Mike stared he was a solid colored cat, but he wasn't sure what color because everything now appeared monochrome to him. He stared transfixed by his reflection.
A twig snapped nearby, as hands closed in around his middle and lifted him off the ground. Mike twisted struggled, hissed and clawed, but he was no match for the human who now held him. The hands shifted and Mike was held by the scruff of his neck, as his captor examined him. To his horror, Mike recognized his captor as Dave Burger, the guy who'd picked on Mike since the first grade. Mike had thought the water had done this to him, now he wasn't so sure.
"You're a frisky fellow. Don't like anyone controlling you, do you?" Dave said to the struggling cat, "I'm a lot like you that way, too." Dave cuddled Mike, holding him close to his body and scratching his ear. "You're a right handsome cat, fellow. Wonder what I should call you? You got the right look and build to win a blue ribbon at the cat show, so I'm going to call you champ, okay, champ?" He nuzzled his face against the top of Mike's head. Mike didn't know what to do. He was out in the woods, he was transformed into a house cat, he was a quick meal for any coyote, wolf, feral dog, bear or other carnivore that came along. He didn't know how to change back. Now he was being called champ and cuddled by a boy who would have been beating him black and blue if he was still human.
Dave sat down at Mike's camp site, and started rummage through things with his free hand. Mike was firmly ensconced in the crook of Dave's elbow.
"Yup, this is Mike's campsite, allright. I was going to rape his sorry ass today, but I guess he must have seen me coming and taken off," Mike arched his back as he heard what Dave was saying, "At least the trip wasn't a total waste because I found you, Champ." Dave cuddled Mike up to his face, and rocked back and forth. Mike could sense that Dave really did like him, at least as a cat. Naturally, he returned the affection, confused by Dave's hatred for the human Mike, and his gentle love for the feline version.
Dave reached for Mike's canteen, he opened the top. Mike struggled, should he stop Dave? Dave emptied the canteen's contents on the ground. He carried the canteent and Mike over to the lake, and took a piss. He dunked the canteen into the lake where the urine was dissipating. "I little treat for the homo, if he comes back," Dave said capping the canteen.
He never let go of Mike for a minute, and the heavy leather and wool letterman's jacket he wore seemed to protect him from Mike's claws.
Dave kicked over Mike's tent, and stole the clothes and wallet he found in Mike's sleeping bag. He put the clothing and the cat into his backpack, which he'd stashed behind Mike's tent. With only Mike's head peeking out, Dave started on his hike back to town.
Mike brushed his head against Dave's ear, and Dave started on a monologue which Mike would find very, very interesting...