For nearly three days Meteora had done her best to deal with the constant aching she felt whenever she was away from her best friend.

It has started as a dull ach in her chest as she watched her walk home, then it became a screaming pain when she could no longer see her. At one point it got so bad that after a late night texting session she waited an hour before running to her home and climbing the aging tree that was just outside her room.

Of course that what she was doing what beyond the confines of just being creepy. But that didn't stop her from gazing at her friends' sleeping form through the window. Although after she realized she been there just doing that for ten minutes she broke free and ran home.

To make matters worse Mariposa had started to grow curious again. Nearly every day asking her various questions about whatever embarrassing activity she caught her doing. Such as when she had asked her to hold her backpack for a moment while she searched through her locker for something only for to growl when she tried to get it back.

"Sorry… I just…." She couldn't tell her the reasons she didn't want to give it back was because the scent on it was driving her crazy.

"Keep it I have a spare."

Or later that same day when in class she felt her mouth watering and her teeth ach when Mariposa did a simple math problem in front of the class.

By the magic do I want to bite her, nothing harmful I'd make sure of that… Wait, what!? Why do I want to bite her?

Then she remembered their earlier conversation.

She is not your chew toy! She's your mate er…girlfriend no I mean…

The rest of class had been torture as she'd done her best to force those kind of thoughts down.

Mariposa however having noticed her best friend grinding her teeth and constantly retracting her claws decided she was going to get answers. So during the final study hall she told Meteroas that she desperately needed her help with something and dragged her to the nearly always vacant bathroom.

Once the door closed and locked Meteora asked the obvious question. "All right why did you feel the need to drag me here? I know it's serious because ever since that swamp creature tried to set up a nest here nobody comes anywhere near this hallway."

"Yes and that's the exact reason why I choose this spot. One way in and guaranteed solitude. So now you can't run away when I ask you very calmly why you keep staring at me like a piece of meat."

But if her goal was for Meteora to relax and calmly explain the situation then she was wrong. For her rational mind had shut down after hearing the words guaranteed solitude and the growing monstrous instincts had kicked it igniting her already boiling blood.

In a very predatory manner she marched forward causing Mariposa to go from curious to fearful as she was marched into the stall and pinned to the wall.

"Uhhhh Meteora now would be a good time to snap out of whatever you're going through."

But Meteora could barley hear her voice as she pulled her into a crushing hug and inhaled her friend's scent.

"You smell really good."

Trying and failing to pry herself free Mariposa gave in. "Thanks I guess."

Meteora however wasn't content to hug her, no her instincts were calling the shots now and she wanted more.

So slowly she pulled back from the hug letting he go but blocking the door. She was still lost in the haze but knew she had to say something and try to explain herself.

"Mari… I…want you." What she had wanted and tried to say was that she wanted her to not move for a moment so she could regain her senses and calm down.

Of course when Mariposa heard this her body went stiff as her face lit up.

"What?!"

Her scream startled her back into predatory mode and she lunged forward grabbing her long time friend's face and hungrily kissing her.

After a brief moment of terror followed by a secondary moment of awkwardness Mariposa gave in to the kiss. Mostly because with every passing second that the kiss went on Meteora seemed to relax more and more.

When it was all over and Meteora was pulling back a massive grin on her face she accidentally said something that she'd wanted to hide.

"mmmmhh wanted to do that for weeks."

A moment of silence passed before her eyes widened and she jumped off her friend crashing into the door as she realized what she'd done.

"I gotta go!"

But in her panic her claws fumbled with the latch to the door breaking it off and leaving the door shut. This caused her to panic even more and she tried to scratch her way out only for her to be pulled back by Mariposa.

"Alright that's just about enough. Now you're going to sit down and explain everything. And if you don't I swear I'll… I'll well I'll think of something terrible, probably Marco involved."

Obediently she did as she was told and sat down despite her body screaming at her to do everything she could to escape.

Once Mariposa took a moment to breath and looked down at her friend. "You kissed me."

"Yeah…?"

"No no this wasn't a peck on the cheek, this was pinned to the wall make out kissing. Now you also said something about wanting to do that for weeks."

"That was!... I mean…errrr what I mean…"

Her mind tried to find anything she could to explain why she'd just kissed her as her friend simply stood there waiting patiently."

Finally after failing to come up with anything she slumped down on her seat and prepared for what was going to be the most awkward conversation of her life.

"Alright remember when I said my monster instincts were going into overdrive?"

"Yes and I have a distinct memory of you not telling me something pretty important."

"Well here's the thing apparently my instinct are going crazy because…" her eyes shifted around the small cell as Mari tapped her fingers on her arm.

"Because?"

"Look before we go any further I want to be very clear about one thing. Mari I for a long time now have been attracted to you. Not just in the obsessive predatory way you've seen lately, but in the I really really want to take you to dinner or the moves as more then just your friend kind of way."

Mariposa's actions stopped for a moment as Meteora went on.

"Anyway thanks to that my instincts have been cranking up any and all desires I have for you causing me to act like I have. Honestly even now I'm fighting the urge to finish what I started."

Mariposa looked down and saw just how hard she was grabbing the seat with her claws.

"Oh, not going to lie didn't see that coming. I mean yeah I kind of thought you'd maybe feel something for me at some point."

"What?" she couldn't believe what she was hearing her friend say right now.

"Yeah I mean what extremely close friends don't develop some kind of feelings for each other. Just look at Marco and Star. Honestly though I though I'd be more certain about where I stood before it happened."

She was off her seat at that remark pushing her against the door.

"What did you just say?!"

"I said I'm on the fence all right. How can I not be. My best friend just basically confessed to me and I'm not sure if I want to say yes and kiss my girlfriend or take a step back and maintain or friendship. And you shaking me like a tree isn't helping."

She eased off and followed Mariposa under the now sealed door allowing them more space for their conversation.

"Look It's not that I'm saying no. After all you're the only person I've even remotely been interested in that way, but at the same time I'm kind of worried that this won't work out and that terrifies me."

"So what do we do know?"

Mariposa looked at herself in the mirror as well as the nervous reflection of her friend as she waited for her answer.

"Right now I say you give me a day to think about this."

She then turned around and gave her friend a brief hug. "But tomorrow maybe we can give the whole relationship thing a trial run."

"That's all I'm asking."

And as she watched her friend leave she let out a happy growl as she jumped with excitement.

"One step forward!"