Four strange morphed animal people - the deer, the two foxes, and now the hulking moose woman - returned to a clearing in the thick of the forest.
"We've gathered some branches." Laura looked up at their new companion. "And our little otter friend should be returning shortly with something to tie it all together."
"Indeed." Margaret nodded. "Well, I suppose some shelter is better than no shelter, right?"
"It'll keep us busy until our wolf returns." Laura took stock of the four of them and then looked to the moose once more. "Would you be willing to help us with our construction? Your considerable strength would be useful."
The moose smiled with thick lips and kicked the ground with a huge hoof. "I suppose I can help you. But I must insist on a gesture of goodwill"
"Oh?" Laura blinked. "Yes?"
"Come with me to the river's edge. We should all drink to our new friendship."
"Ah! Well, what a fine idea!" Laura smiled. "Do lead the way."
* * *
The moose kneeled down next to the riverbank and stared at her reflection in the water for a moment. "Did your changes hurt?"
"Quite so!" John nodded, turning to Sandy and seeing her nod her agreement.
"Yes." Laura nodded as well, kneeling down next to the much larger moose and staring up at her.
"Mine was slow." The moose admitted. "It seems that the bigger you start out, the slower you change." Margaret looked down at the deer and grinned. "I was pretty big, even for one of my kind. I didn't hurt too much."
"Well aren't you the lucky one?" Sandy said sarcastically.
The moose chuckled. "Indeed. Still, I turned out much bigger and stronger than I would have thought. I think I've figured out why."
"Do tell!" Laura perked up.
"Well, think about it." The moose turned to regard the foxes. "All of you. You drank the water, but how much?"
"Not more than a little sip." John blinked.
"A... a little drink." Sandy nodded.
Laura began to grin in disbelief as she caught on to what the big moose was getting at. "I thought you drink, you change, that's it."
"I thought so too." Margaret leaned back on her rump and fell to the dirt with a thud. "Until I took another sip. And at seven or so feet tall, I was very thirsty."
John blinked. "But you're much more than seven feet."
"You grew bigger." Laura realized, smirking as she figured it out. "The more water you drink, the larger and stronger you become."
The moose nodded. "Exactly." She paused for the foxes to express their disbelief. "But the effect wears off after time. I grew, yes, but this morning I noticed I was smaller. As the day went on, I shrank back down to my original stature." She grinned. "When you found me, I had just finished spending all afternoon figuring this all out, and I'd just grown back up."
"She's putting us on!" John laughed. "What nonsense!"
Sandy said nothing, intrigued. Why lie about such a thing? "Can you... prove it?"
"Of course." Margaret pointed towards the river. "All you need to do is take another drink. You'll need to gulp quite a bit, but it'll start working."
Laura grinned, standing up. "All right! So who's going to try it first?"