[LycanDope]

Feline Therapy Ch. 03 [story / cheetah]
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Ariel accepts her changes while her girlfriend learns her secret
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Music and conversation assaulted Ariel as she entered the lively bar. She pressed a hand against her lower back to try and settle her struggling tail. She'd taped it against the back of her thigh this time and it hated being constrained. She hated the feeling of it being trapped as well as the feel of the tape on her but she had no choice. Even with the baggy pants she wore, she worried everyone would see.

The young woman scanned the room, churring instinctively as she searched the bar for her girlfriend. The curvy redhead was at the end of the bar, filling a glass from tap so she made her way through the crowd.

As she moved around tables and people standing in groups, she found her eyes darting around the room. She growled at sudden movement and eyed a slim woman as she separated from her mate to walk alone to the bathroom. Her hackles rose and she went to the balls of her feet while her tail frantically twisted against her.

But then the music crashed into her and she shook her head and continued walking. She was on edge. Anxious. Antsy. Aroused. The tests had shown nothing wrong. Nothing. While she'd need much more time for more complete testing, her DNA still matched 99% with her original sample and appeared entirely human. It made no sense at all. She'd even taken pictures of herself (and promptly deleted them) to ensure she wasn't imagining things. But then she'd worried she was imagining herself changed in the picture until her brain had clamped down and asserted control to keep her out of the endless abyss of 'what if'.

"Caitlin!" Ariel called out.

The redhead stopped, looked up with a smile at the voice and then frowned in confusion. She leaned forward quizzically.

"Ariel?" she said, uncertainly. Her eyes explored her lover's face. "You look different. Are you okay? I knew I should've stayed home with you today."

The scientist leaned in for a kiss but Caitlin turned her cheek.

"Not in front of the customers!" she reminded her. "You'll kill my tips."

"Or give you more," Ariel purred. Her throat vibrated as she licked the side of Caitlin's neck. Her tongue lashed against the girl's skin and hair and Ariel's claws dug into the girl's back, holding her in place while Ariel groomed her. She could feel her girlfriend struggling and giggling.

"Stop! Oh my god, stoooop!" Caitlin gasped. She pulled herself free while laughing with red cheeks and tears leaking from her eyes. "Holy crap, that tickled!"

Ariel's mouth hung open as she tasted the air and her tongue for the scent of her girlfriend. She churred again, quietly while her claws scored the bar and her left hand raked down her sensitive side.

A prickling sensation added to her arousal as the fur mixed in with her pubic hair began to expand beyond her mound. The light gray hairs crept along her belly until she thought she'd go mad from the feeling of it, pulling against her skin like a lover's rough touch.

"Sit!" Caitlin called out over her shoulder as she brought the waiting customer their drinks. "I'll get you your stout."

The stools at the bar were half full but, as she tried to sit, her tail flexed painfully so Ariel remained standing while following her lover with her eyes. The door opened, pulling her attention away as a huge group of students from the local college, her alma mater, walked in.

Caitlin sighed and dropped a coaster on the bar before setting a large glass of foamy, dark beer on it.

"Well," the redhead sighed again as she eyed the group. "I was hoping to get time to talk but it looks like tonight's not the night."

Ariel patted her girlfriend's hand and then stepped aside to make room for others. She ducked her face down in her hoodie while keeping her eyes up to try and keep everyone in view. Her hand flexed as a cocky looking boy with a goatee chatted with Caitlin. He smiled and reached for her but Caitlin moved her hand away to grab another glass. Ariel's claws dug into the wooden bar and she pulled, tearing strips out of the surface while growling. Her back hunched as she showed her fangs behind her trembling, blackened lips. Suddenly, her jaw flexed and she spat out a loud hiss that caused a few people to glance in her direction.

Just before she stepped over to him, one of the boy's friends pulled him away and they left to a nearby table. She could feel her fur settling against her back as the man left.

Jesus, she thought to herself. It's not just the physical changes. I've never been this protective of her. I didn't usually care but seeing her with these people... I have to get this under control. Everything feels like it's going haywire. I'm still turned on and I can smell her and it's getting worse. Hormonal changes? Are they secondary to the physical changes? Did something trigger it or did it just take this long to develop?

A second bartender joined Caitlin as drink and food orders began to pour in. She watched her beautiful girlfriend work. Her eyes traced the swell of her hips and the way her curly hair bounced as she moved. She scented the air and her claws slid free, unnoticed as she stared at the girl's breasts and down to her midriff and lower.

