Shifting

[Scarlet Rose Jenkins]

She made sure she was deep into the trees before she shifted. Her white fur tingled as it came out into the sun for what seemed like a century. She pured loudly as she stretched her muscles and extended and retracted her claws. She looked around the little wood with her bright red eyes making sure she really was alone. And then it hit her. She just barley caught the scent of other animals, possibly shifters. Do it a voice screamed at her. But she forced herself to ignore everything, but after a few minutes she couldn't control herself and speed off with an unnatural speed.
She flexed every muscle in her body trying to get closer and closer to her prey. She never understood why she couldn't control her shifter form, but if she didn't do it every once in a while she could slip into a coma or worse. The trees were becoming farther and farther apart with every step she took until she was in an open feild. She could see about twenty horses perk up and begin to run from the sight of her. No. No! Stop! she screamed to herself but could barely hear it. All she could hear was horses hooves pounding against the ground. She felt like she hadn't ate anything forever.
Just as she was about to jump on the horse she had been chasing, she forced herself to the ground. The ground was bumpy and she felt like she hit a few rocks but it was necesary. She stayed down on the ground for a while not trusting herself to get up. She gave a defented frunt and rolled over, resting her head on her paws. She perked her ears up and listened to random sounds of nature and groomed herself, despite the awful emptiness of her stomach. She usually broke out in a frenzy, with or without eating, and calmed down.

[lakota garnett]

I think I'll try defying gravity.
flying high, defying gravity

There really was something about the outskirts of town that drew me in and captivated my attention. Maybe it was the lack of activity or the increase in interesting. On the outskirts, you could always find the trees or fields. In my case, it was the trees that had drawn my presence. Normally, I was more one for rocky areas as opposed to tall trees. Something about being up high and clinging with only my hands, or claws as it more often was, freaked me out just a tad. Just thinking about it sent a shiver down my feline spine as I sat my haunches upon the leaf-strewn ground. As my golden eyes scanned the area, my predator's claws dug themselves into the cool forest topography. I loved the feel of the moist ground between my toes, almost as much as some enjoyed sand between their toes. A foxy grin danced across my features as I pictured some human girl digging her toes into some sunny beach somewhere. Shaking my elegant skull, I passed the fantasy out of my head, there were no beaches around here, or at least none that I knew of. Besides, water gave me the same chills that heights did.

Just about that same time, I saw the slender figure of a girl slip through the trees. How bizarre, just as I was thinking of a girl, there one appears. I had to keep myself from chuckling at the coincidence as she didn't seem to have noticed me. For some reason, I picked myself up off my haunches and stalked after her, making not a sound on the soft forest floor as I moved stealthily. I kept my distance, allowing my nose to guide me more than my eyes and I was slightly startled to notice that she had stopped. Inching closer, I saw her gaze about as if paranoid. Then, before my eyes, she shifted into a for much the same as my own, at least in species. She, on the other hand, seemed to have absolutely no control over her animal. As I watched, she sprang off after a horse that I had been aware of this entire time. Leaping nimbly forward, I did my best to put myself in the path of the fleeing animal.

Pushing my minor fears aside, I lept nimbly onto a low thick branch on a rather large oak tree. I was right in my estimations as the fleeing herbivore and carnivore soon appeared nearby. I watched the well timed spring, and shut down, of this mysterious female and another smile cracked itself across my features. It seemed that she had I little bit of self-control left. Laying myself down on my branch, I allowed my hind legs to drape casually over the sides of my branch. My long smokey tail allowed itself to hang as well much in the fashion of a leopard, curling itself up before extending out again. I contented myself to simply watch for the longest time, keeping my golden eyes trained on the motionless leopardess. Finally, I worked up my jowls as spoke up, much in a human voice, something I had mastered as a shifter. "Now, usually when I hunt, I pounce on the animal and don't end up in a crumpled heap on the ground." I remained relaxed in my tree, just watching to see her reaction to mine just being there as she had seemed so intent on having no one follow her or even being seen for that matter.

