You sit in your impromptu camp, intently watching the shoreline. You just can't shrug off the feeling that you're being watched, but you can't figure out from where. Since there's only trees around, and you haven't heard a rustle from any branches or grass since you got here, whoever.. or.. whatever it is, must be coming from the sea.. right?
'Splshh... splsshh...' The waves crash against the beach with rhythmic timing even a metronome would be envious of... 'Crackle, crackle,' your kindling whispers. You focus, drowning these sounds out, listening for any unnatural variance. Your fur stands on end, all of your senses heightened. Every fiber of your being is tensed, prepared, yet cautious, of what strange creature could lurk in the deeps of this world. Your feline ear twitches slightly, reminding you that it'll be alert to even the tiniest of sounds that break the waves... If there's anything in that sea, you'll know it.. anything at al-
"Um... Hello...?" a soft voice calls from behind you. Having focused so intently on the sea -in front- of you, you stumble face forward and almost plough straight into the ground.. thankfully, you manage to catch yourself, albeit clumsily, and turn yourself around to face the potential threat as your heart races. ...Nothing. Nothing but the trees are there. Your chest and lungs quiver a bit as your simple nervousness degrades into fear... You hastily look from tree-top to bushes, seeing nothing still. Is a ghost of some sort? A spectre, an apparition??
"Ah... please don't be afraid, I won't hurt you..." the voice continues from seemingly nowhere.
"Wh..where are you?"
"I am here, the tree in front of you... well, I am in the tree... One moment..."
You watch the tree where the voice came from, and notice nothing at first... but then you do notice something. Just what it is, you can't really explain... You've never seen anything like it. Out of the tree, a smooth and somewhat shapely reddish-brown-skinned leg slowly steps out, like a woman coming through a shower curtain in the morning. The tree, while somehow remaining solid, ripples slightly as the leg emerges. The leg is followed by a hand, holding onto the tree to help "pull" itself out. Next came another leg, a pair of breasts, and a face The face belongs to a beautiful young girl, who appears to be in her mid-teens. Her auburn skin was dotted with freckles, and she had the most beautiful lime-green eyes you've ever seen. Her shoulder-length hair was a darker green, similar to that of leaves and grass. In fact, leaves cluttered her hair and a white lily rested above her right ear. Upon closer inspection, the leaves and flower in her hair actually are alive - rooted into her scalp. Once most of her body has emerged, she pulls her last arm out and skips down the last few feet of the tree and lands beside you.
The girl looked at the night sky sleepily. She closes her eyes, stretches and yawns. The male in you can't help but use this opportunity to admire her body. While petite, her naked form is beautiful. Every curve and proportion looks like it was masterfully sculpted... Her breasts were somewhat smallish, but fit her form perfectly. Her body radiated an artistic, though natural, beauty of sorts, and despite being naked and entirely smooth, it conveyed no sexual connotations. At least, none that a mammal could perceive.
She spoke slowly, her voice as gentle and beautiful as the rustling leaves in the wind. "Mm, that was a good sleep... Oh, yes, sorry.. You must be hungry, are you not...?"
Still taken a back by the girl, all you can do is manage a nod.
She turns back to the tree, leaning in and reaches inside. When she emerges, she has an armful of delicious looking exotic fruit. She walks up and hands them to you. Unable to resist your hunger any further, you plop down and immediately dig into the juicy fruit - though not recognizing any of them, they're some of the best you've ever tasted.
As you ate, the dryad girl continued on. "I heard you've been awkwardly stumbling through the woods, almost like you're not use to what you are... Would I be right to assume you were transformed by the witch of these woods?"
She heard that? Who could have seen you to tell her that? "Y-yes," you reply, between mouthfuls. "The witch and her potions turned me into this. I use to be a human, and male too..."
She bows then introduces herself in her gentle and polite tone. "My name is Michael... Or Mike, if you would prefer. She transformed me as well several years ago, and I'm sure you realize by now that I was a boy too. I know how scary it is finding yourself in this new place and being transformed... But maybe you'll grow to like it! I mean, I love my life here- I love being a dryad," Mike twirled playfully as she spoke, showing off her body. After a rotation, she sat down level with you against a tree, and, almost supernaturally, the bark and roots twisted with her body, melding with her back and thighs. "I can feel what all the trees feel and I have so many wonderful friends here!"
"Friends?" you interrupt, lowering your fruit. "There's other transformed people here? Maybe one of them would know how to change me back!"
Mike sounded a little disappointed that you didn't enjoy your new body as much as she did hers, but continued on understandingly. "Well.... I think there are other transformed people here.... I've seen a sea-nymph and mermaid, at the very least..." She looks out to the sea then continues talking. "But they always are out in the water, I have never seen them stay close to the forest long enough for me to meet them... But, they are not who I meant... I mean the forest. I can hear the voices of all the trees and plant life, and they're ever so kind. I could ask them if they know a way to change you back!"
"The forest has voices?" you ask in awe.
"Yes... All the plantlife in this forest are living, sentient things." As she spoke, Mike twirled some of her grassy hair around her finger. "Actually, they are the ones who woke me and told me about you..."
Some smaller roots around the tree you had been sitting against shift, gently caressing your rear and thigh.
"See? It likes you..." she proclaimed, smiling happily.
"I've noticed..." you answer. You shuffle away from the root slightly, not entirely comfortable with your new botanical admirer.
She giggled, then continued. "Anyways, I will ask the forest if it knows any way you can change back..." With that, Mike placed her hand on the tree, lowered her head and closed her eyes. There were no words spoken that you could hear, but a slight change in the wind and the rustle of the trees let you know she was speaking with them somehow.
You find yourself wondering if Mike's personality had always been like this. Was she always so feminine and in-tune with nature, even as a male human, and simply was lucky enough to transform into a body that matched her personality? Or did her personality gradually change to match her form over time? If that's the case, is that what'll happen to you too? What personality is an anthropomorphic catgirl suppose to have? You remember your feral jaunt earlier.. Maybe you'll further succumb to female or beastly urges.. or... at least begin grooming yourself with your tongue..... Eww...
Suddenly you're jogged out of your thoughts as she replies sadly, "The forest does not know any way to change you back... I am sorry..."
You feel like a hole opened in your heart... Even though you had known your chances of changing back were slim, you still had some hope... but this almost sealed it.. Not even a massive forest, undoubtedly hundreds of years old, covering this whole area knew how to change you back.. Now... now what are you going to do...?
Sensing you depression, Mike tries to comfort you. "Just because the forest does not know any way to change you back doesn't mean there is no way.. You could explore the shoreline, or the forest can lead you back to the witch's cabin... And I shall do what I can to help you! And the forest will too, it says that it will protect you! So please do not be sad..."
That made you feel a little bit better, giving you some of your hope back. It also feels nice knowing that there's at least one person who cares about you and understands what you're going through, and you have suddenly felt much safer somehow inside this forest... But you can't stay here forever, can you...?