As she explored her lover's body with her amber eyes, she felt waves of heat course through her. It washed over her and she moaned, ducking her head while her nails sunk into the bar and her knuckles turned white. The torrent dragged at every nerve, hooking their own little claws into them. She hugged herself and bent deeper as she shook from the sudden waves of stimulation. Her muscular legs pressed together as a miniature orgasm tore through her. Her mouth opened wide in shock and her eyes fluttered. Lost in her own pleasure, she sighed and her voice rose with it into a distinctive yowl.

"-alright?" Caitlin asked near her.

Ariel arched upward to kiss her lover suddenly and ferociously.

"I need you," she panted. Her tongue dragged against the girl's freckled neck. "I need to fuck you so bad. I need to taste you and grind against you and-"

"Jesus!" her girlfriend said, stepping away with wide eyes as Ariel's teeth nipped her skin. "I'd love to but I have to work. Look, it's getting too busy. Go home and rest because you still don't look good. I'll wake you up and if you still want it, I'm all yours. You can pay me back with another back massage because mine is killing me again."

"Tell them you're sick," Ariel pouted. Her hands flexed against her sides. "Come home with me. I need you so bad."

"Just go!" Caitlin said as she walked over to a waiting customer. "Love you!"

The young scientist growled. Her jaw muscles flexed out and she hissed as another woman brushed past her. For a fraction of a second, her hands moved as the urge to slice through her exposed neck stormed through her brain but she stepped back and shoved her hands into her hoodie's pockets as the woman mouthed a 'sorry!' before disappearing into the crowd.

"I have to get some air," she told herself as she zig-zagged through the room. "Too many people. Too hard to concentrate on everyone. Too many smells."

The cool night air enveloped the black-haired scientist as she stepped out of the bar. Her shoes crunched on gravel while she walked to her car but she paused as she placed a hand on the door. With a quick look around, she lowered her hood and raised her head to the moon. She breathed deeply and tiny black and orange hairs pushed through her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. They spread to cover her cheeks and jaw before fading to dark gray under her chin.

Beyond the parking lot lay a dirt road and the wide main road it connected to. Beneath the nearly overpowering arousal was the bone-aching need to run. To stretch her legs to the limits and let her feet eat up the concrete until she couldn't take another step.

She grabbed her phone and keys from her purse before hiding the bag in the back seat of her car. After a moment's thought, she slipped out of her shoes and set them on the floorboards. She immediately stood on the balls of feet and then went to the tips of her toes to stretch. Her calf muscles strained as the ever present claws on her feet scraped the dirt and gravel covering the lot.

And then she walked away from all of it. Her furred ears swiveled to monitor for voices and cars but she ignored them as she placed her phone and keys in the zippered pocket of her hoodie. She walked down the dark unpaved road and began to lightly bounce. Her powerful muscles coiled and released and she thrill of the impending run mounted.

Yet it didn't feel right. Not yet. Not quite.

Ariel glanced around the empty road and the bar hidden behind trees and bushes behind her. She slid her jogging pants down to expose firm thighs and a wrist-thick tail bound to them. It twitched in anticipation as she sliced through the tape holding it and immediately sprung free, breaking the last line of tape before she could do it herself. She purred in pleasure as she finally felt complete.

Pulling up her pants, she breathed deeply and exhaled. And then she kicked off, scattering rocks. She touched down, barely wincing as her smooth skin hit the road. Her foot rolled forward to her toes and they splayed as the knuckles bent and her claws tore into the dirt. She kicked as her legs flexed and she leapt forward in a compact, fluid line of motion.

Dirt turned to concrete as it merged into main road. Sparks flew from her claws and her tail twisted as she turned in a wide circle until she reached the sidewalk.

Her scored, scratched feet began to swell and the throbbing pain she'd felt while running vanished as thick padding grew along the soles of her feet. She laughed and the wind whipped past, stealing the air from her lungs while she raced down the sidewalk with her tail streaming past.

The first car she passed flicked its lights at her but she barely noticed. Only when she began gaining on a second car did she grin fiercely and take it as a challenge. Her breath burst from her in a controlled rhythm as she pushed herself harder. She could feel herself sweating and an ache began to form at the edges of her muscles but she pushed past the car and then a third just beyond it.

Dark fur swept down her pumping legs to become quickly matted with the sweat pouring down her body. A fourth car honked at her as she flew passed. She recognized the area and realized she was close to home. A part of her wished she'd timed herself just to see how fast she'd run but the thrill of it was all that mattered. And the time would come for testing.

The small road that led to her house appeared on her right and she slowed. Her long legs ached and her throat burned as she opened her mouth to pant but she felt more alive now than she ever had. Rather than shout in victory, she smiled and ducked her head with her eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of the air against the fur covering her face.

