The flipside of being a werewolf.

 

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The flipside of being a werewolf.

  It began some time ago when I started having these dreams about being in this box that I was gliding down a smooth wide trail. Strange enough but would stop to pick up two leg strangers and talk to them, after which apparently I would take them down the smooth trail and leave them somewhere else. Then one morning after the moon rose, I went to exit the den when I become aware that all my fur had disappeared, and my paws had turned into long skinny things with no claws.

“Gentle Warrior, what has happened to you? You’re now a funny two leg.” My mate Sunbeam asked. “You smell right, but you have lost your fur.”

“Not know,” I answered limited because my ears were paralysed.

“Well you can’t go outside looking like that; the pack will laugh at you, and there may be a challenge for leadership,” Sunbeam suggested, “You can put those fingers to good use and give me a scratch just behind my head.”

“How you know?” I asked puzzled.

“I have had some turns at two legs myself and have only spent these last few summers without changing. Come, I will lead you out to where I used to hide while in that form.” Sunbeam arose and trotted to the rear of the cave, “Reach into that gap, and you should feel a stick, pull on it, and we will find a hole.”

I did so, and the rock swung open to reveal a passage.

“Follow me,” She ordered.

 The passage led towards the light, stepping out there was a two leg’s house in an open area which I hadn’t seen before. The wind on my bare skin was a little cool as if my skin was slightly wet, strange. Entering the hut, Sunbeam said, “I used to leave my two-legs coverings and food here between episodes.”

 “Try this skin on; it’s called a dressing gown like a big rose petal, isn't it?” She said, “And it will keep you warm for now.”

I did my best to struggle with it, fitting my front legs down burrows as suggested was difficult until I got the knack of pointing my paws. Yes, it was much warmer keeping the breeze off my bare skin. One advantage was that standing balanced on my hind feet I had a better perspective seeing into the distance the other changes I noticed that the sky instead of being greeny-grey was a colour that I didn’t recognise, pleasant though. While Sunbeam eagerly sniffed the breeze, I am afraid that I couldn’t smell anything interesting.

“Ah yes, I fear that your nose won’t work as well until you become a wolf again,” Sunbeam advised, “Once you have the skill of walking on your back legs, you can cover long distances if not as fast. Should be about three suns like this at a guess we will have to wait and see," Sunbeam went on, "Because you will be at a disadvantage with food finding I will have to show you how to two-leg hunt."

I wasn't too keen on that idea as the few that I had seen 'hunting' it was a vast deal of noise, and their game seemed to be the worst tasting animals. Even our pack has been hunted yet all they took was the fur and left the rest for the vermin.

 Still, Sunbeam led me back into the hut, Indicating hard covered nooks and crannies, "Inside this sliding thing you will find a device called a can opener, pick it up and put it on the flat shelf. Next, reach into this nook, and you will find a hard tube called a can," She advised, "The one with the picture of meat on it should do. Put the can opener on the top edge of the can and grip the two halves until you hear a little pop." Once I had done that and heard this 'pop', "Okay now with the other hand turn the little lever on the side of the opener slowly, that's it, keep going until you complete the run around the top."

  I did this, an appetising smell came out of the can, and now I saw that there was some mushy meat, just like someone had regurgitated for a pup, after a hunt. "Am I to eat like a mewling pup?" I asked somewhat offended as I was the lead hunter and provided for the pack.

"You could go on a diet as you have put a little condition on lately," Sunbeam laughed. "But why don't you try it just be careful the edges are sharp, take a flat plate out of the cupboard and tip the can on it."

 I did this awkwardly, and there was the mush on the shell. I put my mouth down as normal to eat, but my nose was longer than my jaw, and all I managed to do was get a nose full of mush. I licked it off, but now my tongue was too short to do it properly, I was getting a little frustrated, especially as Sunbeam thought it was the biggest joke all year.

 "In the drawer that you found the opener you should find a spoon, it is a flat twig which you can pick up the food to put in your mouth," Sunbeam suggested. "Scoop the food up like we get ants out of a hole."

 I tried to pick up the described item and was pleasantly surprised that my strange paws were able to do. After a couple of awkward tries, my strange paws lifted a portion easily to my mouth. While nearly tasteless, it seemed to satisfy my hunger.  

 

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