Bygone Adventures: Episode 2 "Curse of the Skull"

Werehogs Howl

It started as an unnatural chill running up his spine, and his fur stood on end. His stomach turned and he placed a hand on it, groaning slightly, as he leaned against a tree.

"Man, I should not have eaten all those chilidogs," he grumbled before a wave of pain wracked his system, forcing him on to his hands and knees.

His bones and joints ached unbearably, and he felt them creak and strain under the unexplainable stress. A choked cry barely made it passed his lips as his teeth lengthened into sharp, jagged fangs. He winced and tried to call out, his muscles tearing and rebuilding themselves so that he grew in mass. His sinewed bulk was covered by his long, shaggy fur, which had turned a deep midnight blue. Gloves ripped, revealing large furry white, claw-tipped hands, and a snowy patch of fur covered his once tan chest. His sneakers stretched and dulled in color, the bottom portion spiked like a cleat. His peach-colored muzzle faded to an ashen gray. The once hedgehog's senses became overwhelmed by the smells and sights bombarding him, and his ears folded upward, enhancing his hearing to the maximum.

When the sudden transformation finally ended, Sonic released his pent up distress with a long, mournful howl. He was no longer the blue hero everyone loved. He was the dreaded Werehog.

What...happened to me? Why do I look so weird? Oof, maybe Sticks was right about mutating veggie dogs, he thought and tried to stand up. His body toppled out of balance, and he held a large furry paw up to his face so he could see it closer.

"Man, things really have gotten ugly," he said aloud, shocked that his voice grown deep and scratchy. A low whimper escaped his cold muzzle, and all he wanted to do was curl up and pretend this was all a bad dream. He felt extremely warm, his new thick coat absorbing all of the heat from a humid island night. His dreary thoughts about his current circumstances were interrupted by a sudden, delicious scent.

On the other side of the island

All was quiet in the Black Arms den, the large masses of reptilian creatures sleeping soundly with their respective families. Light from the full moon poured in through the singular opening in the cavern's roof, illuminating the hulking bodies below with a pale, almost ethereal shine.

For once, peace reigned, and Shadow the Hedgehog was able to sleep soundly with his pack. However, good things never lasted long with the hybrid. A deep, mournful howl reached his all too sensitive ears, and the obsidian hedgehog sat up, rubbing his eyes to stir himself awake. Careful not too wake any members of his dozing family, he stood up and teleported out of the den, allowing the warm night breeze to caress his ebony, crimson-streaked coat. But the eastbound wind brought a strange, musky scent, and Shadow's brows knitted together in both curiosity and awareness. The trace was faint, most likely from the other side of the island, and yet oddly familiar. Deciding to let it wait until it actually required his attention, he turned back to his cave to get some sleep.

With the Werehog

Sonic lumbered through the jungle, not quite mastering stealth in his new form just yet. He was preoccupied with the tasty scent that had filled his nostrils. His bushy, dark blue fur helped camouflage him in the night, but all of the small creatures in the nearby area were quick to hide when they heard him coming. The werehog payed no mind to them.

His nose soon led him to a clearing, and for once he payed attention to the noise he was making. He lowered his massive body low to the ground, his padded paws barely making sound on the jungle floor. Within the center of the clearing, a lone deer grazed under the full moon's light. Sonic was careful to navigate around the breeze, knowing his scent would startle the timid creature. He crept closer and prepared to pounce when the thought of what he was actually doing struck.

"What the--!?" he gasped, scaring his former prey and sent it prancing away. Sonic stood on his feet, looking down at his large hands in fear. I was...hunting. Just like an animal. I would never do something like that. So why did it feel so...right?

Sonic ran and was more than disheartened when he discovered he no longer had his trademark speed. Tears blurred the edges of his vision, not wanting to admit to what he had almost done. He didn't stop until he reached his little shack on the beach. Pine green eyes gleamed in the moonlight as he gazed inside to find Tails sleeping soundly in his bed. The midnight werehog released a deep sigh and stalked away.

I can't have anybody see me like this, he thought and returned once again to the deepening shadows of the jungle, where he wandered for the rest of the night.

The werehog lifted his head from his fitful sleep just in time for the sun to peak over the horizon. As the golden rays touched his fur, a warm light encased his body. When it faded, he was happy to find that he was back to his normal, hedgehog self, and he couldn't help but laugh in relief.

"Phew! Maybe it was just a one time thing," he said aloud, even more happy that his voice had returned to normal as well. The blue blur spent a few more minutes soaking in the early morning sunshine before vanishing in a cobalt streak. He couldn't wait to see his friends again.

His first stop was his humble shack. It was still early, meaning that Tails wouldn't be awake for at least another hour or so, and he decided to catch a few z's before then. As soon as his head hit the pillow on his hammock, he was out like a light.

Running. Heart pounding. Growling. Snarling. Biting. Tearing. The full moon shining in darkness. A piercing howl...

"Sonic? Hey, Sonic! Wake up!"

Tails' voice snapped the blue hedgehog out of his nightmare, and he bolted up in a cold sweat. The two-tailed kit rubbed soothing circles between his back spines until the dream was nothing but a harsh memory.

"You okay, Sonic? That must have been some dream."

"Yeah, no kidding," he grumbled and rubbed his eyes, "What time is it?"

"About 8:30. You were sleeping pretty hard till you start tossing and turning a lot in your sleep. Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No, thanks, lil bro. It was just a bad dream," he replied quickly, "Wanna head over to Amy's for breakfast?"

"Anything beats old cereal again," Tails grinned. Sonic rolled his eyes.

"Okay okay. I'll run to town and get some more later today. Come on! We're gonna be late," he added and picked the fox up, dashing out at a supersonic speed. Tails cries could be heard all over the island.

"SONIC! SLOW DOWN!"

A/N: And there you have it, folks! Thank you for your patience. Life has been pretty crazy, IRL lately. That was my first time writing a full werehog transformation scene. It might not have been the best, but I'll get better at it hopefully. If you have any critique or plot suggestions, let me know in the comments!