The past month had practically been a blur of stress for Amara.
Between finishing her PhD thesis and working as an assistant researcher for her mentor, she was reaching her breaking point.
But it wasn't just the long hours at the lab that wore her down; but also the secret she was keeping.
Whenever the lab was empty, Amara would sneakily analyze the blood samples she had taken from Ferro.
She knew the risks.
If the authorities found out about the extraordinary bird living in her home, the best-case scenario would be constant surveillance.
The worst? Ferro might be taken away for experiments or even killed.
She couldn't take that chance; she had practically raised him.
Even if Skyler complained about the torn shirts, she knew he treated the bird as family, too.
So far, her research was hitting a wall.
When she compared Ferro's blood to a standard Peregrine falcon, the similarities were remarkable.
"He's definitely a falcon," she muttered to herself, staring at the glowing monitors. "Just a falcon on steroids, like Skyler says."
But there was something wrong with the data.
The lab equipment struggled to read Ferro's DNA.
The results came back patchy and broken at best, as if the bird's genes were hiding from the sensors.
She couldn't find the cause of the mutation, and it frustrated her to no end.
During her lunch break, Amara sat with a group of fellow researchers.
The room was buzzing with talk about the strange things happening in the world lately.
"My mentor is obsessed with that fish frenzy in the sea," a tall female colleague said, poking at her salad. "Thousands of them just acting... wild."
"I saw that on the news," a man added. "They still haven't confirmed if it was a chemical spill or just some weird algae bloom."
"What about that giant rabbit?" another chimed in. "Some tourists caught a photo of it. And that monkey that escaped the zoo? They say it opened three locked doors by itself."
A senior researcher shook her head, sounding unimpressed. "It's not that unusual. Animal behavior changes with the environment, and monkeys are smart, known for mimicking, so they must be observing the doors. Others, it's just stress and shifting weather patterns."
Amara stayed quiet, but her mind raced.
'Not unusual? Tell that to my white falcon.'
She thought while inwardly rolling her eyes at the senior.
She decided she needed to see what the higher-ups really knew.
Being the assistant to the Head Researcher had its perks.
Once she was back in the office, she used her mentor's authority to log into the private database of recent reports.
Most of the files were just stories of confused animals or local legends she couldn't easily verify.
But then, she clicked on a document about a Giant Hare. A blurry photo popped up on the screen.
It was a white-tailed jackrabbit, but it was the size of a large dog.
Amara's breath hitched, but it wasn't the size that shocked her—it was the location.
Location: Shimokawa Mountains, near Merris Lake.
Amara stared at the screen, her mind drifting back to the many hiking trips she and Skylar had taken there over the years.
Growing up, it was their favorite spot, a place of beautiful memories.
A slow smile spread across her face. It was the perfect coincidence.
"Perfect," she whispered, looking at the giant hare.
"I can take a week off to relax with Skyler, and at the same time, I can see what's really going on at Merris Lake."
She began typing her leave request. She didn't know it yet, but her relaxing trip was about to change their lives forever.
***
Back to the present,
Skyler heaved the heavy backpack into the trunk of his black SUV with a dull thud.
He didn't have much time.
He hopped into the driver's seat and pulled out of the parking lot, heading for the outskirts of Niora town.
The airport sat in the valley between their home and the towering mountains.
As he drove, Skyler glanced through the sunroof.
High above, a white speck with cyan wings glided effortlessly.
Ferro was keeping pace, looking down at the car as if he were bored.
Skyler shook his head.
He thought back to his phone call with Amara the night before.
She had sounded worried about the strange animal sightings.
'Maybe she's right, he thought, gripping the steering wheel. 'Or maybe it's just leftover radiation from the nuclear war. Mutations happen.'
But Skyler knew those mountains. He had grown up on those trails and knew the locals.
If something truly dangerous were living in the forest, someone would have seen it by now.
He decided he would keep his eyes peeled once they hit the trail.
As he reached the highway, the wind shifted.
Ferro swooped down from the sky, landing smoothly on the SUV's roof to hitch a ride.
At the airport, Amara stood by a lamp post near the driveway, tapping her foot impatiently.
She was a striking woman, about 5'5" with long, light golden hair that fell over her side profile as she leaned against her arm.
She had soft, symmetrical facial features.
Bright green eyes, usually filled with curiosity, but right now they were narrowed with annoyance.
She checked her watch for the third time in a minute.
"He's late," she muttered.
She pulled out her phone and dialed Skyler. He picked up on the second ring.
"Where are you?" she asked, her voice hovering between a sigh and a scold.
"I'll be there in two minutes, Amy! I got stuck in traffic," Skyler replied quickly.
"You'd better be," she said softly.
"Oh, wait—I see you!" Skyler exclaimed.
But Skyler wasn't the first to reach her; a blur of white dropped from the sky.
Amara's face instantly softened into a smile as Ferro spiraled down.
The falcon landed gently on her left shoulder, nuzzling his head against her cheek like a giant, feathered cat.
"Hello, handsome," Amara whispered.
She stroked his pristine white feathers and gently scratched his beak.
Ferro closed his eyes, leaning into her touch with a soft chirp.
The SUV pulled up to the curb a moment later.
Skyler stepped out, watching the affectionate pair.
He looked at his bruised shoulder, then at the bird acting like a misunderstood angel.
"Traitor," Skylar muttered, shaking his head.
Amara laughed, the stress of the lab finally starting to fade. "Maybe he just likes me better. Did you remember my gear?"
"Everything is in the back," Skylar said, opening the passenger door for her. "Even the extra undies."
Amara blushed slightly but climbed in.
As they pulled away from the airport, the snowy peaks of the Shimokawa Mountains loomed ahead.
They looked peaceful, but beneath the clouds, something was changing.