It took a few moments for the extent of my shock to set in. The bird, Peri I guess, landed down at my feet and stared up at me expectantly.     Then I realized what just happened.

    "Sweet spirits," I wheezed, crouching down to clutch at my tumbling stomach. "Oh no, oh no no no no."

    Peri tilted his head, as if he were confused. "Okay, so I'm not entirely impressed either, no need to be rude."

    "What?" I blinked, somewhat hurt even though I had only known this bird for a few minutes.

    Peri pecked at my hand. "Kidding, seriously though, you okay?"

    "No!" I practically coughed out. "I wasn't expecting a bird."

    "Oh, well I wasn't expecting an asparagus." The tiny green bird let out a small distasteful noise.

    "What? I'm not-" I stopped freaking out momentarily to realize my black bangs had turned a mossy green color. My hair was green. This was truly the straw to break the anxious teen's last reserve of peace.

    Neve was gonna kill me, and she wasn't even my mom.

    I stared at the small bird I had summoned with growing panic.

    She was gonna resurrect me and kill me again.

    What good was a bright green bird in the middle of woods? Sweet spirits what was I gonna do about my hair? I focused on breathing in and out smoothly as possible. My brain felt like it was full of black and white bees.

    "Hey kid?" Peri asked, hoping up on my knee. "Seriously what's up?"

    "I failed." I rasped, dangerously on the verge of tears. "Of course it would be me, I'm the only one who could screw up something so incredibly easy."

    "Craig, calm down." Peri ordered. "You didn't fail anything, you followed your heart. I don't know what you were expecting, but deep down you wanted me, and only me."

    There was a lot going on, to much to handle at once. First it turns out I'm adopted, now I have a bird familiar, my hair's green, I have no idea what might happen next and that terrified me. I remember once when I'd crushed on one of the village girls, and how it completely screwed me over because I my weak self-esteem never let me talk to her. This was ten times worse.

    "Where are we anyway? This doesn't really look like the rainforest." Peri ruffled his tropical viridescent feathers.

    "That's the problem." I explained slowly. "In my village we're supposed to get wolves."

    Peri blinked once, and looked around. "Shoot man, that sucks. I'm not much of a wolf am I?"

    "No you're not." I gasped in an exasperated manner. "What am I going to tell the chief? She expected me to bring back another wolf, so that I can contribute normally to society, you know?"

    He frowned. "Hey, I can do lot's of things wolves can't."

    "Like what?" I breathed, trying not completely loose it.

    He opened his wings and flashed them at me. "When's the last time you saw one of those stinking wolves with a pair of these, huh?"

    "And I expect to can hunt deer with those to? Maybe fly around look for some berries at least." I sassed him, forgetting the immense amount of stress I was under for just one moment to roast his feathery butt.

    Peri waved a feather at me. "I'll have you know, I'm very good at opening macadamias."

    I frowned, to hide the fact that was actually impressive, and I really loved macadamia nuts. "What am I going to tell the chief though? How am I going to get back? She said I needed a wolf to get back!"

    The idea of never seeing my mom or Felix again scared me much more than Neve's wrath. I stood up, forgetting Peri was sitting on my leg.

    "Hey, watch it cheetah boy, we're not in any hurry. Besides, I can fly. You don't need no stinking wolf to find your way." He explained, climbing up the side of my tunic, with his feet and beak, until he was perched on my shoulder.

    I tried to calm myself down a little. My new hair color wasn't my fault. Peri could find the way home. My mom wouldn't be angry at me. Felix would still be my best and only friend.

    I was still sacred. This was my chance to finally fit in. I was the freakish boy who liked girly stuff and had weird skin. Summoning a wolf was my only redeeming card. It meant I could join in on things that I was previously shunned from. It meant I would get to be part of the Pack.

    What did it take just to be accepted? I didn't even want love, I just wanted pre-determined hate to stop. Was that too much to ask?

    "Let's take things one step at a time, okay?" Peri decided. "First let's get you home, I want to meet your family. We can deal with the other stuff later, plus I don't know about you but I'm starving."

    I nodded, feeling strangely numb, but I understood. I don't know how we would make to my house without someone spotting us. I decided to take Peri's advice and take it a bit at a time. He was staring at me patiently, like he was waiting for a game plan.

    "You can hide in my hood when we get back." I started, as he climbed over my shoulder, I tried not to laugh as his little claws rolled my neck.

    "Craig Ainwir!" A voice suddenly called out to me.

    I blinked as my heart skipped a beat. I stiffly turned around to see Neve, the chief standing on the lip of the small valley expectantly. She looked pretty miffed as she walked towards me.

    "Well? I came to check up on you and I want to know what happened." She demanded, towering over me as she folded her arms.

    I panicked. "Uh, nothing's actually happened yet-"

    "Mr. Ainwir, your hair tells me otherwise. I see no reason why you would have to lie to me." She interrupted.

    My heart was beating wildly inside my chest as I struggled to explain myself. Slowly and silently, I reached up to my shoulder and Peri hoped onto my hand. I held him out in front of her. He look stoic when faced with this terrifying woman and her equally scary wolf. Kadyn growled deep in her throat as I waited for Neve's reaction.

