Sylvie

“You know, I have barely used my bird or any flying form, Miss Miakoda.”  Casey snickered and ran her hand down her partner's back. “We discussed how animal forms can change, but nothing in-depth about flying.”  Casey flittered her hand like something flying. “So, generous teacher…”  Casey kissed Sylvie on the cheek, “…What do I do to make it easier?”

Taking Casey by the hand and pointing into the boughs of the various pines and oaks, Sylvie paused for a moment, slightly confused. “You did it easy enough on the back of the motorcycle."  Sylvie then saw the look emanating from Casey's sunlight eyes.

-Taini, you are missing the point.  She wants your devoted attention.-

Sylvie grinned widely and explained what she did. "For me?  First, I imagine being in the branches.  Then I think of the bird I like most, which is a bluejay.”  She looked at her progeny, “I can’t explain why, bluejays have always just spoken to me.”  She touched her blue cornrows, “I guess that's why my hair is blue and gray.”

“Adorable, by the way.”  Casey tied up her coppery hair into a small bun. “Alright, picture myself in the tree and then pick a bird.”  Closing her eyes Casey thought about all the times she stood outside her family home that had been built along a small lake and surrounded by huge trees.  After a couple of minutes, Casey peeked open one of her shining golden eyes and looked at Sylvie. “I guess it would help to know birds.”  She shrugged, “I am a marine biologist.  I know the critters in the ocean.”  Making a silly fish face for a couple of seconds, she ended her antics with a blown kiss to her partner. “Wait.  I have an idea.”  Reaching into her back pocket, the new vampire pulled out her phone and began tapping on the screen. “Why do I keep forgetting that I have the information at my fingertips?”

Laughing lightly, Sylvie stepped behind Casey and watched her flip through the various types of birds. “It might help if you pick one native to this area.”  She paused, “Or one that is worldly.  That way, you don’t stand out as an odd bird.”  Sylvie kissed Casey’s neck, “It would look strange to be a seagull in say the desert of Nevada or Arizona.”

Thinking to herself, Casey rationalized that Sylvie did make sense. “Humm, let’s see.”  She paused, “I take it this can be changed as well?  I don’t have to stay as a cardinal if I choose?”

Shaking her head, Sylvie confirmed what her lover asked. “No, but it is stupidly difficult since in theory you are supposed to fly more than anything.  So, it’s like breaking a habit.  I suppose you could also get withdrawal.  I think it is why many vampires never change, it’s just that hard.”  She sighed and looked at the stars once more, “Before there were cars that could get us place to place quickly, when I was younger…”  Sylvie briefly recalled the clean air and thick forests that her tribe used to live in, “…It was easier to fly everywhere as a bird or bat.”  She pulled Casey tightly to her, “I used to fly all over the place in a single evening.  I let the wind spirits take me where they wanted me to go.”

“Got it.”  Casey turned around in Sylvie’s arms, “Remembering a better time?”  She inquired as her eyes glinted happily with sunlight. “Sounded like an easier time.”

Shaking her head, Sylvie closed her moon-shifting eyes. “No, it wasn’t better, really.  It was just different.” She took a deep breath, “It was a more relaxed time, I think.  When I was living, the tribe worked diligently for the winter months, but it was ever the emergency that things now seem to be.  We had lots of fun as well.”  She huffed, “I guess if we removed the industrial things now, it could be the same.”

Having no clue about business or economics, Casey nodded and shrugged. “I think I found a bird I like.”

“I still think we discussed this before.”  Sylvie quipped playfully.

Casey looked up from her phone and lightly bit Sylvie’s lower lip. “Let’s pretend that we didn’t. Even if we did, I don’t remember and I don’t recall flying anywhere.  So let’s start from scratch.  Deal?”

Raising her eyebrow and pointing to her lip, Sylvie let out a little cute whine until Casey relinquished and gave her back the ability to speak. “It’s a deal.”  She winked. “Do that again back home…mmm, that felt lovely.”

Handing Sylvie the phone, Casey pointed to a bird. “Since I lean towards the more predatory type of things, I thought this would be great.”  She pointed to a picture of a hawk. “It’s a red-shouldered hawk, and found all the way to the Mississippi, up through Canada.”  She paused, “How’s that for diverse?”

“Red to match that copper-strawberry hair of yours?”  Sylvie questioned.

Nodding in agreement, Casey closed her eyes and tried to follow Sylvie’s suggestion.  While able to see herself in the trees, it was the picture of the lovely bird stalking its prey that kept flashing in Casey’s mind.  Seconds after seeing the majestic bird diving towards its target, she felt a slight dip in her blood reserve.  

“You did it.”  Sylvie clapped excitedly and held out her arm for Casey to land on. “Massive claws my dear.  Alright, let’s get on the move.”  Sylvie watched as Casey spread her wings and with a push, nearly rocketed into the sky, circling the area. “Waiting for me, huh?  This should be fun to see.  A hawk and bluejay.”  She giggled and instantly turned into the small blue and white bird, and headed off to the army base.

A few minutes passed as the two birds both made their way to the warehouse and played with each other in the air.  Sylvie spotted the top of the building and dove for one of the metal boxes that housed the air conditioning unit or the heater.  Landing without any sound, Sylvie poked her blue head around and looked for video cameras.  Spotting a couple aimed at a service door, she determined it was dark and safe enough where she’d landed.

Shifting to her human form, Sylvie squatted low on the metal box and waved for Casey.  She watched as Casey landed beside her and shifted as well. “I swear, rose-muffin..you were born to be a vampire.”  Sylvie pointed to the four cameras that kept scanning around the door. “It appears that the security has improved since I was last here.”  She giggled, “I guess that is what happens when you break into a military base and they don’t know what happened.”  She pointed to the intake vents, “We turn ghost form and then get into the main bay as quickly as possible.”

“Roger that, My blueberry-blossom.”  Casey added and kissed Sylvie before quietly running to the vent and changing.

Everything seemed to freeze in Sylvie’s vision.  Casey stopped moving, the air went cold, noises of vehicles stopped.  She knew what was coming.

-Oh no…a snap vision…-

She managed to say before losing all sense of time.