Shifted #Wattys2016

XXVI

Felix

I watched my feet as I walked, my shoes crunching the leaves. My black sneakers stood out from the ground. I didn't like how they stood out. I wanted to shift. I like how my paws blend with the dirt and branches as I fly over the ground.

Maxine put her hand between my arm and my side, leaning her head on my shoulder. I smiled and stopped walking. "Maxine,"

She squinted at me. "Why do you call me Maxine? My name is Max."

"Isn't your full name Maxine?"

"Yeah... but only my grandfather ever called me by my full name. And he died when I was just a kid. So why do you call me Maxine?"

I shrugged and started to walk again. We were close to where I wanted to be, to what I wanted to show her. "I like Maxine. Max seems too... hard. Too sharp. Maxie is too playful, and it's hardly ever the right place to call you such a name. Maxine is light. Feminine. Maxine suits you."

She shoved her hands in her back pockets. "Well. If you get to call me by a name that is not usually mine, then I will call you a name that is not normally yours. How 'bout that, Fe?"

"Fe?" I questioned. I wanted it to sound like no one had ever called me Fe before. Jac used to call me Fe.

She smiled. "Fe. Short for Felix. It's not like there's something longer than Felix." She paused. "Felixlyn."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Okay. Whatever, Maxie." I smiled and walked towards a tree. I've been here a few times and I hope they're still there. I moved some leaves around and smiled. "Max, come here," I motioned over my shoulder. Maxine squatted down beside me and looked at me. "Right... there." I pointed to a little burrow at the base of the tree.

There were a few tiny coyotes, born just a few days before. Maxine let out a little gasp. "They're so small. I just want to touch them."

"Don't." I said, looking at her face. Part of her hair had come untucked from behind her ear, now hiding part of her face. "The coyote might not come back." I pulled the hair back behind her ear. "Come on, let them rest." I pulled her to her feet.

I pushed the leaves back to hide the pups. I took Maxine's hand in mine. It was dry. There was a callous on her ring finger where a pencil would rest. She writes a lot, and when she writes, she must apply a great amount of pressure.

I turned and kissed her.