Akin to Change

Written by Pyke Darkewoulfe

Michael was excited to be visiting the Slayde Ranch once more. He'd spent every summer with his aunt and uncle over the years, and this was the last time he'd get to see them before he relocated to a college dorm across the country.  It'd been two years since his last visit. A broken leg preempted the annual summer vacation for the first time in ten years. He loved his uncle's family and wondered how much they'd changed since his last visit.

His uncle Nick was a proud man who believed in hard work and earning your keep. He instilled the values of hard work and discipline into his children. His aunt Jenny wasn't much different, but boy could she cook up a feast! He witnessed why you don't mess with Aunt Jenny when her cousins sassed off. Nick and Jenny has three children: Jake, Laura, and Micah. Michael didn't necessarily get along with his cousins, but he didn't dislike them either. They came from different worlds, though he made the effort to get along. His extended family had moved from Tennessee ten years back when it was decided they wanted more out of life, to live life to its fullest in “God's country”, growing their own crops, raising their own livestock, and becoming self-sufficient off the land of their choosing. As for Michael, he'd just graduated from high school, using this vacation to recharge his batteries before he entered the real world.

The bumpy bus ride broke him out of silent reverie. He rubbed his forehead vigorously after bumping it against the window. Immediately, Michael found himself marveling at the impressive scenery. He certainly couldn't see  mountains framed on the horizon by the setting sun back in the city. The pastel colors, of pink and orange, seemed to bounce of the landscape and blanket it with dusk's first stars. It brought back memories of years past, making him homesick for this place even more. The mountainous outlines in the background seemed to fade into semi-transparency, while thee random shrub dotted the sand sporadically. It was quite beautiful; no, majestic was a better way to describe it.

Michael's admiration of the sun setting over the desert landscape continued until he noticed the bus slowing in no-man's-land. 'Why's the bus stopping here?' he thought to himself nervously, craning his neck to look around. He was the last passenger aboard. Had the bus broken down? Why were they stopping in the middle of the desert?

“Excuse me...” Michael started when the door opened with a squeeking grind.

“Last stop, kid.” the kid announced.

“What? No way! It's dark. And there's... nothing but sand out here. ” That's when he noticed the aged and weathered bus stop. “No. Oh nonono.. this can't be my stop. We're in the middle of nowhere.. I thought there'd at least be a real bus stop! And who knows what kind of wild animals are out there.”

“Kid, this's my last stop. Get off so I can go home.” the driver was in no mood to deal with some dumb kid, pinching the bridge of his nose and rubbing between his eyes.

Michael grabbed his backpack and his suitcase, reluctantly rising from his seat. He trudged to the front of the bus and gave the driver one last pleading look before stepping off. The bus pulled away, leaving Michael at the broken-down covered bench with one sad, flickering light bulb. He let go of his suitcase and carefully sat down on the creaky bench. He fished out his cellphone and sighed when there was no reception. Of course there wasn't. He was left to die in the middle of the dark, cold desert and no one in sight to meet him. His uncle was supposed to be there to pick him up. He dropped his phone when a distant howl ran a shiver up his spine. 'Oh god' he thought 'I'm gonna get eaten by wolves'.

It was cold. The temperature had dropped fifteen degrees in the past ten minutes. He'd forgotten how cold it got at night and as such hadn't packed for it. He rubbed his exposed arms, shivering. It had to be in the mid-to-high fifties. He pulled his legs close to him and curled them on the old wooden bench. Michael assumed they didn't bother to keep up with these out-of-the-way stops due to the low flow of traffic. He looked up at the see-through overhang, noticing the clear view of the stars. They were so bright and numerous. Of course there were just as many stars back home, but without all of the light pollution, it seemed there were millions more.

He was lost in finding the constellations. He had no idea how long he'd been searching when the glow of headlights bathed him in light. Michael jumped to his feet, recognizing his uncle's old Ford pick-up truck.    

The truck kicked up a lot of dust as it slid to a halt, squealing brakes reverberating in the open night.  It wasn't like his uncle to drive like that. As he squinted, Michael noticed it wasn't his uncle, but his cousin Jake. Jake was the one he got along with most out of the three, but that wasn't saying much. Last he remembered it was a cold relationship they shared. Jake was very much a farmhand like his dad and he frowned upon Michael's 'free ride' at the ranch with the lessened workload given his cousin. In fact, it wasn't that Michael was given less of a workload, he was always given a list of chores more appropriate to a slacker city boy.

Jake laid his arm on the on top of the truck door, with the window rolled down completely. He banged his fist on the outside of the door and called out. “C'mon city boy. Up n' at'em.”

Michael scowled in annoyance. The sand covered his displeasure- or so he thought.

“Quitcher sulking and getcher ass in gear!” his cousin shouted impatiently.

Michael looked surprised and jogged to the other side of the truck. He assumed that they were used to the sand in their face out this way and had adjusted to it. He sat his suitcase into the bed of the truck, which was filled with various car parts and loose tools. He got into the cab and buckled himself in.

“I thought Uncle Nick was supposed to pick me up. Like forty minutes ago.” he added with some bile.

“He got held up so'e asked me to pick ya up.” he spat a wad of whatever out his window, making Michael wrinkle his nose in disgust.

“I can't wait to get to the ranch and crash. I'm beat.”

Jake smirked, looking forward and shifted the gear knob of the truck, spinning the tires. “Oh we're not goin' home jus' yet, city boy.” he made sure to accentuate city boy, to remind him he wasn't welcome.

“Whoa, what?” Michael grabbed a hold of whatever he could to hold himself still as the truck span around and raced forward. “Where're we going??”

“It's a surprise.”

Nightime in the desert is like nighttime anywhere else in the world, just a lot colder. It was still dark and unfamiliar and his apparently wild cousin was taking him somewhere other than a cozy bed to sleep in. 'Please don't be cow-tipping' he thought.

The truck sped through the desert at dangerous speeds, all the while Michael was coughing up sand from his lungs and holding on to the truck for dear life. Jake enjoyed his cousin's reaction far too much, almost as if it was feeding his recklessness. “Jus' sit back and relax. Y'ain't been out this way'n two yars. I'm showin' ya the sights.”

Truth-be-told, if there were any sights, they wouldn't be worth looking at! It was wide open sand lot as far as the eye could see. Oh, maybe there was a cactus or a brush here and there, but nothing exciting. Another mountain. Just like every other mountain. The truck came to a stop rather abruptly and Michael was tugged by the seat belt and slammed against his seat.

Jake spat out the window again and said “Well, we're here.”  unbuckling and exiting the pick-up.
He watched his cousin walk off into the darkness. He was reluctant to follow, but he heard him shout to get his ass moving. Michael cautiously unbuckled. Looking around he wondered just where Jake was off to. He set foot in the sand and followed in the direction he thought he saw his cousin moving in. As he walked away from the pick-up, he could see a light in the distance, maybe a few hundred yards away.

Howls in the night air spooked him.  To think he was in the dark, without a light source, without any means of defense, following after his crazy cousin towards whatever was at that light. The further he neared the more audible heavy metal music became. And then there were people's voices. And the light became a bonfire raging twenty feet high. Jake had brought him to a party in the middle of the desert. Michael couldn't tell if his cousin was just being hospitable or if this was going to end badly. There were six others sitting, dancing, and generally making a ruckus around the blaze. They weren't all as muscular and built like a tank as Jake was, but they were each attractive in their own way. There were two other men and four women in attendance. Smooth features and tanned skin was the norm for this crowd.

Michael jumped when Jake surprised him by wrapping his arm around his cousin's shoulder. Placing two fingers to his mouth, he whistled and everyone looked their way. “This's my cousin, Michael. The city boy I told ya'll 'bout. Everyone treats him right or they get some teeth knocked in! Got that? Good! Now where's the booze?” And just like that, the partying began anew and Jake was somewhere else.

Michael took a seat on one of the logs that'd been placed a few feet away from the fire. The radiant heat felt nice in the cold night. He watched everyone hooting and hollering and rough-housing with each other. It was like being in high school, even though Jake was three years older than himself. He didn't have long before he was joined by another.

“So you're Jake's cousin, huh? I don't see the family resemblance.”

Michael wrinkled his nose at the reeking smell of alcohol that could have peeled paint off the wall. He smiled best he could while trying not to gag. If it weren't for the fact that she was stinking drunk, he would have found her really hot. Her body was flawless in the flickering light of the bonfire. She had long dirty blonde hair to her waist and youthful beauty to her lush, tanned skin. He could even make out her green eyes as she leaned in close, trying to kiss him. Michael squirmed and fidgeted trying not to be rude infront of his cousin's friends. Jake might beat the crap out of him if he did anything to embarrass him. He blushed bright red as he felt her perfectly-rounded, full-bodied, c-cup breasts squish against his body. He couldn't help but stare down her shirt as the opportunity arose.

His cousin's two male friends laughed and one shouted to Jake in an intoxicated stupor. “Hey, Jake! Your cousin's totally putting the moves on Hanna!”

To this, Michael quickly protested, shaking his open-palmed hands in front of him. “N-no! It's not like that! She-”

“HANNA!!” came the roarous anger of Jake before Michael could finish his pathetic protesting and Hanna pulled away pouting.

