I always wonder why birds choose to stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth. Then I ask myself the same question

_____

"He's gone, Madelyn."

"But he can't be! I can't be leader; I'm a coward!"

A hand was placed on my shoulder. "You're no coward, Madelyn. Who rescued the shifters? You did! Who had the courage to fight Mr. Jones, the leader of the hunters himself? You did! Madelyn, I know you can do it!"

"No, I can't! The hunters, they hate our kind! They want us dead! How am I supposed to make them have peace with us?"

"The same way you did everything else." said a voice. Dad. "Remember the motto you and I made all those years ago?"

Of course I did. I mean, back when I was in middle school, he'd repeat the same phrase to me. Keep calm and grind on.

"Yes. But how am I supposed to keep calm when a great leader has fallen? I mean, everyone says how he helped them through hard times. How am I supposed to measure up to that?"

"Because I know you can do it, Madelyn. You're my daughter, and I've seen you persevere through so, so many things!"

"But the hunters are ruthless! Dad, you've been among them. You know what cruel methods they've used to get their ways! How am I supposed to go up against that?"

"You don't have to go up against it alone, Madelyn." I heard Trinity say "You have us."

"And how am I even supposed to lead people? I mean, it can't be an easy task! Caspian was a far better leader than I could ever be!"

"He chose you for a reason."

"What reason? The fact that everyone wanted me dead? Was he even thinking straight when he made me leader? "

"He was, Madelyn." said Tyler, making me look behind "I looked into his mind. He knew you could do it, and he had faith that you could do it. I'm not lying!"

"Where am I even supposed to start?" I asked "A peace treaty? Like that's gonna work. And in a war, we'd lose! Die even! This'll never work."

"It will, Madelyn. If you believe in yourself."

"You know what? I'm going flying. I need some time alone to think."

I glanced at Caspian's dead body, tears streaming down my face.

"Let nobody touch him."

I flew off, my heart aching from grief. He was gone. There was nothing that I could do to heal him. I doubted I could bring people from the dead, and then, wouldn't it kill me? I didn't know what to do. Not in the slightest. From above, I could see Caspian's limp, lifeless body. I remembered the first time I had seen him. He was strong, powerful, and a great leader. There was no way I could measure up to that.

Still, I couldn't just forget his final wish. I mean, he was counting on me. But still, how was I supposed to defeat those ruthless hunters?

"They're not gonna be easy to negotiate with, especially since you knocked the wind out of the leader."

"I know. I'm not even sure I can do it."

"You have to try, Madelyn. You have an entire group of shifters counting on you."

"And that's not pressure at all. They're all depending on me! I don't want to let them down!"

"And you won't, Madelyn..."

I ignored whatever else she was going to say. Wind blew by, and I flew higher, shutting my eyes. I wanted to be a good leader, because Caspian himself had chosen me. But if I could was another matter entirely.

My stomach growled with hunger. I'd have to catch something to eat. It had been days since I had last eaten, but I had ignored it. Now, I'd have to eat. But eating squirrel?

I landed, sighing. I mean, I had hunted before, but I had given it to the shifter town. To be honest, I was nervous. Not only about having to eat squirrel, but about the much larger picture. Caspian was dead! I had to lead an entire group of shifters, and achieve peace between two groups that absolutely hate each other! And on top of that, there were the things that the squirrel shifter had said, something about a project.

Something involving me.

Maybe this project had something to do with peace between the shifters and the hunters. Sure, it was unlikely, but I could hope.

My stomach growled yet again, and I sighed. I took off. I was going to have someone to go to a McDonalds or something. I checked my phone. Somehow, it still had five percent battery life. I checked the news app.

Shifters escaped.

The animal metamorphosizers have escaped from WellBorne Science institute. Lookouts are going on all across Haines City. Pictures of the shifters are on WellBorne's website If you see anyone resembling the escaped shifters, bring them to the listed address.

Well, getting McDonalds just got a lot harder.

"You're going to have to hunt eventually."

My stomach growled again. I was going to have to hunt. I shifted into a hawk, turning around. I'd have to cook it first. Then eat it. I looked around, the rapture vision proving to be quite useful. I saw movement, and dove down. Missed.

"Remember, it's not always easy to catch prey."

I looked down, looking for food. It wasn't like I could go to a McDonalds anymore. Those hunters were ruining any chance at feeling normal. Well, as normal as I could with wings, tail feathers, and the ability to change into a bird at will.

I looked around, and saw movement. I tried to stay silent as I moved closer, the squirrel oblivious to me. I swooped down, the squirrel starting to dash away. I grasped it in my talons. It stared at me with desperate eyes, and I recognized it.

It was the same squirrel shifter who had been spying on me my entire life.

"You." I said, staring into his eyes. I wanted to destroy him so badly, then I realized that he could give me the information I needed. "You're coming with me."

A/N- Things are getting intense!

Anyway, are any of you guys or gals animators? Can you make book trailers? If so, private message me; I have some ideas for a book trailer.

Please vote, comment, share, and I'll see you all in the comments! Bye for now!