Tala turned her head and surveyed the white room that seemed all too familiar. She tried to sit up but her body was strapped to the bed she was laying on. She looked down at a body that was not hers. She was still a cougar with wings. Sighing she concentrated to shape her body but she couldn't grasp any memories. She had been shape shifting so much these last few weeks that her mind was over crowded with memories that weren't her own. She couldn't remember what she was supposed to look like.

Tala growled in her frustration then focused on the first memory she saw. Slowly her body shifted into a small squirrel. She was able to slip off the bed but she felt too small. Once again grabbing for a memory she shifted into a Doberman. Something about this felt right, natural even. She walked over to the door and pushed against it, it didn't budge. She ignored it and walked to a different door and pushed against that one as well, nothing happened.

Mad, Tala scratched the door and howled for someone to come. She must have scratched and howled for five minutes before the door opened. A blue animal opened the door. Tala backed up and growled it didn't smell right. "It is ok Tala, it is ok, I'm not going to hurt you." Slowly he opened the door a little wider and in walked a wolf. Tala's little stub of a tail wagged. She couldn't remember who this was but the sent reassured her, she knew this wolf. 'Tala, Are you ok?'

Am I Tala?

'Yes'

Who are you?

'I'm Rahne, don't you remember me?'

You seem so familiar, but I have no memories of you. I have memories of all the others but not of you. Why haven't you shared your memories with me?

'I can't, I'm not like the other animals you have met. I'm a human just like you.' Tala shook her head.

I am not a human, I can't be, I don't think. I have no memories of a human's, only animal memories, I think.

'Come with me, I will try and help you remember.'

Alright

Tala walked behind Rahne as the walked out the room, down a steel hallway and into another room. As Tala entered the room, the doors behind her slid shut. The floor trembled causing to Tala to lay on her stomach her ears flat against her head and whine. When the doors opened again with a ding, she jumped out and barked at it. Rahne only smiled with amusement and led Tala on. They were in another hallway to a set of doors. Rahne stopped and barked. Tala instinctively joined in. The doors opened and inside where two men and a woman.

The woman had dark skin and long white hair. She was trying to smile but Tala could sense her unease. One of the men stood in the corner. He had black hair and was standing with his arms crossed. Tala recognized him and tried to run back out. The door had already shut, she scratched to get out but it was no use. She ran to the opposite corner that he was in and looked at the third man. He was sitting down but he had an air of power. He beckoned to her and she felt inclined to obey. 'Tala can you understand me?' Tala shivered. His presence in her mind was nothing like Rahne's, it felt foreign and out of place.

Yes

'I need you to change into your human form. Can you do that for me?' Tala dug inside her mind, slowly a memory formed. She shape shifted in to a younger version of herself. She was slightly chubby but she had a look of innocence that showed a sheltered life. Tala smiled hoping that this was what he wanted. He frowned and Tala's smile faded, as she backed into the corner.

"Tala, do you remember being older?" Tala shook her head quickly. "What do you remember before you woke up?" Tala scrunched up her face in thought.

"I think I was in a car. Yea, it was my dad's car we were coming home from taking Baby to the vet. I must have fallen asleep in the car and woke up here." Tala smiled, happy that she could remember something. "Is that what happened?"

"I'm afraid not. I need to go in to your mind; I need to find your older self. Is that ok?"

"Will it hurt?"

"It shouldn't." Tala shrugged.

"Yes it is ok, but they might not like it. They don't like humans."

"Who are they?"

"They are the others, my friends, the ones who protect me. I will try to stop them, but there area lot of them."

Mentally she held his hand and led him deeper into her mind. I have to go, Baby wants me. She ran of and disappeared behind the memories. Xavier felt lost in her mind. This place made no sense, every once in a while the scene would change and would show a memory from a different animal. Right now he was in a tree and the next he was under the ground. There was only one place that seemed unaffected by the changing memories. He walked towards it carefully. It was a large floating orb. When he was ten feet from it animals surrounded him. They ranged from little birds to all kinds of dogs to a deer. All stared at him none of them making a sound. 'Tala, where are you?' A growl emanated from a Doberman close to him. 'Tala?' It certainly did look like Tala's dog form but something was different. He stepped towards it. The dog bared its teeth in warning.

Baby, stop that! Tala was running towards them. When she reached the animals they stepped back to let her pass then took there old places to close the circle once again. Tala placed a hand on Baby's neck and the growl subsided. I'm sorry about that sir. She is just over protective. Did you find the memories? Baby looked up at Tala and whined, but Tala just ignored her plea.

'I think they are in there' Xavier saidTala looked at the orb took two steps towards it then turned around.

Are you sure? I don't want to open it. It reeks of fear and sadness.

'Tala we need to know what happened to you.' Tala walked closer to the orb and touched it then jumped back, expecting something to jump back at her. Nothing happened. She touched it again with both hand and closed her eyes in concentration. The orb's once shiny surface grew dark started to groan and grind. The orb opened and a white mist filled with memories swirled around Tala. Tala cried out in pain. The animals howled, screeched, stamped, and hissed their concern. It seemed like an eternity before the mist soaked into her skin.

When it was gone Tala had grown into her older self. She sat down and cried. Baby walked over to her and Tala embraced her. Thank you Baby, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. A hand rested on her shoulder. Tala looked in to his kind eyes before recognizing him. Professor? He nodded.

'Are you ok?' She shrugged. 'What do you remember?'

Everything

'Can you tell me?'

About what?

'What made you leave your home in California'

It is too complicated and I don't want to talk about it.

'I think I deserve an explanation don't you?'

Can I show you instead of saying it? Are you sure you want to know? The professor nodded. Ok but be warned it is a long story.

Hey everyone! Sorry it has taken me so long to update. Thanks for sticking it out with me for this long and please review!

Lizanne89892: I'm glad you like it. Thanks for reading it!

Turtle: Thanks I like the cougar too. Thanks for reviewing!

MY dear Yobanut: I think I might have an idea on how to add your precious Gambit in there. But before you get too excited I need you to breath. It might not work out. The voices are very important.

Yaya: Well I hope this was what you wanted. I made her all better just for you.  That's awesome! Great minds must think alike! Speaking of which when are you going to write more? I can't wait!

Kool-Wolf: Thank you for reading and reviewing my story! Please update yours soon!

A dragons wing: Thank you for liking the story! Please keep reviewing! You don't know what it means to me!