Tiffany stared at the ceiling through red-rimmed eyes. Every so often, she sniffled and sighed, rolling from her left side to her right side, back and forth. A thick nondescript gray blanket hung off the edge of her hard cot. She’d used it briefly during the night until she couldn’t stand the way it scratched against her bare arms. Instead, she lay in a small ball, hands gripping her arms tightly. Gray pre-dawn light filtered through the small window overhead.

Time seemed to stop for her; she couldn’t tell how long she’d been in the tiny room. She’d screamed and cried and cursed until her throat was raw. Nobody came for her and so she’d spent the night wallowing in self-pity.

The young woman shivered and pulled her knees closer to her chest. She could hear a slow drip in another room. The silence was eerie.

Suddenly, Tiffany sat up, wiping at her ruined makeup. She heard voices and was sure one of them was her father. Letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, she sat up against the cold wall and stared at the door of the room. She closed her eyes, straining to hear what was being said. After an eternity, the voices came closer before falling silent again. Keys rattled in the door’s lock and the door opened.

Tiffany’s father stood next to the old sheriff.

“Daddy,” the young woman cried, wailing as the fear and sadness suddenly overwhelmed her. “Why didn’t you get me earlier?!”

Her father, face grim and hard, ignored her. “Thank you again, Fred.” He was dressed impeccably in a dark black suit and coat. She couldn’t help but notice that he looked well rested. Anger flashed through her but she pushed it down, smiling tremulously instead.

“Yes, sir,” the sheriff said, nodding. “I’m sorry we had to hold her here.”

“I wouldn’t stop it if I could.”

The sheriff nodded again and walked away. Tiffany’s father stared at her for a moment and then turned. Tiffany scrambled to get her high heels on, suddenly terrified that they would change their minds and leave her there. She stumbled on sore legs and a lingering hangover but quickly caught up to her father. As they passed the front desk, the young woman sneered at the sheriff. He watched her leave with cold, unblinking eyes and she felt a child touch along her spine. Her expression faded and she looked away.

Shivering in the cold morning air, Tiffany hurried to her father’s car, slipping inside when he unlocked it. She sighed as the large BMW cradled her in its warm leather seat. The driver side door opened and her father sat down. The car roared to life.

“Daddy,” Tiffany said.

“No,” her father answered. “Not another word until we’re home.”

Tiffany buckled herself and then crossed her arms, staring out of the window with a pout. She pulled her long blonde hair over her shoulder, twisting and playing with the ends while she made a mental list.

A bath first, she thought. Long and warm. And then the spa. Definitely the spa. Is Brian working today? It doesn’t matter; he’ll have to take a day off now. I’ll make him if he doesn’t want to. He can take me out to eat and go shopping with me. Ugh. I feel gross. And then Carol and Jessie. I can meet up with them tonight. They’re going to die when I tell them what happened. We’ll get drinks. And then…

The drive was relatively short. They passed through the small city as people began waking up and making their way to work. The young woman stared from her seat, oblivious to the world around her. She blinked, shaking herself when her father parked in front of their large house. Her mother’s SUV was gone and she was glad; she’d much rather deal with her father.

Pretending meekness, she walked behind her father through into the house. She took her shoes off in the foyer while her father stormed through, leading the way into his study. Tiffany followed on bare feet while her father’s shoes tick-tacked along her hallway. Inside the study, the older man pulled open a large wooden globe to reveal various bottles of alcohol. Taking a glass bottle filled with amber liquid, he poured himself a large drink. Tiffany considered asking for a glass as well but she kept her mouth shut and sat instead.

“Daddy,” Tiffany tried again.

“Three hundred dollars,” her father said, staring at his drink. His hair was cut short and had turned gray long ago. He looked up at her and even she could see how tired he was. “They only caught you because you’d stolen from them so many times that store security is notified to specifically follow you. Just you. I thought it was peculiar and so I asked. But, no, you’re the only one. They have a little photo of you in the security room.”

“But, daddy,” Tiffany whined.

“How many times?” He asked. “No, never mind. I don’t want to know. They said the only reason they didn’t call the police every time before was out of respect for me. They apologized for finally having to call the police.”

“I-” Tiffany started.

