Chapter 6

Just as we were about to go inside, I noticed a silhouette of a hawk. -(Hey Jake,)- Tobias called. Hesitantly, he said a hello to Laura. "Just finished up some yard work," Laura said. -(Jake,)- Tobias started, a little surprised and confused, but I interrupted him. "She offered to help," I said, and that's the full honest truth. I gave Laura a look. She got the hint. "Um, I think there's just one tiny bit of information I forgot to tell the rest of you about…" Laura told him the truth on how long she knew about the Animorphs. -(What,)- Tobias said, not happy. -(If you're going to be helping us, why didn't you mention that!)- "To keep you guys on your toes, I guess," she said. "And I didn't know if I'd be 'interfering' or not if I did meet you guys any sooner." Tobias didn't say anything to that, but, -(Ellimist… I can't believe he would do something like he did to help out Laura.)- "Well, you guys just don't know him well enough," Laura said, mostly for his defense. "I know you're not that fond of him, and I understand why." -(Hey, do you think I really like living as a hawk? I miss some of my old life too, you know. And you should know what I'm talking about, right?)- I was surprised. I thought he was much happier living as a bird of prey, despite the hunting. But even that had some disadvantages.

Laura huffed out as sigh. "What do you suggest I do? Help you with that?" She threw her arms up in the air, helpless. "I could, and would like to, but I can't." -(Oh, I see, the interfering thing,)- Tobias said darkly. "It's…complicated," she said, raising her tone of voice up a notch. It looked like Laura was growing frustrated with him. "Tobias," I warned, but to my surprise, he snapped right back at her. I believe my friend was starting to going overboard. -(Really? How? Are you really that selfish as to keeping your-)- "Tobias," I called again, raising my voice just a notch. "Stop it." He looked at me with his fierce hawk gaze. I assumed he was either mad or shocked (or both) at me, but you could never be sure. A bird of prey will always look fierce. Laura glared at him, a far away red tailed hawk perched on the fence, a few feet across from us.

For a few seconds, no one said anything. It was Laura who spoke up. "Tobias, you wouldn't like the answers if I told you." I looked to her. "What answers," I suddenly asked, suddenly now on Tobias's defense. She looked to me, and then to the ground, shaking her head. "Life has limits, and lessons must be learned," she said, and then nothing. She looked to Tobias. "If you really must know, I think we should go by air and discuss this." Silence, then an answer from my other comrade. -(Yeah, fine,)- he said, and started to take off. Very shortly, Laura had morphed to an osprey. -(I guess that's life. Everyone wants the truth, no matter how harsh it is,)- she muttered and started to flap her wings for altitude as well.

"Hold on, I'm going with you guys," I said, wanting in on this. I felt it was my right to know what she was going to have to say to Tobias. I cared about him very much as a friend. I wanted to be there for support. And to stick up for him if Laura would try anything I would disapprove of. I quickly ran inside, found my mom, and told her I was going out and that I finished the chores. "I guess Laura went home? Tom just told me about her," she said. "Uh, yeah," I said. "She did. I'm going to Marco's house now." Someday, I would tell her everything. When all is safe. If I live long enough to tell about it, I silently told myself as I went out the front door. I quickly changed to my morphing suit and started to morph to peregrine falcon. I was shrinking, but it felt like falling. The recently cut grass rushed up to meet me as grayish feathers emerged from my skin. My feet turned yellow as my ten puny toes grew and split into six deadly talons. By the next minute, I was fully falcon. By then, Tobias and Laura were already riding the thermals, Tobias a little bit farther apart from Laura. They were leaving without me! -(Hey, guys, wait up!)- I called, flapping my wings and pushing myself off from the ground.

As soon as we were all together, I heard Laura let out a huge sigh in our heads. A sigh of frustration. I didn't know why. I didn't know what the big deal… -(Okay Tobias,)- she said. -(Remember from the very beginning, when you just fell head over heals for the red tail's form? I don't blame you. I love being a bird of prey, except that I don't have a time limit.)- Nothing came from Tobias. -(You kept wanting to be as the hawk,)- Laura continued. -(And, you got trapped.)- This was true. Ever since we first learned about the Yeerk Pool, Tobias would be in morph longer than the rest of us had. After we bailed, Tobias told me it took too long to get out. Longer than two hours. That's the downside for us Animorphs. Stay in a form for more than two hours, and you stay that way forever.

