by grapehyacinth
This year it was Cassie's turn to pick the “girls' week out” vacation for her and her three best friends, and she intended to make it the best and most interesting one yet. But time was running out to find one, and another ski trip or river cruise just wouldn't cut it.
...That's when the brochure came in the mail.
She didn't remember requesting it, but then again, she had filled out so many of those “send me more information” requests at the back of magazines that she must have unknowingly checked off the box for “Wolf Trip Tours”.
So, from what she could glean from the cryptic wording, the vacation was some type of nature experience. Even though the Brooklyn mom had lived in the shadow of Manhattan her whole life, nature was always nice. She loved the gingko trees that lined her block, and Mrs. Clark, her landlord, always had nice flowerpots out front...
“Come join us as wolves for the week!”
She studied the paper further, trying to make sense of the sentence. What did that mean? Did people dress up as wolves and pretend? That sounded kind of weird. Wait, did “Trips” have a different meaning? That had to be it! A drug thing? She smiled to herself. She'd never done a single illicit substance. Did she dare?
“Call us and learn about what kind of experience YOU can have.”
“I think I will,” Cassie said aloud, her curiosity piqued. She picked up the phone, then quickly put it down, snatching up the brochure once more. There was nothing about prices. Not that that was a big deal. She and her friends lived quite comfortably. Each owned a swank apartment, and their children all went to the best private schools money could buy. Nonetheless, Cassie preferred to know just what she was getting into.
“Ask about our group rates!”
She wasn't sure if four was considered a group, but it couldn't hurt to ask. She grabbed the phone once more and dialed. A woman picked up.
“Name please?”
Surprised, Cassie said, “Well, I'm just calling for information–”
“Name?”
“Cassie Cunningham. I just–”
The woman's voice softened. “Ah, yes. Cassie. How can I help you today?”
“Well, I have a few questions. Like, what does 'Join us as wolves' actually mean? Is this a drug thing? Or hypnosis?”
“Hold on.” Cassie heard some garbled conversation on the other line, and the woman then came back with, “Jon says you and your three friends will be turned into wolves.”
As odd as the answer was, Cassie found herself stuck on the beginning of the sentence rather than the end. “How did you know I'd be bringing three friends?”
“Jon knows.”
“Who's Jon?”
“Jon's the shaman. Didn't you read the rest of the brochure?”
The paper fell open in her hand. Why hadn't she realized it was more than one page?
“Oh, oh. Okay. I'll read it,” she said distractedly.
“I'll wait,” the woman replied.
Cassie gazed at the picture of a proud older man in Native American garb. He struck her as oddly beautiful. “Jon Blackbird descends from generations of shamans. He prides himself on being one with nature, and he will make you part of it, too!”
“That's...nice,” Cassie stuttered. “But what does this all mean?”
“My dear, he is an expert in the transformative arts. His spirit guide is a wolf, and he welcomes you and your friends to be one too.”
“We'll turn into wolves.”
“Yes, dear. And group rates do apply!”
Cassie gulped. If this wasn't a different type of vacation, she didn't know what was. The girls would love this! “Sign me up!”
“Cassie, seriously?” asked Vanessa. She was tall and, although she tried to hide it, a touch of her Haitian accent still lingered.
Maria Vazquez, Cassie's oldest friend and neighbor, pulled the brochure from Vanessa's hands. “How can he turn us into wolves?”
“She said he's a shaman,” replied Susie Yan, who lived in the same building as Cassie, and was probably the smartest and most serious of the four. “That's what they do. Well, they mess with your mind with drugs...”
“Doesn't it hurt?” asked Maria.
“I hope not!” Vanessa said in a huff. “But it sounds amazing. I never heard of this before. Even if it's a mind-thing that makes us think we're wolves. I'm sure it's safe, so I'm good with a few herbs!”
“I guess we'll find out,” Maria giggled.
“I think it'll be awesome,” said Susan. “Cassie made a great choice. It'll be wonderful and relaxing to be part of nature, however it's done.”
“How much do you even know about nature, Sus? You're a city girl like the rest of us,” chuckled Vanessa.
“Not much, but I do know I need a break from the stress, and this is the perfect way. No kids, no cell phones, no husbands...”
They all laughed at this, and Cassie was surprised at how her friends were taking her choice. She figured they would be skeptical, but they appeared more curious than anything else. She just hoped Jon the Shaman would deliver.
Cassie's husband watched her sort through her clothing. “You realize this basically a big drug trip you're going on. The guy calls himself a shaman?”