“A little over three hundred dollars in cosmetics. You don’t need to steal. Your mother and I give you enough. But that’s always been the problem, hasn’t it? We’ve spoiled you and haven’t been around to instill the basic decency and morality that your older brother and sister seem to have inherited. Did you sell them? For drugs? Was that it?”

“I don’t-”

“DON’T LIE TO ME!” her father yelled, his drink slopping onto his hand and the mahogany arm of his chair.

Tiffany shrank back into the hard leather chair. She swallowed, eyes downcast as she wondered whether he’d found the small box she had hidden in her room.

“I’m not stupid. I didn’t lead a sheltered life. I brought myself up from nothing and worse. I worked hard to build a name for myself and a comfortable life for my family. For you. For your mother. For your brother and sister. And you. You’d pull it all down if you could. When you failed out of high school, we helped you pass. When you were arrested again and again, we pulled you out. You’ve failed out of every single college and community college in the area. And now, here you are. Dragging the family down with you.”

Tiffany’s lip trembled. Although she’d learned how to get her way at a very young age, she wasn’t acting now. Her father rarely raised his voice.

“I love this city,” he continued. “I worked hard and so many people here helped when I needed it. I give back and I’m happy to do it. I won’t have you destroying all of the goodwill I’ve built over the years.”

Tears rolled down Tiffany’s burning cheeks. Her father watched her, his expression unchanging while he weighed his options. The mounted heads of various animals loomed above the young woman. They seemed to sit in judgment against her.

“Go,” her father said finally. “Up to your room. I’ll call you down later. You’re not to leave the house today.”

“I’m,” Tiffany sniffed through her tears. “I’m not a child any more. You can’t-”

“Yes, you are,” her father told her. His voice was full of pain. “Go.”

Tiffany stood, eyes still down on the ground. She sobbed, mostly for effect, and left as her father dialed a number on his cellphone. She was already plotting ways to change her father’s mind. She left the room but stood by the door.

“Simon?” Tiffany heard her father ask. “It’s Joshua. Yes, long time. No, no, not calling about another hunt. I have… Do you remember that small village? The one we visited on safari in ’93?”

The front door opened and Tiffany pulled away, glancing toward the front of the house. She hissed under her breath but quickly made her way up to her bedroom. While she wasn’t afraid of the maid, she didn’t want the woman tattling on her to her father. She hated that she missed the conversation but she wasn’t even sure it had anything to do with her.

Once safe in her plush room, the small young girl plugged in her phone and began texting her friends.

—–

“This is Simon,” Tiffany’s father said. All three, Tiffany, Simon and her father sat in her father’s study. Both men drank slowly from large glasses. Whiskey this time, Tiffany noticed. She waited, frustrated at being called down so late. She’d been bored in her room all day and had almost been asleep when her father called her down. It was nearly midnight.

Simon watched her while her father gave introductions. He was older and rugged, suntanned and rough from living outdoors. Despite his age he looked lean and strong. She thought he might even be a little handsome if he were younger and shaved his large white mustache.

“You’ll be going away for a while,” her father was saying. “Namibia. A small village in the Kalahari Basin. You’ll leave your phone and everything else behind that won’t fit into a small suitcase. I’ll drive you to the visa office-”

“Are you out of your-!” Tiffany yelled, her heart racing. She stopped herself before she could make it worse. No phone? Probably no fucking Internet out there, either! What the ever loving fuck is he thinking?!

“I’ll drive you to the visa office in the morning,” her father continued. His voice was oddly drained of emotions but his eyes were wet with unshed tears. “I called them earlier this morning and already have your tickets ordered. You leave tomorrow evening.”

The two men watched Tiffany. Where her father looked worn out, Simon seemed nearly predatory.

“When… how long… you can’t be serious. What am I supposed to do?” Tiffany blurted out. The young woman’s father shifted, staring at his drink. He seemed at a loss for words for once. “What the fuck is the point of this? You can’t- My friends! Everyone I know is here and you’re shipping me off to some other country? What? To teach me a fucking lesson? Are you fucking insane?”

“That’s enough,” her father rumbled, still not meeting her eyes.

“No,” Tiffany said. She leaned forward, her face pale white with fury. “No, that’s not fucking enough. My life is here. Whether you like it or not. You and mother-”

“Enough,” Simon growled. Tiffany blinked, sitting back suddenly as if slapped. The other man’s voice was a pure command. “We leave tomorrow at 5 pm sharp and you are coming with me even if I have to drag you by your hair.”

