Karen Yuletide was in her dorm room at Moon Lake College, studying and doing homework.
The future animator/animation director-producer was taking a full course load and wanted to be sure she had everything done in order to take her "big weekend" off starting after her last class tomorrow.
That was when her fiance Peter Talbot planned to take her to his family's cabin upon the shores of the body of water the town was named after and usher her into were society as his lioness before their wedding on Valentine's Day of next year.
Okay, so Karen's mind wasn't totally on her school work with thoughts of her love for Peter and gaining a fursona on her heart and mind, but at least she was trying to get something accomplished.
The co-ed dorm was surprisingly quiet for a Thursday night.
Her room especially, since her roommate and best friend Jennifer Harper had gotten married and was now living off campus with her new husband Harry Jenkins as happy werefoxes.
Karen's thoughts kept drifting between serious school subjects and dreams of her furry future when a knock on her door interrupted everything.
"Who is it?" Karen asked aloud, especially since she wasn't expecting anyone.
"It's Peter. Can I come in?" he replied.
Ecstatic to hear her fiance's voice, Karen rushed to the door and opened it.
There was the man of her dreams in all his glory.
Or at least, as glorious as weres could be in their human form.
"Hi darling," said Karen, before kissing him, careful not to crush the flat box he was holding.
When their lips parted, she smiled at him and added, "Not that I ain't happy to see you, but why am I seeing you now?"
"Thought we'd might have some dinner," he replied, holding the box from Moe's Pizza in front of him, "and hang out for awhile. That is, if you don't mind having company on your last night as a regular human being."
"Actually, I wish I was already your lioness so I could get on with my life. Our lives together," Karen corrected herself, as she let him in. "Time seems to be dragging agonizingly slow waiting for tomorrow night."
"Like being a kid on December 24, wondering when Santa's gonna arrive?" asked Peter, while setting the pizza down on what was Jenny's desk.
"Nice analogy," replied Karen, while wrapping her arms around him. "I don't suppose we..."
"That is a VERY tempting thought, but no. While I know you're willing to change voluntarily, even in a private ceremony like the one I've arranged for just the two of us, there is some formality that must be observed," he answered, while kissing the top of her head, since he was slightly taller than her at the moment. "Besides, it will take at least an hour for the were-lioness birth control pill to take affect, and I don't want you taking your first one until during dinner tomorrow night."
"Okay honey. But that doesn't mean we can't eat now, does it?" wondered Karen. "That pizza smells delicious!"
"It's Moe's Meat Lovers Special, especially made for carnivore based weres like us lions," replied Peter, including her in the reference. "Try a slice," he offered.
"WOW!" said Karen after a couple of bites. "Good thick crust with hamburger, sausage, pepperoni, Canadian Bacon... What else am I tasting in here?"
"I know there's also the beef from the Philly Cheese Steak Pizza Moe offers, and some chicken too, but I am honestly uncertain of the entire contents. I can swear to tomato sauce and various cheeses in the mix though."
"Moe definitely flavors the sauce," observed Karen, after another bite.
"That's the foundation of just about every pizza variety he offers."
After Karen rustled up some bottled water from the dorm room's mini-fridge, the couple polished off three slices each, leaving two to go.
"So," began Peter, sitting next to Karen on Jenny's empty bed. "Do you have any questions for me concerning tomorrow night?"
"Can I ask exactly what you have planned?"
Peter put his arm around her and answered, "A hearty dinner, for you will need your strength when we get to the cabin and I gently express my infinite love for you as you become my lioness."
"Well, I hate to tell you this, but you may not have to be too gentle, for I'm not a virgin."
"I beg to differ. When we first met when I posed for that art class, you saw me both as is and furry, and I wasn't even aroused," replied Peter. "Until you experience your first transformation, accommodating me might be... uncomfortable if I'm not careful, and the last thing I ever want to do is hurt you, even unintentionally."
"Oh?" said Karen, as she playfully reached down between his pants covered legs.
At first she was happy to feel what was there, then her eyes grew wide in surprise as it started to expand.
With that, Karen simply blushed and pulled her hand away.
"Do you have any other questions?" Peter asked, telling himself to calm down and not give into the urge to take Karen right then and there.
"Remind me, how exactly does Liz Brookshire fit into all of this?"
"She is under the mistaken impression that you are bad for me and she should be my future wife. Some of my father's people," began Peter, referring to the fact that Leon Talbot was the Were Lion King of Moon Lake, which made his only son the Prince, "are accompanying her as she goes about her daily business to make sure she doesn't interfere with our plans. Tomorrow night, after you express your first roar of lionhood, we shall go outside briefly to show her we are truly meant to be together. Then she will be free to go about her business alone while we continue our romantic weekend together."
"Will it hurt? The first transformation, I mean."
"Emotionally, it should be quite euphoric. It is a pleasurable rush for me even now. Physically, everyone differs. I know I was not as prepared for mine as I thought I was. Even with most weres using sex to usher in new arrivals, I did experience some discomfort changing the very first time, and I'm a natural born were. But since then, it's been as gentle as simply changing clothes to me."
"Speaking of which, just how much bigger will I become once I'm your lioness?"
"That is hard to say. You've seen me both ways, so there is obviously a noticeable difference being in and out of your fursona, with the were side being the larger of the two. Your bust size will increase but your back muscles will strengthen in proportion to that, so there will be no discomfort or long term repercussions from having larger breasts. Or at least, I've never heard of any female were of any species complain about that subject. You will gain in both height and overall mass in either form, but not to the point of any definition of being overweight," added Peter.
"Just about everything I own that fits me is here," said Karen, pointing around the dorm room.
"Do not worry about that. We will be spending Friday night and all of Saturday in the cabin, but after breakfast on Sunday morning, I have made arrangements to take you shopping for new clothing. My treat."
"Why are you so good to me?" Karen asked, staring at him.
"Because I love you," was Peter's only answer, before they kissed again.