I gave the stump a gentle pat with my paw. "Nothing like the smell of fresh cut wood, is there?"
Somebody scoffed behind me. "It's so amusing when they can't figure it out."
I spun around, startled by the sudden voice. But there was nobody there. I scanned the treetops, looking for bird shifters who might've been watching me, but the crashing tree scattered all the birds. I was alone.
"Strange," I mumbled. I turned back around, my fur slowly flattening as I calmed down. "Well, this tree isn't going to take care of itself. Get to work, Castor."
The mysterious voice forgotten, I busied myself with the birch. I was too excited about improving my home for my future mate to dwell on it.
But unlike the voice, that flash of red didn't leave my mind. Who was that stranger?
And why couldn't I stop thinking about him?
3
River
Just my luck.I joke about how funny a beaver shifter would be, and then one drops an entire tree on my head.
Well, almost.
Still, if he hadn't called out to me at the last second, I would've been mer paste by now. That would solve all my problems, wouldn't it?
I huffed and puffed as I walked. As if walking on my shaky legs wasn't bad enough, now my ass was sore from landing on it. I wasn't even used tohavingan ass in the first place since I spent most of my time in mer form. What was the point of an ass? How did people deal with having one?
What started out as an unpleasant day had turned into a decidedly crappy one. It was almost comical at this point. Feel bad about my breakup anniversary, fight with my brother, nearly get hit by a tree, break every bone in my butt… Was there even a bone in there?
By now my knees trembled and my thighs were sore. My lack of practice using human legs was catching up with me. I didn't know how much longer I could keep walking. Even though I'd committed to staying in human form, the allure of simply shifting back and swimming through the water appealed to me more and more by the second.
I gave up. Nobody was around to see me anyway. What did it matter if I shifted into the form that caused all my problems? The form I was trying to avoid?
I must be the only shifter in the world with a love-hate relationship with one of his forms…
Feeling dejected, I shuffled to the edge of the water before dipping my feet into it. I sighed in relief. The cool flow instantly made me feel better. With both legs underwater, I let the shift come over me. The stupid human legs disappeared, fusing and gaining a beautiful coat of red scales. When it was finished I flicked my tail. It caused me problems, sure, but at least it was pretty.
Without hesitation, I arched and disappeared underwater. I was one with the current, letting it carry me where it wished. If there was one thing I could trust in this world, it was water.
My swim was peaceful for the most part. Once in a while I felt an odd vibration, but it was subtle. I would've forgotten about it if the intensity and intervals didn't increase.
What is that?I thought.
The water thrummed unpleasantly. It was not a nice vibration. It was jarring and unnatural, and the sensation clearly bothered the other fish in the water too. They were swimming erratically, as if confused.
Despite my mix of curiosity and annoyance (because seriously, couldonething go right today?), It didn't occur to me to turn around and go back. It was barely mid-afternoon and I knew from experience that Cloud and I were both still stewing from our earlier argument. It was annoying that Cloud was so quick to forgive everybody except me, his twin. But maybe it was because we were so close that he was like that. Whenever we cut each other, it hurt more.
A secret part of me wished he was here now. Whatever that uncomfortable vibration was, he would leap at the chance to fly overhead and check it out. But I couldn't do that. All I had were barely functional human legs and my mer tail. My only choice was turning in the opposite direction, or propelling myself closer to the source.
Since I was too stubborn to do the former, I did the latter. Besides, if I went back now, I would run into that freak beaver again. No thanks. I wasn't in the mood to get clobbered in the head by a tree.
I followed the current until it spread out into an open body of water. I vaguely knew where I was. There was plenty of water in the wildlife preserve, and this was one of the many large lakes. I'd never explored it too far though, because I knew it eventually led outside the safety of the preserve. This place was a haven for shifters. If I left, I might run into real life humans.
I shuddered. Terrifying.
I naively assumed the ugly vibrations would end as soon as I hit the lake since it had a larger surface area. But to my surprise, they only got worse. I felt each pulse of the vibrations harder than ever. My skin crawled. Accompanying the vibrations was a low chopping sound. It wasn't like any noise I'd heard before.
The sun's slanting beams cutting through the surface of the water made it difficult to see what lurked ahead. The water, usually crystal clear, was foggy. I squinted and swam forward, following the vibrations. They were stronger than ever now. Whatever was making them was definitely here in the lake.
I felt no fear, only morbid curiosity. What was there to be afraid of? I had no natural predators. Besides, humans weren't allowed to fish or hunt here. The only trouble they could cause was through their presence as a general unwanted nuisance.
