Kyle. The leopard's voice woke him up just before the transformation hit, making him grit his teeth and groan in pain as fur sprouted across his skin, his spine elongated into his tail and his bones shifted and changed. When it was done he was left gasping for a moment to recover.

"I will never get used to that." He said breathlessly, leaning his head back against the dusty pillow of his bed.

It gets easier with time, I promise. The leopard said gently. Though I do have to ask… what happened last night? You seem… happier.

The leopard could tell that easily? "I talked with Kira. We learned more about each other. She's from a village nearby, and has a mother there. She said she was being chased by those men because 'she's something they don't understand and want to kill'."

Interesting. Well, I am glad that you got her to open up a bit more. I just… wish I had been there.

"Hey, um…" Kyle wondered how he should phrase his question. "When we first met, you said this was your last chance too. What did you mean by that?"

This is my last reincarnation. I have made pacts with many human souls as shifters over the years, sharing my form and thoughts with them. I do have a limited lifespan though, and you are the last I will be bonded with. When you die, I will die as well. I have to say… I am glad you are my last bonded human. You have been the best of them.

Kyle didn't really know what to say to that. How long did this guy live?

I have been alive for nearly a thousand of your years. Time seems to pass much faster to me. You wish to know more about me as well? He seemed shocked by the idea. Had no one asked about him in all that time? What kind of people had he been bonded to?

"Well, I would like to know more about the… erm… person I'm bonded to for the last month of my life."

I am what is called an 'elder soul'. I am reincarnated into people, cursed never to have a body of my own. My name is… Jasa.

Oh crap, he had a name this whole time and Kyle had never bothered to ask him about it. Now he felt like a complete ass.

Do not worry. Jasa seemed amused by his sudden uneasiness. People have spent entire lives not bothering to ask my name. I am just glad you thought to ask me for it.

"Jasa, huh?" Kyle said the name thoughtfully. "So you really are a different person in there. It's… good to have someone with me. I feel a bit hollow without you making your snarky comments in there."

I will be sure to comment more often, then. Kyle got the impression of the leopard smirking wryly. There are many things about our race you do not know. Tonight is the night of the full moon- and instead of shifting back, you will be like me and go to sleep during that time. I will be in control of our body.

Kyle gulped nervously at that. He'd… 'go to sleep' in his own body? Would he be able to wake up again? How does that work?

Do not fret so much! Jasa laughed. I will make sure you are safe. It is what I am here for- for your protection, and that of our mate.

Mate? What did he mean by mate? Did he mean… Kisa?

Kisa is our mate. I have seen the bond already starting to form, though it is fragile. We will soon have to claim her, or our instincts will rise too much and drive us mad.

"Okay, you're not making any sense now." Kyle ground his teeth in frustration. Saying the word 'mate' made him feel like an animal.

You are an animal. The leopard added.

"No, I'm a human." Kyle growled indignantly. "You're the animal… right?"

If you wish to see it that way, that is fine. We are bonded- we are one being, Kyle. We are both animal and human at the same time. There is no separating the two anymore.

Kyle sighed in resignation, looking down at his furred hand. Well, he had to admit that was more accurate than separating them. Just because he turned human at night doesn't mean he's still completely human. He was… different now. Another species from what he used to be. It was odd, and sometimes made him uncomfortable thinking of himself as anything other than human.

That is understandable. I will be here for you should you need guidance or to talk through things. I have not met a human, none the less be bound to one, who has wanted to talk to me as much as you do. I thank you for that- it is good to have someone listen.

"What kind of people were you bound to before this? No offense or anything but they sound like assholes."

The leopard's laugh made him grin as well. He did like hearing Jasa laugh. It was a rare thing, and that made it special. They were indeed what you call 'assholes'. Men who were more concerned for their own wellbeing and thought nothing of taking whatever they wanted. Leopard shifters have the worst reputation of any shifters. I fear the men who I bonded with only added to that reputation. It is why Kisa is so afraid of us. Leopard shifters, out of all shifters, are more driven by instinct than others. It is why we must claim our mate after the bond starts.

"Okay- that last part. What do you mean?"

When I died with my last bonded human, a woman approached me in Limbo. She told me of someone who was in dire need, and asked if I would have one last chance. If I complete the task at hand, I could live within you for the duration of your life. She gave me the same time frame you did- one month. I must find and claim a mate during that time. I had not found a worthy mate in the thousand years of my life, so I thought the task impossible, but… The leopard shifted uncomfortably. Kira seems different from other humans. I do not know why, but tonight I intend to find out. Rest assured, I will tell you whatever I discover when you wake up again.

"So… what's 'claiming' then?"

Mating. The leopard said with a mental shrug.

Mating…? "Oh shit, do you mean sex? Dude, it doesn't work like that- she has to like us before we have sex with her. I'm not going to force myself on her- no way." Kyle said in panic.

I would not ask you to. A mate claiming is an intimate act, even if it might not be called that initially. It is not… well, claiming may be a strong word for it. We are simply putting our scent on her. She is ours, and no other shifter may take her without serious consequences.

Okay, well… he could agree to that. If another guy came and took Kira right now he'd likely punch the guy in the face. "Alright. We'll see how things go. I don't want her to get scared if we get too pushy though, okay?"

Agreed. Mates should be respected, not taken without permission. I have seen too much of that in my life already.

God, he had been bonded with complete jerks. "Well, rest assured that this guy doesn't do that kind of thing. The rest of our time together will be spent nice and easy, no raping and pillaging involved."

You are a good man, Kyle. The leopard said with an amused chuckle. No matter if we succeed in our goals or not, know that I am glad I was bonded with you as my last shifter.

Kyle smiled warmly at that, glad he had talked with the leopard. He would make a point to include Jasa more often, and if he was that old and wise, he was going to ask for his opinion a lot more too. "Well, you're a good leopard, Jasa. The best I've met."

I am the only leopard you've met, silly little human.

Kyle laughed and stood up, stretching with a loud yawn that ended in a cat-like noise. He had a feeling that this was going to be a good day. He only had three weeks left out of the month now, and he was going to make the most of them.