Next time, she told herself. Next time without clothes.

The thought of it made her shiver. Made her remember how she'd felt in the bar while stripping her lover bare with her eyes. She swallowed, shivered again and then shrugged out of her shirt and hoodie.

Fuck it, she thought while puffing her bare chest up. The thick gray fur lining her stomach nearly hid her small breasts. She shook herself and then stopped. Should I?

Ariel reached down, hooking her thumbs into the thick pants. She pushed and they slid over her silky fur and bare skin. As she bent, her engorged pussy spread and she grinded her sharp teeth together at the scent of her need. The young woman stepped out of her pants and held them with her other clothes.

The absolute freedom of her nakedness was intoxicating.

She slipped from the road with alert eyes and ears, a dark shadow watching for other predators (neighbors, she reminded her brain) as she stalked home. Occasionally she crouched in tall grass as a car passed or someone stepped out of their house. Her tail flicked in annoyance until she could move again.

Once home, she threw her clothes aside and crashed into bed. She was asleep nearly instantly and her quiet snores vibrated into deep purrs.

---

A single snort woke the young scientist. Gray, pre-dawn light filtered through their thick curtains as she roused herself to see Caitlin asleep next to her.

Her mate was home.

She slid beneath the covers until she lay between the girl's legs. A quick flex of her hands brought out her claws and she lifted her lover's panties with one hand while slicing through them with the other. As carefully as she could, she pull them aside and moaned at the sight of the other woman's pussy.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Ariel reached her arms under Caitlin's thighs to hold her in place while she ran her tongue along the other girl's lips. Her lover jerked above her but she held her tight and licked again.

"Too rough!" Caitlin cried out as she reached down to grip her girlfriend's black hair. "Too hard on the clit!"

Ariel chirped and spread the other woman's legs further. Her arms slid down the girl's smooth, bare thighs until they lay against her hips. Ariel pressed forward, breathing deeply of her lover's scent before dipping her tongue between the girl's pussy lips. The redhead gasped above her and twisted her legs as her body began to respond in kind and Ariel tasted her sweetness.

"Oh. Oh, love," Caitlin groaned. "God! God, it feels so different. So fucking good, love!"

The skin along Ariel's lips opened, shifting the short black and tan hairs covering her face. The tips of her whiskers pushed forth from the openings and her ears flicked back as she worked her head up and down while forcing her tongue deeper into Caitlin's soaked pussy.

A single laugh escaped the redhead's mouth. She bit her finger and raised her head with a gasp and then laughed again as Ariel's lengthening whiskers tickled her sensitive thighs.

"What are you-" Caitlin asked, pulling the blanket away. "Oh shit! Who the fuck-?! Ariel?!"

The curvy redheaded girl shoved herself back while pulling the blanket up to cover her chest. Ariel ran her tongue along her black lips and then against the sparse fur on the back of her hand. She rubbed her hand against her furred cheek and then stopped as she realized what she'd done.

"I- I- I-" Ariel stammered. Her voice cracked and rumbled in a stuttering purr to show her anxiety. "I made a mistake."

"Wh- wh-" Caitlin tried to say.

The young scientist sat on the bed with her legs crossed. She grabbed her thrashing tail and curled it around her slim hips.

"A tail!" Caitlin yelled as her eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. "That's a fucking tail! And fur! You're covered in it! You're a- You're a-"

"I'm still me," Ariel said, reaching a tentative paw (hand! she reminded herself) out to place against her lover's knee. Yet she felt the thick padding against the blanket and she knew that wasn't exactly true any longer. She sighed and looked down at her lap. "I went for a morning run a while ago..."

---

"And so here I am," Ariel finished. She ran her palm against her shin before curling her fingers to lightly scratch her nails against her own thighs.

"Does it hurt?" Caitlin asked. "It's freaking me out. You sound like Ariel but you look... you look like... it's just so weird, you know?"

"I know!" Ariel said, flexing her claws to dig into her leg. She could feel the strength in her legs as she squeezed. The unrestrained power within that she'd barely had time to test. "And, no. No, it doesn't. It feels good. Really good, actually. I ran last night! I passed cars and I tumbled at the gym and I feel so strong. I-"

"I want it," Caitlin said. She dropped the blanket to grab her girlfriend's arm.

"You-?" Ariel started to ask. "Caitlin, I can't- I don't even know what the long term-"

"Please!" her girlfriend begged as her eyes watered with unshed tears. "My back hurts all the damn time. I have to crouch to even pick things up. You know- you remember how I've talked about the nationals and how close I came to qualifying for the Olympics. The car accident- Ariel, please. Please."

