The first thing that draws my attention from the
void is a low humming sound, seemingly all around me. My eyes
still closed, I begin the long rise from the murky depths of a
deep sleep, my mind still groggy, my senses slowly coming back
to me.
What had happened? Where was I? Pondering the questions
forming within me, I wait as the sleepiness drains from my mind.
My eyes are still closed, as of now I'm not alert enough to force
them open. My body still feels tired, whatever happened, it feels
like I've been in a very deep sleep. Still I don't feel the same
as after a nice, long nap; my mind still feels sluggish.
Okay, where had I been? What had I been doing? 'Hmmm...
I remember I was with Marissa,' the thought of her bringing a
smile, or so it felt, to my lips; although my mouth feels a little
strange.
What had we been doing? 'Something was wrong wasn't
it? Weren't we upset about something?' Something doesn't seem
right about this, but I can't place it, my mind still full of
cobwebs. Waiting a few more moments, still muddled from my sleep,
another couple of things are drawn to my attention.
Firstly, my body feels exhausted, not just tired,
but almost weighted down; I can barely move. Secondly, I'm beginning
to notice a slight chill creeping in over me. 'What's going on
here?' becoming more than a little concerned over the current
situation. 'Why can't I think straight? Why can't I move?!' straining
my mind, trying to concentrate.
'The lizards... they're boosting their power... I
was caught in some kind of explosion...' All at once these thoughts
come flooding over me, as pieces of my memory fit together like
a puzzle. However, my mind is still fuzzy, unable to make sense
out of everything, just getting small glimpses and a feeling of
fear and urgency.
'I've got to get out of here!' trying to sit up and
open my eyes; still my body won't respond. Slowly and maddeningly,
I fight my way back to consciousness, my mind racing out of control,
still only reacting to the fear, still full of cobwebs. Finally
my eyes come open, and I'm not to happy about what greets me as
they do so.
Darting my eyes back and forth, my head too tired
to move, I'm in one of the rooms we hadn't discovered yet; what
appears to be some strange combination of a medical lab and a
chamber of horrors. From my point of view, it seems I'm lying
supine on some sort of a bench or table. Looking off to my side,
a second table, made of polished stone, rising about three feet
off the ground, lies empty. Save for all of the instruments in
the room, this is the only piece of furniture, if it can be called
that, in the dimly-lit chamber. A single thought flashes through
my confused mind, 'where's Marissa? I need to find her!'
Still I can't move, my body feels too heavy and lethargic,
as well as a little cool, it just refuses to respond to my urgent
commands. Trying to move my hand, it's too weak to even lift it;
the whole situation is terrifying and frustrating at the same
time, feeling my heart beat faster, pounding in my ears.
Turning my attention back to the room I've found
myself in, my tired mind desperately tries to reason things out,
coming up fairly short in the process. I realize I somehow survived
whatever booby-trap I managed to set off back there, but what's
going on now, I can only imagine. Looking at the array of instruments
and devices clustered around me, I can only assume I'm going to
be run through a series of tests and examinations, if not something
worse.
Shuddering, even with my weakness, I get a better
look at some of the devices in the room. First of all there's
an assortment of scopes, readouts and a couple of terminals, all
casting off a phosphorescent glow in the darkness, washing the
lab in their pale and eerie light.
Putting a good deal of effort into it, I manage to
turn my head, giving me a better look at what's off to the side;
bad idea, I'd rather not have seen it. For off to my left, a few
feet away, placed in a tray on a small cart, lies a disturbing
array of instruments. 'Implements of torture' would be a more
fitting term though, as several of them look like they could be
used for cutting through things, and some are adorned with unusual
points and edges; things I'd rather not think about.
Other instruments look innocuous at first, until
the chill realization of their possible use strikes me. Given
their long, blunt, rounded structures, with some telescoping attachments,
they could very well be some sort of probes, used for studying
various areas that I'd rather not know about.
A few other miscellaneous items lie in the tray,
including a couple of syringes and some small metal plates, square,
about an inch on a side, having what looks like jacks for wires
to attach to them on their front faces. Turning away from this
grim spectacle, forcing my head to turn once again, I'm greeted
with another startling surprise above me.
