Happygun
11-29-2005, 02:39 AM
Salutations! This is the author of The Woods…err um, speaking.
I’m glad so many of you enjoyed the story. To be honest, I’ve admired Lobo Leo’s work for years. In fact, his short TF comic “Tammy’s Change” was one of the main inspirations of The Woods, though I was equally influenced by a few pieces of werewolf fiction, especially one titled “Strangers in the Night.”
The Woods began as an exercise in descriptive prose. I wanted to see how well I could depict an extended complex scene – such as transformation sequence. However, once I finished the first chapter I found I couldn’t stop writing. The story took on a life of its own – as stories often do. I initially posted the chapters on The Dungeon of Female Transformations Yahoo! Group, where it instantly became one of the most popular stories on the site. Months later I finished the final chapter, re-edited the story and posted it on CYOC, and later Doc’s Lab. However, soon afterwards accusations arose that The Woods was plagiarized from another author named Lonebeatle – the founder of the club no less! This was, of course, not true, but the author and his (considerable) fanbase were utterly convinced that I was guilty. They didn’t even bother to tell me which story I had supposedly plagiarized!
The whole situation quickly degenerated into the worst kind of flame war. Many long-time members left the club out of disgust of the conflict (or me). In the end I managed to make peace with my accusers. It turned out that the similarities between our respective works was a product of coincidence, not plagiarism. Sadly, the dungeon still lost many of its premier members. The whole sordid affair is a perfect example of how miscommunication and paranoia can set people against each other.
Anyhoo, to answer your question, yes, there IS a sequel in the works – “The Lycanthrope Club.” The first three chapters are already finished and the fourth is nearly complete. I have also written a one-shot short story based on one of Leo’s old sketches, titled “A Nurse in Wolf’s Clothing.” You can access these (and more) at The Dungeon of Female TFs http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dungeon_of_female_tfs/ in the transformation story folders under “Kiojan’s Work” and the “2005 Story Contest” folder. I will also post them here in case you have trouble accessing Yahoo! groups or simply do not wish to join the dungeon. I do recommend you check out the dungeon. The version of The Woods there includes a “writer’s commentary” on the chapters that gives you an idea of the writing process. More importantly, Chris “Lord Havoc” Sealy was kind enough to draw full-color pin-ups of all five of the Dairyville werewolves, and the dungeon is the only place to access them (in Havoc’s folder). They are frickin’ awesome.
As of this time I am working on several other projects, at least half of them werewolf-related, but I probably won’t get back to them until the middle of December after I have completed my accursed paper-based knowledge assessments.
Peace out, y’all.
The Lycanthrope Club
Chapter I – Dreams
The full moon shone over the spindly branches of the trees, casting weird shadows onto the forest floor below. The sky was otherwise a starless, cloudless, featureless void from which no light could escape. The ground was a cold mat of grass, dirt, mud, rocks, leaves, and fallen branches. Stalks of trees caressed by wispy tendrils of mist rose high into the frigid night air. Below, dozens of dark, terrified figures were racing through the ancient forest, chased by a black, monstrous, wolf-like creature.
Melinda was gaining on her quarry. Their cries were becoming louder and more distressed by the second. She could see them, smell them - she could feel the heat left by their retreating bodies. They were scattering out in every direction, but it didn’t matter - she’d catch them all in the end. Her powerful, tenebrous form flittered through the night like an angel of death - a silhouette of utter darkness pinned against the checkered shadows of the forest. Every movement - every step and breath she took - sent waves of joy running down her spine, while the sight of her retreating prey filled her with a cruel, wicked delight. She was the beast - the hunter - the thin line between life and death. She felt invincible, indomitable, utterly free and so very, very alive.
Her vision suddenly focused on a nearby figure. It was desperately tearing its way through a dense patch of bushes. Upon hearing Melinda’s approach the figure swiveled its head and stared straight at the monstrous she-wolf. Melinda flashed it a toothy smile and charged forward with a savage howl. The figure screamed and redoubled its efforts, violently shaking its leg from the undergrowth and diving headlong into the woods. Melinda immediately slowed to an easy, loping stride meant to keep pace with her prey without actually catching up with it, thus drawing the chase out for as long as possible.
Despite this allowance it wasn’t long before the gap between the two of them began to narrow. This wasn’t really surprising; Melinda practically glided through the woods on her four powerful legs while her prey could only stumble along on its two. What was more, Melinda could tell by its rapid, wheezing breaths that it was already getting tired. What a shame, thought Melinda. She had been hoping for more of a challenge. Well, it was time to end it. Melinda crouched low, bunching her muscles together like a coiled spring, and leapt into the air. The figure whirled around and screamed, shielding its face with its hands. There was a flash of motion, an inrush of air and leaves, and a long, drawn-out crunch as the two bodies rolled to the ground.
The creature squirmed and thrashed about beneath her weight, crying and weeping uselessly. Melinda watched its struggles with a bemused, dreamy smile. She lurched her body forward, pressing herself against her victim with a throaty growl. She glowered over her prize.
Staring back at her was the panic-stricken face of a teenage girl not much younger than she was.
Melinda hesitated, but only for a second. Somehow, this seemed right. She lowered her head until her muzzle was less than an inch from the girl’s face. She snarled, displaying four seemingly endless rows of white, sharp, shiny teeth.
“Please…no.” whimpered the girl. Tears were running down her cheeks.
Melinda growled once more, fascinated by the girl’s fear.
“No…don’t kill me…” begged the girl, trembling in mortal terror.
This filled Melinda with amusement. Not a cruel amusement, but a light-hearted, mischievous amusement - the amusement a parent would feel if his child hid behind his legs from a stranger. She realized she meant the girl no malice. True, she had hunted and terrorized the poor thing - thoroughly enjoying every second of it - yet her quarry had never been in any real danger; not once had she contemplated killing or even hurting the girl. What Melinda had craved was the thrill of the chase - to run down and overpower her prey.
But there was something more.
Amusement quickly turned to pity as she watched the creature quiver in her iron grip. It seemed so unfair that she should possess such wondrous gifts while the girl be so weak and vulnerable. She was blessed with a beautiful pelt of fur, powerful muscles, keen vision, incredible ears, a sensitive nose, sharp claws and teeth, while the girl had a skinny, furless body with anemic senses and dull, useless teeth and nails. Surely there was something she could do…
The realization crept over her slowly - a familiar notion flowing into her consciousness from the dark depths of her mind. She smiled toothily, gently stroking the girl’s hair with a powerful, talon-adorned paw. The girl moaned in despair, thinking she was preparing to devour her alive. Melinda just chuckled. Her fear was so ironic; it was utterly delightful.
This night will be the last she runs as the hunted.
“This night will be the last you run as the hunted,” growled Melinda softly.
The girl’s eyes widened as Melinda opened her mouth, saliva glistening on her teeth, gums, and tongue.
She never even had a chance to scream. Melinda’s jaw clamped down on her neck like a steel trap. The girl’s entire body froze instantly, paralyzed by sheer terror.
Melinda felt a gentle warmth enter her mouth. She slowly ran her tongue along the back of her teeth, savoring the rich flavor. Yet just as quickly she retracted her tongue and released the girl’s neck. Human blood always tasted sweet at first, but it left a bitter, repugnant aftertaste. She had applied just enough pressure to pierce the skin; the girl was quite alive.
For a moment the girl just laid there, uncertain whether she was still among the living. Then with a hearty scream she scrambled away, clutching her neck. Blood was trickling between her pale fingers. She frantically shuffled back on both knees until her back was against the base of a tree. Her eyes never left Melinda.
Melinda took a step back and sat down on her hind legs, watching the girl with what could only be described as a wolfish interest. For a while, the two of them just sat there - staring at each other. The girl’s chest rapidly rose and fell, her breath plainly visible in the frigid night air. Melinda briefly glanced up at the pale full moon. Her ears twitched as she picked up the distant sound of retreating footsteps. She was growing concerned that if she lingered too long the others might actually escape her. She sniffed at the air and immediately relaxed; they were still relatively close. She had time enough. Satisfied, Melinda turned back to the girl. She wasn’t about to miss this.
The girl gulped, a mixture of fear and dim confusion etched upon her face. She slowly lifted her body as though to rise. Melinda growled ominously. With a terrified yelp the girl obediently knelt back down. Several uncomfortable seconds passed. As she stared at her, Melinda noticed a bead of sweat trickling down the girl’s forehead. Her breath - despite the fact she was sitting - was becoming more strained and rapid as well. The girl wiped her perspiring brow, her eyes still focused on the she-wolf before her. She grit her teeth. Suddenly, her entire body spasmed. She fell to the forest floor hugging her sides as though fighting back an urge to vomit. Melinda watched on with concerned excitement.
The Change had finally begun.
The girl moaned. She started dragging her body along the ground trying desperately to escape Melinda. Suddenly, her back arched violently. Screaming with pain she rolled over onto her stomach. She raised her hands into the air, splaying her shaking fingers against the moon. Melinda saw that her fingertips had turned an angry shade of red, and were beginning to…pulsate.
With a sickening sound all ten of her nails burst in an explosion of blood and tissue. Wicked, curved, black claws sprang out in their place.
To her credit, the girl did not scream this time. Instead she merely stared wide-eyed at her hands, and then at Melinda, a pleading look upon her face. Melinda sat there - unmoving. She felt sympathy for the girl’s fear and confusion. A part of her wanted to speak to the girl, to assure her there was nothing to be afraid of - that what she was undergoing was not a curse, but a blessing. Yet she remained silent.