“You're no fun tonight.” she sulked in the cutest fashion she could muster.

The other girls just laughed as Jake scolded Hanna. The guys chuckled between themselves and punched each other playfully.
 
“Something funny?” Jake turned on them, sneering.

“Nah. We just-” one of the guys began.

“Yeah. I got it.”

“Hey, it's not like that. No direspect to you, Jake. You're still the main man 'round here. We all know that.” the tall blonde approached in an apologetic manner.

“Damn straight I am. An' nobody's gonna curl up with my girl near the fire 'cept me, got that?” Jake flashed a scowling glance at his cousin.

Michael nearly fell off the log as Jake looked way too intimidating in that moment. “I wasn't.. I didn't..” Michael stammered to say that he wasn't.

“Huh... and ah s'pose you weren't enjoying her breasts all over you either.”

Jake's other male friend, an average-sized brunette, leaned in close to Jake and whispered something.

Jake nodded, grinning from ear-to-ear. “Heh. Why'd ya think ah brought 'im out here?. He's too soft from city livin'.”

Michael was clueless as to what he meant and hoped that they weren't talking about ditching him in the desert. “I'll be in the truck. I've been here a whole hour and I'm already sick of this treatment. Yeah, I'm from the “big” city” he actually used air quotes “but that doesn't mean I can't do anything you can do better.”

Jake snerked. “Really college boy? Think ya can roll with the big dogs? Then prove it.” he tossed Michael a bottle of beer... and he failed to catch it like a klutz as the sound of shattering glass could be heard a few feet away.

Hanna giggled at his fumble. The others laughed at the epic miss.

“Hey, city. Try not dropping this one.” Jake threw another and Michael was much more precise in catch.

The last thing Michael remembered was getting into a pissing contest with his cousin. Literally getting into a pissing contest in the sand. One beer had become six as the night took its course. So Michael was a light-weight, but Jake succeeded in loosening the stick that'd gotten stuck up his cousin's ass.

He groaned as he came to in a comfortable bed, covered by a down comforter. His head was killing him and whomever was pounding and shouting to get his lazy ass up wasn't helping the matter. Every  sound throbbed painfully in his forehead. The sunlight was painful even with his eyes closed. He pulled the comforter over his face again and groaned more audibly.

Something cold touched his cheek and it startled him. He sat up, freaking out, and kicked the covers off. He thought it might be a scorpion or a snake, but it turned out to be neither. There was nothing visible in bed with him. As he looked at the uncovered bed with paranoid fright, he felt it slap against his chest. It was a chain clasped to a pendant  in the shape of some canine's head. 'What the hell?' he thought sluggishly, unable to process what it was around his neck or how it made it onto his person.

Michael squinted trying to make out what the pendant was, vision horribly blurred. He was seeing vague outlines and monochrome. He released the pendant, allowing it to smack his chest again, and he swayed to and fro a moment. He was fading back to unconsciousness while sitting up. His left eye fluttered, mostly closed as it was painful to open it more than a sliver. He swayed too far to one side, the narrowly-slitted eyes closing more, and gravity did the rest. With a mighty crash, Michael had fallen out of the four-foot elevated bed. That certainly woke him up.

Michael groaned, picking himself up weakly. The prior night's exhaustion would not soon be forgotten as Michael forced himself forward, shambled like a zombie out of his room. It was as he neared the bathroom that a shrill, girlish shriek cut through him.

“Momma! Momma! There's a nekkid stranger in tha house!” cried out his younger cousin Micah.

And it wasn't until that moment that Michael became aware of his nudity. He stood stark naked in the hallway of his uncle's ranch house, his fifteen year old cousin, Micah, standing ten feet down the corridor. He quickly covered himself as best he could with his hands, nervously frozen with fright. The sound of a herd of rhino crashing through the halls caught his attention as his aunt stormed into the other end of the hall. She was a brickhouse of a woman and strong as an ox. With a butcher's knife in hand, his aunt came prepared to cut the balls off whatever pervert had posed himself to her daughter. Michael freaked out and raised his hands in surrender.

“I'm no stranger! It's just me! Michael! I just.. uh.. I..” he had no faculty to muster an excuse for the awkward moment.

His aunt thundered towards him, the knife lowered, snatching him by the ear. “Good lord, boy! Learn some modesty! Yer not in tha big city anymore! An' ah don't need no flippered grand-children running around, so don't you even think about it!” It hadn't immediately hit his mind was she meant by that last comment . He was too busy trying to apologize. “Ya city kids and yer lack of modesty is almost as disgusting as yer lack'a moral fiber! No wonder yer folks always sencha out this way! We're the last hope fer a degenerate like yerself!”

“Ow! Ow! OW!!” he cried out as his aunt's hand pinched down with the force of an iron grip on his earlobe.

“Quitcher whinin'. We're jus' gonna see whatcher uncle has ta say about this!”

Michael's heart sank. His uncle was a brutish bear of a man and certainly no one to piss off with the little shit. This, however, goes far beyond anything to be considered “little”. He'd just been accused of sexually accosting his cousin, his uncle's youngest daughter! He was going to beat the ever-loving will out of him! Fear of being hospitalized from a physical bereavement made Michawl squirm and tug against the ungiving hold.

Angry fist pounded against a door, presumably where his uncle would be. Again, angry pounding after the door remained closed.

“Nicholas James Slayde! You open this door this very instant! Your nephew has something he needs to tell you!”

He did not like the tone of her voice when she accentuated 'nephew'. She continued pounding while holding him in place as they heard a shout return from inside the room.

“Hold yer damn horses, woman! I'm comin'!”

A large man, rising a good six-foot-seven, stood in the doorway. He was a balding man with a ring of white serving as a crown to frame the bald spot upon his head. Thick brows furrowed at the sight of the naked youth, crossing his arms with a gruff. The corner of his mouth formed into a scowl as he processed the possibilities of this situation. The giant of a man adorned himself in a plaid flannel shirt, overalls, and black work boots. Michael's uncle Nick could scare the shit out of the Brawny Man.

“Well? Ain'tcha gonna say nothin'? Yer nephew exposed himself to Micah and yer just standin' there like yer comtemplating tha meanin' of life!”

“That so, young man?”

Michael about pissed himself then and there as his bottom lip quivered. He was too frightened to even think of a simple 'no'.

“Getcher ass in there.” he motioned Michael in, closing the door after he and his uncle entered.

His uncle went over to a dresser and tossed Michael a pair of jeans. “Fer God's sake, boy, what the hell're you doin' walkin' 'round her buck naked when there's women present? Ain't yer parents taught you any decency?”

Michael was pulling the jeans up his legs by the time his uncle turned around, sitting down at the writing desk.

“S-sorry... I-it won't happen again. I swear!” That was all Michael could say for himself in lieu of having no recollection as to why he'd awoken naked.

“Now, son, yer parents sentcha here for some sort of vacation, but as I see it, yer 'bout ta enter tha real world and yer hardly prepared. Lord almight, you can't even dress yerself in the morning.” Michael kept silent and facing his uncle as he listened “This ain't no vacation this time. Yer an adult now and will be treated as such. Ya'll have chores like tha other young'ns and no more free ride while yer under my roof. Ya'll work yer ass off from mornin' till night till yer chores're completed. Ah ain't gonna pull what the wool over your eyes and sugarcoat it like yer parents have yer entire life: yer a damn slacker and yer slothful ways're gonna prevent ya from function' in tha real world.”

Michael gulped, sweating nervously. He was too frightened to even wipe it out of his eyes. He nodded to what his uncle had said, wondering whether to keep standing around half naked or ask to be excused.

“Y-yes, sir.”

“Ah'm doing this fer yer own good, boy. Jake will oversee yer daily duties and let me know if'n ya've slouched in yer responsibilities. An' ya better go'n apologize ta Micah for that lil peep show of yers. Now git outta my sight. Ah don' wanna see yer sinful hide loitering about.”

Attempting to recover from that most embarrassing family reunion, Michael wondered if this day could improve. Then came breakfast, which was more like a banquet for a small army rather than six people.  Unfortunately, it was the most awkward meal of his life as Micah couldn't bear to look at him, averting her eyes to her loaded plate; his uncle grumbling and glaring at the boy; his aunt excusing herself for reasons of not being able to eat at the same table as a loose-moraled pervert. The adult children, Jake and Laura (Laura who was a year older than Michael) sat there in bewilderment of the tension.

Chores came after breakfast, immediately after in Michael's case. A boy with such lack of character needed hard labor “to flush those demons outta him” as Uncle Nick was quoted as saying to his son. To say his first task was a shit job would have been an understatement as he was left to shovel out the horse stables under the supervision of Jake.

“Sounds like ya had a lil too much fun las' night, cousin.” he laughed, spitting out more of the juice built up from his chew.

Michael grumbled, shoveling another big heap into the wheel barrel. “If you'd just brought me here in the first place..” he thought he said under his breath.

“Ya enjoyed yerself and ya can't deny it. I saw the way ya made nice-nice with everybody. Even held yer liquor.. well... till ya passed out.” he laughed again. “Hanna's real sweet on you. An' she's ah nice girl. Newest member of our group, still goin' through her initiations.”

