In the future, the end of the world is imminent. There is no escape, no retribution; everyone is consumed by a burning that has no end. Everyone dies, even the scientists who medicine. They drained my energy to near dangerous levels just to get me to do what they wanted. Then as their time came to a close, they released me, along with a slew of other animals.

And just like that, the humans were gone. The only evidence of their presence was scorched buildings, and broken down shining objects. I found out after they released me that when they tampered with my blood, they had given me the ability to change from human and back to my original form. For months I have been in this human shape, searching for any others like me. And until today, I couldn't find anyone. But then I met Anthrax.

The day I met Anthrax was cloudy. I had stopped to rest in an abandoned cave, and was sleeping in my true form. As I slept, my dreams were tortured with the bad memories of my life with the humans.

My captors chained my feed with iron shackles, and bound my head with a golden halter. After securing me to the wall, they forced electric currents through my body. The unexpected pain forced my body to change. My human hands and feet turned into cloven hooves. Human skin turned into unicorn hide, my tail extended from the base of my spine, my mane and horn coming soon after.

As I panted, recovering from the sudden change, they pulled out a needle and pierced my skin, with-drawing my blood. I screamed, for no one was to take unicorn blood, no matter what the cause.

Then one of the humans turned to me. There was a deep rumbling growl coming from his chest. Then he opened his mouth releasing a huge roar.

I woke with a jolt to see a giant grizzly bear lumbering toward me. He had one giant scar over his left eye, and his paws were as big as saucers. He looked at me with such a rage I had never seen before, but I wasn't scared. Even though he had teeth and claws that would tear any normal mammal to shreds, I had magic, and my sharp pointed horn. I bowed my head, letting my magic course into my horn, making it glow an unearthly blue.

I waved my horn menacingly at him, and he backed off. He sat on his haunches as he shifted form. Brown fur retreated into his skin; his face shrank to the features of a hawk faced man. His brown eyes faded to an amber color. And his paws became human hands and feet. I recognized his face from somewhere, and then I remembered, he was one of the scientists who had tortured me! I stood and shrieked, preparing to charge at him. But he didn't move, or say a word.

Confused, I shifted into my human form so I could speak with him.

"Do you even know who I am?" I asked him, he looked at me steadily. Then slowly he nodded his head. I walked forward, sitting down in front of him. He just watched me. Then slowly he raised his hand, I shied away from him, thinking he was going to hurt me. But he just reached up and brushed a lock of my silver hair from my face.

"How could I ever forget such a beautiful creature?" His voice was rough, like sandpaper. "I tried to tell them that performing our experiments on you would be hazardous in the end, but they didn't listen to me. In the end, to shut me up, they turned me into this monstrosity that I am now. Part man, part bear, but not fully either. When they found it to be so successful with me, they did it to you, and every other animal they had in that facility. They made me watch your torture sessions. I heard every animal's scream of pain, yours were the loudest."

His eyes were so sad, it broke my heart to see him so genuinely upset. This was my chance to find out where the other animals were. I leaned forward, placing my hands on either side of his face, forcing my magic through his skin, and into his mind.

"You must tell me where the other animals are. Take me to them." I said, making my command reverberate through the caverns of his mind. He stood and led me through the forest. At some point it became easier to walk on four legs, so he and I changed into our other forms. Then we reached a tall water fall. He turned and looked over his shoulder, and walked right through the water fall. As I walked through I saw a hollowed out canyon, with a city built right into the walls. And I saw many animals in the city.

Finally, I have found others like me.