" Even if your hadn't changed, there's still a deeper connection between you now. You said earlier that you felt like you and your animal spirit were one ant the same. Did you not feel that before?" asked Master Swoop. " No, I didn't feel that before." said Theo. He let go of Master Swoop's arm and blinked. " How are we doing this?" asked Theo.

" Look into your mind. You will find the thread that's the connection between you and your animal spirit." said Master Swoop.

Theo looked inside himself, but couldn't find it. Suddenly he remembered the bond he shared with his mother. He searched his mind and indeed, there it was. He felt his animal spirit pulse within him and he had the sudden urge to transform. He focused on their bond and a moment later, he was on the ground in his Jaguar form. He had a Chocolate brown coat with silver spots and dazzling Navy blue eyes. Suddenly, he felt a pulse in his chest and a second later, Master Swoop was standing in his Lioness form. Master Swoop had a jet black coat with soft brown eyes.

" You did it." said Master Swoop. Theo's head whipped around looking for the sound of his voice and his mother chuckled. " Theo, I'm right here." said Master Swoop. He spoke gently. He didn't want to frighten him. Master Swoop walked up to Theo and nudged him with his nose. " That was you just now, talking? How is that possible?" asked Theo. He nudged back and suddenly felt another pulse in his chest. " I'm guessing the bond between us. You let me in and let me help you. You admitted you needed a mother and let me in to do the job. It strengthened the bond we already had resulting in telepathy." said Master Swoop.

" So your saying we can communicate telepathically in our animal spirit's counter forms?" asked Theo. " Yes. Now, you felt something earlier. What was it?" asked Master Swoop. " I don't know." said Theo. Master Swoop nudged him again and then started to walk around him in a circle, nudging him here and there. He stopped back in front of him and sat down. " So what's going on with me?" asked Theo.

" Why don't we go for a run and you try to figure it out." said Master Swoop. " Alright." said Theo. He stood and Master Swoop nudged him to turn around.

He did and Master Swoop walked to his side. " Ready?" asked Master Swoop. " Yes." said Theo. They took off, side by side. Theo felt relaxed, as if he finally had freedom. He loved the feel of the grass underneath his paws. He suddenly heard a roar and then felt a heavy weight settle on top of him. he wriggled out from underneath it and suddenly pounced. His mother playfully nipped his ear and that was it. They tussled around like kittens for the next hour. As Theo gained the upper hand, or paw so to speak, he noticed he almost matched his mother in size. That didn't make sense at all, seeing as he was her cub.

They lay there, panting after their game and he realized what it was. " I think it's time we transform back." said Master Swoop. Theo did just that and waited. Suddenly he sensed Master Swoop shifting back and wondered why. Theo was glad he was on his knees, because in the next second, agony tore through his head like a thousand knives. He gripped his head and literally yowled in pain. Suddenly something soft was in front of him and a hand was pushing his head into someones chest. He felt fingers gently kneading his neck. He sat that way for an hour, not even recognizing anything through the haze of pain that engulfed his mind.

He seemed to have blacked out, because the next time he woke up, he recognized his mother's cloak. That must have been who's chest he was against. The fingers kneading his neck finally belonged to someone. " What was that horrible pain?" asked Theo. Hos voice was scratchy. Theo realized him must have screamed himself hoarse.

A.N. Telepathy is in italics. Any other speech not in italics is verbal.