3. Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Simon
The wind had shifted.
I laid down the tool I used to dig under the soil and got the nutrient-rich roots I had been craving. I didn’t know what they were called, but they bled a deep red and my mouth watered when I saw the bright liquid gush from the ground.
The root was sweet with sugar. It reminded me of the mouth-watering treats Calliope, the human I had protected for such a long time, would feed me beneath the table of her former home.
I perked one ear up to listen for any unfamiliar sounds, and my other hand reached inside the hole, too hungry to wait. Wetness seeped onto my fingers. I never thought I would have had such body parts, but here I was.
I took the handful of roots, letting the liquid drip down my wrist, arm and elbow, and trotted to the stream. My hooves, which I now only had two, were easier to walk on, as it had been some moons. I used to have four. I was so sturdy and confident with four, but now with two hands—with thumbs—I could do many tasks I never thought I would be able to.
I wasn’t human, but not quite animal.
I pushed the roots into the stream, letting the dirt wash away. My taste buds changed when my appearance did. I could not eat everything in sight anymore. Food tasted dirty, when before I did not care about taste. Now, grit gets into my teeth, and it stays for days and hurts my stomach.
I pushed the roots into my mouth and let them crunch under my back teeth. My front teeth now had sharper points. They were no longer flat for me to be able to pull up the grasses from the soil. No, I can do much more now, such as tear and rip into food that I had no desire to eat before.
Like meat.
I had gained a new craving, one that I would have found repulsive in my past life. The texture and taste had been enlightening. Preparing it had been difficult, so I had resorted to stealing it from others who had prepared the bloody material. The enjoyment of seeing orcs blaming one another and trying to figure out who had stolen their prized food had been entertaining.
I let the last of the root slither down my throat. That was when the wind shifted again and new smells filled my lungs.
I had become attuned with the Wood. The shadows, the smells, tastes, and sounds, and there was a change that was quite unfamiliar.
The orcs were the primary beings that lived here besides the two human females. One was Ellie, mate to the leader of the tribe, and the other was Calliope—my best friend in my former life. I knew their smells quite well, but these unfamiliar scents were new to the Wood.
I raised my head with a sense of anticipation, my ears perking up as I trotted towards the destination the Wood guided me to. The vibrant leaves rustled and the branches swayed, their inviting gestures and gentle whispers seemed to call out specifically to me. In that moment, a peculiar sensation washed over me - as if the foliage was communicating, speaking directly to my very essence. These natural elements had become my steadfast companions ever since my transformation into what I was now.
I felt as if I was connected with nature, and a good thing too, since I could not communicate with anyone else. My face just could not form the words that I wanted.
Not that I had tried.
I had spent most of my time thus far learning to walk, using my hands, and making tools. I knew how to by watching the orcs from afar. It was difficult, but I tried to make them myself, so I did not have to steal them. I only borrowed what I needed. Most of it was from Calliope and her male.
Speaking? I did not have time for it.
Now, I was getting lonely. Being a full animal, I enjoyed companionship with my human. Watching over Calliope for so long had ingrained in me a sense of belonging, and now I did not know what to do with myself.
I wanted...someone else to take care of.
I trotted toward where the trees beckoned me. My hooves gently prodded the soil while I sought the strange noises and scents that came from within. I got closer to the mouth of the Wood where the orcs came and went, and I heard boisterous laughter.
I stiffened and bolted toward the thickest shrubbery I could find. I peered through the dense leaves and saw that this wasn’t just a party of orcs to leave the Wood in search of females, but a group of shifters who had come inside.
I sniffed several times. The trees moved, wafting the scent of the group toward me. Wolves. Most of them smelled of wolves, but there was another smell that was intertwined within them. It smelled of fresh rain and damp grass. It was a natural scent, intensified, and my mouth salivated.
My elongated tongue glided slowly over the rough surface of my parted upper lip. The foreign presence of a newly formed fang startled me, and I felt it tear a wound into my tongue. A sharp breath filled my lungs as the taste of my own blood danced on my taste buds.
I hummed softly, pressing my fingers into the rich soil, feeling its coolness against my skin. The scent enveloped me, mingling with the tantalizing aroma that filled the air. I longed to sink my teeth into whatever was emitting that irresistible smell, but where it was coming from eluded me. Frustrated, I continued my search, my senses heightened, hoping to uncover the source of this mouthwatering temptation.
I patiently expected the rumble of my stomach, but it failed to make a sound. Instead, a taut sensation formed at the juncture between my legs, causing me to emit a low groan. I could feel my shaft, often referred to by the orcs as a cock or shaft, emerging from its hidden pocket between my legs and brushing against the balmy air.
It was hard, so painfully hard, and I wrapped my hand around the thick body part to ease the pain. Instead, a clear white fluid formed at the head, and when I took my hand up and down its length, I shuddered, as an amazing tingle ran down my spine.
The more I breathed in the scent, the more I wanted it.
What was it?
