Up high in the sky, Camilo flew, reaching the cliff after a few minutes. He peered down over the land from it and his bird eyes widened in delight when he saw his home! His casita!
"Woohoo! YES!" He called out to himself and was about to dive down the cliff – when suddenly claws sprung out and caught him mid-air.
"Ow!" Camilo quipped, tossing down through the wind to the ground and the claws that had struck him. He felt his toucan body quiver and shake as he slowly looked ahead of him into her golden eyes.
"Finally," The jaguar said, licking his stomach and tasting him, "I like fast food."
"IT'S ME!" Camilo shrieked back, his wings flapping manically and the jaguar opened her golden eyes up wider, staring at him and hissing.
"If no one knows, no one will be looking for you... hmm, Camilo?"
He gaped open his large beak. Was she really going to do it? Was she going to EAT HIM?!
He knew then instantly what he had to do. His body quickly began to vibrate and jiggle, the jaguar blinking surprised and pointed her large claw at him asking, "Are you having a fit?"
He began to feel what she must feel. Strength, bravery... power!
In a second he was no longer a pinned-down bird. No, he was a larger-than-life powerful JAGUAR!
He kicked her off him and she nearly fell off the edge of the high towering cliff.
"What's better than one jaguar?" Camilo said confidently as he circled her in an instinctive way the animal body made him, "TWO JAGUARS!"
"I'll kill you!" She screamed and swiped her huge paw at him, but he duck and slapped her back on her cheek, rolling again when she was about to pounce him.
She began flinging her large clawed paws all over the place, just hoping somehow one strike would hit him. But Camilo had had enough of her BS to feel scared or threatened.
Being a jaguar made him feel strong and undefeatable. He was the king of this forest. No one was going to mess with him. But if someone did, they wouldn't live to tell the tale.
He and the female jaguar were circling each other carefully, as she opened her sharp-toothed jaw and hissed at him, her paw flinging forward and keeping him at a distance.
He hissed back, to his surprise and suddenly lunged at her, knocking them both off their feet and their rolled around, claws everywhere, blood being drawn and soaking down their golden fur.
He then began to realize one thing at that moment... he mightn't win this FIGHT.
He escaped from her clutches then and looked out to the sky, screaming as he reached the edge of the cliff.
"HELP ME!"
~x~
"Help me!"
Antonio could just hear the words in the distance... knowing that voice and who it was that second.
He was in the kitchen and had been looking out the window when the call had hit his ears. He froze up in terror and looked to his side when he saw her.
"Mirabel!"
"What's up, Antonio?"
The dark young boy began to point his finger out the window into the distance.
"Camilo needs help! HELP HIM!"
Mirabel slowed down in her approach when she heard her cousin's frightened plead, "How..." She asked warily and looked out to the cliff in the far distance... seeing the jaguar.
But there... there were two!
"Oh my gosh!" She screamed, glancing her head farther forward on the window in fright, "He's up there, ISN'T HE?!"
Antonio desperately nodded his head, peeping, "Yes! Yes! And he needs our help!"
"But how can we help him!?"
The two heard another deep roar as one of the jaguars in the distance had been flung off the edge of the cliff and was holding on to its rocky side in case it fell to its death.
"MIRABEL!" Antonio yelled at her and she closed her eyes in fear. It had TO STOP! This couldn't be happening?! As she slowly opened her eyes again she noticed something strange.
Antonio had stopped moving... the water from the tap was barely tinkling down. The birds in the sky were frozen as if they were in a photo.
Only her heart bet at a normal pace, and she slowly began to walk around the house, looking at her family and trying to tell them that Camilo was in life or death situation.
She walked past her mother, waving her hand in front of the woman. Mirabel's eyes blinked wide in disbelief as she realized then what was happening.
"Time has slowed down..." She whispered to herself, and looked around at all the nearly frozen members of her family, "I've... I've slowed it down..."
