Nate wandered through the woods. What had started as an ill-advised solo nature hike had become more desperate as he had become turned around in the woods and lost.
Soon enough, he came across a beaten path through the middle of the woods. He was sure it wasn't the one he had started on, but decided to take it, hoping it would either lead him out or to help. Throughout it all, he remained calm. In fact, it was the path to my home.
I saw him coming down the path from my front window. I walked out to greet him.
"Hello," I said. He smiled and seemed to sigh with relief, walking towards me.
"Thank god, I'm so incredibly lost," he said. "Can you help me find my way out of here?"
"Yes, but first why don't you come inside?" I said.
I started to get a sense about this young man. He felt very much alone in the world and wouldn't necessarily object to becoming a beast for my woods. He even had inclinations towards certain things. I rubbed my hands together in anticipation.
He stumbled into my home without an ounce of trepidation. As we talked, I got a clearer sense, as I often did throughout my time as a genie, of his desires. He fancied werewolves, big, snarling beasts, and often fantasized about becoming one. Yes, that would do nicely. A big, beastly wolf man to create legend and draw others into my woods, to become monsters and mythical beasts themselves.
I offered him a cup of tea, which he gratefully accepted. I carefully wove my magic, bringing forth his desire. As he slowly drank the tea, subtle changes began to appear. I decided to draw it out, since the actual transformation seemed to be a big part of his fantasy.
At first, the changes were barely noticeable, his ears became slightly pointed, his canines more pronounced and the appearance of short hairs slowly growing out.
He finally caught sight of his hands, with his fingernails starting to grow out into sharp claws and long strands of fur all up his arm.
"What the hell?" he exclaimed, looking over his arms. "What's happening to me?"
"I think you already know. I'm transforming you into a werewolf and you're going to stay here and occupy my forest as my own personal savage beast," I replied.
"But why?" he said. Clearly it was becoming difficult to talk as his teeth were growing out into fangs and jutting out of his mouth.
"Because, I can," I responded. "Don't fight it, don't be scared. I know you wanted this."
He cried out as his muscles began to swell and shape. His feet ripped out of his sneakers as they stretched into clawed digigrade paws. His pants tore at the seams as they gained in mass, with dense brown fur poking out. He let out a guttural snarl as his transformation continued.
The transformation finished as his face pushed out into a snout, his fangs re-arranging. For a moment it was silent as he looked over his newly transformed body. He marveled that the palms of his hands looked like paws. He balled them into fists and then released them again. He seemed strangely fascinated by his new form, perhaps even freed by it.
Nate let out a loud howl and I opened my back door. He bounded out and into my woods. I watched as he lept over fallen trees and howled to his content, chasing small animals and the occasional deer. He was the first beast to occupy my woods. At least he seemed happy about his transformation. Others wouldn't, at least not initially. I wondered when my next target of transformation would show up. I tried to think what I'd turn them into in the meantime.