This is a story about a 15 year old male human dreaming of turning into animals and then one day it happens for real as he turns into an eagle. This is a story I've been wanting to write for a while. Been posting it over on Royal Road. Will be posting until I catch up with my new posts there minus 10 chapters. If you like the story check out what I have there, love any reviews, follows, comments and such there if possible.

Royal Road Link: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/1.....shadow-without

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WOAH!!! The first thing I feel as I wake up is my gut flipping. I hit the ground beside my bed with a loud grunt. My mind racing, I’m trapped in a hunter’s net, it tightens around me the more I struggle. HELP!!! I think as it takes me a moment to realize I’m alone in my bedroom, just tangled in my blanket. The dream flashes back through my mind. What the heck was that? All I can remember is being a wolf, hunting a deer that kicked back when I got too close. The spot where I’d been kicked still aches, though when I look under my pajama top there are no marks. After a few moments the ache fades, leaving only the memory of it. Another weird dream, feeling just as real as the last, painfully so.

The pain was gone, but what was that? Okay, that really hurt. Are dreams supposed to hurt? It was rare for pain or sensation to follow me out of a dream. Usually it was something small, but this time it felt like I’d been kicked for real. It’s only a dream, but then why do they feel so real?

I finally manage to extract myself from the blankets. Only I would get defeated by my own bed. Getting off the floor takes longer. I breathe a sigh of relief before I check the clock and see that it’s just after eight. Ughhh, too wound up now to try to sleep. Thankfully, it doesn’t sound like anyone heard it.

Heading downstairs once dressed, I look around for my mom. No sign of her or her car. Must have gone to church, I think as I look for my dad. Geeze, where are you, Dad? Soon I find him in the den reading.

As soon as he spots me, he looks up and says, “The driveway’s covered again. You’ve got a few hours before your movie, so could you shovel it? I’ll give you some money for the movie and snacks if you get it done in time,” giving me a wink before returning to his book.

I look at him, nodding. Ughhh, well at least I’m getting paid, and it’s not mowing, so small blessings. I sigh. “Kay, I’ll get started,” then grab a couple of sausages to eat before heading out to the porch to take the shovel.

Shoveling gives me time to think about the last few days and the dreams. What are these dreams? I’ve had dreams that felt real before, but not like this. They don’t have the usual hazy, dreamlike feel. Well, other than the whole turning-into-animals part. That rarely happens in real life. The smells and the way I feel are far more vivid, and there’s that wanting to swim or the sudden urge to run as fast as I can. The smell of the sausages is divine in a way I’ve never noticed before. Hmmmm, that was good. Now for an… wait, they are gone? I look for one as if I dropped it. I had barely started the driveway and it was already gone. What was that?

Everything seems to have a stronger scent. Even the near-invisible smell of snow. Or maybe I’m just noticing it more, nothing more. I was so lost in my thoughts and the smells that I don’t notice Charlie calling out or walking over until he taps me on the shoulder.

I jump at his presence and almost growl, but suppress it, only giving a groaning laugh. “Oh hey, good timing, should be done in a few minutes here,” I say. He nods and goes to sit on the steps while I finish the last bit of the driveway.

Once finished, I put the shovel away and grin. “So, you ready? Any idea when the others will show up?”

He shakes his head. “No, but they said they would get here before the movie.”

I smile. “Well, let’s just enjoy the good weather.” Then, after hesitating on whether to tell him or not, I decide to give in. “Oh, I had a cool dream last night. I turned into a wolf and was hunting deer.”

He blinks. “So is that like the dream before?”

I shrug nervously. Come on, it’s just a dream, let him know. “Yeah. I remember a bit more about this one. I was on some kind of mountain and found an old shrine with a wolf skull. It told me to become the wolf. Next thing I knew, I was running in a hunt. We caught a deer, but I took a hoof to the chest and woke up.”

He nods. “That sounds like an interesting dream. How did it make you feel?”

Taking a moment to think, I shrug. “It made me feel excited and happy. Like being the wolf was natural, and when I woke up, being human didn’t feel quite as natural.” Ughhh, still remember the pain, I think while rubbing the spot.

He puts a hand on my shoulder. “Well, it seems you’ve been having good dreams. Just try to remember they’re dreams. Don’t want you getting arrested for chasing sheep at one of the local farms.”

I laugh while wincing inwardly. Of course I wouldn’t… I think. “Okay, I’ll try to keep that in mind, but they always look so tasty when cooked.”

He just groans. “Har har,” he says, turning at the sound of a car pulling up. I spot my mom and sister coming back from church.

We head over to meet them. “Hey there, how was church?” I ask with a smile.

My mom gets out and smiles. “It wasn’t bad. Too bad you slept in,” she says. I shrug.

Come on, where are they? They will miss the movie, I think as I hear John’s voice from behind me. “Sorry, we’re late! The bus got delayed for some stupid reason,” he calls.

I turn around and smile at him and Frank. “Good timing, I was just starting to wonder if you two were going to make it any longer, and I would have had to hit on all the girls myself.”

My mom rolls her eyes. “Okay, get in, everyone. We have thirty minutes to get there, but better to arrive early than risk big crowds,” she says, and we all head to the car.

We nod, and I run inside to grab the money for shoveling the driveway. “Thanks, Dad,” I say before hurrying back out. Then we’re off to the movie.

Once we’re in the car, I lean against the window and watch the snow drift past. I hope this movie is good. I’ve died to see it for so long. The trailer had been exciting before, but the dreams seem to have made it stronger somehow.

We arrive at our town’s single theater. It’s an old, small building, but our town isn’t that big anyway. We head inside and find our seats, me on the end, Charlie next to me, then Frank, and John last.

I smile. “Should we get the popcorn now or wait?”

John shrugs. “The line’s pretty long,” he says.

I look over to Frank. “Two of us could get in line, or we can just grab what you guys want.”

Frank nods. “I’ll take your guys’ order, and Mike and I can get in the lineup.”

I can already smell the butter and salt on the popcorn from where we are, and I doubt I’ll be able to sit still for the movie. The lure of the smell is too strong, so I get up and head to the concession stand with Frank. Waiting in line we talk about games.

Soon we reach the front of the line, buy everything, and get back to our seats when the lights start to dim and the trailers begin. We hand out the snacks and sit down to watch the movie.