Shifted

5 🐾

Kalaya

It was time to work in the field today. Guards were crawling all over, going door to door, dragging out anyone able to work.
I could hear them getting closer. Scrambling to my feet, I grabbed up my water jug before I was dragged away without it. Another day fainting under the sun was not very appealing. I would do it on purpose if it got me out of working, if they didn't wake you up and beat you near to death. Or to death.
Yeah, not very appealing at all.
I opened and placed back my door as I stepped outside.

Following along the line of shifted, I soon found myself out in the fields. They herded me towards the corn section of the field. I breathed out a sigh of relief knowing at this stage, it would be easy to tend to the corn. All I had to do is pick and gather today. They only had a couple others working with me as it was a simple job and we would be done before anyone else.

When I finished a couple hours later, I didn't follow those who finished home, instead, I went to help out others. The mentality among the shifted have always been everyone for themselves, and I was sick of that.

"Always showing people there's a better way Huh?" Sail flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder as she walked up behind me pulling out roots next to an older woman with only one arm.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, possibly wiping dirt across my face in the process as I looked over at her. "We have to help each other, we have to become a community. Same as the humans are. It's why they have power over us," I huffed out, feeling exhausted from the hot sun beaming down all day.

"Well it worked, You have me pulling in an extra shift. And I even saw a man who started to walk away, come back to help when he noticed you," she announced, nudging me with her thin shoulder.

"Good," I simply said and continued to focus on my work until the last person was able to walk away. Sail having left me to it hours ago.

It was dark now as I slowly made my way back to my hut, feeling as if I were being pulled forward by strings. By the time my hut came to view I nearly collapsed.

"Finally." I jerked my head up as the noise came from inside. Sail laid on my makeshift bed. She patted the spot next to her.

"Not in the mood," I muttered to her as I threw myself down, feeling as if I were about to fall asleep any moment.
"Just here to rub your back, so turn over," she climbed on my back as I did so and started to rub my shoulders. Her skillful hands ensured I would be asleep soon.

"We need to make another run soon," she practically purred into my ear. Ah, so that's why she's here. "I don't want to go without you, last time was a disaster."

"Of course it was, you went with Terro," I held back a moan as she worked on a knot on my back. I could feel myself fading off to sleep so I told her what she wanted to hear. "I'll meet you at the wall tomorrow," as soon as I said this was she jumping away from me.

"Excellent! See you then muah," she kissed my cheek and I heard more than saw her leave.

✨Kalaya, next Day ✨

Walking down the road, passing one of the bathroom stations, I placed my hand on the large wall that separated us from the town of humans, running my hand along the boards. I looked out to make sure no guards were patrolling around this area at the moment.

Feeling one give way, I kicked it open and crawled under the hole big enough for children, women and small men.

It was the only break in the gate, but certainly not the only way out. Or well, in. I waited, looking around, but Sail didn't appear as she normally would. Not wanting to be caught just standing around the gate, and knowing sometimes she waited on the other side, I got down and crawled under the hole quickly.

It didn't take long before I was sprinting through two lines of trees before I got to small houses that even if this was the poor part, still looked like a rich part compared to the ghetto us shifted lived in.

Standing at the line of trees, I waited and watched out for any townspeople. This time a day either they were in something like a church, a place where as far as I knew they sat in long chairs and let a man in front yell at them before they started to sing and pray to a person living in the sky. It sounded insane, but it was true, I've seen them myself once when sneaking around. And if they weren't in their church, as not all of them usually are, then they were sitting at home. They all had the same routines, the same schedule; it was easy to know what they were doing on certain days. This day was a day that they mostly stayed home.

"See anyone?" A light voice came from behind me. I knew by the way her voice sounded a light and airy, that it was Tama.

There was a tinkling laugh behind me. I looked back at Tama in confusion.

Her skin was practically all covered up, which was a shame since she had really nice feathers underneath. I knew under those long white sleeves of hers that she had peach colored feathers that were unlined in black and grey feathers.

Her chocolate colored eyes looked at me in amusement as she tossed me something out of a bag in her hand. I automatically grabbed for it, looking down at it.

"It's a hat," Tama explained.

I rolled my eyes. "I know it's a hat, I'm uneducated, not stupid," I said defensively. Tama just raised an eyebrow at me as I took the all black wool cap on, causing my ears to lay flat on my head. "Where's Sail?" I questioned, peering around her but saw no one else.

"She twisted her ankle this morning, told me to meet you here for her and to not forget her pain killers," Tama singsonged as she twirled in a circle now and her dress dragged against the ground, it looked like it had been made out of pink and yellow rags and blankets and attached to a white peasant shirt. Even so, she always had better outfits than any shifted I've ever known. But then again she probably had to use her clothes as blankets at night since she used her blankets and rags to make clothing. It was necessary though because of her feathers.

We were both lucky enough to be able to blend in with humans using clothing, but some of the shifted, no matter how much makeup or clothing they put on, they'd never blend in.

I had put on my boots that had been repaired too many times and soon would need to be replaced, a oversized once white lace up blouse and too tight tan pants that had my tail tucked into, the end nearly poking out the bottom.

"That dress of yours won't help you if we get caught and have to run or fight," I commented as I checked to make sure my boot laces were tied tight enough.

"I'm sure those long knives in each of your boots will protect us," Tama grinned. She looked up at the trees like she wanted to fly, but the small wings on her arms wouldn't be able to carry her weight.

"So what do you need? Why did you agree to come?" I asked knowing she's told Sail no many times to coming with us on a run.

"I need medicine," was all she said and needed to say.

My mother died sick and without the relief of medicine. It wasn't something they handed out to us shifted. They liked when some of us got sick and died so we wouldn't have more numbers than them.

I was brought back to a time while I sat in a cage, practically killing myself trying to get out, my mother had been dying and by the time I got out, it had been too late. My thoughts brought me back to that girl. The generals daughter of all people, helped me. I wanted to repay her. And see her again.

"If we get caught, you have to be the distraction while I get away," I joked as we both started to run down the line of trees, making out way to an alley way.

Tama's laugh followed me as we ran. It sounded forced, but I ignored it, I've never been good at jokes anyway.