Shifting Ground Pt. 02 of 02

"Damn it! Stacy!" he thought angrily. He wasn't sure if he was angry with her or the situation or what. He just knew it was rage he felt. James was actually surprised he didn't feel more pain as he rolled to his knees. He felt things tear inside of his abdomen, but didn't care. He had started this fight and was now about to finish it!

With the two cats trying to circle Stacy so one or the other could get behind her, they had no time to react when another shot rang out and a the leopard's leg went out from under it. Then James fell like a fresh cut tree on the back of the bobcat. He pressed its face in the dirt with his ruined right forearm on the back of its neck and hammered blows with his left fist on top of it's head! Stacy saw her moment to strike and slid in to grab the leopard's throat in her jaws while it was distracted with being shot. Without it's throat he died quickly and Stacy immediately went to help James who was beating a very dead bobcat.

Stacy began to speak, but the only thing that came out was the coughing rumble of a cougar. She shifted back to human, "James, stop! He's dead!"

James slammed his fist for the last time into the hollow depression that had been the bobcats skull and fell to the side on his back. Stacy looked him over critically. She had seen these types of wounds growing up among her people, just not usually so many in one place...and done to a human!

Several large lacerations on both legs every single one to the bone. Multiple lacerations and actual tears to the skin on his chest and arms, the tearing of the abdomen being the worst. She could actually see intestine and part of his stomach! She couldn't understand why he wasn't screaming!

His eyes blinked open, the irises dilated as he looked at her. "Lions...Tigers...and Bob...Bobcats oh my!" He smiled faintly and coughed making his abdominal wound jerk like a shaken water balloon.

"Medical kit under the bed in shoebox. Grab the sheets off the bed and water quick!" Then his head lolled back on the bloody grass.

"James? JAMES!" Stacy ran for the items he mentioned. She was back and saw he had woken up again. She set the items near him and now, she didn't even know where to start to fix all of this! There was just so much damage!

"Okay...kitten. First the sheets. Cover the major wounds and use the superglue and duct tape to..."

Slowly and systematically she followed his instructions, trying to be careful not to hurt him. He tried to be alert, but the pain and blood loss was making it hard to think clearly.

Stacy sat back, her fingers trembling as she washed James blood from them. As a cat she had eaten raw meat and had hunted and brought down everything from rabbits to elk. This though, she took a deep breath and put a brave expression on her face when she turned back to James.

He was bound in duct tape and bed sheets. Super glue had been used to seal up his stomach tears. She looked over at his truck and saw the bloody lion corpse dripping fluids onto the ground. She sighed and wondered if she could get it cleaned up in time so she could get him to a hospital without any questions asked.

"Kitten?" James said softly She looked down at him.

"Yes?" She couldn't help but stroke his face, so many conflicting emotions running through her right then. Shame, at James getting hurt by her people and from her actions.

Pride at how well a human did against Shifters.

Anger at.... it didn't matter. She needed to focus on helping him.

He waved his crippled right hand, fingers bound up as one unit. He didn't appear too concerned for himself though. "Are you okay? Can you walk or run?" His brown eyes carefully examined her.

Stacy thought it was sweet, but silly of him to ask, must have lost more blood than she thought.

"I am okay James. I saw you take out two of my Father's soldiers. I saw the other three attack and then I saw Colin trying to rip out your..." She took a deep breath to steady herself and continued.

"Your rifle is very accurate. I shot him in the top of the head as his mouth was down in...when his head was facing down I mean. Then I just got so angry I changed and attacked! Then you got up and used the last shot of your revolver and that's about it..." Stacy traced a finger down his cheek.

"I am going to get you to a hospital. You can't stay like this." She started to get up when James left hand grabbed hers.

"I got a boat set up for you. The operators name is Robert Anderson. You need to get there now. Take the truck to Josiah, and he will get you there in time. I need to stay here now Kitten. You need to go." Saying this James laid his head back down on the grass and seemed to settle in for a nap!

Stacy stared at him, her mouth open in surprise? Shock? Exasperation? All three?