The redness moved down the girl’s arms and soon encompassed her entire body. Throbbing roadmaps of arteries and veins appeared beneath her skin. The girl twitched. She brought her clawed hands to her chest and began rubbing her upper body furiously. Melinda cocked her head. She moved in closer, and barked with approval when she saw a burgeoning patch of thick, matted fur between the girl’s breasts. The girl continued to rub the affected area, unable to actually scratch the irritation for fear of slashing herself with her newly acquired talons. With a defeated moan the girl threw her hands back and lay there, enduring the maddening itch with quiet frustration.
The girl’s leg muscles bulged, becoming clearly defined beneath her skin. They were soon followed by her back muscles, her biceps, her triceps, her abs, her quads, her gluts - every muscle in her body grew and swelled with power. Her hips widened. Her breasts expanded, impressing themselves tightly against her already taut white T-shirt. Breathing heavily the girl rolled onto her fours and arched her body, throwing back her head with a groan. The sound of cracking bones filled the air. Melinda watched in fascination as her heels shrank back into her trembling bare feet while her arches elongated, growing to well over a foot in length. Thick black talons only slightly smaller than her claws erupted from her toes in a bloody haze. Her back slouched. Her ribs popped and crackled. The girl’s very physiology was being twisted and molded into something far more…primal.
Through the cacophony of screams and moans Melinda made out the urgent sound of ripping fabric. The girl’s shirt and blue jeans had been stretched past their limit. Dozens of tears were rapidly forming along the seams. It was only a matter of time before…
“AAAAHHH!”
The girl’s T-shirt was torn down the middle of its collar. It peeled off her hulking frame and fell to the ground, exposing her ample bosom to the world. Melinda gasped with wicked delight; a smooth layer of dark-brown fur already covered her upper body. And it was spreading.
The girl was desperately attempting to rise to her feet, but kept slipping. Her shifting physiology made any coordinated movement difficult, while her jeans were becoming increasingly awkward to wear. With a feral roar she seized the sides of her pants and ripped them apart with a single, violent motion. The tattered remains of her jeans fell beside her shredded T-shirt. Her lower body freed, the girl stretched her two fur-covered gams with a relieved sigh. Suddenly, her relaxed countenance twisted into a grimace. She shifted her body and stood up on all fours, her back legs resting on the balls of her feet. Melinda saw a tiny nub growing just below the small of her back. It lengthened, quickly growing into a bushy brown tail.
Sensing that the final phase was about to begin, Melinda rose and trotted around to face the girl. She was met with a baleful glare and a low-throat growl. Ignoring this, Melinda sat and stared deeply into girl’s eyes. She noted that they were for the most part still human, but had acquired a certain...predatory sheen. The girl stared back, and as she did her angry scowl slowly softened. Although her body continued to convulse, she remained utterly focused on Melinda's two bright yellow orbs - almost as though hypnotized.
Be at peace, prayed Melinda silently. Do not be afraid. Do not fear The Change. Let it fill you - mind, body, and spirit - and be reborn. Not human, not wolf, but a glorious union of both.
The girl cried out in agony. Her nose darkened, shifting from blue to black to deep black. Fur began to creep along the periphery of her face. Her pupils and irises widened. A series of tiny snapping sounds filled the air as her nose, chin, cheeks, and brow began to twitch in disconcerting ways.
Be a werewolf. Accept this gift - with my blessing.
Her nose bulged into a snout. Her lower and upper jaw jutted out with a resounding crack. Her lips peeled back. Blood began to trickle from her red, inflamed gums. Her teeth sharpened to razor-sharp fangs - her canines growing two inches in length. Her ears folded back and lengthened into two pointed tufts. The girl shut her eyes, raised her head to the moon, and screamed. Her nose and jaw began to stretch outwards as though pulled by an invisible hand. As it grew, her voice grew deeper and darker until her innocent, pained cry had become a wild howl of joy…
--
…Melinda felt a plush warmth surrounding her.
She stirred, shifting her right shoulder, smiling. She wondered vaguely where the girl had gone, and when she would catch up with the others.
Her eyes opened. Nine inches away from her sat her digital alarm clock. Its dull red LED display read 4:37 AM.
Awareness and terrible soul-crushing guilt washed over her.
NO! Not again!
Melinda shut her eyes and pressed her lips together, cupping her face with her hands. She twisted her body, burrowing deeply into her blankets.
I’m not a monster! I’m not an animal! I’m not a beast! I’m just a girl!
A girl who can transform into an 8-foot tall werewolf, remarked some inner voice.
Melinda moaned.
Why do I keep having that dream? she thought worriedly. Why do I take pleasure in hunting down innocent people? It’s vile! Perverse! Monstrous…
…But I can’t stop thinking about it. Even now the thought won’t go away. I mean...what’s the harm in it anyway? Look at all it’s done for me. I've...I've never been so happy before in my life. And it makes people stronger, faster, tougher…wouldn’t the world be a better place if I…NO!
Melinda grit her teeth together so tightly that her gums bled.
It’s wrong! It’s not for me to decide if someone would be better off having four legs and a pelt of fur! Besides, Yves went nuts when she changed. What if…what if half the people who get transformed go berserk? What if it’s only a matter of time before I go berserk? What then? I don’t understand this…this syndrome well enough to take that kind of risk!
…Still…the look on that girl’s face…the sky, the trees…the cadence of the earth…it all felt so, so right.
Is there such a thing as destiny?
Melinda sighed and rolled over in her bed, absently wiping the blood from her lips. These bizarre thoughts would leave her in the morning - they always did. Until then it was best just to ignore them and try to get some sleep.
--
Nine forty-five AM. The tall yellow school buses were parked along the curb behind campus, still and empty. Second period was almost over. A few scattered students were already moving between classes - having left lecture early to avoid the interperiod rush. Otherwise, the campus appeared deserted.
A shrill metallic ringing suddenly pierced the air. It persisted for a few seconds, and then fell silent. As if on cue doors all over campus swung open. Hundreds of students poured outside, flooding the walkways, corridors, and grassy fields of the sprawling high school.
Melinda’s short black heels clicked smartly on the tile floor as she walked. She absently checked her wristwatch, noting with satisfaction that she had just enough time to have a talk with Cynthia and the others. She felt the dull presence of her I-Pod’s earpiece in her right pinna.
Something on the periphery of her vision caught her attention. She scanned the bobbing sea of heads and soon spotted two familiar faces near the lockers. One had dark brown hair, tan skin, and a generous (but admittedly attractive) application of makeup. The other sported beautiful yellow hair, perfection complexion, and glistening ruby-red lips.
“Over here, Melinda,” called Lily, giving her a little wave.
Cynthia just stood there, arms folded, though Melinda noticed she had a slight smile on her face.
Melinda quickened her pace, cutting her way through the crowd. She approached the girls and gave them a nod of greeting.
“Hey, uh, where’s Heidi?” asked Melinda, turning off and putting away her I-Pod.
“She’ll be here in a bit,” said Cynthia, brushing back her blonde hair.
“Probably decided she needed a twenty mile cool-down,” muttered Melinda.
“Oh yeah, really clever Melinda,” said Cynthia, rolling her eyes.
“Well, you’re not the one who has to attend every single one of her practices, meets, exhibitions, and game nights to make sure she doesn’t…you know,” said Melinda, adjusting the straps of her backpack.
“I think you’re just being paranoid, Melinda,” said Lily. “Yeah, the girl may be a little crazy, but I’ve never seen her do anything stupid.”
Melinda sighed.
“When the blood starts pumping and the sweat starts running the brain has a tendency to shut down,” said Melinda. “Better safe than sorry.”
“I think you’re just jealous she beat your track record,” said Cynthia with a wan smile. “Besides, you play lacrosse after school.”
“Yes, but uh, I think she’s the one we should worry about,” said Melinda.
“Are you saying we can trust you but not Heidi?” said Cynthia.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying,” said Melinda in an irked voice. “Or have you forgotten I’ve been doing this for almost a year while you three have barely four months under your belt?”
“So, what, we have to meet some requirement before you’ll let us go out unsupervised?” said Melinda sarcastically. “Listen, we’re big girls. I think we can take care of ourselves.”
“As long as I think Heidi is a risk I’m keeping an eye on her,” said Melinda irritably. “Until then I don’t appreciate her making it more difficult for me.”
“I don’t recall her ever asking you to chaperon her, Melinda,” said Cynthia.
Melinda growled.
“Oh, there she is,” said Lily, pointing to their left. “And Yves’ with her.”
The trio turned and saw a tall redheaded teenage girl with blushed skin and a bright smile jogging towards them - trailed closely by a petite girl with white-streaked brown hair and a decidedly sunny disposition.
“There you are,” said the redhead, laughing.
“Sorry we took so long,” said the other girl.
Melinda nodded.
“Oh, no problem,” she said. Cynthia muttered something under her breath.
“Ok, what’s on the agenda for Saturday?” whispered Heidi excitedly, her cheeks red and her brow glistening with perspiration.
“Same time, same place,” said Melinda. “Though there is one thing…”
“Yeah?”
Melinda motioned for the four of them to come closer. They did so.
“I don’t think we should hunt this time,” said Melinda, lowering her voice. “Did you guys watch the ten o’clock news last Tuesday?”
“Oh yeah,” said Yves, suddenly concerned. “Some hikers in the preserve found the body of a deer, and when they sent some officials to further investigate they found three more corpses.”
“That was us?” said Lily, surprised.
“Probably,” said Melinda, now whispering. “We don’t want to draw any more attention. Besides, if we keep killing a deer or so every month we might drive them out of the park.”
“Oh come on,” said Heidi. “That place is huge! Even we couldn’t kill off every animal.”
“Hey, keep it down,” hissed Lily.
“Well then, what are we going to eat?” said Heidi, wiping a trickle of sweat from her forehead.
Melinda hesitated.
“Well…I spoke with the manager at Safeway over the phone,” she began. “And he said he’d be willing to sell us beef in bulk as long as we move it out of the warehouse ourselves.”
