Four
"You have probably already read about this or worked it out. You are the last in the line of Eagle shapeshifters, they sent me down because they think I am best suited to train you through your journey," Fin explained.
"Yeah I have heard that already, but it's good to be reminded, so no pressure," Justin half chuckled nervously nauseated.
"It be ok son, you have so many people around you to help you," his mother told him in confidence.
"That's right, you have your allies, as long as you keep them close, you've got this," Fin encouraged.
Justin felt an uplift of energy, he felt like he was floating, he looked around him staring first at his mother, then Fin, then to his feet, but they were firmly on the ground. He wasn't sure what was going on. Fin however just smiled.
"And so it begins!" Fin broke the silence.
"Sorry! What's beginning?" Justin asked.
"You're evolving, for the lack of a better word. You're awakening the shapeshifter inside you and you need to embrace it to seal the deal.
"By embracing you mean…" Justin began to say, "...Let it out," he slowly finished.
"That's right. If you like your clothes, I suggest you take them off, you can keep your underwear on. It also helps to take a little run up and then jump as high as you can," Fin advised.
Justin walked outside, followed by his mother and Fin, stripped down to his underwear and did as he was told, he took a deep breath and began his run up. Just as he jumped he transformed into the biggest eagle Fin had ever seen.
"Wow! I wasn't expecting that," Fin yelled, surprised as much as Justin's mother was.
"I obviously didn't know he was going to be that big, I thought your eagle was big, but he dwarf's yours," Justin's mother confessed.
"Yeah he certainly does, he has so much control for someone's first flight, it's like he's done it for years," Fin was astonished, "I don't think he needs me as much as they think," Fin realised.
"But you will stick around for as long as you can, right?" Justin's mother asked, "I'm not worried about guiding him, I just think he needs someone like you, just like the wolves have each other," she finished saying.
"Huh! Oh right, I hadn't ever thought of it that way before, I've always been a solo flyer. I guess I will stay for that reason," Fin abided happily.
Fin waved him down and Justin circled for a bit before going in to land and transform back.
"Wow! That was exhilarating. Why are you two looking at me like that?" Justin breathlessly asked, whilst putting his clothes back on.
"Well one, that was a perfect transformation landing, even better than an experienced one. Two I had every intention of leaving as soon as I was finished teaching you, but after a talk with your mother and after some consideration I'm here for the long run. Like your mother said the wolves have their pack and if I left, you would have no one, with me staying it will be a two-man soar of eagles," Fin explained.
"Wow! A two-man soar that sounds so cool already," Justin felt ecstatic.
"Glad you love that," Justin's mother smiled.
"I haven't felt like this since I befriended EJ," Justin admitted, "In-fact I feel high," he confessed.
"Do you feel like flying again?" Fin asked.
"Yeah, like all the time, I never want to stop," Justin yelled out at the top of his lungs.
"You will make a fine chief one day Justin, I don't doubt it and neither do they," Fin said honestly.
"I kinda want to be chief of all chiefs just like it used to be, so I will work hard and make my ancestors proud," Justin said eagerly.
"I thought you would say that. I don't want to make you change your mind but being chief has a lot of responsibilities," Fin advised.
"I know and I feel I'm ready to take that control back, put some order back. I don't want to be that kind of chief," Justin chuckled.
"Well you seem to have your head screwed on," Fin complimented.
"I think I get it from my mother's side, so yeah it definitely runs in the family," Justin explained.
"Yes you do dear, I saw that in you straight away, your grandmother and I both did," his mother told him truthfully.
Justin's eyes well-up, but he couldn't hold them back. They fell silently down his cheeks, his mother hugged him tightly.
That evening Justin fell right to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He had yet another eventful dream, only this time it was way into the future. Aside from being the Chief of all Chiefs he also had a husband, a wife and two children. He felt like he had won the jackpot as both him and his husband was an Eagle shifter, his wife was human and a smart one. Naturally Justin was hoping his kids would be smart as well as shifters.
He woke up smiling from ear to ear.
Suddenly his best friend EJ came crashing through, his smile dropped, his mind went to the worst case scenario completely missing EJ's expression.
Five
"Justin! You need to come with me quickly, you need to see this!" EJ barking orders, causing Justin to rush out of bed, threw on whatever he could find and followed EJ to his place.
"So EJ where's the fire?" Justin asked hurriedly.
"What? There's no fire. Look at my expression, I'm happy, smiling and this is the reason why," EJ pointed at his new sports car. "What do you think?" he added.
"Really? Well, it's definitely got the beauty," Justin answered, half as excited.
"She's a beauty alright and goes from nought to sixty in under a minute. We should definitely be able to pick up a few ladies," EJ explained, Justin chuckled.
Justin climbed into EJ's sports car and they sped off, they of course turned a few heads from the girls, but they had mainly caught the men's eyes. They slowed right down looking for a safe place to stop when two young men waved them into a space, asked questions and were a bit flirty. Justin was shy at first but soon reciprocated and even had a little fun, however EJ was a little reluctant. The young guy chatting to him was doing and saying everything right, but EJ wasn't into it and then he noticed Justin was kissing the other guy.
"Can we take you out at some point?" asked the young blond guy after kissing Justin.
"Erm.. we were off somewhere showing-off my friend's car, so you have to ask him," Justin told him, not taking his eyes off of him. EJ was still quiet.
"Ok! I guess your friend isn't up to it, so we will leave you in peace," said the brunette guy.
After they walked away, EJ dropped his shoulders and let out a puff of air.
"Justin? I didn't know you were into guys, that's cool," EJ began, smiling but that was the extent of it.
"Yeah I'm gay," Justin told him slowly. "It was weird at first but now I've come to terms with it and I'm happy now, is that ok?" Justin opened up. EJ smiled bigger.
"Come here," EJ yelled out with open arms, Justin smiled shyly and slowly moved in closer to his best friend. EJ curled an eyebrow before reaching for Justin and holding him in a tight grasp. Justin felt warm and EJ's eyes opened wider at the realisation. Thoughts ran through his head, breaking apart and they got back into the car and started the engine and drove off back to the Bayou.
Six
At the Bayou, where it was usually quiet, EJ scanned the surrounding area. He noticed there were a few people, but it wasn't crowded. He turned off the engine and sat back with heavy thoughts going through his head. He kept wanting to speak but stopped himself to rethink, when he eventually found the right thing to say and the courage to say it, he turned to gaze into Justin's eyes.
"Justin, we have been friends for a long time and…" he paused, "I've always seen you as a friend and nothing else," Justin's expression changed and he lowered his head in sadness. EJ noticed, "until now I mean," Justin lifted his head once again, "I didn't know you were into guys so I kept it to myself but I feel we have a special connection," EJ continued.
"Special connection?" Justin repeated.
"Yeah! That connection when two people find their mate, their first love," EJ explained slowly. Justin didn't know what to say.
"Please say something," EJ sounded worried, after confessing his sudden feelings.
"I'm not scared, I'm just surprised. You've always been straight and I have always been into… you," Justin confessed, pausing for a moment then finishing slowly.
"Wow! I had no idea. Suddenly I want to kiss you," EJ blurted out, covering his mouth realising what he just said.
"Kiss me then," Justin answered automatically, immediately facing away trying to hide his flushed cheeks.
"I see you now," EJ leant in.
Justin waited with bated breaths, he felt high, he was like a drug to him. He closed the gap and they held still just barely touching lips. EJ made the first motion, Justin mirrored and soon their tongues were intertwined.