“Yes,” Cassie murmured, folding a few shirts into an overnight bag. She had been instructed to pack lightly, because clothes weren't necessary when one was a wolf... If that was indeed possible.
“I think you're getting bilked. You should come up to the Sportsman's Lodge with Don, Jerry, and me.”
“James, who wants to hang around with your disgusting friends? Even if it's all a mind trip, it still sounds very relaxing. I can totally handle whatever they throw at me. I need it.”
“Ha, ha. Right. You can't handle the perils of Mother Nature even in your mind. You can't even keep a houseplant alive. We're lucky you feed the kids.”
Cassie just rolled her eyes. “Were they happy you dropped them off with my mom?”
“They couldn't wait. Didn't even say 'bye' to me!”
So the kids and husband were squared away. Now it was Cassie's turn. She just wished she knew what this really was about.
The four hauled their bags into the lobby of a very simple lodge. Cassie shivered as a cold draft ran through her clothes. “Oh,” she commented, hugging her hands to his chest. “This air is seriously invigorating. I feel like I just drank three cups of coffee!”
“It's called air conditioning, Vanessa said, throwing down her suitcase and glaring around the room. “They don't have a busboy? No one takes my baggage here? And actually, yes, it's damned cold here!”
Cassie couldn't imagine how her friend was wearing such a tank top. Vanessa could definitely handle it with her perfect figure, but after being a mother, Cassie's tank top years were long over. Not that she ever was into wearing them in the first place...
“It doesn't look like they can afford much of a staff,” scoffed Maria. She gazed down at her phone, which she almost always had in her hand. “I can't believe no one's texted me from home yet. I'll tell you, though, it's kind of nice. And meanwhile, there's no screaming kids here... Not that I don't miss my kids and all.”
“I don't,” Vanessa smiled. “Well, maybe a little.”
Cassie gazed around at the lobby. It really was the bare minimum; not unclean or dilapidated, but the unstained wooden walls and brown lobby chairs reminded her more of an upscale log cabin than anything else. No one manned the front desk, so she rang a bell that sat off to the side.
Maria wrinkled her nose at a jar of burning incense that sat beside the bell. “Ugh! That stuff stinks!”
“And there's not much of a hotel here,” Vanessa pointed out. She stuck her head over the desk. “Any service here?”
Susan settled into one of the chairs. “I guess it's cozy. Mmm,” she purred, starting to giggle.
“What's so funny?” Vanessa demanded.
“I don't know, I just feel...good.”
“I feel annoyed. Where the hell is everybody?”
Maria sat down beside Susan. “This place reminds me of a place I went to with Bob.”
“You actually went on a vacation with your husband?”
“Oh, way back. Never again. We get along better when we're not breathing down each others' necks.”
“They better have nice rooms here,” grumbled Vanessa. “I need all the comforts of home!”
“I don't think you'll get that here,” giggled Susan. “Your room will probably be like Abe Lincoln's log cabin!” No one thought this was funny except her, however.
A man burst from the side door that very moment. “Oh, you won't be lodging here, please, no! Your lodgings will be far better!”
“Hello!” Susan bounced right back up. “We're here for Jon.”
“I know, I know.” The man wore a navy suit and red tie, and a smile stretched across his weathered face from ear to ear. He clasped his hands together, studying them. “How perfect is this? I mean, it couldn't be better if I had picked it out myself.”
“How perfect is what?” Vanessa demanded.
He held his arms out, indicating the four girls. “Perfectly politically correct. Asian, White, Black, and Hispanic. Perfect!”
The four were so shocked at the comment, no one responded for a moment. It wasn't said as a racist remark – Cassie could see that. In fact, there was an expression of joy and wonder on the man's creased face.
“You're Native American,” Susie finally ventured, instantly sobered.
“And proud of it!” he boomed. “Proud and pure! And you girls are on your way to a wonderful, most enlightening adventure. Think you can handle a week in the woods?”
“If we're on drugs, we can handle anything,” Vanessa murmured.
“You bet you can!” the man gave a loud, roaring laugh. He placed his arm around Susan and Cassie. “You are in for such fun. Your poor cityfolk bodies are just crying for it! I can hear them! I can feel it!”
“I'm getting a bit nervous about this, honestly,” Maria muttered, nervously typing out a text.
Cassie pushed his arm away, and he was left hanging off a very-uncomfortable looking Susan. “Who are you?” she asked.
He stepped back, his arms held out wide. “Why, I'm Jon, of course.”
Silence loomed.
“What?” he asked. “Wolf got your tongue?” he chuckled to himself. “Will soon!”
