He approaches, and I can't help but feel like this is something from a nightmare. I don't know why I suddenly feel so anxious and uncomfortable, yet I do. Run my inner-voice seems to scream at me, but I don’t. Instead, I double-down, planting my paws firmly in the ground. They sink down a little bit into the dirt and grass, but I don’t feel any safer or stronger.
The tiger comes closer and closer. His big body seems to sway with every step. Even though he’s in his animal form, he doesn’t seem surprised to see me. He doesn’t seem impressed, either. I guess I thought he’d pause and look me up and down, and then maybe…I don’t know. Maybe he would nod with approval, or perhaps he would bare his teeth in a sort of awkward shifter-smile. He keeps walking toward me, and I sniff the air quietly.
Anger.
Stress.
Tension.
These aren't emotions I should be scenting. I should notice that he smells happy or excited or nervous: even horny. Literally any emotion would be better to scent than tension. Why is this guy stressed? He might be slightly uncomfortable or nervous about meeting a new person, but we’ve sexted. We’ve talked dirty. We’ve flirted and it’s gotten really downright nasty and fun and wild. He should be feeling anxiously excited to finally get the chance to see me in real life. That’s how he should be feeling.
Not angry.
Before he gets any closer, I realize it's time to nope on out of here. Maybe it was too soon to meet. A few more days of talking, maybe. He comes closer, closer, and before I can second-guess myself, I turn and start to run, but I'm already too late.
The tiger leaps, tackling me, and knocks me to the ground.I land on my side, and instantly, everything hurts. My head hits the hard dirt and I see stars, but I don't shift. My body desperately wants to shift back to my human form, as though that will offer some sort of reprieve from what's happening.
My body seems to think that if I can just change, then everything will be okay, but I know that's not true.
In my shifter form, I can heal the minor cuts and scrapes that are undoubtedly already showing up on my body. If I change to being human, I won't be able to do that. He's got me pinned down and I have no idea what the tiger wants to do to me.
He growls, roaring at me, and I know that the sickly-sweet smell of fear is now filling the air because I am so very afraid right now.
What the hell is this beast going to do to me?
What's he going to do?
Why did I have to go on a date in the woods?
And why, oh why, is this monster coming after me?
I wiggle, trying to escape, but all that happens is I end up on my belly with him pressed hard on my back. Shit.
Shift, I silently urge my body to listen to me. My own form doesn’t seem to get the memo, but the crazy guy’s does. He shifts to his human form, but I can't see his face. I’m wiggling so hard, trying to get away. His breath is hot against the back of my neck, and I feel the pressure on my body change. He’s definitely in his human form now. I can just tell. Sure enough, he starts speaking.
"Pretty little fox, aren't you?" He says. "Change back."
Now I won't do it.
I thought, for just a moment, that changing into my human form would be an advantage, that it might trick him somehow, or throw him off his game. I could use anything at all as a way to get away, but now that he’s shifted, I know that I can’t.
If I do, he'll be able to do anything to me.
I won't shift.
I urge myself to hold it together. I have to. He doesn't have a weapon or anything on him. He has nothing. He can't force me to change back into my woman form. All he has are words. I just have to remind myself of that.
He adjusts his hold on my neck. I'm face down in the mud and I can barely breathe, and he's pushing down on me. My entire body is covered with his, but I do have one advantage now that he's shifted back.
Claws.
I have my fucking claws.
I'm nervous as hell, but I'm even more scared about what's going to happen if I don't fight. This isn't some sort of fairytale. There's no one coming for me. There will be no valiant rescue.
Nothing.
It's just me against the tiger, and I have to do whatever I can to get away from him.