Author's note: Here are some old drabbles I wrote for an alternate universe where the Animorphs did not meet Elfangor, but remember some parts of the invasion. I'll admit that I'm not fully satisfied with what I've written. Maybe I'll add or change this one day, but enjoy!

Raptor

"So," the voice began, trying to diffuse some of the unbearable silence. "If you could be any animal, which would you choose?"

The boy lifted his head but kept his gaze on the wall. He had risen to catch the bait, almost.

"Come on," it added encouragingly. "Any animal. Fish or mammal. Even extinct or mythical. Most boys your age read fantasy stories, right? I think being a dragon would be very cool, myself. But I guess it is because they can fly. Most people long for the ability to fly, right? It would be a cool superpower to have."

He narrowed his eyes, and increased his stare at the wall. If only he could see through it, out into the grassy knoll or the graying sky. Sometimes he would sit inside buildings- his classroom at school, his room, the doctor's office (it was all the same, a box, really) and pretended that he was outside. Outside, where he couldn't be trapped, in wait for the next kick from a bully or slap from his uncle.

"Wait, superpowers? I've geeked out on you a bit there. I was supposed to be asking you what type of animal you wanted to be, rather than showing you what a major dweeb I am." (Though the boy wasn't looking, he could hear the sheepish grin.)

The boy thought again about his plans for tonight, as he glanced at this bulging backpack. He had about 20 dollars to his name, and a few changes of clothes. It would be just like camping, right? And he liked sitting under the stars. It was what he wanted, except…

"I know it's really hard for you, Tobias. I just wanted you to know, that if you need to talk to someone or ever feel lonely-"

"I like being alone."

When Mr. Feyroyan shot him a confused, but worried look, Tobias attempted to clarify. "I mean," he started softly. "I'm used to being lonely anyway, so I decided to get used to it."

"But Tobias, you can-"

"A bird."

"Excuse me? What do you mean?"

"You asked me what animal I would want to be," he licked his lips to wet them. "A bird of some sort. Not a pigeon, or a crow, though. Maybe a raptor. Eagle? Falcon? No," he paused again. "A hawk."

Mr. Feyroyan looked a little relieved at the small change in topic. "A hawk? I guess most people do want to try flying." His voice became a little more serious in tone. "Do you want to be able to fly for a reason, Tobias? When my patients choose flighted animals, they usually want to run away from something or forget bad things that have happened to them."

His suggestion was met once again with silence. The boy had once again picked up his train of thought. If he did go "camping," he wouldn't have to see his horrible uncle or aunt, or be beaten on by bullies, or- he would be alone. His eyes, no longer narrowed filled with tears. Why did his mom and dad have to-

"Maybe you aren't ready to talk to me fully, yet. I understand. I also understand why you want to be alone, or at least why you think it would be easier to be left alone. If you're alone, then, at least you don't have to worry about people hurting you. I mean, people tell you to give others a chance all the time, or to open yourself up to people, or to make friends…But, in the end all they do is fail you or hurt you."

Tobias glanced up in surprise at the crack in his counselor's voice. Was he on the verge of tears? Though no moisture was present on his face, Tobias saw sorrow in the older man's eyes. It was like looking in the mirror. But then his eyes snapped back to their usual cheerful, albeit spacey status.

For that brief moment, Tobias felt like there was someone that could somehow understand his feelings. "I like dinosaurs."

Instead of giving Tobias another worried glance, Mr. Feyroyan waited for him to explain his words.

"Raptors, like hawks, are the distant relatives of dinosaurs. I just think it is interesting that large reptiles could be related to birds smaller than 10 year olds. But the talons are similar, as well as the beak. And they have the same desire to hunt." His voice filled with a little excitement.

"So is that what you were trying to draw? Your own animal made of a hawk and a dinosaur? Not a dragon or goblin, or whatever?"

"What do you mean?"

For the first time in the meeting, Tobias' eyes stayed on something other than the wall. Mr. Feyroyan had pulled out a drawing from his desk. It was a perfect portrait of a Hork-Bajir.