She said this to herself in deep realization inside. She then turned her eyes back to the window and the fight that was happening so very far away.
She quickly nodded her head and began to take large strides out of the house and into the forest. It was almost a magical experience. The drops of rain that had been in the air were now like glittering jewels waiting to shimmer and be worn.
The animals went about their business as normal, not knowing she was there in slow-moving time. She looked above her after ten minutes and saw frozen flocks of birds slowly floating in the sky like dream-catchers over beds.
She eventually arrived at the cliff, after an hour of this magical slow time had passed. She saw the two jaguars at war with one another. One was at the edge of the cliff, above the other one that was holding on for dear life.
It was then time began to suddenly speed up again.
"Wait-!" Mirabel yelled as the ticking of the clocks returned to their normal pace and without knowing what she could do, Mirabel lunged onto the jaguar before her, the two tossing over one another on the cliff.
"Mirabel!" Camilo screamed, but she did not understand his animal words. He began to get angry and scared. That huge cat could easily kill Mirabel if it bit her in the right place on her neck. He swung his body back onto the cliff's edge once more and slammed his paw into the jaguar, distracting her with his attack.
The female jaguar noticed then that Camilo was trying to protect Mirabel, and an idea sprung up in her mind. She looked at Camilo with a sharp menacing smile and slinked over to the girl that was on the ground injured and weak.
"You really think that I will spare her... hmm?"
Camilo stood up in front of his cousin, his own golden jaguar eyes slitting their lids as he pierced them in other jaguar's direction. Not afraid.
"You've caused me a lot of trouble, boy."
Camilo hated being called that, especially from the one that had caused him so much trouble. Grief.
"I am NOT just some BOY!" He yelled at it and hissed as the two of them eyed each other and every step they took, "I am A MADRIGAL!"
"You ARE a Madrigal," she repeated, her teeth blaring from her cat lips, "A DEAD ONE!"
She lunged herself at him, her claws drawn and it was in that mile-second Camilo felt the fear of a human... that human being him.
His body quickly began to vibrate, as in that mile-second he burst into his own body... transforming into his one and only self.
He slammed to the ground hard onto his back and as the jaguar got ready to pounce, he kicked his human legs up and rammed them so hard into the jaguar's gut, he winded her. He then kicked her heavyweight off him and she went plummeting off the cliff into the forestry ground below.
He slowly got to his feet... looking around in exhaustion, and he spotted her. Mirabel... unconscious and laying at the cliff's edge... so close to falling off.
He approached her slowly and sat beside her wounded body. He awkwardly placed her head on his lap, and she stirred then, before looking up at him and giving a heartbroken smile.
"Did I save you...?" She asked, her voice weak and tired and Camilo only chuckled at her words.
"No," He said back calmly, and gazed at her warmly as he continued, "But I'll say we're about even."
"Where's the-" She suddenly froze, bouncing up her head and peering around in fear, "Where's the JAGUAR?!"
"I kicked her," Camilo said tiredly, though tried to hide his pain and exhaustion, "Off the cliff."
"Y-you did?!" Mirabel asked in disbelief, before doing a fist pump in the air as she whispered, "Yes!"
"How did you get here so quickly...?" Camilo asked her then, amazed at her sudden appearance with no way of knowing HOW she suddenly appeared, "Curious is all?"
"I um..." She began weakly and her fingers played with each other nervously as she uttered, "I might have slowed down time...?"
The teenage boy only looked at her surprised to hear these words.
"Okay," He said back then, almost patronizing in his speech, "I believe you."
Mirabel frowned, her expression dropping into that of annoyance and she slowly began to stand up on her legs, offering Camilo some assistance too.
When he got to his own feet, he suddenly winced in pain as he touched his waist with his hand and when he drew it back – saw blood.
"Stupid jaguar," He said, trying to walk forward but was limping on one foot and Mirabel caught him in his step before he could've crashed to the ground.
