There was a rush of air behind me. I whipped around to find that Jewel had been replaced with her cat-form. She was built more along the lines of a cheetah. Tall, lean and lanky. Her coloring reminded me strongly of an African Wild Dog. Her body was painted with equal parts of black, brown and white. There was a particular splash of white over her face—engulfing one eye and part of her left ear—that gave her a charmingly roguish appearance.
Seeing my eyes on her, Jewel gave a little jump and slapped the ground with her front paws. She looked up at me, ears pricked forward, chest lowered right to the ground.
Both my human and my animal brain quickly recognized the "let's play" signal.
I turned my body more fully in her direction, flattening myself against the cobblestones under my feet. I clenched my powerful muscles and wriggled my back end into a more comfortable pouncing position.
For a moment we both froze, staring each other down. The end of Jewel's tail was twitching hypnotically back and forth. My whole body was trembling with pent-up energy.
In the end, it seemed like we both moved at the exact same moment. Unable to contain myself any more, all that energy exploded out of me and I sprang forward, swiping playfully at jewels feet.
Only she wasn't there. She dodged out of the way and my paws hit nothing but the cloud of dust she had left in her wake.
I twisted around to find her several meters behind me, crouched in another play-bow.
You'll have to be quicker than that, Eve!
A wicked laugh echoed through my mind. I wasn't sure if Jewel picked up on it or not, but I had a feeling she probably did.
Oh, you are so dead!
I leapt straight into the air and came down on her with my front paws spread wide. In a flash of movement, Jewel swerved to one side and I landed gracelessly with my face in the dirt.
Too slow, Jewel taunted happily, now poised somewhere to my left.
I flipped my legs over and scrambled to my feet. I dropped back into a crouch, facing Jewel head-on. I moved in on her slowly, lifting one paw at a time into the air, then gradually lowering it to the ground. Jewel watched me closely, head bent forward, muscles quivering.
Come on, newbie. Let's see what you got!
I charged, my adrenaline surging, my feet scrambling for purchase on the hard ground. Jewel hardly moved. She stood there calmly until I was practically on top of her. Then, when I was just millimeters away, she sprang backwards like a gazelle, leaving me flailing at thin air.
With a laugh, Jewel turned on her back paws and ran.
Oh, I don't think so. You're not getting away that easy! I said and shot after her.
We tore off down the street, Jewel in the lead while I followed in hot pursuit. She was incredibly fast, her long legs stretching out in huge, ground-covering strides. Her slender body coiling and releasing like a spring. She could turn on a dime, changing direction so fast I could barely follow her movements. She zigzagged back and forth across the road. Plunged in and out of the trees. Swerved between the stores and buildings on either side of the street.
I was pushing myself to the limit just to keep up. My legs were a blur. My back paws tore up clods of dirt and grass and sometimes even bits of stone. Yet, no matter how fast I ran, I was no match for Jewels furious speed.
I was still hurtling after her like a maniac when Jewel suddenly pulled to a stop and twisted around to face me. She reared up on her back legs and I crashed right into her. We went down in a tumble of flashing legs and claws and teeth. We rolled around in the grass, each fighting to pin the other down. As we wrestled I felt grass give way to hard, packed earth and then solid stone.
We came to a stop under a huge building with an even bigger canopy jutting out over the front entrance. Dozens of streamers hung from the roof, dangling in front of my face and tickling my sensitive whiskers.
I looked up. My cat brain was intugued by this new phenomenon. I rose to my feet, mesmerized by the way they leapt and danced all around me. The way they twisted and fluttered in the breeze. I followed them with my eyes, my head making tiny little jerks from side to side.
Forgetting about my battle with Jewel, I swiped and batted at them with my paws. I stalked and pounced and tore them into little tiny shreds. I rolled around on the sidewalk until they were hopelessly twisted and coiled around my body.
My animal side was in heaven. It was loving every second of this.
Jewel laughed. Having fun, are we?
This is just awesome! I said. Who would have thought that playing with steamers could be so much fun?
She jumped over me, latching onto a bright purple streamer with her teeth. Just wait till you discover laser pointers.
Laser pointers?
Or flashlights! Those are even better.
Ooooh! Is that a box?
I quickly twisted myself free of the streamers. Several of them snapped loose and trailed behind me as I bounded up to the huge box lying empty on the side of the road. What it was doing there, I had no idea. As far as my cat-brain was concerned, it had been left out purely for my enjoyment.