This provoked disgusted groans from both Heidi and Cynthia.
“Come one Melinda, you know that frozen stuff tastes like shit,” whined Heidi. “And I love hunting! It’s my favorite part!”
“I have to agree,” said Cynthia. “Besides - for the five of us - wouldn’t that be really expensive?”
“Look, I’m not suggesting we do this every night,” rallied Melinda. “I just think it’d be a good idea to…to lay low for a while.” She paused, rubbing her chin in thought. “Come to think of it, the newscaster said the deer corpses were still fairly fresh. If we only kill two animals a month…” she gave Cynthia, Heidi, and Lily - but noticeably not Yves - an angry look. “Have you girls been hunting between full moons?” she whispered furiously.
The three cheerleaders looked shocked and offended.
“Us? Hell no!”
“No way!”
“Not a chance.”
“We all promised not to.”
Melinda narrowed her eyes.
“One or more of you are lying,” she hissed. “There aren’t any predators in those woods and if there had been poachers I would’ve smelt the gunpowder. You’d better just fess up, because sooner or later I’ll find out.”
Her words hung in the air, bobbing in the din of the crowd.
With a cold, calm expression, Cynthia raised her right hand to her mouth, and made a wet farting sound.
The tension burst like an over-inflated balloon. Heidi, Lily, Cynthia, and Yves broke into peels of laughter. Melinda stood there, red-faced.
“Very mature,” she growled.
“For God’s sake, lighten up Melinda,” chuckled Yves. “They’re telling the truth.”
Melinda stared at Yves, mouth agape.
“Yves!” she cried.
“Look, why don’t we just hunt as usual on Saturday and decide on the meat thing the following week,” said Yves, addressing the group. “Even if we are starting to make a dent in the deer population one more won’t kill them all off, right?”
“But-” started Melinda.
“Sounds good to me,” said Heidi
“Yeah,” concurred Lily.
“I’ll go with that,” said Cynthia.
Melinda hesitated, and then sighed in defeat.
“Fine,” she muttered. “Fine. Now, is there any other business? Class is starting in…” she checked her watch “…three, no, two minutes.”
Heidi raised a hand.
“The floor recognizes Heidi Erickson,” said Melinda wearily.
“Now, I know you’re totally against this,” began Heidi brightly. “But I know this girl in my P.E. class who-”
“Heidi?” interrupted Melinda.
“Yeah?”
“Are you suggesting we initiate a new member? Because if you are the answer is no.”
“But-”
“The answer is no,” repeated Melinda testily.
“C-Come o-”
“I said no, Heidi. No means no. We’ve gone over this a thousand times and the answer is still no.”
“Sorry Heidi,” said Cynthia firmly. “I’m with Melinda on this one.”
Heidi opened her mouth to protest, only to be interrupted by the one-minute warning bell.
“Whatever,” sighed Heidi, giving up. “See you girls on Saturday.”
Heidi, Cynthia, and Lily left for class. Yves turned to leave when she saw the look Melinda was giving her.
“Something wrong Melinda?” asked Yves.
Melinda took a few steps toward her. Yves noticed for the first time how sunken and bloodshot her eyes were. She bent over Yves’ right shoulder and whispered into her ear.
“I had that dream again last night.”
Yves’ smile instantly shifted to a concerned frown.
“Oh no, not again, Melinda,” she said, hugging her friend.
“It’s getting more intense,” continued Melinda in a scared voice. “The experience is so, so vivid I...I could swear it actually happened.”
“Oh Melinda, I’m so sorry!” exclaimed Yves. “I didn’t know why you were so grumpy, so I-”
“It’s OK,” said Melinda, returning her hug.
After a while, the two stepped back.
“Well, if there’s anything I can do to help...” said Yves, leaving the statement hanging in the air.
“Any progress on your research?” asked Melinda anxiously.
Yves shook her head.
“Nope. Sorry. I’ve given up on the Internet and started looking through some of my father’s old books. It’s worth a shot.” She paused. “Melinda, what do you suppose these dreams mean?”
“I try not to think about that,” muttered Melinda, shaking her head.
“Do you think it has something to do with...with that incident behind the shed after the football game against Asbury?”
Melinda was silent. She stared down at the floor.
“Melinda, look at me.”
Melinda didn't budge.
“Melinda, please.”
Yves reached out and gently lifted Melinda's head until their eyes were level. Melinda stared deeply into Yves’ intelligent blue eyes. They had once been brown.
“I don't blame you for what happened that night,” said Yves calmly. “Don't let it bother you.”
The tardy bell rang. The hallway crowd was rapidly thinning.
“It's not that," whispered Melinda hoarsely. "Not entirely that, anyway.” She paused, tightening her lips. “Every time I wake up from one of those nightmares a part of me...wants to make it come true. I feel this...urge to spread the curse.”
Yves was silent. The background noise of the crowd was fading as the other studends disappeared into their classrooms.
“I know what you mean,” she said eventually with a weak smile. “I think all of us have felt that instinct at one point or another. But you know what? I don’t think it’s something we have to worry about.”
“Yves,” croaked Melinda.
“If you take a step back and view at it objectively,” continued Yves, “Lycanthropy is just another form of life, and like any form of life it is inclined to spread. It only makes sense that existing Lycanthropes feel a desire to...to perpetuate the species. But we’re not out-of-control monsters, Melinda. You said so yourself. I think we can control these urges as long as we keep a cool head.”
Melinda stood there. A smile slowly crept over her features.
“Thanks for the support, Yves,” said Melinda, giving her friend a quick hug.
“Any time,” said Yves cheerfully.
“Well, we’d better get to class,” said Melinda. “We’re going to be late as it is. See you on Saturday!”
“See you then,” said Yves.
She watched Melinda walk down the corridor, and then shook her head sadly.
“At least your dreams aren’t as bad as mine,” she whispered.
Chapter II - New Horizons
It had all worked out very well at first, reflected Melinda as she sat in her room staring drearily into the dull blue glow of her computer’s monitor, absently twirling a ballpoint pen between her thumb and index finger.
Months ago, the five girls had emerged from the woods to discover the town had launched a massive search and rescue effort in response to their disappearance. Squads of police officers and citizen volunteers had scoured the nearby forest. Flyers had been passed out at the post office. A few arrests had even been made. Yet there had been surprisingly little fanfare upon the girls return. The authorities had accepted their story of Yves running off to visit an old boyfriend - as tenuous as it was - with little more than a raised eyebrow. The 10 o’clock news did a short segment on the “missing Dairyville teenagers” but when it became apparent no one had been murdered the station quickly lost interest. Their parents had been so relieved that they were alive and unharmed they didn’t seem to care why they had left home in the first place. Within a few months it was as though the whole incident had never occurred.
Melinda had then set about helping the girls settle into their new “lifestyle.” For one month they met every Saturday deep within the wildlife preserve near Melinda’s house. There, she taught them how to hunt, how to control their transformations, and imposed certain rules…
“Rules?”
“Yeah, rules,” said Melinda as she sat at the base of the tree, her yellow eyes glowing in the twilight of the forest. “Since we’re all in this together I think it’d be a good idea to set down certain rules for ourselves.”
“Like what?” asked Heidi.
“For one thing,” began Melinda, “And I think this is fairly obvious, never, ever, EVER reveal our secret to any outsider. You can’t tell anyone - let alone show anyone - you’re a werewolf. Not your parents, not your sister, not your brother, not your boyfriend, not your best friend - absolutely no one can know about this.”
“Makes sense,” said Lily with a nod.
“But…what if someone finds out anyway?” asked Cynthia carefully. “Like, say, a friend catches you transforming or something?”
Melinda gave the blonde werewolf a cold look.
“It’s just a question, Melinda,” said Cynthia with perfectly crafted innocence.
“Should that happen,” said Melinda slowly. “And we all should do our utmost to prevent something like that from happening - bite the individual in question. That way our secret becomes theirs.”
The circle was silent.
“That’s a little much, Melinda,” said Yves.
“Y-Yeah. What if it were your mom or dad?” whimpered Lily.
Melinda hesitated. She had a point. When she thought of having to bite her parents her imagination actually just shut down.
“Well…Ok,” said Melinda. “First, let everyone else know what happened. Then we - as a group - can decide what to do. Sound fair?”
The girls nodded.
“Second rule,” continued Melinda. “As you know by now, changing into a werewolf takes a lot out of you, and always carries the risk of being spotted. To that end, I think it’d be better if we refrained from transforming except when absolutely necessary.”
The other girls looked at Melinda expectantly.
“What I mean to say is,” she said, rubbing her furry brow. “Don’t go running off into the woods some Wednesday night just because you feel like it. Full moons should be the only time you wolf-out. I know it doesn’t sound like something you’d do, but trust me. Some evenings, late-at-night when I’m sitting in front of my window looking up at the stars…” she paused, “let’s just say it gets really tempting.”
“In that case why don’t we run together every full moon?” said Yves brightly. “I’ve had a lot of fun these last couple of weeks. I certainly wouldn’t mind doing this every month.”
It was decided they would meet at the preserve every full moon around 7:30 from then on.
Initially, the three cheerleaders were uncomfortable with the arrangement. Melinda was actually forced to drag them out of their houses on several occasions…
“Come out, Cynthia, I know you’re in there! Your mom told me so!”
“I’m not going, Melinda! It’s…it’s too damn freaky!”
“It’s getting dark, Cynthia. Do you want to be stuck in your room all night looking like the bride of Chewbacca? With your parents home?”
