Morning came too fast for Piper as the sun came over the horizon. She stretched, her spine lengthening felinely as she remembered the last few days. She laid back down on the rug outside Astarion's tent. She rested her chin on the ground as she watched the camp. Her companions began to stir and awaken. Gale left his tent first, locking eyes with the changed Piper. Confusion covered his face before his memory caught up.
"G'morning, Piper," he smiled before he went about his morning routine. Piper gave a small meow in response before curling up again.
Wyll and Shadowheart were the next to wake and start their day while Gale cooked by the fire. Piper wondered if she should eat in the form. She wasn't sure what cats could or couldn't eat other than the basics. Maybe Gale would feed her something that was more akin to something her feline stomach could handle.
Piper continued to watch as the three gathered around the fire as Gale finished up the meal. Carefully, she padded over to them and sat between Wyll and Gale. She could smell bacon and eggs, and she purred as Gale started to dish out the food. He placed a small plate of food in front of Piper before rubbing her head between her ears. It was rough and a little disorienting for her, but she knew he meant well. So, she ignored him in favor of breakfast.
Soon, even Astarion emerged from his tent and reluctantly sat with the company. He hesitantly took the plate of food Gale gave him as he slowly started to consume it. Piper watched him for a moment before Wyll started running his hand up and down her back. She nearly bounded behind Astarion when Wyll's hand reached the base of her tail. If anyone noticed her relocation, they didn't say anything.
Astarion made eye contact with the cat after glancing over at Wyll who was still chatting with Gale and Shadowheart. Piper used him as shield from the others as she listened to their discussion about today's plan.
It sounded like there were going to split up again, hoping that they would be able to convince someone to give Piper some instructions on how to shapeshift back and forth. The other group was going to try to find the goblins again to find the archdruid. Gale offered to go with Piper back to the grove to get that figured out as the other three agreed to find the goblins. However, the idea of just going with Gale gave her pause. The wizard was kind enough to offer to help her, but he also treated her as an actual cat instead of a person in a cat's body.
She mewed, momentarily forgetting that she didn't have the words to argue. When they ignored her, she jumped onto Astarion's knee and sat. If she didn't leave his side, then he would have to come with her and Gale. Or she would be forced to go on the adventure to find the encampment, but she still found that preferable. At least Astarion seemed to remember that she's supposed to be a person.
It was only when everyone began to stand up to get ready when Astarion realized that Piper was going to be a pain in his ass. She did get off his leg when he went to stand, but he nearly stepped on her twice when she weaved between his shoes. With a low grunt, he reached down and grabbed her. She complained before he perched her on his shoulder.
"If you have to be near me, at least don't get stepped on," he grumbled as she balanced herself on his shoulders.
Once he got back to his tent, he carefully placed her on his table on the rug before he left to change into his armor. As she settled again, she noticed that Gale and Shadowheart had been watching. They both quickly went about their business when they were caught, leaving Piper by herself outside the tent.
Astarion left the tent again and stood in front of the cat. He crossed his arms, waiting for her to make a move. Piper simply stood and stretched again, finding that the action relieved her stress in her muscles.
"Alright, sounds like you're going with Gale to get this figured out," he mentioned, motioning in her direction. Piper hummed as her tail swished side to side before she leapt onto his shoulders again. She rested across his neck, leaving most of her body weight on the backpack. He groaned as he went to reach for her, which she dodged. "You aren't coming with me, Piper, you are going with Gale, remember?"
Piper hissed at his hand, batting it away without her claws. Astarion sighed loudly, having a hard time reaching her with his armor. Eventually, he gave him trying to grab her before walking over to the wizard. Shadowheart and Wyll were on the edge of camp as well, waiting to leave.
"It seems that Piper has decided that I'm going with you instead," Astarion complained, pointing at the cat. Gale glanced between him and the cat.
"She's like five pounds. I can grab her if you'd like?" Gale offered. Piper's eyes narrowed as Gale reached for her with both hands. She batted his hands away as well, careful to keep her claws sheathed. Astarion covered his chuckle with a cough as Gale retreated. "I see what you mean. I suppose it's fine, if you don't mind."
"I don't care either way," Astarion sighed before he signaled for the other two to leave without him. "Piper seems to be rather stubborn."
"She does seem to be rather willful," Gale admitted with a shrug. Piper wished that she could turn into something a little more formidable or at least back to her old self. She didn't care for the way Gale was talking about her. "We're burning daylight, should be on our way?"
"Let's get her back to normal," Astarion agreed before they walked towards the Emerald Grove.
~A~
Piper balanced herself well on Astarion's pack as they trekked through the woods. She wanted to make sure that she wasn't being a burden when she was freeloading off him. The last thing she wanted was to be flung off in irritation. Gale would have held her in his arms like a baby if he were to carry her. At least she had her dignity on his shoulders.
The druids were reluctant to let them back into the smaller circle, but they let them pass. Piper stared at the idol, making sure there wasn't another thief ready to knock her unconscious again. Although maybe it would reverse the effects if they replicated them. Something told her it didn't work that way.