Tiffany’s mouth hung open. She looked between Simon and her father but her father simply continued to stare at his drink, swirling it slowly around the glass.

“You’re dismissed,” Simon said. His cold brown eyes stared through her as if she no longer existed. Tiffany’s jaw worked while she desperately thought of something to say. Thoughts melted away beneath the man’s gaze.

With a scream, the young woman flounced away, running back to her room to throw herself under her covers. She screamed into her pillow until her voice cracked. Texts to her friends went unanswered. She threw her phone against the wall in a rage, not caring when it cracked and exploded into pieces. Mentally and emotionally exhausted, the young woman eventually fell asleep.

—–

Tiffany’s father stood with her at the airport gate. Simon was off speaking with airport security over something in his luggage.

“I’m-” Tiffany’s father started. She’d never seen him look so sad. Or indecisive. “We could still…”

“Mom couldn’t bother to show up? Fucking typical,” Tiffany sneered. Her father looked away, wiping at his eyes with his thumb. “You have no idea how fucked up this is, do you? When I’m back, I’ll-”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be stronger,” her father whispered, wrapping his arms around her in a fierce hug. Tiffany held her hands to her sides. He swallowed and cleared his throat. “I… I loved you. I’m sorry.”

Stepping back, Tiffany’s father wiped more tears. And then, he turned and walked away. Tiffany watched him go, frowning at him. She’d never seen him act like that. Still, it didn’t stop her from wondering what she’d do to get back at him when she returned. Obviously he would owe her a better car. And now she’d demand to get her own place. She’d already had her eye on a three bedroom condo downtown and this would simply clinch the deal. An increase in allowance as well. He would be groveling to win back her affections by the time she was back. She’d make sure of it.

“They’re getting ready to board,” a rough voice said at her shoulder. Tiffany jumped. She hadn’t heard Simon approach. “Let’s go.”

Tiffany followed the older man through the gates and directly to the small waiting plane. It was a short flight to a nearby hub and she was tired enough to sleep the entire way.

—–

Over a day later Tiffany held onto her seatbelt as the Range Rover she rode in bounced along a rough dirt road. She was sweaty and dirty and her hair was a disaster. She watched the seemingly endless desert pass by in silence. Simon spoke little except to tell her when to move and where to go.

Hours passed and sparse patches of vegetation appeared along their path. She’d counted three small villages on their drive and each one was dirtier and more pathetic than the last. Sweat rolled down her face. She’d tried asking for the air conditioner but Simon had just snarled at her. The man never seemed uncomfortable.

They stopped once to refill their gas from one of the large cans on the back of the vehicle. The next time they stopped, Simon told her they’d arrived.

Tiffany looked at the village in disbelief. Large stone huts were arrayed in rough circles around a large open area. Adults and small children wandered between buildings. Some carried large baskets while others herded small, sickly animals. Goats and chickens wandered aimlessly. She was amazed at how very black everyone was. She didn’t associate with black people back home but even those seemed light skinned by comparison.

Simon stepped out of the big vehicle and knuckled at his lower back. A crowd began to gather and she saw the man smile for the first time. He called out in a language she’d never heard and several people answered with their own smiles. Hugs were exchanged with men and women and he even crouched down to talk to small, shy children hiding behind their mother’s loose skirts.

A few people gathered around Tiffany’s door and she shrunk back, watching them through expensive sunglasses. They seemed more than curious. Almost… hopeful, she thought. Simon walked over and opened her door. When she didn’t immediately come out, he turned to her and the smile slid from his face.

“Get out,” he said. And, she did.

A small black girl, her hair pulled back in tight braids approached her timidly. She said something and held out a small garland of rough brown weeds. Tiffany stared at the little girl while people crowded around.

“Take it,” Simon told her. “It’s an offering. A gift. They made it for you.”

“I don’t want it,” Tiffany said, hiding her hands behind her back. Simon turned to face her.

“Take. It.” He said, biting off each word.

For a moment, the young girl considered refusing but a large part of her worried what the man might do if she refused. It was a completely alien concept to her – to worry about her own safety. But, here, away from her family and city she was at the mercy at this man. And he terrified her. She reached forward and took the wreath. The small girl and several others backed away, their heads down and their fists pressed between their breasts.

