Tulip practiced going in and out of her new form during their travel. They were so close to the ocean, Tulip could feel it. Even smell it in Animal form. Her senses increased as a dog. But she still had those senses as Grass. She felt better about knowing she was done with her journey. Now it was time to go home.
But even though she knew she was done looking for forms, Tulip felt that there was still something missing. It was deep within and a fuzzy feeling, but she still knew it was there. It was as if she was ready to do something she couldn't have done without all her forms.
As the sun set that day, Tulip felt free. She was no longer looking for anything. But she still felt hungry. It was pulling her. Pulling her to the ocean. She didn't know why, but that is where she was being pulled.
Noah was watching Tulip as the sunset pulled her rose fingers to the earth as she had done for years since the start of time. She looked beautiful, he thought. Was it fate that brought us together? Were we meant to be? These thoughts circled him. Becoming a pit of curiosity.
As Noah swirled in his pit, Miley and another dog, Cheerly, came up to him.
"Good after Noah. Or should I say, Mr. Alpha?" Miley said happily.
"Hello Miley, Cheerly. What's wrong?" Noah said snapping out of the pit.
"Nothing's wrong. We just couldn't help but notice you were staring at Tulip. Do you like her?"
"Um, uh... of course I do. I like her as a friend."
"Are you sure just as a friend?" Cheerly snickered.
"Yes... just a friend... and only a friend!" Noah was glad his fur hid his blushing.
"To bad you two would be a cute couple." Miley giggled.
"Couple. Couple? How on earth can we be a couple? It goes against the laws of nature-" While Noah lectured Miley and Cheerly, Noah father's pawed over to Tulip. She was watching the sun go by. Back into the Earth. Trying not to pay him any attention, but she could sense his aura. Knowing he was Noah's father.
"Beautiful isn't it?" he said.
"Yes. I haven't paid them as much attention to the sunsets as when I was first created."
"Weren't you born with parents?"
"Parents? No. I awoke in a prison cell... let's see. It's 1936 now and it was 420 B.C. So I say I've been alone for... 2,356 years. So I'm over two millennia old. How nice."
"Really? you don't look it."
"I feel more like fourteen, maybe sixteen."
"Huh you're too old for my son, yet you're young enough? Confusing."
"Yes. Wait, what do mean by that 'for my son'?"
"I've seen the way he looks at you. He really likes you."
"Really? Huh." Tulip smiled. Noah likes me, she thought. This might be the start of something wonderful.
The next day they reached the shore. Tulip was frantic. She turned Air and flew all over the place gathering wood and growing vines to make a boat. It was a hard process for humans, but Tulip had seen boats on her swim to France. She understood the factors into making a good boat. Tulip was also good at math. She was able to quickly calculate the boat's need size and how much it needed to be reinforced to hold all 100 of the pack members.
She zipped here and there. Spinning around. Enter twining vines and branches. Growing a thin tree on the deck to make a sail.
She finished the boat quickly. It was a breeze. She had asked the hunters of the group to collect food for the trip across sea before she started. She was done before they had returned, so they were ready to go.
Noah was on the deck of the newly finished boat. The world astounds him. He had never been to the ocean. He had never seen a boat. He had never met someone like Tulip. Noah frowned. Tulip was always on his mind. He just couldn't help but think about her. He couldn't help but compliment Tulip about everything. He just couldn't be rude to her. Noah had never had a bad thought about Tulip.
Tulip was in the air gathering winds to blow the boat toward home. Yet she was distracted. Noah was her mind as she was on his. She felt at home when she was around him. But she knew she had to keep going. Even if that meant leaving him behind. And yet, she didn't want to leave him behind. Tulip didn't have the heart. She had no idea why she felt the way she did toward him. Did he feel the same? Does he get the fuzzy feeling inside him as in her? Tulip didn't know but didn't want to stop thinking about Noah.
Noah's father watched the distracted Tulip fly. He noticed she was flying in a distorted manner. Almost as if she had something on her mind. He sighed. He liked Tulip. She was kind and thoughtful. She would be perfect for Noah. But if only Noah would just say something to her.
Between the three of them, no one could say what was on their mind. It was hard to understand why though. It was a simple matter. But as simple as it was, it was also a complicated matter. Tulip is an outrageous being. She is easy to figure out, but there is still so much Noah just can't figure out. The question that is always on his mind is: why him? Why did she save him?
Tulip had thought the same question. Why did she choose to save him? It was one of the hundreds of thoughts on her mind. Mother would know the answer, but she wasn't going to help. She believed Tulip needs to find things out on her own.
The next morning Noah woke up earlier than everyone but Tulip.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked pawing over to her.
"More like can't sleep at all. Why are you up anyway it's going to be a long day."
"Well, I was hoping I could ask you something."
"What?"
"I want you to answer honestly."
"Noah I can't lie. I would have to Miley, but I just couldn't. Last time I lied it torn me completely up inside. I didn't care for it one bit."
"Maybe it has to do with the fact you have to be pure."
"Maybe. Anyway, what did you want to ask?"
"Tulip, do you trust humans?"
"No. Not even a little. Humans don't deserve to be trusted by anyone different than they are."
"I agree."
"Really? Why?" Tulip rolled her eyes in Noah's direction.
"When I was younger, my mother was killed by humans."
"You poor thing."
"Yeah. She was the reason I kept going on every day. Even after her death, I kept going knowing she would be mad if I gave up so easily."
"I bet your mother would be proud of you."
"I know she is. Becoming pack leader is very important. She would be proud of me. I just don't know about my father."
"Why wouldn't he be proud?"
"You helped me."
"What's wrong with that?"
"He always says I should do things on my own. And because of you, I've beaten the alpha. But it doesn't count. It had to be on my own."
"You know what, why should you care? You are respected by your pack and you're doing what no other African Wild Dog would do. You're going to travel the ocean. What dog could say that?"
"Any dog on a boat."
But that's with humans. You're not traveling with a human you're traveling with-" Tulip put her hand on Noah's back, but then blacked out. Noah was in a panic that woke the others.
"Oh no! Oh no! No no no!"
"What happened?" Miley asked running over to Noah.
"I- I don't know! We were talking and then she collapsed!"
Tulip began to glow. Soon she was too bright to look at. Everyone turned away since they were blinded. The flash sustained. Everyone looked back and Tulip was gone. An African wild dog took her place. Then it hit them. She changed her form.
Tulip woke dazed. She had no idea what just happened. She turned her head and everyone was looking at her.
"What happened? Why are you staring at me like that?" Tulip looked at her hands. Only they weren't hands, they were paws. She looked herself up and down. "I'm in Animal form."
Tulip stood. She was wobbly since she was on four legs for the first time. She knew she would get a new form, but Tulip hadn't expected it would happen this soon.
"Tulip, are you alright?" Noah asked.
"I guess. I really didn't think I would change Animal this soon."
"You mean you knew what your new form was?"
"No. No, I didn't. I just knew that I was going to get a new form."
"Still the fact your first animal form is an African Wild Dog though. It's flattering."
"It's not the first. It's the only."
"How can you tell?"
"I feel whole. Like I've found all my forms."
"So, you're done looking for your forms? That's amazing!"
"Yeah. Now I have a reason to go back there."
"Back where?"
"To where it all began."