"But," Ariel said, gently pulling her hand away. "Look at me, Caitlin."

"I know," the redhead said quietly. She gripped her own fingers while a tear rolled down her cheek. "I know! But you'll fix it. You're brilliant. I know you will. We have money. I have a little saved up. I can take time off while you work on it and we can- you- I just don't want to hurt anymore. I want to dance with you. I want to move again. I miss who I was. Who I could've been. I just- I just-"

"Okay," Ariel said. "Okay, babe. I'll do it."

"When?" Caitlin sniffed, wiping at a tear.

"Now," the black-haired cheetah girl said. "The sooner it starts, the more time I'll have to take everything apart to analyze after you've changed."

Caitlin squealed and threw herself on her lover. They tumbled, breathlessly until the curvy redhead lay atop her girlfriend.

"God, you're so warm and soft," she mused, gently rubbing her hands through the other woman's black fur.

"Oh," Ariel sighed. "Oh, wow. Don't stop. That's. That's amazing. Wow."

"You're purring!" Caitlin exclaimed. "Oh my god that's the most adorable amazing thing ever! How are you doing it?! Can I do it?! Oh god!"

"I- no, don't stop, just, yes - right there, yesssss," Ariel purred, squirming beneath the other woman's touch. She yowled as Caitlin bent her mouth to her chest but the woman giggled and spread fur aside until Ariel's nipple was exposed. Her wet, warm mouth encircled the stiff nipple while her tongue flicked it back and forth.

'What's-" Caitlin asked as her fingers explored the gray fur lining Ariel's belly. The black-haired woman jerked at the girl's touch.

"Fuck!" Ariel yelled, bucking her hips. She grabbed her lovers hand to hold it in place on her belly.

"Uh, babe?" the redhead said. "You've- you've got yourself a nipple situation here. Ooohhhholy shit, you've got multiple nipple issues here. Literally. You've- mmmph!"

Caitlin's eyes widened as Ariel pushed her down to the teats hidden in her thick fur. She hesitated and then opened her mouth to suck at the smaller nipples. Ariel thrashed beneath her. Her claws tore into the sheets and mattress as she tired to stay still under her lover's ministrations. Warm fingers slipped through thick black and orange fur until they pressed against Ariel's swollen, soaked lips. She yowled loudly, raising her hips as Caitlin's fingers slipped inside her tight sex.

"I think," Caitlin gasped in between switching to a different teat. "I think I'm going to love this."

---

The BMW's engine ticked as it cooled. They'd taken Caitlin's old Taurus back to the bar to retrieve Ariel's car and then gone together to her lab. The pair sat together inside the luxurious car, holding hands while staring at the entrance of the building. Caitlin mindlessly caressed the padding on the palm of Ariel's hand.

"I'm- I'm nervous," Caitlin said. "Are you sure it doesn't hurt?"

"I never said that," Ariel replied. She liked the feel of her lover's soft fingers against her. "Remember how I was sick? There's that but I only remember bits and pieces. And then some of it hurts afterwards when you start to change. It's not terrible but it's not all pleasant. It passes quickly, though."

They'd spent time in bed together with the redhead passing out while snuggled little-spoon against her girlfriend's fur. When they woke in the afternoon, they'd talked before Ariel had sequestered herself to take notes on the data she'd taken from the lab after her own change. She'd come up with a few threads to chase after but, overall, she was still stumped. And distracted. Ever since the bar she'd found herself entirely too sensitive and easily aroused. The house was filled with her lover's scent and old, nearly faded smells of past lovemaking. Masturbating had helped a little and she'd had to take several breaks to calm herself.

Ariel flexed her shoulders and back. She'd woken up with a sore spot just above her tail but the ache vanished nearly as soon as she recognized it. Something to keep an eye on.

An office light on the second floor blinked out as they continued to wait. Eventually, an older woman exited the building. She paused when she noticed the BMW but its windows were too tinted to allow her to see inside. The woman pulled her bag tighter against her body and walked to her silver Mercedes.

Two pairs of eyes, one the color of dark honey and the other faded blue, watched her leave. They waited together in the empty parking lot until Caitlin spoke up.

"I'm ready," she whispered.

Ariel squeezed her girlfriend's hand and then kissed her lightly.

"Still tickles," the redhead said shyly.

They exited the car and Ariel made sure her hood was down before shoving her hands in the front pocket. Caitlin came around to link arms and they walked together until they reached the front.