[Scarlet Rose Jenkins]

Her fur prickled on the back of her neck at the sound of, sort of, a voice. Her head turned at him with wide eyes filled with fear, but soon again she lost control. She growled at him bearing her fangs as she lowered in a hunting postiton. No! Not again. she screamed at herself. She was mad for not having control and embarassed that she oculdn't control it. A sharp pain went through her head, as if somone shot her. But the pain was just her shifting back into her human form, fully clothed.
She was still lying on the ground with the shooting pain in her head, she turned her head and coughed up some blood like she had been for a while. She turned over facing toward the sky taking deep breathes. "I didn't want to kill it." she replied to the leopard who was still sitting in the tree. She looked him over and noticed he had wierd eyes too. They glowed yellow while hers glowed red.
She sat up and gripped her head in her hands feeling the pain slowly dissolve away. She felt her body almost completly relax agian. She looked around again making sure there wasn't anybody else around besides the leopard. When she was satisfied she dropped back down to the ground, feeling like she had no energy left in her body. "Hi. Scarlet." she stated tiredly wondering if he was going to shift into human form or stay in his tree.

[lakota garnett]

I think I'll try defying gravity.
flying high, defying gravity

This time, I actually allowed myself to chuckle at the surprise that showed clearly upon the facial features of the minx before me. She bristled as I spoke which sent a small shock of curiosity running along my spine. It was slightly bizarre that she had not noticed my presence until now but I guess that was a matter for later. As the rolling growl came from her chest, the smile wiped itself from my features. It was clearly obvious that she was fighting for control once more. As if to actually show her who was in command, a snarl ripped through my chest and into the air as the pearly white teeth within my mouth were reveled. I was more ready to defend myself and perhaps persuade her to remember who she was before I would attack but I was tensed. Calmly now, I watched as she shifted back into human form. The task seemed to be quite the painful experience and a slight look of concern passed across my features as I remembered the pain when I had first begun to shift.

As she rolled over and coughed up what appeared to look a lot like blood, I stood abruptly on my branch. My long claws gripped the branch and I crouched low as if to regain my balance. Being up in the air was not my high point in life, I much preferred to have solid ground beneath me but I liked my height advantage for the moment being. My delicate ears rolled around and caught her words and a light smile placed itself back upon my cat like features as I gazed down at her body sprawled upon the forest floor. "Didn't want to kill it, that's a new one. You wouldn't happen to be a vegetarian would you?" Another light chuckle danced through my mouth at my own light joke.

I stood, watching her for a few more moments as her entire body seemed to relax and simply give in to her exhaustion. I heard her next words come forth, the mention of her name and a small greeting. Instead of responding, I lept from the branch that stood maybe five feet from the ground. Just before my front paws hit the ground, they shifted seamlessly into hands with five long fingers. As I landed neatly in a crouch in full human form, a smile stretched itself across my thin lips. Standing up, I stretched my arms above my head before running my fingers through my dirty blond hair. It had been a long time since I had shifted into my human form but it still was easy and quick. Taking long smooth strides, I walked right over to her sprawled frame and stood right beside her, my gaze looking down upon her. "Lakota. You know you are in quite the position right now. Someone, not myself personally, could just come along and take advantage of you." The gold eyes that followed me in my different shifts sparkled with slight mischief as I was a guy after all. Holding out my hand, I offered it to her to at least help her up off the ground. "You might as well get up off the ground Scarlet." I tried to put my most charming smile in place as I gazed down at her but who could look so charming in my dominant position.

[Scarlet Rose Jenkins]

She watched him walking over to her. When she heard what he was saying she almost laughed at him. Is he really serious? she thought to herself. "Maybe I should." she took his hand but before he could bring her all the way up, she thrust her arm down. He flipped to the ground easier than she thought. "And maybe you should to." she smiled a little. She loved a little harmless fight.
After about a minute he was still laying on the ground staring at her. She turned around and started to walk back toward the dirt road where she would find her motorcycle.

