The exotic woman stopped as the trio walked onto a village sidestreet from the forest border.
"Would you ladies like to have breakfast with my little gypsy pack and I?" Ilynda asked. "We'll have some fresh breakfast meat and some fruit. It's simple but excellent."
Alisa hesitated, but Renee spoke up immediately.
"We'd love to."
The redhead arched an eyebrow at her raven-haired friend, but simply nodded in agreement.
The camp was on the outskirts of town, and it bustled with activity. Ilynda guided them to the fire, where they were handed the meat and fruit.
They both found it to their liking, and Alisa ate more than she had intended. There was something about the taste that seemed familiar, but she didn't put her finger on it until the third helping.
The spices.
The taste of it was the same as had been in her stew and mead at the inn. She felt a gurgle in her stomach, and a warmth spread along her limbs to her fingers and toes. It didn't feel bad, but the effect on her was definite.
Over the past day her appearance had been drifting towards something torn bleeding from a fantasy painting, and the warmth urged her shape even further towards this. She was like some pale-skinned freckled barbarian, her muscles taut, her hair thick and unruly. It felt natural, and she suspected this wouldn't be the last of it. Already she was having trouble remembering what she looked like before coming here.
The thought of the spices made her wonder though. Was it being here that was changing her, or something else?
That brought her gaze to her traveling companion of the prior day. Renee was further gone than herself, she suspected. Already the raven-haired beauty seemed to have more in common with the natives than anyone from the outside world.
It begged a question, and Alisa voiced it.
"Renee, why weren't you embarrassed this morning?"
"What do you mean?"
"When we woke up naked. Didn't that embarrass you?"
"Nah. Not the first time it's happened to me here."
"Really?"
"Yeah, about the third, really."
"Wait, I thought you came here the night of the party?"
"Uhm... yeah. About that."
"You lied?"
Renee stared at her feet for a few moments before replying.
"Yeah. I thought it'd make you feel better."
"So... what happens to us at night?"
"I still don't know. I don't remember any of it. All I know is that I've never seen that moon start to wane. It's been full all week."
Alisa pursed her lips, pondering what that could mean.