In the Woods, Bears

Chapter 15 - A Good Trip

The smell of blood and torn earth made her nose twitch and sting. She could almost see the color, a meaty shade of red threaded with blue streaks. Dreams of rolling in a field of high summer grass faded as she focused on all the animal smells around her. Musk. Sweat. Sunlight. She blinked and awoke to a blurry world, remembering a bunch of craziness all in a wash.

Dreaming, she must still be dreaming. A crow called from the top of a pine tree above her and her ears swiveled to focus on the sound. The motion caused the strangest sensation at her temples. Focused on the bird's cry, she felt the depth, the mystery of it. "Trouble," said the crow. Kennedy focused on the swaying trees, seeing their difference by the way the wind moved through their leaves. Her nose said it was late afternoon, and her belly rumbled. Where was the Vet?

Empty and aching, her hunger awoke a desire to explore. When she stretched out her hind legs, she felt the Vet behind her and recognized him by his scent. Fucking, Vet. She would punch him in the face when the hallucinogen wore off. He snored loudly and shifted in his sleep behind her. The sound was so loud it made her ears twitch. Still fuzzy from the hard sleep, she pushed herself to standing. To balance, she had to shift weight into her shoulders. She had so much strength.

Feeling powerful, she yawned. The stretch of her own jaws was amazing. At least she didn't hurt anymore. There was no more tightness or restriction, and she shook herself with the pleasure of the new freedom. Hunger chewed at her stomach, insistent, demanding. She flared her nostrils, tasting the air. They had packed stuff. On all fours, she stumbled her way back toward their packs. Something smelled good, like salt and the river. Reaching for it, she left long scratches on the four-wheeler as she pulled the bag that smelled good free. Dried fish, yummy dried fish. Her stomach rumbled so loudly that the crow took flight from its perch. Trouble. Using her teeth, she pulled the sack open and shoved her head into its dark interior to get mouthfuls. Delicious.

An angry-sounding huff sounded behind her and she pulled her head free to look. Bits of dried fish clung to her, all over her face. So good. So very good. The Vet was handsome as a bear and sleek with health. Big as a man, she wasn't surprised that she hallucinated him big as a bear in her drug haze. He was looking at the four-wheeler. As he came toward her, she kept munching the fish, not feeling particularly happy about the idea of sharing. Nothing in her entire life had tasted this good, nor had she ever been so hungry. Pulling the bag closer to her, she let him know she was not willing to share. She could have sworn he laughed, or a bear version of a laugh. He sat down facing her and did not disturb her until she had her fill.

When she rolled onto her back and burped; Kennedy felt more content than she had ever remembered being in her whole life. The drugs were good, really good. Maybe she wouldn't punch him after all. It was a pretty good trip. She smacked her lips, thirsty from the salt. He nudged her hip, and she swiveled her gaze toward him as he nibbled a little piece of dried fish that had been in her fur. She flopped her arms up and let him tidy her. He snuffled into her fur, licking and nibbling bits of fish as he found them. It was quite lovely, really. He nuzzled into the side of her neck and cheek until she squirmed.

He playfully rolled her over and she felt his nose between her legs, tickling her before he pressed her body flat to the ground and climbed on top of her. Pinned against the soft earth, her tail danced against his belly as he settled his weight on top of her. There was pleasure in his weight. When she tried to move under him to get more comfortable, she felt the strange itching begin again, deep this time, close to her bones.

Ruffling her fur, his breath was hot against her neck. A ripple moved through him, and her own body answered, like electricity under the skin, loosening her grasp on this shape. As her body threatened to turn inside out, she fought the pressure and change. She liked this. It felt good to be a bear. She stretched her paws wide and bit her nails into the earth for leverage. He growled against her shoulder and sank his teeth into her. Her angry howl at the jolt of pain broke her hold on this new shape, and her body followed him obediently into the change.

A slippery worm on the ground, hot with the return to her small fragile human shape, she vibrated hard under him. The ground was wet under her and sticky. His bare chest against her back, she became aware of his now human weight, and his erection pressed to the curve of her ass.

When she pressed up onto all fours, he let her. Moving with her, his heavy hands fell to her hips. When he came over her, it felt natural, and she shifted her body to better receive him. His hard cock slid against her tender flesh and found her center. Belly to back. There was a whole layer of ecstasy in returning to the familiar form she had known her whole life that heightened every sensation.

His fingers dug into her hips, but he did not push forward. Instead he released a low guttural, "Sh.." Animal pleasure infused her, and she swiveled back into him and growled low as the head of his cock seated inside her. He felt so good. He cried out when he gave in and slid home. Pleasure rippled through her and she arched her back as he pressed her open.

Electric. Wetness spread down her thighs as they moved together. Gritting her teeth and panting, she pressed back into him until he began rutting into her. Groaning, she let her head hang as their bodies rocked. She braced against the power of his grunting body, and the fierce grip he had on her hips as he slammed her back into him. Her orgasm rose, like stars gathering, sparkling through her body and dancing along her skin, finding their way to forming a constellation where their bodies joined. She felt it start; first in his body, and then in her own. A gathering at the very center of all that she was. Inevitable. Bright as a singular star.

To pull away would be to lose the hot slide of his body into hers, to reject this small miracle. She did not want to lose his powerful shape against her, even if it meant she would shatter apart. She wanted this and twisted under him, arching and reaching for that shining peak. When his hand came around her and slid between her legs, his touch ignited the best, most complete orgasm she had ever known. Her soul burst into stars, and she sank into the ground, trembling and crying out. He stayed with her, keeping his weight on his elbows. His hips became gentler. His breath was hot on her neck as he poured into her with slow, controlled thrusts. When he was spent, he rolled off of her and lay in the grass next to her. She could do little but breathe.

He touched her carefully. Her arms, her sides, were explored by his experienced hands. There was no sting. She flexed her toes and stretched.

Her old shape felt strange and new to her, different in so many tiny ways. There was no soreness along her ankles. She reached down and together they felt where the line of little cuts had been. Whole tissue met their fingers. He explored her face. He touched her chin to open her mouth. She didn't understand at first, but then parted her lips and let him look.

She reached out and touched his face, memorizing the shapes with her blood-smeared fingers. Curious about his mouth, she pressed his jaw down. He hesitated, but then allowed it. Mouth open, she could feel the misalignment of his palate, the ridge of stuck energy, the incompleteness there.

In instinct, full of the chemical force of change, she pressed where his palate was damaged with both of her thumbs. She used more force than was kind, but it was an animal thing. He grunted in discomfort but did not pull away from her touch, allowing it. The gap yielded. His palate shifted and the two plates came properly together, the last part of the change that had been denied him since his youth. Whole. A brief jolt of pain, and then the ache that he had known his whole life as an adult in human form, was gone, just like that. He reached up and replaced her fingers with his own, feeling his palate, his teeth. He looked at her, stunned, fingers still in his mouth.

"What are we?" she asked.

"The Lost." His words were clear, as if a magic trick had allowed him normal speech.

He blinked and touched his mouth again.