"Is this the right address?" Meredith asked to Felicia as she pulled up onto a relatively large looking home that had sat in a fairly empty area of northcentral South Dakota.
The two of them had been on the road for much of the day and were still working through with some of the changes that had come about since the Mother's Day surprise where a series of mistakes had lead to Meredith Parker, Felicia Erickson, and Felicia's daughter Amelia, or Amy, becoming Lion Animalians. Amy also presumed they were African Lion Animalians as there was no loose fold of skin on their abdomens that Asiatic Lions had. None of them had sought to become Animalians, but it appeared that a series of mistakes had lead to it. Jason Quill, the man they had come to see, was a fairly rich rancher from the north central part of the state and was a bit of an Animalia fan. Meredith had no problem with that, and he'd seemed quite apologetic over the phone as she and Felicia began tracking what lead to Felicia getting the Quickshot canister. From what they were able to sort out, Quill had written his order into Horizon by hand, and he guessed that the letters and numbers on the address zip code got smudged to a point where the service that was to deliver it couldn't do so easily.
They also found, much to their surprise, that Jason Quill had gotten the standard cream that Felicia had ordered for similar reasons. Felicia had ordered a set of novelty cream that was advertised as a good additive for coffee. Ironically, the company often did a fair amount of business with Animalia and Animalians and the cream that Felicia had ordered had originally come from the Bowman farm in Wisconsin and the only "additive" to it was the vaccine against the Animalia virus and the other methods that often related to how milk went from the cow to the market. Things like pasteurization and the like had also been found to kill the infectiveness of the Animalia Virus if unvaccinated. Though, the issue on Felicia's part was a case of far-sightedness that could be troublesome, and Meredith had made sure to make that issue with her friend be known, both when they became Animalians and as they went about trying to figure out what lead to the mix-up in the first place.
But none of that could be changed now, as Meredith and Felicia found themselves as Animalians. There were also certain pluses that did come with it. For Felicia, it had given her near perfect vision and for Meredith there was a sense of strength that came with being an Animalian. She'd never truly been frail, but after some issues that had been there with regard to her son, Daniel's, father, she had put on a bit of weight. It wasn't much, but enough that she'd never been able to lose it. Now as a Lioness Animalian, she looked like she'd spent ten hours a day at a gym. Of course, there were also some other minuses and issues that also came along with it. There were some Lion instincts that were there and ones that had actually increased her protectiveness of Daniel, despite him being sixteen. A part of her was uneasy with Amelia frequently looking to her son with an almost predatory lust, and even more uneasy with Felicia gave her son the same look. There was also the youthful energy that came along with her own restored youth, and that after talking with Jason Quill on the phone had also produced some rather vivid fantasies that she couldn't completely shake off.
But most of their neighbors in Wall were pretty antagonistic toward Animalia, and while neither Meredith nor Felicia had outright lost friends as a result of their transformations, they were finding more suspicion being arrayed against them. Something that Jason apologized for and in part set up the present meeting. He had invited the pair of them up to his ranch and had them up on the North Dakota border in a reasonably empty area. They were east of the Missouri River and had gone through some relatively flat ground to get there. It was very different from the area around Wall, which was closer to the badlands. But like many parts of the state, there were barbed wire fences, ranch signs, and only the occasional building, and often times that building was something related to the ranch itself, not a residence. The residence they were coming up to was the first one they'd seen in awhile.
"I believe so," Felicia commented as she looked at the note she presently had in her lap and then at the brass numbers that were beside the front door of the home they were driving up to, "567 QR Lane, McPherson County."
Meredith found herself double checking Felicia, though more out of force of habit. The two of them did get along well, and after becoming Animalians, there was almost a sisterly bond that seemed to be there, even though neither of them were related to each other. But the issues with Felicia's vision had been a long standing issue. It'd never been bad enough that Felicia couldn't drive, but it made anything in fine print or up close difficult, and the issue that resulted in them becoming Animalians was not the only time something like that had happened. They had been on QR Lane, so far as the road signs had indicated and the brass numbers did read "567." They were about ten to fifteen miles from the nearest town, but it did seem like they had the right address. After pulling up beside a large Dodge Ram truck, Meredith put her car in park and the two climbed out.
"It does look like a pretty swanky place," Felicia commented as she stretched after climbing out.