I hadn't noticed before, since I'd been looking mostly
straight up, or off to the sides, but above me, focused down on
the center of my body, hangs a large rectangular device. Suspended
a couple of feet above me, a tube looking much like a CRT from
a television set juts out from the bottom, aiming down at me;
it appears to be some sort of scanner. Looking up at it, feeling
my pulse quicken, the screen gives off a faint, almost imperceptible
glow, as it hums softly to itself, releasing intermittent clicks
every so often.
Not too pleased with the notion of being studied
like this, and for who knows what reasons, still upset about not
being able to move, my eyes nervously scan the room once again.
Looking off to the right this time, my heart gives another jump
as yet another device comes into view. Rectangular, several feet
long, yet only a couple of feet deep, the unit contains, among
other things, some sort of a terminal and display screen. What's
so disturbing about this unit however, is that several tubes and
wires terminate there.
Nervously following them back to their points of
origin, they disappear from my point of view, but obviously leading
up to me, seemingly attached to my body at various points. Shuddering
again, my mind leaping in terror, I try and bring my head up,
giving up after a few moments when it's unable to escape gravity's
pull.
Panting heavily, my mind races, 'what am I gonna
do?' Struggling against the mounting panic flooding through me,
I manage to channel some calming energy through my mind, slowly
clearing it a little further. 'Okay, let's take this slow... see
what I can do.'
First of all, how do I feel? Considering this for
several moments, I realize that there's no pain that I can detect;
either I didn't retain any serious damage from the blast I received,
or they've got me on some sort of anesthetic. Next, my body's
a bit cold, especially my back, then realizing wryly they must
have taken my clothes in order to put me through all of this.
Feeling my heat slowly being sucked through the rock behind me,
I realize that the cold is not only a temperature sensation, but
also some sort of a numbness. Yes indeed, they must have given
me some sort of drug, which explains my current inability to move.
'Now what?' as I lie there, flat on my back, naked
and vulnerable, hooked up to who knows how many machines, waiting
for them to return and possibly do something even worse to me.
Perhaps I can move a little, if I work at it. Lying there, I begin
to slowly work at moving my hand, first starting with my fingers.
A few minutes pass, but I can feel it working. Straining
lightly against the numbness, pushing a little further each time,
then backing off to try again, progress is slow but steady. Finally
I'm able to move my fingers, lifting them up, then stretching
them and tapping them lightly on the hard, cool rock beneath them,
only dimly aware of the loud clicking sounds my fingernails make
as I do so.
After this, I need a rest. It had only taken a few
minutes, but it felt much longer, and took a lot of effort. Dropping
my hand back onto the table, only having lifted it a couple of
inches at the most, I let out several heavy breaths, panting loudly
against the humming of the machinery.
Something is strange as my mouth hangs open, but
what is it? Pausing, considering just what it is that seems different,
a couple of minutes pass before I can localize it. It's my mouth
itself that feels weird, but how, what's so different about it?
Still panting, with my mouth partially open, and
a small trail of drool dribbling from lips, my tongue seems overly
sensitive, as my teeth grate against it. Pulling it inside my
mouth, running it against the roof, my tender flesh gives out
a small cry of protest, my tongue scraping across it. Confused
by this, I rub along the sides of my mouth, desensitizing my over-active
nerves. Getting used to this, my nerves calm some, but it still
feels strange, different; something isn't right.
Muddling over this, still rubbing my tongue along
the inside of my mouth, now used to the feeling and enjoying it,
in a strange way, interested by the sensations. My tongue feels
like sand paper, well not that abrasive, but it's definitely rough.
'It's like...' my jumbled mind searching for something, 'it's
like... Marissa's tongue?'
No that can't be, then rubbing against my mouth once
more, it does remind me of her tongue, smiling a little in spite
of myself as I remember kissing her deeply. 'But that can be...
if my tongue feels like hers... then...' Feeling my pulse quicken
yet again, I open my mouth wider and jut my tongue out, gliding
it along my teeth.
There's the familiar sensation of running my tongue
along their hardness, but something's changed. They do seem sharper,
'no this isn't right...' then moving to the side of my mouth,
my canines are pointed. Not just little pricks, but what feels
like towering peaks, hard and sharp against my tender flesh.
My mind racing at this, blindly trying to assimilate
the seemingly-incongruous information, I struggle to comprehend
what's happening. 'What have they done to me?' Letting panic grip
me for several moments, I finally struggle against the fear, forcing
the emotions out, pulling myself back together.