The young scientist tapped her badge against the card reader and the doors slid open. She kept her head down while walking nonchalantly through the offices. The cheetah girl's claws clicked on the hard floor in the foyer until they reached the carpeted offices. She'd considered shoes but found herself enjoying walking barefooted.

"I'm nervous, love," Caitlin whispered. "I know I've been here before but it's dark and quiet and-"

"And we're about to try some untested mad scientist DNA editing on you," Ariel finished.

"It hasn't killed you," the redhead said.

"No, not yet it hasn't," came the reply.

"And you're still you," Caitlin prompted. "Right? Do you, umm, do you get cat thoughts?"

"I'm sorry, 'cat thoughts'?" Ariel asked as she pushed the door open to her laboratory. "What are 'cat thoughts'?"

"You know," the girl said. "Like. Uhh. You know what, nevermind."

"No, no," Ariel teased as she began to set up the equipment she needed. Her ears flicked as she grinned. The dark black line of fur on her cheeks widened as she flashed her teeth. "I need to know what you mean here. I want to hear you say it."

"Like," her girlfriend started to say. "Like. Chasing. Mice? They- I don't know, you jerk! I was just thinking out loud."

The cheetah girl churred in laughter.

"Like that!" Caitlin accused, pointing her finger. "And the purring! Are you doing that on purpose?"

"Well," Ariel paused. "No. I don't even notice it. Just kind of happens. Now to business. I need some blood and some quiet time. Just a finger prick, don't worry. I know what you think of needles."

"Oh god," the other woman asked while holding out her index finger. "Do you have to inject the stuff when it's done?"

"No," she reassured her as the tiny plastic instrument clicked. She squeezed a drop of blood and then wiped it away. After the third time, she soaked up the drop of blood and "Just something you drink."

The ache appeared above her tail but vanished once again when she reached back to massage it.

Something with the tail? she wondered as she placed the plastic tray in a small machine. Maybe my back muscles aren't strong enough for it yet? I'll have to look up exercises later.

Caitlin excused herself to her girlfriend's office. She sat at the computer, browsing online to keep herself occupied while Ariel worked. Minutes turned to hours and she wandered over to the leather couch. She tossed and turned, kept awake by the anxiety and excitement of what was coming until sleep finally took her.

---

"Babe," a gentle voice said.

"Whattimeizzit," Caitlin groaned.

"Just after 3 in the morning," Ariel replied. "Took longer than I thought but I'm ready. Wake up."

The redhead yawned and stretched and sat up while rubbing at her eyes. "Are we going home?"

"No, we have to take it here so I can clean everything afterwards."

The young woman nodded and then glanced toward the four jars on the coffee table in front of her.

"I'm a little scared," she admitted. "What if it goes wrong?"

"Hey," Ariel said, rubbing her girlfriend's back. "That hurts. You remember all those nights I didn't come home? And the fights we had? I was here, working on this. Have some confidence in your 'brilliant' girlfriend's work."

"I do," she replied. "I'm sorry. How does it work?"

"Take them in order," her girlfriend said. "Left to right. Finish all of them that you can."

"And then?"

"And then we go home and I take care of you while you get violently ill."

Despite her fear, Caitlin reached forward, uncapped the first vial and downed the entire contents.

---

"Uhh," the redhead groaned in the car. "I, uhh, I don't feel so great."

"I know, babe," Ariel replied. She reached out to place a hand on her girlfriend's knee, squeezing it as she sped home. "Just hold on until we're home."

"'Kay," the other woman replied, turning her head toward the window.

---

"You s- s- s- said it w- wouldn't hu- hurt," Caitlin stuttered. She lay as her girlfriend had, soaked with sweat and twisting on the bed. Her body spasmed as she gripped the sheets tightly.

"Hush," Ariel said gently, wiping the sweat from her face until the other woman lay quietly.

The curvy young woman whimpered as she passed out and Ariel yawned. She checked her watch and then stood on long legs while massaging her lower back. The coffee machine dinged from the kitchen and she walked over to it to retrieve another cup. She prayed she'd have time to rest before her girlfriend woke again.

Returning to the bedroom, Ariel leaned over her girlfriend after another quiet whimper escaped the girl's lips. She held her down gently to clean the girl with her tongue. It was the third time she'd done it over the past two days and seemed to calm her. Even better, she enjoyed the act although she couldn't put a finger on why. It just seemed to scratch some emotional itch within her core.

Some 'cat thought', no doubt, she laughed to herself. With a cup held awkwardly in her paw, she curled up on the recliner next to the bed, pulling her tail around her waist before grabbing a book from the night stand. She was jittery from the coffee and the seemingly boundless energy brought on by the change but didn't want to leave Caitlin's side.

