Chotsalak (the real one) nearly fell over. "How did *that* happen?!" he demanded.
"I don't know!" Trepeeset cried frantically.
"Well, we have to fix this!" Chotsalak said, snatching the medallion from Trepeeset's hand. He held it up against his clone's chest. "Change back to horse! Now!"
The former horse, meanwhile, had learned how to balance himself on two legs, work his arms and fingers, and walk around. He grabbed Chotsalak's elbow and removed himself from contact with the medallion. "No," he said.
"What do you mean no!?" It was a bizarre image to Trepeeset, his best friend staring into his mirror image, with both naked and both looking angry at each other.
"Horse dumb animal. I want to be human."
"How do you know? You've only been a human for a few moments!"
"He's got human instincts now," Trepeeset said. "I think I know what happened. I was stroking him with the medallion in my hand, and he thought about you because you were in front of him. That's how he transformed."
"But my hair is not in there," Chotsalak said, pointing at the amulet. "How was he able to become me?"
"I guess once you use it once, anyone can use that form forever. That's good."
"Look, you can't be human," Chotsalak complained to the former horse after glaring daggers at Trepeeset. "I am Chotsalak. There cannot be two of us." Trepeeset thought it was funny to hear Chotsalak trying to convince something to not be a horse when he himself had stolen Trepeeset's medallion just so he could turn into a horse for the night.
"I hate being horse," the other Chotsalak stated, crossing his arms. "So boring. Humans bad to me. Sick of grass. Don't want to go back to horse."
"I can't blame him," Trepeeset said. "All horses do is stand around all day and get whipped when they don't do what we want. If I were a horse, I would wish to be a man."
"But he's me!" Chotsalak cried. "Come on! Help me persuade him to change!"
"Fine," Trepeeset said. "Look, horses are great animals," Trepeeset said to the former horse. "You do not have to work. You do not war with other tribes. Your kind does not kill each other. And besides," Trepeeset pointed to Chotsalak's penis. "Do you really want to go through life with that thing when you know what you used to have?"
Chotsalak sputtered for a few seconds, then said "Please, friend. Can't you help us out and let everything go back to normal? Change back to horse for us?"
The former horse simply shook his head.
"Damn it!" Chotsalak swore in a rage. "I'll kill it!" he cried, lunging at his double. Looking scared, the former horse turned and began to run away.
"Stop!" Trepeeset cried, restraining Chotsalak. "Come back! I have a plan!" The former horse slowed to a stop but stayed where it was.
Chotsalak remained struggling in Trepeeset's strong arms. "Let...go of me!" he grunted.
"Stop it and listen to me!" Trepeeset snapped. Chotsalak sighed and stopped his struggle. Trepeeset let go of Chotsalak.
"How long did it take for the horse to take over your human mind last night?"
"I don't know," Chotsalak said sharply. "I just sort of faded out and the horse took over. Why?"
"Well, our goal is to find Weasel, right? We both want to set out to do that, but we can't leave the village here. We have our duties to perform as warriors. If we are found to have deserted, it would mean our deaths. But if we let that horse stay as you, it will eventually be identical to you. Just like you were the horse earlier, with no human instincts. If you and I both copy ourselves, we can leave to avenge my father's death but have our duplicates fight as warriors. No one would know."
"Then what do we do with them once we return?"
Trepeeset shrugged. "We will cross that river when we get to it."
Chotsalak let out a ragged sigh. "It's not the plan I have, but we must go. The sun is rising and there will be people here soon. We can't let them see this."
"All right. Here, take the medallion and fly around for a while. I'll walk you...er, the other you to your teepee and keep an eye on him for a while. I'll meet you at our tree at noon." Chotsalak took the medallion and looked at Trepeeset. He simply nodded, and then his feathers began to grow. His mouth hardened into a beak as his body became smaller and more plump. His feet became yellowish and hard as the toes grew together and got claws. His arms grew longer in proportion with his body as long feathers sprouted. Chotsalak's eyes were the last thing to change, his brown eyes growing larger and turning yellow. Without looking back, Chotsalak turned his body around by hopping, then flapped his wings and took off into the skies.
Trepeeset then turned around and looked at the former horse Galk'hey. He was staring wide-eyed at the scene of a human turning into a bird and flying away. He was so stunned he didn't notice Trepeeset walking up to him. Trepeeset took him by the hand and looked him in the eyes. He smiled. "Come on, 'Chotsalak.' Let's go home."