Monthly Drawing 35: Gone Fishin' 4/4 (Patreon)

“Nooooo!” Karen cried, her voice a cartoonish version of her own, “What have you done to me?”

LaTrans fixed her with a disbelieving look that had too much of a smirk for her taste. She stomped her tiny body and shook a clawed finger up at him.

“Turn me back right now!” She growled, “You had no right to do this to me!”

LaTrans watched her tirade with the same smirk on his lips. He closed his eyes, shook his head and laughed quietly.

“I have every right, my dear” he said “Just as much right as you had to pay me to change Ian.”

“You what?” came a small voice behind LaTrans. Karen’s eyes went wide as LaTrans stepped aside to reveal the new otteress Ian.

“Um…” Karen wrung her paws, “Look, Ian, I… we…”

Ian looked as if he were going to cry. Or kill her. She couldn’t tell which.

LaTrans stepped up and stood between them, palms out to stop them. 

“Ladies, Ladies” he said, his voice smooth, “Before this escalates, let’s think of your future.”

“Our future?” Ian looked up at LaTrans

“Yes, little one, your future. Both of your futures.” He folded his arms over his chest, “Do either of you know how to be animals and live in the woods?”

“No” said Ian, looking down

“Of course not, you a**hole!” Karen shrieked, “Why would we?”

“No reason, no reason,” He said calmly, “But, you should know. I mean you are animals now.”

“What if I pulled your contract?” Karen bleated hopefully, “Yeah! What if I had you change Ian back and we just went back to the way things were?”

“My dear, I’m sorry but, it doesn’t work like that,” LaTrans responded with another smirk,”You specified a duration of two years on the spell for Ian and it’s done. Your transformation is tied to his so, until his spell runs its course, you will also stay transformed.” He turned to look down at Ian and shrugged.

Karen was obviously winding up for another tirade when LaTrans stepped back and raised a silencing finger to both of them.

“Before we discus your future further, let me change into something more comfortable.”

With that he grabbed a fistful of his suit in each hand, one at his chest and one at his stomach, and pulled out like e was removing a tearaway suit. The clothes came away but, instantly, there was a thunderclap and LaTrans was obscured by a cloud of sage-smelling smoke.

Ian and Karen jumped back in fear and surprise. It was all the could do to not run away in panic. Before the cloud cleared, a figure stepped through the smoke. Where a tall, handsome Navajo man stood was now a humanoid coyote. He was shorter than he had been but, still much taller than the new animals. Except for his dusky tan fur, he was entirely naked and most emphatically male. 

“C-Coyote!” Stammered Karen

“But, of course, Karen” Coyote laughed at her, “Who wold you expect? Magic in this day and age, of course it would be Coyote!”

He spread his arms wide and looked magnificently into the heavens. He held the pose for just a little too long.

“Now, to business,” He clapped his paws together and there was a sort of tingle in the air, “First, you little otteress! Put your arms out in front of you. Good. Now palms up!”

Ian stood, her arms extended and looked up at Coyote. She felt she should be terrified but, she was awe of this creature and the power he had.

“Ready?” Coyote raised a hand-paw towards Ian, “Táá’! Naaki! T’ááłá’í!”

On the last word, he pointed his finger like a gun at Ian. There was another puff of sage smoke in her face that made her close her eyes and cough. Suddenly there was a weight in her arms. 

She blinked to clear her eyes and looked down. In her arms was a huge brook trout. But, instead of the standard browns and reds, this brookie was pink and magenta. Judging by its smell and feel, it was only recently dead. She looked questioningly up at Coyote.

“That, my dear, is your apple” When Ian looked confused, he sighed and continued, “Tree of knowledge? Adam and Eve? You must know your own mythology?”

“But, it’s a fish not-“ Ian began

“Hold it. Never mind,” Coyote sighed, “Just eat it. When you do, you’ll gain all of the knowledge about how to be an otter. Where to sleep, how to find food, how to avoid predators, how to talk to other otters. The whole ball of wax.”

“Why?” Ian asked, her voice full of concern.

“Why? You’d die without it?”

“No” Ian shook her head, “Why do it. I mean you changed us, why help us.”

Coyote regarded her for a moment and his golden eyes softened.

“Same answer, kid. I like a bit of fun but, I’m not evil. I-“

“Wat about me?” came an angry little voice from his right, “Where’s my fish?”

“I haven’t forgotten about you, little skunk” Coyote turned and looked down at Karen, “Put your arms out. No, not so wide. Nope, hands- er, paws right together. There we go. “Táá’. Naaki. T’ááłá’í.”

There was a puff of smoke in Karen’s eyes and she shut them and coughed. Suddenly, there was a weight in her hands. It was heavy but, it didn’t feel like a fish. It began to squirm and she snapped her eyes open and looked at what she held. 

“Eeeek!” she screamed and dropped the disgusting thing to the ground and stepped back.

Like the fish, it was hot pink and magenta but, that was the only similarity. It was long, squishy and undulating. There were random hairs along its body and on its six slowly twitching legs. Giant blind eyes looked at nothing as it squirmed ever-so-slowly. 

“W-w-what is that thing?” Karen squealed.

“Your apple, my dear!” Coyote looked as though he were going to burst into laughter.

“My what?” Karen goggled, “there’s no way I’m eating that! Why did he get a fish and I get that.. that… that thing?”

“Easy, my dear. Otters are fish-eating carnivores so, Ian gets a fish. Skunks are insectivores so, you get a beetle grub!”

“But, I can’t eat that…” Karen said, her voice quiet.

“If you don’t “ Coyote’s voice was surprisingly comforting, “You’ll be dead inside a week.”

Karen looked up at him, fear in her eyes. He bent down, his muzzle inches away from hers.

“I’d eat it if I were you.” He said. Then he stood up, and clapped his hands again and rubbed them together, “Well, that’s all I have time for! See you both in two years!”

He turned and began walking away. Karen ran a few steps after him.

“Wait!” She cried, “You can’t leave us!”

He stopped and looked back over his shoulder. 

“But, I can, little one, I can” 

He began walking again and suddenly just wasn’t there. 

There was no sound but the burble of water on stone and the hum of insects as Karen and Ian stood a few feet apart. They were on their own…