“Whatever,” said Vanessa, turning away.
Cassie, Maria, and Susan continued to stare.
“What's the problem, girls?”
“Well,” Maria began, “you're not what we expected.”
“What does that mean? You've never met a Native American before?”
The three girls shook their heads. “I have,” Vanessa tossed out. “And you're not what I expected either.”
“What did you expect? The guy from 'Poltergeist 2'?”
The four gazed at each other confusedly.
“You're... wearing a suit and tie. No feathers and... skins...”
Jon rolled his eyes. “And I forgot to bring my tepee along. Guess what? We wear clothes.”
“I know THAT! I mean, you're a shaman, so shouldn't you be wearing, like, tribal wear and stuff?" questioned Maria.
“And where are the long braids you had in the brochure picture?” Susan chimed in.
He chuckled. “Oh, yeah, I wore all my getup for that picture. Actually, that was a wig. I chopped my hair long ago, and the elders shunned me for it.” He glanced over towards the desk. “Actually many people shun me for all of this,” he held out the edges of his suit jacket, “but that's the way I like it. And it has no effect on my abilities.” He smiled. “I'm greatly respected for those.”
“Okay, so what exactly are you going to do to us?” said Vanessa, a bit annoyed.
Again, he looked surprised. “Like Janice told you on the phone. I'm going to turn you into wolves for a week.”
“Uh-huh. Drugs? Hypnosis?”
“Okay, let's have away with the whole doubt thing.” He got down on four legs. “I'm a wolf.”
And suddenly, the man grew fur, shrank down, and became a wolf.
At it smiled at them, showing its sharp teeth.
The four girls screamed. Maria ducked in back of the couch, Susan crunched herself further into the cushions, and Cassie and Vanessa stood rooted to the ground.
Vanessa was the first to speak. She approached the animal, which was now sitting on its haunches proudly. It still wore Jon's clothes, the red tie around its furry neck making it look especially comical. But no one laughed.
“That's really you, Jon? It's not a trick?”
The animal shook its head back and forth. Vanessa began to circle it.
“Careful, Vanessa!” Cassie said.
The wolf rolled its eyes. “Oh, come on, Cassie. I won't hurt you guys. It's still me in here.”
Vanessa jumped back, and Maria squealed from behind the couch.
“You can talk? How is that even possible?'
The wolf stood back up and admired itself for a moment. “Many years of practice. Nothing you'll be able to do any time soon.”
“It's not possible. It's not possible,” Susan whined, curling up into a ball.
“It IS possible, Susan, and it WILL happen to you this very day.”
“No,” Maria whimpered, straightening up. “No, I don't want it. It all sounded fun until I saw it was real.” She backed towards the door. “I don't want to be a wolf. I don't want to turn into anything. It'll hurt, and it'll...”
The wolf crept over to her, and she began to shiver. “Please don't bite me.”
It rolled its eyes again. “You girls need this so badly it scares me. Now, did it look like it hurt me when I transformed, Maria?”
“I...don't know...” she gulped, inching another step backwards.
“Well, it doesn't. It can be quite pleasant, if you stop shaking and simply allow it to be. Imagine how incredible it is, to grow fur, to gain a tail... Ah, my senses are incredible in wolf form...”
“No, no... I need to call my husband...” She held up her phone, but her hand was so sweaty it simply fell from her grasp. The wolf went over and picked it up in his teeth, then sprinted to the front and tossed it over the desk. A distinct shatter was heard.
“You won't be needing that where you're going,” the animal smiled.
“My phone! Give it back!”
The wolf stood up on its hind legs then, and somehow managed to pull up its pants. Then the animal grew back into a human being, the clothes now fitting perfectly. “My dear, even I have trouble texting when I'm a wolf.”
“You broke it, though,” Vanessa murmured. “You...owe her a phone.”
Jon didn't even look at her. “Please put all your belongings by the desk. You won't need them, and we'll keep an eye on them for you.”
Cassie had been watching all the activity, both awed and frightened. How could a man truly become an animal like that? What did it feel like? Was he just like himself only his body had become that of a wolf?
“I'm not doing it!” Maria screamed, throwing herself at the locked door. “Let me out! Don't you do your...voodoo crap on me! You're not turning me into anything!”
Jon's face twisted into a sneer. “Well, I'm afraid that ship has sailed, Maria.”
She stopped fiddling with the door bolt momentarily. “What does that mean?”
“Feeling itchy under your clothes?”
As he said the very words, Maria scratched her arm violently, which she immediately ceased.
“Mm-hm.” Jon gestured towards the desk. “See that incense?”