He scoffed. “She was drunk. And anyways, the way you acted you'd think she's your girlfriend.”

Jake hopped off the hay bail he'd been sitting on and strode over to wrap an arm around his cousin's shoulder. He looked into his face and chuckled. “Nah. She wishes.” he pulled the necklace out of Michael's shirt. “An' ah see yer wearin' her partin' gift.”

He smacked Jake's hand away and pushed him off. “Was wondering where that came from.”

Jake looked incredulous and somewhat annoyed to be brushed off like that when he was just being friendly. Well, not as friendly as he wanted it to appear, since he was teasing Michael. “Ya'll know it or not, ya've been initiated into our lil group. Onna probation'ry notice.”

“Yeah. Great. Whatever.” he quipped rather nonchalantly as he slaved away.

Jake just laughed at the impetuous detachment to the seriousness of the situation. “Yer so clueless. Ya jus' don' get it, d'ya?” he prodded Michael's chest, specifically over the pendant, making it tap against his chest. “Ya think ya know us all here, but a lot changes in two years, city boy.” And he hopped back onto his hay bail.

Michael just rolled his eyes as he scraped the shovel along the ground with a clang. His anger was getting the better of him, knowing he couldn't lose his cool. Trying to keep it in check was proving difficult with his cousin egging him on.

“Better watch yer step 'round here. After this morning, I'm the only thing standing between you an' mah parents. Ya may step inta somethin'... unpleasant.”

“I bet this was your idea, wasn't it? Had to see me totally humiliated one last time? You're a prick, Jake. But, that was the point of bringing me to the middle of nowhere with your hippie friends and getting plastered.”

Jake fell backyards on the bail, clutching his chest and laughing heartily. He found the accusation far too amusing. Just when there seemed to be a flicker of hope that his dense cousin might have caught on, he swings and miss. There was a point to bringing Michael out to the desert last night, but it hadn't been to humiliate him in front of his family. What happened earlier in the day was the result of Michael's own poor judgment.

“I take that assa yes.”

Jake held up a finger to motion him to be silent as he wasn't done laughing yet. After a few more minutes enduring his mocking laughter, Michael threw down the shovel in anger. Jake propped himself up on an elbow and wiped the tears from his eyes, still chuckling as it worked out of his system. “I didn't force ya to keep drinkin'. Ya coulda pussed out anytime ya wanted. I didn't force ya to strip nekkid and brag about that puny theng ya call a dick. The pissing contest was my idea, though. An' I won.” he grinned, groping his crotch.

“What the hell's wrong with you hicks?! You all keep saying city boy this and city boy that, but what about you damn hicks living in the middle of a godforsaken desert?! Oh yes, it makes you so much better to be “close to the land”” he obnoxiously air quoted in total disgust “Guess that means a city boy like me's too stupid to know how to shovel horse shit!”

The smile ran dry from Jake's expression, becoming somewhat stoic and bordering on annoyance. He didn't just casually slide of the bale this time, no Jake clearly leapt off the bale, propelling himself forward with his arms. The muscles flexed and pulsed as he cracked his knuckles and neck, showing off in a bid to intimidate his younger cousin.

Michael backed up nervously, slipping backwards in a steaming pile he'd yet to scoop up and fell onto his ass in disgrace. He stared up at the six-foot-three monster of muscle towering over him. The tension kept Michael's mouth shut. Jake just stood there sneering, until he broke into laughter.  
“Heeeey. Good timin', Paul.” Jake looked past his cousin.

A hand offering Michael a step up belonged to the tall blonde guy from the bonfire. A kind smile greeted the youth on the stable floor. “Come on. I don't bite. Unless that's your thing.”

He smiled as Michael accepted the hand up, unexpectedly pulling him close to his body. Michael jumped into Jake's friend when a hand rested on his soft butt.

“H-hey now! That's not funny!” he pulled away, defensively balling his fists.

Paul winked playfully before turning his attention to Jake. “So yeah, got the stuff you wanted for tonight.”

“Nice!”

Michael glanced quizzically between the two. “What stuff?” the tone was suspicious.

Paul turned his attention back to Michael. He gave Jake's cousin a good view of himself purposefully. Black-framed Oakley sunglasses with rainbow-tint lenses rested above his forehead in his short, spiked blonde hair. The lithe tone of his tall body was shown off with the clothing he chose, a black tanktop and knee-length jean shorts. Seemed Paul liked to keep his appearance casual finishing off his wardrobe with sandals.

“Only the very best.” he teased, leaving it at that. “But it's members-only.”

Paul's eyes narrowed and a smirk grew across his face as he spied the pendant around Michael's neck, turning his head slightly towards Jake for affirmation. Jake nodded ever-so-slightly and Paul enthusiastically hugged Michael. 'He's stronger than he looks.' Michael thought, gasping for air.

“You'll be at the bonfire tonight?” he held Michael's right hand in both of his a moment before letting them slide away.

Michael furrowed his brow and emphatically shook his head 'no'. “I'm in enough trouble because of last night.”

“Aaaaaaw! C'mon! You gotta come. We'll all be there.” Smiling wryly he added “Hanna's been talking about you all day.”

Michael rudely ignored him and picked up the shovel. “You're going to get me into trouble. Now, if you don't mind, I've got stuff to do.”

Jake patted his cousin on the shoulder, while motioning for Paul to follow.

“Where're you going?! I knew it! You are trying to get me in deeper trouble!”

“We've got plans. An' ya hafta to lighten up, city boy.”

Paul blew him a kiss and waved behind his back, the two leaving Michael alone in the stables. Michael stabbed the stable floor with his shovel, flustered by his cousin's flippant attitude.
The day continued on like that. Jake was his warden during his stay. He checked in sporadically, making sure the “city boy” didn't stray from his chores. It was exhausting for Michael, but that was the point, the day's realization sinking in. They thought he was soft so they were preparing him to face the real world... in their own strange fashion.

Cleaning the stables would've taken his cousins a few hours at most, while Michael wouldn't finish until late afternoon. He was filthy and smelled of horse manure. All he wanted to do was shower, then crash in his bed. He wasn't sure if he could make it to the shower, no less his bed, slamming the door  to his uncle's ranch house behind himself.

“I'm done.” he called out, staggering as he nearly fell over.

“Yer lucky ma didn't cutcher balls off.” the voice of his cousin catching him off guard.

Michael looked around, finally seeing Laura standing in the doorway that bridged the living room with the dining room.

“What kinda damn fool walks 'round nekkid in a home that's not even his? Oh yeah, pa's real pissed that it took ya'll all day to clean out the stables. So, I'd stop makin' noise. In fact, why dontcha jus' go back home? I'm glad pa's workin' ya hard after all them years we busted our asses while ya jus' lounged about playing with yer damn toys.”

“What? Not gonna call me city boy, too? Everyone else seems to. And I don't giva a damn what you or anyone else here thinks of me. I've been here a whole day and everyone's treating me like shit.”

“Why wouldn't ah? Ya shore anough smell like ah horse's rear end.”

“Whatever.” he rolled his eyes, trying his damndest to hold his tongue further.

It was dawning on him that Laura was blocking the way through the rest of the house. He was in no mood to mess around, feeling like he could drop any moment. “Mind getting out of my way? I'd like to shower then get some sleep.”

“Yeh, ah do mind. Ah mind ya bein' here. An' ah have a big problem with ya flashin' mah sister.”

“That was an accident! Can't you damn hicks get that through your thick skulls or has the heat friend your brains?”

“Oh! Hi pa!” she exclaimed happily, causing Michael to practically jump out of his skin.

His uncle was nowhere to be seen and by the time he realized the ruse, Laura's fist contacted with his abdomen. “Urhk!” Michael coughed, falling to his knees.

“Nex' time ya evah show yer dick to mah sister ah'll castratcha like one o' our geldings.”      

Later that evening, he was preparing to sleep the sleep of the dead. He'd opted out of dinner. No point in sitting through another awkward meal with the family. He set the necklace on the end table next to his bed and laid upon his back on top of the comforter. Every muscle ached. Even the muscles he didn't know he had ached from lack of use. He didn't have the energy to whine and moan about being so sore, nor had he ever been so grateful to be clean.

In the distance, he could hear the howling of desert dogs and somehow, it was relaxing. Michael lost himself in their melodies and after a while he could swear they were practically outside his window.  As oddly soothing as the sounds of howling dogs was, he couldn't sleep. His body hurt too much to keep his eyes closed. Michael, looking at his phone, saw that it was currently 2:39 in the morning. Sleeping wasn't happening and the following day was going to kick his ass if he stayed awake any longer.

Michael jumped when his door opened seemingly by itself. In stepped Jake, sneaking about.

“What're you doing here?” Michael whispered.

“Oh!” Jake whispers in reply, surprised that his cousin was not asleep. “An' I had a bucket of cold water I wanted to wake ya up with.”

As eerie as it was, Michael could make out that mischievous grin. Michael doubted there was a bucket until he heard the telltale thunk of a full bucket sloshing water, being set on the floor.

“Ya did good today. So as yer reward we're sneakin' out. C'mon.” Jake had pulled a one-eighty from harsh taskmaster to party animal. “Ya comin'? Or'm I draggin' yer sorry ass out tha winda?”