As I crept closer to the group of shifters, my senses were on high alert. The scent of rain and sweet dewy grass grew stronger, pulling me towards its source. My heart raced with anticipation and excitement, the temptation nearly overpowering me.
As I came as close as I could without being noticed, my hand still gripping my throbbing cock, I caught a glimpse of a single figure that seemed to be the focal point of the gathering. Her back was to me, and she was staring at the two orcs. One I knew to be Sugha and the other—it wasn’t important. All I knew was that their eyes were on the female, and I didn’t like it. A growl erupted in my throat, and my lip went into a snarl.
This female was tall and slender, with long limbs and short yellow hair falling around her face like a shadowy halo. The side of her face showed fear, and it took everything in me not to burst from the trees to save her.
I licked my lips, tasting blood again as I tried to decipher the complex feelings swirling within me. Was it because of my loneliness? Was this curiosity? Desire? Hunger? The line between them was blurred, and it seemed that every fiber of my being thirsted for this female.
Before I could make a decision, another shifter female stood in front of my female. She berated the unnamed orc, shoving a finger up in his face until she pushed him away. My shoulders relaxed, but the hand on my cock didn’t.
Did I just say she was mine?
With each passing moment, my cock grew harder and more demanding, throbbing with every heartbeat. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was how Calliope felt about her male—the orc she had claimed. Did it mean this female could be mine?
I shook my head and stroked the hair that grew on my chin. Couldn’t possibly be? I was a monster. A half-human, half goat creature. I was not meant to be here.
Even so, I stroked my cock, watching her.
Does this female have hair that smells like soft, sweet hay? Does her skin feel like silky flower petals?
Her head turned toward my section of the Wood, and I froze.
“Hey?” her voice, like a song, broke me from my trance.
“Do you see that over there?” She pointed in my direction and my eyes widened. My heart quickened in my chest too much, and I felt my body seize.
No, not now, anytime but now.
My body went rigid, and my body fell to the ground. My cock was still hard and exposed, and my body lay frozen on the soft ground.
“Did you hear that?” I heard a male say out loud.
I grunted in my throat. I could already feel my muscles loosening. My body didn’t stay frozen for long, and I felt my fingertips and limbs coming back to life as I heard footsteps approaching. I scrambled up when my body began functioning again, and I took light, hooved steps deeper into the Wood. My heart raced, but I didn’t let it reach high levels. I calmed myself and let the Wood guide where I should go.
The wind pushed at my back, the branches bent for me as I was led further away, and the voices became distant.
That was close, too close, but her voice was so strong within my mind that it was as if she was whispering in my ear.
She had taken over my body, and I had not even come close to her.
What did this mean?
As I continued deeper into the wood, I couldn’t shake the feeling that seeing her was no accident. This was far from over. The Wood around me seemed alive, and I couldn’t help but feel drawn back to her. My mind returned to the human. My thoughts were consumed by the image of her face, her voice echoing in my ears, and the unmistakable sensation that our paths were destined to cross again.
The familiar stream that ran across the Wood came across my path. I came closer, my mouth parched. The closer I got to the water, the idea of drinking its waters was not as appealing as drinking in her presence. I felt an undeniable pull towards the female surrounded by shifters. It was as if an unseen force was drawing me towards her, and I found myself resisting the urge to turn back and confront her once more.
I leaned over the clear stream to drink, hoping that its cool water would quench both my thirst and my confusion. As I bent over the water, I caught my reflection on the still surface. My sharp fangs glinted in the dim light, and I couldn’t help but think of how they might have looked to her - a terrifying sight for a defenseless human.
The human I once looked after did not see me as a threat. She was different and did not find many creatures terrifying. Her orc mate was a testimony to that. Calliope was different, though.
She found beauty in everything.
Even after I transformed, she sought me out. Now, I was afraid of what this female may see me as. A monster?
My fingers trailed along my mouth, touching my fangs, then I felt the ears that dangled on the side of my head. Even the orcs looked somewhat like a human. I was different, half goat, half human, and when the female gazed at the orcs, she looked at them in fear.
What would she do if she saw me?
A lump formed in my throat, and I slapped the water in front of me.
Would she find me hideous?
Was I worse than an orc? Orcs were repulsive to look at.
They were large, loud, annoying, and they smelled of rotten moss. They believed they owned the Wood. No one owned the Wood; the Wood owned itself.
The wind blew, and the gentle caress of the leaves fanned my back. What should I do about the female?
I huffed, feeling the heat of my breath on my lip.
Her smell came to me tenfold, and I knew what the Wood wanted me to do without having to say a word.
It wanted me to follow her, to ignore my thoughts, find the female and take her as my own.
I felt the bulge in my pouch that held my shaft. It’s heavy, and I could feel my cock’s head poke out of its safe compartment. It was hard and tight, and my body reacted to just the thought of her smell and the way she looked in my direction.
I hummed, taking in the fresh scent of her, as the Wood continued to bring in her smell.
The Wood silently tortured me. It would not let me retreat into its safe embrace. I would have to seek out the female once again. Perhaps next time, I would take her and bring her to my home.