"Forties?" Laurie asked surprised.
The girl newslynx smiled slyly, "Yeah, but don't go spreading it around, I prefer the other kids all thinking I'm their age. It's part of the 'getting to relieve your childhood one last time.' I think they're only giving the 'age' option to a couple select guests. Since I haven't met any other age regressed guests yet."
"Maybe they're all pretenders like you."
"Maybe, but I doubt it, there are some things even I can't fake." The child lynx replied.
"What about your 'big brother?' Your son?"
"Naw, he's my older brother all right, he kept himself in shape even -before- his DNA got changed. Some people prefer other don't know you have a different gender on the outside, I prefer people don't know I have a different age on the outside."
Laurie thought of Jasmine. "I can understand that."
"At any rate, can ya let me go? I wanna see how this turns out too!"
"Okay." Laurie let her go, then ticked her silly.
The teens resisted the urge to join in.
Laurie relented a moment later. "What... what... what was that for?!"
"Well, if you're to play act a child, I figured you should really feel what it is to be one." Laurie smiled, "You should consider doing a news report on yourself, I'm sure you'd be an interesting topic."
The child lynx replied pacified somewhat. "Thanks but no thanks... like I said, I prefer to stay incognito. Don't go spreading my secret identity around."
Laurie laughed, "You got it."
"So who do you think is going to win?" The child lynx said professionally.
"I don't know whose going to win, but I hope Sam."
"The buck without all the scars on him?"
"Yes. I think he's what the deer herd needs for a leader."
"Assuming the herd is even RIGHT for him."
Jasmine had the odd mental image of herself and Mike as eight year old fox kits playing checkers, and shook her head. One biology change and step down the adult pecking order was ENOUGH!
+++++++++++
meanwhile, the lynx lass' big brother, -forgot- about asking questions to the does, one part out of respecting their dismay. And another part being totally entranced in the climatic battle about to begin.
++++++++
The fact that some of the bucks in the mess of things used to be male, and that some of the does used to be female, either didn't register in Naomi, or she used it as mental justification that there was just something fundamentally wrong with the male gender. Women with her mentality were not the majority thankfully. Thankfully Naomi wasn't letting her personal opinion skewer her duty.
+++++++++
"Nothing else left, just the two of us." Spike said to Sam. "If you think I'll hold back because you used to be a woman, think again."
"I didn't think you would." Sam said honestly. Sam braced himself, this time exchanging between the buck on two legs didn't throw him off center.
Sam braced himself, remember what was at stake, and knew what his goal had to be if he was to win this. Spike readied himself, everything he had worked for, everything he had fought for, this was where it all began, or all ended.
"Begin." Leticia voice was even and not the least bit loud.
And it held more power, more command, than any buck there, including Sam, could hope to resist.
Her pose and expression didn't change in the slightest, but She had spoken, and she would be obeyed. Even Sam, could only think of this as Truth.
The bucks began with the traditional smash of their antlers, the once doe felt a headache from the sheer force of the scarred buck's impact. The once doe didn't waste time or energy with another clash just to give himself a worse headache.
Jeremy began to back pedal, or was much as the evolved deer legs could manage at any rate. And Spike followed like a blood hound, staying out of each of Sam's arms and antlers. She began to go in a circle, but Sam didn't turn away and run once. He kept facing his opponent.
'I have more endurance than you Sam. The longer you draw this out, the more likely I'm going to win.' Spike thought simply.
Spike lowered his horns, and picked up the pace right at Sam. Sam took the bait, and grabbed his horns, then Spike fell on all form, and twisted his entire body around, giving Sam one of Spike's now trade mark throws. Sam hit the ground, and kept his eyes closed. KEPT HIS EYES CLOSED!
Sam quickly got up, and felt the powerful hands on his shoulder pushing him down, her heard the booming voice, "Open your eyes!"
If this had been a comedy, this would be where Samantha would wake up in her bed with her husband looking over him.
Instead, Sam twisted, her horn catching flesh and bone, and one his horns... BREAKING! There were no nerves, but the sound and feel was sickening!
Sam got back up and finally opened his eyes, and saw a full head of steam charging right at him. One hit... and Sam's ribs would be broken from the impact, game over. He'd lose. He wouldn't die, the huskies would see to that. Hopefully.
That was when Sam's mind hit something. Something that wasn't deer, nor primate. Something in between. A logical conclusion you could only come to if you were both and neither.
Spike had been excited by Leticia... normally other mammals besides humans had their piece protected behind a sheath. But right now... at this moment.
Sam did what no buck in nature would do, and kicked, FOREWORD!
Hooves made contact contact with flesh, and stormed past Spike's pain tolerance like a flood past sand castles. Spike stopped. Just stopped. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. And he fell over backward... there was blood on Sam's hoof.
The powerful thud that came from Spike impacting the ground, was heard for a mile.
And next came Spike's agonizing, never ending moan as he twitched, with no hope of being able to get up. Blood between his legs. None of the buck daring to move him least they damage him even more.
Sam looked into Spikes eyes, took several steps back until he was at the edge of the arena, leaned against a tree... and breathed, just breathed, sliding down until he was sitting. He was suddenly so tired.