Calytrix's Journey

Chapter XXIV: An appropriate person II

I was lying down while I slowly tried to move my body. A dense, ashen mist enveloped me. I could hardly see past a few feet.

Why was Valerius' dream like this? Couldn't it be a little nicer? As I thought that the fog swallowed up everything to the point, I couldn't see anything anymore. It created an eerie, haunting feeling.

A feeling of unease washed over me as I attempted to stand. My immediate goal was to get away from the fog.

Shapes became visible as the mist faded. I became disoriented and uncertain in the fog, but oddly, I didn't panic. This was not meant to last. I was safe because it was just a dream.

I walked and walked until I reached the edge of a vast meadow, but my body felt off. When I tried to look at it, my vision got hazy. I looked closely to see what was going on, and I realized there was black fur all around. Has an animal gone past here lately?

A little boy was playing with leaves far away. He was tossing them up, letting the wind take over. The wind? But there was no wind around... he was using magic. Was this boy a mage, just like Akios? He had dark curly hair and a little gray cloak that fluttered in the breeze. As soon as he saw me looking, he ran to me.

"Hiya, Calytrix," said the boy, whose icy blue eyes were like Akios'.

"Have we met before?" I asked him.

"Calytrix!" he said seriously, in the tone of an adult male.

"Akios!" I couldn't speak for a second. "How did you become so tiny?"

"I thought this would be fitting, given that they cursed Valerius when he was a child," he replied, giving me a sweet look with his big, childish eyes. "Besides, shouldn't you worry about your body?" His tone changed to a small, cutesy boy's voice.

I looked down and saw short, furry, animal-like legs. The slenderness and shortness reminded me of a cat. I flipped my paws to discover pink toe beans and strong claws I could show or hide at will. This isn't right... I looked left and right and saw black fur covering my body and a big fluffy tail on my back. My motions were effortless and rapid, as if I weighed nothing. I attempted to get a better look at my tail, but I just ran in circles.

Little Akios was laughing as he picked me up. 

"Stay calm!" he ordered.

 I surrendered to him and didn't move my cat body. 

"I'll let you look at your new form," Akios cheerfully said.

He cradled my new body in his arms like a baby. Akios even stroked my fur, which made me feel strange. It was a pleasant feeling, like patting my head, but different.

As promised, Akios took me to a small puddle that reflected its surrounding. I took a good look at my form. There was no mistake that I completely became a black cat with a little pink nose and green-blue eyes. I hit the water with my paws as though it could change me back to human mode.

"Cats are cute, aren't they?" little Akios said.

The change into a cat disappointed me, and I didn't know what to say. 

Akios continued, "As a cat, you will have access to many places that are forbidden to humans."

If this form lets us solve the charm quicker, then it is welcome. 

"Let's go!" I heard myself say meow to Akios. 

"What?" I meowed again.

"It's okay. I can hear your words," he said.

Akios tried to pick me up again, but I struggled with my paws, trying not to get my claws out.

"No way," I meowed while jumping away from Akios.