Nettie was in the same chamber she was in yesterday, cataloging different herbs and medicines. Gale called out to her, catching the dwarf's attention. She started at her name, surprised to see them back so soon.
"Sorry for barging in again, we were hoping for some help if you weren't too busy," Gale greeted as he stepped in front of Astarion. Nettie put down her project and walked over.
"How can I help? Is your cat feeling well?" she wondered as Gale chuckled.
"She's fine, but this is the woman that we brought by yesterday. The one who was struck by the idol that gave her druid powers. She seems to be stuck in this form since yesterday evening, and as none of the rest of our group are druids, we thought we would come and see if you had any advice," the wizard explained. Nettie grew close as Astarion knelt so Piper could jump down. Nettie held out her arms as a stepping stone to her desk.
Piper hopped down onto her arm and then to the desk, careful not to stand on the papers or books. She stared up expectantly at Nettie as the druid healer gave her a once over. Piper shifted on her feet, unsure of what to do in the silence.
"I'm surprised that she was able to shift so soon. It seems that Silvanus has blessed you with a surplus of magic, especially since you were able to keep this form throughout the night. Most druids lose their wildshape once they lose their concentration," Nettie informed before she opened her book.
"So, you are able to just decide when you want to revert back to your person form?" Astarion clarified as Nettie nodded.
"Exactly. Unless she's able to consciously turn back, she may be stuck in the form for a while," the healer sighed before she turned back to the cat. "Alright, I want you to think of the form you want to be in. Picture it in your mind and focus on your original form. Sometimes it can help to picture yourself transforming into the form you choose. Same goes with when you want to be an animal."
Piper listened intently before nodding her head. She closed her eyes, picturing her old self before the abduction. After feeling nothing different, she imagined herself transforming from her cat form into a human. Soon, she felt that warm calming energy as she felt her arms and legs elongate as her face shifted back into place. As she opened her eyes, she lost her balance, now standing on a desk with two legs instead of four.
She fell on her ass next to the desk and Nettie smiled down, offering her hand. Piper smiled as accepted the help, glad to be feeling herself again. She whispered the language spell again, happy she didn't have to stumble through it as a cat again.
"Thank you, Nettie, I owe you big time," Piper informed as she found her feet beneath her.
"No worries, I'm just glad you were able to get back to your form. You might have to experience getting stuck in your form again, but just remember to imagine the outcome, and you'll find your way back to yourself," she reminded. Piper turned to Gale and Astarion with a big smile before Nettie shooed them away. She was working after all.
Piper nearly skipped back to the outer grove, glad that she could walk and talk like a person again. Gale watched her carefully, waiting for her to get stuck in an animal form again. She was extremely inexperienced in magic, and he almost expected her to fail at most magic things. On the other hand, Astarion watched her to make sure that no refugee tried to get them to complete another quest for them. Wyll and Gale always stopped to help any poor soul they found along their way. That was how they found Piper after all.
Just as Astarion guessed, one of the tiefling children approached Piper, commenting on her strange attire. He asked her if she was a refugee like him, and she paused. She thought for a moment before squatting to get on the same eye level as the kid.
"I suppose so. I was taken from my home and brought here. I come from a very far away land, and maybe one day I'll return," Piper shrugged.
"Do you think we can return home too?"
"Maybe one day. It sounds like your home is very dangerous right now, but that doesn't mean that it always will be dangerous. You might even find a new home. Where are you headed to?"
"Baldur's Gate."
"Then maybe you'll find home there. Or if that doesn't feel right, you can keep on looking for something that does," Piper reassured before she stood up again.
"Do you think you'll find your home?"
"Who knows? Maybe I will," she replied before she waved the kid back to his encampment. She turned to see Gale beaming, his eyes a little watery. "You okay?"
"It's just nice to see people give kids hope. You wouldn't believe the disregard I've seen towards children lately," Gale answered, casually wiping his eyes. Piper nodded as she watched the child return to his refugee family. Shadowheart had explained the tieflings to her on the way back to camp the first night, mentioning that many people saw them as undesirable. It seemed that racism transcended plane boundaries.
"Now you're back to your old self, what other creatures do you think you can turn into?" Astarion wondered, changing the subject. Piper thought for a moment before shrugging.
"What animal do you think would be helpful?"
"A horse could be helpful with traveling," Gale offered.
"I'm not going to be your pack mule. If I have to carry my things, you have to carry yours. Try again," Piper replied shortly. Gale was a little taken back by her response, but he had no further comments.
"A wolf might be more helpful if we're going to take on a camp full of goblins. Honestly, anything more formidable than a house cat would work great. That way you don't have to stay at camp, waiting for us to come back with news," Astarion offered. Piper nodded, agreeing with his sentiment. She didn't like the idea of being a useless creature waiting by the river while everyone else did the work.