With a sigh, she found her spot in the book and continued reading.

---

The redhead's fever broke in the middle of the night and she slept peacefully until morning. She woke with a smile to see Ariel sleeping in the chair next to her.

"Wake up!" Caitlin whispered loudly. "I'm still alive!"

"Heeeey, babe," Ariel grinned. She laughed as her girlfriend went to her toes and spun in a slow circle.

"I feel pretty good actually"! she said. "When will it start to work?"

The cheetah girl stood and pushed her lover gently over the bed. She raised the girl's shirt and ran her fingers along her spine. Her claws teased red fur surrounding the girl's lower back.

"It already has," Ariel purred, feeling her arousal suddenly surge forth as she eyed her prone lover. She loved forward to kiss the mound of fur and it tickled her whiskers as it began to slowly creep along her back. Her sharp ears twitched as a bone clicked somewhere in the girl's body.

"Ohhhh," Caitlin gasped. "Wow. Woooow. Let me up for a minute. I- I have to see something."

Ariel stepped back while watching the girl with hungry, intense eyes. The redhead took a deep breath and leaned forward. She hesitated halfway and then continued to bend until she was touching the floor. After a short pause, she grabbed her ankles and pulled her upper body against her thighs. When she raised herself back up into a standing position, tears streamed down her face. The skin already her watery eyes was already darkening as it had for Ariel.

"It doesn't huuuurt," Caitlin sobbed. She reached her arms out and Ariel took them to enfold her in a warm, tight hug. They stood together as years of pain and frustration worked their way out of the girl's system.

Finally, after a few hiccuping cries and nearly an entire box of tissues, Caitlin smiled tremulously. She stood before a mirror to see the dark red fur covering her lower back. Small black spots stood out on her thin coat and, as she watched a few red hairs began to slowly creep down her neck.

"I want to try it," the girl said. She bounced on her toes and heels and grabbed her girlfriend's hand.

"Isn't it crazy?" Ariel asked. "Feeling all that pent up energy?"

"God, yes!" the redhead replied. "It's like I've had twenty cups of coffee and there's no crash in sight. Can we go to the gym? Can we??"

"I've already got our gear together, babe," the black-haired cheetah girl smiled. She winced and scratched her back before picking up her gym bag. "Get changed, grab your bag and we'll go. Through the back, though. I don't think I look too much like my picture any more."

---

After waiting for a young mother to haul her children into the gym, the two young women snuck through the rows of cars until they reached the rear entrance. Caitlin slid her card through the reader three times before her trembling fingers worked properly. She paused as Ariel put a hand in front of her chest but then she hissed as pain shot through her head.

"It'll pass," Ariel whispered. She reached her hand out to massage the other girl's ears and her leather pads rasped against the silky fur beginning to grow there. Her tail struggled against the tape holding it down as it tried to thrash in sympathy for her lover. "Just give it a minute."

"I can hear them!" her girlfriend said. "Wow! It's not too loud but I can still hear them inside. I think they're gone now."

They opened the door and crept inside before running toward the gymnastics room with Caitlin giggling the entire way.

"I locked it," Ariel said as Caitlin ran and jumped around the room. "I think that'll give us time to sneak out or hide if someone tries to get in."

"What should I do first?" the redhead asked. She leapt up to a balance beam, landed and then tumbled off the side, laughing as her girlfriend cringed.

"Take off your shoes," the dark-haired woman replied. "Just in case."

"That's a good idea," she said, bending to her light pink trainers. "I think- Ariel! Oh shit, oh shit!"

"What is it?" the woman said, leaping and running to stand next to her girlfriend.

The redhead held up a hand, holding it by the wrist. She groaned and they both watched as the flesh beneath her fingernails swelled. The nails strained and dented on both hands.

"What's- ahh!" the girl cried out. A single drop of blood escaped the tip of her finger as the skin separated. "Oh fuck, oh fuck! Is it- Are they-"

"Claws, babe," Ariel said soothingly. "Just give it a minute. Like with your ears, okay? Just breathe and relax. It'll be fine, trust me."

"Ahhh, it feels weird!" Caitlin said as she turned both hands back and forth. "Wait, I think. Yeah, I think it's done. Wow. Do they go away?"

"Yeah, there's a, uh, thing," she told her. "It's, wow, I haven't thought about how to describe it, really. Like a muscle or something in the back of your hand? You just move it. Try tensing and relaxing your hand until you-"

As she explained the process, Ariel felt the the twinge in her back suddenly release. She cried out and dropped to her hands and knees Caitlin was beside her immediately with her clawed hands tearing at the mat in concern.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" the redhead asked as her eyes searched her girlfriend's face.

