Subject to change Story update: 15/09/18 (Patreon)

“Nooo, stay here, Stay, fix, can’t fix there.” Blusters Megan,

“We can’t risk contamination, this proves it can spread, hell we’re proof enough! But this can spread to anything, not just people.”

“Affect, not srread, not go to other things, affect localised.” Megan ignoring her lisp tries anyway. “fffff, ffff, fuck it, in just gonna talk as normal as fossifle, I’n tired of avoiding rords.”

Sandy looks at Megan with a mix of amusement and pity, “Yeah i think it makes your harder to understand actually. You sound like someone who’s just learnt English 2 weeks ago.” She smiles.

“ny tongue is tho largeth, it flopth aroun’ thoo much.” Megan say’s try hard to move it normally. 

“You made a good point. It doesn’t spread beyond the directly affected area.” Sandy said pulling conversation back on track. “ok we stay for now but the second this shows signs of spreading to other things we have to act fast.” 

Megan’s ears rise up again relaxing, “haff an idea.”

“Oh?” say’s Sandy with genuine enthusiasm. Her friend seemingly returning to normal at least in mind.

“Ree could try, going out.” Megan looks outside.

“Erm, outside? Why?” Sandy said with suspicion 

“I really rrant to.” Megan said still looking outside.

“Is this Meg talking or the feral in you?” Sandy gets up and approaches Meg.

“yeeah a bit, but also we should get sone natural stuff to exerriant on, we need a control groof if we’re gonna do tests. Also ree don’t know for sure that this ron’t affect leaves and dirt and such.” Megan sniffs the air almost as if she can smell them already.

“Ok but I can do that, do you should stay here, remember what happened in the hedges earlier.” Besides the more we keep coming and going like this someone is bound to notice I’m keeping a fox in my friends apartment. It’s gonna raise questions.” Sandy said trying to put reason in her friends head.

Megan lowers her head looking ashamed. “I know but… flease, I’ll fehave, I need out. This flat is getting to me, the air, it’s stale and smells bad, smells of rong things. I haff soo much energy, I can’t sit still like this. Take me for a ralk.”

“Well…” sandy looks down at her friend. “It Is dark outside, we could but I’m gonna hide you in a bag. You’re small enough, but we still need to be careful, don’t let yourself slip away when I do let you out. I need you to be vigilant!

“Yes, yeah” Megan’s body language shifts in a heart beat “I careful, I go get leaves.” She violently wags her tail. 

Sandy looks on again hesitantly, She doesn’t know if this is just enthusiasm or if the fox is returning. She decides not to say anything; this is the first time in a while she’s seen her friend actually happy, She wouldn’t take that from her…yet. “Ok I’ll get us ready” she said.

Half an hour later Sandy is ready and holds open a large canvas bag. “In!” She gestures. Megan jumps in curling up with her head peaking out staring upwards at Sandy. “Just because you’re hidden doesn’t mean you’re invisible I need you to be quiet,”

“I quiet, I stay silent, Stay here.” Megan say’s nuzzling into her own legs.

“Good…” Sandy says eyeing her friend. Just a few minutes ago she was articulate even making intelligent suggestions now she seems to be regressing again. The walk is probably not a good idea she thinks again to herself. “lets be quick” sandy says under her breath.

The two once again leave the flat, two guys argue passionately over something in the hallway but Megan in her bag draws no stares. Sandy walks past. 

They make it to the car, Megan is placed in the passenger foot well and climbs up on to the seat. 

“Its probably safer for you down there Meg. You can’t wear the belt.” 

“I see outside.” Says Megan without further elaboration.

“You want to see outside?” prompts sandy.

Megan nods looking out the window.

“Listen Meg, I’m worried you’ve changed a lot again since you convinced me to take you out. You seem to be more feral in your speech.” 

“sorry I’n still here Sanny, the rorrds are hard on me, if I can I keef ith simfle.” Megan says defensively. 

“Ok im sorry too im just a bit skittish, I don’t want you to get worse again.” Says sandy looking away and starting the car.

“ith cool. I know I’ve feen more positive, I dunno naybe is the feral or not but I feels good now im out. The air…. Ith more than just smell, it feels nice. Feing outside feels right.”

“I understand, I think I feel it too, the flat feels a bit claustrophobic, sort of like a cage.” Sandy said looking worried. “ We will be heading back in later though’ so we’re gonna have to get used to it.”

Megan nods.

Sandy pulls up at a park a few minutes away, they both jump out, Megan stretching cracks her back, “do you snell that?” She says ears perked up. 

“Yes.” Sandy says reluctantly

The park was pitch black but the girl’s eyes pierced through it and saw the woods. They looked at each other. “Something’s in there” says Sandy. 

“ith male fox” say’s Megan.

“How can you tell?” Asks Sandy sniffing the air.

“I gueth you’re not quite there yet.” Say Megan, I think he’th looking for a mate.”

“How do you…?” asks Sandy again.

“Don’t ask,” says Megan looking visibly disgusted at herself. “We need to get out of here soon, he snell’s us, he comes.” 

Sandy pulls out a bag, and grabs handfuls of dirt, twigs, leaves and anything that’s close by. They keep clear of the woods at first but their need for material leads them into the first line of trees. Pinecones, bark, sticks, fur…

Sandy’s nostrils flare, the fur held a stench about it, at once both repugnant and intoxicating. She stuffed it in the bag moving on, ignoring her feelings. 

“I got more leafes.” Says Megan trotting up, looking at Sandy’s expression and spitting them out of her mouth. “You snell him?” 

Sandy wordlessly nodded, a look of disgust on her.

“Ith driving me crazy too. Ee need to get out of here, he’s close.” Said Megan her muzzle sniffing the air.

“Yeah…” Said Sandy, blocking her nose, she thought for a moment she had a cold when she felt it but it was obvious to her why it was moist, his presence was affecting more than just her hormones. “leth just go” said Sandy. She blinked “Leth… LETS” she corrected herself. 

Megan studied Sandy, on inspection she could see her friends puffed up lips and a pushed out nose. “Leafe now!” she yelped.

The girls ran out of the tree’s back onto the meadow, Megan looked back to make sure Sandy was ok and saw two sets of eyes shine behind her. She ignored him though much of her didn’t want to and belted for the car park and climbed in the car.

Megan looking out on to the meadow saw the pair of eyes drift back into the trees and out of sight.

“Fuck, Fuck, Fuck.” Said Sandy “I knew ith was a bad idea” lisped Sandy. She turned on the interior light and stared in the mirror.

The face staring back at her was her own but the smaller chin and the larger nose bridge made her look odd, human, barely if it wasn’t for her teeth. 

“I cant go out like thith.” Said Sandy panic in her eyes. How am I gonna go shopping? How can I even meeth people?”

“Ith hard to geth used to.” Megan looked on with concern. Ee geth home, resth start again tonorro. Sleef I think will helf.”

“I think im a little too terrified to thleep.” Said Sandy

The girls arrived home, the two guys in the corridor still there, still in too deep conversation to even notice a girl hiding her face with her hands. They slipped back inside.

Megan curled up on the couch having long since abandoned her bed to Sandy, without a further word Sandy went to bed, Megan heard sigh heavily in the room as the final word on yet another taxing day.

Megan see’s him behind her eyes, the glaring piercing stare from the trees, she feels warm and something deep within her stirs before she drifts off to sleep.

END DAY