{"id":289,"date":"2014-07-11T16:15:12","date_gmt":"2014-07-11T23:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/?p=289"},"modified":"2014-07-13T17:33:58","modified_gmt":"2014-07-14T00:33:58","slug":"first-contact-sci-fi-she-wolf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/?p=289","title":{"rendered":"First Contact"},"content":{"rendered":"

This morning I had a weird dream. \u00a0I think because I’d just finished reading a sci-fi book the day before. \u00a0Spaceships and fighting and etc… etc… So, anyway, I had a dream about aliens exploring Earth. \u00a0And, well, could aliens be infected by werewolves? \u00a0It was an interesting dream so I wanted to write it out quickly before I forgot too much or got sidetracked.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Delicate chimes alerted the young female to the impending drop.<\/p>\n

Light flared around her as the small ship woke.\u00a0 Displays gave atmospheric information surrounding the drop zone.\u00a0 A live holographic representation of her site bloomed before her eyes.\u00a0 The Station had chosen a location ringed by tall flora, well away from any of the indigenous inhabitants but not too far away so that their impact could be inspected.\u00a0 She reached for the display.\u00a0 Everything was just so tall,<\/em> she thought to herself.<\/p>\n

She smiled, still not believing she was here.\u00a0 Still not believing that she was chosen.\u00a0 Her heart raced in the silent confine of her ship.\u00a0 She knew that outside, in the Station, the crew would be boisterous.\u00a0 Calling to each other as they finished their final checks on each ship.\u00a0 Laughing and joking with one another as the ships were sanitized before launch.\u00a0 Years of research and planning had culminated into this moment.\u00a0 A very, very small part of her wished she could join in the celebrations but only a small part.\u00a0 Nothing could compare with what she was about to do.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“H’plita,” Station intoned.\u00a0 Its voice was carefully modulated.\u00a0 “Optimal drop time in one minute.\u00a0 All of your vitals are perfectly within required parameters.”<\/p>\n

The young female grinned.\u00a0 “I’m ready, Station.”\u00a0 She could barely keep herself contained.<\/p>\n

“Sun fall is in thirty minutes, local time.\u00a0 All equipment report operational status.”\u00a0 There was a pause and the ship shifted.\u00a0 “All personnel are clear.\u00a0 Release in ten.\u00a0 Nine.\u00a0 Eight.\u00a0 Seven.\u00a0 Six.\u00a0 Five.\u00a0 Four.\u00a0 Three.\u00a0 Two-”<\/p>\n

The final count was lost to H’plita.\u00a0 The universe roared around her.<\/p>\n

Displays changed to mark her course.\u00a0 If she’d cared to look, she’d see exactly how much time was left until she touched down.\u00a0 She could see exactly where she’d be landing.\u00a0 She’d know wind speed, temperature, percentages of oxygen, argon, nitrogen and more.<\/p>\n

If she cared to look.<\/p>\n

H’plita screamed in pure joy.\u00a0 Her eyes locked to the main display.\u00a0 The planet below grew to fill the screen, edging out the surrounding stars and the edge of its solitary moon.\u00a0 The young woman gripped the webbing around her, kicking her feet as she entered the upper atmosphere.\u00a0 She laughed and shouted as the ship fell.\u00a0 Countless instruments gave information regarding solid fuel consumption as the ship made small adjustments to stay on course.<\/p>\n

Station provided another countdown as her ship neared its landing zone.\u00a0 H’plita continued to ignore it until a sudden jerking motion pulled her tight against her restraints.\u00a0 The ship hovered and then gently lowered itself until it touched down.\u00a0 The temperature spiked around her ship as excess heat from the entry was shunted off into the surrounding atmosphere.\u00a0 She watched the gauges, grinning and hiding an occasional giggle behind a gloved hand.\u00a0 She nearly felt drunk with excitement but she knew she needed to calm down if she were to complete the mission.<\/p>\n

“Station.\u00a0 Open, please.”\u00a0 H’plita said.<\/p>\n

Above and around her, the thick canopy cockpit split into three sections, unfolding into the ship.\u00a0 Numerous clicks filled the air as her restraints pulled away from her.\u00a0 She pulled her gloves off, tossing them into the floor below.<\/p>\n

The world was utterly silent around her. Animals had fled at her approach.\u00a0 The air wavered around her ship as it cooled.\u00a0 H’plita pushed herself into a standing position and then closed her eyes to take in a deep breath.\u00a0 The air tasted sweeter than her own world.\u00a0 Clear.\u00a0 There was more moisture here than at home and she thought she could almost drink the air.\u00a0 \u00a0Panels pulled away from the side of her ship, revealing rungs for her to climb down.<\/p>\n

The young woman wasted no time racing down the ladder.\u00a0 Although Station had adjusted its gravity to match the planet’s gravity, she could still feel a difference.\u00a0 She’d spent nearly thirty years on her home world.\u00a0 Born and raised there until over 3 years ago.\u00a0 She felt like she could run and leap over the ridiculously tall trees the planet offered.\u00a0 It was to be expected.\u00a0 Unfettered by the harsher gravity of her home planet, this world grew everything taller and left her feeling like a leaf floating in the wind.<\/p>\n

“H’plita,” Station whispered in her ear.\u00a0 “Please do not forget your mission.\u00a0 You’ve left your equipment in the ship and I need to seal it behind you.”<\/p>\n

