Hey Y'all,

Here is chapter 2. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2

Outskirts of Forks, Swanakee region, North West USA, Earth.

The pair walked a day and night through the forest before they needed to stop and rest. They were able to go a long time without stopping but eventually, even the strongest of their kind, needed to sleep and allow their body to rest. Jasper skillfully started a fire out of forest bracken and Edward collected fallen wood that was big enough to sustain the flames throughout the night. They didn't have fire where they were from, but they had learned about it and how to make it before leaving on their mission to Earth. It was a simple process and easy for them to replicate, but where they were from it was considered very primitive, especially as a means of cooking food. They didn't have access to their home's technology on Earth though. So, fire would have to do.

Jasper sat by the fire once Edward was finished collecting wood. He stared into the orange flames and watched as they flicked and danced around each other. It was a beautiful sight, he decided. Especially seeing it for the first time in real life. The simulations they had trained in back on their planet didn't do the fire justice. The heat coming off it was comforting but powerful. And making something so simple in order to sustain them gave him an odd sense of accomplishment. The flames were enchanting, drawing him in, as if casting a spell over him. He reached out his hand and placed it in the center of the orange flames. It didn't hurt or mar his skin, in fact it pleasantly warmed him. He felt its effect right to his bones and then all over his body as the sensation spread. He'd never felt anything like it in his life. Jasper decided he'd have to show Edward how wonderful this primitive experiment was.

When Jasper looked up sometime later, he saw his companion approaching their camp carrying a large animal on his shoulder. It looked heavy, but he wasn't weighed down by its mass. Not only were their kind unusual looking in comparison to humans, but their bodies were also significantly stronger and more durable. Jasper stood and approached Edward with his communicator. He ran the laser over the animal and then looked down at the screen to see the read out of what kind of animal his friend had found. Kingdom: Animalia, Class: Mammalia, Order: Cetartiodactyla, Family: Cervidae, Phylum: Chordata, Human name: Deer. Edward dumped the body on the ground by Jasper's feet and looked at the readout with him. Not only did the communicator tell them what kind of animal they were dealing with but it also told them if it was safe for their species to consume. Thankfully, the deer wouldn't be harmful to the pair so they decided it was time to drink from the animal. As the leader of the pair, Edward went first, lowering his sharp teeth to the dead beast's neck, piercing its skin quickly and efficiently. When the blood started to pool on the large mammal's neck, he lowered his mouth and sucked deeply at the gash, drinking in the animal's blood. He took five draws altogether before standing and brushing off his robe at the knees. Jasper repeated the process, making his own piercing in the deer's neck. He too took in five deep draws of blood before pulling away and wiping the mess off his chin. He always was a messy eater, he thought briefly to himself.

It was time for the pair to cook the beast now. Raising their hands, they extended their fingernails until they were long and sharp. They used the pointed ends to slash at the deer, cutting off large pieces of meat. Skewering it on a stick, they held the meat over the flames and waited for the meat to brown slightly. It was tough and gamey when they took their first bite. But neither minded. Meat was all they could eat after all, and it was by far better than either expected. Together the pair ate half the deer. They were hungry after traveling so long without stopping for a substantial meal. When they'd had their fill, they both took out a small box of from their shoulder sacks, the same boxes they had collected from the ship, and used their finger nails to pierce a hole in the top of the cube. Throwing back their heads, the pair gulped down the liquid inside. It was their form of water and they only needed a few mouthfuls every couple of days to stay hydrated. This was yet another way they differed from humans. Humans were completely dependent on food and water to sustain them. But Jasper and Edward only needed a few bites of meat and a small box of liquid every few days in order to stay healthy and alive.

Once they had finished their share of deer and liquid, the pair cut up the rest and placed it in a black container from their shoulder sacks. It would keep it fresh for a few days, sparing them from having to hunt again. Both hoped that they would be out of the forest by the time the meat was eaten, hunting was somewhat of an inconvenience on Earth because one had to actually find the prey and then hunt and kill it. Where they were from, hunting was as simple as choosing the animal one wanted and the meat was already prepared and ready to eat.

When everything was packed away the pair turned away from each other, took off their robes, and placed them in their shoulder sacks. Once naked, they threw the straps from their sacks over their shoulders and then stepped away from each other. Closing their eyes and concentrating, the pair began to vibrate fiercely. Their bodies shaking and trembling until suddenly they burst into a replica of the deer they had previously fed on. No longer were there two aliens standing side by side, but there were two large deer. Jasper and Edward walked around the fire and stretched their newly acquired legs. It would be easier to sleep tonight in this form with its heightened sense of smell and hearing, and also easier for them to travel through the woods when they woke up. Once they were used to their new bodies, the pair laid down around the fire and fell asleep. They would hear if anything approached and knew where to run to if they needed to escape. Knowing this, both Jasper and Edward fell asleep on the forest floor, getting the rest they sorely needed for another long day of travel.

