Full Moon Preparations

It was nearly the first full moon since Rionriv had been transformed into a weretiger and, unsure whether the lycanthropy potion had worked or not, she had decided to lock herself away in Phyllis’ Mall Dimension for the night. The alternative solution, since an unrestricted rampage was unacceptable, had been to surrender herself to one of the academic holding cells, where she would have had to spend three days being bound in magically reinforced chains. And while Ishara had joked about whips and chains with a particularly lecherous look plainly plastering his face, Rionriv particularly enjoyed her freedom.

Sitting in the food court with Aesandoral and Sharzin, the three enjoyed a meal free of their more perverted companion. This was all for the better, in Rionriv’s opinion, as the closer she got to the lunar apex, the more she felt like tearing him apart for the way he looked at her. Or, at least, that was the best way she could explain the feeling. 

Every time the idea came to her mind, she gripped her chest to calm the racing heart that threatened to burst forth. Simply the thought of sinking her teeth into Ishara filled her with a primal joy, one that was more than simply a predator looking for its prey. The idea warmed her body, exciting her in unfamiliar ways, and filled her with a lustful hunger.

“Gah…” She huffed under her breath, the thought once again slipping to the forefront of her mind. “Idiot, boy.”

“You going to eat that?” Sharzin cut in, distracting her from the fantasy.

Small fingers reached over to the fries on Rionriv’s plate. With a slap of her hand, the agitated sorceress smacked the rogue’s greedy grip away.

“Yes! If you’re still hungry, go order some more.”

“But…”

Rionriv glanced over at Sharzin resting comfortably in the cushiony seat that was Sharmin. In just over a month, the bear had grown significantly. And while not quite doubling in mass, he was easily large enough for his master to now ride. Or, in this instance, cuddle for warmth in the cool mall.

The same could be said for Aesandoral’s dire wolves. Moose and Ruckus had also experienced a growth spurt, making it so that as they sat on the floor at the opposite end of the food court table, they easily rested their heads atop the surface. Their longing looks glanced up at their keeper as she licked her fingers of grease and wiped at her face with something Phyllis had called a ‘moist towellete.’

Rionriv eyed the puddle of drool that formed in the space between them before dripping off the table and pooling on the floor.

“Gross!” She grumbled, pointing towards the pair of animals. “Sister, your hounds are being disgusting.”

“Wha?” Aesandoral responded, oblivious to her pets. "What do you mean?

With a glance to the side, the archer realized that she had been under heavy scrutiny as she ate. Revealing a big smile, Aesandoral reached over and tussled each of their furry heads. As a result, tails began to smack excitedly against the nearby chairs, before Aesandoral delivered each of them a sauce-drenched bone left over from the rack of ribs she had consumed.

“Here you go, good boys.” She replied gleefully as the wolves snatched the object from her grasp.

Immediately, the beasts rested at her feet, crunching away at the treat as she continued to praise them. That was when Rionriv felt it. The swishing of a wolf's tail against her leg. It brushed against her bare skin and sent a frustrated chill up her spine. With a shudder, she gently kicked, and the rubbing stopped.

“Gah! Aes, control your hound. It’s rubbing its tail on me.”

“No, it isn’t.” She replied as her confused gaze met Rionriv's. “They’re facing away from you.”

The rubbing began again, sending another chill through Rionriv’s body as she quickly looked beneath the table. Seeing a blur for only a moment, she noticed a small creature had been running its body along her calves, but the minute her vision had focused on it, there was a puff of smoke, and it was gone.

Suddenly, a clatter atop the table drew her vision up. Looking at the source of the sound, she was met face to face with a jet-black feline no bigger than a large house cat. Its golden-orange eyes locked with hers as a pair of black tails stood erect, quivering excitedly.

“Meeeeoooowwww!” It yowled pleadingly at her face.

“Oh. My. Gods!” Aesandoral squealed. “Kitty!”

“No,” Rionriv replied simultaneously to the animal and her sister. “Ishara said no more pets.”

