Solitude and The Long Road Evelyn's Path part 19

A while later, the limousine found the beach as Ellen finished pulling on her clothes. She leaned in and cupped my cheeks for one last kiss, as if she knew some of what I must be thinking. Then she grinned. 'C'mon. Let's feel the sand in our toes.'

I smiled, a genuine one this time without the usual sadness of past weeks to it. 'Music to my ears.' I winked and unclasped my necklace, passing it to Ellen. 'Hang onto this for me while we're on the beach okay? I don't want to lose it.' I whispered the words, eyes twinkling with enjoyment as the familiar scent of the Atlantic washed over me.

'So...' My voice trailed off as I gave Ellen a sly look 'You still up for a ride?' I winked and finished my sentence 'Those sea gulls aren't going to chase themselves.'

Ellen put on the necklace. 'Nice. Now I'm the vengeful goddess.'

Oddly the remark didn't bring the lance of pain I'd grown to associate with the title, instead it felt, sore like that of a wound freshly cleansed and beginning to heal, if only my regeneration applied to mental injures as well as physical I thought ruefully. I gave her a toothy grin, 'And a goddess needs a suitable mount to ride across the heavens.'

With a laugh I whipped my dress over my head, tossing it into the sand near the limo and shifting, feeling of cool salt air in my feathers at once familiar, and energizing all at once. 'You're the first human to ride me like this.' I added, my voice a deep purr, the pain from speaking softly tolerable, barely noticeable.

I crouched lower, feeling my balance shift in anticipation of the additional weight, my tail quivering lightly. I shot the limo a fanged grin. 'Malcolm, you'd better record this, Ellen's going to need it for her family album.'

Ellen looked suddenly a little uncertain... I realized she wasn't not scared of me at all. She was scared of falling off. But she took a deep breath and climbed aboard.

'Grab the feathers near my neck, and hold on with your legs like riding a horse, you won't go anywhere.' I positioned my wings to grasp Ellen's legs securely, tucking them against my body and using my wing talons to hold her feet comfortably.

Ellen struggled to keep her balance at first, but she had some natural grace, and found her position after a moment of squirming.

With a roar of near childish excitement I tore down the beach in a spray of sand, the act of carrying a rider almost natural. As Ellen grew more comfortable I loosened my wings, spreading them for longer strides, leaping into brief glides over the cresting waves, aiming for a cluster of seagulls with a mischievous , feral smile.

Ellen alternated between cries of dismay and fear, shouts of glee, and laughter. 'When Sarah gets well enough, she's next!' I managed to roar between leaps, the trust placed in me by Ellen at once both liberating, and humanizing in ways that would stay with me for the rest of my life. The offer to Sarah was something for my friend to look forward to, something for us both to look forward to actually.

Ellen seemed to deeply enjoy it, but still somewhat nervous. One slips at those speeds and her worst fears came true. But she held on until I come to a stop, then let herself fall onto the sand.

I leaned down to nuzzle her gently, wrapping a feathered wing around her to protect from the cold. 'You're a natural!' The exclamation came out a bit louder and more forcefully than I intended, but now was a time for expression, not stealth. With a cooing purr I laid down next to her, resting my feathered head next to my friend and letting a puff of relaxed breath escape my nostrils.

Ellen panted, even holding on was hard work. But she smiled. 'That was.... terrifying. Sarah will love it.'

'I owe Stella a ride as well,' I gave her a wink, her raptorial eye glimmering like a jewel 'Two rides actually.' I extended my tongue in a long trailing kiss, the warm softness gliding up the side of Ellen's neck across her cheek. In raptor form it was the best I could manage. I grinned at my friend, trusting my display of canines wouldn't cause her undue concern.

Ellen laughed at the excess slurping. 'Eew!' I giggled, in response the sound erupting like a series of short bird like squawks.

It wasn't until then I learned a raptor could laugh.

At hearing my joy Ellen laughed even louder. She sat up, and looked at you, suddenly serious. 'Evie... I just want you to be okay. I'll do anything to make that happen.'

I turned, swaying her head back and forth until I realized it was impossible to look into both her eyes at the same time in my current form. With a chirp I settled for planting my head comfortably in Ellen's lap. 'Earlier, I was... Still in a dark place, you've helped me rediscover not just my humanity, but the reason it matters.'

'I nearly...' I let the sentence trail off, unwilling to finish the train of thought just yet.

I shook my tail, as if shrugging the thought away like an unwanted passenger and sighed contentedly.

'I nearly took a solitary path and abandoned those who need me most.' I confessed after a moments silence.

Ellen leaned forward and awkwardly hugged my giant raptorness. She wasn't afraid of me at all. Never was, I realized. It was always about breaking her neck falling off. 'Shh. It's okay. Come back with me. See Sarah. Tonight... Stella rented out the entire top floor of the Ambassador - she's like that - come home with us. Have dinner, an evening with the kids and us.'

'A hard exit.' I added for clarity, Ellen's offer into her life, however brief, a gesture of kindness that brought a tear to my eye. It wasn't until later that I would realize that offer was more than brief one night stand, and would become a complication that would both complete, and later, tear apart my life

'Wild raptors couldn't drag me away.' I said after a moments contemplation. Gently stroking Ellen's back with my feathered wing. 'Besides, I have to be there to see the look on Stella's face when she watches the video Malcolm shot.' I added with a toothy grin.

Ellen nodded. 'Good. Now,' she stood up. 'Turn into something small and adorable so I can pretend I'm Snow White while I carry you back to the car.'

I squawk-laughed again, shifting into a micro raptor, my form shrinking in size to be closer to that of a house cat. 'You rode on my back, now I get carried in your arms.' I grinned at the change in my voices pitch, the new form feeling lighter, quicker somehow.

'You dinosaur people. I said adorable . Like... a chipmunk or something. Or a bird that does my hair.' She winked.

I looked up and nipped playfully at her nose, before curling around to gently paw at my own tail, striking my best fluffy raptor pose.

Ellen carried me back to the car, where she accepted my dress, which Malcolm picked up and shook sand off of and draped over his arm. 'Back to the hospital please, Malcolm. Maybe stop on the way for a late lunch. Somewhere with salads for me and... whatever raptors eat. Milkshakes with real ice cream.'

The driver nodded calmly, as if he saw such bizarre sights every day, which later I realized wasn't far from the truth. I stuck my tongue out at the man playfully, wondering briefly how much training they go through to keep such a solid composure no matter the circumstances.

'I haven't had ice cream since-' I paused and tilted my head, ruffling my feathers when I realized I couldn't recall exactly when. 'Since too long!' I cried, nuzzling Ellen affectionately as we reentered the limo.