“Yes, Station,” H’plita grinned.\u00a0 She climbed up to retrieve her backpack and then back down again.\u00a0 Station closed the ship’s canopy as soon as she was on the ground.<\/p>\n

The sun lay low on the horizon, casting deep red along the horizon.\u00a0 H’plita’s vertically slit eyes expanded to take in the light and she grinned at it.\u00a0 She couldn’t help smiling at everything around her.\u00a0 The chance to be on ground was incredible.\u00a0 She’d gone through so much testing, psychological and physical in order to be where she was.\u00a0 Her strong flat teeth ground together as she remembered some of the harsher tests but the thoughts were quickly replaced by the tasks at hand.<\/p>\n

A lone, brave animal whistled at her nearby.\u00a0 “Station?”\u00a0 H’plita asked.<\/p>\n

“A simple winged creature.\u00a0 It is of no threat.”<\/p>\n

The young woman nodded and continued her work, sampling the environment.\u00a0 She wore protective armor, not quite military grade but more than capable based on research.\u00a0 The primary intelligent species had not yet advanced enough in metallurgy to be a threat.\u00a0 Best guesses based on predictive models and analysis of the planet, they wouldn’t even learn to mix basic metals for at least 5,000 years local time.<\/p>\n

The sun fell as she worked but Station flooded the area with her ship’s lights.\u00a0 The few brave animals that had returned suddenly fled again.<\/p>\n

“Thirty-six minutes until mission end,” Station whispered.<\/p>\n

“I’ll be done in ten,” the young woman answered.\u00a0 She reached a four-fingered hand to pluck a nearly purple fruit from a squat tree.<\/p>\n

“A gathering of the primary species is occurring 5.23 kilometers from here.”<\/p>\n

H’plita paused.\u00a0 “Did they see the landing?”<\/p>\n

“Unlikely.\u00a0 The approach was calculated to prevent this from happening.\u00a0 It may be coincidence but I will continue to watch.”\u00a0 An array of geosynchronous satellites kept watch over the entire planet.\u00a0 The eyes of Station.<\/p>\n

Small bugs flocked to the ship’s lights, casting tiny shadows as they hovered and danced around.\u00a0 It’d taken the biologists over a year to run tests on the various animals brought back by small probes.\u00a0 Tests designed to look for possible complications due to incompatibilities between their different species.\u00a0 Extrapolated results from the samples they had, knowing that there were billions of other animals unaccounted for.\u00a0 However, the planet was chosen because of how similar it was to her home world and the gene therapy required to bridge the biological differences was surprisingly minimal.<\/p>\n

The young woman continued to work, gritting her flat teeth to resist the urge to swat at the biting insects.\u00a0 Half of the mission was collecting an array of samples for the other scientists onboard Station.\u00a0 The other half would be H’plita herself.\u00a0 She’d be subjected to an enormous amount of testing when she returned.\u00a0 Actual contact with the primary species was decades away but they needed to know what effect standing on the planet would have for her people.\u00a0 She was part of the very first group and would likely be in the second group a year from now.<\/p>\n

Finally, H’plita stood, her full pack barely weighing her down in the local gravity.\u00a0 “I’m done, Station.\u00a0 Open up.”\u00a0 She approached her ship, waiting patiently as sensors scanned over her, picking up her genetic markers as keys for entry.\u00a0 When the cockpit sealed, it closed the ship off completely.\u00a0 Her earpiece was similar coded only for her and allowed the ship to bypass standard security checks to relay information.\u00a0 But, due to the nature of the mission, everything else was locked down tightly.\u00a0 No compromises allowed.<\/p>\n

The canopy unfolded and H’plita carefully placed her pack into the proper place.\u00a0 Once finished, she lowered herself back down to the ground.\u00a0 “How much longer until I’m required to leave, Station?”<\/p>\n

“Twenty-four minutes, forty-three seconds,” the voice answered.\u00a0 “However, I highly recommend leaving now.\u00a0 The primary species is moving.\u00a0 Their intentions are unclear but it does not fit recent patterns.”<\/p>\n

The woman frowned.\u00a0 “Are they coming this way?”<\/p>\n

“No,” Station replied.\u00a0 “They’re moving east and spreading out.\u00a0 They have smaller tame animals with them.\u00a0 They’re looking for something or someone but not in our direction.\u00a0 Still, precaution is wise.\u00a0 All ships with the exception of yours and Sh’sel have returned.”<\/p>\n

H’plita looked around, her eyes dilating as she stared away into the darkness.\u00a0 She’d kept herself within the defined area but with less than thirty minutes left, she felt the urge to explore again.\u00a0 Even though she was in the first group to touch down, there was always the chance they may not let her come down again.\u00a0 Full contact with the primary species may not even happen while she was still alive.\u00a0 It took a huge amount of time to run the simulations required to fully map out the psychological responses from the various separate tribes as well as the long term impact of contact.\u00a0 Her people were in no hurry and would get no second chances if something went wrong.<\/p>\n

“I’ll just be a moment, Station,” H’plita said.\u00a0 The canopy hissed shut behind her as she turned away.\u00a0 She closed her eyes, calling a mental image of the localized map.\u00a0 They’d followed their own planet’s rules, setting east as the direction in which the sun came over the horizon in the morning and west as the direction it set.\u00a0 Water surrounded her designated area on three sides but the sea was far in the distance.\u00a0 Mountains and rivers lined the horizon to the west.<\/p>\n

