Luck of Nines

29

     In the early hours of the day Chipper slipped from the Slytherin common room and out into the night, his still kitten-like form, enhanced slightly in size by other forms, was followed by a grown cat. They slipped through the shadows and out a ground floor window with experienced ease and were soon dashing across the field and towards the dark forest.

     The stars still glowed brightly even though the moon was not present this night, giving the pair's sharp eyes more than enough light to see by. As they entered the forest  Chipped Fang prowled about to explore the edge while Chipper slipped further in so that his form could shift, out of sight of the castle, first he was a loping canine too large to be a dog or coyote like those he'd seen in picture books or even a large wolf, the shaping not quite right for a wolf either. Broad shouldered with bone-breaking jaws and almost awkwardly large paws still showing he had more to grow until his adult size.

      The flying squirrel form was next, he shifted and dashed over to Chipped Fang colliding and then rushing off, excited, Chipped Fang gave chase as he scampered up a tree and through the branches. They raced this way and that through the branches, Chipped Fang struggling to keep up behind him despite his occasional pauses.

For a moment he took the form of a clouded leopards, launching himself up from the branch he was on he slipped into one of the forms he didn't recognize, a type of metallic bird, similar to a crane in shape, although larger in size, he knew that much, which meant it had to be something metal. The loose feathers, attack feathers he had dubbed them, on his wings shifted with an almost soothing screech as he folded his feathers into a dive.

He spread them once more as he nearly reached the branch where Chipped Fang crouched, hindquarters wriggling in excitement, and soared past, quickly adjusting to the added weight as he swooped through trees at breakneck speeds, Chipped Fang crouched tightly on his back. They rushed through the trees swerving around trees, dipping or rising over branches, circling trees in tight motions where the tip of Chipped Fang's tail brushed against the tree as they raced about it before turning away in a sharp movement, clawed talons helping the takeoff be even faster.

In an easy moment, he skimmed close to the ground and changed in a flash, long legs skimming the ground as he took the form of the fox-like canine, likely a dhole, he had decided after reading quite a few books on canines. Chipped Fang leapt from his back with practiced ease and for awhile they chased each other around before Chipper caught notice of a creature. It had a squirrel like tail, but had a larger head and body. Chipped Fang immediately dropped into a crouch, hidden from sight inside of a bush, and Chipper weaved about, careful of the wind in order to avoid detection, as he partially looped around the creature until he was in position.

Then, forgoing stealth, he raced out driving the creature towards where Chipped Fang waited. If he caught up with the creature before it reached Chipped Fang's ambush, then the kill was his, if the creature did manage to make it so far, than Chipped Fang would pounce and the kill would be Chipped Fang's. Either way, the creature was a goner.

He was closing ground. Fast. But the creature was quick as well. His paws pounded against the ground as he stretched his legs to their absolute limit, something he hadn't gotten to do often even before, as he barreled down upon the helpless creature. Chipped Fang lunged out of the bushes, all claws and sharp teeth, but the creature dodged to the side in the last minute and Chipper bounded over Chipped Fang as the cat tumbled hissing expletives, or rather the cat version of immense distaste which would translate to human speech in a string of what would be deemed as 'colorful' words.

Chipped Fang regained his feet quickly though and took off to the side, ready for the next round. Chipper drove the creature in the cat's direction again, excitement and adrenaline filling his every nerve, his teeth brushed against the bushy tail. So close. Yet still just out of the reach of his jaws.

They were nearing Chipped Fang again, this time down wind, but the creature couldn't turn away or else it would run straight into his waiting jaws. Even with its defeat inevitable, Chipper strove to go faster; he struck again, this time a thin, brilliantly colored but limbless body wrapped around the creature, fanged jaws sinking in after a less than split second transformation left him in the form of a flying tree snake, one of two snake forms that he had.

The choice of Egyptian Cobra being ignored given its potent venom. He could feel it struggle, so quickly he took the form of the large wolf-ish canine which he did not know the identity of, his jaws clamped right over the same form as he shook it vigorously.

He dipped his head as Chipped Fang meandered over, letting the cat get the finishing bite before his own teeth set to working at the bones, cracking a few open for the two of them to lick at the marrow before returning to his own cat form to join in the meal. Enhancing the cat form's size to that of a just slightly larger than usual for a full grown cat had become near second nature to him, so he remained larger than Chipped Fang despite retaining his kitten fluff and paws.

Chipped Fang gave a satisfied purr as they finished the meal and settled down, the two cats nuzzled together. The sun was rising, and his presence would likely be noticed if he remained away for too much longer, but he didn't care. He was wild and free, not a house cat that would purr at their feet for a handful of seconds of attention. They could wonder all they pleased about where he went and what he did. Merely by attending most of the time and spending his nights in the stone castle he fulfilled his necessary obligations.

He napped the morning away with a type of lazy, vicious glee that he only rarely got to experience.

     Sorry this is late, I completely forgot to update since I was distracted with a different story. -T.A.L.A.