I landed with my wings making a loud whoosh. Still panting slightly, I looked around. I had just arrived in Arizona. A week after I decided to look for the flock. And now….

THERE WASN'T ANYTHING TO SEE!?!!!?!!!! I nearly screamed, but kept my head.

What. The. Heck. I fly for a week, and I land in the middle of nowhere. Great.

I at least liked the lovely thermals rising off the warm sand. I leaped up, and began to fly again. I am not gonna be able to move my wings in the morning, though, they'll be so sore...

Finally. Finally. FINALLY after a week of nit-picking Arizona via wing I find them. The flock. And what are they doing, out in the middle of a random forest?

Why, they're having a picnic!

I growled when I remember that moment I found them. I was doing the usually, flying high over trees, looking as hard as I can, and I find them. Eating more food than I had ever seen together in my life.

And, boy, I was hungry. So, distracted, I had made a rather clumsy landing in a bush a little way away from the flock. Now, my tail was mussed up, and I had a thorn in it. Yay (insert fake enthusiasm here).

At the moment I was crashing wildly through some bushes, yet still managing to remain quiet. Natural cat thing. I think they put too much kitty in me.

That reminded me…. What was I going to say? My trek through the forest slowed to a stop as I realized what could happen.

All of the flock were bird-human hybrids. Avian-Americans. Bird-kids.

But I was….

A freak, even compared to them. I was not a "normal" (used extremely lightly here) bird-kid. I wasn't a pure Avian-American. No. I was a…. hmm, what was I?

A flying cat-girl? That seemed to fit.

Now, what could I say? I resumed walking as I remembered my mission.

Hmm… should I fly down? Nah, that'd just scare them. Should I hide my ears and tail or what? My claws were retractable, like a… real feline's. Don't have to worry about those!

I think, if I keep my wings out, they'll be less likely to attack. And my ears…. Half-pricked, I decided, that way they'll know what I am. Emphasis on the WHAT part. Sometimes, I don't even know.

My tail. My darling tail. What was I going to do with it? I looked and it, fur mussed and a few thorns twisted in the fur. That would be why it hurt. I stopped for a few minutes to, yes, wash my tail. Satisfied, I continued.

And for those of you wondering, I do NOT use my tongue. I found a stream.

Anyway, I knew first impressions were important. Which is why I was be so conscious about my appearance.

I could hear them now. Ears pricked forward, I crept silently, calming my mind 'til my intentions were behind a shield. This wasn't for defense. It was for calming me down.

My heart was racing. What would they think of me? I calmed myself again, and quietly slunk forward. I could have heard them now, even if was a normal human, without the enhanced, super-cat (play Superman theme song here) hearing.

A few more feet, and I could see them. Peering through the ferns, I knew they wouldn't be able to see me. Again, hiding was a cat thing. The scientists had given me just enough
DNA to had a bunch of cat-ish abilities. Thanks (again, fake enthusiasm).

They were eating. Lucky them. This thought slipped through my mind shield and was quickly shoved back into quiet concentration.

The smallest, a blond-haired girl, looked up alarmed. I instantly thought she had seen me. No, it couldn't happen.

The little one tugged on the largest girl's arm, "Max, Max."

The girl turned, her light hair waving slightly in the wind. "What is it, Angel?"

Angel turned, pointing in my direction. "I heard someone."

Max frowned slightly. "Mind or ears?"

"Mind."

Wow. This girl could read minds. Weird.

I was startled, and I stepped back quickly. And snapped a twig. Very smooth, Spark, very smooth.

At once, all the flocks' heads snapped up and looked straight at my hiding place. But, they couldn't see me?!?! Wow, that's good hearing.

"Who's there?" Max spoke now, glaring at my spot with intensity.

I knew this was the chance I had been waiting for. I half-unfurled my wings, half-pricked my ears.

And I stepped into their clearing.