"I am not going anywhere now! I am staying to help you. You got this way because of me, and I am not letting you die like this! Now...where is the closest hospital?" She stood up and walked into the trailer, looking for a map and ignoring James' weak protestations.

She found an older map, but the location of the hospital looked iffy. She had been surprised, yet not surprised to find out he did not own a cell phone. She could hear him trying to yell at her from outside but she ignored him until she started hearing choice words that made her hair stand up!

"What did you call me?" She snarled as she came out of the trailer.

"You heard me with those cats ears of yours. Though the way they stick out you'd think they were Dumbo ears. Sure your mother wasn't an African Elephant? It might explain the size of your nose too..." James told her with a sneer, which looked ghastly in his pale face.

"How...how dare you!?" Stacy tried to shout, but it came out a little breathily. "Are you crazy? Why are you saying these things? I just helped piece you back together!"

James nodded, "Good, you're listening to me now..." he glanced up at the evening sky. "...You need to leave now. Grab your bag, anything you need from the trailer. Just get it and go, like I said. Go to Josiah; tell him you need to get down to Robert Anderson's boat. He will know where to go. You need to get there tonight."

Stacy shook her head, staring down at him like he had lost his mind. James started getting angry again.

"Why James? Just tell me why?" She asked. "This makes no sense at all to me."

James looked up at her, and did his best to swallow his frustration. "I am going to be healed pretty soon. As soon as the full moon comes up, I am going to be fine, okay? Now you need to get out of here!"

Stacy changed into her cat form and licked James cheek gently and carefully sniffed him all over. James cursing at her to get her fuzzy butt in gear and "git!" as he so colorfully put it. She changed back to human and shook her head.

"Why are you lying to me? You aren't a Were of any kind. You are just a human and I am wasting my time listening to you. I am going to start cleaning out your truck so we can get you to a hospital."

James swore at her as she pulled the lion carcass out of the truck. She remembered him, a little. Had seen him around but never spoken with him. She wrinkled her nose at the smell inside the cab. Looking it over carefully she thought if she used some grass as a towel she could wipe it out enough to get him to a hospital and get back without attracting too much attention.

James voice was quieter now, but she heard the tone of it change to pleading.

"Please Stacy. I don't want to hurt you. I want you to be free to live and explore. Please leave me. I promise you on everything I own I will be fine..." She leaned back from the open truck door looking over at her wounded friend. He was looking right into her eyes as he said, "How about this, you leave now and don't come back until the full moon has passed and we can talk about it then. I promise you, I will be right here when you get back. Just stay with Josiah until then. He could use the company. Please Kitten?"

Stacy walked back over and crouched down by his agitated recumbent form.

"I may not be the smartest of my kind out there. But I have met many different types of people. You are just a human. A very brave and odd human, but still just a human. If I do not help you will die. You keep saying you are going to get better, but I don't see how that is possible. So I am staying and am going to get you to help. You couldn't hurt me anyway now, even if you tried."

James clenched his teeth, "You stubborn, obstinate, bitch! I am trying to save you! What is WRONG with your hearing? Do you have cloth for ears?"

Stacy was getting angry herself, "You need someone here to bury your body and say a prayer to the gods at least when you die! Or are you going to dig your own hole? What is the matter with you James?"

He finally dropped his head back in defeat and choked back a small sob.

"Do something for me then, Kitten?" He asked quietly.

"Anything!" Was her response.

He lifted his chin a little to give her a gimlet stare.

"Anything, except leave you I mean." She amended.

He was quiet for a moment, his eyes tracing the sky where the moon would appear. His tone was tight as he said his piece.

"Don't make eye contact me with me when I get better. Don't speak unless it is with short sentences. Obey me immediately and don't make any sudden moves. And I don't know what else to tell you to keep you safe."

Stacy snorted a little, her tone was disbelieving.

"You sound like you are going to turn into a wild animal, can you at least tell me what is going to happen?"

A deep groan that makes the duct tape creak, and a growling smile of relief. "Not enough time to explain. I don't know if you even have enough time to get away now. Just don't turn into your cat unless I ask you to. Please, just...just...be still!"