Becoming a little more rational, my tongue still
hanging out of my mouth, slightly panting, I realize I need to
get a look at myself, to know for sure what's going on. Resting
up for a few minutes, then pooling all of my reserves, I concentrate
on lifting me head from the stone table. Putting what seems like
all of my effort into it, I finally manage to bring my head up
so I can look down at myself, straining every muscle of my neck
in the process.
The scene unfolding before me confirms my fears,
as the furry body of a felenzi lies spread out in front of me.
Holding out against the terror building within me, my mind reeling
at the implications, I fight against the fear, forcing myself
to stay calm as I look down upon myself. Even so, my pulse feels
heavy in my chest, my breathing forced, as I look at what I've
become, 'how can this be happening?'
Feeling my body tense up and react as adrenaline
courses through my felenzi veins, my heart beating loudly against
my ears, fear washes back over me. Struggling to retain my sanity,
I react quickly, forcing another wave of calming energy through
me, spreading from my very core to every extremity. Slowly, rational
thought comes back to me, as the terror ebbs away, 'I've got to
keep myself together...'
Fighting fatigue, holding my head up, my eyes darting
over my new form with nervous urgency, I take in the full sight
of my feline body now before me. My sides, arms, legs, and presumably
my face and back, are covered in rich, golden-brown fur, highlighted
here and there with small streaks of black, while my chest, abdomen
and inner thighs are colored a creamy-white.
My body seems a little bigger, with my arms and legs
a little thicker than before, muscles rippling lightly under the
fur. I'd always been in good shape, and as I'd demonstrated, could
handle myself well in a fight, but had always been a little on
the smallish or average side. Now I look a little bigger, not
grotesquely so, just a nice, healthy build. Were the situation
different, I might really admire this body, but now it's too much
of a change, as my mind still shudders at the suddenness of the
transformation.
Looking down toward my groin, I'm given another shock,
as my manhood lies before me, hiding against the cool air of the
room, only the pink tip peeking out from its sheath. That's right,
I have a sheath, which I guess shouldn't startle me, given what
I can think of about animal physiology, but it still comes as
a pretty big surprise. Looking down again, I smile wryly, 'it
looks like everything's gotten a little bigger... guess it fits
nice with the rest of my though...'
Looking below my sheath and furry balls, covered
in the same soft white fur as my belly, I notice my tail jutting
out and lying between my legs. It's thick, like Marissa's, several
inches around, and almost as long as my legs, typical dimensions
for a felenzi of my size. It's colored uniformly in the same golden
brown fur as my sides, that is except for at the tip, where the
last few inches are colored in a dark, brownish black. Watching
it, it twitches lightly, the dark tip moving around, as if on
its own accord.
My feet, as expected, are now digitrade, with four
squat toes on each one, retractable claws just barely poking through
the surface of the fur. Looking at my hands, they too are the
four-fingered appendages of a normal felenzi. Turning my hand
on it's side, I see the palm is white like my front is. Lightly
flexing my hand, still very weak, I manage to extend my claws,
gleaming sharply in the dim light. Then as they retract into my
fingers, still having a little trouble controlling them, my attention
is brought to something more important, much more important.
Having gotten used to being a felenzi, at least so
I'm no longer teetering on the edge of sanity, a new threat greets
me. Looking at my body a little closer, as I lie on the stone
slab, I can now see where all of the wires and tubes from the
machinery are going to. Fear, an unwanted, yet familiar visitor,
perched ever so near me, I look down and see over half a dozen
wires attached to me, mostly on my chest and abdomen.
They aren't attached with simple adhesive pads like
hospitals use for monitoring heart beats, brain waves, or something
like that, no, nothing that friendly, perhaps that wouldn't work
on my fur. Instead, each wire is attached to a needle, or pin,
which is buried into my fur, and I assume also my flesh, only
their tips visible. Shuddering at this, my heart missing a beat
or two, my breathing becoming heavier, there's an even nastier
surprise still waiting for me.
Besides the wires, there are several tubes connecting
me to the array of machinery filling the room. Most of them are
small, the size of IV tubes I'd seen in hospitals before, but
one of them is close to three times that size. These tubes are
connected to me at several points, one of them connected to my
right arm at the inside of my elbow; I hadn't even noticed it
when I'd lifted my hand up. Another disappears into my side, while
still another snakes underneath me, down near the base of my spine,
disappearing under my back. All of these tubes are filled with
a clear liquid, so I assume it must some sort of drug they're
using on me, perhaps to keep me under control while they do whatever
it is they're doing to me.