Michael's eyes widened, actually believing that his cousin would drag him kicking and screaming out that window. “Fine. Whatever. Can't sleep anyways.”

They snuck out of the window and Michael was led to the pick-up. Whereas Michael was cautious and quiet, Jake was the opposite now that they were outdoors, going as far as to slam the driver's-side door.

“We're gonna get busted.” Michael was close to freaking out.

“Nah. They'll be sound asleep all night.” Jake replied with a toothy grin as he sped out into the desert. Thirty or so minutes later, they were at the same site as last night. There was the light in the distance and as they got closer, the music could be heard.

“Hey hey!” Paul, and the other guy from the previous night, greeted Jake with fist-bumps and pat-hugs. The girls were all dancing and laughing like the night before. “We got more than enough of the good shit tonight, Jake.” Paul informed.

“Oh yeah? Awesome. Mah cousin here needs to unwind.” he stated, smirking. “Paul's the man when it comes to putting a righteous party together.” He then looked at the other, straining to think of something else “Aaaaan'... Roger's... well at least yer here.” Jake patted the six-one, blue-eyed, blonde-haired Paul slipping some peyote to his friend “Make sure to mix it well in his drink. We're having some fun tonight.” Jake grinned even wider, assured that Michael couldn't hear there private conversation.

Michael had a seat on the same log as the night before. He was suspicious of Jake's intentions, but he'd been shanghaied so he had to make the best of it. The same girl from the night before, Hanna, wasting no time, sat beside him and smiled, offering him an opened bottle of beer.

“Thought you looked thirsty.”

“Hanna, right?” he blushed some, taking the bottle without hesitation.

“Sorry about last night. We can go into excess at these parties. Work hard, party harder.” her sweet smile was seducing. Michael was immediately entranced by her beauty. Now that she wasn't as intoxicated, she was actually quite hot, in his honest opinion. He didn't even realize he was drinking, not merely sipping the beer, actually chugging it as he noticed that when she leaned in he could see her pert cleavage.

Odd. The beer tasted different. He smacked his lips, moving his tongue around inside his mouth, trying to figure out what made it taste that way. Hanna wasn't about to let him spoil her night, distracting him from his drink.

“Enjoying the view?” she smirked, calling him out on the staring.
 
Michael choked on his last gulp and pounded his chest to swallow it all down. “I.. uh! I.. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!” he tried to apologize profusely, but was hushed with Hanna's index finger to his lips.

“Of course you meant to look.” Hanna scooted closer to him, sliding her hand over his thigh until she found what she was looking for.

“Uhm!” Michael bit his bottom lip as she stroked over his hard penis through his jeans. His hand hesitated to reach for hers, unable to remove it from his body. It felt so good to have her doing that. He was too embarrassed to stop her. Michael was a virgin and maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't be at this rate.

She leaned in and laid her head on his shoulder, giving him a prime view of what she had to offer. His hand, the hesitant one, was grasped and brought to her lap with a naughty grin. Michael looked around nervously, but no one seemed to even be paying attention to the pair.

“But... what if someone sees us?”

“So what if they do? Let 'em watch. We'll put on one hell of a show for them.” Hanna kissed him on the nape of his neck, which quickly became suckling on his flesh. He'd have a hickey, in the morning, for sure!

Michael moaned, a little too loudly, but he didn't care. Unaware of their intentions, his heightened arousal was speeding the circulation of the drug-laced alcohol throughout his system. Hanna noticed the absence of the pendant and a wry smirk developed. This was definitely going to be fun.
 
The button to his fly popped open and her hand slipped into his jeans. Michael gasped, bracing himself on his arms, leaning back with a glazing expression of lust. His lips parted as he panted softly. She was good. She was really good. He didn't even feel her tugging at the waistband of his underwear but there it was: her hand was firmly wrapped around his penis, stroking it up and down. Hanna smiled in response, nipping at his chin with sharper teeth than she'd had a moment before. Her lips trailed up his chin until they were matched with his. Hanna nipped and suckled upon Michael's lower lip while arousing his sexual needs.

Sure, he'd masturbated. What guy didn't? But this was a whole other level of pleasure! Her silky soft hand was gliding easily up and down his throbbing shaft with the ample amounts of pre he was already producing. Running her thumb over the swelling head of his penis made him ink deeper into erotic pleasure and her control. She had him dead to right to do with him anything her heart desired. Michael was forgetting about what an ass his cousin had been as she masterfully coaxed his penis to stiffen and engorge with blood.

Michael gripped the log tighter as he felt himself edging closer to orgasm. Something about her grip felt different. Her hand felt softer than a moment ago and amazing on his body. She stroked over his right ear, Hanna's index finger lengthening. Her fingernail darkened and pushed forward into the beginning of a claw. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced as he was pulled into the most passionate, heat-filled kiss of his young life. Her tongue slid into his mouth and lengthened, pushing to the back of his throat. Michael's eyes rolled back into his head as he moaned out in unbelievable ecstasy. His breathing escalated and soon he was panting through his nose. Their lips stuck together so tightly that he never imagined it could ever feel this good.

Without warning, Michael felt a pair of hands at his shoulders, massaging deep into the sore muscle with strong hands. Michael tried to look to see who it was, parting the kiss ever so slightly to the side, revealing Hanna's discolored tongue wriggling inside his mouth. Michael wouldn't know who it was giving him such a soothing shoulder rub as his head was pulled back into the kiss. His eyes closed fully he sank into bliss. Her fingers... felt... longer somehow. And something sharp felt like it was grazing his penis. The claws growing on her pseudo-paws were indeed stimulating his interest in their coupling.

Hanna wasn't done pleasuring him yet. Not by a long shot. Lips parted, a string of saliva connecting from his lips to hers drew ever longer as her  discolored brown tongue withdrew from his mouth. Several inches later the kiss had officially been broken, only to have whomever was massaging his shoulders tilt his head and engage in the lip-lock. As Hanna kissed down the nape of his neck, she smiled up at Paul, who was eagerly pleasing their man.

Paul's wonderfully-strong hands continued massaging Michael's shoulders, both keeping him in place and in a state of comfortable arousal. Hanna's sharper teeth alternated between which nipple she teased.  Michael was proving to be such a fun playmate at their bonfire celebrations. Her elongated tongue glides eagerly over his sensitive nipples, coating them with a thin layer of warm saliva. And even as she kissed down his chest, her tongue dragged a trail of wetness down his body.

Hanna's hand had moved lower from his penis to cup his squishy balls, rolling them contently offering them a teasing tug while her lips kissed at the base of his throbbing penis. Michael opened his eyes to see Paul, not Hanna, giving him the best kiss of his life. Though Hanna made better use of her tongue, Paul finessed his lips in a way he'd never experienced, making his entire mouth tingle excitedly. Of course, that could have just been the peyote kicking in. His hands slipped down Michael's backside, thumbs digging into the tension of his shoulder blades. It drove him wild feeling the stiff muscles loosening.

Paul released Michael's body as his hands slipped to the waistband of his shorts. Thumbs tucking into the stretchy waistband tugged, revealing that he was a free-baller. Paul tucked the waistband of his cargo shorts beneath his testicles, letting his hard shaft slap against Michael's backside, blotting him with droplets of musky precum.
In no time at all, Michael was moaning as those hands were working out the kinks in his tense body. He nearly fell off the leg, and he would have if not for Paul supporting his weight, as Hanna slipped her lips over the length of his dick. Mouthing her way to the tip, savoring the pulsating twitches, she kissed the tip, smacking her lips as the tangy taste of Michael's precum was like candy to her ravenous lusts.
Michael's length disappeared into the depths of her mouth, Hanna taking every inch easily. Her eager mouth accommodated his seven inches with ease, tempting her plaything by pushing his penis past the squeezing ring of her throat.   

Michael's body couldn't hold out further if he tried. His body seized up in that moment of intense sensual delight, balls aching, pumping the churning discharge swiftly into the waiting mouth. And it was from that point that each moment felt like it was blurring together.  

The others laughed as Michael moaned and spasmed in the cold desert night. Hanna, thoroughly satisfied she'd milked him, eased off his aching penis in time for a another orgasm to blast strings of  cum across her lips. A claw was brought to her lips, licking the sticky mess from her forming paw. Her grin stretched wide as her face pushed outward slightly. Her petite nose had discolored to a greyish-black and flattened to her face. Her upper lip formed a slight cleft as her jaw stretched, protruding forward. Nose and jaw merged into a blurry haze of canid muzzle as Michael's mind time-lapsed the events transpiring before him. What seemed like seconds to him was actually taking minutes to occur.

It felt like he was falling over, when in fact, Paul was easing him forward, grinning as he pulled down Michael's jeans below that sweet ass. He rubbed Michael's backside while stroking his dick against those creamy-colored ass cheeks. Michael couldn't tell what was moving his head as Hanna lifted his chin to her nude body. His head was lined up with her vagina, giggling as she wanted her plaything to return the favor. She traced a claw across his lips, smearing some of his salty cum on his skin. It was enough to cause him to open his mouth and lick his lips and that's when her hands yanked him forward, plunging his mouth against her swollen pussy. Hanna ground her hips into his face, moaning quite amorously, Michael's tongue delving into her folds. His teeth would accidentally catch against her clit, sending shivers arcing her spine. She traced her fingers over his cheeks once he was in position, trailing them over his ears and combing them through his hair. Her moans were escalating into screams of gutteral passion as her hips bucked and thrust against his vigorous efforts.