Maria nodded, her eyes growing full of terror, and then grabbed a hold of the door lock and pulled with all of her strength.
“Yeah, it's not incense...”
The lock gave, and Maria burst outside, “I won't sniff your drugs!” she yelled back.
Jon snorted. “Oh, that just helps calm you and push your changes along so I don't need to work as hard.” He grinned from ear to ear. “I started your transformations before I even walked into this room. There's no escaping it now, no matter how far you run, Maria.”
There was no answer from outside until they heard a frightened whimper, “I'm growing fur.”
“Congratulations, Maria! You're on your way!”
Jon now stood in the doorway, and Cassie, Vanessa, and Susan came up behind him, peering past him outside. Maria lay splayed in the sand, tears running down an elongating fuzzy gray face. She held out her furry arms towards him. “I don't want to be a wolf. Please, help me.”
The shaman set his chin. “Can't,” he said, and turned to the other girls. “How are we progressing here, girls? You're not as scared as her, so you're probably going slower.”
“I'm scared,” whispered Susan, stretching out a furry arm. “Please tell me it'll be okay.”
Jon swaggered over to her and patted her on the back. “I assure you you'll be fine. Of course, we have you sign all those waivers nonetheless,” he raised his eyebrows mischievously.
Maria, now staring at the tail popping from her pants, made a wailing sound.
“You're a bastard,” Vanessa said.
“Why am I a bastard? You girls chose to do this. You agreed.”
“We didn't think it was real,” said Cassie, watching the gray hairs sprouting from her own arm.
“We told you! And if you were more attuned to your souls – which have been devastated by years of city life – you would know that your very beings cry for this.”
Maria made a loud sob. She had pulled off her shoes and was watching her feet quickly shift into wolf paws. Her perfectly-manicured toenails had grown dark and were twisting grotesquely into claws.
“My being's not crying for anything,” Vanessa spat, viewing Maria's feet. “Damn it, my fingernails were perfect yesterday, too!”
“Now calmly remove your shoes and as much clothing as you can. It's a pain to pull out of them when you only have paws,” Jon instructed, hands across his chest.
Now that she knew her transformation was inevitable, Cassie defeatedly removed her shirt, shorts, and shoes, and placed them in a pile next to the lodge's foundation. As the others followed suit, Cassie's eyes remained on her feet, watching fur sprout from her pale skin. Another wail from Maria, however, quickly called her attention back to her friend.
Maria was now more wolf than woman. She lay on her side, panting from her growing snout, her elongating tongue reaching to the ground. Her coat was thick and luxurious, and she flicked her tail as the changes ran through her. Her arms lengthened to legs while her legs thinned and shrank to match them. She could only moan forlornly as her body shrank to wolf size, and a last great shudder ran through her. She looked up through dark wolf eyes, and whimpered.
The new wolf looked sadly dejected, her once-sexy clothes hanging like so many rags from her lithe animal body. Carefully, she stood up, tottering on her new legs, and quickly tripped over her dangling pants. She fell to the ground with a strikingly human cry.
“Oh, you poor girl.” Susan, walking rather stiffly, pushed past Jon. “You could at least help her!” As she yanked off Maria's shirt, Susan yelped as her back suddenly contorted, forcing her onto all fours. She then remained there, stuck as her arms and legs moved into quadrupedal position. “Oh, God, it's really happening!” she managed to murmur as her face began to contort.
Cassie observed her with conflicting feelings of curiosity and doom. On one hand, this sounded like an incredible adventure, but on the other hand, the idea of being an animal was quite frightening. But she was helpless to stop the changes that were washing over her, sculpting her slightly-chunky body into a muscular, streamlined form.
Jon clasped his hands together. “Transform, my girls! Transform!”
Cassie and Vanessa both fell to all fours, and Vanessa looked back at her with fear in her darkening eyes. Vanessa was still identifiable, but her face was growing so furry and contorted, that even as Cassie watched, all signs of her friend's humanity quickly drained away.
“Oh, I do hope you're not too scared to be enjoying your metamorphosis! It's so wonderful to take on a new, perfect form! I almost envy you! I don't even remember my first time much!”
Vanessa made a terrified wail.
“Vnnn...” Cassie pushed out, trying to comfort her friend beside her, but her ability to speak was already gone. She ran her freakishly long tongue around her teeth, which she could actually feel growing sharper. Her backbone suddenly gave an alarming pop, and she could feel it stretching... She officially had a tail.
“Ah, girls! You're doing so well!” Jon cheered. “Maria, you're good to go! And the rest of you – almost there!”
