My brown paws pounded the ground like a steadily beating drum. One after another, blood pounding in my canine ears.

The world around me was alive with sights, sounds and new sensations. Everything seemed so much more beautiful, even though nature had never changed. It was I who was different now.

With my incredible senses, I detected a fleeting motion not far from behind. Adrenaline seeped through my vines like a gushing waterfall and I dove off into the opposite direction before skirting around to face my opponent.

To my advantage the wolf before me, a familiar burly grey one, was just as shocked by my canine skills. Claws reached out like a sailing anchor, the wolf’s paws clawing at the dirt, making for a sliding stop against the raw earth. I felt a supreme smile curl up my lips, baring pearly white teeth.

The wolf slammed into me with crushing force, it’s wet gristly fur making me growl with annoyance. In sudden outburst the wolf let out a wild bark, playfully biting into my neck.

I didn’t want to be tossed around, friend or not. With a quick flash of my back leg, Crane went flying backwards with a gnarled grunt. Strutting forward, with a smug flick of my tail, I passed by him barking out a chortling laugh. Tough guy got whipped!

He pounced unexpectedly, his teeth snapping. Without even a single command, my claws spoked out like daggers and a growl rumbled deep from within my chest.

Before I had the chance to make my leap, he flew against me, spiraling me into an impenetrable darkness...

************


The water twirled around my body, cupping me like a sweet embracing hand. I lavished in the deep blue ocean waters. Breath came easily, but eventually I would surface. My tail beat through the water like the propeller of a great ship. With one last great whooshing kick, I broke the surface. All was behind me as I leapt into the starry sky, my strong but lean rubber-like body sailing through the crisp, cool night air.

Diving back beneath the water, I sent a shrilling cry of pleasure to my nearby friends. From afar, I could make out a sweet, encouraging reply which then escalated my spirits. Each voice was a song, like music to my ears. There were so many of them, and yet still I could decipher one from another.

My fins glided me through the reefs, stopping only to pause at the startling view. The water seemed so vast...so endless.

I began to feel dizzy. The water seemed to churn around me, twisting and turning. A black, fathomless hole beneath me seemed to have gathered and I was falling too quickly to escape...

***********


I dipped, then swept upwards, gliding through the air like an airplane. The wind was my highway, with an infiniteness as great as the universe. There was barely any work on my part. At either sides I could see long velvety brown wings outstretched. They seemed to master the airwaves as if they were as controllable as the present weather. A golden sun beat down on my wings, lighting them with a familiar, warming heat.

Below me, I caught the glimpse of a small rodent scurrying across the ground. Even though the creature seemed as though it should have been miles away, my view was like a microscope and my lens were perfect.

My wings beat with a heavy passion as I shot downwards towards the small, yet enticing creature. As I grew closer, the animal let out a piercing scream and bolted. I was rapidly gaining on the animal. It’s scent flared a sense of hunger in the pit of my bottomless stomach and I jutted down, my claws pointed and ready...

************


I shot upwards, my breathing heavy and sweat streaming down the side of my face. Stretching my legs out, I blinked to find five toes. Sighing with relief, I stepped off of my bed and stammered over in front of my mirror. The sight of myself for once didn’t disappoint: Tousled blonde hair, skinny frame and piercing blue eyes. I was just the same as I’ve always been. A young, energetic boy. And even though some days I may wish and dream of being some other being, I know that I’ll only ever truly want to be one creature:

Human.