She walked through the trees for a distance, her short strides purposeful.\u00a0 She knew there would be a large river once she was past the trees but-<\/p>\n

Fine hairs stood along her back and shoulders.\u00a0 Subtle differences in pressure and the quality of noises signaled a change in her environment.\u00a0 A change her body didn’t like.\u00a0 H’plita paused, turning her head slowly to try to catch whatever sounds she could with her delicate ears.\u00a0 She reflexively sniffed at the air before mentally chastising herself.\u00a0 Her long nose lay nearly flat on her face, nostril flaps flaring several times before lying still, sealing her nose completely.\u00a0 Of course you won’t smell anything.\u00a0 This isn’t even your world.\u00a0 And you’re not some-<\/em><\/p>\n

“H’plita,” hissed Station in her ear.\u00a0 “Ship sensors are picking up a large, previously unidentified life form less than 8 meters to your left.\u00a0 The signal and life signs are faint and it is nearly impossible to keep a lock on it, even though it’s not moving.\u00a0 We’ve never seen anything like it and its effect on our equipment is troubling.\u00a0 I fully recommend-”<\/p>\n

Station’s words faded away.<\/p>\n

Eyes watching her through the trees.\u00a0 The planet’s moon shined off of them and they were nearly luminescent in the silvery light.\u00a0 She’d heard nothing of its approach even though loose sticks from the trees lined the ground.<\/p>\n

Heart hammering in her chest, H’plita froze.\u00a0 She remembered her training.\u00a0 The briefings.\u00a0 The gravity of her home world was nearly 70% higher than this planet.\u00a0 Studies based on scans from the primary species showed that her kind were faster and stronger due to this difference.\u00a0 Only a few recorded species of animal life were faster and none of them were in her area.\u00a0 But, Station wasn’t aware of whatever this thing was and that was terrifying.<\/p>\n

H’plita stepped carefully backward, her eyes not moving.\u00a0 The other creature blinked but didn’t move.\u00a0 She couldn’t make out its shape.\u00a0 The moon provided strong light but the trees hid everything in shadows.\u00a0\u00a0 Her gray eyes dilated further, pulling in as much light as they could.\u00a0 She could see a vague brutish outline and knew even from that that it was huge.\u00a0 She took another careful step back.<\/p>\n

The creature stood.\u00a0 H’plita thought it was already large until it unfolded.\u00a0 It had to be over 2 meters tall.\u00a0 Over half a meter taller than she was.\u00a0 The young woman swallowed.\u00a0 The chill from her neck and shoulders washed over her bare scalp.<\/p>\n

She turned and ran.\u00a0 The response from the animal was immediate; it crashed through the trees behind her.\u00a0 Her armor should protect her but her head was bare.\u00a0 If she was caught, she’d most likely die.\u00a0 It was clearly a predator.\u00a0 H’plita fumbled with a small part of her leg armor until a small black box came free in her hand.\u00a0 The little device hummed with energy.\u00a0 She looked back to judge the distance.<\/p>\n

It was already there and it was a nightmare.\u00a0 Long arms reached for her and, with a shriek, H’plita twisted, throwing the small device.\u00a0 Light flared as the small black box struck the animal in its midsection.\u00a0 A part of her, the peaceful, civilized part of her, hoped it wouldn’t hurt the animal too bad.\u00a0 A smaller voice from thousands of years before her civilization started down the path towards non-aggression fervently wished it would die.<\/p>\n

The animal didn’t even slow as its claws swiped through H’plita’s upper arm.\u00a0 Sparks showered the night air as the armor’s hardened alloy tore.\u00a0 She felt pain lance through her arm and up her neck but was thankful that it was no worse.\u00a0 The blow caused her to stumble and she fell but years of defensive training and a surge of adrenaline brought her into a graceful roll that ended with her back on her feet.\u00a0 The nightmare behind her crashed into a thick tree, giving her a moment’s advantage.\u00a0\u00a0 It roared as her thick muscles pushed her quickly through the forest.<\/p>\n

“H’plita, the animal’s cry has … nearby tribe.\u00a0 They’re… way… I…”\u00a0 Station’s voice crackled and died in her ear.\u00a0 H’plita ground her teeth in frustration and pain.\u00a0 Her arm felt like it was on fire.\u00a0 Briefly, she wondered if the thing was poisonous.\u00a0 She didn’t doubt that the adrenaline and exertion would force the poison quickly through her body if so.\u00a0 She just had to reach her ship.\u00a0 The doctors on Station could synthesize a cure.<\/p>\n

Behind her, the creature had regained its footing and gave chase.\u00a0 It had been surprised that its prey hadn’t fallen from its strike and that had thrown it off balance.\u00a0 It wouldn’t make the same mistake again.\u00a0 A low growl escaped from its lips.\u00a0 The scent of blood was heavy in the air.\u00a0 Prey.\u00a0 Its ears flicked back against its head as it ran, falling to all fours to gain speed.<\/p>\n

