"So when you transform someone what is it like? Does it hurt?" Nicola asked with enthusiastic curiosity.
"No, not at all" Elspeth chuckled reassuringly "I've transformed myself many times and I've no tolerance for pain. Why do you ask, would you like to try it?"
Nicola audibly gulped at this offer and her eyes widened again. It was as if she had both hoped for and dreaded this response.
"No. Thank you." was her most immediate response, followed by a slight hesitation "Well, I'm not really sure."
"Oh, you really should try it dear" Elspeth quickly encouraged in her most reassuring, grandmotherly tone "Why pass up an opportunity so few of your kind would ever get to experience? I can transform you into any animal you wish, temporarily of course, just name it."
"Uh, don't know if I want to"
James had never seen Nicola so flustered. Elspeth placed her hands on the girls shoulders and looked into her eyes "I can see that you do dear. Don't worry, you'll still be you, just in a different body. I can even let you retain the ability to talk"
"You can do that?" Nicola asked, her curiosity more than piqued now.
"You would be surprised just how much I can do dear." Elspeth smiled "Now what will it be?"
"Um, maybe a cat?" Nicola eventually suggested nervously. James couldn't believe she was going along with this. He had also noticed Silas' ears immediately stand to attention and his face light up as if he couldn't believe his luck. It was the first time he had seen him visibly excited about anything. If James could have cautioned Nicola to rethink her decision he would have.
"An excellent choice!" Elspeth clasped her hands together in approval "Now stand over there and remove your clothes. I'm sure you'll be glad to get out of the rags Jasper chose for you anyway."
"Um, so I have to be naked?" Nicola asked cautiously, as if inspecting the room for a hidden camera.
"Things can get rather messy otherwise" Elspeth nodded.
Amazingly, Nicola stood not far from James and began to disrobe. Soon a giant, naked version of his long term crush was stood anxiously in front of him. And she was about to turn into a cat. Which, strangely, he was kind of excited to see.
"Ok, dear. Now stay still and stay silent." Elspeth instructed. She waved her arms in her usual way at James' friend. Within seconds, thick black fur begun growing up Nicola's arms and legs. She looked down at her changing body in disbelief then back up at Elspeth in alarm as she realised this was really happening to her. But there was no going back now.
Before long a sleek, bewildered looking black cat was examining itself in the mirror. Nicola even looked good as a feline.
"I'm a cat! You actually turned me into a cat?" Nicola exclaimed as she raised a paw up and down to confirm that the animal in the mirror followed.
"Well you did ask" Elspeth chuckled.
"Um, can you turn me back now please?" the new cat asked with a sense of panic.
"Oh, I'm afraid it will take me at least 24 hours to recharge my magic" Elspeth answered with a shake of her head "and I think while you are under my roof you shall call me Mistress Elspeth"
"Yes Mistress Elspeth" Nicola replied sadly.
It was at that point Silas eagerly trotted over to introduce himself. Nicola hadn't noticed that there was a male cat here alreasy. She wss already regretting her strange moment of impulse.