It wasn't until after the crackle of gunshot that I finally snapped back into reality. I mean, Tumbling down a hill hitting tree after tree can take a lot out of a person. Standing up and feeling every one of my muscles ache at once, it's worse then shifting. Then another crackle erupted through the air, closer then the last. With that, I'm sure I should have been running, but I crouched down. Inhale, Exhale, Inhale, Exhale. I'm ready for a more painful experience then just a tumble. Closing my eyes I imagined a dark ferocious panther, with emerald eyes staring at it's prey in the pitch black ready to charge. “Begin.” My whisper completed everything, the pain, the snapping of bones as they began to reform in the creature's structure. I felt it when my tail bone elongated to complete a long slender tail, as the hair on my once human head shed to reveal short silky dark hairs that quickly spread like a disease down my entire body. Thick callus forming on my feet and hands while they still broke to form paws made for running, then my nails, thickening and sharpening themselves for attack. The hardest part of it all, is always the main bones; Skull, Arm and Legs bones. Spine and ribs stayed the same. Besides moving to create a firm structure, they almost never broke. Finally as my teeth set and my canines sharpened to a point the pain tapered off.
The first thing I always seem to notice it how I see different. Not as many colors hues and shades as my perfect human vision is, but it's always better then black and white. Prowling low to the ground I hear each foot step the hunter took. The crunching of each leaf under his massive booted foot. Crackle. The gunshot seemed more like lightening now, maybe that's why cats never understand guns. Breathing in steadily, I slowly made my way underbrush to the hunter, smirking on the inside. 'The Hunter becomes the Hunted.' His steps stopped a few feet away from me, easily in pouncing range, shooting off another bullet that makes bird fly from the trees above. I can feel his body relax, that's when I free myself from the shadows. Everything seemed to happen faster then I expected. Pushing myself off the ground and landing on the hunter, the crackle of gunshot, blood splattering on the surrounding plant life along with my silky coat. Then his body was a rag doll, his lifeless eyes staring up at me with fear. Even though I just killed him, I'm still human, please. Gently, I slowly rubbed my paw down his face to close his eyes before bounding off to the refreshing saltiness of a saltwater lake. Rolling around in water is always fun, I mostly enjoyed it when I housed as a pig owned by a farmer, until I overheard him wanting to slaughter me. I toke me a week to lose the fat I grew from that life.
The grumbling of my stomach broke my bliss. I know I have to hunt, but this isn't the place for a panther, And changing back into a human would be far to exhausting. I quickly scan the area, oh look what I find. A forest home lights still on. So of course I prance my beautiful self over to get a better look. On my way I couldn't help but notice burning in my chest, though I dismiss it, more worried about what this house homes. Quickly sitting at the edge of the forest I hear the laughing of two girls, accompanied by the voice of a male and female. A family of four, that's not to hard to breach, what do girls like? Cats. No, I'm not going up to their door as a panther, but more as my favorite animal growing up, when I lived in the city, pampered as a tea-cup Persian. White as snow with gray speckled blue eyes. With this thought I close my eyes and whisper the same word as before. The shift not as painful since it is of the same structure. Shrinking and feeling myself fluffy up my teeth become less of a threat and I am cutesy-fied. First, I have to look gross, finding some dirt and still a little wet from the water I roll around, my fluff clumping easily. Prancing up to the door, and begin my distress. Yowling but not like a screech small and kitten like but annoying enough to get some attention.
It didn't take long for the white door to open up and reveal two small girls that look almost completely the same. Twins, joy, double the trouble. The difference they have is their eyes, Both are blond and slightly tanned skin from playing outside but their eyes, one set of brown and one of blue. They brought me into the home and immediately asked in their childish tones to two adults. The male having black hair and brown eyes and the mother having the blond hair, blue eyes. Glancing at each other then back at the mess called me. They smile gently before the mother speaks with a sing-song like voice that they may keep me. But, I have to endure a bath. On the way upstairs I learn their names. The blue eyed one that is carrying me is named Chloe and the other is Jasmyne, which I also got from the baby blue door that had their names on it. But what catch my eye the most, was a dark forest green one at the end of the hall with one interesting name. 'Heath.' Dismissing the thought immediately I am placed into the sink, with warm water pouring out on me. It's actually not that bad until you have two girls that are probably around ten pulling at your hair, that is covering your entire body. I wanted to scream and claw their eyes out, but keeping calm like a good person, well cat, I am. It wasn't long until I was snow white, brushed and with a pink collar that held a bell around my neck. They must either have fake animals or had a cat before.
