It wasn't an easy task to frustrate Adrian to the point where he'd rather pluck out his hairs, one by one. And yet, listening to this teacher, which Charles had explained is a person who helps you learn new things, made Adrian wanting to do just that.

It wasn't the teacher perse, more the fact that these ridiculous tasks seemed stupid and completely useless to Adrian.

At the moment, Sabrina was asking him to vocalize, to mimic the sound and tone of her own voice. It was an attempt to get his vocal cords used to an unfamiliar movement.

Adrian had a very vague memory of his parents in human form, how they spoke in a language he nor his siblings didn't quite understand.

They hadn't stuck around long enough for them to truly learn it either, nor were they in human form often. The only thing Adrian had learned from them, was everything he knew of his animal... and his name.

"I think it's best if we stop our practice for today." Sabrina smiled warmly, brown eyes wandering over Adrian as she smiled. "I don't want to push you too much and you've made great progress today!"

Adrian snorted dismissively. Progress? He had felt awkward all day forcing himself to mimic her movements with her lips and tongue, to make odd sounds for absolutely no reason.

Inhaling, he caught another whiff of pheromones that indicated prey, eyes flitting to Sabrina with slight curiosity. He could smell she was a bird but had never encountered one like her before.

Charles hummed thoughtfully, rubbing a finger over his lips as he glanced between them. "How long do you think he'll need?"

Sabrina chuckled, the sound melodical and bell-like. "it all depends on him but it's not like my human patients. Shifters can fall back on their animal language and haven't lost any neurological connection that prevents the use of language."

She smiled warmly, eyes squinting  with carefree happiness. "It's remarkable really, how these Feral children evolve with bounds and leaps. With how intelligent this boy behaves, I have no qualms in stating it'll take him at the very most a few weeks."

While he couldn't speak their language, Adrian understood them and the compliment she gave him. He mimicked her smile, tilting his head in gratitude before scratching at his throat distractedly.

Using his vocal cords so much had irritated his throat to the point where it was dry and terribly scratchy. Yawning, he pushed himself off of the desk before pausing as Sabrina motioned him back down.

"Before we stop, I'd like to try and establish your name, if you don't mind." Her mousy brown hair fell over her shoulder as she cocked her head with a grin, "I doubt you like being referred to as 'boy' or 'feral' ever other moment."

Adrian sucked his teeth in annoyance before letting out an agreeing snort. He had a feeling that Willem would have no qualms calling him kid every moment they encountered one another.

"Let's see, I'll go through the alphabet and you can nod or shake your head if that is the correct letter. And then we'll continue until we have all corresponding letters of your name." Sabrina grinned before proceeding to do just that.

It took a bit of time but soon Adrian held a sliver of paper that, according to Sabrina, had the written version of his name.

"Nice to meet you Adrian." She grinned, leading them to the doorway of her classroom, giving him some room to move past her. "I hope to see you again for another session, preferably within a day or two."

Charles nodded at that, flanking Adrian as the boy was already looking out the windows to a group of carnivores exercising. "I'll make sure to let the rest of the staff know, Sabrina. Thank you for your excellent aid."

The woman grinned warmly, tapping the side of her nose. "That's what I'm getting paid for." She said with a wink before turning back into her room.

As Adrian pocketed the little sliver of paper, he couldn't help but smile slightly. It had been a while since he learned something that wasn't related to his shift and he felt oddly proud of something stupid as learning a written name.

"I doubt you'll be much of a chatterbox once you relearn how to speak." Charles muttered with amusement, motioning for Adrian to follow him.

He did, keeping an eye on the group of carnivores that were running around with several adults keeping an eye out. Charles seemed to notice his wavering attention and smiled with understanding.

"Now that we know your name, it'll be easier to interact with you and prepare you for the classes to come." Charles pointed at the carnivores, whom were running around the gravel surrounding the courtyard.

It made Adrian want to join them even though he wasn't used to company on a hunt. But he hasn't been able to run, to get rid of the excess energy that was sparking under his skin.

And he hasn't shifted in days...

He shivered before shaking himself off, making Charles stop to raise an eyebrow at him. The young adult ignored him though, eyes flitting over the several moving carnivores, animal squirming underneath his skin.

It wanted out. To stretch their legs, to roam freely and do whatever it desired. To hunt...

A low sound vibrated through Adrian's throat, nostrils flaring before he stiffened when Charles placed a hand on his shoulder. Calming, reassuring. Restraining.

"Easy, Adrian... I know you're used to spending your time in your other form but you can't endanger the others here." Charles murmured softly, pitching his own voice low in an attempt to sooth the jumpy Feral.

It barely did anything to Adrian, who tilted his head in the air to analyze the scents within it. From his peripheral, he could see Charles tongue flashing over his lips, making sure that Adrian was still in control.

He was. Tense muscles twitched and spasmed underneath Charles' palm as the boy turned his head, giving the hand a pointed glare.

