Changelings - Part Two

I got two comments on part one! *happy dance* Anyway, here's part two! It's a little longer, and parts of it are a touch stilted because I was trying to dash this off in fifteen minutes, continue the story, as well as explain how things worked a little bit. Oh, and you'll find out who "they" are...! Hehehe... Next time.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Part Two <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Gregg ran as fast as he could, subtly trying to shake off the snow that clung to his fur with every leap. It slowed him down a little, and he wished he could stop, but he couldn’t quite suppress the urge or his distaste. The snow kept falling hard and fast, so he tried to keep his path through the forest, where it was slightly more sheltered.

After a half an hour, even his lithe cat muscles burned with the effort. Using his momentum, he jumped up the trunk of a nearby tree and perched on a branch, sides heaving. He was so thirsty, he licked at the snow on the branch next to him. After a few minutes, he carefully descended and began to trot onward, then broke into a lope. Two more rests later, he finally saw his destination. From the outside it looked like a large, simple castle. It had several stories, and more doors than he had ever been able to count. Putting on a burst of speed, he skidding into the large open archway, his claws scrabbling on the polished wooden floor. It didn’t help that it was wet from all the melted snow the other inhabitants had tracked in. Losing control, he spun around and slammed into the stone wall.

Someone snickered at his antics. “A little slick, eh?”

Gregg looked up and grinned weakly at the man standing above him. “Someone needs to mop up in here.”

The man shrugged. “There’s a lot of dogs coming through today. If we cleaned up it’d be wet again in just a few minutes.” 

As if to prove his point, a mid-sized wolf came bounding in, spun around once on the floor, then shook itself mightily, spraying half melted snow everywhere. Gregg stood and felt his fur stand on end. The wolf cocked it’s head then smiled, well, wolfishly.

“Back already, Gregg?” It asked in a strong female voice. “That didn’t take long.”

Gregg’s bushy tail whipped back and forth, but he forced himself to answer calmly, “Hello Sabine. I need to speak with Oren.”

The wolf closed her green eyes and stretched upward to become a human woman. She wore a simple brown tunic and leggings, just like the man. “You heard something?”

Gregg slowly relaxed, his tail drooping tiredly. “Yes, but I have to tell Oren first. Do you know where he is?”

Sabine shook her head, her shaggy dark hair showing evidence of her last change. “No, I haven’t seen him. Kart?”

The man, Kart, shrugged again. He had beady eyes, and a pointed nose. “No. I imagine he’s up in the powders room, though. He’s been spending a lot of time there.”

“Well, hurry and change then, Gregg, and we’ll go find him.” Sabine said.

Gregg nodded and closed his eyes. Nothing happened for a long moment, then finally, his paws spread slightly, the toes elongating, his back legs got a little longer, his knees getting a bit bigger and a bit knobblier, and his ears began to tilt backwards, starting to melt back into his head. And there it stopped.

Kart snickered once more. “Out of energy, eh?”

Gregg nodded weakly, his misshapen limbs shaking. Sabine sympathetically scooped him up and carried him out of the room, bumping into Kart roughly on the way out.

“He can’t help it yet, you know.” She explained to Gregg as they walked through the warm stone hallways. “He’s just started changing and the best he can do is a rat. They’re not very pleasant, and it carries over.”

“I like rats.” Gregg mumbled sleepily, thinking about how good a rat would taste right about now. Sabine was stroking his still furry back and that combined with the warmth of the castle was lulling him to sleep.

By the time they reached the powders room, Gregg was fast asleep. Sabine set him down on a cushioned chair. On one side of the room there was a fireplace that crackled merrily, and it front of it, a large rug with five cats, two dogs, and three snakes napped in it’s warmth. To her left was a small kitchen. On the wall to her right, there were several hundred round containers protruding straight outward, filled with multi colored powders and minerals. Each was labeled in neat writing, and Sabine browsed them contentedly, waiting for Oren. A few minutes later, he appeared. He hair had a silvery sheen to it, the only thing showing his age besides his smile creases. He glanced at Gregg.

“Oh, dear. A half change?”

Sabine nodded. “He was really tired. I think he was travelling all night last night.”

“Easily remedied.” Oren smiled. He swept over to the wall of powders and waved his hand in front of them indecisively, finally pointing at a container with a vibrant blue gritty powder in it. Drawing a selection of measuring utensils from his belt, he took a scoop of it and brushed past her into the kitchen, mixing the powder with a small bowl of milk. Sabine made a face as the blue milk, but took it to Gregg as Oren instructed. Scratching him behind his stubby, half-human ears, she said, “Gregg…! Wake up. Oren made you something.” 

Gregg roused himself and stretched awkwardly, his limbs not working quite properly. Sabine set him on the floor and he lapped at the milk. A few seconds later, his change had completed and he was completely human again. Nevertheless, he drained the last of the mixture, then grinned at Sabine. His hair was blonde, silky and short. His eyes were ever so slightly slanted, and when he stood, his balance was perfect. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Okay, okay. "They" are what people call- Huh? Dinner time? Whoops, sorry ya'll, gotta go!

Sé onr sverdar sitja hvass!
-Trinity