birds of a feather

Chapter One
Meadel

It was dark and cold the night that Meadal ran away from home. He was only 16 years old . Most childeren run away from home and come back soon after realizing that this is a harsh world with out the protection of loved ones.But Meadel could only imagine that the world was a better place with out human companionship. all contact with people thus far had only led him into trouble .So Meadel decided to take matters into his own hands,
He sat on his bed watching the clock as the second hand slowly krept along the rim. it seemed to have slowed considerably since he had made the decition. He was tired , tired of the arguments his aunt and uncle had constantly. by all acounts all their fights had been about him. Most of all he was tired of being the root of all problems.
He had killed his mother just by being born and his father past on shortly after , some said he had been drinking the night his car went of the cliff. Others claimed it was mearly a moment of insanity that took hold of him. No one understood how Meadal had survived the accident. but there he was, He couldn't take the easy way out like his father but he often wondered if his father was trying to commit suicide or murder.
Meadel rose from his bed with a sigh. such thoughts always made him feel sluggish ,restless and completly unloved.he walked into the bathroom and staired at his reflection in the brocken mirror. He had brocken it sever years before and no one had ever bothered to replace it.It wasn't as if his family couldn't affored it , the simply figured he would only break it again. Meadel staired at his shattered reflection, staired so hard that soon his features blurred and all he coud see was his own eyes. He had often fantisized about being able to transform his body
in this exact manner, concentraite hard enough and it would blur,then he could shape into anything his mind could create. during school he was often reprimanded for not paying attention, day dreaming the called it. He knew better, he was certain that one day this ability would be his , until then he was himself body and mind.
Meadels eyes slowly regained there focus, the reflection was at it had always been , a boy with intensly dark brown eyes , semi long white hair that would never be dyed as it refused to hold any colour. He wasn't sure if he was born with his hair that way or if it was caused by the accedent. he had never seen pictures of himself as a baby as the had all been in the car when his father decided to fly. He hated it at one point though, his bright white hair, until he realized it was eaisier to hate people then hair girls laughed at him and the boys would beat him after school.He would return home only to get yelled at about embarrising what little reputation the family had left.He never had a friend or at least no one he would consider a friend.No one ever really knew the burdons he carried so heavily on his shoulders.
He glanced at the clock 12:35. He had only anouther hour to wait to make his dream come true. He would be leaving this place, this prison of hypocricy. They treated him as a bourden but would not let him leave. But the dreams of youth are strong and the appeal of running away was far to sweet to resist.
Meadel left the bathroom after taking his most valued posession, A silver handeled dagger, He found while rummeging through the the back ally behing his appartment building.
It was old and tarnished, Meadel spent hours polishing and sharpening it. No one ever even knew he had it.Nor did they know about the skill he had with wielding it. He had suprised himself at how easly it fit into his hand, and how his muscles just seemed to know exactly how to use it. He smireked at the thought of it now, how little people really knew about him, they never knew he could do all sorts of things that would cast him from society as a freak. He made a mental list of the things that made him differnt
For one of course was his bright white hair,
but that was merly on the surface. He held many secret differnces from the world. His ability with the dagger, His strange knowledge fo when danger is approaching, His keen eyesight that let him see far beyong the physical world. He could see wriaths and ghosts, he could see energy and auras, He had increadible stamina, finding he only needed 4 hours of sleep each night. His undinable agility,he was as agile as any cat.And finally that which would make normal people think he was insane was his ability to speak with what people considered to be the lower species.growing up his only companions had been the stray animals who would wonder in the ally. But these creatures were of the simple sort and there for offered him not much more then requests for food when they approached. He knew he was differnt and knew to hide at at a young age. he tried telling his aunt once about what he could do, but she did as she always did and replied " don't lie Mead, You know realpeople cannot do such a thing" when he had told his uncle , he was severly beaten and grounded for a month on account of he was a lier.
Oh he had learned his lesson well that night and
never spoke of it again.
1:00, it would soon be time to go, he packed several changes of cloths and his sleeping bag, he found his life savings in the hidden compartment he had carved into his bed frame. It wasn't much money but it would have to do. He had considered not leaving until the following day to collect the five dollar birthday present he recieved each year, but decided five dolloras was not worth the pain of spending one more night in the place he called home .
1:05 he started pacing back and forth realizing suddeny that since 12:00 he had now been 17 years old .He scuffed in the mirror and sarcastically wished himself a happy birthday.
he decided that as a present to himself he would just go leave now. He no longer cared if his family heard him leaving.Meadel flung the back pack onto his back and walked out of his room.
he went to the front door and took one last glance around, he tried to make a mental list of everything he would miss, and found he would miss nothing. He took the first step over out of the apartment and into his new life...

