Chapter 24 (Tobias)
I felt kind of sorry for the guy. I mean, none of this was his fault. He didn't say that he wanted to the Ellimist's son did he? But, here he was about to change who he was – forever.
Since I'd first met the Andalite, a lot of things had changed for me. I was a hawk. I hunted and ate what I killed. I'd become what Joe was about to. A nothlit. Except that I hadn't had to do it, it had been an accident. It couldn't be helped.
For some reason, thinking about Joe's situation brought back memories of David. David had innocently got caught up in all this, but had turned out to be a liability to all of us. It was similar to Lee's situation too. She hadn't asked for her parents to be made into Controllers and get blown up in a factory, but there it was. It had happened. In fact, come to think of it, none of us had asked for this to happen to us. Hard? Yeah. But that was how life worked. It showed no pity for the individual.
How long is he going to stay in there? Muttered Rachel, raking her tongue through her fur. Rachel had gone cat, and was waiting impatiently in the tree.
Let him take as long as he needs. I wouldn't blame him if he decided not to come out at all. Cassie glanced about. Where are you guys anyway?
You mean, you're an owl and you can't see me?
Where are you Marco?
Rachel knows.
I instinctively looked across at Rachel. You let him go flea on you?
Rachel's cat eyes glared at me dangerously from the next tree. Then she continued washing herself.
It was already pretty late by the time Joe made it out of his bedroom window and down onto solid ground again. He looked pale, shocked. As though what he was doing had finally dawned on him. I couldn't blame him.
You okay?
Joe paused for a second before answering Lee's question with a tense nod. Lee – the Eurasian Kestrel – looked somewhat worried. I was worried too. She had insisted on the Kestrel, although they stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe they didn't in Britain, but here is a different matter. If anyone with any knowledge on birds happened to walk past… I wish she hadn't taken a particular liking to her Kestrel morph. Although, I suppose it's one of the only things she has to connect with Britain.
I returned my attention to Joe. Then I glanced about. I'd already spotted who I was looking for. Ax? I called. You ready?
Ax was in his human morph and raised his hand in a small wave as he approached Joe.
With my hearing it was hard not to overhear their conversation. "Have you done it?" Ax was whispering, but to me it still sounded like he was speaking through a megaphone.
"Uh-huh."
"We have to leave then."
I smiled as I realised how much this sounded like a gangster movie. Well, I can't physically smile, but I definitely chortled to myself. Ax and Joe sauntered off and the rest of us weren't far behind him. We met up in the park.
It's an old park that no one uses much any more. There's all the druggies and alcoholics about. But it was too late right now even for them. The rest of us hung back from Joe and Ax. The idea being that too many kids our age walking around at this time of night would be a little conspicuous. I got there after Ax and Joe, but before everyone else.
Joe was pacing around chewing his lower lip nervously and Ax was standing watching him. Making for the swing Joe dropped on and swung himself a little. Ax sauntered over. "What's this?"
Joe looked up. He was frowning slightly. Still chewing on his lip. Like he had a lot on his mind. "A swing Ax."
"What's it for?"
"Swinging… I guess."
"How do you use it? You-zuh. Zuh."
Joe looked slightly taken aback. "You sit on it and use you legs to make yourself swing."
"Oh." Ax tried to sit on the swing three times before managing not to fall off. He sat, grinning triumphantly at Joe. "Now what?"
Joe smiled slightly. "That might be a bit dangerous for now Ax. Why don't you just practise sitting on it?"
And that's what he did for the next few minutes before the others showed up. Practised sitting on a swing and getting off again. Most of the time missing his target and ending up with his butt in the dirt. Joe put out a hand to help him up. "Maybe when you get a bit better at it I'll show how to do the thing with your legs."
"You'll teach me how to fully use a swing? Tee-ch. Eee-ch."
"That I will. But you definitely need a bit more practise at getting on one first."
Eventually the others made it and managed to put a stop to Ax's swinging. Also known as getting on and off a swing with incredible inaccuracy. After checking that Joe was okay and he hadn't been seen, they said their good-byes and headed home hoping that they hadn't been missed.