Cassie

School. I sighed. While my other friends were at home I was stuck here, because my parents didn't really think I deserved to stay home when I hardly knew Tom. I sat through history, English and maths without taking anything in. Halfway through maths I noticed two familiar birds of prey soaring the skies. A red tailed hawk and a bald eagle. Tobias and Rachel.

((Hey, Cass,)) I heard Rachel say in my head. ((Get out of there. Looks boring.))

I smiled but gently tilted my head to indicate that I thought it was a bad idea.

((Come one Cassie,)) Tobias persuaded. ((You don't know what you're missing.))

((Yeah, it's a beautiful up here,)) Rachel teased.

Giving up to the temptation, I raised my hand and waited for the teacher to notice me.

"Yes, Cassie?" the teacher said politely.

"Sir, I feel sick," I lied. It surprised me how easy lying had become.

"Do you want to have a lie down in the sick bay?"

"Yes, sir," I said.

"Well off you go."

I got up and playing the part, clutched my stomach and put on an expression of pain. When I was well out of eye sight of the classroom I broke into a run and ran out of the school. I looked up. Tobias and Rachel were still soaring majestically over my head.

((It's about time,)) Rachel said grumpily.

I saw a perfect place to morph. A clump of bushes. I stripped down to my spandex and put my clothes in my bag. I started morphing osprey. When I had finished I flew up to them.

((Where to?)) I asked.

((Let's go to the beach,)) Rachel suggested.

((Sounds like a plan,)) Tobias said. ((Let's catch some waves.))

We circled around and headed for the beach.

((Hey, who do you think that is?)) Tobias laughed.

I looked in the direction Tobias was looking at. I laughed. A large group of girls had waded into the water where a dolphin was floating. They patted and stroked him. Couple of them were fussing over how cute he was.

((Please tell me that's not you, Marco,)) Rachel said.

The dolphin tipped its head in surprise.

((Rachel?)) Marco's voice sounded surprised.

I laughed. ((How did we know?))
((Hey, who else is up there?))

((Just us and Tobias,)) I said.

((Well come down, there's plenty of girls for us all,)) he said, cheerfully.

((I don't know about the girls, but I'll come down,)) Rachel growled.

((There's an empty shore a few kilometres down,)) Marco informed us. ((I'll meet you there.))

We flew down and below us Marco swam away from the girls, who sighed dramatically, and followed us down the shore.

Marco was right when he said there was an empty shore. There was nobody in sight. It was a kind of beach where there were corners on either side, in other words it was a really small shore. Tobias, Rachel and I landed on the shore and demorphed. When we had fully demorphed, Rachel and I raced to the beach where Marco was waiting. Tobias flew overhead. Rachel and I morphed to dolphin and when we had finished Tobias landed on Rachel's rubbery skin and started his own morph to dolphin.

((So, back to the girls!)) Marco cried triumphantly once Tobias had finished demorphing.

((Marco, you dumb,)) Rachel snapped. ((We should have asked Ax and Jake to come along.))

((No need to ask Jake,)) Tobias said.

((What do you mean?)) I asked.

((He's here is person,)) Tobias pointed his nose to the right side of the shore where two people were making their way across.

((Who's that with him?)) Rachel asked, she seemed cross.

((Isn't that your friend, Rachel?)) Marco asked. ((Alicia or something?))

((Allison,)) she snapped.

((Let's get out of here,)) I said, wanting to protect Jake's privacy.

((No I want to hear this,)) Marco said, sneakily. He moved closer but not too close so Jake could see us.

Tobias and Rachel followed. I had no choice but to follow myself.