This isn't the worst of it though, as I notice where
the final, larger tube is going. Looking down, following it to
the end, it's buried deep within my hip. Watching in disgust,
it slowly pumps a thick, bloody fluid from me, my life essence
sucked into the bowels of the machinery, disappearing from me
drop by drop.
Terror and revulsion crashes in upon me, as fatigue
also takes it's toll. No longer able to hold my head up, I let
go, my skull crashing down with a heavy thud on the cold stone
beneath me. The dull pain echoes through me, helping to clear
me head, keeping my wild, racing thoughts at bay. Holding out
against the fear, concentrating hard, I bring myself back to control
once again. Then after working at it, I manage to send some healing
magic to my head, dulling the pain, at least partially.
That takes most of my energy, and although I can
still move a little, there's not much more I can do. Struggling
I manage to move my hand, and even lift it slightly, but it's
almost useless, there's no strength in it. I can't even pull the
tube out from my arm, I'm at their mercy.
Lying there, weak and numb, my mind still confused
and scared, I notice something else. The optics of my felenzi
eyes are subtly different than what I'm used to. First of all,
they seem to be better adapted at low light levels, as I have
an easier time making out the fine details in this dim room than
I would have before. However, as a drawback to this, my elliptical
pupils seem to slightly accent vertical edges more than horizontal
ones.
This is certainly interesting, but I've got better
things to occupy my time. 'How am I gonna get out of here... and
what have they done with Marissa?' Thinking of Marissa, my fear
turns to concern. After only a week of being together as lovers,
I can't lose her now.
I don't have too long to worry about this though.
Muddling things over, sporadic thoughts echoing through my mind
as I struggle to solve this situation I've been thrown into, I'm
soon interrupted by the door opening at the other end of the room.
I don't really hear it, as the mechanism is silent, but I somehow
can sense it, maybe because of the subtle change in light levels,
maybe because magic is involved.
Turning my head toward the doorway, one of the lizards
walks in, dressed in a dark, maroonish-brown cloak. Stepping through
the doorway, the wall coalesces behind him. He makes a quick hand
gesture into the air, and the lights come up to full intensity,
leaving me blinking as I adjust to the brightness.
Looking at me with the cold fire of determination
in his beady little eyes, he walks over toward me. Before he reaches
me, his thick, heavy scent, strong and definitely reptilian, washes
over me, wafting into my sensitive nostrils. At first it's overwhelming,
as I almost gag from the sheer strength of it, then adapting to
my new senses, things drop into place. He still smells strong,
and a little unpleasant, a little sick maybe, but I can manage
it.
As he crosses the short distance from the doorway
to the bench I'm spread out on, my body reacts quickly, pumping
felenzi hormones into my system, the adrenaline running high.
Feeling my ears stand up, and my fur become prickly with anticipation,
I'm surprised to hear a low growl rising up from within me, gently
rumbling my upper chest.
Instinctively opening my mouth and baring my teeth,
my fingers stretch, extending my sharp and powerful claws. Unfortunately,
with the condition I'm in, this is about all I can do, putting
on an empty show of force. In my weakened state, I doubt if I
could even make a token swipe at him with one of my paws.
Looking at me with some interest, he goes first to
one of the many machines filling the room, stooping over a display.
Punching several keys on the terminal, he brings up what looks
like medical charts, with various graphs and several diagrams
of what I assume must be parts of my physiology. Looking on with
slight interest, overshadowed by my apprehension, I watch the
lizard study the readouts scrolling quickly by in front of him.
Perhaps a minute or two passes, my heart pounding
loud within my ears, as I wait with uncertainty, scared of what
lies ahead. Finally turning around, looking at me yet again with
his cold stare, the lizard walks over until he's standing directly
above me, his peering down at me over his pointed snout. "So,
I see you're conscious," his voice cold and without emotion,
with just the slightest trace of a hiss to it. Saying this, he
reaches out and places a single hand on my chest, his long taloned
fingers poking through my fur, touching the skin underneath; his
touch is cool, and sends a shiver through me.
Growling briefly, I manage to bring myself to speak,
"what have you done to me?" my voice trembling, giving
away my fear; I must look absolutely pathetic, cowering weakly
beneath him like this.