H’plita’s heart burned in her chest.\u00a0 She’d kept in shape on Station as required but never like this.\u00a0 She’d never felt real fear.\u00a0 Never as an adult.\u00a0 Never with the fear of death looming over her shoulder.\u00a0 She gasped in pain and frustration as the lit clearing came closer.\u00a0 Just a bit more,<\/em> she thought frantically.\u00a0 Just a bit more.<\/em><\/p>\n

A meter away from the clearing, an instinct forced H’plita to duck.\u00a0 The animal sailed over her, snarling as it raked at her back.\u00a0 The young woman screamed in pain as, again, it shredded her armor.\u00a0 It landed heavily in front of her and she had a moment to stare.\u00a0 It was biped and huge.\u00a0 Thick black fur covered it completely from head to foot.\u00a0 A long, bushy black tail thrashed behind it.\u00a0 The creature threw its head back into a roar, clawed hands wide.\u00a0 Challenging.<\/p>\n

The creature stopped at a loud warning sound from H’plita’s ship.\u00a0 A dome near the rear of the ship swiveled to turn a flashing red light toward the animal.\u00a0 The creature crouched low, facing the large ship, sniffing at it in puzzlement.\u00a0 The ship’s alarm began beeping steadily until the fifth tone.\u00a0 When the creature didn’t move outside of the lit area, a small, simple popping sound came from the dome.\u00a0 The creature fell immediately fell to its side, unmoving.<\/p>\n

H’plita sighed in relief.\u00a0 She lay on her belly at the edge of the clearing.\u00a0 Pain coursed through her left arm and back, shooting down to her feet.\u00a0 She pulled herself forward and then up, swaying as she stood.<\/p>\n

“Station,” H’plita called.\u00a0 “I need a medical team standing-”<\/p>\n

A loud warning sounded from the ship.\u00a0 H’plita stopped, her mouth open in shock.\u00a0 “Station!”\u00a0 she yelled out.\u00a0 “It’s… it’s me!\u00a0 H’plita!\u00a0 What-!”<\/p>\n

Again, the dome at the rear of the ship swiveled until its red light was facing her.\u00a0 She watched in horror as a steady beeping sounded from the turret.\u00a0 The young woman stumbled backward and the sound cut off mid-beep.<\/p>\n

“Station,” she gasped from outside the clearing.\u00a0 “Station it’s me!\u00a0 Why aren’t you-”<\/p>\n

Pain lanced from H’plita’s left arm and she turned to look at it.\u00a0 The smooth skin of her middle finger was tearing, pale red blood leaking away from the wound.\u00a0 Something moved<\/em> within her finger and she watched as a thick black bone-like shape pushed through the cut in her finger.\u00a0 Her hand shook and \u00a0cramped as muscles shifted to adapt to new bones growing in her hand.\u00a0 A razor sharp black point pushed through the smooth skin of her inward finger until a second growth joined the first.<\/p>\n

Claws,<\/em> she thought, remembering the beast that had slashed through her armor.\u00a0 It had claws just like this.\u00a0 But, that’s impossible.\u00a0 That’s…<\/em><\/p>\n

A third claw tore through her outward finger and she gripped her left wrist to stead the hand, gasping through compressed lips against the pain.\u00a0 Before the third claw finished, a fourth sliced open her sideward finger.<\/p>\n

It hit her then.\u00a0 The thing had infected her with something.\u00a0 Her earpiece was keyed to her genetic code and it began cutting out after it had cut into her.\u00a0 And her ship had warned her off because it didn’t recognize her anymore.\u00a0 It was changing <\/em>her.\u00a0 Its poison had infected her and was changing her on a genetic level.<\/p>\n

“No,” she said, out loud.\u00a0 “No.\u00a0 This can’t.\u00a0 Nothing here can do this.\u00a0 They checked.\u00a0 They checked they checked they checked-”<\/p>\n

A crawling sensation along the back of her hand made her look down.\u00a0 Small hairs pushed through her skin.\u00a0 Her people had trace bits of her along their shoulders and neck and sometimes their scalp but she’d never seen anything like this.\u00a0 They’d been effectively hairless since their recorded history.\u00a0 Now, as she watched silver hairs grew from the back of her hands and around her wrist.\u00a0 A similar sensation rolled along her back near where the creature had slashed at her and she moaned, shivering at the sensation.<\/p>\n

H’plita leaned forward, clawed left hand digging into the cool earth.\u00a0 Her stomach heaved and she vomited.\u00a0 Her throat and chest burned but she wasn’t entirely sure it was because of the vomit.\u00a0 Black claws burst forth from her right hand, pushing into the dark dirt.\u00a0 Hairs grew along the smooth flesh of her right hand and down to her wrist, thickening until the back of her hand was completely covered.\u00a0 She knelt and looked at herself, breathing rapidly.\u00a0 The dark skin around the edge of the palm of her hand darkened further into pure black.\u00a0 The skin cracked and puffed out away from her palm.\u00a0 She’d seen the same growth on private animals at the observatories on her home world.\u00a0 On animals.<\/em><\/p>\n

The light in the clearing suddenly cut off and the ensuing darkness was near complete.\u00a0 H’plita blinked at the sudden lack of light.\u00a0 The ship is leaving,<\/em> her mind whispered to her.\u00a0 Sweat poured from above her eyes and she moaned as her armor constricted around her.\u00a0 Her nostril flaps flared and rich scents flooded her senses.\u00a0 She could smell blood in her vomit and along her body.\u00a0 The earth gave off a pungent odor that did nothing to hide the smell of small animals.\u00a0 Her jaw ached.\u00a0 Running her long tongue along her teeth, she felt gaps near the front of her mouth.\u00a0 And tasted blood.\u00a0 She moaned at the taste of it and the sound came out deeper than it should have.<\/p>\n