She sat up straight, looking down at the furball that now stood over her fries. With a swoosh of her hand, she attempted to shoo it away, but this only drew the cat in more as it stepped closer towards the sorceress. Then, with a gentle headbutt, the feline pressed the top of its head to her bust before beginning to purr loudly as its tails whipped from side to side.

“N-No,” Rionriv replied as it rubbed its head against her. "Iz said no."

“Merrr-ooowwww.” It vocalized, looking up into Rionriv’s sapphire eyes one more.

Then, with a sudden puff of black smoke, the feline disappeared. A moment later, Rionriv felt a weight in her lap as the cat reappeared, making itself comfortable against her.

“Ri!” Aesandoral gasped, seeing the animal disappear. “It’s a shadow panther kitten!”

“A what?”

“I learned about them last year. They’re stealth hunters. They travel in the shadows and usually hunt in pairs. This one must have sensed the feline traits in you and decided to choose you as its companion!”

“Jealous,” Sharzin remarked. "I want a shadow beast."

“Hey, you have a bear,” Rionriv remarked, looking down at the kitten, which now vibrated the tops of her thighs with its resonating purrs. “You have nothing to be jealous over.”

Hesitantly, she reached down to scratch under the cat's chin, to which it responded by rolling onto its back. With paws up, it kneaded small biscuits into the air while blinking slowly at Rionriv. Instantly, the sorcress felt her heart melt as she continued to rub at the kitten. The words of Ishara bounced around in her mind, but they quickly became overtaken by an urge to bite down on him.

“Well,” She muttered, taking hold of the cat and lifting it before her. “Ishara said you two couldn’t have any more pets. He never said anything about me. So, what should I name you?”

“Oooh, Sebastian!” Aesandoral cried out. “Or Lunis!”

“What? No, I hate those.” Rionriv thought for a moment as she examined the large, expressive eyes that reminded her of sparks from a flame. “What about Blitz?”

“Merr-ooowww!” The cat replied expressively, giving her a big blink. The deep purrs increased, yet again.

“D’awww,” Rionriv melted as she stared into the expressive gaze. “You’re so cute—”

“Damn cat, where are—oh, there you are, Rionriv.” Phyllis appeared, floating up to the triop on her rifle-cane.

“Hi, Phyllis.” The three girls replied.

“Hello, children, there’s a full moon arising. So, you should all get going. It’s about to get hairy up in this bish.”

The lich turned to Rionriv and gave her a curious look, shifting between the sorceress and kitten.

“As for you, put the pussy down. I’m locking you in a cage in the bathrooms—can’t have you spraying up the whole mall. The last thing I want is for it to smell like weretigress piss in here. That stench does NOT come out.”

“Phyllis!” Rionriv huffed. “That’s not funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to be! The last werehoe I had in here stunk up the place for nearly fifty years. So, off to the pisser for you!”

“That—GAH!” Rionriv doubled over.

“Ri!” Aesandoral and Sharzin both shouted before, with a snap of Phyllis’ bony fingers, both of them and their pets were gone.

Dropping Blitz, Rionriv watched the kitten disappear in a puff of smoke as she took hold of the table. With a firm grip of the reinforced surface, she could see her hands as they began to extend, growing massive claws and producing thick tufts of fur. The sound of bones cracking echoed in her ears, and the sensation of flesh splitting ached her body.

“Yeeeeaaaa—OOOOAAAAARRRR!” Her voice transformed midscream.

Recoiling her head back, Rionriv caught a distorted glimpse of her features in the reflective ceiling. A broad, powerful face looked back at her as orangish-red, black and neon-blue fur quickly revealed itself. Her sapphire blue eyes stared ahead, standing out even more so from her wild appearance, but remaining true to who she was. But by the time she had seen them, who she was had already begun to fade. All that was left was the animalistic hunger and a need to hunt. And there was only one person, above all else, that she desired to consume in that moment.

“No!” Phyllis shrieked as she floated out of range of Rionriv’s murderous paws. “No! Bad kitty. Into the piss cage! Get. In. Your. Piss cage!”

And those were the last words Rionriv remembered before the lycanthropy took her.