Chapter 14

As with the last musical, Kelsi's new show received four performances, Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, and a Sunday matinee.

Daddy and Mother returned from their respective trips in time to catch the Saturday and Sunday shows.

Gabriella did well… I guess.

Joey and Ryan were fantastic individually, but lacked any real chemistry together. The stage kiss at the end of the first show was the worst I'd seen since Ryan and I played Romeo and Juliet during our freshmen year. Yeah, that had been awkward.

Of course, their chemistry wasn't helped at all by having Troy and Jesse front row center at every performance.

They didn't say anything about it, but I could tell by the looks they were giving Ryan and Joey that they were both jealous enough to want to make sure nothing happened between their boyfriends.

Our parents didn't seem to notice though. They beamed and gave Ryan a standing ovation at both shows they attended. It was the first time he starred in a play and I didn't. I was jealous, but I knew he deserved it. It was strange seeing him in the spotlight without me.

The winter musical finished at last, that Monday Mrs. Jewls announced that she had selected The Tempest as the final play of the year, and for most of us the final play of our high school careers.

Chad was displeased. "Shakespeare? Isn't that a little old fashioned?"

Ryan and I gaped at him. Frail Mrs. Jewls looked like she'd been struck.

"How is it, Mr. Danforth, that one who has been in so many drama classes, has gained so little appreciation for the bard?" Mrs. Jewls was upset as she spoke.

Chad shrugged. "Just doesn't seem very important to modern culture is all."

"Not very important? Do you have any idea how many of your popular movies steal ideas that he first made famous?"

Chad shrugged again.

Mrs. Jewls glared at Chad. "Well. In the interest of furthering everyone's understanding of Shakespeare, I've got an assignment for you. Each of you is to choose your favorite of his plays, and write a ten-page critical evaluation of it. They will be due next Wednesday."

Everyone groaned, and more than a few dirty looks were cast at Chad.

If the assignment was bad for everyone else, it was worse for me. The moon would be new that Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the second new moon since I'd been bitten. Being a jaguar was going to cut into the time I would have to write the stupid paper.

I gave consideration to hunting Chad down and biting him. Okay, not much consideration, but the thought did occur to me.

To make matters worse, Ryan insisted on going over basic yoga with me everyday after school. He said it was the only way I'd ever learn to control it.

Our parents were away again. Daddy had to go away on business, and Ryan and I convinced our mother to go surprise him.

I was nervous all day at school that Thursday. I didn't pay attention in a single class; my mind was fixated on the impending transformation.

I drove Jesse home, although it was beginning to seem that our imprisonment of he and his boyfriend was now more out of habit then necessity.

"Can we watch?" He asked as we approached the house.

"What?"

"I was just wondering if we could watch. It might go along way to helping Joey get over things."

I thought about it. "You'll have to ask Ryan. I don't know what's going to happen."

He nodded.

Ryan and Joey had beaten us home, and Jesse wasted no time in asking.

"Hey Ryan, Sharpay said I had to ask you. Can we watch? Tonight I mean."

Joey's eyes went wide; I guessed that Jesse had cleared his odd question with him first.

Ryan appeared to mull it over. "Well… I don't think so. Not tonight. I don't really know much about Nagual, so tonight might be a bit… bumpy."

"Bumpy?" I asked, my eyes going wide.

He shrugged.

"But, if tonight goes okay, and Sharpay is up for it tomorrow, it should be fine."

Troy came over with Gabriella, and the six of us ate a quiet dinner. Everyone kept looking at me like I was a zoo animal or something.

After dinner Ryan followed me to my room while the others lingered in the living room.

"You should take off your clothes."

"What?"

"Well, you don't want to rip them, do you?"

I sighed and went into the bathroom. I stripped off all my clothes and put on a light robe.

I emerged from the bathroom and took a seat on my bed.

Ryan looked at the clock, I followed his gaze.

"Sunset is in six minutes. You ready for this, Sis?"

I laughed. "What do you think?"

"Look at it this way. It won't be as bad as my first time."

I wasn't in the mood for platitudes. "You're right. I won't have to worry that I killed my boyfriend, because something else already did."

He frowned at me.

We watched the minutes tick by in silence.

The time Ryan had identified as sunset came, and another minute ticked by. I began to think that maybe they'd been wrong, maybe I wouldn't change.

That's when I felt it.

It was like the feeling you get when your leg falls asleep, but it was coming from the base of my spine. It wasn't quite painful, but still I wouldn't describe it as pleasant either.

I stood up.

The sensation traveled up my back and into my head. The sensation passed and was soon replaced with a warm tingling that seemed to be radiating from my tailbone.

The tingling spread from my spine throughout my body, and I felt a pressure building. It was like my entire being was attempting to hold its breath.