It was surprising that the time ran away so quickly. Being them ten year old’s, they were told to sleep at nine, while I was free to wander. My nose lead me to something tasty, only to find out the adults had made me b½uf liquide. After having human food for a while and then instantly getting cat taste buds, the taste is satisfying. Listening to laughter while I gobble down food isn't always an up but at least they didn't bother me with petting. With a full cat stomach and jumped up the stairs and hide in the twin's room until I knew the four were asleep. It was difficult to convince myself this was a good idea, but I needed to figure out the mild burning on my chest. Sneaking out to the bathroom and relaxed closed my eyes, not needing to picture myself to shift. I'll just skip all the gross facts about becoming human again. I'm sure you don't care for the lose of callus, the falling off of a tail and painful snapping of bones. But all that left me just always laid there for a moment before slowly fading away as if the particles came back to my body through the air. After I stood, my blue mixed green eyes starred in my mirror at my naked tanned body. Sometimes being a girl was rough, with the breasts and periods, though even if I'm an animal, I get the monthly gifts, I don't grow hair on my body except for my head, so no to shaving. But my breasts are normal, perky and light. No, they are not small. But they aren't big either. Last time I actually stayed human long enough to need a bra I was measured as a C cup and Thirty-two around. Yes, I'm fairly thin, mostly from shifting, but who wants to be a fat out of shape panther? My eyes went to my chest, not my breasts but at the rib cage, a long burn across the side that is pretty deep but no bullet stuck. So I did get hit. The burn from the barrel on my shoulder wasn't bad when he tried hitting me, but it still slightly hurt.
I looked around some, trying to find a first aid kit when my ears picked up on the turning of the door knob. It's not like I could have hid or shifted fast enough, or even hid my naked body. But the lack of a scream was interesting. I glanced over my shoulder to see a tall male, Tousled short-ish blonde hair and gemstone green eyes, with confusion and shock on his face. A guy, he wasn't the father and there was no other guys... 'Heath.' Thinking quick I grabbed his shirt pulled him in and shut the door as light as I could, turning my attention back to him and covering his mouth so he didn't speak. “Okay listen, I'm going to uncover your mouth and you are not going to scream or make any loud noise, got it?” There was silence for a second before he nodded slowly, still confused. I pinched the bridge of my nose thinking deep. How could I have forgotten about him, I mean I didn't see him the time I was here, but I saw the door, why didn't the thought accrue to me?
“Why are you naked?” His voice wasn't as deep as you would have thought, but it still swept me back into a reality where I was swimming in chocolate. Shaking my head my gaze met his, oddly enough he wasn't looking up and down. Hello?! Aren't you a guy? I am a naked girl standing in front of you! I mean yeah I'm attractive, and yeah it annoys me.. but it's weird he's not annoying me.
“That's a long story not meant for your ears.”
“Try me.” My eyes narrowed, there's the annoyance.
“I don't even know you.” A smirk pulled at his lips, he grabbed a towel and tossed it to me.
“Health Benedik, Senior in high school, Age seventeen, Favorite color is black, I was born March ninth. Anything else? If not, share your information.” Sighing, I toke the towel wrapping it around me and leaning against the door, I don't know what it is, but I just want to open up completely to him.
“Kamren Harley, I don't go to school, Last time I was told I'm sixteen, Forest green and coal black, Valentine's day.” My birth made him laugh, thought he cleared his throat to make himself stop.
“Love baby. Interesting. Now, Kamren, what are you doing in my house?” His question caught me of guard, how was I suppose to say I live here, but as a cat. I slightly rocked back and forth, gasping from the towel rubbing against the deepest wound I'd received.
“Do you have a first aid kit around here?”
“Will you answer my question?”
“Maybe if I get that first aid kit.” He smiled, reaching under the sink and pulling out a plastic box clearly marked 'First Aid' with a large label. Practically ripping the kit open I grabbed some healing creme and gauze, letting the towel fall and forgetting he was even sitting there. It wasn't until after I wrapped my wound up that he cleared his throat once more. My gaze finding him.