"I promise...I promise I will do everything you ask."

Chapter 5: PMS

Stacy went back to the truck and kept wiping it out with the grass. Her shirt and shorts had the lion's blood on it; she would change in a little bit when she heard a deeper groan than normal coming from where James lay. She looked over at him and picked up a bottle of water in the door of the truck next to the holster for his revolver.

She took a few steps toward him when she heard an almost beast like groan come from him. She started forward more quickly, but it was the tone that had stopped her.

She had heard any number of James sounds before, this was different. She had a moment of panic run through her as she thought maybe her nose had been tricked. Maybe she was wrong and he really was a werewolf and this was his moon change.

"Not possible!" she told herself. "I have never heard of a were that didn't keep some traces of his animal smell with him."

Be that as it may, Stacy was surprised when James sat up suddenly and began ripping at the cloth and tape covering him!

"Wait you'll..." the words died on her lips as he grunted once in warning, eyes met hers and the animal eye shine highlighted by the light of the fell moon was bright and clear.

Her own eyes widened as his narrowed and focused on the young shifter. She could almost see the quick calculations running through his head.

"Predator...threat or no threat? I am vulnerable...THREAT!"

Stacy watched in fascination as James tore the wound up sheets like wet paper towels and came to his feet with a roar! Only then did she remember her promise and drop to her knees her eyes averted from his. She did her best to seem as unassuming as possible. She continued looking away even as he now walked by her moving down to the water's edge.

"How can he be walking? What is going on?" she thought.

Stacy watched him and saw subtle changes. He walked a little more on the balls of his feet; his steps though cautious were purposeful. His head was forward a little more and shoulders slouched. Physically he was just the same, but as she observed him, she saw the great tears and wounds closing at a greatly enhanced rate.

James had stopped and rubbed a hand over his belly, almost in confusion, fresh blood pouring down over the waistband of his shorts. Fingers nearly healed dripped with fresh blood as he tore the denim from his body and stood naked in the light of the full moon on the waters edge.

To Stacy's eyes he looked primal and fierce. That thought was reinforced as those eyes looked over at where she was sitting.

"Come!" the voice was harsh and full of authority. She began to obey without even thinking to disobey!

She quickly stood and began walking over to James when he barked out, "NOW!"

With a squeak she ran! Stacy tried to see if he was making fun of her, but his serious expression proved he did not.

She stood in front of him, eyes down cast. She was beginning to realize what she was feeling. James seemed to be acting more like a dominant. Before he was just easygoing and a bit glib, kind of a live and let live sort of man. Up close like this he just felt so different! His earlier scent seemed to have an almost acrid scent now. Like the smell you get in your nose by biting a penny, or when...

"Take it off." He told her, and gripped her bloody shirt.

"What...?" She asked.

His expression didn't change he just gripped her shirt and tore it right up the front exposing her body!

"James! What are you doing?!" She shouted and he spun her around and pushed her to the ground. She struggled at first in panic until she remembered what she promised and went limp.

Strong hands that were rough at first became gentler as he stripped her as bare as he was. He pulled her back to her feet and told her to stand. She held still as he walked around her slowly at half an arms length in distance. He was smelling her now, and occasionally reaching out to cup her breasts, or firmly grip one of her hips. She began to protest when he caressed her ass and felt her between her legs...but bit her tongue instead and was silent.

All in all, it wasn't romantic, she felt a bit like a horse being examined!

She was also examining him. This person in front of her looked like James, but the face was harder. The stance and the way he moved completely different. The voice was harsher. This was not James! It was as if James had stepped out of his body and someone else was in its place.

"Change." He commanded. With only a slight hesitation she shifted into her mountain lion form. James got down on one knee and gripped her chin in one hand. The fingers firm but not painful. He brought her cats eyes to meet his own. It felt like a staring contest and in a real way it was.

She felt her cat rise to the challenge and laid her ears back, she let out a hiss that made most creatures run for cover and saw Whatever James was smile and bare his teeth in return! He did not look away and even moved in closer until his nose was almost touching hers.