The dark-haired woman growled in pain with her head straining forward. Her body shook and she panted from sudden exertion. Fur receded along her body with the sensation of a million ants crawling just beneath her skin. She fell to her side and trembled until she focused internally.

It was there! Just there! Where is it? she wondered frantically. She reached back to feel patches of bare skin but as she touched her tail, she found what she sought. Whether real or a physical manifestation of a mental process, she pulled the hidden tendon using newly formed muscles and the pain changed. The young woman gasped and stretched as, once again, fur emerged from her body.

"What happened?" Caitlin asked. She reached a hand out and her claws slid back into her fingertips. Red wisps of fur lined the back of her hands and arms. "Oh! There it is! I figured it out."

Sweat dripped from the tip of Ariel's nose before it cracked, shifted and flattened against her short muzzle.

"It's reversible," she panted. She lay on her side and rolled to her back, wincing as her tail stuck beneath her. "It's reversible! It's like your hands. For your claws! There's something in your back that does it. I didn't feel it until I took you to the lab but it's right there. Oh my god, this changes everything! I don't have to fix anything and we can go out in public and, and-"

"Babe?" Ariel asked, lifting her chin as she took a deep breath. Her amber eyes focused on her lover to see the redhead's cheeks flushed and her eyes unfocused.

"Uh," came the reply. "I. Uh. I'm fucking horny. It just. It just came out of, ohhhhhhh shit. I'm so wet, love. I'm. I-"

Caitlin dropped to her hands and knees and raised her ass. Veins stood out on her reddened neck but she raised her lightly furred jaw and yowled loudly. She raised her wide hips high and lowered her forehead to the ground with her mouth open. Red fur marched along her arms and over her shoulders as the bright pink of her yoga pants darkened over her sex. She cried out and the wet patch widened.

"I ju- just ca- caaaame," Caitlin said. "It's not stooooowwwwlllll!"

The redhead yowled as the bones in her face reshaped. They cracked and shifted and her canines slid down while her jaw lengthened into a short muzzle that matched her lover.

Ariel's pupils dilated and she lost herself in the pheromone-laden scent of her girlfriend. Her claws shot out and she sliced through the band of Caitlin's pants. Thin lines of blood trailed behind her claws as she ripped into the other woman's clothing to leave her bare. The redhead's pussy was slick and swollen and she flexed down further, flattening her chest on the ground while looking back with pleading eyes.

The thick path of fur above Caitlin's ass bulged into the start of her tail but Ariel ignored it and shoved her face forward to greedily suck at her girlfriend's sex. The other woman shrieked as the papillae lining Ariel's tongue dragged against her engorged lips and clit. The black-haired cheetah girl's claws roamed the other woman's back, kneading and slicing at her lover's sports bra until it popped apart to free Caitlin's large breasts. She gasped as they popped free as she reached her own hand up to massage and pull at her stiff nipple.

A line of sweat soaked white fur emerged from the curvy woman's stomach. It sprouted from her collarbone down to her belly button and further to surround her bulging lips. Ariel's tongue pulled at the hairs growing around her lover's pussy and she reached back to dig her claws into Caitlin's ass, spreading her open as more red and black fur emerged around her fingers.

"YES!" Caitlin screamed as orgasmed. Her leg shot back and claws pierced her toes to tear a long line in the tough fabric beneath them. The girl's hips dropped but Ariel held her in place. The raven-haired girl purred as she ate her lover out. She shoved her tongue as deep as she could, carefully pulling the girl's labia open with her claws to expose the slick, pink opening.

Gasping and panting, Ariel sat back. She cleaned the backs of her hand and rubbed her face while her girlfriend fell to her side. The other woman's short tail flailed at the ground next to her while it expanded and lengthened.

The young scientist, still purring, grabbed her lover's ankle. She kissed the wispy fur beginning to grow there as she slipped between the other woman's legs to press their clits together. Caitlin hissed and clawed the ground as she furred breasts shook but she shoved herself against her girlfriend.

The dark-haired woman began slowly. She slid herself in a tight circle, flexing rock-hard muscles as she found the perfect spot and her lover gasped in return. She leaned forward and Caitlin's flexibility helped raise her leg straight. It wasn't a position they used often due to the awkwardness of it when toys and fingers and mouths worked better but claws and the current lack of their 'secret chest' forced them to improvise.

Ariel pressed her cheeks against her girlfriend's leg. She moaned as her hips rocked back and forth. The young woman found herself licking the other woman's bare skin in an uncontrollable urge to show her affection. She stroked the girl's thigh and leg with her claws, panting as she suddenly tasted fur. Her purr rose in volume and she began licking more intensely as if dragging the fur forth from her lover's body.

