Mary dropped her head on her paws and tried to drift off to sleep, but even though she tried to lay still, every so often her tail would involuntarily twitch or wag with happiness, and she would fidget with eagerness for the day to come. Finally, unable to take it any more, Mary got to her paws and hopped off the sofa, landing a bit awkwardly, but still acceptable due to her unfamiliarity with being on all fours.
As long as she was awake, Mary figured she might as well practice being a dog; after all, tomorrow she would have to convince a dog trainer. She felt a shiver of excitement run down her spine at the thought of spending the day with John, and her tail waved tall in agreement. Walking to one end of the room, Mary began to trot back and forth across the apartment. After a few trips over her own paws, some of which nearly landed her on her muzzle, Mary felt comfortable enough to pick up a bit of speed. It took her some tries to get the rhythm of her gait down, but soon she was bounding about, mouth open and tongue lolling, her ears flopping back and forth. She was so taken with the feeling that she ran into the kitchen without thinking. Suddenly on a smooth tile floor, her claws scrabbled across the hard surface, and without warning she lost her grip. With a slight yelp, she went sliding into the doors of the cabinets under the sink.
Lifting her head and shaking it, Mary gingerly checked herself, relieved to discover that it appeared she had not injured herself. Sufficiently scared, she decided she definitely would not be trying that again. Rising to her feet, Mary panted a bit, feeling rather thirsty after her exertions. Realizing she had forgotten to put out a drink with her meal, Mary involuntarily whined in disappointment.
Taken a bit aback at the noise that escaped her, Mary paused. Trying to replicate it, she whined again softly. Opening her mouth and modulating her voice, she managed a low howl. Amused, her tail wagged, thumping against the cabinets. Right, she thought, yipping as she did so, remembering her desire for a drink. Looking up at the counter which now towered over her, Mary backed up, then approached it with a little speed, managing to stand up on her hind feet and prop her front paws against the cabinet. However, even with the increased height she could barely see over the counter. Dropping to the ground, Mary realized she would have to come up with an alternate solution.
For a moment, she looked towards the bathroom, but then shook her head. Unless she was absolutely desperate, there was no way she was drinking out of the toilet. In this state the smell alone would drive her to distraction. Glancing over at her kitchen table, she trotted over and began pushing at one of the chairs. With no small amount of effort she managed to maneuver it next to the kitchen counter. Gathering herself, she managed to leap into the chair none too gracefully, and from there make the short hop to the countertop. Padding over to the sink, she concentrated on her paw enough to open the tap, and leaned over to take a sip.
Unfortunately, her muzzle did not allow her to slurp up the water; instead, she snorted as the liquid got in her nose. Growling under her breath, for a moment Mary was at a loss. Then, sticking her tongue out as far as she could, she slowly neared the flowing tap. After a few tentative laps, she soon figured out the necessary angle for water to enter her muzzle and not her nose, and was going at the water like any other dog. Her thirst sated, she pushed the tap closed, wagged her tail, and lightly hopped down to the chair and then the floor.
Proud of herself, Mary trotted back to the sofa and leaped atop it, now much more confident, especially on the carpeted floor. While being in a dog's body was a challenge, Mary began to see it as an interesting exercise in problem-solving. Things she would normally not even think about became adventures. Turning herself around and plopping down, Mary whined softly with joy. Even without the added incentive of spending time with John, she was thoroughly enjoying herself, and was already contemplating spending upcoming holidays in the form of a dog or perhaps other creatures. With adequte preparation, in terms of food and practical necessities, she could have an incredible time in her own apartment. In fact, if she managed to find the right secluded location, she might even be able to exercise some of the more exotic options in the vials.
Dreaming of the possibilities, Mary finally drifted off to sleep.