The pressure didn't hurt, but it was uncomfortable. I felt the pressure building in my rear release first. One moment I was feeling the silk robe on only my legs, the next I felt it against my legs and… tail?

I felt the pressure in my legs release then, and I fell forward onto my hands. I looked back to see that my hind limbs were no longer jointed like those of a human, but like those of a great cat.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. As I expelled it, I willed the pressure in the rest of my body to release.

I opened my eyes and looked at the snow white paws on the ground before me. I reached out, and saw one of the paws move.

I looked from them up at my brother. Ryan's face showed an even mixture of interest and worry.

He attempted to help me remove the robe, but the right sleeve snagged on one of my claws. I tried to retract it, but by the time I discovered how to do that it was too late for the garment.

I sniffed at the air, and felt a dormant presence awaken within the recesses of my mind.

I took another sniff, and panic flooded through me.

Wolves, several of them. There were other predators here, predators who'd marked this place as their own.

Worse, one of them was standing over me.

I could tell by the smell that I was outnumbered.

I cowered before the intimidating presence and retreated into a corner of the room. My eyes darted about, seeking an escape.

I glanced over to the window, but felt my heart fell as I saw the bars on the other side.

I considered the bathroom, but there was no exit from there, I'd be cornered and at the wolves' mercy.

"Sharpay!"

I snapped back to my senses.

I quelled the cat's fear. Of course there were wolves in my house, the place was lousy with them lately, but they were my friends, and my brother. I was safe here.

The cat didn't quite believe me.

I shook my head, and my entire body gave a shiver, like a cat when it's been dunked in water.

Ryan took a half step forward, and I looked up into his worried eyes.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded.

"Do you want to go downstairs?"

The cat part of me didn't, that's where the wolves were. I wasn't feeling confident about it either, but I knew that I had to get it under control. The cat was just going to have to learn to deal.

I nodded again.

Ryan strode to the bedroom door and opened it.

The scents of Troy and Gabriella wafted into the room. I had to struggle to hold the cat back; it was convinced that running was a very good idea.

I forced myself to the door, battling against my inner feline each step.

Once I was through the door Ryan swung it shut behind me.

I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard it latch.

"If you don't have it under control, you don't have to do this."

I looked at him, and shook my head. I wasn't about to let my inner kitten's fear control me. Nothing controls me, but me.

I turned towards the top of the stairs, and advanced towards the offending smells.

I prowled down the stairs, and allowed myself a moment to bask in the fluid grace of my movements. This wasn't so bad. I could definitely get used to this.

There were several gasps as I entered the living room. It was good to know that I hadn't lost my touch.

I smiled at Joey, his eyes widened and he squirmed. I imagined that at the moment my smile was even more intimidating than usual.

I turned my attention to Troy and Gabriella, seated on the far couch.

The cat roared in the deep recesses of my mind, a mixture of challenge and panic.

A short growl escaped my throat before I could stifle it.

Jesse jumped. One moment he was sitting on the couch, the next he was standing on it, Joey in front of him.

I considered trying to reassure him with a smile, but decided that wouldn't be very reassuring at all.

I opted instead to stroll to the middle of the room, and sit down.

"How's it going, Sharpay?" Ryan's voice came from behind me.

I scrunched up my nose, or at least I tried to, and attempted a shrug.

"I don't think her… cat… likes the way we smell." Gabriella said.

I glanced at her and nodded.

"I didn't think about that." Ryan said.

"Well, it isn't exactly natural; a mountain lion hanging out with a wolf pack." Troy said.

I turned to see Ryan nod.

"Do you think you'll be okay down here, Sis?"

I nodded as I forced the panic stricken jaguar down again. It was going to get used to this if it killed it.

I awoke on the ground near my bed at dawn the next morning.

I stretched and stood up. My body was my own again. I glanced down my naked body, and noticed that my legs looked like I hadn't shaved in a month, in a word, they were disgusting.

I sighed. This was getting old.

I showered, and spent extra time making sure I got all of the offensive stubble.

By the time I made it downstairs everyone else was up and in the kitchen eating breakfast.

Ryan looked up as I entered. "So how was it?"

I shrugged. "Not too bad, except that my inner jaguar is terrified of you."

Troy laughed. "So you're saying that you're a were-scaredy-cat?"

I rolled my eyes. "At least I'm more of a Wildcat then you'll ever be, Bolton."

Ryan and Troy both laughed.

Jesse and Joey looked confused.

Ryan attempted to explain the joke to them, but nothing is funny after it's explained.

I took a seat at the table and munched on some toast, followed by eggs, then some bacon, and then some waffles. I hadn't realized how hungry I'd been.

Jesse and Joey looked astonished at how much I ate. Ryan and Troy were unsurprised, however.

