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? Peter's eyes flew open. He shot up in his bed, turning his head to look at his clock. 8:30 AM. Today was the day. His heart pounding with excitement, he jumped out of bed and quickly got dressed. He'd been looking forward to this day all week, and now the time had finally come: he was going hiking.

....Okay, it may not seem THAT exciting, but he'd been looking forward to this for quite a while now. His job had been super busy lately, not to mention boring as hell, and it felt like forever since he had been able to do anything like this by himself. Except he wasn't by himself... and that was the best part. This wasn't just a hike; it was a date. A date with a girl he'd just met not too long ago. He still chuckled, remembering just how the two of them had met. It'd certainly been an odd coincidence, that's for sure.

It'd been a pretty normal evening. He'd arrived home, eaten dinner, and was just about to go out for an evening walk. He'd been doing that a lot lately, since it was a great way for him to wind down after a long day at work. The fresh air, the calm atmosphere, the exercise... everything about it was perfect for him, especially given how much he enjoyed spending time outside. There was just something so liberating about getting away from everything, just walking and spending time by himself.

That walk wasn't supposed to be any different... but he had only gotten a few feet away from his house before he noticed something... some kind or rustling coming from the woods lining the road. It sounded like something big... was it a bear? He didn't think there were any bears living nearby, but he kept his guard up, just in case. But it wasn't a bear... instead, a young, thin woman with dark hair came stumbling through the woods, nearly falling over when she reached the sidewalk.

Noticing that she was breathing heavily, Peter bent down to help her. "You okay?" he asked, noticing a deep cut on her leg. "What happened? Why were you in there?"

"I'm... fine," she said between breaths. "I'm just... really tired."

"Here, I'll help you up," said Peter, grabbing her hand. He quickly helped her to her feet, noticing that she was still shaky. "Hey, are you sure you're okay? Do you need me to walk with you?"

The girl shook her head, pulling her hand away. "I'll... I'll be fine," she said. "Oh, my name's Kate, by the way."

"Peter," said Peter. He looked out into the woods. "So... what were you doing in there, anyway?"

"I was looking for something," said Kate. "I'd... rather not talk about what it was, though." She shook her head. "Anyway, I should probably get back to my house. It's not too far from here."

"Hey, do you want me to come with you?" asked Peter. "You know, just to make sure you can still get there by yourself. You do look pretty exhausted."

"Well..." Kate thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. I could probably use some company, anyway."

All that had happened almost a month ago. Since then, Peter and Kate had paid each other more visits, and their friendship had developed into a bit of a romantic relationship. Peter would always tell Kate about his life... about how boring and difficult his job was, how he lived for the evening walks he always took, how he loved being outdoors because of how calm it made him feel. And Kate would always smile and agree, saying that she felt the same way. But whenever Peter asked about Kate's life, she always seemed to get rather... uncomfortable. She clearly didn't like talking about herself or her past, since she would constantly dodge his questions and replace them with her own questions about him. But their bond remained strong. And now that they were going to be spending the entire day together, maybe Peter could finally get her to open up about herself. After all, she couldn't possibly spend the entire day dodging his questions, right?

As soon as he was dressed, he quickly ran into the kitchen, grabbing some snack foods and filling up a couple of water bottles. Then he grabbed a backpack, putting the food and water inside of it. He then grabbed a map of the trail they were going on and quickly looked over it. It looked perfect: A long uphill walk through a forest trail leading to a majestic view of the town from a large cliff. He'd never been on this trail, and apparently, neither had Kate, so it would be a good experience for both of them.

A knock on his front door signaled to Peter that Kate was right there waiting for him. Quickly grabbing his backpack, he immediately ran to the door and opened it, revealing Kate standing on the other side. She grinned at him. "Ready to climb?" she asked.

Peter nodded. "Yep!" he replied. But as he examined her, he noticed that she didn't seem to have any supplies with her. No food, no water... nothing. "You're not bringing anything with you?" he asked. "What about food and water?"

"Oh... I'll be fine," said Kate, grinning. "I don't exactly have a lot of food at my house. And hey, I'm pretty used to spending a lot of time not eating, anyway."

"So... you don't eat a lot, huh?" Peter grinned. "Is that how you manage to stay so thin?"

"Well, I exercise a lot, too," replied Kate. "But enough about that. Ready to get going? I'll meet you in the car."

"Yeah, sure!" said Peter, following her out to his car. As he walked, though, a sigh escaped his lips. Why was she so intent on not telling him anything about herself? Was her personal life really that bad? He shook his head, getting into the car next to her. Maybe he could get her to talk when they were on the trail.