Yet as the weeks passed their reservations faded. Before long they were counting down the days to the next full moon. Even Cynthia could not help but howl with joy as she sprinted through the moonlit forest. On a whim they made their group an official school club, registering it as “The Fantasy Book Club,” though amongst themselves they referred to it - through whispered giggles - as The Lycanthrope Club. Soon summer came, affording the five werewolves even more time to play in their fur. Melinda smiled wistfully as she recalled those warm, beautiful, idyllic summer nights.
However, all good things must come to an end. With the start of school the five girls found it increasingly difficult to fit their schedule around their monthly outings. Graduation was a little less than two years away, and they were all busy filling their college applications with extra-curricular activities. Melinda herself had signed up for women’s lacrosse and tennis; Heidi had joined no less than six school sports teams. Pressure to succeed weighed heavily upon the girls, and with pressure came stress. Stress, in turn, rekindled certain ill feelings between the five werewolves - especially Melinda and Cynthia.
Then disaster struck - or nearly did, anyways. One Tuesday during tennis practice Heidi was playing a match against a particularly challenging opponent. As Melinda watched the game she spotted something sticking out the back of Heidi’s skirt. At first she dismissed it as a tennis ball, but as the match went on she noticed that the object wagged back and forth as Heidi walked. Melinda signaled Heidi to stop, and upon discreet inspection of her backside found that her tail had grown out during the match. She forced Heidi to forfeit and immediately ushered her into the girl’s bathroom. To their mutual relief, the appendage retracted on its own accord a half-hour later, and no one else at practice had seemed to notice it. Nevertheless, Melinda grew paranoid after that harrowing experience. She started attending every sporting event the other girls participated in, watching closely for any emergent fur, fang, or tail. She fussed over them like a mother, bossing them around. She even went so far as to dictate how far they could take their relationships…
“First of all, I don’t want any one going past first base. If you’ve already gone past it, tough. Tell your boyfriend you just want to talk or cuddle or something.”
The three cheerleaders stared at Melinda in disbelief as she continued.
“ I don’t think you should be “making out” at night anymore either. I think it incurs a greater risk of uncontrolled transformation.”
“Who the hell do you think you are telling us where, when, and what we can do with our boyfriends?” exclaimed Cynthia angrily.
“It’s for your safety and theirs!” replied Melinda, red-faced.
“It’s none of your business,” growled Heidi. “Besides, you don’t even have a boyfriend!”
Already bitter over Melinda’s authoritarian style of leadership, the cheerleaders started openly rebelling. Although Yves eventually managed to settle things between the four girls both sides remained resentful. It was during this time that Melinda started experiencing the nightmares. Every night she dreamt she was back in the woods, hunting down people, transforming them into werewolves under the light of a full moon. Needless to say, this frightened Melinda, and strengthened her conviction that her lupine instincts could not be trusted.
And just recently…well, heck, there had been a lot of little things. Heidi’s repeated attempts to convince the group to initiate a new member, Cynthia’s attitude problem, the dwindling population of game in the wildlife preserve - little things that when taken together equaled one massive headache.
Melinda slumped back into the thick black padding of her chair with an exhausted sigh. If given the choice of changing back into a human and remaining a werewolf three months ago she would have chosen the latter without hesitation. Now, she wasn’t quite certain. The stress and inconvenience it caused her was starting to outweigh its perks.
--
Melinda tensed her powerful arm muscles, griping her crosse tightly in both hands. She shifted her stance, placing more weight on her back leg. She blinked her eyes, trying to ignore the harsh glare of the westward sun. The cries and catcalls of the other players faded from her awareness. Then with a wild scream she flung the ball as hard as she could. It blurred through the air in a tight arc, passing unerringly through the goal posts and colliding into the net, which bulged a good two or three feet outwards before the ball finally plopped to the ground.
The opposing team moaned.
“Alright!” called Coach Stevenson from the far side of the soccer field. “That’s time. Christine’s team wins.”
The members of the Dairyville High Lacrosse team left their positions and gathered around the coach, who gave them an encouraging nod.
“Good hustle out there,” she said cheerfully. “You all need to improve your passes a little, but otherwise, great job. And Melinda, that was one sweet goal point.”
Melinda blushed - or would have if her face weren’t already red from exertion.
“OK, let’s get the equipment off the field and in the storage closet. Marry, Nina, could you two put away the goals?”
“Sure thing.”
“No problem.”
“Good, the rest of you just pick up your gear,” said the coach. “And don’t forget - the game against Franklin is this coming Thursday. The bus will be picking you up at the west side of the parking lot at five PM, sharp. We won’t be getting back until ten, so bring a snack and plenty of water. No sports drinks; you don’t need any of that crap.”
The team dispersed and began collecting their things. Wiping a trickle of perspiration from her brow, Melinda stepped towards the spectator stands. Even though school had been out for over an hour there were a few parents and students sitting in the upper rows. Melinda squatted and reached for something beneath the base tier of the stands. She emerged holding an unopened bottle of Arrowhead spring water. She twisted the cap off with a deft motion and took a long, satisfying drink - draining the bottle of half its contents in a single gulp.
A tall brunette girl with suntanned skin jogged up to her.
“Wow, you were kicking ass today, Melinda!” said the girl.
Melinda glanced behind her.
“Huh? Oh yeah, thanks Christine,” she said as she wiped her mouth.
“Seriously, if you keep that up we’ll make it all the way to the regional finals this year!” continued Christine, adjusting the neck of her sweat-soaked uniform.
“Yeah, well, I was getting a few sour looks out on in field,” said Melinda, bending over to pick up her backpack.
“What do you mean?”
Melinda sighed.
“Look, I just joined the team this semester and I’m already scoring more goals than anyone else. I think…I think they’re getting a little jealous, and frankly I don’t blame them.”
“Really?” said Christine, glancing over her shoulders at the other players.
“Yeah...”
“Aw, don’t let them get to you!” laughed Christine, patting Melinda on the back. “You shouldn’t hold back on their account!”
But I already am, thought Melinda morosely. Heck, I could probably keep on playing for hours.
As much as Melinda disliked Heidi’s unbridled athleticism, she had to admit that the feisty redhead had been right about one thing: sports weren’t much fun if you didn’t play to your full potential. Sure, lacrosse had been great at first. She had made new friends, got plenty of fresh air and exercise (as well as something she could put on her college application). Her superior metabolism made her a natural athlete. In the span of a few months she had gone from not knowing which end of the stick to hold to becoming the lacrosse team’s star player. Yet in a way, this very strength had betrayed her. As Melinda had observed a few months ago, a werewolf’s body adapted remarkably quickly to any prolonged physical exertion. A few weeks of weightlifting could add several pounds of muscle; a good jog every morning could lower one’s heart rate in a matter of days. The problem was it didn’t stop there. One evening not too long ago, Heidi - who over the course of the last few months had subjected herself to a workout regimen that made boot camp look like preschool - took the opportunity to demonstrate to the rest of girls how powerful her human body had become since her metamorphosis. By the time she was finished she had broken four world records. Granted, Melinda was nowhere near as fanatical as Heidi, but she soon found herself capable of feats only professional athletes could plausibly get away. She was amazed by how restrained she had to be during matches and practice to avoid arousing suspicion. And when the game ceased being challenging, it ceased being fun. Despite this she remained on the team - she just couldn’t bring herself to disappoint Christine. Next to Yves, she was Melinda’s best friend.
“Hey Melinda, do you want a ride home?” asked Christine as she tied her crosse to her backpack.
Melinda shook her head. “Nah, I’m riding my bike home today.”
“Really? Wow…that’s some distance,” said Christine, impressed, as walking along the field.
“Not as much as you’d think,” said Melinda, following her. “There’s a little dirt trail that runs between the forest and a street only five blocks from my house. It cuts a couple of miles off the trip.”
“Oh cool. How’d you find it?”
“I was, um, hiking.”
“Huh, I thought most of the woods were off-limits - being a wildlife preserve and all that,” said Christine. The two of them were now nearing the school parking lot.
“Well…uh,” began Melinda nervously.
Christine snapped her fingers.
“Damn, I forgot Phillip,” she exclaimed.
“Your boyfriend?” asked Melinda. “Nah, my little brother. Well, we’re actually twins, but puberty didn’t do him as many favors as it did me,” she laughed.
“Oh.”
“Want to meet him? Wait here, I’ll go get him.”
Before Melinda could respond Christine turned around and jogged back towards the soccer field. Melinda shrugged and waited; it wasn’t as though she had anything better to do.
Christine soon returned with a wiry, brown-haired youth in tow. He wore a pair of curved dark-blue sunglasses, a plain white cotton T-shirt noticeable absent of any stains or discolorations, loose khaki shorts, and Birkenstocks over wool socks. Despite this ragged demeanor he had a clean, honest face, speckled with only a token level of acne. He was a little shorter than Christine and nowhere near as toned, but neither did he look out of shape.
From a purely objective standpoint Melinda saw that he was not much different from the other five hundred or so male students at Dairyville High, but found herself strangely interested in him.
“Melinda, this is Phillip,” said Christine cheerfully. “Phillip, Melinda. She’s the one I’ve been telling you about - the girl who single-handedly scored six points against Asbury.”
“Ah, hello,” said Phillip in a rich voice, giving her a modest wave.
“A pleasure,” said Melinda with good-natured mock courtesy, though for some reason she felt a tingle nervousness run through her body as she did so.
“You…you were amazing out there,” said Phillip.
“Oh, thank you,” said Melinda, who suddenly remembered seeing a boy who looked much like him sitting in the upper rows of the stands during practice. “You were watching me?
“Yeah,” he said, rubbing his head. “I usually stick around to watch Christie play, but you kinda stole my interest.”
“Philly!” laughed Christine, elbowing him playfully.
“What?” said Phillip innocently.
Melinda was under the impression she was missing something.