“Here,” Simon said. “I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.” He turned to walk away as a few villagers opened the back of the vehicle to pull out the few pieces of luggage.

“I-” Tiffany said. “I don’t want them touching my things.”

Simon turned back to her. “Why? Oh, for god’s sake woman. They aren’t going to steal anything. They’re a damn sight more trustworthy than you are. I’d trust any of them with my life. Now follow me.”

Tiffany followed the other man, covering her nose with a small hand. The stench of animals was powerful and alien to her. She gagged a few times until she started breathing through her mouth. Looking around, she began to notice how thin everyone was. But, more than that, she realized people were looking at her with the same expression. Hope.

“Why are they looking at me like that,” Tiffany asked.

“They’re starving,” Simon said, ignoring her question. “Their harvests have been falling off for a while and their animals are beginning to die. Hunting has been sparse.”

“Why don’t they move?”

“To where?” Simon laughed. “This is their land. You saw what it was like on the drive here. If you were even bothering to look. It’s like this everywhere. This is all they have.”

Tiffany fell silent until they reached a small hut near the edge of town. Simon pushed aside a thin curtain and waved her in. She turned to see a man pulling her luggage. He bowed slightly when she looked at him.

“Should- Should I tip him?” Tiffany asked.

“Don’t be stupid,” Simon answered. “Take your bag and go in. I’ll follow in a moment.” The older man spoke to the crowd in a language unfamiliar to Tiffany. She pulled her luggage into the small building and looked around. The floor was bare dirt. There was a small table, a tiny bed and a stand with a large stone bowl. An old rack stood near the bed, five wooden rods parallel to the ground.

The young woman sat on the edge of the little bed, dropping the wreath to the ground. She was exhausted, physically and mentally. She hadn’t known quite what to expect from her trip but the reality of it was beginning to crash into her. She’d never felt so alone. So isolated. Everything was alien to her. She was too tired to cry.

Simon pushed aside the curtain blocking the entrance.

“Get some sleep,” he told her. “They’re going to have a small feast in our honor tonight.”

“I’m not hungry,” she told him.

“You will be,” Simon said. He left without a word.

“I want a shower,” Tiffany said quietly, to no one. She pulled her boots off, curled up on the bed and was asleep in minutes.

—–

“- time,” a voice said, waking Tiffany. “It’s time. Wake up.”

Tiffany yawned, blinking her eyes. Darkness filled the small room and she had a weird sensation that she was back in the holding cell again. She shivered and looked around. Bright light danced behind the curtain and she saw vague shapes of people moving and dancing. She could hear them singing.

“I want to go back to sleep,” she said sullenly. She didn’t want to go out there among those people. She wasn’t hungry and she didn’t want to be among them.

Simon grabbed her arm.

“You’re hurting me!” she said loudly.

“Then stand on your own and come outside, damn you,” Simon hissed. “Stop acting the spoiled child and do what you’re told.”

Tiffany yanked her arm away and stood, rubbing at her skin. Simon stalked away, disappearing behind the curtain and into the night. Tiffany walked slowly, cursing this man and her father for what she was going through. The voices outside rose in nearly a cheer when she emerged. The young woman shivered and quickly made her way to the roaring fire at the center of the village.

Women, dressed in simple cloth dresses that crossed up over their shoulders to cover their breasts but leave their stomachs bare, busied themselves gathering food. Children moved between the men and women, helping and dancing and humming with the song. Some men danced, some sang and some sat talking around the fire. Nearly everyone bowed to her in that peculiar fashion until she seated herself beside Simon.

Two young children came with a large platter of fruit. The platter was weaved out of local bushes and sticks and the fruit was spotted. Several small flies buzzed around the pile of food. Tiffany grimaced at it but forced a smile and said thank you to the children. They flashed quick bright smiles before running off.

The fire warmed her and she watched everyone moving around her. The singing rose to a crescendo and the crowd parted. A young man strode through the opening. He looked strong with big arms and a hard stomach. So unlike the thin people around him. He wore a mask covering his face. It was long and furred with a flat snout. And, the more she looked the more she realized that it wasn’t a handmade mask. She could see his eyes through the mask, the fire glinting off of them. He stared directly at her.

