Chapter 1: The Harappa Field Program

Dr. Fyfe Kaelan closed his laptop and let the lecture hall settle. The last slides had flickered away, leaving only the faint hum of the overhead lights and the smell of old textbooks. “That concludes our discussion on human-animal transformation myths,” he said, voice calm but carrying the authority that made students sit a little straighter. “Remember, theory is meaningless without practice. Next week, I’ll begin interviews for the Harappa field program. Prepare accordingly.”

A ripple of anticipation ran through the room. Some students scribbled notes obsessively; others sat back, pretending disinterest while secretly counting the minutes until the interview sign-ups. Kaelan observed them with sharp eyes — not just seeing, but measuring, calculating. He noted confidence, curiosity, arrogance, and fear, all displayed in subtle gestures.

Kaplan Merrick sat near the back, notebook open, pen poised, heart slightly tight in anticipation. He had come prepared, but he knew Kaelan’s scrutiny went beyond grades or essays. The professor could read more than words; he could read intent, character, the potential for danger or brilliance.

Lila Moreno glanced at him from the aisle across, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Guess we’re all being judged,” she whispered. Kaplan smirked; she had that spark, that combination of enthusiasm and intelligence that made her the sort of student Kaelan noticed — in a good way.

Danny Yazzie, seated near the front, exhaled slowly and straightened his spine. His jaw set. The professor’s announcement had stirred more than just academic anxiety; it had ignited a familiar irritation. He had worked for every scrap of recognition, and here was Kaplan Merrick — the boy who seemed to glide effortlessly into Kaelan’s attention. Danny’s fingers twitched, not from nerves, but from something deeper, something restless beneath the skin.

“Do you want to go compare notes in the quad?” Lila asked Kaplan.  He stretched his tanned muscular arms over his head with a deep sigh and shook his head.  His deep green eyes sparkled and he gave Lila an impish grin.  “Sure, why not.  I can use all the help I can get.”

Danny, still observing behind his rich brown eyes with a slight scowl on his face, tensed his jaw, feeling excluded again.  He picked up his laptop and notebook and strode out of the room without even putting them in his backpack.  He needed to get out of this room and find a place to free his mind of the political gymnastics it would take to get through the interview process.  That Kaplan always had everything handed to him – grades, good looks, girls, Professor Kaelin’s favor.  It wasn’t right.  He didn’t even have any connection to the studies.  At least Danny knew what it was like to feel the intensity of shifting into an animal, which is why he was there – to learn more.

Danny walked briskly to the parking lot in search of his pick-up truck.  He threw his backpack and computer into the passenger seat and turned on the ignition.  He smiled as he heard the old beast come to life.  She wasn’t pretty, but she ran well.  Danny had worked two summers to buy the truck from his uncle.  Danny and his family live on the Blackfeet Reservation, about 210 miles from the University of Montana.  Even though it was only three hours away, he didn’t make it back often anymore.

Danny made it to his apartment.  He let his long, thick black hair hang loose over his back.  He took off his shirt and his reddish-brown skin danced like fire in the patches of sun breaking through the windows.  ‘I need to get out of here,’ Danny thought as he removed the rest of his clothes.  He couldn’t shift for very long, but he needed to know what Kaplan and Lila were working on.  He needed some type of edge during the interview so he would be picked for the field mission.  Danny opened his window and removed the screen.  With a jump, he transformed into a small black-capped chickadee.  No one would notice him in this form.

He let his wings spread wide as he flew the small distance back to campus.  He found Kaplan and Lila sitting at a table outside in a deep discussion about what qualities the professor was looking for.

“Come on, Kap.  Do you really think Dr. Gorgeous is looking at anything other than academics for this trip?” Lila laughed as she thought about the tall, blond professor.  “I mean, he is so into this stuff, like it’s his life mission or something.”

“I don’t know, Lila.  It just feels like he is really putting together something more than just smart people that can quote facts.  This is such a huge opportunity – to dig at an actual site believed to hold the secrets of shape shifting in southern Asia?  Whoever goes will be set up for the rest of their career.”

‘Stupid white boy.  What would he know about anything.  He’s just looking for a paycheck.  Typical,’ thought Danny as he listened from a branch hovering over their table.

“Well, I know I am going.  I have the best grades in the class,” Lila beamed.

“Ya, what are you going to do to stand out in the interviews?” Kaplan asked.

“Now, if I told you, gringo, how would that help me?” Lila laughed. 

Kaplan smiled with is blue eyes as well as his mouth.  He really liked Lila as a friend and potential colleague.  Danny was getting bored.  There wasn’t enough valuable information in this conversation.  Then he saw a pretty red head walking up.  She always seemed to be buzzing around Kaplan, but he didn’t seem to even care.

“Well, hello, my hot anthropologist.  What discoveries are we looking for today?  I hope it’s me.” Maddison “Maddie” Clark was beautiful.  She had long straight red hair.  Freckles kissed her ivory skin.  She put her light pink lips into a seductive pout staring intensely at Kaplan.

This irked Danny to no end.  He had tried to ask Maddie out when they were undergrads, but she openly rejected him, “That’s cute, coming from… you,” as she walked away laughing.  She came from a wealthy east coast family.  Her father was a prestigious corporate lawyer and her mom ran the socialite scene.  She only came to UM to major in environmental studies because it pissed her parents off.  She hated it here, but her parents said they would cut off her financial support if she quit, just to let her know that her stunt wouldn’t go unpunished.  Danny thought she was hot, but entitled.  He only really liked her because she was giving Kaplan all of her attention.

“Uh, hi, Maddie.  Look, we gotta go,” Kaplan said as he rolled his eyes and got up from the bench.  Lila gave a little giggle at how over the top Maddie was being and how Kaplan wasn’t having it.

Kaplan and Lila parted ways leaving a very disappointed Maddie standing by the table.  Her seductive pout had turned into a pout of frustration.  She huffed and then called out to Kaplan, “Are you going to the party tonight?”  Kaplan acted like he didn’t hear her and kept walking.

Danny chirped, almost in a laugh. Maddie looked up at him in his chickadee form and mumbled, “stupid bird.”  Danny’s eyes shined a bit as she stomped off.  He flew back to his apartment grateful for the wind and freedom his bird gave him, but annoyed he didn’t gather any useful information.