509- Secrets by the Lake
POV Thalyndra Moonclaw:
My body began to tremble and my bones to shift. Cracking sounds echoed through the forest. I clenched my teeth so hard that the muscle in my jaw began to ache. I fell to my knees on the ground and flattened my hands on the dry leaves.
I raised my head upward, stretching my spine as it transformed. The pain, though excruciating, seemed more tolerable.
When I opened my eyes, I didn't see the world the same way as before. Everything was clearer, as if more exposed. I could smell everything, each scent, knowing how to distinguish them, and I could hear the noise coming from the village, even though we were miles away.
I leaped, landing on all four paws, and spun, wagging my tail.
"You're beautiful, Little Beast. A beautiful brown wolf," Anton commented.
I approached him. He uncrossed his arms and placed his hand over my snout, caressing me. He slid his palm over my head, touching my fur and petting me. I purred, wagging my tail with even more intensity, enjoying his touch and his admiring gaze.
"I'll shift too, and we'll run around a bit. I want to take you to a part of the lake where the view is even more beautiful." His fingers slid over my head, back and forth. "We won't be able to communicate, because you're not part of the pack yet, but soon that will change," he announced.
I released my breath, snorting loudly. He laughed and moved away.
I was still thinking about that, even though I was almost completely decided about it.
He shifted much faster than me, changing form in the blink of an eye, accustomed to it. Anton, even in wolf form, was much larger than me, easily double my size.
He rubbed his head against my body and wagged his tail, caressing me.
I hopped around on the ground, all happy and content to have him by my side.
I felt... much more attracted to him in my animal form, as if I... loved him. I gasped, widening my eyes, not fully understanding the magnitude of it all.
Feeling attraction was one thing, but love... well, that changed absolutely everything. I could also be confused—the feelings were rawer, more intense, and I wasn't accustomed to them; I didn't shift frequently enough to understand how everything worked. I ignored everything I felt, abstaining from the emotions.
Anton shot toward the trees, his mixed fur swaying in the wind. I followed him, always staying a few steps behind. He was too fast for me to catch up, but he seemed to know that, because he slowed down every now and then.
We dodged some trees, keeping our pace quick. I focused on the insects flying right before my eyes, following their paths in all directions, some noisier than others. The birdsong sounded louder and came from all directions, most of them from the high branches where they perched delicately.
I felt the vibration of the forest, ancient and powerful. The place carried many stories, some that never had the chance to be told and passed down through generations, and others that were present in books.
I closed my eyes and enjoyed the wind hitting my face. My instincts were so heightened that, even with my eyes closed, I knew exactly which path to take to avoid hitting any trees.
When I reopened them, I jumped over some high branches, landing on all four paws with precision. Anton rubbed against me again, his fur brushing against mine. He was warm, strong, and cozy.
I heard the sound of water as we approached the river. It was fluid and gentle. There were some animals nearby. As we drew closer, a group of deer fled at full speed far away, desperate to escape. I heard the constant sound of their hearts. They were terrified of our presence, recognizing their hunters.
Anton paced back and forth, circling as if controlling his instincts not to attack any of them. He shifted into human form.
"This is a good opportunity to eat raw meat," he announced. "I can hunt for you." He winked.
Snorting, I approached the water and admired my reflection mirrored through it. My wolf had reddish-brown fur, matching the vibrant brown of my eyes. It had been so long since I'd seen her—I had forgotten how beautiful she was.
I touched the water with my snout, making it ripple. I stuck out my tongue and lapped some up, quenching my thirst. When I finished, I moved away and sat on my hind legs.
I needed to shift to human form if I wanted to talk to Anton. As much as I wanted to stay as a wolf, he was waiting for me.
I concentrated, my body began to vibrate, and my bones started to transform. The pain remained excruciating with each change in my body.
I returned to human form, my chest rising and falling in quick succession from the heavy breathing.
"Are you okay?" Anton asked, approaching me.
I was sitting on the ground, completely naked. The panties I had been wearing had been shredded by the transformation.
"Yes, I am. It's going to take me some time to get used to it."
"The time will be shorter than you imagine," he replied, sitting beside me. "It's part of what we are and who we are—it's so natural that you won't even notice when it happens."
I ran a hand through my hair, pulling the strands stuck to my neck by sweat. I bent my knees and hugged them, covering my breasts.
"I never saw a problem with living among humans. I liked the lifestyle I had, having freedom of choice, without needing to follow an alpha's rules. I never saw myself living in a pack," I commented.
"And now? Has anything changed?"
I looked ahead, admiring the landscape. He was right—the lake was even more beautiful from there. Mountains rose in front, while the lake, with water so clear I could see the stones at the bottom, reflected everything like a mirror. The trees around seemed endless.
For a second, I stood still, just observing, as if the world were silent and nothing else mattered except that view.
"Many things have changed," I confessed, breaking the silence that had stretched on. "Starting with me."
"And is that good or bad?" I shrugged.
"It depends on the point of view." I looked at him and smiled. "Let's say that, in the past few weeks, Eldoria has shown me another side—a side I didn't yet know. I learned to connect better with my wolf and to yield to my instincts, not fight them. I started to like this new version of myself—I adapted very well to it."
"You don't plan to leave anymore?" he inquired, seeming anxious about my answer.