"Oh man... this is way harder than I though it would be!" Just hours later, the two of them were walking though the woods on a long uphill trail. Kate was in the front, while Peter was trailing behind her, panting and out of breath. He couldn't remember the last time he'd done this much walking in a single stretch, and he was exhausted. Kate, on the other hand, seemed to be having no problems climbing the trail. She hadn't needed to stop and rest even once, not even to get a quick sip of water. Considering how long they'd been walking uphill now, Peter couldn't help being impressed by her endurance.

Kate turned around, laughing. "You need help?" she asked. She walked back over to Peter, putting her arm around him to steady him. "Consider this my way of thanking you for when we first met," she said, smiling.

"Well," said Peter. "If this doesn't even phase you, I can't imagine what you were doing that day to make you so exhausted."

"Let's just say I've been out a lot longer than this before," replied Kate. "Hey look up there! I think that's the end of the trail!" As she said it, the two of them walked out of the woods into a large clearing. And the moment he saw it, Peter's mouth fell open.

In the clearing was the cliff that Peter had read about. And the view from it was absolutely breathtaking. He could see the entire town from there, from the buildings to the trees to the empty fields. Everything looked so... small. And to think that he had been down there just hours ago! "Wow..."

"It looks amazing!" said Kate, smiling. She turned to look at Peter. "What do you think?"

"I love it!" cried Peter. "I mean... It really makes you think, doesn't it? About how small and insignificant everything down there is. Of course, I know we'll have to go back down and face it all again anyway, but still... it's really nice to just go out here and get away from everything. You know, get a feel for how all that other stuff really doesn't mean anything. Don't you think?"

"Yeah..." said Kate, looking down at the town. "This view really is amazing... all the times I've seen it, and I still never get tired of it..."

"Wait, what?" Peter looked over at her. "I thought you said you've never come up here before. How have you seen this before?"

"Oh!" Kate gasped, putting her hands over her mouth. "Um... I didn't mean... okay, you know what? Forget it." She walked up to Peter, grabbing his hand. "Listen. You love looking at the view from up here, right? And... you want a chance to get away from everything, right? To be free from everything, to not have to deal with your job, or your life, or anything like that... that's what you want, right?"

"Um... I guess..." Peter was confused. "Where are you going with this?"

"Well... what if I told you that you could have all of that?" Kate looked up at him, smiling. "The view, the escape, a new life... what would you say if I told you I could give it all to you, forever?"

"Um... what are you talking about?" Peter frowned. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"I... guess so," said Kate. "But to be honest, it would probably be easier if I just showed you." She stepped away from Peter, walking over to the edge of the cliff. "Just stay there, okay?" she said. "And don't do anything." Without another word, she stepped up to the edge... and jumped off.

"What?" Peter recoiled, the shock rendering him motionless for just a second. "No!" He finally cried, rushing over to the edge. "Kate!" He peered over, trying to find her... but he couldn't see her anywhere. She had disappeared. "Wait, what the-"

A loud shrieking noise startled him into looking up. "Gah!" He screamed, quickly backing away from what he saw. "Wha... what the hell is that?" In the air in front of him was what looked like a creature straight out of a storybook. Its head looked like the head of a bald eagle, and its body was covered with black feathers, with massive feathery wings behind it keeping it airborne. It arms were also covered in feathers, ending in lethal-looking talons. Its legs, on the other hand, were covered in golden fur and ended in two massive paws. As it flew closer to him, Peter noticed a long, slender tail attached to its bottom, ending in a large tuft of fur.

Stricken with terror, Peter immediately tried backing away from the creature. But it simply flew closer, landing in front of him on its two paws and... smiling? "Relax, Peter," it said in a smooth feminine voice. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're... not?" Peter's eyes suddenly widened. "Wait... oh my god! That voice, it's... Kate? Is that you?"

"Glad you caught on so quickly!" The creature laughed. "Yep, that's me!" She looked down at herself, running her talons through the feathers on her chest. "Sorry I couldn't tell you about this part of me. But I'm sure you probably wouldn't have believed me, anyway."

In pure disbelief, Peter walked over to the creature Kate had become and ran his own hand through her feathers. "This is... this is real!" He looked up at her, noticing that she had grown to almost nine feet tall! "How... how is this even possible?"