"I am NOT in good shape." He said bitterly and she slowly swung his weak arm around her shoulder, helping him walk with her support.
The two began to trail slowly but safely down the cliff and Mirabel pointed the way to their house, their casita.
"You really don't have to baby me the whole way home," Camilo said to Mirabel and she only scoffed at his words.
"If you walk and break your ankle because of me," She said to him, almost sounding as patronizing to him like he was to her earlier, "It would be my fault."
Camilo only huffed out a shallow annoyed breath and limped along with her as they reached the mossy and grassy forest basin.
As they made their way through it, Camilo could feel the eyes of many animals, birds, and critters on him and he sighed in defeat as he passed them without a word.
"Is it just me... or are all these animals spying on us?"
"It's just you," Camilo joked and Mirabel smirked, nudging her cousin playfully, "But no... they know me as the great shape-shifter, Camilo Madrigal!"
"The great annoyer!" Mirabel remarked with a grin, "More like. Camilo?" She then said his name with curiosity, "How many animals did you shapeshift into?"
"More than a few anyway... I just want to forget it now."
Mirabel cocked her eyebrow up, surprised to be hearing this. She then asked, "But... but how did you turn back into yourself... your human self?"
"Honestly?" He replied back, and squinted when his leg throbbed with pain at all the movement they were making, "I just did it."
Mirabel looked at him unimpressed and muttered back, "Just like that?"
"Yep..."
"Hmm," She murmured to herself and the two carried on down through the forest till they began to see their home far in the distance, "Casita!" Mirabel cooed, getting just a little too excited and making Camilo wince once more from the action.
"Steady, steady." He told her in pained annoyance. She was about to run ahead but he screeched even louder, "I SAID STEADY!"
Mirabel rolled her eyes slowly, and the two finally reached where the forest and its trees ended.
Before them lay a large open field, and within only half a mile they'd be home. Home, safe at last.
They walked and limped onwards, Dolores being the first one home to announce the news quickly.
"I HEAR them!" She yelled, and the whole family rushed out the door, looking around before Bruno pointed his dark hand eagerly over to the wobbling Camilo and his supporter, Mirabel.
"Mirabel!" Julieta yelled. Agustin and her rushed out over to their daughter and Mirabel just collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. Camilo wavered there for a second, about to drop down himself, but Pepa caught him in his fall and he looked with warm happy eyes at his mother.
"Mum!"
"Camilo!" She said, kissing his cheek quickly and gripping him in a strong maternal bear hug. He chuckled gently at this, as his father, sister, and brother came over to his side as well, the family embracing in joy!
Mirabel was helped back up to her own exhausted feet and she glanced over to Camilo who looked back at her in return.
She nodded to him and him to her.
Mirabel could feel her own family's arms wrapping around her, and she relaxed in their warmth.
"I'm sorry for taunting you."
Camilo looked around for who said that and saw his sister looking at him, self-blame present on her face.
"You never made me do it," He huffed back, the family relaxing their hug and standing apart now once again.
"But I encouraged it." She replied, the guilt ridden all over her features.
"Well, if you want..." Camilo said cheekily, rubbing his chin as an idea started to sprout, "You can make it up to me."
Dolores lowered one eyebrow slowly, eyeing her brother carefully as she asked, "What?"
"Do my chores for a week?"
Her lips slipped down heavily into an annoyed frown, "You know what, you're right. You did make yourself do it."
Camilo only laughed quickly at her excusing reply, "Dolores, never change."
It was then Camilo noticed that someone had become absent. He looked around for that person and soon found Antonio had gone a few steps toward the woods in the distance... talking. He was talking to the animals.
Camilo gulped nervously, approached his brother quietly, and placed his hand on Antonio's timid shoulder asking him, "What are they telling you about me?"
Antonio gave a small smile and looked up to his brother as he whispered in small glee, "That you are special..."
Camilo blinked his eyes, surprised to hear this, "Am I?!"