“Kosmas,” Simon said. “Their best hunter.”

“The… the mask?” Tiffany asked.

“Bushpig,” Simon answered. “It’s sacred to them. They’ve had it longer than any can remember. Their song is a prayer to bring back their crops and heal their livestock. They won’t live much longer if things don’t improve dramatically.”

The hunter sat directly opposite to her, across the fire. He sat with his legs open and his large hands resting on his knees. Tiffany looked away but could still feel his eyes on her.

Men and women ate fitfully around her, their portions far smaller than what she was given. She expected looks of anger or jealousy but saw none. A small boy came up to her, eyes downcast but hands held straight out. He held a simple bracelet made of some long grass. She almost refused it but, instead took it. As soon as the child ran off, she dropped it on the ground by her feet.

“You should eat,” Simon said.

“I’m not hungry. And there are flies all over the food. What kind of fruit is this anyway?”

Before he could answer, an old man approached. The singing died away and a strange hush filled the area. She could physically feel the sudden silence. Everyone seemed to be watching her. The old man held a cup of steaming liquid in his hands. He stopped before Tiffany and knelt, speaking to her. Tiffany waited for Simon to translate but, when he didn’t, she asked what the man had said.

Simon seemed to hesitate. “He says it’s an honor to have you here and they hope your presence appeases the gods of old. That they make the land fertile again.”

The liquid in the cup smelled bitter. Tiffany forced another smile. “No thank you,” she said. “I really hope everything works out for everyone but I’m not thirsty.” I don’t give a damn what happens to you, she thought. As soon as I’m out of here, you all can rot for all I care.

“Drink it,” Simon told her. His eyes glittered in the light.

“I really don’t-”

“Drink it now,” he said. “The man won’t get up until you’ve finished it all.”

“Fuck you,” Tiffany said with a smile as she took the cup. “I hope you and my father die horribly once I’m back home.” Still smiling, she gulped the drink down and nearly threw it back up again. It was sour and salty and tasted like burned coffee. The singing started up immediately, louder than before.

The liquid, tea Tiffany liked to think, burned going down and seemed to sit heavily in her stomach, warming her. She looked around at everyone but found Kosmas still watching her. The warmth began to radiate from her belly to her toes and ears. Her stomach rumbled loudly as the smell of the fruit wafted up to her. Tiffany waved away some of the gathered flies and pulled her hair over her shoulder to stroke it nervously.

Beneath the young woman’s boots, her toenails thickened and grew out until they pressed against the inside of her boots. She grimaced at the slightly pain in her cramped feet while looking around. Sounds began to mix together and every time she moved her head, there seemed to be a delay until her eyes caught up to what she was looking at.

“Was that alcohol?” Tiffany asked. She shook her head slowly. “Alcohol in there?”

“No,” Simon answered. His voice seemed to come from far away. “Not alcohol.”

Tiffany scratched at the back of her neck and then along her lean stomach. The stars spun above her.

“So many stars out here,” the young woman said. “So many. Look at them. All of them.”

Thick, dark brown hairs sprouted from between her shoulder blades. The bristly hairs grew slowly up her spine, becoming lighter and lighter until they were nearly pure white. The young woman felt a sharp pain in her belly. The smell of the fruit became nearly overpowering and she drooled at the scent of it. Looking down, she found a fruit that looked similar to a pear. She grabbed it, waving away the flies before biting into it. The flesh of the fruit was warm and sweet and the juice ran down her chin while she quickly ate it. Wiping at drool and juice on her mouth, the young woman grabbed another fruit, barely taking the time to wait for the flies to leave before biting into it.

Fine white hairs grew from her brows. More and more of the hairs pushed through her skin to slowly cover her forehead. Tiffany grunted at a sharp spike of pain along her stomach. She felt incredibly hungry. Her lower canine teeth slid from her jaw. They were forced outward while they lengthened, the base of the tooth growing larger and larger into miniature tusks. Her jaw popped, pushing forward to accommodate her growing snout.

As her mouth pushed forward, her nose was pulled back. Her nostrils flared and the young woman grunted again, sloppily biting through an entire fruit, seeds and all. Juice ran down her face and along her chest. She wiped at it, licking the juice from her fingers until they were clean. The skin around her nose began to darken and the flesh itself took on a thick, leathery texture. Cartilage formed beneath her nose, pushing it forward along her small muzzle.