When the sun began peaking over the horizon the following morning, the two deer stretched and stood up. Taking their time to once again get used to their new bodies. Both had slept deeply and peacefully. Neither waking once in the night to even the slightest disturbance. With their shoulder sacks already situated, Jasper stomped out the fire while Edward looked over the perimeter. It didn't look like they were being watched or hunted, which he was glad for. One less obstacle to maneuver meant they wouldn't be set back any further. He knew where they needed to go, so once Jasper was finished he led the pair through the forest again. It was easier now that they had mutated into the form of a forest dweller. The long, strong, hoofed legs covered more distance than their own. And trying to navigate over and around roots and fallen trees was easier now that they had feet designed for the terrain. They'd reach the edge of the forest by sundown, Edward decided. He informed Jasper and they picked up the pace, both hoping they could get to the edge of the forest and find a town as soon as possible.

They ran for the most part, with their shoulder sacks bouncing along their sides as they went. It was an odd sight, but thankfully the forest was quiet and no human activity was detected by either of the aliens, unsurprisingly considering how deep into the tree they were. As the air cooled and grew darker from the setting sun, the pair reached a road, signally the edge of the forest. They walked along the tree line, in case a human came by and kept walking. It wasn't long before they came to a road sign. Having studied human languages in their training, the pair were able to assess and analyze the information in front of them. The nearest town was Forks. Five miles from their current location. Using the forest for cover, the pair followed the road until they started to see houses and buildings pop up every few hundred yards. They crept silently in animal form and remained vigilant. They needed to stay under the radar for as long as possible. By the time the duo made it to the outskirts of town, they had no choice but to stop moving and make camp for the night. Heading a ways back into the forest, the pair made camp again, preparing for another night on the forest floor, which neither of them were particularly looking forward too. But they couldn't very well go walking into town as deer or in their natural form either. They needed to catch a human. But that would have to wait until tomorrow.

The following morning, the two aliens mutated back into their natural forms and cleaned up their camp. They would need to catch a human today and they couldn't accomplish the task in deer form. It was a painful processes mutating back and forth between their natural form and animal form. Every bone in their bodies would have to break, grow and shrink, and reform to match the animal they were trying to become. But although it caused significant pain, they were used to it and understood that it was a necessary evil to be able to access their power. They'd also spent enough time in deer form over the last few days and if they stayed much longer they ran the risk of losing themselves to the animal's mind and never being able to turn back.

When the pair were ready they set out in their natural form through the forest looking for hiking trails. They knew the humans in this area were connected with nature, especially considering it was summer time in the northern hemisphere on Earth. So, it was only a matter of time before one came walking along. Jasper and Edward climbed a tree on either side of a trail, once they found one, and waited quietly among the leaves. They knew it might be a while before a human came down the path, but their species were blessed with patience and stealth, so it caused them no trouble to sit still for long periods of time. About an hour later, two men started making their way down the trail. Edward and Jasper were both alert and ready to strike when they saw the men cresting the hill in front of them. They just needed the hikers to get a little closer to where they were perched. Standing on the balls of their feet, each alien was primed and ready as the hung over the trail. Jasper was just waiting for Edward to give him the signal from the other side of the path. As the two men walked under the trees, the aliens fell and landed on the men's shoulders. They hooked their arms around their necks and applied pressure. The humans tried to scream, but the aliens were too quick and too strong. They thrashed and fought to get the large beasts off their shoulders and necks but to no avail. Jasper and Edward were stronger and faster. Predicting the humans next moves and blocking them before they could even follow through. It took a minute or two but eventually the human men passed out, dropping to the floor in a heap. Jasper and Edward didn't want to kill them, they knew from their Earth training that a dead human would cause problems, especially one that had been murdered. So, when they needed to turn into a human initially, it was better to knock them out, drink from them, and then leave them to wake up on their own. Which is exactly what the two aliens did. They pierced a hole in their necks, just as they had done with the deer, let the blood pool some, lowered their mouths, and then began taking deep draws of warm, burgundy blood. The taste was divine, a treat for the two aliens. In no way did they crave it or need to sustain their lives. It was simply a pleasure they got to indulge in now that they lived on Earth.