"Good! Come." He got up and turned his back on her, walking back to the trailer. She padded on silent feet after him. Her cat thought maybe this would be a good time to attack, until she noticed the shine of his eyes carefully watching her.

He grabbed a bag of jerky from inside the door in the side cupboard and sat down in front of the trailer on the stump and tore the whole bag open, hungrily chewing the dried food. Stacy hesitantly stepped away and under his watchful eye retrieved the bottle of water she had been bringing him. Holding it sideways in her mouth. He took it and tore the cap and bottle open at the neck and drank thirstily.

Without saying anything he grabbed the cougar and pulled her down until they were lying on the ground by the fire pit.

"Sleep." He commanded. Then his breathing evened out and he began snoring slightly.

Stacy was very confused and used this time to try to work out what had just happened!

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The next day was one of learning experiences for her. James was up before she was, and in the center of the stream looking alert and relaxed. The water was level with his chest and he just stood there, eyes half closed. She padded over on her silent cat feet and one eye opened with that unnerving bright gaze of his. It lowered back to only exposing a slit again. It looked like he moved his foot, like he was scooping up a soccer ball and his hands reached down grasping something.

Stacy sat up in surprise as James pulled a muddy rock out of the water twice the size of a basketball then coughed in surprise when it moved!

"That's a snapping turtle! A pretty good sized one too..." She thought and chuffed once. He came walking out of the water, casually holding it on the sides of the shell. He was naked again, and Stacy wondered if that was how he normally was when he was like this. She wasn't sure what to do as he walked by her. Was she supposed to follow him? Was she allowed to change back to human again? What was she supposed to do?

"Maybe I should have left when he told me too, but I wasn't expecting this..." In truth Stacy wasn't sure what she had expected or if she would have even believed it if he had taken the time to explain.

"He said it only lasts as long as the full moon. The full moon is down since it's day time, is he back to normal and just teasing me again by acting like a brute?" She wondered.

KEERACK!

Her ears swiveled up and she looked over at James who had gripped the two shell plates of the turtle and ripped them apart with his bare hands!

"No...he still is the brute! I guess I will have to hold my questions until the full moon is passed."

The next few days were kind of a blur. James was quiet most of the time. He eschewed clothes for his own skin and slept all the time except for when he was hungry. He also refused to let Stacy wear anything and would hold her down if she resisted him undressing her! Finally she asked him why he did this to her, she had thought maybe he had meant to rape her.

That was the only time he had hit her! When she had angrily accused him of wanting to rape her he had back handed her so hard she saw stars. It had been done casually as if she had been an annoyance. Turning tear stained eyes to him she thought she saw him soften.

"You're not ready." Was all he said.

She had been ready to change and kill him right there! She didn't care that he was her friend, he had attacked her! He had hurt her!

"He also warned you to leave didn't he?" A voice whispered at the back of her mind. Stacy had to admit that to herself she was at the least partly responsible for the predicament she was now in. At one point she tried to leave him, but decided against it. The Robert Anderson person was probably not in his dock anymore, and she wanted...what did she want?

It was the third day of her watching and observing James, and he watched and observed her right back. It seemed he only did a few things.

He either slept, or ate, or hunted. He would sleep all night and into the morning, awaken when he was hungry and go to the garden and eat. Or go into the trailer for food. Then go back to sleep. Surprisingly to her mind he was just like a great big cat! She finally came up with how to act around him and it went swimmingly. Once she understood his habits her thoughts followed this line of reasoning.

"Okay, if I treat him like I would a wild cat or wolf in the woods, I should be okay. It's still James, I think.... just an amped up version of James. And what the heck is he? I have never heard of a Were or shifter that could do this, is his whole family like this? Or is he the black sheep because he is like this? No, just let it be. When he is himself again we can talk it out."

Strangely enough, he responded well to her treating him like this. Even "playing" with her. He had gotten hungry and her own stomach had rumbled so they had gone hunting. She had been surprised to see him using his senses similarly to how she was. It honestly wouldn't have surprised her if he had been!