I took a running leap at the thing. In my enthusiasm I jumped a bit too far and my chest rammed into the opposite end. The box tipped over, taking me with it. I landed with a thud, half inside and half out. Completely unfazed by this, I rubbed my face happily against the cardboard, gripping it firmly with my claws. I felt a deep rumble in my chest and realized I was purring loudly.
Jewel appeared around the edge of my new little sanctuary. Okay, Eve. The animals is kinda taking you over. You should try and keep it under control.
Oh, don't be silly Jewel, I'm fine. I sank my teeth into the cardboard and began yanking big chunks of it loose. Everything was going just great as far as I was concerned. I knew how it felt to lose control of my animal form. I had experienced it once already and it was nothing like this. I had been completely furious and irrational. I had attempted to attack both Deanna and Shane. In addition, I had been completely incapable of communicating beyond snarls and growls.
My stomach grumbled. Something about knawing on this cardboard was making me hungry. Very hungry.
No sooner had this thought crossed my mind than I felt my nose twitch. I lifted my head, pointing my face to the wind. A very intriguing smell wafted towards me. A smell that put images of fresh, red meet in the center in my mind. A smell that caused my mouth to water and my stomach to growl even more fiercely.
I pricked my ears forward as a young horse appeared, trotting along the road. I could tell it was young by its smaller size and long, ungainly legs. Its muscles were soft and underdeveloped, its gait slightly clumsy. It wasn't nearly as intimidating at the elephant-like creatures I had come in contact with earlier.
All these details were quickly tallied up and registered by my human brain. My animal brain, on the other hand, was only thinking one thing
Prey.
Umm... Eve?
I shot out of the box like a torpedo, sending it bouncing and rolling across the ground. Oblivious to Jewel's protests, I aimed straight for the young horse. There was no room for anything else in my mind.
For a split second, I saw the flash of fear in my targets eyes. Then it reared up onto its hind legs and bolted.
I charged after it, my powerful muscles surging, veins racing with excitement. I felt no remorse, no compassion. This was simply natural. Instinctual. What I was born to do.
I chased the terrified young horse all over the village. It kept changing directions, as if trying to shake me off it's trail. It jumped hedges, ran along narrow side-roads and in between buildings, long white tail flapping in the wind. I followed it through every leap and every turn, slowly but surely closing the distance between us.
I was nearly oblivious to the racket that swelled and grew all around me. Shouts and yells and the occasional curse followed in my wake. Objects occasionally toppled over and shattered at my feet. Jewel was right on my tail.
Eve, stop! You can't do this! You have to get control! STOP!
Her words were entirely meaningless.
Whinnying in terror, the horse swerved around a big, circular fountain. I jumped into the fountain and charged right through it with such power and speed that sparkling droplets of water flew up all around me. I came out the other end completely drenched, but having shaved off a few more millimeters between me and my prey.
The horse swerved again, this time aiming for a group of people flocked together like birds. They scattered at our approach, some having to dive clear of my targets flailing hooves. I heard more shouts and cries of indignation. There was a sudden chorus of agitated, flapping wings. A couple a big, feathery creatures attempted to dive-bomb me, screeching and clawing at my face. They were nothing but a minor annoyance.
There was something strange all over the ground here. Huge mounds of what appeared to be sand, each a different colour. I ploughed through one after the other, leaving clouds of pink, blue, yellow, orange and green, turning the grass into a riot of fluorescent shades.
The horse was now climbing a steep hill, making a bee-line for a huge, circular building that closely resembled a stadium; the school. I followed my prey through the wide cavernous entrance, along the curved hallways and into a wide, cool section with hardened dirt floors.
I could hear the sounds of downright panic all around me. Hooves pounded against the earth. Horses screamed. There was a huge bang, followed by the screeching of metal on wood. None of it mattered to me. All that mattered was that my prey was nearly in my grasp, my claws almost making contact with its sweaty haunches.
Then, out of nowhere, a set of massive hooves slammed down inches from my face, causing the ground beneath me to tremble like a miniature earthquake. I skidded to a halt, paws scrambling for purchase in the hard earth.
The impact jarred me back to reality. Shaking as much from exhaustion as the shock of nearly being trampled, I looked up to find a pair of flaming blue eyes glaring furiously down at me.