"Let's get some rest," Brandon said, "We have a lot of walking to do tomorrow."
“Where are we going to go?” Danielle asked.
“We’ll find a place to live. If there really is no civilisation here, we need to accept that and try to start a new life,” Brandon said.
Danielle sighed. Then this was it.
“I can accept being a girl. I just feel right as one now. A few days ago thinking like this would have disgusted me. Now, it feels so natural, it’s like, I can’t imagine thinking differently. But, what are we supposed to do, be the next Adam and Eve?” Danielle asked.
Danielle and Brandon watched the sunset as they lay down together, their fur still damp.
“I don’t know. We will survive, we’ll find a way,” Brandon said.
Danielle trusted Brandon and allowed herself to lay down with them. Both closed their eyes and fell asleep.
***
Early the next morning, Danielle awoke. Her stomach was grumbling. Waking up as a fox woman no longer surprised her.
She noted that Brandon was standing at the entrance to the cave, watching the sun come up.
Danielle walked over to Brandon and put her hands on his shoulders.
“Good morning,” she said.
Brandon turned to face Danielle. “Good morning.”
“I’m hungry. I’m starting to feel weaker. I don’t think that the berries we’ve been eating are going to sustain us. I don’t know what we’re supposed to do. It’s not like we can just go to a restaurant or something!” Danielle said.
“We’re going to have to hunt,” Brandon said, looking back outside.
“But, I ... I don’t know. I don’t like the idea of eating raw meat! I hate the idea of killing some innocent creature even less!” Danielle cried.
“I know but we have to survive. We’re part of the food chain now. Foxes eat things like mice and rabbits. We need to start thinking like natural foxes if we’re going to survive!” Brandon said.
“How did they do it?” Danielle asked.
“Who?” Brandon asked.
“Cave men and stuff. How did they ever start a civilisation when they were like we are now?” Danielle asked.
“It look a long time. Let’s face it, they didn’t exactly start civilisation in a generation or two,” Brandon said.
Danielle’s stomach grumbled hard. Her hunger was starting to push aside her idea that they couldn’t eat another animal in order to survive.
“What can we do? We’re just two people! Even with multiple life times! If we start something here and Kat takes us away…”
“I don’t know. However, we need to get going. We need to find a more permanent place to stay,” Brandon said.
Danielle sighed before realising something.
“What if I get magical abilities? Kat mentioned all of the women in the family getting them once they turn 18. Since she made me female, maybe I’ll get them in a couple of years,” Danielle said.
Brandon turned and took Danielle’s hands into his. “There is that hope but we can’t depend on it. We need to assume that we’re stuck here. If we think you’ll get powers and you don’t, we’ll end up dooming ourselves,” Brandon said.
“I … I know. It’s just so unfair. This place is beautiful. Fun to visit but I’m not sure I want to live here.”
Brandon nodded. “I know but we’re going to have to deal with it.”
Danielle’s stomach growled. She felt a sensation similar yet different from what she had felt the night before. Now, she found herself wanting to hunt.
“I can’t take it any more. We need meat! I don’t want to hunt but, I don’t want to starve or get malnourished either!” Danielle said.
Danielle felt even more helpless. It was one thing to hunt for sport (which she never liked the idea of). Hunting for food when all you had was your hands and teeth was a whole other issue.
“Then we have no choice,” Brandon said.
The two spent the next several hours climbing down the rock face with Danielle following Brandon. When they were on the forest floor, Danielle watched Brandon as he began to sniff the air. She caught wind of an appealing scent seconds after he did.
“It’s like coming home and there’s something delicious cooking,” Brandon said.
Danielle nodded her head. “I know it’s a living creature, but … we have to eat!”
Brandon took Danielle’s hand. “I know. I don’t like it either but it’s not like we have a choice.”