Living...As A Human-Cat Hybrid... *EDITING*

Chapter Sixteen

Why on a perfect night, must something go wrong?!

I was getting pulled deeper into the dark alley. I heard Cayden rushing after me and calling my name. I tried to call back to him, to escape from the unknown figure's grasp. He was far stronger then me though.

Finally, the man threw me down on the ground hard. I hit my head on the brick wall of the alley. Cayden was immediately by my side, helping me up.

"Joy, are you oka-"

"Shut up!" The man said hitting Cayden on the head with something.

I looked up at the figure, but it was too dark to see his face.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this? What do you want?" I whispered quickly.

"I said be quiet!" He shouted at me, which caused me to flinch.

"Give me all your money! Jewelry, watches, all of it!" He demanded.

I quickly took out my earrings and necklace. I nudged Cayden to give up his watch.

"This is what we have." I muttered. The man seemed angry. The heart on my necklace was a fake version of a diamond, and he could tell. Cayden's watch wasn't that special, and the ring he gave me was a type of junky rock, but I still loved it because it was a gift fromCayden.

The man threw them at my face, which, by the way, hurt like hell. I wimpered, because I really didn't seem in the position to fight back. It was too dark to see if the man had a weapon.

The figure seemed to pick up something lying on the ground. I saw it glimmer in the faint moonlight.

Just as the man had raised it above his head, ready to strike, something big and black charged into him, tumbling him to the ground. I heard a growl and the man yell.

It was a big panther. I grinned and nudged Cayden to get up. He was really confused, but did it anyway. We got up and slid out of the alley.

"Joy, are you okay? What was that thing? Did you get hurt? I'll kill him."

"I'm fine, Cayden, but I am worried about your head." I said touching his hair where he was hit. He winced slightly.

"We should get outta here." Cayden said. Trying to pull me away from the alley.

"No, Cayden, wait." I pulled my arm away from him and peered around the corner of the alley. I still couldn't see anything, but I heard yelling and growling.

Cayden and I waited a couple minutes. The panther trotted out of the alley and spotted us. Cayden got in front of me but I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Relax." I said. The panther continued to stare at us.

"Joy, I don't know if you've noticed, but that's a freakin' panther!"

"I know him."

He seemed shocked, and just stared at me along with the panther.

"Just, let's go to my house. You too." I pointed at the big black cat.

We started walking and it followed. Finally, we got to my house and I opened the door.Cayden and the panther walked in.

"Okay, Allen you have to explain how you're a cat and what you did to that guy." I said looking down at him. He looked up at Cayden and walked into my downstairs bathroom.

"Allen? What?" Cayden asked me as I let Allen do whatever.

"Just shush." I plopped my heels on the ground near the door and placed my earrings and necklace on a table. A little later, Allen walked out of the bathroom with only black jeans on.

"How..." Cayden's voice drifted.

"How were you a complete panther?" I said walking up to Allen.

He sighed. "It's complicated, but really I found out myself."

"Found what out?!" Cayden said. "What the hell are you two talking about?!"

"I...also am a hybrid...like Joy." Allen said.

"How come she knows before me?! I'm your brother!" Cayden almost shouted.

"When I found out Joy was a cat, I thought she should know I was!!" Allen yelled. "And I only wanted people that would understand to know!"

Cayden stomped over and sat on my couch, muttering stuff about it being unfair.

I turned to Allen. "Can you teach me that?"

"How to completely be an animal?"

"No, how to make pizza. Yes, how to be an animal!"

Allen looked at me and grinned.

"Oh, be quiet. You know what I mean." I sighed.

"How about tomorrow? I'll come here and start teaching you."

I nodded and I heard Cayden scoff. "You two can go, now."

They both left, and I walked upstairs to my room. I got out of my dress, washed off my make up, and brushed my hair.

I quickly fell asleep, after that.

•••••••••••••••••••••

"Joy, wake up."

I slowly opened my eyes. Allen was standing over my bed looking down at me.

"Dude!" I said. "When you said you were gonna come over today, I didn't think at 7:30 in the morning!! It's Sunday!"

I sat up and messed with my hair. That's what I did when I was confused or irritated.

"Do you want me to leave?" He asked motioning to the window.

"Is that how you got in?!" I got up and walked over to my closet. I grabbed some black shorts and a blue tank top. I walked out of my room and into the bathroom, where I got changed.

When I walked out, I bumped into Allen.

I trudged downstairs and grabbed a granola bar.

"So what are we doing?" I asked turning to Allen, who was leaning against the wall.

"Well, I was thinking I could just tell you how I do it, and if you get it, we'll go outside and you can try."

"And if I don't get it?"

"I'll make you understand it." He took the granola bar and finished it off.

"Here," I held out the wrapper. "Eat this too."

He chuckled, picked up the wrapper, and threw it away. He walked over and sat on my kitchen counter.

"Okay, so, I was the panther. You know that."

"Yeeeaaahhh." I said in a 'duh' voice.

"Well, when transforming, I focus on what I want to become. I'll close my eyes, and just try to feel like a panther. Soon, I have black fur on me, and I'm walking on all fours."

"It's that easy?"

He paused. "Sure." He looked away. "Why don't you go try it outside?"

I nodded and we walked into my backyard.

"Now concentrate." Allen told me as I closed my eyes and focused.

After a few minutes, I was getting irritated.

"Nothing's happening!" I shouted opening my eyes.

"Joy, calm down. Now, do it again."

I tried again. I soon felt my fur patches spreading, claws sprouting from my fingers, and myself shrinking.

I was a cat.