As the bush continued to shake, I peered through the branches. A startled squirrel-lady jumped bad with a yip!
“Please! Don’t eat me! I, I didn’t realize this territory was owned!” She quivered, frighted.
I had to idmit, she did look slightly tasty, but I certainly was not going to eat her.
“You’re fine,” I said, in my new feminine voice, “I don’t really live here. Actually, I don’t live anywhere.”
The squirrel-lady just stared at me, then sighed, “Oh, whew! You still have a mind.”
Now I was deeply puzzled. What did she mean by that?
“What could you possibly be talking about,” I stated, “Of course I have a mind!”
She looked upon me sadly.
Uh, oh.
“You still have a mind... for now.” She sighed once more and sat down, “All carnivores have minds when they first start out, but every animal needs to eat, and eventually, you will find prey like me irresistible.”
Now that was something to think about. The tiger I met didn’t seem to want to eat me, but then again, I am a carnivore like he is... well, was.
“How long does this take?” I asked.
“How long does it take for you to get hungry?” The squirrel-lady said back.
Luckily I have never been a big eater.
I responded, “There must be some way for me to not go crazy.”
The squirrel-lady sighed, something I could tell she did often, “I suppose you could- wait did you say ‘change cards’?”
“Yes?” I chided.
“Well then why don’t you just change back to your original form and get out of here?”
Huh. She was right. Why hadn’t I thought of that sooner?
“Ok,” I said, “Here goes nothing-“ ...