All 52 Cards in a Row [open]

[Damien Gregory Hawkins]

The suburbs stretched out in orderly rows, giving way in the distance to the tall skyscrapers of the city. A massive freeway cut through the parks and structures, disappearing into the horizon. A silver gyrfalcon circled overhead, looking down at it all. Everything looks so clean and sensible from this altitude, a far cry from the madness and crowds that typified urban areas. The avian shifter was high enough that a casual observer wouldn't recognize that it was a gyrfalcon. There wasn't any reason for a bird of his species to be this far south, and it would raise questions among hardcore bird watchers if h was spotted, so he stayed high, circling and enjoying this idealized view. After one last circuit, he headed back toward Sabal Palm.

A gyrfalcon was a very suitable shift for Damien. Solitary, self-sufficient, territorial, and loved their freedom. Flying was the most liberating thing Damien could imagine. He tried to get out as often as he could; teaching the aerial control classes didn't count, because it was such a structured environment. What Damien craved, even in his human form, were these long solo flights over the city. He'd swoop by some birds to freak them out, climb and dive, and perch somewhere high to enjoy the view. Sometimes he even considered staying in his shift for extended periods of time, traveling north where he wouldn't have to hide. Well, he didn't have time for that now. With the school year already started he would be busy teaching.

The shifter would relish the feeling while he could. He dipped one wing and banked to the side, losing altitude but not caring anymore. He was nearing the school, and there weren't enough by-standers to merit the extra caution. The feeling of flight was intoxicating. There was the sensation of weightlessness coupled with immense power. Everything felt effortless, and at the same time completely out of control. Raptors weren't the most expressive of birds, but the fierce joy he felt at the moment was evident from the way he moved. He dipped again, eying the soccer field that served as his "classroom." Damien set to circling in the air once more, gliding along the air currents. There were a few students walking the grounds, but the speckled white raptor was a familiar sight and didn't draw any lasting attention. Identifying a perch, her dropped rapidly. The falcon stuck out his talons and beat his wings to steady himself as he came to rest on the top bar of a goal. He was content to chill out here for a while. Hey, it could count as his Office Hours.