FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

You confront Shanon sternly.

"You've been filling his head with fantasies about this, haven't you?"

Shifting into vulpeanthrope form, she raises an arm across her breasts, perhaps in defense, and giggles.

"He's asked me all about being a ladyfox, since before you even knew about me, to hunt me down. Though I haven't visited as much as you might imagine." She stares over her shoulder. "Don't worry! He's new." she shouts to Abel. "He's worried about what I'm going to do to you, you know..."

"Oh, that's good then, I guess... heh..." he laughs, uncomfortably. "I really don't know about this, miss fox."

"Don't worry." She says, grinning. "I like human children. I won't eat you."

"Hey! I'm not a kid!" he retorts.

"Just teasing. So here's the deal, Abel. I may be able to help you fall in love, with some fox magic. It will change you just enough to carry the spell, and look human, until you find your flame. But there's a cost, for your freedom."

"I'll turn into a fox." he says somberly. "I won't pretend it's not an exciting adventure for me, but Oren and the others will..."

"They'll probably try to kill you." Shanon agrees. "They're not crusaders, but they want to keep the town a clean, familiar, human place."

"Will you try to turn other people into foxes, then?" he asks worriedly.

"Undoubtedly, you must anticipate that, Abel. We want to live in peace, but your priests will tell the villagers to burn their fields, to smoke us out of hiding. I don't want that, and it will make your people just as miserable. But if you fear this village disappearing, I urge you to warn your friends."

"I've heard stories about towns that go wild all at once." you interject. "The Church hunts each denizen, for interrogation and trial. You can expect your fires, either way. They may even burn the village itself, if its denizens vanish."

"But if we unite a few good exemplars, from amidst the changed, we can beat back the soldiers the Church dispatches, I think. It is better than doing nothing, and waiting. Besides, I've only spoken of this possibility--we have no way of knowing what the Church truly intends, since you have gone missing."

You nod, assuming your human musculature and limbs. Your fur almost seems to blend with the shadows, as your silhouette snaps and shifts. "You're right." you agree. "The Church will dispatch a group to confirm my whereabouts first. If they find nothing, they will assume me slain, or suspect my true fate."

"I want to make you and your lover into exemplars, Abel." She palms his chest, and strokes his chin, in appraisal. "Strong foxes, with ties to magic. I'll give you the chance you want, to have a life with Adriana. In return, I want you to serve me, and try to convince her that doing so too, is the best action, for your people."

"It will be a difficult task." you murmur. "Adriana is religious. I do not know to what extent her piety reaches, but she had shown reverence to my position--before my fox fate took hold. I was introduced to her by Father Henry, the resident priest."

"Adriana cares for me." Abel asserts. "I think she could even love me, if not for her responsibilities to the town."

"We can lift those, by changing the town entirely." Shanon claims. "We'll charm the hesitant. Those who truly cling to their humanity can flee, and share horror stories of what we've accomplished. But first, we need a few strong foxes. Strong people, but who will give our species a chance. I won't pretend that's an easy thing. Will you be among them?"

Abel flusters. "That's a tough request. Tell me more about your spell."

Shanon smirks. "I ought not to without your agreement to wear it and see it to fruition, but very well. Hunter, listen well, for this concerns you too. How much do you know of us Changed--the wild ones, as yours call us?"

"You--are those who loved between the lines of man and animal. And you are cursed to... straddle the line, rather than respecting it." You position.

Shanon smiles. "That is what your priests tell you. In truth, not many really understand, the origin of the Changed. Not even myself, to be fair. Except, I can tell you what makes a human into one."

"You withheld this knowledge, before then." you accuse her.

"Yes. It's not something that any human should learn about, lest you find a way to combat it. We of the Changed, carry a parasite. It feeds off magic, and... human intentions. It triggers in response to feelings and sensations. Usually of... arousal. Or humiliation. Anger and sadness, too."

"This parasite then, is what you deliver in a bite?"

"Intimate touch, actually. The parasite is not an organism in a physical sense," she explains. "You might think of it as a ghost, or spirit, that comes over someone, when they are receptive. It twists the flesh, and with encouragement, grows through a human, tying them down to a new tribe, of Changed. But yes, a bite is a perfect moment of transfer, in many cases. You are intent on killing, we are intent on surviving. The strong emotions between the victim and the original Changed forms a bridge, across which the parasite travels."

"So what's new about that, that we didn't already know?" Abel asks.