After five long draws the pair ceased their drinking, licked the wounds to seal them, and then propped the men up against the trees that had been used for the trap. Jasper and Edward then searched the men for any human money. Both pocketed a decent sum of cash in their robes and then took a step back from the rumbled men. Both aliens closed their eyes and suddenly began to shake uncontrollably, their muscles vibrated and their whole bodies trembled. Their bones crunched and broke, a sound that was very unsettling to any that were unfortunate enough to hear it, and slowly began changing into replicas of the men before them. They would need to drink from more humans as the weeks went on so that they could acquire new traits and mutate their appearance slightly. But for now, it would do. Both just hoped that they hadn't drank from someone important and recognizable in Forks or the surrounding areas. The creatures also assessed the clothing the men were wearing. Their training didn't mention much about human clothing, but looking down at the men in front of them, the pair new that their uniforms wouldn't do on this planet. They were too different and unusual and would cause them to stand out quickly. They considered taking the clothes from their victims, but both decided the clothing would be too suspicious, given that they had blood all over them. No, they would need to find a store with clothing for their uniforms, and quickly, so that they could blend in.

Once they finished deliberating, the two aliens decided it was time to give their new forms a try out in town. They took the trail back the way the two hikers came from and followed the signs to the edge of town. Both aliens looked at each other when they reached the large green sign that told them "Welcome to Forks. Population 10,081. The town where friends are made". They'd made it. They were on track for their mission again. Although they had landed off course they were still in the area they hoped for, which was what mattered. As they continued to walk along the road, cars passed them by and both aliens thought about how they could acquire one as it would make travelling on this planet much easier. Of course, just like on their planet, theft was serious business. They would mostly likely have to acquire it legally as to not draw attention to themselves. But that would have to be something they figured out on another day. Today they needed clothes. Their robes would make them stand out too much in town, so as the pair entered Forks their first stop was a clothing store. When Jasper and Edward walked the streets, they looked into each store window and observed the events unfolding between the humans they could see. They were able to learn a substantial amount from just watching and were glad to see that the training they had received back on their planet seemed accurate and up to date. They came across another store and looked at the mannequins in the shop window, trying to determine who the humans were that were standing as statues and what they had done to earn such a terrible job. Neither realized they were just sculptures of people and not real humans. While standing outside the store, both aliens were noticed by the store manager who was standing behind the counter at the front of the shop.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" She asked, coming outside to great the men.

Both aliens turned to look at the woman, analyzing her tone and body language for threatening language or fear. When they both came up negative, Edward realized he needed to respond accordingly.

"We need clothing. Male clothing," he said.

"Well, we have that in here," the manager informed them with a smile, throwing her thumb over her shoulder, pointing at the store behind her. She was a little taken aback by the way the man in front of her phrased his requested, but given their clothing, she assumed they were foreign and still grasping the intricacies of the English language.

"You have human, male, clothing?" Edward asked again.

"Yes," the manager responded, her smile beginning to falter as the odd interaction continued on.

"We have human money," Edward told her proudly. Reaching into his pocket he pulled the bills he'd stolen from the man on the hiking trail. "I acquired them… legally," he said, trying to sound like he was telling the manager the truth.

"Okay," she responded, uncertainly. "Follow me?" She asked, after a pause. She decided money was money and turned around, heading back into the store, encouraging the men to follow her.

As the leader, Edward went first and followed the manager into the store. He thought back on his training and remembered that you didn't pay until after you decided what you wanted. So, he put the money back in his robe pocket and followed behind the store clerk closely.

"Where are you from?" The manager asked, trying to break the awkwardness from earlier.

"Here," both aliens responded.

"Oh…" She said replied, trailing off. "I've just never seen clothes like yours before and your accent... I thought maybe you were from out of town." When she finished she turned to face the men again. They blinked at her in response but said nothing, "well, this is the men's section," she informed them, using her arm to point to the large area at the back of the store.

"Do we buy it all?" Jasper whispered to his leader.

"You'll have to have a lot of money for that," the manager informed him, hearing the whispered question, "maybe just choose a couple shirts and shorts, for now?"

"Okay, human female, thank you."

"Okay…" She replied, walking away very uncertainly, reeling for the incredibly odd interaction she'd just had.

"You did a great job, Edward," Jasper told his companion after she had walked away, "she suspected nothing. But maybe we should say we are from else where? It doesn't seem like a large place, we will be noticed easily."

"I agree. I'll make a note on the communicator when we are finished here," he replied.

Together the pair did as the manager suggested. They choose matching outfits, a uniform they called it, and went to the store front to pay for their new clothes and shoes. Like little children, they were wearing their purchases out of the store, both too excited to wait to wear their new human uniforms. The men thanked the human female again and then left to walk around the town more and learn all they could about Forks.