A slight smirk, crosses his lips, still looking rather
cold, "don't blame us... this was all your own doing... If
you hadn't invaded our privacy... if you hadn't messed with our
equipment... playing with something you obviously don't understand...
you wouldn't have been transformed like this... Still, it shows
us that things are getting closer for our plans..."
"We're surprised you survived it at all though,"
he continues. "You didn't have the power levels up to full,
but they were still high enough to affect a drastic change...
We still don't know how you did it, given that the unit wasn't
calibrated or setup properly..."
"It seems you have a stronger magical aptitude
than we'd thought... Hopefully the readings we've taken will show
something... It doesn't explain everything, but it will give us
we're looking for... It seems you and the female both have bodies
highly suited for magic use..."
At the mention of Marissa, my ears perk up, "what
have you done with her?" again the nervousness evident in
my voice.
"We're through with her... We turned our studies
toward you... You seem to have a better physiology for what we're
looking for..."
"You bastards!" my voice becoming a growl,
feeling rage flood through me, sure they've harmed Marissa, my
mate. In an instant, I gather the necessary energy within me,
and lifting my hand up slightly, point up towards the lizard and
unleash a mighty bolt of power.
Except nothing happens, one second the energy was
flowing within me, the next it just fizzled out, as if it was
sucked away; it felt almost like something had dampened or quenched
the flow, as a slight shiver ran through me. Looking up at the
lizard, he flashes me a brief toothy grin, "your power is
strong, but it's no match for ours... Don't bother trying to fight
us..." A moment later his face returns to the stoic mask
it was before, as he continues to study me.
"We don't want to hurt you... You're going to
be very useful to us... In fact, we're very lucky you decided
to interrupt us... We'll be able to finish things much faster
now..."
All I can do is look numbly back up at him, the thwarted
spell having taken the last of my reserves, and his counter-measure
having weakened me even further. With him this close, his hand
still on my chest, his scent is extremely strong. The reptilian
component of it isn't all that bad, given a chance to get used
to it, although it is a bit overpowering, as I'm still getting
used to how acute my new nose is.
However, there's another part to his scent that is
very disturbing, and it takes a couple of moments to place it.
Then realizing what it is, I shudder slightly at the thought,
for what I'm smelling is disease or decay. It's not as strong
as his main scent, just lingering there in the background, but
it's enough to turn my stomach and cause me to wrinkle my nose.
Looking at him, he appears very thin, as the cloak
just hangs on his frame; I'm sure if he was to open it, his scaly
skin would be stretched across his ribs. On the left side of his
face, a small brown spot is forming, only about the size of a
nickel, but it looks like it could progress into the same hideous
wounds that we saw on the bodies in the morgue.
His eyes appear just the tinniest bit sunken, and
he looks as if he's missed a lot of sleep, as well as not being
in the finest health. It's as if his body wants to collapse, but
he's keeping himself moving by pure determination. Still, even
as weak as he looks, he seems to have a lot of strength left,
and magic to boot. They're almost like the living dead, my mind
reeling at the thought.
Moving his fingers along my chest, he comes to the
first of the needles. Disconnecting the wire and letting it drop
to the floor, he holds the needle between two of his fingers,
and twisting it slightly, pulls it out. There's no pain, only
a slight pressure, as my body still feels numb and cool. Holding
the needle up, it's about two and a half or three inches long.
Cringing at what kind of a wound that thing left, he reaches over
me and drops it in the tray off to my left.
Then bringing his hand back down to the spot where
the needle had been poking into my flesh, he places his fingers
firmly down on it. Feeling a slight tingle, even through the numbness,
I realize he's taking the time to heal me, which perhaps might
be a good sign.
Going through the same process with the remaining
needles, he then turns his attentions to the tubes still connected
to me. Getting back a little of my energy, I lift my head once
again, satisfying a perverse sense of curiosity, intermingled
with my apprehension. Removing the tubes from my arm and side,
and dropping them to the floor, they spill the clear liquid out,
making small puddles at his feet, of which he's totally oblivious.
As with the needles, he seals up the wounds they left behind.
Then forcing one of his hands underneath me, grabbing
me by my now-feline haunches, he firmly lifts me up; even in his
condition this seems effortless. With my hips up in the air like
that, he reaches in with the other hand, coming to the base of
my spine. Doing so he brushes past the root of my tail, which
sends a small shiver through me, sort of a ticklish sensation,
but almost a tingle of pleasure; it's so strange to feel an appendage
connected there. Then realizing how sensitive Marissa's tail is,
and how she likes me to stroke it when we're mating, I feel my
face heat up, understanding the root of those strange sensations.