“That's... nnnngh... .right...” she hissed through gritted teeth “good..... oooooooooh.... boy...” she smiled, running her hands through his hair, gripping it between her fingers. The lews slurping emanating from her beau of the night caused her to pant excitedly, tongue lolling completely from her mouth.

Michael gazed upward, attracted by the noises coming from her, and it was obvious how glassy-eyed he'd become. He certainly appeared to be high. Disabling his inhibitions could only help him cope later on, but for now, he was engrossed in lapping the juices that dribbled steadily from Hanna's puffy cunt.

Hanna drifted her thickening pawpads over his cheek and Michael leaned into the soft cushiony pillows forming on the palms of her paws. His mind was too deluded to think twice about what he was seeing. The question to be asked was any of this real or was all of what he was seeing happen to Hanna's body a hallucination. All of it felt intensely real. Her nude body pushed away from his, smiling at the sight of his wet face dripping with her scent. Hanna turned around, showcasing her toned ass and lowered herself to the sand. She was  propped on all fours, moaning, sliding two fingers over her swollen vagina. She rubbed the wetness into her fingers as they plunged into her sex, thrusting wildly in and out tauntingly for her beau's viewing pleasure. Her back arched and a loud howl of pain erupted as the vertebrae in her spine popped loudly into their new alignment. Hanna's knees popped in a sickingly crunchy sound as they reversed position and she was locked into her quadrepedal stance. Sand-colored fur was growing all over her body. Where there had been hands now rested paws on the ground and the next thing he knew there was a female coyote panting, long tongue lolling from its muzzle as the canid lowered itself onto her front quarters and hiking its butt in the air.

Michael didn't remember being naked but he was and those hands that'd been carressing his shoulders were now all over his chest, stroking over his pectorals and flicking at his nipples. A weight on his back  and a seductive voice whispering, urging him, tempting him to do it. He couldn't think of what “it” was, but he liked what the voice was telling him in such a soothing, baiting tone.

Hanna wasn't there. 'Oh wait' his addled mind rationalized that she was carressing and loving on him, when in reality it was Paul behind him, kissing the back of his neck, nuzzling into the flesh and rubbing his chest. Hot breath exhaled sharply as his arousal was getting the best of him. Something was entering him, so large and thick, alerting his body that he needed immediate release. The whispers urged him to take his female, as Michael himself was taken so delicately, lovingly.

Michael had no recollection of what he had his penis inserted in, until he opened his eyes again, holding his arms around the torso of the female coyote that was Hanna, pumping his hips into her body at an animalistic pace. His moans were matched by the volume of her howls. He held her tightly to his body, partially lifting her off the ground as he sated his need for sexual gratification. It was only then Michael realized he was sandwiched between two furry bodies and one of them was inserting himself into his body in similar fashion he was taking the coyote beneath him. No matter. His haze allowed it to continue if it meant he got to feel this good all night.

Michael found himself in the barn with Hanna. They'd wrapped themselves in a blanket on a scattered bale of hay. The smell of horse hit his nostrils and he was brought to. He was naked again. And he felt sore, but not in the same way that he worked himself to the bone the day before. His penis felt raw and his balls, oh how they ached from... it felt like from being slapped or pounded against. Even that didn't matter when he realized he was lying naked in the horse barn with the hottest woman he'd laid eyes on in some time. She was still asleep next to him, arms folded around his stomach.

His hair was a mess and had sand in it. That wasn't the only part of him that had sand in it. How the hell did he get sand in his... what exactly happened last night? He clutched his head and groaned in pain as he tried to recall the night. It felt like he had a migraine or a hangover.

“'Bout time ya got up.”

He looked up to see Jake sitting on another bail of hay stacked higher than he and Hanna. Jake clapped his hands together in a congratulatory manner on his cousin's conquest. “Ya can party with us anytime, Michael. Ya were wild last night. I'm sure Hanna would agree.” he threw down Michael's clothes nearby. “Ya forgot those. Again. Now, ah've gone an' covered fer yer ass t'day, but you better get dressed n' movin' b'fore pops finds ya shackin' up with the town slut.”

There was something unsettling about the way Jake grinned at him. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Like a cat grinning at the mouse. It was just creepy, but at the same time the guy who'd been acting like a total creep was... being nice to him. So he could let it go as something he was just imagining.

“Thanks, man, but what about her?”

“Don't worry. I'll get her home safely.” he even seemed.. happy as he smiled brightly that time. “Now git. Shoo. B'fore I hafta tell anyone where ya been all day.”

Michael jupmed to his feet and scrambled to put his underwear on. “What time is it?”

“Ooooooh. Two-thirty in the afternoon.” he laughed. “Yer such a sound sleeper when yer all liquored up and findja a good fuck.”

Michael chuckled and shook his head, hopping along as he worked his legs through the pants holes. Once he was gone, Jake hopped off the bale and knelt down by Hanna, grinning from ear-to-ear. “Seems he likes to live dangerously.”

She smiled and opened her eyes. “New moon's in three days. Should be really fun to see what happens.”

“Heh, yeah. Idiot shoulda kept that damn trinket on. Woulda protected his ass from what's comin'.” he paused, laughing “But then what would Coyote do for fun?”

Michael had an appetite that could have killed an elephant. He was scarfing everything in sight and going back for more. He was starting to feel at ease on the ranch and bygones were bygones as he busted ass in his duties. Michael was so energized. Whatever happened last night had been exactly what he needed. There wasn't a moment of grumbling to Jake. Well, not too much anyways. He attacked his chores, shoveling out the barn in record time and weeding the crops without much effort. The grunt jobs that Jake didn't have to do for a few days. Michael found himself thinking about Hanna incessantly. He wanted to visit the bonfire again. But he'd have to be patient.

His uncle, in tow with Jake, approached Michael while he busied chopping stumps into kindling. “Boy howdy! See what hard work gits ya boy? Ah haven't seen this much a'change in one young'n in some time.”

The head of the ax rested upon the ground and fell onto its side when Michael pulled out his sweat rag, wiping down his face.

“Must be tha change in envir'nment.” Jake added, smiling toothily.

“I don't know either, but I feel amazing, like I could keep doing this all day long. I have enough energy to keep doing all my chores in record time I think.” he shielded his eyes and looked up at the position of the afternoon sun.

“Ya look mighty thirsteh. Why dontcha come inside and sit a spell. Ya've earned a cold drink.”

Michael beamed with pride to get accolades from his uncle, as that large hand patted him heartily on the back, knocking the wind out of him.

“I will Uncle Nick, after I've finished up here.”
“Well, alright! Let me know if'n ya need to rest. No sense'n collapsin' in this heat.”

“Will do.” he smiled, lifting the ax once more.

Jake held back as his father went on. “Ah'll catch up inna moment, pa.”

That toothy grin greeted Michael as he rounded about in front of his cousin. “See? This place ain't so bad. Once ya've found a good reason to stick around.” Oh how he loved being in the know, having all of the juicy gossip, and able to dangle it over his cousin's head without him realizing what the heck he's really going on about.

“Hmph.” he grunted as he lodged the ax into the stump.

“Admit it. Ya've got the hots fer Hanna after only seein' her twice now.”

Michael flushed red in his cheeks, not wanting to discuss the matter with his older cousin. Jake lightly punched him in the shoulder, chuckling. “Damn it all if'n it's not true! Ya've done fallen fer that lil spitfire.”

Jake, having said what he wanted to say, strode gleefully back to the direction his father had gone. “An'
jus' so ya know, yer alright in mah book.”     

Michael laid in bed waiting for Jake to sneak into his room again, but it never happened. He laid there, sulking at the missed opportunity to see Hanna again, even if she was as Jake claimed. She was sweet and bubbly and made him feel more alive than ever.  Oh how he lusted to be in her embrace again. Just thinking about her made him hot. Oh how he felt so hot all over, like he'd become feverish. He found some relief in the sounds of the night, particularly the howling that seemed to be right outside, as if one of those desert dogs was calling for him.

His clothes were constraining and making the heat worse. Michael sat up and lifted the shirt above his stomach. He gasped as the fabric had snagged on something that shot impulses through his spine. He quickly turned on the lamp and leapt against the wall at what he saw adorning his abdomen was impossible. Two nubs stared back at him. They looked like bug bites but more profound than that. As he pulled the shirt higher he bit his lower lip to keep from moaning as the fabric clung to each new set of nipples beneath his originals. Three extra sets of two lined up in a uniform manner leading from his chest to his abdomen. Eight in all. His horror was nothing compared to the heat enveloping his body, though. As he didn't have long to dwell on the whys and hows of being a freak of nature, he ripped open the fly to his jeans snapping off the button in the process. He kicked off the constricting jeans one leg at a time, flopping his appendages to remove them as if a snake were coiling around his body.