Cassie looked over at Susan to see the new wolf give a last shudder and grow still. Maria was pacing around her, apparently getting better at walking on her new paws. Cassie looked over at Vanessa, who had fallen to her side and was quaking and shuddering as she finished becoming a wolf.
Jon came to Cassie, smiling. “Last one standing,” he smiled, nudging her shrinking abdomen. “Get on your side like Vanessa here so you don't fall over.”
Even though her new legs were nearly even, she complied. She lay helplessly on the ground, the odd electricity running throughout her body, reshaping her innards, sculpting her into a perfect lupine shape.
“Ah, you are the picture of perfection, Lady Cassie!”
The shuddering that she'd seen her friends go through now started, signaling the end of her transformation. She calmed herself down and allowed herself to experience the remaining changes, realizing that they were actually pleasant. She shut her eyes tightly, feeling her very muscles tingle as they tightened.
“That's right, Cassie. Enjoy!” she heard Jon encourage, but the sound of his voice seemed way off. What a wonderful feeling, and she could do nothing but allow the wonderful magic to finish her right...
And then she was done.
She opened her eyes onto a different world. Her vision was less colorful, and everything seemed to loom over her. With her new incredible sense of smell, she was able to locate Jon and each of her friends without even looking at them. And the electricity continued to softly tingle through her body.
She made a contented moan.
Jon looked down at her, smiling. “So delightful, isn't it? You seem to be the only one who got any enjoyment from the change. Such a shame, too. It's really a wonderful experience.” He straightened up, clapping.
“And so I say to you girls, thank you for such fun entertainment! Encore! Encore!”
I wish I could eat him, Cassie thought to herself.
“No, no, no, Cassie. No bad thoughts!”
You can hear me? Cassie realized with some optimism.
“Well I can hear you all. But,” he began to laugh, “you just can't hear each other! After all, you're wolves, not telepaths!”
Vanessa must have thought a string of horrible words, because Jon glared down at her. “Watch it, Vanessa. I can do far worse than change you into a wolf.”
Vanessa whimpered and stepped back a few feet.
Cassie, still on her side, swatted her tail against the ground experimentally.
“Get up and take a little walk, Cassie. Try to balance out your gait between back and front.”
Cassie threw herself onto all fours and simply toppled over. Okay, this is not as easy as it looks.
Jon smiled, placed his hands under her front legs, and hauled her back onto all fours. “Now, stay!”
I'm not a dog, Cassie said in annoyance.
“Yes, you actually are!”
She groaned, attempting to walk. It was slow going, and it irritated her that Jon found it amusing. Stop watching me, she snapped in her mind.
“Oh, sorry, but this is one of the most fun parts. Watching the recently-transformed dealing with their new forms.”
Jerk, Cassie thought, tripping over a twig.
“I heard that, Cassie.”
She finally thought to look up at her friends. Susan and Maria were on the edge of the woods, cowering, and Vanessa was slinking over to them. Their eyes were all wide with fear.
“Oh, I thought you could handle this, girls!” Jon called over to them.
We can, Cassie said to him in her mind. We totally can. Walking around all day as an animal will be a lot easier than dealing with kids, husbands, jobs, and life in general. Give us a bit of time to get used to being this way, and we'll totally handle it!
“Well, you can start by going into the woods instead of standing around like a bunch of soccer moms.”
Cassie glanced up at him. So that's it?
“What do mean, 'that's it?'”
You turn us into animals, and then let us loose?
“It's what you signed up for!” Jon said indignantly.
What if we had enough?
The shaman shrugged. “Magic's a week long – give or take. What you want doesn't matter. Have fun!” He turned away and started walking back to the door.
Angered, Cassie pounced at him. So what happens? After one week, we just start turning back?
Jon seemed extremely irritated that she had jumped at him. “Unless I decide to turn you into something else! Now get into the woods already! Someone's liable to see you!”
Cassie went over to her friends, but none advanced further into the darkening woods.
“Go! What do I have to do to get you in there?”
Not getting any response, Jon suddenly shrank down into the form of a giant wolf. He lunged at them, howling and baring his teeth. Maria and Susan ran yelping into the underbrush, but Cassie and Vanessa remained until the large wolf snapped at them. Swiftly, they raced into the woods after their friends, and far off, they could hear Jon laughing.
Bastard, Cassie thought. She gazed at Vanessa, who looked just as perturbed.
If only I could talk to you, Vanessa...
Cassie made the best angry groan that she could, and Vanessa nodded her head vigorously up and down. Then they went in search of their friends.