“Actually,” began Phillip uneasily. “I was sort of hoping Christine would finally introduce me to you. To tell the truth, this isn’t the first time I’ve watched you play.”
“Oh?” said Melinda, not certain how to respond.
“The thing is…well, I was wondering if…if you’d be interested in going to have a bite to eat with me,” he managed shyly.
When Melinda realized what he was proposing she couldn’t even manage an “oh.” Christine just chuckled.
“I mean, if you have the time,” added Phillip quickly. “If you can’t go right now that’s OK…I mean, if you can’t I understan-”
“Actually I do have to get home pretty soon,” blurted Melinda nervously. “Sorry, but…” she trailed off.
It hit her. She was flattered. She was completely, utterly flattered by Phillip’s offer. Not once in her life had any boy shown the slightest interest in her, and neither had she ever expected such attention. She was just so…plain. Or at least, she had been plain. Now that she thought about it, her looks had improved considerably over the summer. She was taller, more muscular, her skin smoother, her hair dark and waxy, her green eyes bright and vibrant - heck, she was actually quite pretty.
And Phillip was just her type. Strange…she hadn’t even been aware she had a type. Nevertheless, he was it - polite, fit, obviously a bit reserved, but not excessively so, and not too bad looking. He didn’t wear any cologne or hair gel, and smelled quite nicely to Melinda’s extra-sensitive nose. As she looked at him, a strange feeling swept through her body. It was a sort of warm giddiness that made her blush. She had never felt anything like it.
“Well,” she said eventually, grinning foolishly. “I…I suppose we could stop by Carl Jrs. If you don’t mind walking, that is.”
“N-Not at all!” exclaimed Phillip happily.
“Umm,” interrupted Christine. “I hate to say this, but I’m Phillip’s ride home - he can’t go today, sorry.”
“Oh…oh yeah,” said Phillip gloomily.
“Why…why don’t we go tomorrow, then?” suggested Melinda. “And why don’t we go someplace nicer than Carl Jrs., ah…Marie’s Kitchen, over on 3rd street? Right after school? I don’t have practice that day.”
“That sounds great!” said Phillip enthusiastically.
“Good, I’ll see you then,” said Melinda with equal excitement.
Phillip nodded happily.
“Glad that’s settled, then,” said Christine, turning to her car. “Bye, Melinda.”
“Bye Christine,” said Melinda, “Bye Phillip. Nice to have met you.”
Phillip smiled and gave her a three-fingered wave as he climbed into Christine’s vehicle. Melinda watched them drive away with a pounding heart.
“I have a date,” she said excitedly.
Chapter III - Complications
Melinda raised the perspiring glass of ice water to her lips and took a slow sip. She tapped her newly manicured nails on the smooth veneer of the wooden table as she put the drink back down on its cork coaster. Her eyes were glued to the entrance of the restaurant. Every so often the stout double doors would open and Melinda would rise in her seat, only to lean back in disappointment as another stranger, couple, or family would be greeted and ushered away by the overdressed receptionist. She absently dug through her blue purse and fished out a small comb. She proceeded to comb back her ebony hair.
“More water, ma’am?” asked a waiter.
“Oh, yes please,” said Melinda quickly, tucking the comb back into her purse.
The waiter refilled her glass and disappeared into the crowd.
Melinda was getting a little annoyed by how nervous she was becoming. Her palms were sweaty, there were butterflies in her stomach, and though her bladder felt like it was going to explode she couldn’t bring herself to use the restroom for fear of missing Phillip. Where was all this anxiety coming from? Why was she freaking out like this? Granted, this was her very first date, but she felt as though her very life was in jeopardy…
“Melinda?”
Melinda whirled around with a surprised yelp. Phillip was standing there with a small bouquet of flowers and a hopeful smile. Gone were his khaki shorts and loose T-shirt, replaced by long blue jeans and a navy-green collared shirt. He had shaved his patchy stubble and the more obnoxious zits were noticeably absent from his face. He was wearing oval glasses.
I guess those were prescription shades he was wearing at lacrosse practice, thought Melinda. Not that it bothered her. Her eyesight had been terrible before the Change.
“Um, sorry I’m late,” he began. “I, um, hope these make up for it.” He handed her the flowers.
“Why, thank you,” said Melinda, smiling warmly. She took the bouquet and smelled it. Her eyes fluttered.
“Mmmmm, these are great,” she purred, meaning every word of it. To her enhanced sense of smell the fragrance of a freshly cut bunch of flowers was the equivalent of a spoonful of the finest, richest gourmet chocolate. She reverently placed the bouquet on the ground next to her purse. Phillip pulled out a chair and sat down. They stared at each other in embarrassed silence.
“Have you ordered anything yet?” asked Phillip eventually.
“Oh, no-no, I waited for you,” said Melinda.
“Sorry again about that,” said Phillip, blushing slightly.
“Oh, stop that,” said Melinda, laughing. “It’s no big deal, honest!”
“I…Well, if you say so,” said Phillip, smiling wanly.
“The flowers more than make up for it,” said Melinda. “I wasn’t expecting anything like this,” she winked.
“I’m glad you like them,” said Phillip bashfully. “I hope I wasn’t being too forward.”
“Maybe a little,” said Melinda. “But hey, I’m not complaining.”
An awkward pause precipitated. The subdued sounds of the restaurant hung in the air.
“Umm, so, you’ve been playing lacrosse long?” asked Phillip eventually.
“No, less than a year, actually,” said Melinda offhandedly.
“Oh, wow, that’s amazing,” exclaimed Phillip. “My sister’s been playing for five years, and it’s hard to tell which one of you is better. You must have a real knack for the game.”
“Well, um, not as much as you would think,” said Melinda hastily. “You’ve probably only caught me on my good days. Christine is a much better player, really.”
“Come on, don’t sell yourself short,” said Phillip. “You’re a fantastic athlete. I just wish I had the kind of strength and dedication you do.”
“Um…dedication, yeah,” said Melinda, feeling a pang of guilt.
“Something wrong?” asked Phillip, cocking his head.
“Oh, no, it’s nothing. So, what classes do you have this semester?” asked Melinda, eager to steer the conversation away from lacrosse.
“Math 3, A.P. U.S. History, A.P. English, P.E. 2, and Chemistry 2B,” recited Phillip.
“Oh, two A.P. classes huh?” said Melinda. “That’s nice. But isn’t Chemistry 2B for sophomores?”
“Yeah, about that,” began Phillip, scratching his head. “I got a D in my second year and my parents convinced the school to let me take it again. I just couldn’t get into the subject and the teacher drove me crazy.”
“Who did you have?” asked Melinda carefully. Chemistry 2B had been a breeze for her.
“Mr. Dinage,” said Phillip. “Y’know, old guy, stutters a lot?”
“Oh, him,” said Melinda, now totally sympathetic to Phillip’s plight. In her experience, teachers reputed to be hardasses tended to be the best educators in the school. Dinage was the exception. The only reason he hadn’t been fired was no one in the school administration could summon the courage to sack the 78-year old WW-II veteran. Rumor had it that the old nut kept a bayonet tip in his desk.
“Anyway,” continued Phillip. “I’m not worried. I’m blazing through Chemistry this semester. I scored the highest of the class in the last midterm.”
“Oh, congratulations,” said Melinda, smiling. “Could you…could you tell me more about yourself? Like, um, what music you listen to or something?”
“Um, sure,” said Phillip, rubbing his head. “I, well, I like…Soul Coughing. The band, I mean. You’ve probably never heard of them. TMBG, too - especially their newer stuff. I’m kind of into skating, but, well, it’s not my life or anything. You?”
“Me?” said Melinda. “Well, I, I like reading. A lot, actually. As you’ve probably already inferred, I’m into lacrosse. As far as music goes I like classical. I like Cake as well. The band, I mean,” she laughed.
A trim young waiter with an equally trim goatee wearing a white dress shirt and a green apron approached their table.
“Hello, can I start you two off with something to drink or are you ready to order?” he inquired politely.
“Yeah,” said Melinda. “I mean, if you’re ready,” she looked at Phillip apologetically.
“Actually, I think I am,” he replied. “I’ve been here a few times before; I know what I want.”
“OK, great,” said Melinda, eying the laminated menu. “I’ll have the Grand Old Hamburger, no pickles, no mustard, no onions, extra rare. I’ll also have a strawberry lemonade.”
The waiter diligently noted her order on his pad and looked at Phillip.
“The Chicken Caesar Salad with ranch dressing,” said Phillip, handing the menu to the waiter. “I’ll have a coke.”
The waiter nodded.
“So,” began Phillip casually as he left. “What’s this about you being president of the Fantasy Book Club?”
Melinda was in the middle of taking a drink of water when he said this. Her eyes bulged. A drop of water trickled down her larynx, causing her to cough violently, spraying water and spittle all over the table.
“Hey, you OK?” said Phillip, sitting up, his voice filled with concern.
“I’m *cough*…just fine,” said Melinda, cupping her mouth. “Just went down funny, that’s all.” She unfolded a napkin lying on the table and dabbed her mouth with it. Phillip was considerate enough to wait for her to regain her composure before continuing.
“Anyways, I was just wondering if you could tell me a little bit about this mysterious organization,” he said. “I mean, if you can,” he chuckled.
“Oh, well, there isn’t much to tell, really,” said Melinda more nervously than she would’ve preferred. Almost on its own accord, her hand picked up the crumpled napkin and began wiping the table. “How, um, how did you know I’m a member, let alone that I’m president?”
“Christine told me.”
“Oh yes, I may have mentioned it to her before,” said Melinda uneasily, now wondering how extensively he had probed his sister about her. She didn’t know whether to be flattered or frightened by this. Suddenly, something Phillip had said earlier clicked.
“What do you mean by ‘mysterious organization?’” asked Melinda carefully.
