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It was hard to tell from way up in the sky what the bevy’s reaction to my transformation was, but as I came closer, any delusions I might have had about a cheering crowd faded. Wide eyes, grimaces, and balled fists did not imply their happy support of my new state. They all knew my heritage. It had never been a secret that I was the child of dragons, but perhaps seeing me like this, with all the predatory parts had their otter halves recognizing danger.

I landed in front of my dads’ home and shifted back, looking around for my clothes. It didn’t take long to remember that my shift had been unplanned, and therefore my jeans and T-shirt lay in shreds on the ground. Nudity was not a big deal among shifters, but never having shifted before, and not liking to swim—skinny-dipping was the rule—I’d pretty well been dressed all the time in public. And at this moment, I felt incredibly vulnerable with nearly every otter standing outside, staring at me, and muttering to one another.

My friends, my adopted bevy…gaping as if they’d never seen me before.

“Come in and eat breakfast, son,” Pops said. “Your dad has some shorts and a shirt for you.” The fact that my fathers were not behaving as the rest did brought tears to my eyes. He wiped them away with the back of his hand. “They don’t mean any harm; they’re just surprised.”

I followed him into the kitchen where Dad handed me the clothes and, as soon as I was dressed, we all sat down at the table. “I feel like I should be too upset to eat, but I’m starving.” As evidenced by the fact that I spoke around a mouthful of pancakes.

“I don’t know a lot about how dragon metabolism works, but the otter younglings always up their calories once they shift for the first time,” Dad said, piling more pancakes dotted with his wild-harvested blueberries on my plate. “Didn’t you know?”

“Nobody talks to me about things like that. I think they maybe didn’t want to hurt my feelings when I couldn’t do it myself.” Everyone had always been so good to me, which made their reaction extra hard to take. I continued to shovel food into my mouth while my mind ran in circles. “They looked scared.”

“They probably are. Our animals are a lot smaller than yours, and less predatory.” Pops refilled my coffee as he spoke. “I hoped this would never come up, but when we adopted you, it was not as smooth as we’ve let you believe.”

“Some of the others objected, and we had to make a deal…” Dad added.

I looked from one of them to the other, waiting. Somehow, I didn’t think the deal was, when he becomes a dragon, we throw a party in his honor.

“Every year, when your birthday came and you hadn’t shifted, we celebrated another year you got to be with us.” Pops’ distress was evident in his expression and his tone.

“To be with you.” And wasn’t that scary. “So, your deal was…” I still needed them to spell it out in case I was wrong. Please let me be wrong.

They linked hands, and I swallowed back the grief already rising. Pops said, “Son, we promised once you shifted, we’d take you away from here. The alpha feared, and still fears, what might happen with a dragon in the bevy.”

My jaw dropped. “He thinks I would hurt someone just because I’m a dragon? If I was that kind of person, wouldn’t I have been dangerous in this form?” What little I did know about shifters I’d learned from watching my friends and their families. The animal side was rarely different natured from the two-legged.

“Oh no.” Dad patted my hand with his free one. “It wasn’t you he was worried about. It was the reaction of others in the bevy.”

“And judging from what I just saw, he wasn’t wrong.” I pulled my hand back and stood. “It was kind of him and everyone to keep me here this long, but I don’t want to be a hindrance to the bevy or anyone in it. I will thank the alpha for his kindness then be gone.”

“Give us a day or so to pack,” Pops said.

“No.” Sadness welled up even stronger at the thought of not seeing them every day. Even though I’d moved out years ago, they were just across the compound with their smiles and hugs and delicious meals they often shared with me. “I’m twenty-five, and I don’t need you to uproot your lives for me. I’ll always be grateful, and remember you with love, but it’s time I made my own way in the world.”

“Son…” Dad started then trailed off.

“He’s right.” Pops assertion probably surprised himself as much as it did me. I’d thought I’d have to argue for a while. “You’ve done well and made something of yourself. I don’t know precisely how much money you have.”

“More than enough,” I assured them. Enough that I would be moving some into an account for them so they’d never lack for anything. I’d always believed I’d be here to take care of them in their old age, but that would not be happening. “Don’t worry about me.”

“And don’t think that just because you’re leaving, we are not your family.” Pop was as fierce as I’d ever heard him. “If you need us, call and we will be there.”

“Wherever there is,” Dad finished for him. “But even if you don’t, please keep us updated on your travels and what you’re up to. You can take the car.”

“I’ll be on the wing, now that that’s possible.” I offered them a grin, hoping they would be reassured. “It will be an adventure.”

Find our brothers!How long would it be before I got used to a voice in my head?

“Do you know if I had any siblings?”

They looked at each other before facing me again. Dad said, “No. We don’t know your backstory at all. We would never have left any behind if we knew of more than you.”

“My dragon is insisting I have missing brothers.”

Pops nodded slowly. “He would know.”

“So, I guess my first job is to find my brothers. Wish me luck?”

They did more than that. They gave me my gifts, a watch and some clothes, and we devoured my birthday cake because obviously any party plans were off with everyone in the place fearing me devouring them. I hugged them and went home to pack a small bag I thought I could figure out how to carry in dragon form. All my presents went in and my wallet, tablet, and other necessities.

They watched me leave, getting smaller and smaller as I circled higher until they were mere specks below me before I started away. I’d devised a strap to carry my minimal belongings, grateful I’d be able to purchase things if I needed them. I had no idea what direction even to try, but my dragon seemed to know, and as heartbroken as I was to leave my home, I let him take the wheel.

After a few close calls with people pointing me out overhead, I switched to flying after dark. Many people did know about shifters, but with dragons being just short of fantastical, I was concerned about what might happen. Rumors of hunters who wanted unusual trophies had been among the stories told around the campfire when I was growing up.

My dragon liked hunting, although that took some getting used to on my part, but when I wanted to eat, I had to land somewhere a bit hidden, shift, dress, and walk to a restaurant. Usually a roadside diner. It also made it possible to charge my phone.

Days in, I was really wondering if my dragon really knew what he was doing. At first, I’d been so absorbed with the novelty of seeing so much of the country, but now, I began to weary.

Do you really know where we’re going?

To find brothers.

That was pretty much all he’d say about that. I tried many times. Finally, at the end of one long day of flying, a sharp wind pushed blackhearted clouds ahead of it into my path. When lightning spears shot toward earth followed by loud rumbles of thunder, I hunted for a place to land. Visibility was limited, with starlight shut out by the clouds, so I hunted for the lights of a diner or maybe a farmhouse where I could beg shelter until the storm passed. But when the rain began, it was an instant downpour, and I couldn’t wait any longer.

I had to go to ground even if it meant no shelter, but then I saw it. Lights in the distance, a group of small buildings, maybe houses, and I made for them with everything I had left. Landing, I found myself in some sort of small resort area with what looked like nice rental cabins. I’d seen a place like this once when my dads took me on vacation to a lake a couple of hours from home. It was very late, but a porch light on each glowed in the stormy night, and one had an illuminated sign marked Manager.

I landed, dropped my satchel, and shifted then moved onto the porch where I dressed before knocking. My brothers weren’t here, my dragon assured me, but maybe I could find a dry place to stay for the night.