"You always know how to put yourself in danger..."
"Hmm..." He hummed, but suddenly flinched back when he saw the big cat limp forward in pain and sorrow.
She meowed achingly to Antonio and the young boy's eyes widened as he turned to look at Camilo, yelling at his brother in shock.
"You threw her off a cliff?!"
"Wha-?" Camilo barked back in disbelief, "She was TRYING TO EAT ME!"
The jaguar meowed weakly in reply.
"She says it's the way of the jungle..."
"Antonio!" Camilo yelled pointing at himself as he said, "Alive or DEAD? Which would you rather me be?!"
Antonio only rolled his eyes gently at his brother's overly alarmed self.
~x~
Soon the whole family came back inside to the house and Camilo only glared at the jaguar as she walked off back into the forest in the distance.
When Camilo lay in his bed that night, he had a million thoughts he needed answered... but the only person who could answer them... was himself.
How did he become human again? How was it even possible? It perplexed him long into the night.
When he eventually drifted off to sleep, his brain began to investigate the possibilities in his dreams.
His dreams where he saw himself in his mirrors... but each reflection was a different animal, a different beast.
He saw the frantic worried eyes of the mouse... the calm lethargic eyes of a capybara. The confidence and cockiness of a toucan. And the danger, power of the one and only jaguar.
He saw even more creatures he hadn't yet been taken up the remaining mirrors. All of them looking at him with silent piercing eyes.
"Go away!" He yelled as he stood in the center, the mirrors rotating around him and scaring him with their reflections. All the eyes of the creatures slowly began to glow red... his own eyes crying red blood as he remembered being stuck like them. He thought he'd be stuck as an animal forever.
He looked down to his arms now, seeing them growing fur and feather and scales, the whole pool of animal genes running through his body. His nails slowly became sharp and hard as they turned to claws.
When he saw his reflection again, he gasped in horror at what he was looking out. A deformed cesspool of different hideous animals all combined to make one ugly beast.
He screamed as he woke up from the nightmare, and was there gasping. His reflection surrounded him then, on all sides and he gulped heavily, getting out of his bed and running in desperation across the floor to his door.
He left his room and walked in hurried frightened steps to the door of the person he knew would help him.
He rattled on the blue door quickly, his eyes worn and tired, his hair a mess.
After the fifth rattle, a very sleep-deprived Mirabel answered his knocking and she looked at him, herself even more disheveled.
"Do you want to swap rooms tonight?" He asked her quickly and she blinked slowly, sleepy.
"Huh-?" She replied, closing her eyes and reopening them as she stood there, exhausted.
"Exchange rooms...?" He asked again.
Mirabel only let out a big yawn and looked at him quietly as she said, "Having trouble sleeping?"
"You could tell?" He replied and she barely nodded her head.
"Just a hunch..."
"So... swap?" He asked again.
"If you want you can sleep on the floor in here... but you probably want to be alone-"
"THANKS!" Camilo said quickly and brought in a pillow and blanket, laying on the wooden floor and Mirabel was still standing at the door half asleep.
"Okay... I guess you are OK with that."
She slammed her blue door closed and collapsed back in bed. Camilo's eyes were only wide open as he stared at the ceiling above him.
He gulped, pulling his blanket tighter over him, and uttered a bit in fear, "Cous... do you ever... feel afraid... of yourself?"
Mirabel only groaned in exhaustion and slurred her words as she stuffed her head into her pillow.
"Yeah," Camilo said quietly and turned on his side, looking sadly ahead, "I do too..."
There was no answer so he asked back quietly, "Cous... cous?"
All that came out were snores.
"We'll talk tomorrow, I guess..." Camilo answered for her, "And thank you..." He said quietly smiling a broken smile, "For saving my life today."
"You're welcome..." She said in her sleep.
He closed his eyes too and fell into unconsciousness.
He never wanted to look in a mirror again... but his room hadn't been the one that had changed.
No... he had.