[lakota garnett]

I think I'll try defying gravity.
flying high, defying gravity

A yawn worked its way from my jaws as my deep golden gaze was still upon her form lying on the forest floor. It was then that I realized that it had been a while since I had actually curled up to take a nap. I was still lost in my thoughts about sleep when she spoke once again in responce to my words from just moments earlier. A light smile that was subconcious danced across my lips as she agreed with what I had to say but my mind was really no longer upon the girl spawled before me. My attention was immediately snapped backward as she spoke up once more, twisting my own words to fit her new purpose. I knew exactly what was going to happen as I felt her fingers wrap in mine before her arm jerked backward.

The next thing I knew, I was lying on my stomach beside the girl who had the idea to compromise my offered help. A low groan passed through my mouth that was pressed to the forest floor but I truely was not hurting. No, she would learn how to play my way if she was going to work this way. I heard her get up off her feet and it was then that I rolled onto my back, watching her the entire time with my golden and startling eyes. I locked my gaze with hers, refusing to loose eye contact just to see if she would blink first. When she turned back to her bike, the mode of transportation that I had missed earlier, I finally made my move. Flipping back onto my stomach, I shifted again, easily and soundlessly. My position as a human made my position as a snow leopard that of standing on all fours.

A grin ripped itself across my furry muzzle as I turned my elegant and powerful head in her direction. A vicious snarl ripped across my chest as I lowered my cat like haunches to the ground. My long smokey tail wrapped itself across my hind legs and my rounded ears poised themselves atop my head. My eyes sparked with slight annoyance as I finally brought myself to speak. "Nice try. I don't get embarrassed by someone pushing me around like that. No, I know that when someone picks on another person, it just means they're insecure with themselves." I could play games and I knew how to get in a girl's head. My own sister had hated it when I had used words as opposed to claws as sometimes I could actually do more damage with them. So, kitty, what's your next move.

[ooc] you may want to watch your powerplaying, I don't know if the admins will get you for it. Just a friendly warning =) []

[Scarlet Rose Jenkins]

A smile spread across her face Finally someone who will fight back. she thought. She loved little harmless fights. Before she knew it she shifted back into a snow leopard and leaned back on haunches. She kept her gaze locked on him so she wouldn't become distracted by prey and run off again. She tried to ignore everything around her except for the other leopard. She tensed her muscles and let her claws dig into the ground. She loved doing that.
She smiled agian and sprinted toward him, tackling him to the ground along with herself. She made sure she hit the ground first and then let him go so he wouldn't land on her.

[lakota garnett]

I think I'll try defying gravity.
flying high, defying gravity

could honestly say that, for once in my life, I was ready for what came at me. I could almost say that she was predictable in the motions she made, first pulling me to the ground and now this. Indeed, my shifting could only lead to one response from her and that was for her to alter her form as well. It just would not be a fair fight if I was to be an animal and her just a delicate human. Not that it would be a fair fight anyway. I had, over my seventeen years, honed my skills within my cat body so that I was perfectly attuned to my alternate body. She, on the other hand, she to have to fight tooth and nail for simple control of what her brain would tell her to do. A sly grin worked its way slowly across my features as I watched her shift once more into a sleek cat. I slowly ran my tougne across my jowls as I awaited her move.

I did not have to wait long for her to bunch her muscles. There was no harm in being the first one to be hit so I simply braced myself for the move to come. My golden eyes took in every move that she made, sizing up what her next motion would be and I chuckled when her attack finally came. She barrelled into my body with a slightly suprising amount of force, knocking me off my balance for only the slightest of moments. I noticed that she tried extremely hard not to be pinned under my larger frame and I at least let her have her effort. A light chuckle danced from my parted jowls as I rolled over my spine and back onto my feet without hesitating in the least. Gazing at her once more, I spoke in my deep, growly voice once more. "Forget everything your Mommy told you about boys not hitting girls because my mother never taught me manners."