Cassie quickly saw that one positive about being a wolf was that she could smell Maria and Susan's scents from a good half mile away. Gingerly stepping through the leaves, she and Vanessa both kept their noses to the air until they discovered Susan and Maria crouched under a tree.
Cassie marveled at how helpless they appeared. She felt strong and alive in this new body, and was beginning to feel more and more emboldened. Didn't her friends?
But Susan and Maria both seemed defeated. They stood up as Vanessa and Cassie approached, and Susan even raised her tail up half-heartedly. But their eyes were full of such worry and sadness that Cassie wished she could reassure them. They'd turn back after a week, so all they needed to do was relax and try to enjoy themselves. After all, there were no responsibilities when one was a wolf!
She let out a happy yelp and wagged her tail like a dog – did wolves even do this?, she wondered. But she really had no idea how else to communicate her feelings to her friends.
Maria and Susan lay back down in the leaves, and Vanessa rubbed her snout against Cassie's face.
Cassie moved her front paw in a wave-like motion, trying to get the others to join her in the woods. But no one budged, and Susan shut her eyes. With a deep sigh, Cassie re-joined her friends, and they napped fitfully.
When they woke, it was easily midnight. Far off they heard the howls of other wolves, and their hackles raised. They glanced back and forth at each other fearfully, huddling together.
Cassie started to shiver, her nervousness getting the better of her. Unlike in the daylight, the dark woods were full of frightening sounds and smells, and her mind was still completely that of a Brooklyn mom. She feared the unknown, and prayed for the dawn.
Wolves howled again, and Maria whimpered. Susan's lupine eyes bulged, and Vanessa flattened her ears to her head. What if these wolves found them? How would they react to four false wolves? Would they know they were merely silly women in wolf bodies?
What would the males do to them?
Oh, God! Cassie tried to cry out, but it came out as a garbled croak.
Vanessa made a hissing sound and smacked at Cassie with her claw, clearly trying to silence her. She nodded towards the howling, and Cassie realized she didn't want the wolves to hear them.
The rest of the night went on this way, none of the four getting much sleep.
At the first light in the sky, Cassie awoke from a fitful nap to see the others curled together, now slumbering deeply. She felt safer seeing the rays of the sun reach to the ground, and she cuddled together with her friends to sleep.
But Cassie's growling stomach soon woke her. She opened her eyes to see the others pacing around the general area, poking their mouths experimentally into bushes and plants. Vanessa walked over to her and indicated her to follow.
A stand of wild raspberries grew nearby, and they feasted hungrily.
Cassie was quite thirsty, and she longed for a cold drink. With bellies full of fruit, the wolf-women began to wander in search of water. As the day wore on, the sun beat down on their fur, making them more and more parched. But no water was in sight, so they returned to the berry bushes, where they stripped them raw.
The night brought on more terror, and again, Cassie lay awake with the others, praying that the pack of wolves wouldn't find them. Dawn brought some solace, and they slept most of the day away until again, they were awakened by their grumbling stomachs. Only this time there were no berries to be had.
They wandered deeper and deeper into the woods, in search of anything edible. They nibbled at grass and anything berry-like, but few plants flourished where the forest floor rarely saw sun, and the girls grew famished.
Cassie found herself nibbling at anything green that struck her fancy, and she hoped that she wouldn't ingest anything poisonous. Other than being shown what poison ivy looked like, she knew nothing about plant identification, and she prayed that her wolf body would steer her clear of harmful plants. Yet the way things were going, she was beginning not to care. She was starving, and she wished she could go eat a steak...
Knowing that wolves, although omnivores, often hunted for meat, worried Cassie. She might not know much about nature, but she was an animal lover, and would never even consider killing an animal for a meal.
She'd have to make do with whatever scraps she could find...
They lay under the trees, tongues wagging out in the extreme late-afternoon heat. Susan pointed to her tongue with her paw, and the others nodded. They needed water, and they needed to find it before they lost all their strength.
As the day cooled, they set off even deeper into the woods. All of them had slowed, and Maria, who had just tripped over a rock, lagged behind, nursing her injured paw. Just as dark hit, the sound of running water met their ears. Joyously, Vanessa, Cassie, and Susan ran to the edge of a small brook.
Cassie let out a cry of dismay. The water was muddied and dark; hardly appetizing to a person.
Vanessa shrugged, and Cassie could just picture her exclaiming, “The hell with it”. She found a semi-clear puddle off to the side and drank deep.
Just as Maria joined them, Cassie and Susan began to drink.