A growl.<\/p>\n

Sharp points pressed through her gum line, pricking at her tongue.\u00a0 Three sharp points pushed out and, as she tested them, two more of her teeth cracked and fell out by the roots.\u00a0 More blood filled her mouth and she swallowed before she could stop herself.\u00a0 H’plita gagged at the rich, copper taste but it filled her with a sense of… something that she’d never felt before.\u00a0 She closed her eyes as her tongue licked around her lips, cleaning herself of the blood that had dripped from her mouth.<\/p>\n

H’plita fell to her hands again, flexing the length of her body as her armor cut into her flesh.\u00a0 She leaned back and tore at the straps, pieces of hard alloy falling around her.\u00a0 She wore a plain black skinsuit beneath the armor.\u00a0 When she’d finished disengaging the armor’s leg pieces, she kicked away from them.<\/p>\n

More cracking sounds came from her jaw and the young woman turned her head to spit the teeth that had fallen out.\u00a0 Before she could, she swallowed again and moaned.\u00a0 Her hands roamed her body, clawing at the fabric holding her.\u00a0 She burned in the light outfit.\u00a0 Wisps of steam rolled from her body in the cool night air.<\/p>\n

Something tugged at her mind.\u00a0 Tugged at her memory.\u00a0 She growled at the thought.\u00a0 Her gray eyes searched the area for a reminder.\u00a0 Collecting.\u00a0 Things, <\/em>she thought.\u00a0 Her mind was scattered.\u00a0 In pain.\u00a0 Changing.\u00a0 New scents and sensations pulling at her.\u00a0 Walking.\u00a0 I-<\/em>\u00a0 She lifted her chin.\u00a0 Her face, longer than the primary species cracked as her jaw pushed out even further.\u00a0 The taste of more blood wiped away the rest of her thoughts.\u00a0 The long slits of her nostrils blackened on her face as the skin closed and then pushed up into a flat, black, wet nose.\u00a0 Her tongue, already long, thickened in her muzzle and she licked around her lips again.<\/p>\n

H’plita’s small, thin ears elongated minutely.\u00a0 Light fur sprouted from the tips of them and then down to her face and along her jawline.\u00a0 Small specks of gold dotted the gray of her eyes.\u00a0 More and more flecks appeared until the gold of her vertical eyes pushed away the gray.\u00a0 She blinked and the world brightened around her.\u00a0 She sniffed again.\u00a0 No animals nearby.\u00a0 But, she sniffed again.\u00a0 A male.\u00a0 Another growl burst from her lips.<\/p>\n

She stood and looked down at her feet, the skin above her eyes knitting in confusion.\u00a0 Something on my feet.\u00a0 What.<\/em>\u00a0 Kicking her legs did nothing to free her feet and so the young woman growled and crouched, tugging at the strange things trapping her paws.\u00a0 She gripped and pulled at her right paw and her armored boot flew off.\u00a0 Before she could pull at her left paw, six claws burst through the tips of her boot.\u00a0 She felt the pain but it was nothing.\u00a0 A small hurt.\u00a0 Blood seeped from the six bare toes of her right paw and she knew her other claws would come soon.\u00a0 With several tugs, her other boot came off and her paws were completely free.\u00a0 She growled in approval.<\/p>\n

Bare brown skin showed through the tears in her black skinsuit.\u00a0 Her chest was smooth.\u00a0 One small nipple showed through a long tear in the outfit.\u00a0 Flesh around the small nipple hardened as the wolf fought her body.\u00a0 Genetic reprogramming from thousands of years ago had removed the need to nurse their children at their breasts.\u00a0 None of her species carried their own children to term anymore, instead relying on machines to do the work for them.\u00a0 It was a kinder method, less likely to produce harmful hormones that might cause anger in the host.\u00a0 Eventually, her people had edited out some of the secondary systems.<\/p>\n

The wolf fought that programming now.\u00a0 Her small nipple pulled, twisting with the growth of new hard flesh.\u00a0 Growing larger and fatter as it pushed from her body.\u00a0 Beneath the suit, her other nipple hardened and grew, pressing out against the fabric.\u00a0 A single drop of nearly clear liquid pooled from the tip of her exposed nipple as new glands and tissues grew beneath the surface of her chest.\u00a0 Her skin bulged, pushing both nipples slowly away from her chest.\u00a0 The skinsuit clung to the exposed, growing breast as it filled out.\u00a0 H’plita tore at her skinsuit, ripping it to shreds until she stood naked.\u00a0 Silver fur lined her arms, growing up to her shoulders and along her back to meet the growth of fur around her healing back wound.\u00a0 Her already thick muscles bunched and she threw her head back to howl at the full moon above.<\/p>\n

Breasts formed on H’plita’s chest.\u00a0 Her thick, erect nipples swelled, growing larger and larger until they hung down and to the side of her chest.\u00a0 A spray of silver fur sprouted between both breasts.\u00a0 The dark, taut skin of her heavy breasts seemed to absorb the silver light of the moon and she arched her back as if to proudly show them off.<\/p>\n

