rite of passage
by nightshade
Tobin moved through the forest. his medicine bag bumped gently against his thigh as he slipped through the undergrowth. the Ka bird gave its cry as he tightened his grip on the hilt of his hunting knife. his long tail flicked slightly, his nostrils flaring. he smelt water and found a pool. crouching by it, his large cat ears circled as he scooped up some water in his paw. the ripples reflected his image. he was 16 summers old now and his coat was fully marked with the spots of manhood. he had handsome features, and his muscles were strong and honed from aiding with the hunt since he was 5. he was clad only in a loincloth of the hide of the Toru beast. as was the tradition, at his side was his medicine bag, and a single knife forged of the metal of the skystone and handed down from the time of his grandfather. as he lapped the water from his palm, his thoughts moved back to the story told by the shaman of his clan...
long ago our people moved upon all fours and did not wear the skins of other beasts. we could not speak or think as we do now. our land was visited by a beast we had not seen before, who walked upon his hind feet. he had no fur upon his face and wore strange cloths. he called us himself 'man' and us 'leopards', but did not move to harm us, and food was plentiful so we let him be. then one night the skystone fell. its light changed us and the stranger. he became as us, but he left after three summers. we changed as well, we became as him and our thoughts became stronger. we adopted his ways and hunting has been good. we learned of the telling of tales and we grew strong in body and spirit.
a vine moved in the silence of the forest and Tobin froze. his claws slid from within his fingertips and he listened well for danger. he slowly moved his head and saw her. it was a female of the Cona clan, the spots of adulthood dark upon her coat. she wore cloths across her chest, and her breasts were large. at her side was a knife and only a small loincloth covered her thighs. they faced each other and he stood. he rowled a challenge and she hissed back. stepping aside he allowed her to drink at the pool. he said his name and she replied with hers, Kani. she was strongly built and her tail was long. he rumbled a purr deep in his chest and she flicked her tail and rowled. he moved closer and inhaled deeply. she hissed a warning and finished her drinking, she turned and with a leap, her long legs moving like water, she vanished into the forest. Tobin knew what he must do.
he followed Kani for many days. he hunted when he needed to and kept the best parts aside. finally he found her. she was sleeping in the crotch of a tree, and he left the offerings he had gathered just below it. he took his position in a tree nearby and waited. when she awoke she found the food, and smelt his mark upon the trunk. she ate thankfully and rowled her thanks. he did this for three days and finally he awoke in his perch to find her waiting at the base of his tree. he climbed down and she nuzzled him. he purred her name and she his. she brushed her body against his and his heart beat faster as he stroked her soft fur and long hair. they became one, hunting together and sharing the spoils. he learned that her tribe too had been changed by the skystone, and had seen many of the beasts called 'man' on the outskirts of the tribal lands.
they shared a sleeping place, their bodies pressed to each other, until one night a month later. he awoke in the middle of the night to find her not there. he sniffed the air and found a scent marking on the trunk leading down. his tail flicked as he inhaled deeply. Kani was in heat. after killing a small tree creature, he followed her, finding her scent on many trees. the closer he came the more his body was inflamed. he found her in a clearing. she was prowling in a circle and he could smell the strength of her scent. he leapt into the clearing and roared a challenge. she bared her fangs and roared back, her eyes afire. he tossed the creature to her as an offering. she took it and tore into its flesh, the hot blood flowing from her mouth as she feasted. they circled each other and he could see the flesh of the offering increasing the mating need with her. he pounced at her and she rolled aside. he tossed aside his knife and loincloth and gave the mating cry of his people. she mewled and shivered. she was ready and wished to be his mate, but he would have to win his prize, as was the way. he crouched and she hissed. her breasts were heaving and he could see the wetness of her need moisten the cloth between her thighs. he roared and leapt. she tried to evade him but he caught her tail within his grasp.
she struggled and screamed, but he pulled his way up her body. she rained blows upon his body but he ignored them and gripped her breasts. she moaned and her scent became feircer. he pulled away her loincloth and his manhood slid from his sheath, thick and hot. he gripped her nape with his fangs and thrust his hardness deep into her womanhood. she shuddered and gave a mewling gasp. she was his. he thrust deep many times and the clearing was full of her cries and yowls. she gripped the ground and wept as she screamed a cry of joy, her sex gripping his shaft and her wetness covering it. he snarled deeply and his movements became harder and faster. she tossed her hair and roared, her tail lashing the air as she was mated. she gave many loud cries of climax and his thrusts became all the mightier. she yowled and tore at the forest floor with her claws and at last he claimed her fully. he lifted his head with a roar of triumph as he poured his seed deep within her body. she joined his roar with hers and they shuddered and shook together. as they lay together, he licked softly at her neck and face, the lovers purring loudly.
she grew large with his cubs. he hunted for her as her stomach became fat. he nuzzled and purred, telling tales of his people to ease her fears as her time grew close. when it was time he stayed by her, aiding her to expell the cubs, lapping at her fur as she cleaned the tiny male and female. they returned to his clan, and were welcomed with open arms. their cubs grew strong and they had many more. life was good for Tobin, Kani and the clan.
the end
authors note-it occured to me that we had only seen the effects of the Change in the civilized places of the world. i thought it would be interesting to see how the animals of the wilds would adapt to their new forms, and the ways of the outside world.