if these wings could fly for the rest of our lives
It was just so loud. Everything was so loud. The noise came through my walls at all hours of the night. Dawn, noon, midnight, it didn't matter. I missed Nagarkot. I missed all the greenery. I missed the sunrise in the morning and the way it painted the side of our house with a rainbow of colors. I missed my mother in the morning baking pancakes over the griddle we'd shipped in from Scotland. I missed it all and now it was all gone. Now all I had was the sound of cars rushing by and the loud voices of my neighbors whose faces I didn't recognize and who glared at me with scowls with a clear desire to have nothing to do with me. It was strange...all of this was strange and I didn't like it. I'd been here for two weeks now. Dad left after two days to go to the Galapagos. I haven't really dared step outside. I mean, what if I can't find my home again? What if I get lost? What if someone tramples on me? What if they try to kill me?! Dear god the what ifs were too much to consider! All this thinking was making me hungry and I ran out of apples and grapes. I couldn't help but to sigh at all of this thinking and before I know it...I'd forgotten about the noise and everything entirely thanks to a giant ball of cheese hanging in my window (pst - I meant the moon).

It was full. I knew it was full. It knew it was full. I could feel that it was full. It was calling to me. Can you hear it? Abbbiiiiggaaaaillll. Abbbbyyyyyy. Commmeee tooo meee. See, that's the moon. Who was I to deny the moon? I mean it was in my bones! It was like a song you can't get out of your head! I shuddered. Okay, okay, I give in moon. You win. I peeked over my window sill to stare at the large park I could only just see down the cul-de-sac. It was a bit of a walk but, I was pretty sure I could walk there without getting lost. I mean....really, if you can't walk to somewhere you can see without getting lost, you don't have any business walking. I hopped down the stairs in my house, enthusiastic for my new adventure. It was a small step, you know, just leaving the house but hey! Baby steps are where it counts right?! I paused on the porch of my house and veryyyy cautiously glanced around my little circle of neighbors. I think they're all asleep. I hope they are, I don't want them all to see me without clothes on! I stripped as quickly as I could and threw all my clothes on the floor of my entryway. After all, no one was home to yell at me anymore anyways.

That shift felt natural now. I mean, I'd been born a were anyways so this was normal for me....sorta...except, you know, the million of miles away from my home and none of my own kind there to meet me...but I mean, I can figure this thing out right? ....Right? Eep. No, no, positive thoughts. I've got this. I stepped off my porch (okay, maybe I kind of tumbled down the stairs but I shook it off and hopped back on my feet!) and waddled down the sidewalk. One foot in front of the other! One two, one two, one two! Dobedobedo. God, the park seemed really far away...I mean, I was kind of tired by the time I got to the park. We pandas keep a small territory in the wild - like a mile. See, this was a lot of walking. But hey! The grass smells good. I could kinda nibble on it. Nibble nibble nibble. Oh yes, this tasted good. Maybe a bit more walking? I mean...that horse over there looks like she has something good. Yes yes. "Hi pony!" I declared, waddling up to her but hey, I didn't actually expect a reply. I mean, I doubt a pony cares about little old me.