The slit between the woman’s legs swelled.\u00a0 Her sex was smaller than the local primary species’ sex but the wolf would change it for her.\u00a0 Skin split as it grew to match her larger body.\u00a0 A small bulb of flesh pushed out from under the crown of her sex and the young woman moaned in pleasure.\u00a0 Normally hidden away, her sensitive clit now throbbed in the cool night.\u00a0 Blood mixed with a clear liquid to leak from between her sex, running down her leg.<\/p>\n

Her spine cracked and she cried out, falling to her knees.\u00a0 Fur sprouted faster down her spine and along her sides.\u00a0 The bones of her spine pressed up against her skin and she grit her sharp fangs, twisting her head against the pain of it.\u00a0\u00a0 Muscles shifted and expanded in her back and her bones moved with it.\u00a0 The changes continued along her arms and legs.\u00a0 The wolf telling her body that she was built to run.\u00a0 To chase.\u00a0 To hunt.\u00a0 Her small, nearly flat ass bubbled out to match the new strength in her thighs.<\/p>\n

Fur continued to spread along her body, curving around her sides and up her stomach.\u00a0 At the base of H’plita’s spine, the bones cracked and stopped.\u00a0 There was no tailbone and the wolf was confused.\u00a0 It surged and a small growth of bone expanded downward from her spine.\u00a0 Two small, new bones clicked in place and then the spirit of the wolf retreated.<\/p>\n

H’plita stood, her chest heaving.\u00a0 She gripped the tree next to her, claws splintering the thick wood.\u00a0 Bones shifted along her paws and she shifted until she stood comfortably on the pads of her paws.\u00a0 The male still lay on his side in front of her.\u00a0 The young woman walked to him.\u00a0 She could smell his blood.\u00a0 Could smell how he still lived.\u00a0 Could smell his vitality.\u00a0 She dropped to all fours, the wolf guiding her, showing her what was natural.\u00a0 She huffed and pressed her muzzle between his legs, scenting him around the base of his furry sheath.\u00a0 He groaned under her attentions and shifted slightly.<\/p>\n

A noise in the distance caused H’plita to look up and her oddly shaped, furry ears lifted forward at attention.\u00a0 Gold, vertically slit eyes expanded as she stared.\u00a0 A group of people were coming.<\/p>\n

Prey, <\/em>the wolf thought.<\/p>\n

Yes, <\/em>H’plita answered.<\/p>\n

The male shifted again under her.\u00a0 One eye opened and he regarded her.\u00a0 He’d never seen a she-wolf.\u00a0 Had never let anyone live through a change.\u00a0 This one smelled different.\u00a0 Not like them.\u00a0 Not like him.\u00a0 But, close.\u00a0 Close enough.\u00a0 He could feel her wolf.\u00a0 The wolf that had settled into her.\u00a0 He pushed himself up and turned to the direction of the approaching villagers.\u00a0 He was larger than H’plita but she was more densely muscled.\u00a0 Still, he couldn’t not nip at her, growling his dominance.<\/p>\n

H’plita grabbed the male’s wrists and her teeth were wrapped around the male’s throat before he’d realized what had happened.\u00a0 Blood and drool dripped from her open mouth, falling to the fur along the male’s throat.\u00a0 He struggled briefly before realizing exactly how strong she was.\u00a0 If not for the nearby prey, he’d push her and fight but this prey would join the fight until they were both dead.\u00a0 Instead, he flicked his ears back and turned his head.<\/p>\n

The young woman pulled back and stood and the male stood beside her.\u00a0 He waited for her to take the lead and she did, launching herself through the forest. He struggled to match her pace and only his familiarity with his own world and its rules allowed him to keep up.<\/p>\n

They caught the villagers within minutes and it was a massacre.\u00a0 H’plita roared, leaping for the lead male, claws out.\u00a0 Her jaws closed around the man’s throat, decapitating him before they both hit the ground.\u00a0 She clawed at his chest and stomach, biting and tearing at his intestines.\u00a0 Blood sprayed against her, covering the silver fur of her breasts and stomach with dark red.<\/p>\n

A very, very small part of H’plita whimpered at the man’s death.<\/p>\n

The large group of men screamed, hacking with crude bronze swords and farming instruments.\u00a0 The two wolves tore through the group, feasting and killing until the last man fell.\u00a0 H’plita tore into his stomach, by now addicted to the soft flesh hidden within.<\/p>\n

The male approached, blood and flesh and guts dripping from his muzzle and the fur along his body.\u00a0 His thick red cock was exposed, his excitement from the chase and the kill showing.\u00a0 He walked to H’plita on two legs.\u00a0 The wolf inside him was frantic at the thought of mounting a female.\u00a0 It had play mounted a few dead women in blind need but that pounding desire paled in comparison to the thought of fucking the she-wolf.\u00a0 His blood was up and his cock throbbed in front of him, thick pre-cum dripping to the ground as he squeezed and played with the bulbous knot holding back his furred sheath.\u00a0 The rough bloody padding on his paws felt incredibly good on his cock.<\/p>\n