Dear god he was horny! His underwear tented so much that it physically hurt to have them pinning  his penis to his body. A large wet spot had stained the center of his tidy whities with several smaller splotches. He squirmed his way out of them and stared in absolute horror at the sight on his crotch. His penis... wasn't... his penis! At least not the one he had last night! It looked similar to his, with a slightly tapered mushroom head, but that was about all. It had lengthened a good three inches at least and was indeed pinned to his body by a fold of... it looked like hair.. no fur! Fur of a golden, even dusty color. It enveloped the base of his shaft entirely and noticing this caused him to see the same had happened to his testicles. They were coated in the same colored fur and they looked about twice as large as before.

Michael reached a tentative hand down his body, shaking from fear and adrenaline. He touched one of the extra nipples and let out a shrill moan of pleasure as he did. Biting his lip so he wouldn't make that mistake again, Michael tugged on it, arching his head back and knocking against the wall. His leg kicked in response and his oddly-shaped penis twitched, oozing copious amounts of precum down his thigh. His glistening shaft pulsed and throbbed, so close to release. He couldn't stop touching his additional nipples. So amazing to his hands, so very sensitive, more than they should be.

“Mmmmmnnnngh...” Michael closed his eyes and propped himself against the wall, fondling his chest down to his abdomen with one hand as the other rolled his heavy balls in the other. He tugged with both hands, gasping and panting as his tongue lolled forward. And forward. And forward. It had extended down to his chin by this point and dripping hot drool onto his chest, which only served to lubricate his eight-nippled torso.

Thoughts crpet into his head of a dog. No, not quite a dog, he realized, squinting his eyes shut, a coyote! His chest heaved and fell as he pictured that beautiful coyote, lusting for his cock. He wanted to mount the bitch and ravage her body. Oh god, how he'd love to take her now. Michael's eyes shot open as he realized what he was fantasizing to and let go off his body entirely, cowering in the corner. His body ached, it burned and he needed release NOW! Sweat beaded from his brow and he panted, staring at his bobbing shaft. It needed his caress. He needed release. It was a simple solution. He closed his eyes not wanting to see that strange body as gripped his cock firmly and pistoned his fist wildly. Slick with drool from rubbing into into his nipples, his hand breezed up and down faster than he wanted to. It was too late to stop this. He'd reached the point of no return and he opened his eyes, letting out a loud moaning bay as strings of cum plastered across his chest and face. Michael collapsed to his bed, idly stroking his shaft, which felt even more tapered than it had ten minutes ago. As he looked down, the mushroom head was completely gone and the redness had spread. There was even a swollen lump, albeit small, at the base of his penis now. He laid his head back and panted, long tongue waggling as it pulled in and out of his mouth.

His mind buzzed as he continued to rub his aching balls, which also felt so full and somewhat larger in his hand. In his indiscretion, he'd failed to notice the dusty fur had migrated up to his abdomen from his crotch and down his thighs. It even felt fuzzy on his rear.

He was scared out of his mind now and after making such a ruckus, he had to get out. His body was burning up more than ever and he could hear footsteps and the cocking of a shotgun.  

'Shit!' he thought. 'Flee!' he thought like a wild animal trespassing on human territory.

The door to his room swung open and his uncle, half asleep, held the shotgun. To his dismay, there was no one there and the window had been left wide open.

Michael ran as fast as his feet would take him. He didn't understand what was happening to him. Every part of his body ached for new reasons he didn't quite comprehend and it made him doubt his sanity. Oddly enough, though, he wasn't having as much difficulty running across the sand as he should have. This, of course, did not occur to him at the moment as he raced across the desert on padded feet.
  
He wasn't sure how long he'd been running or how far he'd gone. His phone had been forgotten on the end table. The light of the full moon seemed to guide his path, illuminating everything so well. Or maybe his eyesight had adjusted to the night already? It was just another question he didn't have time to ponder as he fell face-first into the sand. Something had tripped him. Whatever it'd been it hurt his foot. His toes ached horribly. He pushed off the sand and tried to stand but he fell back down. He couldn't stand on that foot. And it obvious to see why once he'd pulled his leg up to his chest. He was suddenly more flexible than ever as he pulled his foot close to his face. He inspected his foot for anything that might have gotten gotten lodged into his flesh. His startled expression painted a multitude of words as he first saw the padded protection on the bottom of his foot. It looked just a dog's! There was a pad located under each toe and one on his heel and the rest of his foot's underside felt tougher as well.

When he saw his toes he screamed at what he saw. They'd grown, extrended outwards from his foot a good two inches each and were tipped with sharp nails at the ends of each digit. He quickly inspected his other foot. It was fine. No padding, no distortions. Great, so he couldn't walk well and he was somewhere out in the desert. He was probably going to die. Why hadn't he taken those wilderness survival courses in the Boy Scouts?

Suddenly, distant howling traveled across the night air. It wasn't so distant the next the canid's howled. They were getting closer to him. He tried to climb to his feet, but it was awkward. He leaned against a rock and held himself there. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. Now that his body temperature was lowering, he could think a little more clearly. The cold night air was doing him some good. He breathed in deeply and felt himself relaxing a bit. Even the howls in the air seemed to calm him more.

Michael sat down on the rock and rested his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. “What the hell's happening to me? I mean, shit! Look at me! I'm a freak! How the hell'm I gonna hide this from everyone?!”

Michael nearly jumped out of his skin when something soft rubbed up against his leg. He looked down to see a coyote nuzzling up against him. He tried not to scream as he watched carefully for any signs of
this animal wanting to rip him apart. Something dropped in the sand at his feet. He tried to make out what it was but didn't dare move from his position. The coyote looked up at him, eyes twinkling with a spark of intelligence. Michael could have sworn it smiled at him as he watched it nuzzle under his arm. It seemed very friendly for a wild animal, gently, almost carefully nipping at his hand and tugging him forward.

Michael was flabbergasted at this and stood up when the animal growled after a few tugs. He followed along the coyote best he could until they reached his room at the ranch. He went to open the window and found that it was locked and he didn't have a key to the front door. The coyote that he'd thought guided him home wasn't there anymore. Had he imagined it? Had it been residual effect from the drug?
He went to the barn, but when he tried to get in that'd been locked as well. The howling began anew and Michael pricked his ears. In fact, his ears did prick up a little better now that they came to slight points.

Even if he thought he wanted to rest, he couldn't. He was feeling run-down and yet he couldn't rest or be at ease with himself. He needed a place to at least lay low for a bit. The sun was coming up over the horizon.

A jabbing pain in Michael's arm woke him up. He was face-down in the sand behind the barn. Wiping the sediment out of his eyes, he spat up some dirt at the same time, his elongated tongue flicking about in disgust. “Pah-pah-pah!” he coughed and gagged as he expelled sand from his mouth. The sun  obscured the identity of the shadowy figure.

“Not dead yet. So ya can git to yer chores now? Or are we waitin' fer her Queen Majesties' royal invitation?”

“You're in on this... the fuck did you do to me... at the bonfire...?” Michael pushed himself up, as if doing push-ups and grunted in anger. “This some kinda game to you?”

The stick dragged through the dirt, drawing. “Kinda. It's yer fault fer not wearin' the pendant, y'know. It would've protected ya from this. Now ah gotta lie to pops and tell 'im yer lost in the desert somewhere. Prob'bly eaten by coyotes.” he grinned widely at that “Vulture food by now. Happens more often th'n ya'd think out here. Stupid people goin' inta the desert alone, unprepared.”

Michael reached for the stick and snapped in half against the ground, growling at his dick of a cousin for doing this to him.

“Hey! That was my fev'rit stick!” he said in mock-protest, randomly picking up another. “An' don' go blamin' me fer this. Yer the one who can't stop lovin' the ladies, loverboy.”

Michael grabbed that stick as well and tried to break it. After several failed tries, he just threw it off to the side. Now standing, he grabbed Jake by the scruff of his neck and pinned him against the barn, the whole while his cousin grinned at him.

“What. Did. You. Do. To. ME?” his voice growled gruffer with each word.

“Well. If ya gotta know so badly.. why dontcha meet us at the bonfire tonight? Oh, and this is gonna get worse whether ya come tonight or not, so it's in yer best int'rest to come.”

Michael let his cousin go and sank to his knees sobbing. “I don't want this!” he pounded his fists into the sand.

“Shoulda used protection then. We gave ya a way out.  Ya coulda had the best guilt-free sex of yer life all summer ya were here, workin' the farm, an' go on ta yer college, but ya chose this life, so buck up.”

“What'm I supposed to do until tonight? My window's locked, the barn's locked. I don't have a k--” Jake had turned the other way, bored of his cousin's whining for now, leaving behind a key to the house.

“Git whatcha need to survive, but no more. Soon it's not gonna make a bit o' diff'rence anyways. Ma an' pa are in town for the day an' the girls're out o' the house fer the next two hours. There's a tent in the closet next to the door. Oh, an' I already reported ya missing, so ya only have twnety minutes er so before the authorities show up an' find whatever you wanna call yerself now.” he waved a hand in the air and went on to continue his daily chores.

