Arcadia-Rat

Lana's screams pierce the air, and I have no inclination to stop the pack from killing her. But there is a nagging emotion... a human emotion, crying out to stop this.

My human nature reasserts itself as I leap onto her body protectively. The other wolves cease their relentless assault and back off. I look over the damage. Broken arm, severe lacerations across her legs and stomach, a few chunks of flesh shredded. She'll live, but she won't be flying for awhile. Small, terrified sounds escape her as I sniff her face. She's harmless.

The pack fades out, disappearing into the trees. Only the twins stop for a moment to make sure this is what I want. They leave as well.

Slowly crawling to a boulder nearby, she winces and cries out in pain ever foot she makes. Pressing her back to the larges stone she holds her good hand out in defense, "Stay away from me!"

Hopefully she learned a lesson today. I will not just let her, or anybody, threaten me in such a way. Never again.  

Wiping away her tears she tries to push up against the rock even more, as if she would phase into it. Being the smug bastard I am I decide to close in. Her arm drops as I sit only a foot away, like a grizzly approaching wounded game.

I lick her face and wag my tail. Inappropriate for a wolf. What can I say? The burst of feral instinct is gone. Back to acting like my brothers Labrador.

"What are you doing?! Are you going to kill me now?" More fearful tears. Her clothing is ripped, but still serviceable. Now I need to find some clothes... Who cares. She's seen me naked, who hasn't by now?  

Shifting back into my human body is just as smooth as ever. It seems the more I use a particular form, the less painful it becomes. "Care to try this again? I told you I don't like it when people get hurt. But I'm not just gonna let someone rip me limb from limb."

She opens her mouth, and I clap a hand over it. "No. None of that now, only speech. You start singing, the twins come back. They may not take too kindly to that. Understand?"

She nods and I let go. "Why didn't you let them finish me off?"

Clapping my hand to my head I repeat myself. "I don't enjoy the thought of people suffering through my actions. You forced my hand, but I'm a pretty understanding guy. Don't try it again."



We sit in silence for a few moments while her body starts to heal. She claims that it will take a few weeks to get the arm healed properly. Flesh wounds take hours, but broken bones are more complex. "Can you walk?"

She stands up, still shaky. "Yes, I can."

"Good, let's head back to town. You can carry me."

She stares in disbelief, a look filled with condescension, "Carry you?! I nearly died today!"

With a smirk I begin to shrink. "Yeah, whose fault was that?"
I ignore her curses and insults as I focus on becoming the most adorable of rodents. The hooded rat.

She tries to shake me off but I climb up her pant leg anyway, working my way up her shirt I sit on her shoulder. My eyesight's not very good, but I can tell we're moving. She pokes me on the nose, "Don't get any ideas. When we get back to your place, we are going to sort this mess out."

She's back to normal again. That's a good sign.




After arriving home, we find everybody waiting. They are pissed.

Vermina, Cally, and even Ceana are harassing Lana. I think I even hear Charles. I just tune them out as she explains. I take my leave, climbing down and heading to the open door leading into the house.

Right as I reach the threshold, a massive piece of steel slams into the earth in front of me, scraping my sensitive nose. I am picked up by somebody, and I think I know who it is. Ceana, the only one who uses knives in that fashion.

"Where do you think you are going?"


Uh-oh.



I'm in trouble.