With a jerk of her hips and a hitch in her breath, the scientist orgasmed. She yowled in a lustful, nearly piteous whine as she rubbed her long white whiskers against Caitlin's leg. Black fur tangled with red as her cheek worked in wide circles. She closed her eyes while letting the rush surge through her, calming the intense heat driving them both.

The pair untangled themselves and the black-haired girl opened her eyes to see her lover completely changed. Unlike her, the other girl's body was red with a scattering of black spots and she was larger. For Ariel, her breasts were nearly hidden beneath her fur but Caitlin's chest showed the obvious swell that had turned so many heads. Rather than the gray of the smaller girl's body, the curvy redhead's belly was lined with shockingly bright white fur that did little to hide her swollen pink nipples. A wet part of fur above her mound showed two of her teats and Ariel had to bite her lip hard to keep the heat from overriding her again.

Temporarily satisfied, the tip of Caitlin's thick tail tapped against the shredded mat.

"That's weird," the larger girl panted. "I can feel it moving but I can't stop it."

The red and black tail rose, twisted and slapped the ground and then lay still for a moment before the tip once again tapped a continuous beat on the floor.

"Fucking weird but incredible," she said. "All of this. I lost myself there. Like that time I had too much of those brownies at Jenna's party and you had to take me home. I saw it happening from far away. I was just really warm and I started moving and, shit, it's still there. Am I going into heat? Is that what this is? Is that what it's like? Just gets hotter and hotter and harder to think until you just fuck while blasted out of your mind? Hell. I mean, okay wow but, hell."

Rather than answer, Ariel raised herself off the mat with her hands planted on the ground. Her tail bent left and up and she picked her right hand up, raising it above her body. She felt her back muscles and abdominals shift and clench and she turned her legs to the side. Her girlfriend watched with wide eyes as the smaller woman lifted her legs in a graceful arc while her black tail rotated to provide extra balance. Hidden beneath her thick coat, her arms bulged and flared to keep her position until she held herself in a perfect line from hand to toes.

"Ho. Lee. Shit," Caitlin whispered. "Do you think I can do that?"

Again without answering beyond a sharp exhale, the young scientist reversed the maneuver to slowly lower herself back to the mat. She looked up and the dark lines along her cheeks widened into a toothy smile.

"One way to find out, babe," she told girlfriend.

---

The silent building echoed with sudden laughter and excited conversations as the large double-doors were slammed open. Ten young women of various shapes and sizes, but nearly all slim, filed through the doors to escape the cold February snow falling behind them.

Posters for the 2020 Olympics lined the walls around them with motivational messages handwritten below their various slogans.

A lone black-haired woman stood in the entryway, eyeing the group as they filtered in.

Caitlin broke away from the group, screaming in joy as she ran to hug Ariel. She plastered her girlfriend's face with kisses until the smaller woman's hand pressed against her to gently push her away. Still, she smiled warmly and whispered 'I love you' before addressing the small crowd.

"Good morning everyone!" Ariel said loudly.

"Good morning, coach!" the girls answered in unison.

"Ariel and I will lead you to your individual rooms," she told them. She wore tight knee-high spandex with a black sports bra that showed her hardened stomach and clearly defined arms. A faint line of black 'happy trail' hair lay against her flat belly. Her finger toyed with a silver band on her ring finger. "I know you just got in but we have an eventful day already planned."

Despite their smiles, the women listened carefully.

"Your captain will distribute the schedules as well as your tailored diets," she continued. Ariel pulled a stack of folders and then followed her fiancée as she turned to walk down the hallway. "You have an hour to stow your gear and get familiar with the layout of the building. We'll meet back in the common room before we begin."

They passed through an open room. A large table lay centered in the room and nine glasses lay on the table. The liquid within was clear with white strands floating in a chaotic pattern. Caitlin shared a knowing glance with Ariel before the other woman continued.

"I have great expectations of all of you," she told them. She gestured to her future wife and Caitlin before shepherding the girls down to their dorm rooms.

Black hairs emerged from Ariel's skin. She worked her neck slowly back and forth with a hissing sigh and the hairs stopped, leaving a swath of her lower back covered in fine hairs. Her lips trembled to show sharp, tiny points on her canines as an always imperceptible bulge of skin above her ass writhed.

"I'm sure you'll surpass all of them," she told their retreating backs as her brown eyes brightened to the color of burnished wood. Her toothy smile widened to show two faint lines between her eyes and lips. "And I very much look forward to it."