Max and her flock, and so the young female decided to fly. It was nearing 7 but that didn't bother her. She wanted to fly, feel freedom since she had been forced to stay on the ground and look normal. Who wanted to be normal when you could fly! It was insane. So, with her wings beating softly, each wing tip and feather moving to maximize her flight, Gaia felt free and once again, she was glad she could fly. Flying allowed freedom that people wished and dreamed about, but she actually had that power. Some were jealous but she was always reminded the loss, there were many losses to gain wings, and one was missing out on her real, blood family. Who needs them when you have the flock? Gaia reminded herself. She had a family, even if they were not blood related who cared? Family stuck together no matter if related by blood or not.

She was heading towards the park, her body speeding along like a bullet with wings. Her wings folded a little, allowing herself to be pulled into a dive before her wings snapped back open, allowing her to coast the rest of the way, the speed she had gained from the dive was enough to bring her closer to the park. Upon entering, a sudden chill ran down her spine and she landed rather messily. Stumbling, Gaia regained control as she brushed off her shirt and jeans, looking down at her faded black converse chuck taylors that were upon her feet. Something was around, you had to trust your instincts or you were in trouble. A smirk formed upon her lips as she walked around, eyes darting through the park as she tried to find the source of what gave her the chills.

Folding her wings towards her back and keeping them still, Gaia held out her right hand. A pattern was drawn on it by her a few nights ago during the mission. Invisible tendrils wrapped around her hand, waiting for her to strike. Her telekinesis had grown since she was younger and she had more control. Although in times when she used too much, a grand headache would present itself which was horrid. Especially if they were in the middle of a life or death fight. "Where are you?" Gaia called, feet making barely any sound upon the ground. It was like she was a ghost, a mere specter. She had learned to be very quiet, its what kept you alive. Stay quiet, they cannot hear you, stay on the move, they cannot get ya. Especially those who wanted to get them so they could fail their mission. Was Gaia gonna let that happen? Nope, no way. Gaia never failed and she wasn't about to start.

[ally]

5 minutes till. Prepairing herself, she crouched upon her branch, hands gripping the rough bark of the branch, feet now balancing percariously on the thick branch, exactly like a cat. A cat who looked human, of course. Except her eyes were flashing tawny, like liquid gold. She had stealthily taken off her glasses, which rested in a forked twig. Confusion entered her mind, the desire to follow instructions and do what she wanted battling fiercely as she stayed frozen, soundless, eyes locked on the figure of a person. Her nocturnal vision made it easy to see her, every detail. The girl was good, almost soundless. Except that the feline could pick out the gentle thud of her heart and her breathing, and something which sounded like leaves or feathers brushing against each other. She did not make a sound as the teen spoke, and did not stir, even when she had walked under her branch.

What to do, what to do. She had heard the wing beats, but it didn't mean the girl was a runaway hybrid. Even if she was a hybrid, what did tat have to do with Ally? She should just go, walk away and leave the scientists. 30 seconds after this thought rang clearly through her head, the watch struck 7. Pain erupted behind her eyes, the collar sending powerful shock after powerful shock into her skull through the nerves and nurons. Instinctively, she let out a low gasp, hands clamped into her head and and her body tightly clenched in a ball. This, of course, made her fall with a loud thunk to the ground, where she curled up in silent agony for a solid minute.

The shocks were made to rewire her brain, fixating the needing emotions, boosting intelligence in certain fields, allowing her access to the scientists knowledge till she fought it out. She was still humanoid, tail tucked into her jeans, eyes squeezed tightly closed, ears hidden under the mesh winter cap. For the minute, she would be completely obtuse to the world, unable to see, hear, or even smell with her mind in such pain. What would happen next was up to the scientists. They could order her to do anything, and with her will surpressed for the next 15 minutes minimum, she would follow her orders percisely, not a question in her little hybrid mind.

[gaia]

Her hands curled into fists as she got no answer, her wings trembling softly as if waiting for her to just jump into the air and fly away. There was nothing she could do, if they wanted to play hide and seek, she wasn't interested. As she carried on walking, she picked up a gasp, even though it was very slight. For a moment, Gaia thought it was the wind but as she heard the thump, thats what sent her into shocked. Her heart began to beat wildly and she jumped, her wings catching air and lifting her up. Looking at who had made the sound, her sense went on alert. Maybe it was because she was bird, the other was feline. Sure she didn't know that for sure, but why else would she react this way?

Calming herself down, Gaia lowered herself back to the ground and walked over. Placing a hand on her hip, she glanced down at the figure. She noticed it was a girl and wondered what she was. Gaia could had a wild guess, but she didn't know for sure so should she leave her? No, she seemed in pain by the way she wasn't speaking, or uttered a sound like ouch when she had fallen. Her wings were still open but she crouched down, putting her hand on the girls shoulder blade. "Hey, are you okay?" Gaia didn't want to leave her, it seemed like she didn't want to move. If the other girl was human, how was she supposed to defend herself again other nasty humans? Gaia had read enough of the news to dislike alot of what humanity did.

She would see what was wrong and then go to her flock, she wasn't going to stay away too long. She hated when her flock worried about her, even though she was one of the eldest. Okay, second eldest but that didn't matter. Her flock was her family, she hated her father and wondered if her mother was still alive. These thoughts were murky in her mind but she pulled her focus back to the girl who was on the ground. Gaia didn't really want to stay, but something told her to stay anyway. Sometimes she wished life was easier but that was a wish that would never come true.

[ally]

After the seemingly endless minute had passed, Ally's fingers unclenched there death hold on her hat, and her muscles unknotted from there curled up position. She took a rather ragged breath, regaining control of her slightly foggy mind, and waited to remember her new orders. She could feel a hand on her shoulder blade, and the urge to attempt and slice it off came over her. Opening her eyes to bare slits, she peered up, noting the black wings above her. Guesses had been correct, apparently. A picture of the flock flashed through her photographic memory, she could reconize the girl from none of them. A escaped hybrid, apparently. Catch the birdy. Her new charge came, and her reduced will followed it almost eagarly.

Twisting away from the hand on her shoulder, she rose gracefully into a half crouching/half standing position. Her normally blue eyes were glowing golden at night, able to pick out every detail. White, sharp fangs could be seen from her half snarling mouth. The tawny tail attatched to her back end had long sense snaked out, though the ears were still hidden under her hat. She would need balance if she was to run and jump. Her muscles, toned and compacted like corded wire, were made for jumping. Able to do 18 or so vertically, 30 or more horizontally. At a full out sprint she could do 40 or more, though tired easily.

"Hey tweety." She purred. "Come to play with me?" She asked, head tilted to the side as if asking a innocent questions. Sharp claws had retracted and were now in sight, though you could barely see them in the darkness. She did not make a leap yet, she would let the avian take the first move, and if she stayed frozen, well, Ally was not going to be picky. The cougar hybrid wanted to catch the girl, no doubt or confusion rested in her minds eye.