As Caleb was about to head back to his room, he saw the salt lick on a string. His gaze fixed on the large block of minerals, he couldn't help but feel a strange curiosity stirring within him. The sight of the salt lick triggered something deep within him, a primal urge that he couldn't quite explain.
Without fully understanding why, Caleb found himself leaning in closer to the salt lick, his mouth watering at the thought of its savory taste. And before he knew it, he was running his tongue over the rough surface, his senses overwhelmed by the sensation of salt against his taste buds.
But as he continued to lick the salt lick, Caleb felt a strange transformation overtaking him. His thoughts began to grow fuzzy and indistinct, his mind becoming more and more cow-like with each passing moment. Images of open fields and lush pastures filled his thoughts, pushing aside all thoughts of his human identity.
For a few terrifying moments, Caleb felt as though he was losing himself, his consciousness slipping away as he embraced his newfound bovine instincts. But just as he felt himself teetering on the edge of oblivion, a sudden jolt snapped him back to reality, his senses returning in a rush of clarity.
Gasping for breath, Caleb stumbled away from the salt lick, his heart pounding in his chest as he struggled to make sense of what had just happened. The curse, he realized, was more powerful than he had ever imagined, its influence reaching into the deepest recesses of his mind and soul. And as he stood there, shaken and disoriented, he knew that he was running out of time to find a way to break free from its relentless hold.