Once he reached the female, he dropped to all fours around her.\u00a0 She stopped to look up and back at him.\u00a0 He could see her fury, her hunger, her need<\/em><\/strong> in her eyes.\u00a0 She snapped at him and growled but then bent her head back down to the corpse below her, worrying at the bones of its spine.\u00a0 The male rubbed his cock against the tailless female , growling and groaning as he probed at her.\u00a0 The female’s sex was engorged and she shuddered as the male’s knot rubbed against her exposed clit.\u00a0 He moved again and she dropped the bone she’d held in her mouth.<\/p>\n

H’plita pushed back against the male, encouraging him.\u00a0 She growled as his cock missed again and again.\u00a0 The male’s muzzle clenched to the back of her neck and she collapsed, still growling but the anger faded from her eyes piece by piece.\u00a0 She moaned and whined, arching her back up into him.<\/p>\n

Finally, the male’s pointed cock slipped into the female’s sex.\u00a0 She howled, her wet sex gripping at his thick length.\u00a0 The male wasted no time as he began pounding into her over and over.\u00a0 H’plita dug her back claws into the earth, spreading her muscled thighs open while pushing her hips back.\u00a0 Her tongue lolled out of her mouth.<\/p>\n

Again and again the male’s knot probed at her opening.\u00a0 Stretching her every time.\u00a0 She pushed back.\u00a0 Wanting all of him.\u00a0 Needing all of him.\u00a0 Wanting to fill his knot opening her all of the way.\u00a0 Wanting to feel the tip of his pointed cock as far as it could go.\u00a0 Her full, furred breasts pressed against the ground below her, soaking in the blood of the dead man.\u00a0 The sensations, scent of blood and recent killing were driving her mad.\u00a0 H’plita had never been taken like this.\u00a0 Never been filled like this.\u00a0 Intercourse amongst her species had waned over the years in favor of toys and other stimulation.\u00a0 The wolf was showing her things she’d never knew she’d missed.\u00a0 The fragment of H’plita that remained was overloaded from it.<\/p>\n

She opened for the male and he knotted her.<\/p>\n

Blood again mixed with their juices.\u00a0 Blood from the small tears inside of her body.\u00a0 From being knotted.\u00a0 The wolf healed her and she howled low in her throat as her orgasm built.<\/p>\n

The male’s own orgasm caught her by surprise.\u00a0 She felt his claws dig into her shoulder and she growled at him in sudden anger until she felt him suddenly swell.\u00a0 H’plita gasped at the sudden feeling of the male cumming deep inside of her.\u00a0 She felt him filling her with his seed.\u00a0 Felt his cum drilling into her over and over.\u00a0 His knot had swollen even larger and his movements shortened.\u00a0 She slammed back into him when his rhythm faltered and he responded, fucking her with deep, hard movements.<\/p>\n

White noise filled H’plita’s ears, blocking the entire world away from her.\u00a0 Her muzzle worked over and over.\u00a0 She scrabbled at the ground with her claws but couldn’t move.\u00a0 The male held her tight, a paw on her shoulder and his knot deep inside of her sex.\u00a0 The male’s cum spurted out of H’plita as a second orgasm rolled through her, forcing her muscles to tighten around the male’s cock.\u00a0 She fell to her arms, forehead against the ground as her world exploded.<\/p>\n

When H’plita opened her eyes, she felt the warm fur of the male surrounding her.\u00a0 He was no longer inside of her and she felt his furred sheath against her soaked sex.\u00a0 She could smell his seed and her own juices.\u00a0 And the blood from being torn by his thickness.\u00a0 Their fur was tangled with blood.\u00a0 She felt weak from her orgasms but a strange sort of energy was replacing the weakness.\u00a0 With a shake of her hips, she pulled away from the male and stood.\u00a0 The male groaned but rolled to stand beside her.<\/p>\n

The wolf in H’plita looked out from the woman’s eyes.\u00a0 The world was huge and there were a million smells she’d never even knew existed.<\/p>\n

She ran and the male followed.\u00a0 Through the trees, splashing through rivers and chasing small game before running off to the next thing.\u00a0 The fragment of H’plita wanted to know what everything was and the wolf obliged.\u00a0 They ran and fought and fucked until grey light filtered through the sky.\u00a0 Both wolves stopped to watch the dim progress of the slowly rising sun.\u00a0 Both wolves knew what it meant.<\/p>\n

The change back was painful.\u00a0 But, nothing matched the pain of realization when H’plita’s mind returned to her mid-change.<\/p>\n

The young woman wailed.\u00a0 Loud and long she cried out, beating the ground around her.\u00a0 She cried hot, hard tears as the vague memories of the night echoed through her mind.\u00a0 The blood had long washed off in their run through the waters but the memories remained.\u00a0 She cried until she couldn’t breathe.<\/p>\n

When she looked up, the male was there.\u00a0 She’d seen images and videos of the primary species.\u00a0 The strangeness of their features.\u00a0 The nearness of them.\u00a0 Almost-them.\u00a0 Almost-same.\u00a0 He watched her, naked as she was.\u00a0 His hair and beard was curly and black, as was the forest of hair on his chest.\u00a0 She felt an odd, sudden heat between her legs at the look at him and she cursed herself for it.\u00a0 It wasn’t her<\/em><\/strong> desire she felt.\u00a0 She knew that.\u00a0 She knew it was the other thing inside of her.\u00a0 But, she still felt it.\u00a0 Still felt that quick flash of heat.<\/p>\n

