The Hunters

The Hunters


I looked across the field at my brother. He gave me that look. I nodded, and trotted to keep up with him, my long tail swishing through the grass.

I could feel the slight vibrations in the ground with my sensitive whiskers. It was a mouse, and the small creature was busily gnawing on a seed.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my brother's haunches twitch. In a blink, he was dashing through the grass towards the mouse. I sat on my haunches to watch. He didn't kill the mouse; that wasn't the point. He just wanted to practice his hunting technique. I was there to give him pointers.

I laid my ears back, and flicked my tail, telling him to "go lower, go slower". He did, and just then, the mouse caught his scent and bolted.

The chase was on! I sat calmly, washing my tail, while my brother ran about, first chasing, than cornering the little beast.

The mouse fled down the hole to its burrow, and my silly brother furiously dug at its hole, trying to get it to come out.

I laughed at him, then pounced, and bit his tail. He took a swipe at me, and we ended up in a ball of teeth and claws until the dawning rays of the sun fell upon us.

Abruptly, we broke apart and ran for cover, but it was too late. Just as we reached the trees of our front yard, the changes began.

I watched it happen to my brother first. His furry muzzle, whiskers and pointed ears melted into a smooth freckled face. His golden cat's eyes stayed the same, his ears and body (grew and) elongated; his soft paw pads became hands and feet. He stood, awkwardly and grabbed for the plastic bag containing his clothing.

As soon as I had human hands, I did the same, but this time something was different. Somehow, during Transition, my tail had stayed with me! So, there I was, a perfectly normal-looking fifteen year old boy, with a not-so-normal slender black tail. What's a boy to do? I couldn't go to school like this; I had gym first period! What would the other boys say if they found out? What if they told Mr. Nye, the gym teacher? What if they tried to take me to the doctor to get my tail "removed"?

My brother took one look at me, then pushed me (naked) out of the thicket and into full sunlight. I felt my tail shrink and be absorbed by my tailbone. Crises averted! We hurriedly dressed, and grabbed our backpacks; two normal teenagers with a not-so-normal secret on our way to school.