“Twenty-two years ago,” Simon said. Tiffany snorted, turning to him as she shoveled another fruit into her mouth. “Your father and I were staying in a village like this one while on a hunt. We were welcomed with open arms. We watched something that night that I’ll never forget.”

Tiffany pulled at her shirt, digging fingers into her bra to find a piece of fruit that had fallen. She grabbed it and grunted happily, popping it into her mouth. She licked her fingers, unaware of the thick hairs growing from the backs of her hands. More coarse, dark brown fur spread down her back. She scratched at herself with one hand. Two young women came up behind her. They unbuttoned her shirt carefully and then pulled it away. Tiffany squealed in pleasure as the cool night air caressed her lightly furred body.

The two women struggled with Tiffany’s bra before one pulled a knife from a sheath at her waist. With a quick flick, the young woman’s bra came free. Tiffany sat, unconcerned with her sudden nakedness. Sweat, dirt and juice lined her taut white belly. The two women scratched at the thick fur growing along Tiffany’s back and she arched herself, sighing happily. Everything danced around her and she felt so warm and good and hungry.

Her belly rumbling loudly, Tiffany went to her knees in front of the platter of fruit. Her jaw continued to push forward and she pushed at the food with a wet, wide nose. Her small, pert breasts hung beneath her. The young woman bit at one of the fruits and then, as if remembering who she was, she picked it up and ate it instead. The women struggled with one of her boots. A third, older than the first two, joined them and the all pulled until her foot was free.

“A young man,” Simon continued. “Something wrong with him mentally. He was aggressive. Angry all the time. Fought all the time. They performed a ceremony with him. Changed him. They drew out his aggression and focused it. I watched him change with my own eyes. Something like a tiger and a man.”

The three women pulled at Tiffany’s other boot and it came free more easily than the first. She dug her toes into the ground, flicking at the dirt with her thick, long toenails. Skin bulged at the base of her spine. Tiffany growled, arching her thick furred back. Sweat dripped from her body to mix with the dirt. Her breasts swelled beneath her. Her small, pink nipples hardened and then continued expanding. Tiffany’s hard belly bulged lightly. Dark brown fur sprouted between her growing breasts to trace in a line down to her belly button. Blue veins stood out on her engorged breasts. Translucent liquid formed on the tips of her thick nipples.

The bump on her back pushed out into a short, thick hairless tail.

Kosmas stood. Two men stood on either side of him and they untied the cloth holding the hunter’s manhood. The cloth fell to the ground and Kosmas stood glistening naked in the light of the fire. He was erect as he stared at the changing woman. Around him, the men began a low, powerful chant.

“That young man became a pure hunter,” Simon explained. “An… avatar, if you will. Of an old god. The village never went hungry again. They sacrificed the young man and his need to fight and focused it into what they needed. That young man personified it.”

Tiffany abandoned all pretense, lost in her hunger. She grunted softly while gorging herself on the fruit, heedless of the flies buzzing around her. Her powerful jaws snapped at the food, small tusks tearing at the offerings. White fur grew along her muzzle and down her neck. Her belly bulged further, pushing the thick line of fur until it brushed the dirt beneath her. Tiny bumps appeared on the side of her belly, just below her left breast. The flesh darkened in a rough round patch around the bumps. More bumps appeared on the right side of her belly, closer to her pelvis. A third patch of skin darkened. A fourth. Skin puckered in the patch of skin below her breast. The skin tightened and twisted and a new dark black nipple pushed from the forming areola.

Seven more nipples formed in two lines down either side of her belly until eight dark, erect nipples stood at attention beneath her breasts. Her vestigial tail continued to grow and then flicked side-to-side as nerves and muscles connected it to the rest of her body. Dark black hairs grew from the tip of the tail into a thick tuft.

Gray and silver hairs sprouted among the white hairs lining her shoulders and upper back, turning darker as it grew down her body. The hair along her spine grew bushy and the three women ran their fingers through it, eyes wide in wonderment.

Sharp pinches below all eight of Tiffany’s teats made her squeal in pain. Drops of liquid expressed from the nipples as her milk came in. Small lumps formed beneath each teat and they began to swell.

