With sore muscles and aching pains I slowly wake up. The first thing that i do is try to sit up like i’m used to doing but i soon realize that through the pain that i can’t sit that way as i currently am. Then the memories of yesterday begin rushing back the fog, wolves, my fist shift since my awakening, my mad dash through the forest everything. With shaky legs I force myself to stand up. I look around at the walls of the tunnel that I had forced myself in and I catch an interesting sight on the walls writing, and not ancient writing like I had found on the brick but more recent.
I attempt to reach my hand up to touch it but realize that more writing is covered by moss that I'll need to clear out of the way to read it properly. Looking down at my claws it becomes clear that they would like to gouge out the writing, even though it is carved deep into the mud it is worn and aged.
I need to shift again, but will I agree with myself to do it? My last one was in desperation of needing to get away. Laying down again to get comfortable I move slowly, my muscles sore from the shift and then my mad sprint through the forest to get away from the wolves. But eventually I make it safely to the ground and I get as comfortable as I am able to despite the aches and pains. And I begin trying to strip away everything and to visualize my instincts by themselves.
Breathing slowly and steadily adjusting myself as needed to be more comfortable whenever I need to but through the aches and pains. I eventually begin to feel the familiar feeling of seeing through three different eyes as I look at myself and I all look different. The elk has thicker fur than it once did, the bear has points growing from the top of its head though they’re just barely there and the firebearer’s ears have started growing and hair appears to be growing out of them.
The firebear brings up changing first back to the firebearer form, the dextrous fingers would make great work of the moss while leaving the writing un damaged. The bear and elk disagree the firebearer would leave them exposed to no way to protect themselves from the dangers of the forest. The elk wants to stay this way, it would make covering distance easier, better to find the places we want to go and avoid where we don’t want to. The bear doesn’t mind this form but it misses the ease in gathering and the usefulness in thumbs.
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The firebearer is the first to relearn, knowing that being without defenses in the forest will be dangerous especially before I can make shelter and equipment to use. The firebear then offers our true form, so that we are protected and still have thumbs to use. The bear is happy with the suggestion and the strength that it will provide us even though we’ll lose some by relenting our fully beastly form. The elk disagrees that the strength is important to throw off those that wish to attack me that wish to harm me, like the wolves, we couldn’t have escaped the wolves as our true form.
That is true the bear and firebearer acknowledge it but the thumbs will be useful, the firebearer speaks to reading the writing and learning what knowledge it may have about the area and the threats that are nearby. The bear speaks of the ease of eating, of taking food from out of our heads, of the strength of being able to grasp and grip with a thumb holding many of the things that we may need. Of not carrying our pack around in my mouth.
The elk stays silent for many minutes though as the rest of me agrees about shifting to our true form. The elk eventually replies and it relents that the injuries are frustrating and the soreness of our legs brings nothing but troubles when running away. Thumbs could be a useful thing too but those uses aren't as clear to the elk as they are to the bear and firebearer. With all parts of me in agreement, a single thought begins the process.
Thinking of my true form as I know it, my body grows both hot and cold. As slowly I feel my skin and muscles pull tight, the soreness and pain grows in strength as my body begins. Shutting my mouth shut as I let out a growl and groan. Soon I shut my eyes in an attempt to escape the pain but I could not. The bite and tear wound begin to burn what feels like glowing hot, the wounds soon feel like they’re oozing blood again. Then my bones begin to ache like the rest of my body, gradually drawing a roar from my throat.
When the snapping starts, the snaps do not hurt but the echoing of my breaking bones is clear in my ears and apparent as they break and shrink in size. Right as the snapping stops, a grinding starts, the sound permeates through my entire system as the bear roars, the firebearer groans, and the elk squeals as my body shifts down, shrinking in size down.
Finally it stops and my eyes pry open as I view myself in an entirety, I am back in my true form with my arms and legs back to the right size and my wounds closed shut by it. Despite the pain I felt when shifting there is no damage at all, panting with relief I remain laying down on my stomach until I right myself and I am calm enough to actually get up.
Eventually as the light flooding into the tunnel takes on a darker shade of orange I sit up and stand up noticing the lack of soreness in my limbs and muscles. I get to work clearing the moss off the wall and while I do so I begin eating it. It has a horrendous and bitter taste but it's the only thing to eat to fill my empty stomach. Then I remember the pemmican that’s in my pack. I quickly look for it and I shove my hand in grabbing the patch and all but ripping it open I dump all of the fat meat and berries into my open maw. It barely touches my tongue so no flavor is tasted as it makes its way down to my stomach. Once licked thoroughly I drop the pouch down onto the ground and I realize that I am naked, my clothes having ripped after I shifted to my full bestial form
