AN: Looking for a beta xx

Huge thanks to Teumessian for the concept.

Save The Eerie

X Blind beginnings X

Daniel Howell was sixteen when his first shift occurred.

It surprised him as much as the rest of the students in the classroom.

Most first shifts occurred at ten years of age, the oldest to shift were fourteen. But sixteen years of age was unheard of- which is why most of the students in his class screamed and fled when the bobcat hissed and ducked behind a chair.

Schools were, of course, well prepared for these sorts of things. So Daniel went along willingly when the two men appeared at the doorway and talked to him. They worked him through shifting back to his human form.

But Daniel was panicking, and when he tried and failed to shift for the sixth time he freaked out and began howling and hissing. The men looked at each other, then back at the bobcat - who was actually a boy- before laughing.

The bobcat froze and raised it's hackles, bending forward as though it wanted to bite them.

With a resigned sigh, one of the men explained that Daniel was overreacting, and that he needed to calm down and try once more.

Daniel glared at them.

Once more the men encouraged him to try and eventually he did.

Soon the naked covered form of Daniel Howell stood before the two men and they quickly gave him a overly large coat to cover himself. Eventually - after an embarrassing walk through his school- Daniel climbed into the backseat of a large truck and they drove off.

xSTEx

"We don't have long sweety," his mother had said to him as he stood outside the West School for changelings. "We'll keep in touch. Letters of course, you know they don't allow phones."

His father patted his shoulder, somewhat warily. His family had never fully approved of changelings, and Daniel worried now that they would turn their back on him, and he would truly be alone. "Bye son."

"See you guys," Daniel said as they turned and climbed back into the car.

Mr. McDonnell, who was in charge of student relations for the school, smiled at him kindly and picked out a folder from the crook of his arm. "This is yours."

"Thanks," Daniel said as he took it and the man turned to greet a boy who approached.

"Charlie," the boy greeted and they shook hands as Daniel flicked through the folder. "This the new kid?"

He nodded. "Chris good to see you. Daniel, this is Chris Kendall. He's the head of the school's comm unit."

"Communications manager," Chris said as he grinned at Daniel. "Nice to meet you Daniel."

Daniel smiled back, amused that the student and teacher were on a first name bases. "Just call me Dan please."

"Dan then," Chris amended and turned to Mr. McDonnell. "Right well, I'll be taking him out to the grounds this time then?"

The older man nodded slowly. "Perhaps the Grove even. He's old enough afterall."

Daniel looked on, trying his best to remember what he could about Changelings. "Sounds good. See you later then Charlie?"

"At dinner," he agreed, bidding Daniel good luck and a warm welcome, before turning and heading towards one of the longer buildings of the grounds.

Chris turned to Daniel, sporting a smile. "I'll show you your room and help you get set up. Dinner's in an hour, and classes don't start 'till you have your first shifting on school grounds."

Daniel watched as more boys appeared, welcoming him with smiles but not introducing themselves. The three of them then grabbed his bags and headed ahead of Chris and Daniel, who followed after slowly.

The sixteen year old tried his best to listen to Chris's explanation of class schedules and specialist courses, but it was difficult as he was taking in the world around him.

As they reached the entry way, straight away Daniel stepped aside as a ferret ran past him, quickly followed by a cat. No doubt they were students of the school and he found himself smiling in amusement.

Chris led him up three flights of stairs, but informed him of the elevator that was available for them to use. His bags were already inside the room, 32a on level three, and Chris scanned it before nodding approvingly.

"So, all rooms include a bed, closet, desk and chair. Of course a fridge and lamp. Bathrooms are at the end of the hall, one on each level. There's normally a schedule for it posted on the floor's notice board but… Well. There aren't many staying on this floor so I wouldn't worry about it."

He went on to explain some more basics. "Back in rooms by nine, shifting is allowed. You can't go to classes shifted 'course, except for Speech courses."

"Rest of the rules are in here right?" Daniel asked as he tapped the folder in his hands.

Chris nodded and smiled knowingly. "Of course you'd want some time alone, my bad. I'll be here tomorrow at eight to take you to the grove right? Have a good night Dan and I'll send someone to show you to dinner tonight."

"You can't?" Daniels question came out a bit too quickly.

"Unfortunately not," the boy shook his head regretfully. "I'm going to be late to dinner- always have to do a bunch of paperwork when new kids arrive."

Daniel paused and bowed his head slightly. "Oh, sorry."

"Not your fault, I get paid for it too. So don't be sorry," Chris laughed and bit his lip thoughtfully. "Guess that's it. Don't forget 'bout dinner. I'll see you later Dan."

"Bye, and thanks for everything." Daniel watched as the boy shut the door behind him.