Tiffany blinked. Bits of fruit and juice mixed with the coarse fur along her short muzzle. The young woman looked down her face. She could see the fur and the blunt, black snout. Her small tusks jutted up and out of her muzzle and she touched them gingerly. Her heart raced in her chest. She looked around herself in a panic.

Simon watched her with hardly any expression. Three women stood in attendance, stroking her back. Stroking the thick tuft of fur along her back. She could feel their fingers stroking her fur. She was naked from the waist up and her breasts were enormous. She touched them and her fingers slid along firm, marbled flesh until she brushed the fur lining her belly. Tiffany squealed in terror and looked down to see eight small breasts on either side of her bulging stomach.

“What!” Tiffany yelled, her voice sounded strange to her ears. She touched her fingers to the side of her head. The fur along her face was smooth and soft. Her ears warped beneath her touch. The ridge along the top of her ear shifted, pulling back into a point. They continued to expand, pulling further and further back. Silky black hairs sprouted from the backs of her ears growing around to completely cover them. Long hairs grew from the pointed tips of her ears.

Tiffany kicked herself back, landing on her ass away from the fire. She grunted, groaning as her jeans grew tight on her. Flesh bulged over the top of her pants and the fabric whined to try to contain her growing body.

“It!” she screamed. “It hurts!” The three women came to her, two tugging at the sides of her jeans, fingers pressing against her soft, furry sides. The third quickly worked to unbutton the pants. “No! No. Not help! Naked! Under there!”

Tiffany’s head swam. She tried to push at the women but they wouldn’t go. Tiffany’s ass swelled and the jeans gave, ripping down the back to expose her bare ass. Her thong disappeared between her large ass cheeks. Hairs dotted the smooth, white skin of her ass. Tiffany fell forward to her hands and knees, squealing loudly in pain. Her thighs bulged and the hole in her jeans grew larger. With a quick word, the woman pulled her knife to cut the band of Tiffany’s jeans and the thin string of her thong.

The women pulled at the jeans. Tiffany fell to her belly, crying out as her aching breasts slammed to the ground. Milk spurted from her large breasts and she rolled to her side, kicking with her feet. Her toes popped and lengthened, leaving the pinky toes in place as the bones and skin stretched. A large, thick white nail grew from both of her small toes, splitting the toenails until the new claws were longer than the toes.

With a final tug, the young woman’s jeans came free. One of the women pulled Tiffany’s thong from between her ass. Tiffany knelt on hands and knees in full view of everyone, completely naked.

“No,” Tiffany whispered. “Not. No. Not right.” It was so difficult for her to think. She was famished. She looked up to see two empty platters of food and a third nearly empty. The young woman grunted softly, crawling forward. She felt the nipples of her breasts and the thick fur down her belly brushing against the dirt. Adults and children danced around her while the men sang in loud, ringing voices that added to her confusion. It was all sound and fury and flames and food in her mind. She couldn’t stop herself from gorging. The young woman shoved her snout into the food, grunting happily while she fed.

“Only here,” Simon mused. “Only here they need their lands to be fertile. They don’t need hunters. I’ve been through here several times. I knew the people. When your father called… I knew exactly what to do with a greedy young woman that only thought of herself. Like the other man, we would focus and redirect that unending need for … things. That unending hunger. Only, that’s not all that’s needed.”

Simon looked over at Kosmas and nodded. The young hunter stepped forth.

“They need the land to be fertile,” Simon whispered.

Tiffany paused, sniffing at the air. She looked up and moaned. Kosmas stood before her. In her mind, she saw him not as he was but as she needed. He was huge and thick with black and silver and white fur. He stood on hooved feet with magnificent short tusks and sharp ears. His cock was long and twisted and red and she drooled at the thought of him inside of her.

The young woman spread her thick thighs in anticipation. Her bare pussy swelled, the labia bulging outward until they pressed firmly together. Dark brown hairs continued to sprout from her ass to spread down and cover her thighs. Her long, tufted tail flicked in excitement.

Kosmas walked around the fire, the light flickering off of his smooth, black body. The song changed into a chant. He stepped behind the woman and looked down. His erection throbbed painfully, kept hard from a concoction he’d drank earlier to keep himself from going soft. He knew his duty but the thought of fucking this… animal… made him worry that he’d not be able to perform. She had the shape of a woman but, barely.