“Not that I don't like a beautiful women naked in front of me. Try to keep the towel on.” I felt a soft growl moving up my throat. I grabbed the towel off the floor and wrapped it around my slender frame again. Setting the kit on the sink, I nodded to him and smiled sweetly.
“Thank you for your assistance, but now you must be leaving.” I reached out to grab the door knob so I could leave, hoping he'd move, but he just had to grab my wrist. It was one thing to be onto my ability, another to touch me. Before I could control myself I had him down on the floor, his grip off me while I held onto his wrist, learning this from when I observed a military base when I was the chef's husky. Once I snapped back into reality I released my tight grip on his wrist and stepped back. Tossing the towel back in the bathroom as I quickly returned to the twins room. Leaning against the wall, I slowly slid down, my eyes adjusting to the dark quickly to see one of the girls awake and rubbing on of her eyes, the other looking at me tiredly. Slowly I crawled up to her, since she was on the lower bunk I made a soft 'shh' noise. “It's okay.” She mumbled something but I just 'shh'ed some more and slowly she laid back down and fell into another childish slumber. Sighing, I shifted painfully back into my fluffy Persian self. Jumped up onto the lower bunk and curled up on the pillow next to the girl, refusing to think anymore I fell asleep.

Something was moving me, I didn't know I wasn't moving until my eyes opened and two pairs of human eyes stared at me. Resisting from grimacing of from the unnecessary attention I stretched out and released the most adorable hungry meow I had in me, which was rewarded with an awe and being scooped up in Chloe's arms. A few moments later, I was on the kitchen table hearing the mother complaining about how no one likes her cooking. My eyes glanced around trying to find something to consume, my stomach wouldn't stop twisting from the lack of food. Healing always toke so much out of me, I'm sure these humans didn't need to worry about it. My nose caught the smell before my eyes did, freshly cooked egg. Purring, I followed the scent to a plate, unable to stop myself I started gobbling down the yolk. The only good thing about a cooked egg.. or an egg in general. I didn't know what the mother meant, but this was good enough me. Once my mind cleared it'self from the delicious overwhelming taste, I started hearing the giggles. Glancing around I noticed both twins giggling at me and the mother, hands on her hips with the largest grin ever.
“Finally someone likes my cooking. Would you like another egg?” Surely my eyes got wide, since her smile stretched wider. “Okay then, one more egg coming up.” I sat on the edge of the table, licking the extra yolk out of my fur then I heard his voice that had me resisting a long hiss.
“Why is there a snowball on the table?” Before I could even glance at the voices owner the twins both chimed in.
“It's not a snowball!”
“It's a kitty!”
“Looks like a snowball to me.” I watched him with narrowed eyes to sit in the chair that had the yolk-less egg I devoured. “Why.. Is my egg missing a yolk?” Again, the twins were giggling, before anyone answered a plated fried egg was placed in front of me, and I just couldn't hold back, that yolk was mine. While gobbling down the scrumptious yellow, he caught on. “You left that cat eat my egg?”
“More like just the yolk.” Jasmyne giggled.
“Seems like the only thing she likes.” Chloe stated with a stroke down my back to the tip of my tail.
“Whatever. So did anyone see a girl get in the house?” My ears perked up, my eyes narrowing. He just had to mention something. My mind instantly went to the quickest why out of this house and that's when there was a knock on the door, making his question put aside. Jumping down from the table, I made my way to the door, the mother picking my up before opening the door. A tall man was in the doorway, feeling the female relax was all I needed, I meowed a single goodbye before pushing out of her hand and being free in the air before hitting the ground hard, I knew I hurt something else from the rush of pain to my front left leg and the crack as I fell. Not giving in I dashed into the forest, not stopping. I heard crying and yelling. Then my small ears picked up on something I didn't recognize. But that was the last time I payed any attention to them.

After spending most of my life shifting, This whole year of being human was rough, being eighteen and all, so much needed to be done. I couldn't depend on others to feed me and house me. I actually had to look into this job thing. Which of course I found. A small cute Starbucks-like cafe though they had more seasonal brews, the most delicious pastries I've ever tasted. Shifting has almost been something I don't think about, after breaking a bone in my arm, my last change to human was very painful, though the hospital reassured me I'd be fine, There was no need for it since I am able to take care of myself now.