Phillip shrugged.
“Well, I dunno. A lot of people talk about it but no one really knows what it’s all about.”
“The name makes it pretty obvious, I think,” said Melinda a little resentfully.
“Yeah, but Cynthia Carpenter, Lily Forger, and Heidi Erikson are all members,” continued Phillip as he adjusted his glasses. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but they don’t exactly strike me as the sort of people who would enjoy, say, R.A. Salvatore or Terry Prachett. I’m sure they’re nice girls and everything, but I think they’d be more into bodice-rippers and S&F.”
“That’s true,” admitted Melinda, laughing. “Say, are you a fan of the Wheel of Time series?”
“Yeah, I eat Robert Jordan’s stuff up,” said Phillip, smiling. “I tried to join your club, actually.” His cheeks turned red. “I…I was hoping it would give me an excuse to say hi to you. Before lacrosse and everything.”
Melinda chuckled.
“But I couldn’t get in,” he continued. “I asked around, and everyone who tried to join said they were turned down. Heck, a lot of them didn’t know who to ask.”
There was a pause.
“Well…” said Melinda, fumbling for an answer. “We’re trying to keep things small, see. We weren’t expecting such a huge response when we founded the club.”
“Yeah, I figured as much,” said Phillip, nodding. “The thing is, with you four being members…well, half the male students would join just for an excuse to introduce themselves to you, and half the female population would join up just to be popular by association.”
“Just like you tried,” observed Melinda wryly.
Phillip smiled bashfully and shrugged his shoulders.
“Y’know, it’s pretty silly, but there are some rumors going around school that the club is actually a front for some ‘secret society,’” he laughed.
“Oh, wow, that is pretty silly,” chuckled Melinda nervously. “Yeah, after midnight we all don sinister robes and go out to the woods to sacrifice deer to a pagan god.”
Phillip paused momentarily, and then started chuckling. Melinda joined him the best she could. As they watched each other laugh their laughter steadily rose in volume until it filled the air. A few of the neighboring patrons turned from their meals and glanced at them.
Just as suddenly as it had stopped, the laughter petered off. Melinda smiled at Phillip. Phillip smiled back.
He…he really is quite nice, she thought.
--
Melinda bounded nimbly through the dense foliage, ducking and weaving between the bushes and trees with almost preternatural agility. Hardly a blade of grass or leaf was disturbed as she made her way through the forest. Her smooth ebony fur shone in the gentle alabaster light of the full moon. Her powerful, muscular legs were a blur beneath her. She stopped suddenly, lifting her lupine snout into the cool evening air, sniffing, steam rising off her body. Her sharp yellow eyes darted back and forth. Her pointed ears flickered. Then just as suddenly as she had stopped she lowered her nose and scampered away.
Several miles in the span of a few minutes later she trotted into a small clearing. There were a few mid-sized lichen-dotted boulders lying in the center, but otherwise it appeared empty. Melinda paused, glancing upwards. No longer obscured by the thick branches of the trees the full moon was plainly visible in the cloudless, starry night sky. Melinda felt an overwhelming joy fill her as she stared up at the radiant white orb. She darted towards the mound of boulders and leapt to the top, her tail wagging behind her. She sat, raised her head to the heavens, and howled. Her call was proud and triumphant - its smooth, unwavering timbre drowning the muted sounds of the forest. Then slowly, ever so slowly, it fell in pitch and volume until there was only silence.
Suddenly another howl filled the air. Then came another howl, and another. The forest itself seemed to shudder with the power of the three voices. Melinda perked up and looked around expectantly as the cries petered out. Below her a lithe white werewolf with purple eyes emerged from the forest, closely followed by one with brown fur. A few seconds later a well-bodied werewolf with a red, fox-like pelt leapt playfully into the clearing. It barked and yelped excitedly, circling the pile of boulders like an oversized, overeager puppy. With a regal sigh Melinda jumped down from her perch.
“God, it’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” exclaimed Heidi, shaking her shimmering red mane.
“Y-yeah,” said Melinda, wiping away a tear.
“Hey, are you crying?” asked Lily, rising to her feet.
“What? No…I mean, I was running so fast it made my eyes water,” said Melinda, quickly regaining her composure.
“Where’s Cynthia,” asked Yves, combing back her smooth white hair with her paw-like hands.
“Dunno,” said Lily with a shrug. “Last time I saw her was at school. She was staying late to work on the decorations for the fall dance.”
“Aw, she’ll catch up later,” said Heidi dismissively. “Let’s get started!”
“No, we should wait for her,” said Yves. “It’s only polite.”
“Polite? Oh please,” said Heidi, rolling her bright green eyes. “As though it’s polite to keep us waiting. Come on, I’ve been waiting all month!”
Melinda glanced vaguely at Heidi.
“Um, no we should definitely wait for her,” she Melinda. “I don’t want to deal with another one of her hissy fits.”
Heidi threw her arms up in disgust.
“Don’t give me that, Heidi,” continued Melinda testily. “I love frolicking through the woods just as much as the next werewolf, but can’t we just, oh, I don’t know, talk for a while? Get to know each other better?”
Heidi lips peeled back as though she was about to growl, but then something gave her pause. Her countenance slowly curled into a mischievous grin.
“Ok,” she said smoothly. “Why don’t we discuss your Phillip, then?”
Melinda blinked.
“Philli-ahh, I mean, who’s Phillip?” she gulped.
Heidi and Lily exchanged knowing glances and chuckled evilly, their tails wagging.
“I’ve always thought he was kind of cute,” said Heidi, nodding her head in approval. “But…what’s he like?” she smiled. “Does he know how to treat a girl?”
Despite herself, Melinda blushed beneath her fur.
“W-We’re just friends OK?” she stuttered.
“Come on, Melinda, who do you think you’re talking to?” said Lily smugly. “Nothing escapes the rumor mill of the girl’s bathroom. We know you two are an item now.”
“We expect updates on your relationship with him, of course,” snickered Heidi. “Afterall, fair’s fair.”
“I…it really isn’t any of your business!” snapped Melinda.
This provoked silent, frigid stares from Heidi, Lily, and even Yves.
“That is, our relationship isn’t too serious right now so I didn’t think it was necessary to tell you about it,” said Melinda hurriedly, realizing she had made a terrible blunder.
The stares continued. The gentle chirp of the forest crickets hung in the air.
“Look, I’m not the one shamelessly flaunting herself in front of every boy at school or nearly transforming in the middle of a tennis match!” blustered Melinda angrily. “You two are the liabilities here!”
The temperature in the clearing dropped considerably. Melinda shot Yves a desperate glance, silently begging her to defuse the situation, but to her astonishment the white-haired werewolf just stood there arms folded - a passive look on her lupine face. Melinda pressed her lips together in frustration and embarrassment.
“Wow,” said Lily after a while. “You are such a fucking hypocrite, Melinda.”
“Yeah,” concurred Heidi.
Melinda stared glumly at her feet.
“Really, Melinda,” said Yves calmly. “You had no reservations about interfering in their relationships, but when you finally get a boyfriend you won’t even admit it.”
“Alright already!” snarled Melinda. “Look, that whole incident with Heidi’s tail really scared me! You keep forgetting that even I don’t fully understand what’s happened to us! For all
Happygun
11-29-2005, 02:53 AM
was just trying to play it safe!”
“Yeah, but you took it way too far, ‘Linda,” said Heidi wearily. “Jesus, you gave us curfews and wanted to sit in on our dates!”
“Yes! Fine!” cried Melinda. “You’re right. I was overzealous! I admit it!” She took a deep, long breath. “Maybe I was a little jealous as well,” she murmured. “But now that I’m with Phillip I…I realize I was a bit too hard on all of you, and…”
Melinda’s pointed ears suddenly perked up, as did the other werewolves’. It was the sound of crunching leaves and branches. Something big was approaching the clearing from the northeast. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing from the southwest; they couldn’t identify the intruder by scent.
“Everyone, hide!” growled Melinda.
The four werewolves scattered into the forest. Several, tense minutes later a feminine voice broke the silence.
“It’s me.”
Melinda, Heidi, Lily, and Yves breathed a collective sigh of relief and emerged from their hiding places. A golden form was moving rapidly through the greenery towards the clearing.
“Sorry I’m late,” said Cynthia, stepping out of the forest.
“No big deal, Cynthia,” said Melinda, who was actually relieved to see the blonde werewolf for once.
“What kept you?” said Heidi. “Did you have to stay to clean up?”
“No, no, nothing like that,” said Cynthia uneasily.
Melinda cocked her head.
“Then what?”
Cynthia stood there in silence. She folded her arms, stared glumly down at the forest floor, and then back up at the others. Melinda noticed that her vibrant green eyes were sunken and dull, and her proud, arrogant stance was absent - replaced by a humble stoop. She had never seen Cynthia like this before - werewolf or otherwise.
“Are you OK?” asked Melinda anxiously.
“Um…well, I’m fine,” said Cynthia. “But, uh, I think we may have a problem.”
Melinda stared at Cynthia. She didn’t look like she was joking around. She looked dead serious. Melinda felt a lump growing in the back of her throat.
“Problem?” she croaked, already dreading the answer.
Cynthia anxiously tapped her clawed foot. Her mouth opened and shut a few times. Finally, she turned to Heidi.
“Heidi dear,” she began in a quivering voice. “You know how you’ve been harping on Melinda to initiate a new member?”
Heidi nodded slowly.
“Well, I think you just got your wish.”
Melinda’s yellow eyes widened. The other girls gasped.
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” said Yves, aghast.
Cynthia smiled weakly and shrugged her massive shoulders, her tail tucked firmly between her legs.
Melinda began stepping towards Cynthia. She raised a trembling fist into the air, snarling menacingly. Her eyes were glowing like two red-hot embers. The other werewolves edged away from her - slowly.