He’d never take a real woman after this. He’d be too unclean. Fit only to hunt and to satisfy this creature. But, because of his sacrifice, his village would prosper. He’d gladly offered himself up. The young man stared at Tiffany. Even her sex was different, he realized. Like the animal she had become. He steeled himself, leaning forward to guide himself into her. The thick fur along her back tickled his smooth, hard stomach and he grimaced. Her sex felt hot and moist against the head of his cock and, before he could lose his nerve, he pressed into her.

Tiffany squealed as Kosmas took her. She pushed back, taking all of him while licking at the platter and dirt for any dropped pieces of fruit. Her tail flicked at the young man’s chest and side and she could feel his thick fingers holding her soft, wide hips. Dark brown fur crept up her forearm to mix with the silver, gray and white fur along her shoulders. Her heavy breasts and small teats swung below her, as full of milk as her bulging stomach was full of food. She bucked her hips wildly, lost in the pleasure, imagining that long red cock filling her. Her ears flicked and she licked at her wide, black wet snout.

Kosmas grit his teeth. He hated that the creature felt good to him. That he found himself enjoying the feel of her. She squealed and moaned, nearly like a woman as they rutted. With a snarl, Kosmas slammed harder and harder into Tiffany, willing himself to orgasm until finally, he felt himself release. The young man hissed out between his teeth as he felt himself swell over and over.

With a long, loud squeal, Tiffany raised her muzzle, baring her tusks. She could feel the male filling her with his seed. She rocked herself, lowering her body until her breasts rubbed against the ground, adding to the pleasure she felt. Her own orgasm shocked her. She gnashed her teeth as her pussy contracted around the male’s cock, holding him in place.

The young hunter leaned forward to his hands, breathing carefully through his mouth. The creature’s musk was powerful and threatened to turn his stomach when he considered what he’d just done. He felt the inside of her pulsing, gripping his cock. Milking him. He prayed that it would be enough.

Slowly, carefully, Kosmas pulled back until his cock popped free. Without a word, he stood and walked away from his people. He would spend a day cleansing himself and then lose himself in a hunt. When he returned, he could face his people proudly.

Tiffany rolled to her side. She stared at all the people as waves of pleasure still rolled through her body. The three women that attended her cooed at her, stroking and scratching the fur around her ears and along her back. She groaned as her toes fused together. The thick nails continued to grow into one large hoof on each foot.

Sweat dotted the woman’s body. Tiffany blinked slowly at a growing knot within her belly. The knot became a sharp pain and she cried out, long thick tongue lapping at her snout while her furred hands pressed against her stomach. Something moved inside of her. The three women whispered to her, stroking her muzzle and neck and back. Their voices helped to soothe her but Tiffany squealed, jerking in pain.

The woman’s extended belly swelled further, fur and skin moving slightly. The women carefully pushed her, struggling to move her heavy body until two more joined in. They rolled her to her hands and knees so her belly could hang free. Shapes moved within and a sharp pain wracked her body. Tiffany’s bulging vagina swelled, winking slightly as it opened. The older woman that had helped her before moved to her rear, tsk’ing as she watched. The other four women held Tiffany in place while the pains began to come faster and faster.

Squealing and screaming with sweat dripping to the ground around her, Tiffany felt herself pushing. There was a steady, rhythmic voice in her ear that she couldn’t understand but she found herself pushing every time the voice spoke. She gasped, large ragged breaths and pushed again. Over and over.

She pushed her first piglet through and the old woman helped to pull. The four women whispered encouragement as Tiffany continued to push and breathe, squealing and growling occasionally in pain. One by one her piglets were born until the four women slowly lay her down on her side. Tiffany moaned in appreciation and then bucked as the first piglet found her teat. It startled her but the sensation of it suckling against her gave her a sense of relief that she hadn’t known she needed. Her breasts ached.

Tiffany rolled herself slightly as six normal little piglets came to their mother to feed. Small and pink with faint traces of brown and white and black fur, they suckled against her and she felt a huge surge of pride at their birth. She looked at the moving shapes (a distant part of her said she should know what they were) around her, sighing happily while she stroked the little piglets with her hand.

Lightning flashed in the distance, followed quickly by a deep rumble of thunder. Tiffany squealed nervously.

At the first drops of rain, the villagers began to cheer.