The Forest

As I moved stealthily through the forest, all was silent save the nocturnal life that currently surrounded me and the thump that resonated when I pushed myself off of the ground. I was out for my nightly run, the cool wind whipping around me. The light of the Lady shone down upon me through the cover of the forest, guiding my path as I moved, though the assistance was hardly needed. As a creature of the night, my eyesight was perfect. This was my life, the life of a free animal that could do as he pleases. There was a ripple in the air, and animal instinct that I was now being watched. I stopped mid run and turned my head slightly to the side. A few feet to the side of me was my worst nightmare.

I could see her. Her golden eyes shone through a hole in the bushes. The red of her fiery hair curled down in front of them slightly, making her identity obvious to me, even as I was. Though eye contact had been established, neither of us made a move. My lack of movement was due to the fact that I was frozen with fear; hers I could only guess was anticipation for what was to come, and I'm sure she'd make her move soon. As if reading my mind, she pushed her way through the foliage, addressing me head-on with a cruel smile curling around her lips. I knew that I should be running far away from here, from her, but her hold on me was too tight. The only contact we have made so far was enough for her being to overpower mine. I knew what was to come, and I only have myself to blame. I was naive to think that I could evade her with what little power I still possessed.

“I finally found you, my little puppy,” the Golden Witch cooed menacingly as she approached me slowly. “Did you really think that you could run away from mama?” I could not reply. “Sit boy,” she snarled. I did.

Convinced that I was under her spell, yet again, The Witch was no longer hesitant. Her hand reached out and ruffled the scruff on top of my head. Though I wanted to scream and bolt for the darkness ahead of me, the most I could manage was a low whimper. She decided to take that as endearment, and scratched beside my ear for a moment before forcefully pulling my head to face her.

“You know what I’m going to have to do, don’t you puppy?” I whimpered again. “I know that you don’t like it, but this is the punishment for disobeying me. You brought this upon yourself.” She said as she began to force eye contact. I couldn’t look away, no matter how hard I tried.

She placed one of her palms on the white patch on my chest, and the thumb on her other hand between my eyes. A smoldering, unwelcome feeling began to bubble deep inside of me, and again I attempted to cry out in protest. My limbs began to elongate themselves and my fur stretched along with it, changing color and texture to become light wisps of hair over skin. What wasn’t stretched went straight to the top of my head. This excruciatingly painful transformation continued on for no longer that a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. I was powerless against the will of the Witch. What she says goes.

When all was completed, she finally released me from her hold. My new body felt heavy with emotional turmoil, and I fell to the ground with a thump. The Golden Witch smiled, obviously pleased with her handiwork and turned to leave.

“If I were you, puppy, I would take this time to think about what you have done. When you realize that I am the only one who really loves you, come back and maybe I’ll think about turning you back into a fox,” she looked down and her eyes lingered on my form for longer that necessary.
“On second thought, maybe I won’t even think about it. Who knew you’d be so attractive as a human?” With that last comment she smirked and disappeared from my sight.

With her hold on me gone, I was finally able to focus. The weight of what just occurred was felt deep within the recessed of my soul. My spirits were as low as they could possibly be at the moment, and the reality was just beginning to really sink in. Sobs began to wrack my body as a single thought began to plague my mind: this is not who I am.

To calm my shaken being, I attempted to focus my mind on other things. The atmosphere around me had changed. It was no longer the carefree feel of animalistic pleasures, it was the dark and heavy feel of a man trapped inside of a beastly body that was not his own. The only thing that seemed to break through this atmosphere was the heavy drops of water that poured down all around me. In the midst of my freedom being ripped from me, it seems that it had begun to rain. Consequently, the forest floor was becoming muddy and stuck to my newly acquired skin. A slightly unfamiliar feeling came upon me as it continued, and I began to shiver.

Since there was no longer a thick fur coat to protect me from the elements, I pulled my knees close to my chest and attempted to retain all of the body heat that resonated off of me. This, however, could only do so much for me. I only had so much heat to retain. I knew that if I didn’t pull my blubbering self together and try to find some covering that I was going to die out here. Though, I thought darkly to myself, maybe that would be for the best. If I died, I wouldn’t have to suffer through a life of falsity and despair.

No matter how much I tried to keep myself in my current position, survival instinct was beginning to rear its ugly head. It seems that only my physical state has altered. With what strength I had left, I pushed myself into a standing position. After a few minutes of walking it was obvious that my attempt to stay calm was futile. My walk turned into a sprint, which therein turned into a frantic run. If there was a break in the trees, I didn’t think that I was going to find it anytime soon. Not only were my new eyes weaker, but the pouring water also made my visibility close to nothing. I could walk straight into a branch and knock myself out at any second.

When it seemed to me that all hope was lost, that I really was going to lose my life that day, the Goddess, yet again, saved me. I was about to give up and just collapse when I unknowingly stumbled into a hidden alcove. There was a weeping willow whose wispy branches shielded the entrance and protected it from the water. I was so grateful at that moment that I felt as if I could cry, happy tears this time. I fell to the ground and sent a thank you up towards the heavens before letting the dark abyss overcome me.