“E-Easy now, Melinda,” said Cynthia nervously as the hulking ebony werewolf approached her.
Melinda replied with a low-throated growl. She reached out suddenly and seized Cynthia by the throat. Her sharp talons dug cruelly into the werewolf’s smooth golden fur. Cynthia whimpered pathetically as blood trickled down her neck and between her breasts.
“MELINDA!”
The beast whirled around and roared savagely, still clutching the gasping blonde werewolf.
“Look at yourself!” continued Yves angrily. “Are you just going to give into rage? Are you going to let instinct control your actions? Who are you?”
This seemed to have some effect on Melinda. She growled uncertainly and loosened her grip on Cynthia. The fire in her eyes dimmed.
“How will getting angry at her make things better? How will hurting her undo what has already been done? Please…just calm down.”
There was a dangerous pause. Melinda looked at Cynthia, and back at Yves.
“Come on, Melinda,” begged Lily. “You’re…you’re acting really scary.”
Melinda released Cynthia and stepped away. Cynthia fell to the ground hacking and wheezing. She rose to her knees and ran her paw along her bleeding neck, taking care not to cut herself with her own claws. The pain was there, but it was already receding. She looked up and growled ominously.
“What happened?” said Melinda quietly, facing away from the clearing.
Cynthia coughed violently, spewing blood and thick saliva. Melinda waited for her to recover.
“I…I was in the locker room bathroom at school,” she murmured through clenched teeth. “This girl came in, saw me, and screamed. I just sorta panicked and bit her on the arm. I honestly don’t know what made me do it. After that she ran off into the woods.”
“W-Wait,” said Lily nervously. “You bit her? Why were you transformed?”
“‘Cause I was coming to the meeting tonight, you idiot!” snapped Cynthia.
“But…why didn’t you wait until you were at the forest edge?” asked Yves. “Why did you transform in the bathroom?”
“Because…because I was late,” replied Cynthia bitterly. “I knew I wouldn’t get here on time if I hoofed it all the way to the forest without changing first.”
“That doesn’t make sense!” protested Heidi. “You risked exposure just to be here on time?”
“Which way did the girl go?” said Melinda suddenly.
Cynthia glanced at Melinda.
“Huh? Oh, um, north I think. More northeast, actually.”
“Hey…doesn’t that direction lead here from school?” said Lily.
“Well, yeah,” said Yves, scratching her head. “But if she keeps moving that way she’ll end up on the other side of the forest. No telling where she’ll go from there.
“I’m going after her,” said Melinda firmly.
“We’ll all go,” said Yves, stepping forward. “This concerns all of us.”
“No!” barked Melinda, turning to face her. “If she saw the whole lot of us baring down on her she’d freak out.” She turned back to face the forest. "I'm going alone."
“Be reasonable!” cried Yves. “You’re not in the right frame of mind for this!”
But Melinda was already gone.
Cynthia rose to her feet. She massaged her aching neck with a shaking paw, staring in the direction Melinda had run.
“That makes strike two, bitch,” she whispered furiously.
To be continued...
A Nurse in Wolf’s Clothing
I was halfway through the second semester of my third year in college when I broke my leg. Damn inconvenient time for it, but when is breaking a leg ever convenient? How it happened is actually kinda funny. I was walking to my inorganic chemistry class over by Vanders Hall. It was near the end of the hour, so campus was swarming with students moving between classes. I usually try to avoid the interperiod rush by leaving lecture early or by signing up for classes that get out at odd times, but that’s besides the point. Anyways, I’m crossing this street when lo and behold the second most gorgeous creature I’ve ever laid my eyes upon just sort of materializes ahead of me. She’s this Asian girl with long, beautiful dark hair, a perfect face with perfect complexion, silky smooth skin, and, judging by her mid-length plaid skirt, long black jacket, and cute white blouse, a great fashion sense. She doesn’t notice me, of course. She’s just standing there waiting for the bus; I could’ve been a tree for all she cared. As I stood there, gawking like an idiot, this guy going about twenty five miles-per-hour on his bike slams right into me. It was the most pain I’ve ever felt in one sitting. Several, complicated hours later I’m lying in a hospital thirty miles from the university. Apparently my leg had been so busted up I couldn’t even get around on crutches; I was going to be stuck in a wheelchair for a while.
It’s a little known fact that college students are pretty much screwed when they end up with a serious injury like mine. My spring tuition was down the crapper, my parents were burdened with a huge medical bill (thank God we had insurance), and even worse, I would have to retake my classes. I had to get the doctors to sign all these waivers and send them to my professors so they wouldn’t give me failing grades. I had a feeling half of them would have flunked me anyway if university policy hadn’t prohibited them from doing so. What really got to me, though, was the hospital. There was absolutely nothing to do at that place. While I was in traction all I could do was sit, eat, sleep, and watch TV, and they didn’t even have cable. Once the doctors deemed me fit enough to put me in a wheelchair things didn’t get much better. Wheeling around on that thing was fun at first, but my arms got tired really quickly and there was really nowhere to go. I got so bored there I actually read through some of my old textbooks. Few things on Earth can make a man so bored that he finds the Krebs Cycle interesting.
The one silver lining was a girl I met there. Now, I realize the image of the sexy nurse is horribly clichéd, but hey, clichés have to come from somewhere, don’t they? Remember how I said that Asian girl was the second most gorgeous creature I’ve ever seen? Well, Christine was number one. She wasn’t a nurse per se; she was actually a resident working on her M.D., but the residents and nurses wore almost identical uniforms. God she was pretty. She had this cute little smile and gentle, caring voice that would melt your heart. She had a killer body, too, but the funny thing was she didn’t seem very conscious of it. She was kind of shy, but that made her even sexier. We became friends soon after she learned which university I was going to; it turned out to be her ala mater. When she made her rounds she’d stop and chat. She was incredibly knowledgeable about, well...everything. She remembered material from my introductory chemistry course I had never fully understood, and SHE had taken the class seven years ago. You’ve probably figured out by now that I had a huge crush on her, but I knew it would never work out between the two of us. She was six years older than me, and we were both too preoccupied with our respective educations.
But as I soon learned, things don't always turn out the way you think they will.
* * *
It was around midnight at the hospital. They had tucked me away on the sixth floor far away from the noise and confusion of the reception desk and emergency rooms. I was in my room, playing on a GameBoy Advance my parents had given to me to help pass the time. Oddly enough, I was already growing bored with it. I threw the thing on my bed and wheeled my way out the door and into the hall. I decided to take a (figurative) walk around the floor. Technically, I wasn’t supposed to leave my room after ten, but no one had ever stopped me. Besides, Christine was pulling a late-shift tonight, so I thought there was a chance I'd run into her.
The sixth floor was really quiet late at night. The lights were dimmed, the halls were completely empty, and except for the steady hum and blip of patients’ life-support machines there wasn’t a sound. You could probably have heard my wheelchair squeaking along from the other side of the building. I know it sounds kind of spooky, but it was really just dull as hell. I took a look around. The only arresting sight in the whole hallway was a dim light coming from a room way down at the end. Not having anything better to do, I wheeled my way towards it. About halfway there I heard this soft, feminine groan. It took me a couple of seconds to realize it was coming from the same room. I started moving a little faster; I had heard horror stories from the staff about patients dying in their beds when they couldn’t reach the call button.
I reached the room and pushed the door open. The very first thing that I noticed was that the room’s curtains were open; the staff usually shut them at night. Then I looked at the bed and saw a young woman in a nurse’s uniform sprawled out on the clean white sheets. Though I couldn’t see her face over her…err, assets, she was breathing heavily and her skin had a slight blush. Now, this worried me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling I was interrupting something important, so I moved in closer without saying a word. As I circled the bed the girl’s face came into view. It was Christine.
“Christine?” I yelped, and then immediately covered my mouth.
She didn’t respond. Her eyes were shut and her face was even brighter than the rest of her body. Her lips kept moving between a faint smile and a frown. It almost looked as though she was having an intense dream. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. When she saw I was there she gave me one of the strangest looks I’ve ever received. She seemed happy, scared, sleepy, and confused all at the same time. Whatever it was, it freaked me out. Big time.
“Are you OK?” I asked in a worried voice. “What are you doing up here?”
Ignoring my quesiton, Christine glanced towards the window. I noticed that there was a full moon tonight. It was pretty big, too. I couldn’t remember if its enlarged size was due to it being closer to the Earth or some atmospheric condition or something.
“Hello,” she said in her characteristically soft, charming voice, turning back to face me. She gave me a wan smile.
“Um…hello.” I managed.
Christine nodded. She laid her head down on the pillow, facing the ceiling. She had distant look on her face.
“Christine,” I began. “Is there something wro…”
“I made a mistake,” she stated calmly. “I’ve always been careful to check the calendar, but this time…I forgot.”
Something popped into my head.
“Do you need some kind of medication?” I asked.
Christine shook her head, grinning dreamily.
“No…it’s not that, it’s…Aaah!”
I couldn’t tell if she was moaning from pain or pleasure. It was making me blush, that’s for sure. She just kept stretching and twisting on the bed almost as though possessed. I watched her bountiful curves press against her uniform, embossing themselves against the thin white fabric in worrying detail. Her shimmering brown hair danced wildly as she shook her head. She clawed at the bed with her sharp red press-ons like a beast.
“Stay here, I’ll go get a doctor,” I said, trying to disguise my slack-jawed lust.
“No…don’t do that,” she panted. “Please, stay…I want to show you something…”
I gulped.
“Y-yeah?” I stuttered. Some sixth sense or survival instinct told me that rolling the wheelchair back a few inches wouldn’t be a bad idea. I did so.