"To be honest, I'm not really sure myself," said Kate. "But I've been able to do this for as long as I can remember." She turned around, looking up at the sky. "I have two forms: my human form, and my gryphon form. I think I first found out when I was a young girl... I remember changing into a gryphon right in front of my parents. Unintentionally, of course. And... I guess they thought I was cursed by the devil or something, because they abandoned me shortly after. Just dropped me in a field and drove away."

"Wow. That's horrible," said Peter. "No wonder you never wanted to talk about your past."

Kate nodded. "I wasn't really sure what to do from there," she said. "There was really only one thing I could do: survive. So that's what I did. I lived out in the wilderness, hunting animals for food whenever I could and just trying to make sure I lived to see the next day. And that's how I spent most of my childhood." She shook her head. "But as I got older, I realized that I didn't want to spend my whole life like this. I wanted to live like a person... you know get a job, a house, maybe even some semblance of a normal life. So I began to try to make money in pretty much any way I could... whether it was though begging or trying to take a few jobs. Eventually, I managed to get enough to get a house, and...well, here I am."

For a moment, Peter just stared. Finally, he lowered his head. "Wow... I'm really sorry, Kate," he said. "I... I had no idea..."

"Well, I'm okay now," said Kate, smiling. "I actually don't have to make as much money as other people, since I can hunt for food instead of having to pay for it. In fact, that's what I was doing when we first met... I'd spent hours looking for something, which is why I was so exhausted. Hunting is tough, but I've learned to deal with it. And... to be honest, my life has improved a lot since I met you." She put her massive talon on his arm. "I spent my childhood afraid of people because of what my parents did to me... and I eventually managed to get over that when I started making money, but I still always felt uncomfortable dealing with them. But... I guess you showed me that some humans can actually be pretty cool. So thanks for that."

"Um... you're welcome," said Peter. He looked up at her once more, looking over her golden eyes, her black and white feathers, her massive wings. "You... do look pretty cool, to be honest."

"Thanks," said Kate. "Being a gryphon can be cool sometimes... I might even enjoy it if it weren't for the fact that it ruined my childhood..." As she said it, a grin seemed to creep across her beak. "You know, I might enjoy it more if I had someone to share it with... and you did tell me that you wanted more opportunities to escape from everything like this..."

Peter frowned. "What are you saying?" he asked.

"I... want to share my life with someone," said Kate. "I need someone who will accept me for what I am... who's willing to live with me and spend time with me. Someone willing to love me. And possibly even... become like me. Because... I can actually transfer my power to other people, too," She looked up at him, smiling. "If you let me, I could give you my abilities. I could make you like me... you know, give you the power to turn into this, too." She stepped to the side, letting him see the view from the cliff again. "What do you think? Getting away from everything more often, getting to see views like this... you want that, right?"

"Well... um..." Peter frowned. Was he really willing to do this? Become this... this creature, just for the sake of someone he'd only known for a month? Although... he did really like the idea of getting away from- oh, who was he kidding? Of course he wanted this! He would give anything for a change of pace in his life! He turned back to Kate. "Let's do it," he said.

"Oh!" Kate stepped back. "Well, that didn't take nearly as long as I expected... not that I'm complaining! Okay, here's what you have to do. First, step over to the edge of the cliff. Don't worry, I won't let you fall."

Cautiously, Peter walked over to the edge of the cliff, breathing heavily. When he was right at the very end, Kate grabbed his sides, her sharp talons digging into them. "Okay," she said. "Close your eyes." Peter did as he was told. "Now... picture yourself in the sky. Picture yourself flying high above the town, with me by your side. You want that, right?"

"Yes... that's what I want," replied Peter. His eyes closed, he imagined himself flying through the air, the wind blowing through his feathers and fur, with Kate right next to him. He smiled as a tickling feeling began spreading across his legs, making them feel warmer. He felt the muscles grow and expand, power seeping into his changing limbs. It felt good, and he smiled, knowing that they were far better suited for what he was becoming.

"You're off to a great start," said Kate, looking down at his legs. "The changes are normally pretty slow the first time, though. You'll be able to change faster with enough practice, though, so don't worry."

"Eh... I kinda like this better, actually," said Peter, still smiling. His shoes were now feeling too tight, as his feet were growing too large to be contained in them for much longer. He couldn't stand it. He needed to be free! As the thought entered his head, he felt something slice through his shoes, giving his feet room to breathe again. Of course... his claws. His new claws, sprouting from his merging toes. His feet were already far bigger than they had been, completely destroying his shoes and socks as the grew and changed. He felt his stance change as he rose up, slowly trying to balance himself on his massive new paws.

"Careful!" cried Kate, pulling him away from the edge. "You might feel a little unbalanced at first, but it should help when your tail and wings grow in."