Ignoring my modesty and discomfort, the lizard simply
reaches up to grasp the tube connected there, yanking it out.
Tossing it aside with the others, I feel him apply the similar
healing energy, before pulling away, and roughly dropping my butt
back onto the table.
Now all that is left is the large tube stuck into
my leg, right below my hip. Grasping this tube, he has to work
it out slowly, as it's buried deep within me. Shuddering in disgust,
several bloody inches are revealed to me, as finally the end,
complete with a hollow needle, is taken from the wound. Dropping
it to the floor with the others, a small puddle of the thick,
bloody substance oozes out of it.
Glancing back to my leg, it's dribbling more of the
liquid. Unfazed by how this treatment is affecting me, he simply
places a finger over the wound, stopping the flow of blood and
in a flash of warmth, soon has it knitted back together, good
as new. The wound wasn't even big enough to leave a bald spot
on my fur.
Relieved to finally be disconnected from all of their
devices, I let out a small sigh. Looking at me, perhaps a little
quizzically, his steely eyes suggest there's still more to come.
Then leaning over me once again, he reaches into the pan off to
my left and retrieves a syringe, a rather large syringe in fact.
Holding it up, as if for me to get a better look,
it's about four inches long, easily an inch in diameter, with
a needle almost as long as the syringe itself. Looking up at him,
our eyes meet, as his cold stare pierces through me. "What...
what are you gonna do with that?" again my voice cracking
under the tension.
"We still need to get some cells from your stomach...
We've found they make the best samples..." His cool and tempered
voice sends shudders through me as he places his hand firmly down
on my belly.
Feeling my stomach tighten into several knots, I
tilt my head backwards, bringing it back to the table, closing
my eyes and clenching my jaw tight. He hisses at this, as if he's
laughing. Opening my eyes, his mouth is open slightly, forming
another menacing smirk, as his forked tongue darts over his sharp
teeth.
"You won't feel a thing... you're still under
the influence of the drugs... Now hold still..."
As if I have a choice in the matter, my body still
weak and almost lifeless. Closing my eyes again, lying there I
feel a slight prick in my stomach, followed by a strong pressure,
pushing into me. Then there's a slight warmth, as the pressure
increases, spreading outward into my belly. It doesn't hurt exactly,
but it isn't really all that comfortable either, making me feel
a little queasy; that along with the knowledge of what's happening,
makes it very hard to stifle a few whimpers.
Finally, after what seems like forever, the pressure
retreats and I feel the warm embrace of his healing magic washing
over me. Lying there, my eyes closed, panting, I silently plead
for the torture to be over.
I almost jump when his fingers stroke my cheek, that
is I would've jumped if I had any strength for it. Snapping my
eyes open, he's peering down directly at my face, his face only
a foot or so away from mine. In his right hand, he holds another,
smaller syringe, filled with greenish-yellow liquid.
As if in answer to my eyes wide with fear, he simply
states "we're done with you now... This shot will counteract
the effects of the drug we gave you... relieving your numbness
and giving you back your strength..."
With that, he bends down and taking my arm in his
hand, aligns the needle with a vein, and forces it in. Depressing
the plunger, all of the colored liquid disappears into me, now
coursing through my system. Part of me doesn't believe him, yet
there's nothing I can do, and why would he bother lying to me.
Withdrawing the needle, he adds, "it works fairly
quickly... You'll get some of your strength back in a few minutes...
You'll still be weak though, and you'll need my help getting up..."
Lying there, waiting, with him above me, a light
tingling soon comes over my body. Within minutes the numbness
drains out of me, my body warming slightly. Then trying to lift
my arm, I breath a sigh of happy relief as it now lifts much easier
on my command; my body still feels weak or tired, but I think
I could get up in this state.
Nodding at me, the lizard takes my arm and helps
me up to a sitting position. Then swinging my legs over the side
of the stone table, he helps me to stand on my unsteady feet,
draping one arm around his shoulder, letting me lean on him for
support. Standing up, I'm about an inch or so taller than him,
my body bigger than his, looking stronger than his emaciated frame,
yet still I need to lean some of my weight against him.