Muddy water never tasted better.
The girls lay on the bank of the brook, their bellies distended with all the water. Cassie had drunk so much that she felt sick. But it was a good sick, for her thirst was, at long last, quenched.
As they dropped off, a wolf howled nearby. They jumped to attention only to see a pack of wolves across the brook.
Led by a fearsome male, the pack tiptoed through the water to investigate the four women.
Shaking, they stood their ground.
When the pack was within five feet of them, the animals paused. The male smelled at the air, and suddenly made a ferocious howl. The wolves advanced on the four women, snapping and growling. Shrieking, they dodged the pack, running into the woods.
Cassie glanced back to see if they were still being followed. Her heart was in her mouth, and her paw pads hurt from running. But the wolves looked angry, and they were still in pursuit . They clearly were chasing them from their watering spot, she realized with woe. How would they ever survive the next few days if they had no food or water?
Somehow, Maria was managing to keep from the snapping wolves' teeth, but barely, and Cassie could see she wasn't going to hold out much longer. In a burst of bravery, she turned and charged the male, who jumped back in surprise. Then he turned and walked away, the pack following.
She could have sworn the male had smiled...
A sunny clearing the next day afforded them another smaller meal of berries, which they promptly devoured. The rest of the day was spent panting under the trees and attempting to recover from their terrifying night.
Again, Cassie only wished they could talk about it, but the wretched looks in everyone's eyes said enough. Instead, she watched Maria lick at her paw, which was caked with blood. Maria would never have done this as a human; the very sight of blood made her faint.
A smell hit everyone's nose at once. Was it meat? Vanessa dashed away, and Cassie, Susan, and Maria followed. When they came upon Vanessa, her nose was deep in the carcass of a dead fox.
Oh, God... She's eating a dead animal! Cassie's brain screamed. She stood back and observed as Susan and Maria jumped onto the body hungrily, ripping the decaying flesh and smacking their lips as they feasted.
Oh, God! I need food, but I can't do this!
Vanessa looked up at her, some dark fluid dripping from her fuzzy lip. She made a “come here” gesture with her paw.
Cassie shook her head vehemently. I can't eat a decaying animal...
Vanessa shrugged and dove back in.
Cassie's stomach growled. She felt so weak, she needed the meat...
She gave in.
Weak with thirst and hunger, the four lay in a clearing, not caring that the sun was slowly moving onto their dirty fur. They were too tired to search for food in the midday heat, and Cassie couldn't wait to have a human body again... If they made it to tomorrow...
As the sun waned, a new, tantalizing smell wafted through the air. At the sound of scraping in the underbrush, Cassie raised her ears, and Vanessa and Susan stood up. Maria remained on the ground, her foot now swollen.
What is that smell?
Vanessa and Susan crept through the leaves. Just as Cassie felt, they were also clearly invigorated by the cooler evening air.
Cassie followed, trying to identify the smell...
Further off, Vanessa lunged, and Cassie saw the herd of deer. With conflicting emotions, she hung back, unsure of what to do. She desperately needed to eat, but she couldn't bring herself to kill one of the beautiful does that her friends had cornered.
Susan let out a howl, and Maria limped over to Cassie's side to get a better view. The injured wolf's stomach groaned, and Cassie felt terrible. As hungry as she was, Maria had fared far worse in the quest for food. Her coat hung off her bony body and her eyes looked dull. She had to eat!
Cassie went forward, her mind still torn. I eat meat as a person, so why is it any different if I'm transformed?
“Jerry!”
A human cry erupted from nowhere, spooking them all.
Maria dove under a bush, but Cassie paused. There was something familiar about that sound.
“Jerry! Over here!”
Cassie walked several more feet forwards, attempting to catch the human smell on the breeze.
“Hurry up! Jackpot!”
She froze. It was her husband's voice!
Completely disarmed, she made a beeline to the sound. James, James, please help me! They really turned me into a wolf and we have no food and I can't handle another day of this–
The brush parted, and there was James. But the reassuring face of her husband was accompanied by a loud sound and pain in her side. She fell to the ground, dazed, as three cheering men ran up to her, guns in hand.
James, please help me! It hurts...
“We did it! Nice shot, for someone who's never hunted before, Jamey-boy!”
James gazed down at Cassie with misgiving. “Sorry, guy,” he said guility.
The other man pulled up Cassie's tail. “Careful there, girl! You got a female!”
Cassie growled and snapped at his hand. He pulled it away with a chuckle. “Feisty one.”
Cassie winced. The pain plus her hunger was making her lightheaded. Inexplicably, her husband was out hunting in this very woods and he had unknowingly shot his own wife...