Charles cautiously retracted it, fingers reaching to his pocket. Adrian observed lazily as the man pulled a rectangular device out, the front illuminating as he tapped on it a few times before pocketing it once more.

"Let's get you fed and then afterwards, we'll clear out the courtyard so you can run. How does that sound?" Charles soft voice hushed, gently ushering Adrian back towards the other buildings.

Back to where several teachers were pouring out of the front doors. Adrian detected the nervous energy in the air, could see the adults motioning towards the prey Ferals, guiding them into the main building.

Hungry...

"Oh, Charles! I didn't think someone would arrive so quickly. Can you give me a hand with Riley, I think he sprained or-" The teacher near the other carnivores paused when Charles waved his hand.

"Not now."

The woman frowned, looking over her shoulder at the wounded teen that laid on the floor. The boy was gritting his teeth, glaring down at his swollen ankle and cursing up a storm.

"I can't lift him alone! What if it's broken or-" The young female cheetah stopped as Charles gently pushed her back, eyes flitting to Adrian, who's own gaze was drawn to the bleeding shifter on the floor.

"Not now, Hannah!" Charles hissed urgently, allowing his serpent through for a moment, a hand pressing firmly against Adrian's chest in warning. "Gather your class and head to the building. Have a few students help with Riley. Quickly!"

A hint of fear made Adrian's shift croon softly, watching as the blonde spun on her heels, speed-walking back to her class.

"Conner, Alex and Mattis, help me get Riley to the infirmary. The rest of you, back to your rooms, now." She commanded, earning herself quite a few loud protests and snorts when the Ferals detected her fear.

Until they laid eyes on Adrian and hastily did as was told. Word had spread among the compound how Adrian had put Ethan firmly in his place, simply over a dispute over food.

With the way the new Feral was staring them all down, the boys made quick work of heaving Riley off his feet and carried him to safety.

Because they all knew the signs of a Feral slowly losing control. And looking into Adrian's already transformed eyes, watching the membrane flick over his eye, they felt terrified.

Like prey.

It was certainly an unknown sensation for these predators, which made them instantly obey their teacher and cut their exercise short.

Anything to get away from the powerful creature that was huffing behind them.

The sun was slowly setting beyond the forest, casting the clearing in a deep, orange hue that Adrian had little effort seeing through.

His eyes flitted from person to person, landing on the teachers at the entrance guiding the herbivores safely inside. There was a lot of ruckus, students protesting loudly at being urged inside, especially the carnivores.

Adrian's nostrils flared, catching different scents within the wind. Predator. Prey. Healthy and sick. He inhaled deeply before catching a whiff of something else.

Something hungry, desperately so even. Lurking on the edge of the forest. The hairs in the back of his neck prickled, slowly transforming, elongating into feathers as he could smell it was wounded, could detect the inflammation within its joints.

A shiver ran over his spine before his eyes darted to the left. A few of the teachers at the entrance of the building scrambled, trying to catch the fox kits that were dodging their efforts, weaving through the students' legs effortlessly.

One of the kits yipped, using the distraction of the moving crowd and its siblings getting captured by the adults, to bolt towards the cover of the forest.

Foxes were mischievous and primarily nocturnal by nature, so it made sense for the young kits to want to stretch their legs at dusk.

However, now was certainly not the time to do so. The poor toddlers didn't know, nor did they realize that there were other creatures that preferred to hunt at dusk.

The movement of the little fox caught Adrian's attention, the scent in his nose growing stronger as he locked onto his target.

And shifted.

After having spent so abnormally long as a human, the shift was painful but done in a split second. Bones cracked and expanded, his jaw unhinged and realigned, sprouting more teeth as he transformed.

Adrian snarled as his spine rearranged itself, forming more vertebra that extended past his hips and into a long, plumed tail.

Within seconds after fully transforming, his talons dug into the floor before Adrian lunged, propelling all seventeen feet of his massive body forwards with surprising speed.

He didn't focus on the voice behind him desperately shouting his name, or the alarm that blared to live seconds after he shifted.

Instead, he felt his claws digging into the soil, propelling him forth faster and faster. The wind ruffled through his feathers as he beelined towards the lone fox kit that was sprinting towards the forest.

And the lean, underfed wild cougar that pounced out of the shrubbery, feline eyes locked onto its prey.

The little kit realized its mistake, yelping fearfully and grinding to a halt before turning tails to bolt back to the adults. But with them being distracted, the mass of people between them and the kit...

They wouldn't make it in time.

The little black fox kit tripped, falling head over tail before tumbling in a limp ball of shivering fur. Distress pheromones exploded in the air as it watched the mountain lion pounce, long canines bared and prepared to end its life.

------

Darius and Willem sprinted down the hallway, the teenage Ferals clearing a path to avoid the two massive predators heading their way.

Darius had been in the middle of educating his fellow teachers and council members when Willem had received an urgent message from Charles, to quickly send help and evacuate the clearing.