“I’ve…never shown anyone else this,” she said between strained breaths. “I suppose I really don’t have a choice now, but I’m glad it’s you. I…you’re…well, if there’s one person in the world I can trust with this, it’s you.”
She moaned again, but this time it scared the shit out of me. Do you know those horror movies where a monster screams and it sounds like two voices at once? I could hear Christine’s voice, but now there was this deep-throated growl behind it. Between her gasps and moans I made out the sound of ripping fabric. Seconds later a multitude of tears erupted all over her outfit. My jaw dropped. With every breath she took her uniform became more and more frayed as her body swelled and swelled. A rip that had formed in the neck of her vest was rapidly winding its way down between her vast cleavage. Her arms and legs were bulging and stretching outwards, her muscles pressing themselves against her reddened, perspiring skin. Gasping uncontrollably, she threw her head back against the pillows, arching her back. By this time she had gained a foot in length and at least ten pounds in muscle. Her vest and pants were practically a second skin. Her shaking hands drifted towards her vest and began digging between the buttons. Then with a single violent motion she tore the vest and the undershirt apart, leaving only her bra. I wiped a trickle of sweat from my brow. Her impressive bosom jiggled tantalizingly as her garment fell to the bed in tatters. She then turned her attention downwards. She gripped both sides of her pants and slid them down her legs. Bending both knees back, she slipped out of the restrictive apparel with a regal sigh. Only a pair of white, sweat-soaked panties guarded her modesty now.
Then things got REALLY weird. Christine raised a trembling hand into the air. I watched dumbfounded as the fingers and palm elongated and bulged, veins throbbing along the back of her hand. Those cute little press-on nails of hers popped off and were replaced by long, black claws. Her thumb moved back along her palm while her knuckles grew. The end result of all this had an uncanny resemblance of a wolf’s paw. I frantically scanned the rest of her body and saw that other changes had taken place. Her feet were long and muscular, sporting sharp, curved claws and reduced heels. From the way they were shaped they looked as though they were meant to rest on her toes rather than her soles and heels. Her face...well, I suppose you could still say it was a human face, but not without taking a lot of liberties. Her nose was flattened, her forehead slanted, and her ears were pointed and covered a fine layer of hair. Christine looked up at me and growled. I saw that her teeth had grown into sharp fangs. It all seemed so terribly wrong - a sweet, kind-hearted girl like Christine transforming into such a creature. It was like hearing a four-year-old swear in Sunday School.
The whole time I’m just sitting there in shock. Not the smartest move in retrospect, but fear rarely enhances your intelligence. Besides, the process was absolutely fascinating - in a horribly perverse way. My trance was finally broken when Christine slid out of the bed and rolled onto the floor. At first I thought she had slipped - maybe she had - but she then immediately rose to her knees. Growling ominously, the she-beast that was once Christine turned and started walking towards me on all fours - slowly. Veins were throbbing all over her skin, and I could make out the sound of popping bones. Whatever was happening to her was far from over. She was grinning at me in a most disconcerting way.
At this point my body sort of went on autopilot. My hands flew down to the wheelchair and spun the right wheel backwards. I swung around in a single dizzying arc and sped down the corridor like a bat out of hell. A few seconds later, my fear-addled brain finally started working again. I knew I had to get to the hospital lobby as soon as I could. There was no way I could outrun that thing in my wheelchair, but it wouldn’t attack me with all those people around. At least, I hoped it wouldn’t. I risked a quick glance behind and saw a dark figure slowly crawling out of the room. It seemed it couldn’t move very fast while transforming. Heartened by this, I started pumping the wheels with all my strength. My wheelchair practically flew across the glossy white tile floor of the hall. I skidded to a halt in front of the elevator and started punching the ‘down’ button like a madman. I looked over my shoulders and saw to my horror that Christine was getting closer. In fact, she was already halfway down the hall. Worse still, she had gotten even bigger and had grown fur all over her body. I felt my right eye twitch.
The elevator mechanism made a “ding” sound, indicating a car had been summoned. All I could do was wait and hope to God it got here before she did, and let me tell you, it was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my entire life. I kept looking up at the elevator lights and back at Christine, who seemed to be getting bigger and closer by the second. I swear, elevators are programmed to take longer when someone is in a hurry.
Finally, the doors slowly rolled open. By now I could hear Christine’s claws clicking on the floor, so I rushed inside the car, reached over from my chair and pressed the ‘lobby’ button. I whirled around and waited for the doors to shut. For the first few seconds, they didn’t even move. I screamed in frustration and repeatedly jabbed at the ‘shut door’ button. Outside, I could see Christine’s silhouette against the wall. It looked as though she was standing on two feet again, but her frame had become significantly more…hulking. At last, the two sides of the door began sliding together. Inch by inch the thick metal screens closed in, sealing me in elevator car. I slumped back into my wheelchair, sighing with relief.
A huge, furry talon-adorned hand shot between the gap.
My heart skipped a beat as the doors slid apart, revealing Christine. My bloodshot eyes traveled up her massive body. She was standing on two three-toed feet in a slightly hunched posture, her knees bending forward, forming a ‘v’ shape with her legs, yet she still barely fit in the elevator car. Her torso and upper body were covered in a layer of chocolate-brown fur, a thick tuft of hair obscuring her womanhood. Powerful muscles lined every square inch of her frame. Her abs, biceps and triceps were especially well toned; they put most professional body-builders to shame. When my wandering eyes ran across her chest, my entire body stiffened. Her breasts had grown in proportion to the rest of the body, which made them absolutely gigantic. Seriously, I’d seen bowling balls smaller than those two globes. Yet seemingly in complete defiance of the laws of physics they didn’t droop and sag in the least. I eventually managed to force my gaze upwards. Resting upon thick, powerful neck muscles - which in turn rested upon equally massive shoulders - was a fearsome lupine head, complete with a long dark muzzle, pointed ears, and glowing red eyes. Christine’s lips peeled back in a low-throat growl, revealing rows of shiny white teeth and blood-red gums.
I leapt out of my chair and dove between her legs, figuring there was a small chance I could scramble away and lock myself in one of the neighboring rooms. Unfortunately, I twisted in midair and landed on my bad leg. My vision went white as I curled up in agony on the icy tile floor. Through the haze of pain I felt two strong hands grab me by the arms and roll me over onto my back. Still grimacing, I opened my eyes and was met with a black canine snout. Quivering in terror, I shut my eyes awaited the inevitable.
“Patients in long term care are restricted to their rooms after ten P.M.” whispered a voice that sounded remarkably like Christine’s.
I froze, and then slowly opened my eyes. Christine was staring down at me. I mean, she was still a gigantic wolf-creature, but for the first time since she transformed she looked…well, like herself. Maybe it was a trick of the light, or maybe I had just been too freaked out at the time to notice it.
“Umm, uhh…” I croaked.
Christine broke into a huge, toothy smile, and starting laughing big, deep, long laughs. It wasn't malicious or cruel laughter. The tone was unmistakably light-hearted.
“Christine?” I muttered vaguely.
“Hmm hmm?” she said, grinning.
“W-Wha-What…H-Ho…How?” I trailed off. I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head in amazement. I was at a complete loss.
“Easy,” she said in that soft, caring voice that I had come to adore over the last month. “You put a lot of stress on your leg. That nasty fall probably set you back a month.”
My brain struggled with this sudden turn of events.
“A-Aren’t you going to e-eat me or something?” I stuttered.
“Why ever would I eat you?” responded Christine in mocking hurt voice.
I finally put two and two together.
“You were…in control the entire time?” I breathed, shifting slightly under her ponderous weight.
“Of course,” said Christine.
Holding me by the shoulders, she lifted me into the air without any apparent effort and gently deposited me in my wheelchair. She stepped back, giving me a full view of her body. I gulped. She was absolutely magnificent. The legs, the build, the curves, the tail…everything. I mean, it seemed wrong to be attracted to a nine-foot tall wolf-woman, but there you go. She had gone from being a horrible monster to a glorious paragon of feminine strength and vitality merged with the savage allure of the wolf.
“What are you?” I asked in awe.
Christine rolled her eyes. I noticed they had gone from red to a pretty sapphire blue.
“Come on. You can figure it out,” she chided.
It finally hit me. The moon, the change, the wolf-like body…
“You’re a…werewolf?” I gasped.
“Yep,” she said, smiling. “And proud of it.”
I was silent. After all, what are you supposed to say when the girl you’ve had a crush on for nearly a month turns out to be a werewolf?
“Why didn’t you say something earlier?" I blurted, feeling a spark of anger flare within me.
“You never asked,” said Christine playfully. She stepped towards me, hips swaying seductively, her tail wagging in the air. She bent over and wrapped her long, muscular arms around my body. I felt her smooth pelt rub against my naked skin. She squatted to her knees and nuzzled her soft, dark nose against my cheek. “Besides, I was having too much fun.”
I just about melted in her hands, but quickly shook it off.
“Well, still, you scared the shit out of me,” I protested feebly. “And…and I nearly messed up my leg again!”
“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” said Christine sadly, reverting to her gentler voice. “It’s just…when I transform, I retain control over my faculties, but I do lose some of my inhibitions. I never meant to hurt you, sweetie. I just wanted to mess with you a little - teach you a lesson about minding your own business.”
She gave me a little lick on the nose, stepped behind me, and took hold of my wheelchair.
“Now, let’s get you back to your room before someone shows up,” she said, wheeling me along the hall.
I breathed deeply and sunk into the back of my chair. What a night. Well, at least it was over.
“And while we're there, let’s see what we can do about that silly leg of yours,” continued Christine. I noticed her voice had once more adopted that sultry, mischievous, seductive tone.
“Umm…what do you mean by that?” I asked nervously.
Christine just smiled.
-End?
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