Piper closed her eyes again as she envisioned the form of a large white wolf. She imagined transforming into one as she ran through the forest. The warm sensation filled her as she felt her body change, falling back onto all fours. When she opened her eyes again, she was shorter than before, but not as short as when she was a cat. She glanced down, seeing the large canine paws holding her up. She had done it again.
"See? So much better!" Astarion cheered.
"I suppose so. At least she can defend herself in a fight," Gale added before sighing. "I guess we should go back to camp?"
Piper nodded her head as her tail wagged. She started toward the grove entrance, stopping every so often to make sure that Gale and Astarion weren't being left behind. Piper started to prefer this form as she could easily dodge any petting attempts Gale offered when he got too close.
As they left the grove, they turned down the path back towards the river. Piper was exploring the area with her nose before a strong scent of sulfur attacked her senses. She whined as she shook her head. A pop could be heard in the air as she was ripped from her wildshape. For the first time, it felt painful as her human body emerged from the wolf's. She yelped as she tried to find her balance. Gale ran forward to stabilize her, grabbing her arm and lower back.
"My, my, my," the stranger commented as she glanced around the wilderness. Piper shook her head as her senses came back to her. "What a strange place this is. Complete with even stranger company."
Piper focused on the man who seemed to appear from thin air as he bowed toward her and her companions. Astarion touched his dagger on his hip, ready to strike if the stranger lunged for him. Piper stepped away from Gale's touch and toward the odd man.
"Let me introduce myself, plane skipper. I am Raphael, at your service," Raphael greeted with a soft smile. Piper could see an intenseness in his eyes that gave away the danger of his smile.
"I'm Piper," she informed, straightening her spine.
"Well met, Piper. I'm shocked to see someone from a mirrored plan here. It all adds to the game, I suppose," Raphael teased.
"How could you possibly know I'm from a different plane?" Piper demanded, making the newcomer laugh.
"You reek of car exhaust and plastic. I haven't visited your plane in a few decades, but I didn't realize that someone had punched a hole there," Rapheal explained, turning his nose up when he mentioned her smell. Gale and Astarion shared a glance, unsure what Raphael meant.
"I was abducted and brought here against my will," Piper informed. Raphael grinned at that, as if he was finally progressing with her.
"Such a tragic tale indeed," Raphael agreed before he glanced around. "Why don't we take this conversation somewhere more private. Anyone could be listening after all."
Piper's nostrils were assaulted by the smell of sulfur and brimstone as a flash of light blinded her. As her eyes adjusted, she found herself in front of a large fireplace in a dining hall. Raphael grinned, looking rather pleased with himself before gesturing towards the banquet behind them. Gale and Astarion, thankfully, were also there.
"What the fuck is this place?" Piper whispered before Raphael raised his hands to present the place.
"You're in my House of Hope, where the famished come to feed and the tired come to rest," Raphael explained, sending a cold shiver up Piper's spine. "Please, grab a plate and eat. After all, who knows when you'll get another chance."
"What are you talking about?" Piper demanded as she glanced at the dining table. It was full of rich meats and baked goods, which all smelled enticing. Everything seemed too good to be true. "What do you know?"
"I know you're running out of time. You all have a little passenger up in those heads of yours, and they are going to spell your doom if you don't do anything," Raphael explained, his voice lowering.
"You seem to know a whole lot about our condition," she retorted, folding her arms. "How do you know so much?"
"I think that answer might bore you, little mouse. Or do you prefer little kitty?" Raphael chuckled before shaking his head. "What I will tell you is that I can help. I can get rid of that pesky little problem nestling in your skulls."
"Now this is too good to be true," Piper scoffed. "And why would you be so interested in curing us?"
"Because my kindness and compassion know no bounds. Helping people is my favorite pastime after all. Besides, what choice do you have? Do you want to keep looking and searching for someone to help?" the stranger laughed before a cloud of embers covered his body. When he emerged, his skin was crimson as blood as large wings and horns sprouted from him. He touched a claw to his cheek, shaking his head. "Or you could make a deal with someone who has the power to give you the cure."
"Are you the devil?"
"I am a devil, my dear. One that would be very interested in getting to know you and your quaint companions. So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?" Raphael questioned. Piper closed her mouth as the gears in her head spun. "I might even be able to find you a way back home."
"I need more time to think it over," Piper whispered as the pieces clicked together. She had heard of people making deals with the devil, and it never ended well for them. It seemed that the devils were able to make life hell for their debtors. However, it seemed that she had said the magic words as Raphael's grin grew wider.
"I was hoping you would say that. Take as much time as you need but be sure to reach out before the tentacles start to sprout from your face," he suggested as Piper's face paled.
With a snap of his fingers, Piper, Astarion, and Gale found themselves on the path again. Piper swallowed as she replayed the devil's last words. She slowly touched her forehead as the pieces came together again.
"Piper? Are you okay?" Astarion mentioned, snapping his own fingers at her. She flinched before she turned to them.
"I forgot that we're going to turn into mindflayers."