Meredith nodded in agreement as she looked up at the building. While there was a relative older looking barn to the right of the building, the home was a bit more modern. It was largely painted white with dark blue painted shudders a greyish-blue shingled roof. It had two floors with some fairly decent sized windows on the first floor. The second floor windows were smaller, though Meredith wondered if that was the result of changes in the design or upgrades to the house over the years. As from what they could see, the house was rectangular, and that did remain the case for the second floor. She just couldn't shake the sense that things were supposed to be different on the second floor, but then she also didn't know much about architecture and neither she nor Felicia had much in the way of money to afford something as large as what this structure was. The pair approached the front door and it was Meredith who knocked.
Not too long after, her ears could pick up the heavy sound of boots coming across a hardwood floor. The dark blue painted door then swung inward to reveal the owner of the ranch, Jason Quill. Meredith stood there quietly for a moment, but also found her heart fluttering as she looked to him. He was shorter than she was now as a Lioness Animalian, but he was taller than her son and her former husband. His hair was bit on the longer side, but well kept and groomed, and it did highlight some touches silver and white in points of his hair and in the five o'clock shadow that was a relatively well sculpted chin. He had a broad chest that stretched a green button down short sleeved work shirt that had black stripes that formed an almost checker pattern on the shirt. He wore a pair of relaxed fit jeans that fit over the boots he was wearing, but even they were tight enough that she could tell he had well muscled legs. It was something that also seemed to get some of the engine in her rejuvenated libido going again. A background thought also added to some sense of nervousness as she figured, "Felicia and I could share him..."
"Mrs. Erickson and Parker, I presume?" Jason Quill said slowly. His voice was a bit higher pitched than what Meredith expected from a man as built as this man was, but he was still polite.
"I'm Felicia Erickson, actually," Felicia spoke and took the offered hand, "this is my friend Meredith Parker."
"Sorry," Jason said sheepishly, "most of the conversations have been on the phone... so..."
"You mistook us for one another," Felicia laughed, "it's okay. Some of the people in Wall mistake me for my daughter now..."
Meredith watched as Jason only looked down. She noted he was wringing a pair large and well muscled hands and fingers, even for a Human, and a part of her silently wondered what sort of thing he could do with those and feeling guilty at how quickly her mind was jumping to these things. The other part of her mind also noted his downcast face and got the sense that he also felt guilty.
"I'm mighty sorry about all that's happened," Jason said slowly, "mom always said I had a doctor's penmanship... but I never figured that I'd end up writing something so sloppy that they'd mistake 57437 for 57790... or add in Wall. I mean... my ranch here... I'm not close enough to any town to be considered part of that town. I do have a post office box in the town closest to me, but..."
"While some numbers may have been smudged and all that," Meredith cut him off, "I'd get the sense that whoever was sorting the mail that was being sent... be it from Horizon to "you" or..."
"The creamers to "us" in Wall," Felicia added.
"Were either over-worked, rushed beyond reasonable measure, or had some other issue where they couldn't read things properly," Meredith continued her point, "like having the need for at least reading glasses and not wearing them, or was a diabetic and was really low while working... or something else... That wouldn't be on you."
Felicia gave Meredith a small glare as the mention of the need for reading glasses was likely another subtle reminder of Felicia's role in herself, her daughter, and friend and neighbor becoming Animalians. She could privately admit that, but she didn't want it broadcast so openly, particularly in front of such a well built man who had wanted to become the sort of Animalian they'd found themselves becoming by accident. Especially when Meredith also at times became almost territorially protective of Daniel and even shewing Amy away from him at times.
"You're not sore with me?" Jason asked as he stepped back and allowed the two Lioness Animalians in.
The interior looked nice with hardwood floors, and Meredith though she could smell some wood polish that had been applied recently. It was enough to give the floor a bit of a glisten as some light came in from the windows and reflected off the wood. She also noted that there were also some hunting trophies, including a stuffed pheasant on the wall not too far from where they'd entered. The entryway also served as something of a midpoint in the house with a staircase going up to the second floor helping set up a doorway that went into a living room and with a large dining room to their immediate right. Jason walked forward and lead them into that living room. The room had a large white furred rug sitting underneath a large black leather sofa. The outline of the rug looked like it was some kind of bear skin, but from what Felicia and Meredith could detect, it didn't smell like any animal. And as their pads touched it, they came to the conclusion that the bear skin rug was made out of some kind of "fake fur."