Chapter two
Mianna
6 years later
"Dude, what in the hell do you think you are doing?" she cried as she ran across the street to the parking lot. some bum was trying to steal her Mom's car . She ran the distance easly hopping over the trash bins that had been in her way. every one always said gymnastics could do wonders for agility, but Mianna alwasy wondered why it was so easy for her when others had such difficulty. She was strong, stonger then all the girls her age she new. they had learned early not to mess with Mianna. She wasn't a violent person , only one who had no problem with protecting herself with as much [pain and minimul damage.and she had the skill to know how. Her father had began training her at the age of five in self defence and other formas of combat. after 15 years of training this bum had no chance.
He glanced up as he heard Mianna screaming, a look of fear struck his eyes as he recognized who she was, being so differnet Mianna had made quite the impression on this little town surrounded by forest.He froze in fear until Mianna was inches away from his face,
"get the hell away from the car," she said calmly "before you meld with it by shear force" the Bum stammered some sort of non coherent responce and ran like hell dogs were after him. Mianna couldn't help but giggle. she hadn't even raised her fist to the man. She never really intended to hurt the man seriously just enough for him to flee and remember her and the car for future refrence. Shortly after the episode Miannas Mother can trotting over from the store Mianna had just ran from .
"mianna, You have to stop intimdating people, it's no wonder you don't have any friends"
Mianna smiled as she always did when her mother began to reprimand her .
"I have a friends, lots of them, they might be furry and don't speak english,but I hardly see why that shouldn't count them as real fri-"
"enough mianna, "her mother interupted,"just help me with these bags.
Miann grabbed the bags from her mother and tossed them into the back seat of the car.
"I just hope yu'll be more careful when you head to collage next week, you don't wnat people to think you are a freak do you?"
" i plan to find the people who wont judge people tht way. this town just doesn't have anny of those people."
" the whole world is that way Mianna, you can't change people only yourself"
"well I like myself just fine the way I am thank you very much"

When the got home, Mianna helped her mother unload the shopping bags and made dinner for the familly, When this was done she packed her portion and the extra one she had made and packed her bag for a camping trip. It was summer and Mianna's favourtie thing in the world was to be in the forest on her own.
She packed a sleeping bag and some clothes, a small bag of bird and roadent feed, her fire kit and her camping gear.
"your not going out there again are you?" her mother said as she entered the room "I thought we talked about this"
" we did , you said you don't like it , I got that I understand, but what you don't understand is that I can handle it. It's my sanctuary and , as much as I love you mom, I'm not giving it up."
" but we never know where you are"
"at least I always come back, beside you know what to do in an emergency, smoke signals" she said with a smile. She hoisted the back pack onto her showlders and walked passed her mother.
"besides mom if you can't handle a few nights in the woods how will you ever handle me going to collage It's only three provinces away."
Her mother just shook her head and wached as her only child walked out of the house and towards the dark woods. To sandra the woods always seemed like such a dark place, full of danger and the unknown, she could never understand why her husband and daughter were so very fond of it. She hated the thought of her daughter out there on her own, oh she knew her daughter was strong, frightningly so sometimes but she was still so young , only 20 years old and so vulnerable. no friends to speak of , only one relationship in her life that ended disastoursly, Sandra had long since given up the idea of grandchildren, her daughter was wild and no man could hope to raign her in.

chapter three:

Meadeal

At first meadeal had tried to live in the human world.
after three nights sleeping in the park he stumbled across an old man who had fallen and lay unciouncouse in the path. Meadeal brought him to the hospital and stayed with the old man for days before he regained councousness.
"who are you?" asked the old man in a raspy voice, "I have had the strangest dream and though all of it all I could see was your face, are you here to take me away?"
"no, my name is Meadeal I found you in the park and brought you here, how are you feeling?"
"I've felt better, my health is ailing but I'm all alone in this world, how long have I been here?"
" almost a week, they though they lost you a few times but you're stable now, "
"what possesed you to stay for so long? you don't even know my name, people arn't that kind, what do you want?"
"two reasons why I stayed if you want real honesty, the first is I wanted to make sure you where alright, and when no one else came i wanted to make sure you wern't alone. "
" i see" said the man sceptically.
" the seconed reason, I have no where else to go, the hospital is at least warm at night."
the man nodded
"good, I'm glad you can be honest, but if you are looking for a reward I havn't got much money , I don't even have some one to run my store when I'm ill."
"I don't want a reward. " meadeal took a step back weary now of the same old human tune,
"i can offer you a job, It wont pay much but there's a room upstairs that will keep you warm.it's the best I can do take it or leave it."
"I don't want a reward" meadeal repeated again more gravley then before"
"it's not a reward, It's a mutualy benificial endeavour. you will work yfor your wae and we're not doing each other any favours, I need a strong young man to help me run the store, you need a place to live and food for your belly, how is this a reward."
meadeal thought about this for a moment.
"how do you know you can trust me?" asked meadel waiting for the same old line " how do you know that when you get to know me you wont think I'm just freak?"
"becasue of that exact question you just asked. your hired, first order of buisness, take these keys and go water all the plants at the shop , each has instructions, the adress is on the table there. by the way my name is carl, carl unger
but you can call me boss" the old man smiled ,
Meadel took the keys and the scrap of paper from the desk, he left with out a word and completed his task. When he returned the old man was asleep and meadeal sat down and waited for morning.