I moved easily on four legs, as if I were born to do so as I slowly circled my way around her. Oh, I knew it was my move now but I was, in no way, predictable. No, I chose rather to move about, darting in one direction before changing my momentum to go in the complete opposite. Another chuckle rolled from my mouth at my own games. That was me, cracking myself up while another, more serious, matter stood at hand. Finally, I decided to make my move. No, my haunches did not bunch for the spring, nor did my golden eyes travel toward my target. Rather, I continued to walk before throwing my heavy body sideways at the minx that was keeping my company. In midjump, I rolled my body so that it would be my shoulder crashing into her instead of my head as I figured why give up my intelligence when living with a bruse on my shoulder would be much easier.

[Scarlet Rose Jenkins]

She knew shifting was a terrible idea and she should have known better. The sharp pain was back, stabbing at her brain. She closed her eyes for a second while he just went around in circles thinking he confused me. She got an idea from what he had said, and began going through all her memories of training. When she opened her eyes he was about to ram her with his shoulder. She used her speed and went under him, then pinned him to the ground. She beared her teeth and growled at him, but she couldn't concentrate with the pain and was slashed at.
She stayed on the ground wondering why she was in so much pain. Usually it came when she shifted back into human form. She hated showing her weakness so easily, esspeically to a stranger. She finally couldn't take it anymore and shifted back into her usual form. She was breahting harder than usual and felt like her chest was going to explode. Her eyes were burning and she realized they hadn't gone back to normal. I have to stop shifting. she thought. She was probably going to end up killing herself next time she shifted.

[lakota garnett]

I think I'll try defying gravity.
flying high, defying gravity

Perhaps she was finally trying to come into touch with her animal self. If we were not locked together in this staged battle I might have praise her for her breakthrough but the circumstances were different at the moment. A light smile stretched across my features as I found myself in midleap and headed straight toward her awaiting claws. She snapped open her eyes at the exact right moment for her to be able to throw my offbalance body to the side like it was a rag. It was true that i did not have that much body weight and I was not used to toying with someone of my own species but a slight wave of embarassment washed over me before it disappeared and I was thinking up new ways to get back at her.

I found my inlet as I watched her eyes go from concentrating to distracted. Ah, your mistake little kitten, will cost you. I was on my back and I was going to have a slight problem getting up but it was not a problem too large. As my deep golden eyes darted about in their sockets, searching for my escape, her grip on my was suddenly loosened as she rolled over to lay once more upon the ground. Leaping nimbly onto all fours once more, I shook myself as if to regain some dignity but that truely had nothing to do with it. Swiftly, I moved to the spot where she lay and straddled her. Two slender yet stong legs remained on both of her sides and a growl ripped through my chest as my long ivory teeth were exposed behind ebony lips and trained down at her.

However, I stopped my threatens as she shifted once more back to human form. The pain that ripped across her features startled me and I was not exactly sure what to do or how to help. The fact that her eyes had not changed back really give me shivers as my brain tried to figure out what to do. Without really thinking about the concenquences, I shifted rapidly into human form. I had mastered the switch so, if she had blinked, she would have missed the transition. Concerned lyrics came from my now human lips as I continued to gaze down at her. "Scarlet, are you alright?" As I awaited her responce, I took stock of the situation. I panicked slightly as I realized I was a teenage boy, straddling a girl who was clearly in pain. Sitting back on my heels, I took my face farthar away but the look of concern remained.

[Scarlet Rose Jenkins]

She didn't even noticed that he even changed form until he spoke regurally agian. She tried to sit up but failed. She opened her eyes, that were back to normal now, and saw the look of concern on his face. "Um...yeah I'm fine. Just problems with my shifting." she could barley get it out of her throat. The pain receeded a little and she began to relax again. She still felt like she was being squished by a thousands pounds. She locked on his golden gaze for a while, feeling to horrible to get up or move for that matter.

[lakota garnett]

I think I'll try defying gravity.
flying high, defying gravity

Concern was a not a usual emotion to take shape over my features. Usually a look of casual indifference or possibly amusement always found itself upon my lips. Nothing so serious had ever lasted very long but this was a different moment and situation. I watched quietly as her deep maroon irises shifted back into their normal color, keeping her changing gaze all the while as she writhed in pain inbetween my legs. Placing a hand with its long slender fingers on one of her wrists, I listened to her struggle to answer my question. A slight frown creased my brow as I tried to imagine going through so much pain during a process that came so naturally to me ever since I was a small boy and my parents first told me about it.