Daniel breathed in deeply, allowing himself a moment to calm down, before standing and beginning to unpack his many bags. His entire life was inside those four bags, the thought hurt his chest and he pushed it away as he unzipped the closest one.

xSTEx

Daniel jumped at the sound of a knock on the door. "Come in," he called and a moment later the door opened slightly.

"Hey, you're Dan right?" A slender boy greeted him with a smug smile. "Come along already, I don't have all day. My name's PJ, Chris sent me. You'll be sitting with us."

The new Changeling chuckled at the boys confident attitude but clambered off his bed and shut the information folder he had been reading. "Do they serve anything good?"

Pj looks at him.

"Ah," Dan says.

"Right, so what's your shift?" Pj asked as they climbed down the stairs, making Daniel gawk at him. "Sorry," he scratched his head bashfully. "I forgot some people don't say."

Daniel shook his head to clear it. "Um. Bobcat."

"Ah, Lynx Rufus. We don't have any of those here. There's a few in Europe and such but-" PJ cut himself off with a nervous chuckle. "You probably don't really care about that stuff yet. Have you gone to the grounds yet?"

"No-"

"Course you haven't. Ah I'm being so stupid tonight," PJ sighed and pushed open a set of doors. "And here we are!"

The noise was the first thing that Daniel noticed. The second was the amount of people.

Dozens of tables were sat filled with six or so people each. All of them, Daniel knew, where changelings. His family had always acted like there were so few changelings, so the sight of all these people made Daniel gasp.

"PJ!" Someone called and they both turned to see a bubbly girl waving them both over to a table.

Daniel followed PJ and the two sat down across from the girl. "Louise! This is Dan. Dan this is Louise, she's another member on the comm's committee."

"Oh you work with Chris?" Daniel guesses.

PJ nods. "We both do. It gives us something to do other than homework all the time, but we get so much paperwork that it really doesn't seem much different."

"Chris mentioned paperwork too," Daniel adds.

Louise smiles at both their antics and pokes PJ's shoulder. "Go get dinner. I'll explain everything to Daniel."

"Sounds good," Pj smiles. "See you in a second."

The table grows quiet after that. Daniel spends the time looking around, avoiding Louise's judging gaze. He takes in the sight of filled tables and wonders what some of the people's shifts are.

"So, the comm unit," Louise speaks up after a moment. "The paperwork is pretty much communications with other schools like ours. We keep everyone up to date with news about Changelings and first shifters."

Daniel nodded. He could understand that. "Don't forget, we take care of first years," Chris said as he joined the table. "Teach them the basics."

"Hey Chris," Louise greeted as he sat down next to her. "You taking him out to the grove tomorrow?"

Chris nodded as he set down his satchel, pulling out sheets of paper and sliding them to Louise. "He'll need to shift. Bobcat right?"

"Yeah," Daniel confirmed. "How'd you know?"

"Comm's deals with the reports, just our school's of course. Hope you don't mind," Chris said. When Daniel looked at Louise with confusion- she hadn't known his shift-, Chris gestured to her. "Only the head get's them, privacy and all."

"Do you normally befriend the new students?" Daniel asked. He didn't like the idea that they were only being nice to him out of pity.

PJ sat two trays down, each holding two servings of food. "Nah we aren't that generous. Both Chris and I thought you were-"

"Nice," Chris interrupted.

The two boys shared a pointed look that made Daniel feel like he was missing something.

Louise interrupted their oddness. "Eat up Dan. You probably want to get to bed early and such. I'm sure you've traveled a long way."

Chris didn't answer for Daniel, so he spoke up again. "Not that far actually. I'm only a few hours away."

"Lucky," PJ noted. "Most of us are at least a days travel, Louise here was way up north."

She shrugged at Daniel's curious gaze. "Didn't like the school we had up there for our kind."

Daniel, who had been eating the bland pasta meal that was provided, frowned at the girl. "Why not? I doubt the school's for changelings are that different, right?"

"There are some schools," Chris began in a whisper. "That treat shifts like Louise's differently."

Louise nodded sadly and provided, "Squirrel."

"What's wrong with that?" Daniel asked, truly confused.

PJ glanced at the girl, and when she nodded for him to continue, he leaned towards Daniel. "Not a very rare shift. There are some Changelings who think they're worth more than others."

"Their shifts are more rare," Chris added.

Daniel took a sip of juice as he thought it over. "That's horrible."

"It is isn't it?" Chris agreed.

Louise and PJ entered into a conversation about one of their fellow classmates. Chris added in words when he could whilst Daniel simply enjoyed their company. Eventually people began leaving for their rooms and Daniel had finished his meal long ago.

Waving to his… new friends, Daniel dumped his tray in the trash and headed to his room.

He hoped he wouldn't get lost.

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