Turning to look at me, "good... Now we can get
you out of here... You'll still be weak for a little while longer
though... and don't think of trying anything... I'm still stronger
than you, and you've seen what I can do against your magic..."
With that we're off, shuffling slowly toward the
end of the lab, my legs still wobbly; if he were to let go of
me, I'd surely collapse on the floor. Walking on my now digitrade
feet is very disorienting at first, as it seems like I'm sort
of standing only on the front parts of my feet. For a couple of
moments, I'm afraid of losing my balance, but my tail helps to
act as a counterweight, with the structure of my new body designed
to keep me centered; once I get used to it. Taking a few steps,
I think I can adjust to this, especially since there seems to
be no other alternative.
Nearing the wall, we pass by another large piece
of machinery, still humming softly, its metal sides polished brightly.
Pausing, it's possible to see our reflections in the polished
steel; they're distorted, but it's enough to give me a general
idea of what my new body looks like.
Except for the fact I'm leaning weakly against the
lizard, I'm a perfect specimen of a male felenzi. Standing tall,
my fur clean and, for the most part, smooth, the golden-brown
of my body making a striking contrast with the white fur of my
front. Glancing up, I see the head of a cougar looking back at
me with amber eyes; short wavy, dark-brown hair covering my head,
and feline ears pointing out through its gentle waves. The golden
brown of my fur, meeting the white of my neck and muzzle, as well
as the two dark, vertical stripes on either side of my mouth,
makes quite an attractive visage. Under different circumstances,
I might consider this body quite handsome, but now, with everything
else, the change only adds to my tension. At least the cougar
markings ease my mind a little, I'd always admired their fur patterns,
and thought they were beautiful cats.
I catch another small smirk on the lizard's face,
as he guides me past our reflections and toward the door which
opens before us. Walking me out into the hallway, we follow it
perhaps fifty feet, coming to another lizard, looking much like
the first one, thin and sickly, dressed in a similar cloak. The
second lizard nods slightly at us as we come to a stop before
him, then turning to the wall and making a couple of gestures
with his hands, another doorway opens for us.
Guiding me inside, I see it's a small room, about
fifteen feet on a side, furnished with basic bedding and toilet
facilities. A moment later, my heart leaps, as I notice Marissa
getting up off the mattress, she's okay! Like myself, she's also
stripped down to the fur, looking well off considering the circumstances.
Taking another step into the room, she hisses at
us, her ears going back; I feel mine go back also, instinctively
reacting to her confrontation. "What are you doing with that
male?" she growls, advancing on the lizard.
Taking one look at her, he simply drops me to the
hard, smooth floor of the room, stepping back through the opening.
Screaming at this, Marissa charges after him, only to run into
the solid wall, missing the door closing by a couple seconds.
Growling in frustration, pounding her fist against
the wall, she turns back to me. Lying there, still weak from the
effects of the drug, I'd managed to turn over on my back; that's
about all I think I can do, feeling the dull pain from crashing
down on the floor.
"Who are you?" her voice still sharp and
alarmed, as she looks at me with suspicion, and that's not all,
as she takes a couple of quick, furtive glances, perusing my new
and impressive furry form.
Cautiously, she steps towards me, coming closer,
but staying out of my reach. Lying down on the floor, feeling
weak and confused, I don't think to answer her. Looking up at
her, probably with a dazed look washed across my face, I'm relieved
to know she's okay. Seeing her standing there, alive and unharmed,
some of my fears are calmed.
Then looking at her soft, furry body, with her muscles
accentuated as she stands in a slight crouch, readying herself
to fight if necessary, my eyes wander over her beautiful form;
her black spots playing nicely across the snowy fields of her
body. Feeling my thoughts becoming muddled with desire, I notice
that with my new nose her scent is stronger now. Breathing in
deeply, my lungs fill with her rich, spicy scent; so alluring
and intriguing, my fur prickling lightly with excitement.
Warmed by her presence, I guess I smile up at her,
my eyes alit with desire. Her ears go back at this, and I realize
I'm in trouble. In a flash she's upon me, screaming and leaping
onto my chest. "Don't you get any funny ideas... I'm not
here to be your mate," she snarls, bringing her claws to
bear on my flesh, digging deep into me. With the other hand she
grabs me by the neck, squeezing tightly, working her knees onto
my arms, effectively pinning me to the floor.