As I felt her relax beneath me, I figured she was finally getting better in regards to how she felt. Slowly, I moved so that my legs were no longer straddling her and I was now sitting beside her on the forest floor. Sending my gaze upward, I noted that the afternoon was wearing on. Time had passed since I had first stumbled upon her in these woods and the time since I had actually slept was even longer. Stretching out my cargo short clad legs on the floor, I leaned back on my hands so that my gaze was easily directed up at the sky. Allowing my eyes to close for a moment while she gathered herself, a deep sigh pressed through my lips. If I was not careful, I would just drift off into sleep right here by her side.

A light smile played across my lips as I opened my eyes and directed my golden gaze back at the girl beside me. Finally, after a little while, I would myself speaking once again, this time in a light alto voice. "Hey, how are you doing?" My hand reached out toward her forehead, brushing lightly against it searching for a fever and any larger problems that there might be.

[Scarlet Rose Jenkins]

She forced herself to stay up on her own as he moved to her side. Her breahting was back to normal, and the pain was almost gone. "Better. Thanks." she felt embarassed and wanted to get out of there immediatly, but she felt safe there and didn't want to leave. She hadn't felt like that in a while, it kind of scared her and just knew something bad was going to happen like it always did. She looked around the field and at the wood very carefully, making sure nothing was there.
When she was satisfied she laid down on the ground next to him looking at the blue sky. The sun was disspearing slowly behind the trees, making everything glow a little. The air was nice and chilly against her skin. She looked over at Lakota who looked like he was about to pass out. "Are you okay?" she asked a little worried. "You look worse than me." she smiled a little.

[lakota garnett]

I think I'll try defying gravity.
flying high, defying gravity

My own features began to relax ever so slowly as I realized that she would be alright. Her complexion was turning back to normal along with her eyes that had already done so a while ago. I watched quietly as she seemed to think better of sitting up and just laid back down upon the soft forest floor. A light smile spread itself across my features as I once again turned my gaze upward toward the sun that was inching closer and closer to the horizon. We were, however, still a few hours from dark so I was not getting too worried as of yet. A sigh pressed itself from my slightly parted lips as I ran one of my hands over my face in a sorry attempt to keep me awake during this time of relaxed activity.

My attention was immediately shifted back to her as her words came out confirming that she was alright and I should not have to worry for too much longer. As she settled once again against the floor, I decided to entertain myself for a moment. Shifting swiftly and easily, I stood once more in my snow leopard form. A low growl rolled through my chest before I laid myself back on the ground beside her, a sly grin stretching across my feline features. Very nonchalantly, I ran my tounge along one of my paws, keeping my ears alert and roving.

It was those very same ears that picked up her next words that made my grin grow ever larger as my golden eyes were turned to gaze at her once more. I kept my head in the exact same place so that my gaze was unaltered as I shifted once more into human form. My smile was still in place so it was almost like a cheshire cat effect. "Eh, I look worse that I feel I'm guessing. That's what a lack of sleep does to you." My grin grew ever larger as I gazed back at her, trying to displace her concern as nothing.

[Scarlet Rose Jenkins]

She watched him easily shift into his feline form. He seemed like he was almost always on his gaurd. She sat up and looked through what she could see of the wood and around the field. She stayed sitting up lisenting to her surroundings for a minute just to make sure. She untied her swords cases and slipped them off her back. She covered them with her jacket and rested her head on them. She felt better to be able to feel the cold tingle agianst her bare skin.
She turned her head towards him when he spoke and smiled lightly at him, eventhough she was still concerned. "Maybe you should rest a little." she said looking up at him from where she laid on the ground. His dirty blonde hair was a little messy and his eyes were glowing even brighter in the dim light. She looked back at the sky. The sun was almost completly gone, and you could just barley see the moon starting to coming out.