Light rays of moonlight twinkled and danced through openings in the trees as you finished your meal. You laid on your back in the grass and fallen leaves, staring up through the branches at the night sky. It was a million times clearer than the one you had previously known back home, and filled with so many wondrous stars and colours like the skies you had only seen computer-generated for movies. But it really existed here! And it was gorgeous!
You looked over at Mike. She had been sitting cross legged, inspecting some budding plants at the base of the tree. She reached out and touched the largest bud with a single finger, and instantly it bloomed into a beautiful red flower. Vines spread from under it's petals and crawled around a tree, blossoming many smaller, multicoloured flowers. She giggled as the plant came to a halt. Slowly, several creatures who must have been watching the two of you from the shadows came out to admire the new botany. A small dragon, no larger than a foot, flew and landed on the largest flower to take a look inside. On the ground, a fuzzy creature with the ears of a cat and the hind-legs of a rabbit slowly hopped over and began nibbling the roots of the stem.
This world was magical and beautiful. Someplace every fantasy writer tried to convey, someplace every daydreaming child could get lost in for days at a time. Maybe adapting to life in this world was the best option, you thought. After all, even if you could find your way back to the witch, who knows what yet another potion could turn you into, provided you could even make it back to the cabin... Or, should you be caught, if this time you invoke the full fury of the witch...? She certainly couldn't look fondly on maids that broke and stole potions, could she? And even then, there's no telling you'd find a way back home. What if you ended up in an even more dangerous world? And, as difficult as it was for you to admit, a stealthy, clawed cat-girl stood a much better chance of survival than a human male without any athletic ability or noticeable muscles to his name...
You propped yourself up with a paw, then stood up and stretched. As you lifted your arms above your head, the new weight on your chest dangled uncomfortably, and a breeze rushed up under your maid skirt, showing off a bit more than you had wanted to. Blushing and hoping no one (cabbit, tree or tree-girl) had noticed, you quickly grab your skirt and hold it down covering yourself. The quick change in your stance, coupled with your unfamiliar digitigrade legs was enough of a change in balance for you to stumbled and land hard on your knees.
Mike turned her attention away from the plant and to you. She rushed over and quickly asked, "Are you alright?"
You got back up onto your feet, and realized just how foreign your body felt to you. How could you even think about staying like this right now? No. You have to try to change back. You owe it to your old identity and life to try, at the very least.
Even if you fail and couldn't make it home and back to yourself in time, you'd likely end up content with your new body as well, right? Your tail swooshed as you pondered. After all, a lot worse things could happen to a guy..er.. a girl. That fate wouldn't be so bad, you guessed. No.. you pushed those thoughts out of your mind. You couldn't give in to that scenario.. not just yet. You can't let yourself think that way without a fight.
Looking concerned, the dryad suddenly asked, "What do you plan to do? You look really determined now..."
Still lost in thought, you continued to plan the best course of action. You still -really- don't like the idea of using more potions, because you could end up as a million worse things... but since you now knew that it was only a matter of time until you began to accept this body, you didn't have time to search for a stabler method. Finding the cabin and, hopefully, the right potion is your best chance at the moment. Should the oppertunity present itself, you may even be able to find a way to know what potion does what, or getting the witch to tell you which potion would change you back...
You look at Mike, then back to the woods and inspect the opening where you emerged from earlier. "I'm... going to go back to the witch's home. I know you're happy with your life here, so I won't risk that by asking you to come with me... But I'm -not- happy like this, not yet anyhow. I know that maybe one day I will be too, but...Until that happens, I can't just sit here being distraught and waiting for it. I have to try to change back and go home."
"Oh.. alright..." She looked down. For the first time since you met her, Mike looked genuinely sad and lonesome.
You put your paws on your hips (another girlish pose you caught yourself in, but it felt right in this situation), and call out, "Hey, looking sad doesn't suit you! If I don't get to change back in time, I'll need you to show me around this world and be my friend, okay?" You certainly hoped for a better fate than that at the moment, but you couldn't stand seeing her look so sad after she helped you.
The dryad girl perked up to her usual mood again after hearing that and giggled. "Okay! I promise!" She smiled sincerely and added, "I really do hope you find a way back to your home and your true self, though! Good luck!"
"Thanks!" you replied, and stepped into the woods. You stop for a moment, and look around in each direction.
"Um... is something the matter?" she asks inquisitively, tilting her head slightly in the process.
You look back at her. "I...uh... I forget where the cabin is..." you sheepishly admit.
Mike sighed, then giggled again. "Well, that I can help you with!" Turning towards a tree, she stepped towards it once again, sliding into it as smoothly as if it were liquid. The bark bonded with her skin as she sunk in. The tree gradually smoothed until it looked no different than any other, and then, with a rustle of leaves and the sound of a hundred branches slowly creaking, the trees parted and formed a path into the woods. All the trees along the edge of the path sprouted tiny flowers from their branches that emitted a strange, phosphorus glow, illuminating your path. Mike's voice was heard again as a whisper echoing in the branches. "Just follow the path the forest has set out for you... It will show you the way to the witch's home."