Delighted at the thought of finding someone to help her find the others, Shanna jogged toward the blazing light of a big bonfire.
She came closer only to come to stand behind a line of bareback horses tied to a rope strung between two large trees.
Seeing this Shanna thought this must be some rich folk, as having come all the way out into the forest on horseback was something very novel; as if done by those having great wealth.
The many rumps of those horses blocked her from just easily walking directly into the encampment and announcing to all there of her situation.
Nervous and uneasy tails flicked at Shanna's approach. They all turned there heads to gawk at this young lady coming to a very private place.
Summarily, Shanna began counting, nineteen nice and looking extremely very healthy horses. She liked horses herself, having gone with Jack riding quite often. As she tried to walk around one end of the horses, she then came upon a large black goat, he tied like the horses to the tethered rope.
This was very odd, and Shanna wondered what anyone might drag such a strange looking big goat out into the forest on Halloween night.
Shanna was stepping past the big goat, and about to give a duck-under of the rope-line tether, when the goat gave a quick turn. His long and curving Scimitar horns gave a harsh nudge, this tripping Shanna to fall face down before him.
"Excuse me dear girl, but where your going you will not get a warm welcome!" This spoken out the black lips of that big goat.
Shanna looked at the goat, then thought this was some fool joke. She smiled, and gave a short "Ha,"as if to show her personal indignation over humor at such a bad time.
She got up and sat on her bent and then dirty bare legs. She began to brush herself off in the brilliant glow of the roaring big bonfire.
I trust you know that this is a witch coven, and they are holding their monthly Sabbath tonight!" Spoke again, the goat motioning with his head at the fire and those seated Indian style around it.
Shanna again turned around looking for who was actually doing the talking. Disgusted, she was about to get up and walk into the group, when from the campfire came a blood curdling scream.
The scream stopped Shanna in her tracks, as carefully, and wondering of what might be happening by the campfire.
"Matthew Hopkins, you may call me Matt," said again a voice, and Shanna turned to give a cautious look for who was speaking.
"Trust me, look at me, I am now a goat, but was once, not all that long ago a man. I came to an inn during my traveling, meeting Bella, and she with her black powers did seduce and then transform me into what I am now." Matt spoke to Shanna, but saw her reaction of disbelief, as he then suggested, "If you would come closer, feel of my lips, and from the touch of my breath as I speak you shall find understanding!"
Shanna was not trusting everything she was hearing, and with another more guttural scream coming from the bonfire; she decided to give in and put her hand to the black goat's bestial lips.
"At first I found her, Bella, to be a wild and wonderful woman of sensuous talents. She transformed an anxious man filled with personal lusts, and with making me into this bestial sex machine, she rode me to her Sabbath meetings. My first such meeting I was the center of their vile attentions, passing me around from one witch to another. I was then violated, and having become such as this, I was delighted and felt enjoyment having at, and doing their perverted acts." Matt spoke more, telling of his past and of the danger than sat just a mere hundred or so feet away.
Shanna was engrossed and listening then to what she was still questioning as real; when from the bonfire came a short scream. This scream died off quickly, as the entire group of women jumped up, and then pounced on someone nearest the big fire.
Scared and wondering, Shanna peered out at the bonfire with some apprehension.
"It done Matt, they did it again to another one!" So spoke another voice there, one with a deeper tone.
Shanna whirled her head around looking for who said something this time.
"Be calm, take care you be not discovered as where I and a few others here. Joey is my name, I was hitchhiking. My mom wouldn't drive me to a movie I wanted to see, so I snuck out. Some old lady stopped to give me a ride; I thought it would be safe. Next thing I know, I'm like this." A Pinto pony standing two horses along the tether said, telling and warning, but speaking quite intelligently.
"That is Joey, he was a teenager when one of those bitchy witches turned him into their mount. He tried to escape once, got caught and they gelded him for it. Then the dapple gray down the line is named Ernie, he and Joey are horses now, as I am a buck goat. The others here are the lucky ones, they all are wearing magic bridles. Once the light of day comes over the eastern hills, those who have the bridles can return home, sleep again in their beds, and await the next time of the witches Sabbath," explained Matt, he drooping his head and pawing the dirt with a fore hoof.
"Ill help you all escape, if I untie the tether you can run away!" Shanna said, she starting to reach for the knot tyeing the line tether to a tree trunk.
"No dear girl, we are what we are! Joey and Eric are now horses and shall even if they ran away, they would still be horses. The others wearing bridles would likely be caught or rounded up, and once shod, they too would be forever as horses. Now look at me, I was a man, seduced with sexual perversions, I am now just a goat; although having my wits and able to speak. Bella likes me this way, allowing me my memories and mind, she comes to me regularly, all horny and lusting, I go with her to a bedroom, and there...well you know.
Oh if you could see your face right now, such a look of innocence; but youth or age means nothing to those witches. They use people as little more than objects of or for their wicked needs, and desires.
Heck, Ernie was a canvaser, doing his interviews for the last census. He was nearer to fifty when a witch changed him into what might be considered a young and mature two year old Arabian stallion. He is permanently fixed, remaining now as he is, a horse, a stallion, and on lucky stiff, a stud!
Then there is me, where could I go, and if I were to talk, confind in people of my intelligence, then what?
Bella keeps me in a pen, I am a male goat, doing as needs be, feeling as if a buck goat enthused for every chance to feel and be in rut.
The others too, they have a good life, those kept or having become as animals permanently. The witches feed us, take obvious pride in having beautiful mounts when they go to their many meetings.
Why even the Queen of the Witches came last year to a July Sabbath, Bellfora is her name; she rode in on a gent made into a four hundred pound boar hog!" Matt doing his speech, telling of what Shanna could find herself taken, marooned, and live out her life as if some animal in a barn or shed.
"But you all males, stallions, a gelding, and goat or boar, why would they want me as an animal, I'm female!" Shanna announced rather boldly, flaunting at Matt her gender.
"Ha, wrong assumption dear girl! Take note of the two furthest horses at the far end of the tether, these two are sisters, both being by day as young women working at Nine Lives Inn. They come regularly, having I suspect accepted their use as beasts by the witches that own the Inn.
The Inn too is a dangerous place to stay, many who sleep there and then go to a free breakfast find themselves changed into donkeys. Male or female matter not to any witches, they do with you as their needs dictate." Matt explaining life as a changeling, his or Joey, and Ernie, their fate sealed permanently, and trying to impress Shanna that she should leave, and run away.