She kept her accusing eyes on him, and he looked away, clearly uncomfortable.
The pain was shooting through her side, her vision was growing dark...
Oh, God please help me...
Soothing darkness enveloped her.
At some point she was aware of being carried, and garbled voices floated overhead.
“How would I know I shot my own wife? I'm still not totally convinced it's her.”
“You will be when I turn her back. But right now Maria also needs some first aid.”
“How do I know you're telling the truth?”
“If they weren't Vanessa and Susan, why would two wild wolves be following us back?”
Cassie tried to raise her head, but strength was in short supply. She fell back against the shoulder of the person carrying her. As she fell back out, she identified his smell as her husband's.
Her body was expanding.
She woke up with a start to find Jon standing over her. He eased her back down in the bed she lay on. “Careful, Cassie, you're somewhere between wolf and human. It might be a bit awkward to get around. Let the changes run their course.”
Instead of being angry, Cassie felt calm and relaxed, perhaps due to the incense burning near her bedside. She held up a paw and watched in fascination as the paw pads disappeared into her palm, and the claws retracted and flattened into nails.
“You're awake!” James exclaimed. He stood to her side with his friends Jerry and Don.
“Rrr,” she cried, stretching towards her husband.
“Relax, sit back, Cassie! Your mouth will be back soon enough.”
“This guy's like some kind of magician!” said Don, poking Jon in the side. “Nice job on the gals!”
“Shaman,” muttered Jon.
Cassie just stared at her husband angrily.
He shifted position nervously. “Sorry, Cass! I came to the lodge up here to surprise you at the end of your vacation. I never thought I'd end up shooting you!”
Cassie looked away. In the bed beside her lay Maria, completely human and sleeping fitfully. Vanessa and Maria sat on the floor, still wolves, looking expectantly at Jon.
“I know, you'll get your turn, girls. I wanted to speed up Maria and Cassie's changes because they were injured.”
Both wolves made sorrowful moans.
“Turn them back now, you bastard! They're women, not animals!” Jerry yelled. He cleared his throat and cracked his knuckles. “Damn it, I learned my lesson. I'll never hunt again. Animals feel pain, and sometimes animals aren't animals. They're people.”
Everyone including the two wolves gaped at him momentarily.
Jon focused on the animals, and they grew into human form even before Cassie had completely returned to it.
Vanessa stood up angrily. “You bastard. You turned us into animals and left us alone to die!”
“I left you alone to learn and survive. And I monitored you. That wolf pack was me – and some of the locals.”
Cassie sighed. She had been right. The male had smiled at her. She tested her lips, finding she seemed back to being able to form words with them. “But you scared us to death!”
“Yes! I introduced danger and adventure into your life! Your souls were slowly dying in that cement jungle you call home. I woke up your very beings!”
Susan stretched her arms. “We were starving!”
“Of course you were, silly girls. You depleted all your food. Didn't you think to conserve?”
“Who's thinking of conservation when you're trying to survive?”
“Listen to you! Completely lost when it comes to nature...”
James cut in, “Well, if you turned them into wolves, didn't they have wolf instincts?”
“I didn't bother to let them have instincts. They were so convinced they'd do fine on their own. They were simply women in wolves' bodies!”
“That's pretty awful.”
Cassie came forward. “No, it's not. It made me learn a lot. I've become much more attuned to the natural world.”
“Me too,” Vanessa said grudgingly.
Maria stirred. “I'm becoming a vegetarian.”
“So,” Jon said, stepping forward, “are you ready to make some life changes? Maybe move to the Pacific Northwest or something?”
Everyone in attendance looked at each other.
Cassie gulped, taking a moment to think this through.
“No, I'm good.”
Weeks later, Cassie was flipping through her Facebook feed when a friend's video caught her eye. “Wolf TRIP Tours”, it read. Intrigued, she clicked on the video, and a panorama shot of the familiar lodge came to life.
“Hi, everyone! It's Tricia here with Carrie and Natasha, and we're here for our Wolf TRIP!”
Another girl poked her head into the frame. “Drugs, people! Drugs!” She scratched her face, which looked a bit too fuzzy.
Cassie burst out laughing. “Oh, you girls have no idea what you're in for!”
A third girl cried from behind, “This incense is making my feet itchy!”
“I'm itchy, too!” The first girl turned the phone on herself. “It's pretty close in here.”
Then the camera went back to a well-dressed shaman who had just entered the room.
“Welcome, girls,” he said, his eyes sparkling mischievously.