After several weeks Carl was well anough to be taken home. Meadeal cared for him and for his buisness as he recovered slowly from what was later discovered to be a heart attack. This is how proceded for nearly six years. Meadeal worked hard and never complained.
One day Carl called Meadeal into his office.
" listen son you havnt taken a single day off in the entire time I have known you. Not that I am complaining but this cant be healthy. Dont you ever go and just have fun?"
Meadeal shrugged and looked away " I don't really know anyone nor where to go besides what I consider fun would probably be regarded as freakish" he said the last word with such vehamence that Carl winced"
"what do you mean by that?"
" what do kids my age do for fun? they smoke pot or drink. They find girls or go see movies. I dont want to do any of that. I want..." he stopped and thought about it.
" I want to learn how to shoot a bow, throw an axe, Hunt. I want to learn how to live off the land."
Carl smiled broadly " you silly boy why didn't you say so?"
Meadeal shrugged again and returned to work. Carl sat for a long time considering what to do next. His phone began to ring and with an inward wince he reached over to answer it. Very few people had the number to this perticular number and he knew this would most likly be his sister.
They had never really gotten along but once a year she would phone. She had this way of speaking that made it sound like everything he did was a failer. She seemed to have taken that from their mother and somehow had decided that she would take her mothers place in critisizing him on all his life choice. he sighed and lifted the reciever
"Carl here how can I help you?"
" Uncle Carl? Its Mianna. How are you feeling?"
Carl smiled and let out a breath of relief. If there was one person in the world more unlike her mother it was Mianna. SHe had always been a strange one. took after her father like a duck takes to water. She was always out in the back woods and considering her mother he was not at all surprised.
" hullo dear " he said " Im feeling just fine how are things at home?"
" as good as can be considering." he heard a faint smile as she said that last part
"considering what? "
" Well Im moving into town I dont have much choice really it would take hours to commute home everyday for school."
"three provinces away Iwould say so. You're coming to school out here? "
"thats right. I should be heading out next week. I wondered if you still have that apartemnt above the store. If your renting it I understand but I was hoping to have a place to stay for a few days until my accomidations are ready. Plus the sooner I leave the better Mom is on a war path of life advice."
Carl chuckled. "Well I do have one room but you would have to share the apartment with Meadeal. He's been staying in the spare appartment for six years now and I dont think he needs to be evicted when will you be down?"
"Meadeal? who is that? six years? why havnt you ever mentioned him before?"
"It never came up...any way I will get the spare room ready what day can I come pick you up from the bus station?"
"thursday I want to get there with plenty of time to check out the wildlife" she laughed and he laughed right along with her. She was such an easy going girl it was a wonder she spent so much of her time alone in the wilderness.
" call me that day I will rent a car"
Meadeal knocked on his office door
"alright little one I will see you thursday" he hung up the phone and told Meadeal to come in.
"Mrs. Parkinson asked for this to be delivered. I was going to bring it over did you want me to pick anything up on the way back?
"yes actually. Stop at the furniture store we need a new bed for the spare room I hope you wont mind but my neice is coming to stay for a while." Meadeal swalled hard and nodded. He had seen pictures of Carls neice. She was beautiful. But he had never imagined meeting her. now she was coming to stay. It made him angry for some reason. none that he could fatham but he stored it away and nodded again.
By Thursday the room was ready and Meadeal tried to make himself scarce. He hid in his room as he heard the door downstairs open. Carl and Mianna were laughing about something as they made their way up the stairs.
" I can't believe you only brought two bags with you. And only one of them is anything but camping gear. Are you planning to go to school or go live in the woods."
" cant I do both" she asked as they walked passed his room and into her own.
There had always been a hole in the wall between the two rooms and the conversation was impossible to avoid overhearing. Meadeal stratched out on his bed and put his arms under his head and cocked his ear to the wall.
"just like your father " carls said with a smile " when does school start?"
" in two weeks or so dont worry I will try not to pick any fights while Im here. just keep me away from the locals."
" I dought that will be a problem. You and your squerrels you know its a good hour drive to get into