As if on cue, Peter's shorts were suddenly ripped into pieces, unable to withstand his still growing legs. But as they fell apart, something else suddenly broke free from them: a long, golden-furred tail. Peter grinned, feeling it swish and flick behind him, the sensation making him chuckle. It was certainly odd, having another appendage that he could feel and control. He was also completely naked from the waist down, other than the fur covering him. But it didn't matter to him. Those clothes were only holding him back.

"You feeling okay?" asked Kate. "Everything seems to be going well so far. How do you feel?"

"This feels... amazing," replied Peter. Something was tickling underneath his shirt, and when he rubbed his hand across it, he could feel the feathers sprouting from his skin. As nice as it felt, he felt like his shirt was preventing him from getting the full experience. He needed to get it off! Luckily for him, it seemed like the changes were obeying his wishes, as he immediately felt his hands twitching and spasming. The skin appeared to be turning rough and hard, the scaly texture spreading across his hands and up his arms. His fingers grew larger and stronger, long lethal talons growing to replace his useless fingernails. Perfect. He gripped his shirt and ripped it open, letting the black and white feathers on his torso out. He felt the wind against them, and it only made him more excited for when he would finally be taking flight alongside Kate.

He was almost fully changed. Most of his body was covered by either feathers or fur, and his muscles had grown stronger and more defined, filling him with extra strength. He'd even grown in height, now standing somewhere between nine and ten feet tall. But it wasn't over yet. He lifted a talon up to his face, running it through the feathers sprouting there. He felt his teeth fuse and stretch out, growing and forming into a long hooked beak. His ears felt like they were being pulled up, stretching and becoming pointier. the feathers spread to cover his entire head, replacing even his hair. And he just kept smiling. This was right. This was what he wanted.

"Looking good!" said Kate, who had stepped back to observe. "One change to go... this one's a big one, so brace yourself!"

Sure enough, Peter immediately felt a tugging sensation in his back. It began to grow stronger and stronger, like something was trying to force its way out of his back! When it finally became too much to handle, Peter quickly raised his head to the sky and let out a very loud yell. Only it didn't sound like a normal yell... it sounded more like a screech, like the kind you'd hear from a very large bird. As soon as he did, the pressure was released, and he felt a sudden weight on his back. Feeling it brought is excitement to new levels. Was that his wings he was feeling? Was he finally able to fly like he always wanted?

"Okay, you can open your eyes now!"

Peter's eyes flew open, and he immediately gasped. The first thing he noticed was just how clear and detailed everything around him was. His eyes were far better than before, and he was loving the clarity they granted him. Everything was so vivid and detailed! But even the joy of that paled when he looked down at his new body. Everything about it was perfect; the fur, the feathers, the paws, the talons, the wings... good god, the wings. This was what would allow him to fly! He ran his talons through their feathers, still unable to believe they were real.

"I take it you like it?" Kate walked over to him, placing one of her talons on his feathery torso. "It's cool, isn't it?"

"I... I just can't believe it..." He looked down at her, beaming. "Thank you so much... this is exactly what I've always wanted!"

"I'm glad to hear it." Smiling, Kate put her arm around him. "Thank you, too... for letting me do this to you. I... really appreciate you wanting to share this with me."

"Hey, no problem," replied Peter. Turning his head towards the ledge, he smiled. "Hey, wanna head back to your place? I'll bet we could get there a lot quicker now!"

Kate nodded. "Sure!" she said. "Why don't you go first? I'll stay back to make sure nothing goes wrong."

Peter nodded back before walking towards the ledge, carefully balancing himself on his paws. His tail twitched in anticipation as his heart began beating faster and faster. This was it. He was about to fly. He unfurled his wings, staring over the edge of the cliff. And then... he jumped. As he fell through the air, he quickly spread his wings and flapping them until they caught a current of air, lifting him into the sky. And just like that, he had done it. He was flying! "Yes!" he cried, flapping his wings harder. "This is so cool!"

Kate laughed, flying up next to him. "It is, isn't it?" she said. "Now come one, let's get back to my house. I can show you a few more things on the way, if you want me too. Would you like that?"

"Of course I would!" said Peter, laughing. "Lead the way!" As he followed her, though, he couldn't help thinking about what his life would be like from then on. Spending his life with her, learning to spend time as both a human and a gryphon, learning to hunt, to fly, to love... it was going to take some getting used to. But it was a change from his normal life, and a chance to spend time with someone he loved. And to Peter, that was all that really mattered.