"No," Felicia spoke, "I think my daughter wanted to become an Animalian, but wasn't quite sure on what one to be... and might have been a bit hesitant to voice things, given... well... other things. But it did a lot for her confidence. I mean... Meredith's son has always been sweet to her and they've been decent friends since childhood. I think she got into cheerleading because he was in football, and even got into some tomboyish habits to pall around with him and his friends."
"This conversion added to her confidence, I take it?" Jason asked.
"In ways that you might not believe," Meredith answered, "she actually tried to convert him with the declaration that my Daniel liked him back... and he has..."
"The Quickshot formula wouldn't allow the conversion," Jason said slowly, "you wouldn't be infectious again until next year. Part of how Horizon has been looking into curb the odds of there being outbreaks like what happened in Lyre when Animalia started."
"And it's produced things that I'm still nervous with, as it was clear that your order was for a double dose, which makes Amelia a legal adult now, and my son is only sixteen," Meredith added, "and Amelia looks at him with a lot of longing... and I've had all I can do to keep the two of them from going at."
Meredith noted the look of guilt go over Jason's face again.
"YOU are sore with me," Jason said weakly.
"No... I..." Meredith bit her lip for a moment, remembering that with her changed vocal cords and muzzle, she had found she could come off as far more aggressive at times than she truly wanted to be. And with her energy also finding herself a bit attracted to Jason, at least physically, she didn't want to do anything that would come off as aggressive. "It's not you I'm frustrated with. And at times I'm not really upset with Amelia or my son, either. As I think he has had a bit of a crush on Amelia that he could never hide, because he viewed her as "one of the guys" for so many years. But I'd never wanted to be an Animalian... and well... there are times where I think I'm still adapting to things. A lot more energy and drives... drives that I didn't expect to feel again. It's got me lashing out, I suppose."
The two of them sat down on the couch while Jason went over to sit in a matching recliner that was next to the couch and at a bit of an angle.
"That can be understandable, I suppose," Jason said looking down, "with those that are older, the Animalia Virus has had an uncanny ability to bring the elderly or middle age back into their youth and age the young into their prime. It's why with so many orders that they've had laws that all minors that want to convert must have parental consent and presence AT Horizon for it. They won't mail it out for kids."
"Also likely to try and avoid things like what happened," Felicia nodded, "but it did happen... And Meredith has always been a good mother to Daniel. So, she worries."
"I'll probably worry until the day I die of old age," Meredith admitted, "but that's not the only thing."
"Only thing?" Jason asked raising an eyebrow while looking a bit nervous to actually ask the question.
"It's all supercharged a lot of other things in me," Meredith admitted, "my sex drive and all that. Some of that protectiveness of Daniel and worrying over what Amelia may want to do with him is because I'm also wrestling with those issues..."
"Yeah... that can also be something to worry about when one is unprepared for it," Jason admitted, "given how open on that sort of thing Animalian society is. Though... sex WASN'T my reason for wanting to convert. Shoot, I've generally been a pretty lonely bachelor for most of my life, so while a shot at youth and winning some romantic interest wasn't off the table, I've also been used to being alone. Even with this big empty house."
"So... why did you want to convert?" Meredith wondered.
"Mostly to protect my cattle," Jason commented, "I'm sure you likely saw some of them on the way in. I got one of the largest herds of Black and Red Angus in the state. And sometimes I even mix the two breeds. Just for diversity and keeping things healthy. But between coyotes, random rogue mountain lions wandering out of the Black Hills and badgers digging holes, I got all I can do keep them healthy and all that. I'd figure that as a Lion Animalian I could keep the smaller predators OFF of my land and more easily herd the cattle with without having having to drive around at full speed on a four wheeler... and retain the youth and strength in case a bull gets to... stubborn."
"Stubborn?" Meredith blinked.
"People tend to think that cattle are like extremely docile and friendly and you can just walk up and pet them," Jason commented, "but while they may be more docile than the bison down in Custer, they are NOT pets that you'd want to bring into your home. And with bulls in particular, around the mating season, they may be running on enough testosterone that they could well try to throw you if they see you as a threat to THEIR cows."
"So... still a rancher," Felicia commented, "though lions, like all cats aren't known for their stamina."
