My Family

Chapter 18

KIPO sat on her couch watching TV with mundu sitting at her feet like a guard dog. She gently traced her fingers over the bandages on her wrists. Then over the scars from where she clawed herself. She tried to bring the fur out. Focused on the jaguar she missed so much. She could feel it, deep in her chest. That insatiable need to run and hunt, but it's so faint that she's worried it will never come back.

"Sweetpea." Leo's voice called as he walked up to her

"Hi, dad." She smiled as he sat next to her.

"I wanna talk to you about everything." He spoke with a serious tone.

"I told you yesterday."

"I know, and if that's what you want, you gotta tell me what's going on up here." He playfully poked her forehead.

"It's just. That day before I was taken I went full jaguar, and It was so freeing, and amazing. But when it was locked away. I've never felt more afraid and lost in my life. It's almost been a week since, and I can't help the gnawing feeling that something is going to happen." Kipo sunk against the couch as Leo watched her with a somber look. He pulled Kipo into a hug and kissed her head.

"We're going to be okay. After trama like that, its normal to fear nomalcy."

"Okay, I trust you."

"Im asking you to trust yourself. The jagure will come back soon." He offered a gental smile. Kipo smiled back, before going to her room.

She flopped onto the bed letting Mondu follow her to the comfortable mattress. What had unlocked it the first time? Letting herself free. She could do this. A full change, she knew she would do it. So she called her friends. Even If she couldn't do a full transformation, they'll be proud of her.

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Kipo stood opposite of her large group of friends. The old and the new. Their supporting smiles as she explained.

"Right before Emilia took me, I went fully jaguar. Ran free through the forest. I wanted to show all of you, and I wanted to tell one of you something... Personal. But It was tookem from me, and I haven't even been able to bring my furry arms back. But I will this time. And I want you all to see me in my freest form, so hopefully you'll see im getting better." Kipo explained a solem smile in her eyes.

"You're gonna do greater Kipo. I know you can do it." Benson was the first to say something.

"Your Jaguar is beautiful." Wolf said hiding her smile through a mask of indifference, but Kipo saw through it.

"I gotta get a pick of shey's face." Dahlia said using the nickname Asher had banned causing them to go red, then smack the phone from Dahlia's hand.

"I told you Shey Shey is to never be utered by anyone ever again!" Asher glared at Dahlia. Kipo rushed over pulling them away, and into a hug.

"You're Amazing no matter what." Ash whispered.

"Don't kill your sister." Kipo smiled. Then stepped away from the group. Focusing on the fuzzy filling in the back of her spine. Her jaguar was not gone, it was just hidding. It was afraid and locked away. I needed to show the deepest part of myself that I'm free. That I'm surrounded by people who love me. That I am safe.

And I changed. I stood on all four legs slightly taller than my friends. They looked on in amazement and aww. Softly I laid down. Wolf was the first to advance, gently stroking my side. Asher and Benson came up to my face. Hugging my nose and scratching my ear. Dahlia climbed onto my back as Troy looked directly into my eyes as if psychically telling me he will always love me, just as I will always love all of them.

This truly is My Family.