"Marissa... it's me... Ben..." I manage
to gasp, my voice forced through her choke hold.
Her eyes going wide with surprise, registering a
barrage of emotions, flashing through confusion, disbelief, and
happiness, then on to relief. "Ben... is it really you? What
have they done to you?" her voice still showing a trace of
disbelief, releasing her strangle hold upon my neck.
Looking up at her, this beautiful felenzi perched
on top of me, some of the weight is lifted from my soul, knowing
she's okay, and if nothing else we're together for the moment.
Feeling a slight smile creep over my lips, even with all of the
trouble still festering within me, I reply "I don't know
exactly... somehow whatever I was messing with... it changed me...
Even the lizards don't know what happened... I gather I'm lucky
to be alive though... Not that it looks like it's doing us any
good..."
"Ben, I saw you get ripped apart back there..."
her voice softening, her eyes beginning to glisten over. "I
thought you were dead... then they burst in and hit me with something...
Next thing I knew, I was somewhere else, and they were... doing
strange things to me..." she shudders slightly at this.
"I know... that's where I just came from...
Are you alright?"
"Yes..." then realizing I'm bleeding from
four red stripes along my chest, "oooh... I'm sorry Ben...
I didn't know..."
Reaching down to softly touch my wounds, she takes
the pain away, knitting the torn flesh, then lingers, running
her fingers gently through my fur, only slightly stained with
my blood. Watching her, as she looks down at me as if contemplating
my new form, my lips draw back into a gentle smile.
Slowly easing herself off of me, she drags her hands
to mine, taking my hand in hers. "Can you get up?" Nodding
weakly, I let her help me up to a standing position; gingerly
supporting some of my weight on her, we cross the room to the
stone slab with a mattress and a couple of blankets on it. Looking
down at her, using her height as a reference, it seems I've grown
to two or three inches above six feet, as I'm now about five or
six inches above her.
Guiding me onto the mattress, I fall onto it, leaning
my back against the cool, smooth wall, still very weak from the
drugs, my mind aching from all that has happened. Sitting beside
me, pressing her warm body against mine, she turns and watches
me, looking into my dazed eyes, her own eyes deep with concern.
"Ben, are you okay?"
Floored by her question, a melange of desperate and
wild emotions stirring within me, I'm unable to answer right away.
It takes a few moments, our eyes locked in each other's gaze,
before I can finally reply, "I don't know Marissa... It's
all so sudden..."
Continuing to gaze into the depths of my soul, she
regards me with her green eyes brimming with emotions. Moments
pass in silence, before I finally ask "hold me... please,"
my voice soft and plaintive.
"Oh Ben..." she leans into me, throwing
her warm arms around me, gripping me tightly. Holding me in this
firm embrace, my arms slowly snake around her to grip her even
closer to me, feeling her calming presence wash over me.
Still, I begin to tremble slightly, feeling wild
and confused thoughts racing through me, feeling my eyes water,
sniffling once or twice. At this she holds me tighter, slowly
stroking my sides, massaging the anguish out of me. Leaning her
head against my chest, her caring presence surrounds me; closing
my eyes, I try and let everything go.
For several minutes she holds me like this, silently
reassuring me, as my tremblings die down and my mental turmoil
begins to dissipate. Opening my eyes slowly, looking down at her,
warmth flows over me. Holding my arms around her, I hug her gently
against me, enjoying the healing feel of her warm fur against
mine.
Softly nuzzling my chest, she gently parts the fur
and rubs her cool nose against my sensitive flesh, sending tiny
tingles through me. Holding each other like this, time slows between
us, my spirits slowly lifting, having my lover administer her
tender mercies upon me.
Holding her there, as she continues to softly pet
me, my mind calms, the worries drain from me, flowing out of me,
seeping into the cool floor below. Whatever happens, she's with
me now, and her gentle touch quenches the wild fires burning within
me.
Minutes later, gazing down on her beautiful body,
I give her a gentle squeeze. Loosening my grip on her slightly,
she pulls away from me, only enough to raise her head; looking
back up at me, smiling warmly. My voice soft and appreciative,
"thank you Marissa," sniffling once more as a couple
of tears run down my furry cheek.
Her deep and caring eyes gazing at me, she replies
"I know this is hard for you Ben... You've been through a
lot... We'll get through this together..."
Copyright 1994, Will A. Sanborn - was1@shore.net