"Please stop touching me like that," Julie insisted. "That felt way too good."
Joy grinned slyly as she pulled her hand out of her sister's wavy hair. "What, you gonna start purring now?"
Julie felt a light tickle in her throat. She tried swallowing. "Shut up. I'm trying to figure out how we can get out of this."
Joy giggled. "Relax, kitty. It's just a magic show. He'll change you back. They always do." She turned to Lupo. "You're gonna change her back at the end, right?"
Lupo turned to the girls, still smiling. "Of course! Of course, dear lady. That is, if she wants to be changed back."
Julie opened her mouth to speak, but a weird gurgle bubbled up from her windpipe. She clamped her lips tight and swallowed again. "I...," she tested her voice. It sounded okay. "I don't want to change any more, that's for damn sure."
Lupo bowed slightly. "That's just fine. You've been a more than generous volunteer. Before we send you off, though, why don't you step all the way forward so everyone can see your beautiful stripes?"
Julie took some tentative steps forward. She tried to keep holding Joy's hand, but her sister let go, allowing Lupo to take over. He put an arm around her, a bit too low on the hips for her liking, and guided her the rest of the way to the edge of the stage. "Would you do me one last favor and take off your shirt? All we can see of your gorgeous stripes are on your face and hands. I'd like to prove to our patient spectators that we've changed your entire form, not just thrown a mask and gloves on you." Someone in the crowd shouted "Yeah!", which got others chuckling.
"Ugh," Julie scoffed. The thing was, she actually wanted to take off her shirt, but not to please Lupo or the horndogs in the audience. Her fur was really itchy, and the extra layer was making her hot. Without further protest, she lifted the bottom of her top, exposing a chest of white fur. Refreshing air immediately swept across her torso. As she pulled the lavender shirt off her head and through her ridiculously long hair, some of the men whooped. Julie blushed underneath the fur on her cheeks. She was glad she put a black tube top on that morning, otherwise all they'd see now was her bra. Her eyes fell over the crowd and she noticed one woman elbowing her enamored date painfully in the ribs. It made Julie smile as she tossed her shirt aside. She really did look good, huh?
Lupo extended his arms toward her in triumph. "Give it up for Julie, everybody!"
A cheer and excited clapping filled the tent. Julie tried not to look at anyone and focused on the lights above. They warmed her fur exquisitely. The thick hair brushing her bare back trapped the warmth like a blanket. She suddenly wished she could stay on the stage all day.
"On Pleasure Island, our sole purpose is to delight you until you're driven wild! Julie has now seen this firsthand." He leaned in a bit closer to her face. "Tell us, Julie, does it feel good?"
Julie grimaced. That's the last thing she wanted to admit to him.
Lupo covered the uncomfortable silence with a chuckle. He turned back to the crowd. "Tigers. Proud and stubborn, aren't they? But they're also quite sensitive creatures. They can smell and hear and taste to an incredible degree. And their fur, boy, do they love their fur! Joy, come join us please."
Joy had been enjoying the show from her vantage point nearby. She practically skipped over to her sister and curled her arms around one of Julie's. Julie caught a whiff of her perfume. It was really strong all of a sudden. They had only put a tiny spritz on before leaving for the island. Still, it was far from an offensive smell and it helped to soothe Julie's mind. She couldn't tell if Joy meant to or not, but she felt Joy's thumbs stroking her arm fur. She couldn't blame her either way. Julie never wanted to cuddle her sister more in her life.
"Go ahead and rub her belly," Lupo encouraged.
Julie tried to tell Joy to stop, but another gurgle caught the words in her throat. Joy's slender fingers reached to Julie's bare midriff and started scratching, ever so lightly. She made slow, testy strokes up and down over her belly button. Julie drew a sharp breath inward. "Ohhh...shiiiit... That's heavenly..." Her voice quivered. It was harder to suppress that weird roughness in her throat.
"I knew you loved it," Joy teased. "You really are a big soft kitty. I bet you're ticklish up here, too." She reached up and flicked her finger under Julie's chin. Julie's head rose instinctively as a strange murmur poured from her black lips.
Lupo put a hand up to his ear and leaned in once more. "Hmm, what's that I hear?" he projected to the audience. Julie quirked an eyebrow at him, briefly snapping out of her bliss. "Can you all hear that? I do believe it's coming from our happy tigress."
Julie swallowed hard again. "It...was nothing." Now she was the one not telling the truth.
"Was it nothing, dear audience?" Lupo said with a grin. "What's the sound that all cats make when they're perfectly content?"
"Purring!" shouted the crowd. Another sound caught in Julie's throat.
Joy giggled, scritching her chin again. "I heard it! A big, loud purr."
Julie had only heard a weird grunt. Certainly not a purr. But suddenly, starting from the base of her windpipe, a powerful vibration rose up the front of her neck. She kept her mouth shut tight, but even that couldn't stop it from broadcasting her utter delight to the entire tent. The room went silent to listen to the low, rumbling purr. It was a glorious sound, even to Julie's ears. She never felt so happy in her life. At least, not outside of the bedroom.
The crowd was in awe. Some even said "Aww..."
"Isn't that the most delightful sound, folks?" Lupo boomed, extending his arms wide to once again soak up the applause as if he could actually feast on their emotions. Julie would have thought such a thing far-fetched if she wasn't starting to feed on it, too. She wanted the attention. Especially Joy's. Especially now.