    I glanced up at her face to see she looked shocked. Her nose twitched a few times before she suddenly grasped my arm.

    "Chief!-" I started, as she dragged me away from the circle.

    "Quiet!" She hissed, her voice suddenly filled with tension. "I don't want a word out of you until I say so."

    My heart dropped into my stomach. I've done something wrong. She hates me now. Why did I keep receiving punishments for stuff I can't control? I mean it's not like I wanted a bird. My self-conscious slapped my as I realized, according to Peri, that's exactly hat I had wanted. This really was all my fault.

    Peri stayed at my shoulder and Neve forcibly dragged me back the the village. I was muddled and panicky that the next thing I knew Neve was opening the door to her own house and she tossed me in. I stumbled to my feet, hearing the hasty click of a lock before I truly grasped what was happening.

    I guess she was angry at me.

    I sunk down to my knees, sucking in air desperately. "Sweet spirits."

    Peri flitted around the room. "This isn't how they told me my first day as a familiar would go." He admitted.

    I stared at the wood paneling of Felix's house. I could hear mourning outside. What was going on? I can get why Neve would would slightly ticked of, but I think locking me inside her house like I was some sort of parasite. I didn't like it.

    There were suddenly loud shouting outside on the other side of the door. I glanced up when I recognized Felix's voice. He was arguing with his mom. They were on the other side of the door, I stood up to try and listen to what they were saying, when all of a sudden the door swung open and I was met with the messy bunch of Felix's white hair and he hugged me tightly.

    "Thank the spirits!" He breathed. "I saw my mom had you in a death grip and I was so worried! What happened?"

    I silently pointed to Peri cleaning his feathers on the back of one of Felix's chairs. My friend blinked once.

    "Whoa!" He gasped, "cool!"

    He reached and stroked Peri lightly, Peri cooed softly.

    "Neve's mad at me." I announced somewhat dumbly.

    Felix frowned. "I don't know why either."

    I rubbed my face and groaned quietly. Felix's eyes glanced up and all of a sudden there was a quirky amused smile on his face.

    "What?" I asked, wondering what found so funny.

    He grinned. "Your hair."

    I grimaced and pulled my hood up over my head. "I know, I don't know what happened."

    "I like it, it suits you." He complimented.

    I appreciated the compliment, and sighed loudly.

    "So you got a bird familiar huh? What was it like?" He asked, sitting down criss-cross next to me.

    "It was great, I saw the parrot sprit. It was really big and glowy, and nice." I explained. "I may not have gotten a wolf but like...I don't regret Peri."

    Felix gasped again. "Is that his name? Oh my gosh I love it."

    Peri flew down and looked up at Felix. "I like your friend very much."

    "He says he likes you." I translated.

    "Wow, well I don't know about you but I think you got a great familiar." Felix decided, giving me a thumbs up.

    "Why didn't I get a wolf though? No offense Peri."

    "None taken."

    "Just a thought, you think this might have something to do with your real parents?" Felix asked.

    "That's what I was thinking." I agreed. "Ugh, what am I gonna do Felix? Do you think Neve will kick me out?"

    He frowned. "Kick you out? Craig you're part of the Pack, you're her responsibility. Where would you go? She can't just send you off with now where to go! Besides I wouldn't stand for it."

    "But-"

    Felix held up a finger. "Stop right there, just calm down. You're probably more worried about this than the whole town combined."

    "I don't want to go."

    "You won't be leaving."

    The door suddenly clicked open and the two of us scrambled to our feet. Neve was standing in the door frame looking very ruffled. Her hair was out of place in her thick braid. She looked scary and I shrunk slightly at the sight of her.

    "Craig's coming with me." She announced coldly.

    "Where are you taking him?" Felix asked, equally as icy.

    "We're going to The Capital to talk to the wolf representative." She shot back, unappreciative of his tone.

    "I don't want to go." I replied quietly, stepping back.

    She grabbed my arm, her fingers curled ltightly around my skin, I could feel her nails. "You don't have a choice."

    Felix's face twisted up into a mix of anger and fear. "No!"

    "He's coming with me!" Neve yanked me out of the house, Peri flew out and circled nearby.

    Felix tried to run outside but his mom shoved him roughly back inside the house and shut the door. I didn't dare try to struggle as she locked the door.

    Felix pounded against the door. "Craig?"

    People had started to gather around the scene we were making, Neve had stopped dragging me momentarily to calm them down.

    "Felix?" I replied, leaning close to the door.

    "She can't be allowed to do this!" He hissed bitterly. "I'll run away or something, she can't make me stay."

    "Felix, if for some reason the wolf rep says I can't come back-"

    "Don't talk like that." He interrupted.

    "Be quiet for a moment, I don't have much time. If I don't come back look after my mom alright? Even if she's not my real mom I still care about her and I don't want her to be sad if I can't come back."

    He was silent on the other side of the door for a few moments. "Okay, I promise."

    Neve turned back towards me and I breathed in shakily. "Goodbye Felix."

    "Bye, see you soon," was his quiet reply.

    Neve grabbed at my arm again, but I shrugged off her grip and quietly followed her. Peri landed on my shoulder. He was quiet, probably a little freaked out. I was too, but I had to be strong, for my mom and for Felix. Capital, here I come.