“Excuse me, miss?” I blinked a lot lifting my head off the counter, I'm not the best employee. But my boss, Trish, said the only reason she's keeping me is because I'm a hit with the teenage boys and everyone seemed to like me.
“Yeah?” I perked right up once I saw her worried look. “Is there a problem ma'am?” She was a little on the older side then most of the customers I see, which are either busy office workers ranging to teenagers bring their younger sibling to taste our pastries, which I couldn't blame them.
“The napkin dispenser is out and I spilled my drink.”
“Oh my, I'm sorry ma'am.” I grabbed a stack of napkins from under the counter, jogging to the swing door at the end of the counter. “Which table is yours?” She pointed to a table covered in our spring special of nutmeg and mint hot tea, it's not as bad as it sounds. Being the only employee that's had everything on our menu, I would know. Walking over to her table, I sopped up all the liquid, the scent dancing around me made me crave for my own. Taking her cup I straightened up, smiling sweetly at the woman. “I'll get the napkins when I come back with another order for you, on the house. Okay?” I walked back to the counter, quickly made up another 12 oz cup of the seasonal special, walking back to her table in the back, I didn't realize the door jingled, and to late for a warning, I'm on top of a human, our season tea in the air after being spilled all over myself and the human. This is the moment my wacky brain thought it was great to run a million miles an hour. “Omgawd! Are you okay? I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going.” I grab at the napkin dispenser... empty. Panicking I got to my feet and darted to behind the counter grabbing a towel, and coming back to the human, who was now standing. Then the laughter hit me, not only did I spill tea on a human, but they and myself were being laughed at.
“Kamren, what in God's holy world are you messing up now?!” Trish's voice rang through the room like a slap to the face along with the heat covering my face from what I knew was a very unattractive red. I heard my voice echo through the group, except one voice seemed familiar saying my name, my eyes flickered from the dark tile to the group, there I caught a pair green gemstone eyes. “Kamren, you clean up this mess right now while I fix your mistakes as usual.” Trish, being slightly shorter then my tall slender figure, along with a bit puggy came into the room from behind the counter and almost exploded from my mishap. “Miss Harley, I want to see you in my office before your lunch break.” Which happened to be in five minutes. Sighing, I went over to the ladies table and grabbed all the napkins in the towel.
“I'll be back in a moment ma'am. Sorry for the wait.”
“I just hope you're not fired little lady.”
“Thank you ma'am, I'm hoping for the same.” Walking with my gaze down, I returned to behind the counter listening to each word Trish said to the group.
“My deepest apologies sir, I don't have a clue what my employee was thinking. Please sit down anywhere with your friends, anything your group orders today will be half off so please enjoy yourself. If there is anything I can do for your clothes do tell me.”
“It's fine, I guess. But this drink I'd like an order, smells good. What do you guys think, I pull off this fragrance don't I?” Even I couldn't help but giggling some, which Trish shot a glare at for. If I had a tail, it would be between my legs, not ever leaving there until I was locked in my room. I dumped the napkins in the trash, making another cup of our special for the lady, patiently waiting.
“Since we have no other employees at the moment, I will take care or your orders.”
“No need.” One of the females spoke up. “She seems like fun, we'll have her. Right guys?” They all chimed yeah's and yes's
“Okay then.” I hear Trish's footsteps, and her voice is directed to me. “Remember, my office before you even think about taking your break.”
“Yes, ma'am.” Footsteps, and then a door closing.
“Kamren, that's you're name right?” I turned around to see the female that requested me to still take their order, she had almost as bright of a blonde hair as mine was deep black, her eyes shined like a sky with the sun pouring through it.
“Yes, ma'am.”
“You don't have to be so polite, after that chick fires you, you should come hang out with us. Kay?” With that she winked at me and went over to a far booth the rest of her group choose. The group was quit lively, four guys and just her. The one I fell on had honey brown hair, two others looked like siblings, maybe even twins, they had a dark chocolate hair color, and the male with gemstones for eyes had familiar blonde hair, always glancing over in my direction. Once the hot tea was made I toke it over to the lady.
“Sorry about the wait, Please enjoy.” She nodded just as I glanced at the clock... Time.

Impressum

Texte: Amour0vue
Bildmaterialien: Amour0vue
Lektorat: A Friend
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 26.10.2012

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