Shanon smiles. "Your kind are terrified of getting the parasite--the 'curse' as you call it, in other ways. And they are right to be afraid. A strong bond of any kind between the flesh of the Changed, and the flesh of the Immaculate--the unchanged, mind you--can produce a transfer. Think about why your kind no longer wear animal pelts--why the skinning trade has suffered, in this era of manhunts and fiery purges. Simple gratitude toward the former flesh of a Changed animal, can bring the curse to life in the wearer's skin. Now, imagine what intimacy can do."

"So your love spell..."

"Yes. I'm going to kiss you." She adds as well, "And if that doesn't work, I may bite."

You ask: "Can you tell if he is successfully infested?"

A calm smile forms on her snout. "You may not have paid attention to this point Hunter--"

You snort.

"And I doubt you had time, considering how well you were being serviced..." she begins to laugh, raising her fist thumb-first to her grinning, vulpine jaws.

You drop your shoulders and feel warmth on your bushy face, that is again, thankfully, hidden by your physiology.

"But yes. I can feel a presence, in him." She says, seriously. "A... warmth, or glow, if you will, that you may in time learn to appreciate. Or you may not. I have been a lonely Changed ladyfox, for awhile, and it is only now that I begin to take others under my wing. I do know that most people who change, become mere animals. Control of form is difficult for most. Perhaps even for young Abel."

"I don't know how being a wild fox would work out, if I can't talk or tell Adriana who I am, or that I... love... her."

He fumbles dejectedly for the words.

"But I also can spur or retard the change." Shanon adds. "The latter is a technique you most likely will not learn, Hunter--though fortune favor you if you do. It's certainly a rare thing to need to do. You will not feel change, until the moment you are most receptive to the transfer, from you, to her."

"And then?" he asks nervously.

"It will be an explosive change, between you and her. Whatever happens, I hope you will come to like it. But I especially hope that you will retain the will to walk, and talk, as a person. I would be grateful if you could retain your ability to return my favor."

"What about this process makes the boy able to fall in love?"

Shanon smirks. "Because, the weight of the offer is likely life or death, contrived as it may seem. Abel will show his true affections, and reveal himself to be afflicted with the 'curse' Adriana is tasked with fending off."

"She would feel guilty for not being able to protect me. I will have to tell her, I surrendered voluntarily, to be a wild one."

"And, in that moment, we will see what is in Adriana's heart." Shanon adds. "She may kill you. Would that you could bite her if she tries to."

"That's not exactly consoling!" you remark.

"No. That... that is alright. I would not live happily if she rejected me, as an understudy who simply followed along. See, Oren has eyes for her, and her Captain even proposed to her. I want to be with Adriana. Even if she kills me."

"Love is so very blind." you mutter emptily.

"It can overlook a great many sins, too." Shanon adds. "Adriana will be convinced of your bravery, regardless of whether she agrees that what you have done is right or wrong. That may well be enough to sway her affections. Assuming they exist, as you claim."

"Alright then. Kiss me." he concedes. "This is... going to be gross."

"And an exciting adventure, no doubt." Shanon adds, wrapping her fingerpaws around his cheeks. "Don't worry, if you regret it, it won't be for very long. At least, if your woman is as good of a swordarm as your friend Oren says."

"Speararm." he corrects, lifting his face. You get to see his bright blue eyes, and soft, stubbly peach-fuzz face. It's a little bit on the bony side in the chin, a bit round in the head, but quite youthful and attractive. You think of how it will look in the future, as Shanon extends her pink tongue, and the boy kisses it, squeezing in against her.

"Feel anything?" Shanon asks, with a toothy canine grin.

"Mmmff... yuck." he says, pulling back with fox spittle on his chin. "I guess so. Revulsion? Ah... appreciation."

"Gratitude." she nods confidently. "You will make a fine tod for that tough vixen. I'm certain of it."

"Here's hoping..." he mutters, inspecting his tongue to see if it's suddenly gotten any longer, or something else odd.

"We'll don cloaks and convincing aliases in the morning." Shanon says. "For now, I want you to pretend this meeting never occurred. We'll watch the young lieutenant, and see if we can't arrange an organic way for the two of you to meet, tomorrow, then discuss next steps. Here's to a happy union with your loved one."

She assumes wild form, turning and beckoning for you to slink off with her, with one forepaw.

As you join the gypsy, you turn and look back to Abel. For all intents and purposes, he seems like a normal lad, still.

For now.