"Is that normal?" Joey asked.

Ryan looked from Joey to the empty plates arrayed before me. "Using a different plate for each thing she gets? No, but that's Sharpay."

"Very funny, Ryan." I punched his arm.

"It's not normal and you know it. If you had to wash those yourself you'd use one plate like the rest of us."

Troy cuffed the back of his head.

"Ow. What?"

"Be nice to your sister." Troy said.

Ryan glared at Troy and then pouted.

"Oh, don't pout." Troy said.

"Or what?" Ryan shot back, and deepened his pout.

"You asked for it." Troy launched himself at my brother and began tickling him.

Ryan fell out of his chair squealing.

Jesse, Joey, and I laughed.

School seamed louder than normal that day. I could hear whispered conversations in the back of the room, papers rustling, everything. It made focusing on what my teachers had to say harder than normal.

As the afternoon progressed I felt the stirrings of the cat awakening within my mind.

It was less than thrilled to find out how many wolves were around, but it wasn't awake enough to do anything.

By the end of the day I had a vicious headache.

I drove Jesse home after last period, as always.

"You seemed distracted all day?"

"It was… kind of loud."

"What do you mean?"

I shrugged. "I could hear everything. It was loud."

"It must be weird, being what you are."

I laughed. "You have no idea."

"Are you worried about tonight?"

I shrugged again. "Not really."

He was silent for a while. "Can we watch?"

I glanced at him. "What is your obsession with watching?"

He shrugged.

I sighed. "You'll have to ask Ryan."

When we arrived home I left Jesse in the living room and went to my room.

I took four Advil, it was way above the recommended dosage, but I didn't think any less would touch the pain throbbing in my temples.

There was a knock on my door, it sounded like thunder.

"Come in."

Ryan opened the door and came in.

"You okay, Sis?"

"Ugh… how do you turn this stupid hearing off?"

"What do you mean?"

"Me hearing, it's been tuned up all day. I can hear everything. I can hear you breathing right now; I can hear your heart beating."

"Uh… that's never happened to me."

"Great."

"You stay here; I'm going to call Kelsi."

He walked out of the room, shutting the door with as little noise as he could manage.

The Advil had started to have the desired effect when he returned.

"Well?" I snapped.

"She said it used to happen to Jason a lot, things just get stuck on for a while."

"Did she say what to do about it?"

"It shouldn't last passed the new moon, and it'll get better as you learn control."

I nodded. "Jesse wants to watch tonight."

Ryan rolled his eyes. "I don't know why. But it's your choice, Shar."

"Might as well let them, if they think it'll help with their issues."

I changed into the light robe before sunset, the one I'd already shredded a little the night before. It didn't quite live up to my fashion sense, but there was no point to damaging another garment.

Ryan and the boys returned as the sun began to dip below the horizon.

"You two can watch, but you have to stand over here and stay quiet, okay?"

They nodded.

He sat down on the floor at the foot of my bed and motioned for me to join him.

I did so.

"Okay Shar, you know what to expect now. So tonight we're going to try and work on a little control."

I nodded.

"You should feel the tingling any minute now. When you do, try to push it down. Try to keep it in the base of your spine for as long as you can."

Yeah sure, that was easy for captain yoga to say.

I guessed that the sun had set when the tingling began to rise up my spine. I felt the cat in mind yawn and stretch.

I focused on the tingling, and tried to hold it down.

At first it seemed to be working, but as the minutes ticked by the effort necessary to keep it from advancing increased.

My entire body shook under the strain.

"Take a deep breath."

I obeyed.

I held the tingling at bay as long as I could, but at last my concentration snapped and it enveloped my spine.

Uncomfortable pressure began building throughout my body.

"Okay. Now I want you to hold the pressure, don't let it win yet. Open your eyes and look at your hand."

I hadn't even realized I'd closed my eyes. I opened them and focused my attention on my right hand.

"Now relax just your hand. Let the pressure release itself there, and only there."

White fur sprouted from my arm. My fingers retracted as my nails grew harder, sharper, thicker.

I watched as it too formed into a forepaw.

Either Jesse or Joey gasped from their place by the doorway. Probably Jesse.

"Now your other hand."

Ryan cast an annoyed glare in their direction before returning his attention to me.

"You're doing well. Now do your legs, and then your body."

It felt great to let the uncomfortable pressure out. Part by part my body relaxed into the shape of a jaguar.

The cat mind sprang to full wakefulness, but this time it was more annoyed at my brother's presence than panicked.

I looked up at my brother, and flashed him a toothy grin.

Ryan stood up, and helped me out of my robe.

He turned to the boys then, and I followed his gaze.

Their expressions were indecipherable.

"And that's all there is to it."