Michael was in full-blown panic mode once more and he needed to get out of the vicinity fast! But first he needed what supplies he could grab in twenty minutes. He ran for the ranch house, hobbling, tripping and stumbling the whole way on his deformed foot.  

He fidgeted with the key, lining it up with the keyhole and dropping it several times in the process.

“C'mon! C'mon c'mon! Dammit!”

Finally, it went in and he unlocked the door- or so he thought. When he went to open the door, the lock didn't budge, rattling against the frame. He'd just locked himself out. Jake's idea of a sick joke. How much more tormenting was he having to endure? He turned the key the other way and made his way inside. There stood Hanna with all the supplies he'd need prepared for him already.  

“You've got a change of clothes, blanket, some canned goods, some jerky, bottles of water, a bowl, and I even found the tent for you.” she smiled sweetly, approaching him as her hand laid on his shoulder. “It does get better.” she leaned in close to his ear, a smug smirk plastered upon her face. “And if you're that good after the change, you'll always have me to keep you company.” she accentuated the point by groping his exposed genitals.

Michael blushed, becoming aroused. She was doing something to him too. He was sure of it. He pushed her back and moved past her to the piled goods that'd been prepared for him. She just watched him, a bit of sadness overcoming her, but a grin broke through as she knew he'd come around soon. He
changed into the supplied clothing so he wasn't running around the desert nude and placed the cap atop his head to protect him from the sun. Once he had everything he needed, he started off. He couldn't help but notice that he wasn't alone. She was following behind, happy as can be with her arms folded behind her back.

“What do you want? I thought you were all in this together like some cult. Go find someone else to use as your fucktoy.” Michael pulled the cap's brim over his face and trudged on.

Hanna just giggled and followed along. “You won't last until the new moon with that attitude. And we're not a cult, we're a pack. Big difference!” she squeeled happily at the thought of her pack and that Jake's cousin would be joining them soon.

“Whatever. Just.. leave me alone. You've done more than enough to screw up my life.”

“Man, you just can't see the forest for the trees, can you? You're getting total freedom! No more stress! No more worries about bills! You can live free and lounge in the sun all day if you want to!” she let that dangle for a few seconds before piping back in “Ooooooooor.... find someone really sweet to spend some QT with.” she grabbed his butt and squeezed. One thing could be said about Hanna: she was definitely persistent.

They made their way through the desert to a spot nearby the bonfire site. It took them the majority of the day, mostly because Hanna kept slowing him down. She had to mark this rock and mark that twig and make sure that she'd picked up some sticks for Jake later. He liked his sticks.

The tent had been all set up and dusk was nearing. The blanket that'd been packed was laid out on the floor of the tent and Hanna claimed her spot in the corner.  She patted the blanket, indicating she wanted him nearby. Michael stared out at the setting sun and sat down in the sand as best he could. “So what's so special about the new moon anyways?” he asked after several minutes of silence.

“Well, you know how werewolves and whatnot change at the full moon? Well, coyotes change at the new moon. Kinda funny when you think about it.”

“So.. are you like... one of them already?”

She sulked, drawing her finger in circles around the blanket. “Not yet. They recruited me recently. That pendant I gave you protected me from changing for a while.. but all of that's gonna change now. We've mated and on the new moon I'll change now too. We'll be together and repopulate the species.” she giggled.

Michael smacked his face and sighed. “Great. So, he wasn't just screwing around with me...” and it took a few moments for it to click before he turned around and yelled at her “And that means you knew that I'd change too without that damn necklace?!”

“Uhm... yeah... Jake chose you to join us. We knew all about you before your arrival. I couldn't wait ot get my hands on you.”

Michael just sighed again.

“So... when we...”

“Yeeeeeeees?” she grinned,wanting to hear him say what they did.

“When we.. you know... I saw you... uhm... differently... you were... uhm... a coyote.”

She giggled and smiled. “that was just the peyote making you trip balls. And of course Paul whispering suggestions into your ear. Makes for a fun night.” she stated matter-of-factly. “You took him up the ass like a pro, too. He's got the hots for you too, y'know, but I flipped a coin for it.”

“Lovely. Drugged on top of everything else. So why haven't you changed at all? I mean, look at me! I'm a freak!”

She waved a hand dismissively and sat up on her knees. “Like I said, I had the pendant's protection that whole time, but it's catching up to me since I passed it on to you.”

And then, she did something that grabbed his attention. With her arms crossed across her chest, she pulled the bottom of her shirt over her navel, smiling. Her stomach was smooth and toned. So beautiful. He crawled towards her, entranced by this vixen. And then she teased further, pulling the shirt over her head to reveal the patch of dusty fur that had grown over her pert breasts. “See? I'm changing too.”

Hanna played with her fuzzy breasts teasingly, stroking over the perky nipples with her thumb and forefinger. She smiled brightly, revealing the sharper, longer canines that had grown since the day before. “We're not so different so why don't you come here and I'll put your mind at ease.”

Something... was compelling him... to move against his will. His nose twitched and he could swear he smelled something in the air, in the tent. It was coming from Hanna. He was mesmerized by the scent. So spicy, so alluring. It made him uncomfortably hard. He struggled with his pants, wriggling out of them when he couldn't get them off fast enough.

Hanna was unaware of the pheromones she was producing. She didn't care much to know the why, only that she had him led by his penis and that was good enough for her. He pounced on her, shaking the tent as she giggled roarously.

Michael was on her, kissing those fuzzy breasts. His lips caressed her tits as he licked along her nipples, slipping one into his mouth. She cooed and stroked his back as he paid homage to her body. His hands worked over her body, groping her sides as they drifted lower to her own pants, fumbling blindly with the button. His breathing had become erratic from the arousal rising in his loins and clouding thought.

He nipped her nipple and suckled twice as hard, eliciting a yelp and then a throaty moan. Her nails dug into his backside and he paid no mind. He was hers to command and this is what she wanted. Her hands scraped across his backside as her nails grew longer and darker.

Hanna threw her head back and arched her body upwards, thrusting her breasts into his face. Her open mouth revealed the lengthening teeth growing to match her canines. Her elongating tongue licked and and fondled her altering dental structure, moaning in delight with girlish glee. Unlike Michael she was embracing the changes so willingly.

The button came undone and she squirmed out of the confining clothing, laying their in her blue lace panties, a wet spot already forming. He ground himself against her, crotch to crotch, as both could feel their wetness and arousal growing steadily. Michael's passionate suckling of her breasts came to an abrupt end as he pulled back a moment to readjust his stance.

Michael smiled down at her, eyes glazed over with lust. His eyes had developed flecks of yellowish-gold in the irises as he smiled a semi-fanged grin as well. He straddled her thighs, positioning himself for what he wanted. Michael noticed how her ears seemed pointier than before and her nose seemed to discolor darker. He pulled down her panties, releasing a concentrated dose of pheromones to his olfactory senses. He leaned lower and sniffed. That was definitely the scent. That was definitely what he wanted. His long tongue lapped out at her vagina, eliciting another more guttural moan from Hanna.  His tongue lapped back and forth across her folds before slipping inside. Hanna raised her hips, bucking.

It was fortunate that they were in solitude, because they were making enough noise to wake the dead. Michael groaned out in need, rubbing his confined cock through his underwear while he pressed his face deeper into her pussy. No, he wasn't doing it, the changes had forced his face to extend into a protomuzzle. He nibbled and opened his mouth wider, lapping at her insides while pleasuring her externally. Those fangs rubbing, teasing her drove her wild. His extending, expanding face was being driven deeper into her pussy by her wild, elevated bucking. Legs spread and bent at the knees, with wild abandon she did whatever humanly possible to get her man to get her off.

Hanna's hands had balled into fists as she flailed to and fro beneath her mate. It was time. Michael's raging cock was threatening to burst out of his all-too tight underwear. The tip had surfaced, pushing past the elastic band of its own accord. It could not be confined further and so it would not as he stroked over the tapered tip of his red canine penis, the bulb at the base of his shaft more pronounced.

His bitch caught wind of his own musky scent, deformed ears perking up as she literally drooled from the side of her mouth. His addled mind was not capable of thinking of foreplay any longer as he plunged his hips down, pushing all the way in with one mighty heave, minus the bulbous knot. All he could focus on was mating his bitch again and again throughout the night as he bucked his hips to hers then recoiling with little effort to pull his lengthy dick form her only to slam into her once again. She grabbed onto his shoulders and pulled him lower, thick claws digging into his skin, spurring him on further.

Together they filled the chilling night air with grunts and feral moans as they yipped and yowled with every push, every pull, every sensual form of contact setting them off like dynamite. He leaned down, licking over her lips, the taste of her sex exhilarating to her as she wrapped her mouth around his growing protomuzzle, inserting her tongue deep into his mouth. It was a cacophony of carnal delights as Michael thrust faster, then harder into his bitch. HIS. BITCH. She was his. Now and forever. He'd fight any male who challenged him for dominance over his female. And with that thought, his knot popped into her pussy locking them tightly. His thrusts became rapid-fire jabs causing her buxom bust to jiggle wildly. Her screams of lust were silenced by their most passionate of kisses and with one final mighty heave, he came inside her.

