"Is it always like this?" he asked Wade, referring to magical shifts. Nodding, Wade replied, "As far as I know. You've never done a transformation before, right?"
Cody shook his head. Suddenly, the realization hit him like a ton of bricks: they were now creatures of magic! His heartbeat quickened in excitement. Who'd be able to help them if anything went wrong? Only one person sprang to mind...
"Does anyone know how to tell if we get too powerful?" he asked tentatively, looking around at everyone with uncertain eyes. It was something they needed to figure out very soon, but where could they even begin?
"I think we have to figure out how to survive out here before we worry about who's gaining power," suggested another girl that was halfway towards becoming a werewolf. She glanced around carefully and pointed towards the ridge that led to a hiding place in the mountainside. Maybe there was a clearing nearby that provided a safe refuge from the elements.
Cody narrowed his gaze at Wade and said, "What do you think?"
Wade sighed. He didn't know enough about dragons to guess what would be most effective for Cody, so maybe it'd be best to consult with someone who did. He turned to Cody and said, "Do you know anything about dragons in nature?"
"You kiddin'? Dragons were my favorite subject! I wasn't reading up on mythology or witchcraft!" Cody exclaimed. After some excited babbling that mentioned flight speeds, acid breath, and claw strength, he mentioned that dragons were mostly found flying down from mountain caves to feed on villagers. This last bit gave him an idea.
"Maybe we can look for a cave up in that direction," he suggested. There, they might find a way to keep warm once Cody finally developed fire breath. "It'll be safer than camping out here in the open."
The group began making their way towards the mountain ledge, careful not to slip over any loose rocks. Starlight flew ahead, leading them safely through the treacherous terrain. They were finally able to rest a bit once they found a secure opening behind a boulder. It was pitch black inside, but their eyes adjusted soon enough to make out details.
They found a large, dry lakebed inside, formed by millions of years of mineral-rich water flowing through this area. The ceiling rose past 20 feet high, partially covered with crystals that sparkled as the group stumbled through with only their torn clothing on their backs. At the far end of the cavern stood a large stone statue of a dragon, with claws clasped around a chunk of obsidian that glowed faintly. In front of it, there were a cluster of what looked like half-buried tree trunks. They had no supplies to start a fire.
The calm didn't last long, though as that burning sensation flared up again among the whole group of survivors. It felt like energy was building inside them, churning into something dangerous if not properly released.
"I'm getting... some kinda wedgie here!" Cody sputtered out as his hips expanded, making him squirm slightly in annoyance. "Forget the clothing! Get...get these off!" He kicked the last shred of his boots off, trying to get free from the pressure. His other hand gripped the fly of his pants and shredded them with his claws, hoping to get rid of them too. "Yeah," he muttered, "that's it."
He twisted more, feeling a reptilian shaft and knot expose itself from between his legs. Even though it hurt, he liked the tension. Cody moaned, dropping his head onto the ground, hands curling up into fists. He couldn't stop breathing rapidly, the urge to piss himself was unbearable, but he knew it thankfully wouldn't last.
Wade was going through it as well, finding it hard to stand on two legs due to his whole spine changing shape. He finally fell forward and landed on his stomach, no longer a bipedal animal at this point.
"S-someone get these stupid clothes off me! I can't grip them anymore!" He groaned under his breath, digging his hooves into the rocks to keep from cramping. Cody soon started clawing at his shirt and trousers until finally freeing him, revealing a horse-sized set of balls and raging erection that was now visible to the whole group.
Both Wade and Cody were now unable to speak as their faces were changing shape; noses elongating and jaws bulking, teeth sharpening. Starlight's petite frame had shrunk to the point that her entire sundress just slid off; two more pairs of arms were making themselves known at her sides. The air had thickened, and with every second that passed, the survivors had to decide whether to adapt to their new bodies or risk everything to find a way back to normal.