Everyone knew what that meant and the adults had scattered to bring their charges to safety. Meanwhile Darius and Willem had sprinted towards the exit, hoping to reach Charles and the new Feral in time.

A curse slipped past Darius' lips as the alarm started howling through the building. The clear signal that one of the Ferals had lost control of their animals and was running free on the compound.

Darius didn't need to guess twice whom it was. His worst fear became a reality the second they shoved through the crowd.

His eyes instantly spotted the massive six and a half feet tall Dakota Raptor that was gaining speed and heading straight towards one of the toddlers, a fox kitten, that had managed to slip away.

With another muffled curse, Darius saw no better solution than to shift himself. He might not be as fast as the Dakota raptor, but he was closer to the fox kit. And as a Utah raptor, he hoped that his natural strength would scare off the new kid.

The second he shifted, herbivores nearby started screaming in fright and rushed inside while the carnivores wisely backed off.

However, Darius didn't make it far out of the crowd. Instead he was stunned, his new height allowing him to see the underfed cougar that was bounding towards the now terrified fox kitten.

The students easily made a path for Darius as he charged forwards, watching as the slightly smaller, more agile Dakota raptor swerved, following the cougar's path.

Which, even in its desperation, chose self-preservation and aborted the hunt. However, it lost a huge amount of speed trying to suddenly turn tails, allowing the approaching raptor to catch up with ease.

The raptor's snarl reverberated through the air as the cougar managed to leap over it on instinct, like the frightened cat it was. Instantly, the tail feathers expanded as Adrian used his tail like a rudder, quickly altering his course to stay on track.

Everyone grew silent, watching the wild animal desperately bolt, weaving side to side in an attempt to lose the ancient predator hot on its tail.

As it spun around, most likely intending to snag the kit on its way into the forest, it miscalculated the distance between it and the pursuing Dakota raptor.

Darius slowed his gait, watching as the boy pounced onto the feline, all fifteen inches of its killing talon sinking deep within the cougar's flesh.

He knew that before the dust was settled, that the cougar was dead. The precision in which the Dakota raptor had pounced, the placement of the talon would've made it so that the cougar would be mercilessly pinned to the floor.

Darius' own feathers ruffled before he shifted, crouching down in part to hide his nudity and also not wanting to make the kid feel as if he was threatening him from his kill by staying in his true form. He coughed, waving his hand through the dust before it settled.

Meanwhile, he heard the cougar yowl and hiss, its frantic motions showing it was still very much alive. But it wouldn't be for long.

Adrian's clawed wings extended, allowing the raptor to balance easily on top of his prey. One foot pressed down on the cougar's chest and throat, the other in its hips.

It's already dying... Darius eyes the deep cuts with blood gushing from the wounds and was impressed.

Most likely Adrian had leapt onto the cougar's back, tackling it to the ground. And then used his powerful legs to kick off of it, allowing the strength behind his razor-sharp talons to tear through the feline's flesh and bones.

With the deep wounds it had suffered and the undoubtedly broken ribcage that was preventing it from breathing properly, the cougar had laid still long enough for Adrian to pin it properly.

Darius sighed, jolting and glancing behind him as the small fox kit pressed against his back, trembling in fright. He picked it up with ease, soothing the trembling toddler and keeping it away from the sight of the now feeding raptor.

"Well...I didn't ssssssee this coming." Charles lisped as he stopped his approach, settling beside Darius and offering the man a loose set of shorts from their stock.

"Neither did I." Darius agreed, never averting his gaze from the feeding Feral. "What caused the change?"

Charles hissed out a tired sigh. "He's spent all day with Sabrina." Darius nodded, as he knew how frustrating and stressful those classes were for most Ferals. "When we were heading to the dining halls, he caught sight of the sport's class."

Darius hummed thoughtfully, stilling when Charles added "Riley was injured. I don't know if that triggered Adrian's instincts but-"

"Adrian?" Darius questioned, eyes flitting to Charles for a brief second before looking back forwards. And stilled when a pair of amber eyes stared him down, blood and gore dripping down Adrian's jaw.

Adrian seemed to observe him closely, nostrils flaring as he towered over the two seated males. Seeing how they were both as a human, Adrian didn't necessarily see them as a threat.

But Darius stayed back, allowing the raptor to feed in peace. He didn't need the reminder of what happened earlier that day in the dining hall to know it was generally speaking a bad idea to harass any carnivore during their feeding.

Especially so if it was protecting its kill.

A.n. Tadaaaaa.

Congratulations to @Timberwolf1610 for being the first to correctly guess that Adrian is a Dakota Raptor. And congratulations to @Beaner18 who was the second to guess it correctly, but the only one to also guess that Darius is a Utah-Raptor!

Lastly, congratulations to @Firefly5141 who was the last person to guess that Adrian is a Dakota raptor ^-^

After this chapter, I will add a Characters' chapter with all the currently encountered characters of the book ^-^

Stay save and take care of yourselves <3

Shifting2Wolf