H’plita looked down at herself.\u00a0 Her breasts were gone but her nipples were much larger.\u00a0 Much like the females of the primary species.\u00a0 Large and hard.\u00a0 Her hips and the bones of her lower back hurt, as if something had broken or changed there.\u00a0 Otherwise, she was the same.\u00a0 Four fingers, six toes, hairless.\u00a0 Compact and strong.\u00a0 Were her legs longer?\u00a0 More lean and less stout?\u00a0 Something about the size and shape of her body tickled at her memory but her thoughts swam away.<\/p>\n

The male walked away and she watched him.\u00a0 He was much taller than her and, while she knew she was physically stronger than him, he was wide of frame of had thick ropes of muscles along his body.\u00a0 His male sex hung low between his legs.\u00a0 Not red.\u00a0 Not pointed.\u00a0 Again, she felt a heat and her sex grew moist at the unbidden thoughts.\u00a0 At the whispers of the wolf.\u00a0 She hugged her knees to her chest.<\/p>\n

Eventually the male returned.\u00a0 In his hand was a large, long, sharp rock.\u00a0 He tossed it to her and said a few words.\u00a0 H’plita shook her head at him.\u00a0 He spoke again, harder this time and she looked at him.\u00a0 Again, she shook her head.<\/p>\n

“I can’t understand you,” she said.<\/p>\n

He frowned and then picked up the rock.\u00a0 Pointing the sharp end of the rock at his chest, he made a stabbing movement near the center of his chest and then pointed at her.\u00a0 Again, he tossed the rock to her.<\/p>\n

H’plita looked at it.\u00a0 Station might come looking for her.\u00a0 It might send someone to look for her.\u00a0 And then what?\u00a0 Would they fix her?\u00a0 Would they keep her locked away?\u00a0 The thought made a physical growl escape her lips and she felt a sudden flash of anger.\u00a0 No.\u00a0 I will never <\/strong>be chained.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 She closed her eyes at the thought and calmed.\u00a0 She’d never felt anger like that.\u00a0 Not once in her life.\u00a0 Was it her now?\u00a0 Or the thing inside of her.\u00a0 Could they take it out of her now that it was part of her?\u00a0 Part of her enough that her ship wouldn’t recognize her genetic material?<\/p>\n

Can I go back?\u00a0 <\/em>She asked herself.\u00a0 I’ve killed.\u00a0 And I’ve… I’ve eaten them.\u00a0 The primary species.\u00a0 Not unthinking animals but primary species.\u00a0 I’ve-<\/em>\u00a0 She choked up and tears fell.\u00a0 She could remember the blood.\u00a0 An echo of the scent and taste of the blood floated through her mind and she rolled her shoulders, gasping at it.<\/p>\n

Do I want<\/strong><\/em> to go back?<\/em>\u00a0 The thought scared her but she couldn’t see where her thoughts and the other thing’s thoughts ended.\u00a0 She kicked the rock away.\u00a0 In her mind, a part of her grinned.\u00a0 Deep and dark inside of her.\u00a0 A part of her wanted it to be night.\u00a0 Wanted to chase. To hunt.\u00a0 To run.<\/p>\n

The man watched all of this.\u00a0 When H’plita looked up, his male sex was erect.\u00a0\u00a0 She felt a deep, pleasurable ache inside her belly before looking away, shifting her hips.\u00a0 Rolling them once.\u00a0 He knelt in front of her and when she closed her eyes, a memory of his sheath filled her mind.\u00a0 His red cock.\u00a0 And how it felt.\u00a0 The wolf inside of her huffed in laughter.\u00a0 She opened her eyes and forced herself to look at him.<\/p>\n

“Theseus,” the man said.\u00a0 Tapping his chest.\u00a0 “Theseus.”<\/p>\n

The woman watched him for a moment and then placed a hand on her chest.\u00a0 “H’plita,” she told him.<\/p>\n

The male, Theseus, watched her for a moment.\u00a0 He nodded and held his hand out to her.\u00a0 “Hippolyta,” he said.<\/p>\n

This time, she followed him and shivered, a small part of her trying to remember how long a day was on this world.<\/p>\n

For when the moon would rise.<\/p>\n

For when the hunt would begin again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This morning I had a weird dream. \u00a0I think because I’d just finished reading a sci-fi book the day before. \u00a0Spaceships and fighting and etc… etc… So, anyway, I had a dream about aliens exploring Earth. \u00a0And, well, could aliens Continue reading First Contact<\/span>→<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[220,4],"tags":[159,226,22,11,223,185,180,106,225,229,140,138,120,221,121,224,30,222,227,15,112,10,7,228,111,9,23,5,6],"class_list":["post-289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-first-contact","category-story","tag-alien","tag-ancient-greece","tag-blood","tag-erotica","tag-fm","tag-forced-change","tag-forced-changes","tag-full-moon","tag-greece","tag-hypolyta","tag-infect","tag-infection","tag-knot","tag-knoting","tag-knotted","tag-mental-change","tag-mental-changes","tag-mount","tag-mythology","tag-nsfw","tag-sci-fi","tag-sex","tag-she-wolf","tag-theseus","tag-transform","tag-transformation","tag-violence","tag-werewolf","tag-werewolves"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42NMN-4F","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=289"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":291,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289\/revisions\/291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}