"True," Jason chuckled, "but I got things set up that with things like moving the herds and so on, I actually DON'T have to expend that much energy. And provided there's no big storm or something else, I don't have to worry about fences being broken."
"But what about some of the natural... polygamy that lions engage in?" Meredith wondered.
"I'd say that's more instinct," Jason commented, "and I've made a couple of calls to the known Lion Animalians living in Lyre. While many of them have their prides, in some cases the pride is far loser and more organized for hunting among the Lioness Animalians and they may have their individual mates. So, it isn't as though that sort of thing mandates polygamy. And with some of the rest, it's struck me that some may have a marriage to one Lioness Animalian but have a rather open marriage as it were and leaves a lot of things up to choice. Thus, while Nevada and Utah may be more open to tolerating marriages of that nature, Lion Animalians wouldn't completely crippled by them outside them. So... if I were to find a future Mrs. Quill and she were willing to accept my not being Human by that point, I wouldn't be driven to cheat on her."
"And what if you found two?" Felicia asked with a smile.
"FELICIA!" Meredith practically roared and making Jason cover his ears for a moment.
"Come on, don't you find him attractive?" Felicia gave a smile, "his hands aren't that much smaller than ours, and that's with OUR transformation. He's got a big thick chest, and even in relaxed fit jeans, he's got the leg muscles to make them tight. Doesn't that rev your engine a little?"
"That's not the point!" Meredith tried to be as firm as she could, but was privately agreeing with her friend's assessment, "we're just supposed to be meeting and getting to know him. Potentially seeing as to what can be done before some idiot has your daughter made to hand out ice water in a bikini."
Felicia nodded a bit at that. As Wall Drug was one of the city's major tourist attractions that worked with its placement on I-90, and she didn't want to tell Meredith this, but someone from one of those stores had dropped by wanting to give Amelia a summer job handing out ice water in a bikini. Some of the sexual tone that was made toward Amelia made both of them uneasy and Amy eventually said she'd only give ice water to Danny, and Felicia had to say that her daughter had excellent taste, as Danny Parker was not like his father or like Amelia's father. Though, Felicia also noted that Meredith didn't deny any attraction to Jason and that Jason also blinked at it. When Felicia gave him her full attention, the man seemed to be nervously scratching the back of his head.
"Well..." he said nervously, "you've both become very attractive Animalians... though, I'm sure you were both beautiful as Humans as well... and... well... I... I never expected any attraction to me."
"Really?" Meredith blinked, some of her "frustration" with Felicia's antics waning.
"Well, I've always had some fandom for old horror movies and werewolves were a particular favorite for the monster," Jason admitted, "and while I was never a "furry," I'd always figured that the Animalian form and mentality worked better than mindlessness."
"So... you were a sci-fi horror nerd growing up," Felicia commented, "yeah... kids can be rough to each other, but, you've seemed to have a fair amount of success, and surely some one would have found you attractive..."
"Maybe," Jason shrugged, "but if they did, they never said anything and I never noticed."
"Well... we've noticed you, haven't we Meri?" Felicia said playfully.
Meredith said nothing, but it was probably fairly obvious that there was some budding interest and growing from many of the conversations that they'd had on the phone.
"And if you're worried about your kids, I suppose I can help," Jason spoke, "make up for my role in what happened to you... Would they..."
"They're still in Wall, and still have school," Meredith spoke, "though they should get out by the time that Memorial Day gets here. For the moment, we can only hope they're focused on their homework and things of that nature... but..."
"They're kids, and in love," Felicia told her, "and I made sure she's on birth control and all that."
"But technically, because she was double dosed, Amelia is to be judged as an adult," Meredith reminded her friend, "which could get her in trouble when my son is still a minor. And you know what gossips some of our neighbors are."
"Yeah the neighbors can't let us sunbathe in our bikinis on the weekends in peace," Felicia grumbled.
Meredith found herself blushing under her fur.
"I might be able to help," Jason offered, "if only for a short term thing to help you adjust to your new instincts and what you may want, and give your children some measure of freedom. It might mean some work helping with the ranch, which I can pay you for. And if need be, try to get a Quickshot double dose for your son if his romantic interest in your friend's daughter is serious..."
"That sounds interesting," Felicia gave a knowing smile, "and maybe we could work out something with regard to fixing your loneliness and get you confident to find a lady you love... or two ladies in an "open" relationship..."