They collapsed in a heap of sensual fluids and lust-filled fog. He tried to pull out and whined as he found he was firmly locked in place with his bitch. They were too exhausted to move, no less care anyways as they fell into another's arms, passed out from the exertion of their primal love-making and the ensuing changes and the ones yet to come.

They slept through the bonfire that night, in each other's embrace. Their bodies were changing even in their restful slumber. The fur had spread down Hanna's stomach and spread across her vaginal mound. It had coated her backside as well as her shoulder and halfway up her cheeks. Her left hand had shifted to that of a fully canine paw while the right had only just begun its transition with the addition of sandy fur on the back of her hand. Her arm of the fully canine paw had shrunk as well half it's original length, making her appearance even more awkward. Her toes had all lengthened, growing lithe as the middle toes of her right foot had already begun fusing together into a paw-like state, while the other foot had lengthened and developed padding beneath her soles. A nub protruded from the base of her spine. Her nose had flattened out and darkened further. Her ears had grown long and pointed like a coyote's.

Michael was not as fortunate. He learned this as soon as he awoke the next morning. His knot had deflated as he found out, but he couldn't maneuver so well. His back had become painfully stiff throughout the night and he couldn't seem to stand up without a hunch.

“Frrrruch....” he snarled out in pain.

His voice had come out distorted. He lifted his hands to his mouth, gasping for air. His protomuzzle had lengthened in his sleep. His tongue still dangled from his mouth, but it was far more difficult to talk with a mouth full of flesh-tearing fangs.

“Hrrrrr....” he grunted, shaking Hanna's arm. Her changes hadn't registered with him yet. His hands were covered in the same dusty fur that had previously covered other parts. It'd trailed up his arms and covered the entirety of his body. Each finger was tipped with a black claw like Hanna's had. He tried to stand up in the tent and promptly fell over. His legs had given out under his weight, discovering the hard way that his knees had reversed. Michael hadn't realized it just yet but he was going to have to learn to walk all over again- on all fours.

“Hrrraannnaaa... rrake upp. Hhhhh... Hraaaaaaaannnnaaa!”

She groaned, turning this way and that, slowly waking. She smiled up at him. “Nnngh... muh head hurth...” she tried rubbing her forehead with her shrunken arm and grunted in annoyance when it didn't respond like it should have.

She looked over to see her mishapen arm and panicked. “Oh muh goth! Noooouuuuuuuu! Ith not th'posed tuh hrrrrrappen rike zish!” she looked Michael in the eyes for an answer, but none came.

“Hrrrrr....” he tried to say, noticing his human voice fading. He couldn't formulate the proper words. It was too hard to focus on them. He was hungry. He needed to hunt. He padded away from Hanna and scratched at the zipper. Hanna sighed and crawled over to the flap, doing her best to unzip the tent for her mate.

Michael stuck out his head and sniffed the air. His golden eyes fixated on the landscape. He limped forward, walking awkwardly, not entirely in the quadrapedal stance. He was halfway there. He couldn't think about why it hurt. It just did. He needed food and he had to adapt to survive.

A freshly-killed rabbit flopped down in front of Michael and he sniffed at it. It smelled like Jake. He looked up and there was his cousin, standing there with blood on his hands and a goofy grin plastered on his face. “Missed ya at the bonfire last night. Guess ol' Coyote felt slighted ya weren't there.”

Jake's words meant nothing to him. They'd become garbled, incoherent sounds, Michael snarled and grabbed the rabbit by its neck and dragged it back to the tent before anyone else to steal his meal away.

“Tonight's tha night. Looks like ya two're ready to make the final leap.”

“Hhhh..... hhhhhh...” Hanna panted with the realization that she'd developed extra breasts. Breasts that she was currently fondling as her mate devoured his portion of the rabbit, leaving her some scraps. Jake's words were falling onto deaf ears as neither were really paying attention, either engrossed in self-gratification or hunger.

“Ith... ith wuth th'posed... the changeth.. Whuth they thop rrrrrrike thith? arum... arm... not brrrreautufrrrrul aneeeemore..” the bestial speech was disconcerting as she tried to cover her face with both paws, but only one could reach.

Jake approached the tent and leaned down, scratching Michael behind the ears.  “The changes're unpradictable.” his nose twitched. “Smells like ya got along real well last night.” he grinned wider. “An' it's almost over. By day's end, you'll be roaming the wilds as... well.. wild animals. As ya said, Hanna: total freedom, no more stress, and ya can laze in the sun ta yer heart's content. New moon's tonight and we make it final then. Ya should make sure yer there this time. Coyote's got a wicked sense of humor after all, whether yer on his good side or ya've pissed him off.” Jake winked, possibly whether to tease them in their moment of difficulty or to hint at something more. “Welcome to the pack.”

She smiled as sweetly as she could and held Michael close to her. He flopped down on her and licked her face, grunting and growlfing incoherently.

“I'm shcared...” Hanna clung to her mate the best she could, difficult to accomplish with only one arm capable of doing so. Her malformed and shrunken arm patted his side feebly. “But... thith ith wrrrut wrrree ronted...” Hanna tearfully buried her face into Michael's chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

Michael tilted his head to the sounds of Hanna's sobbing. It was curiously foreign to him and he didn't know what to make of it. His ears flicked and the left slanted outward while laying low to his head.

Hanna gasped sharply, eyes filling with dreadful fear as she witnessed Michael's changes progressing, knowing this was her fate. His tongue slid back into the recesses of his mouth- or at least that's what it appeared to be until she realized, with sickening pain knotting in her stomach, that his muzzle was lengthening and slimming. The blackened nose flattened prominently until it looked like she was staring into the face of a wild beast. A beast she was cursed to be.

Michael's forehead sloped at an angle and with it a stripe of deep brown fur following suit down his face, converging to the point where the bridge of his muzzle connected. It was darker than the blotch of brown across the top of his muzzle. His jaw squared perfectly near his nose and rounded slightly more closer to his face. The corners of his eyes turned upward giving them an almond shape. Golden eyes focused on his mate beneath him and she swore his muzzle had upturned into a smile as he panted. Michael's ears pulled away from his head, lengthening to a point long and round at their tips.

That feeling of anxiousness knotting in her stomach wasn't what she'd thought as it intensified beyond painful limitations. It literally caused her to double over beneath her mate, howling out in agony.

“OoooW! OoooooOOOOOOO!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWUUUUUUUUU!!”

Michael, raised his muzzle to the air and howled alongside her. “OOOOOOOOOWWWWUUUUU!!”

The pain spread out from the central point of origin, causing her entire body to seize and convulse.  Her arched as her spine popped, not once, not twice, but in succession of each and every vertebrae down her backside. Tears streamed down her inhuman face as it reshaped, screaming, howling, crying out in pain. Something was pushing through the base of her spine, the nub stretching and forming her tail, and she squirmed uncomfortably as she tried to rub her lower back but neither arm could reach. Her relatively human arm was shrinking and her inhuman arm with the canid paw had shrunk completely to accommodate her form. Her rounded human breasts receding into her chest heralded the onset growth of three more rows of nipples similar to Michael's.  The sorrowful cacophony of howling filled the air for miles around, throughout the remainder of changes.

Their entire beings were ablaze with anguished transition. It was all they could to pant and whimper from exhaustion as their changes were not merely physical in nature but had taken hold of their minds as well. Blacking out from the pain was their bodies' solution to cease their conscious suffering until they could awaken anew to their new lives within the pack, drifting into the most peaceful slumber of their lives. They remained passed out upon one another, Michael's head lain on her stomach while his paws rested on her neck, muzzles pressed together in loving caress. Faces molded  and skulls reconstructed as shifting bones seamlessly popped and snapped into their new canid positions. Humanoid shapes shrank until they resembled forms appropriately-sized for their breed. Limbs continued to stretch and contort into their proper proportions until they looked like a pair of feral coyotes huddling for warmth inside a tent on a cold night.

The coyote that was Michael stirred as the sound of crunching sand alerted him to the presence of someone outside the tent. His right ear flicked several times and as the footsteps grew closer to their position, he lifted his head, nuzzling at his mate to awaken.
“We have something here!” a voice called out, though it processed as incoherent shouting to their sensitive canid ears.

It was the darkest dark of night in the desert as no moon hung overhead to guide the humans. A light shone around the tent. The new moon shined blackly overhead and it was truly pitch black. The human's light flashed around the tent as the authorities approached the makeshift camp. Four glimmering eyes of gold reflected in the light.

“We have a situation here.” the first human on the scene spoke into his radio, the two coyotes laying amidst what had been a human encampment, bearing their fangs. “I've found where he was, but there's no sign of him now. Just some coyotes. 'Fraid he may have been the victim of animal attack.”

The officer cautiously reached for his pistol, unsheathing it within view, in case the event of attack. The officer shivered, a cold wind passing through him. The howls of coyotes in the distance beckoned their packmates and they charged, causing the officer to fire erratically into the night. His light had gone dead, leaving the lone human alone in the dark. The two coyotes, Michael and Hanna, ran off into the howling, mates once and forever.

The temperature dropped below freezing around the human authority, chilling the officer unnaturally to his core. The sounds of coyotes howling swarmed upon the man, his blood-curdling cries the last thing anyone would ever hear from him again.