-(But that's not my fault,)- Tobias argued to Laura. -(I would've flown out sooner if it didn't mean to blow my cover and risk getting everyone caught!)- -(I didn't say it was your fault on that part, but it is sort of your fault that you got hooked, being a hawk and taking to the air,)- she countered. She was being very calm about this, and that disturbed me. -(It's understandable to fly free, but too much of that desire had cost you to as you are of today. Ellimist didn't want to take away that reminder of the two hour limit. If I made you human, and still have the power to morph, chances to be trapped again would be by half and half.)- Out of the corner of my binocular vision, I saw Laura drift to the left a little. -(I understand why he didn't give you exactly what you wanted. I know it sucks, but that's how life is. You can't go through life, trying to find the easiest way out, no matter how hard you try.. And I can't risk my own survival for your greater good. Don't you get that?)- She had now turned from calm to being mad. -(It's not just about you, it's about Earth. How can I do my part in helping the planet I love to live in if I just waste away my privilege and gift on you? Huh? If I want to make the big move, I'll do it for all of Earth. Not just one individual. There, I told you why I can't help you. Happy?)-

Tobias said nothing. I think what Laura told him had hit him hard. But she didn't stop there. -(You know what? Maybe this is a stupid idea. Maybe we won't do so well together after all, if that's how you're going to be, Selfish Birdman.)- -(Okay, that's enough,)- I said. I had heard enough, and I believe Laura made her point. It was just that she was starting to be rude about it. -(Laura, I think he got the message.)- Just then, Tobias left. I called for him, but he didn't stop. I think he was heading back to his meadow. -(I thought he would know better. I thought he would have understood by now,)- Laura said. -(Screw this… First Rachel, then Tobias. Who's next on my case?)- -(No one,)- I quickly told her. -(Look, just give Tobias some time to cool off. You really drove that into him, okay? So back off. You don't have to leave because of this.)- -(You better go home Jake,)- Laura suggested. -(I'm done. I screwed up. Deciding to help out the so called Animorphs was a bad idea…)-

No, I wasn't going to leave just yet. -(No!)- I cried. -(You didn't screw up. It was Tobias,)- I said. I couldn't believe what I just said. Tobias screwed up? Tobias? I could have argued with Laura, but at the same time I could understand why she couldn't fix Tobias's problem. The Ellimist had to be so strict on this. Why couldn't she do just both of these things? Why does life have to be like this? -(At least you seem to understand,)- Laura said. -(I'm sure Cassie does too, being Cassie, but Marco, Rachel, and Tobias…? I can't play God…)- It was like she knew all of us, just by how she said that. It had to be true, because from Erek she must have heard from us for quite some time now. -(Laura, I'll talk to them,)- I started to say. -(You don't have to,)- Laura said calmly, with just a hint of sadness. -(I could still help my in my part in saving Earth, with the Chee to back me up, but I guess I'm not allowed to make anymore partners and friends, I guess.)-

After that, she said. -(It was nice meeting you… I could visit and maybe slip in some secret info when I find it, but to fit among the team, it just isn't going to work out as I anticipated it would.)- Laura was hurt, from as far as I could hear her thoughts. -(Once a freak, always a freak… Later Jake.)- Just what did she mean by that, exactly? She started to descend, and I followed from the distance I was. -(Wait, you're not a freak, Laura. You're… unique.)- -(That's nice and honest coming from you. I believe your words, but most people just don't appreciate what they have,)- Laura said. -(I know people. I've learned quite a lot about them since Ellimist gave me this huge gift. This privilege and curse, this gift and burden… You should land, big guy. Don't want to get in the same fate as your friend there, do you?)- I didn't know what it was, but it had to do with that one thing in common: Crayak. I think that was it that made me not land. -(I'm not demorphing.)- Laura's a good person, and Tobias would soon make up to her. I was sure of that, because he didn't usually act like the way he did earlier. In some ways, they were both alike. Tobias was the odd one out. He has no family that cares about him. And he doesn't like feeling left out.

-(Don't be dumb,)- Laura pointed out. -(You've got a responsibility to do, being the leader!)- -(I know,)- I said, angry. -(I want you in on the team. You shouldn't quit because of Tobias, or Rachel. Or any of my other friends! I think that's dumb!)- Laura didn't have a comeback for that one. -(C'mon, let's head back and morph out,)- I said. -(Give Tobias some time alone.)- -(You know… I'd like some time alone come to think of it,)- Laura said slowly. She didn't sound so mad anymore. -(I need to think.)- -(Okay,)- I said, letting her go. -(You'll be okay though, right?)- -(Yeah, I just need some space. I'll contact you later,)- she said. Before she left and told me to go back to human, Laura added, -(You're a good guy, Jake. You're a good leader, and I understand why the others had decided you to be that way. And I, am glad to have met you.)-