As Andrew hiked back the way he came, his transformation into a horse slowly continued. He knew that the slight prickling sensation he felt was being caused by the spreading of his hair across his body from where it already existed though strangely, as time passed, he became less and less worried by it.
What was worrying him though, was that he still hadn’t found any sign of Daniel and Sandra so either they were elsewhere in this jungle or still in the mineshaft he was backtracking towards. Andrew hoped deeply that the latter was the case, if only so he could reach them easily.
“Please. Still be there.” He whispered to himself.
He’d been running from the mineshaft before so now that he was only walking it was taking longer for him to return and in the fading light, Andrew knew he wouldn’t have much time before he’d be unable to keep his bearing. Upping his pace to a light jog helped, but the penalty for this was that the increased exertion appeared to be accelerating his changes.
Within minutes his bulking chest was blowing the buttons off his shirt, his chest covered in dark brown horse hair while his middle and ring fingers slowly fused together, the remaining digits beginning to shrivel.
Pausing to get a quick breather finally gave him a chance to realise how far along he was when a stretch to loosen himself up created a tearing noise.
“Heh heh, better get back soon.” Andrew giggled to himself, not completely grasping the fact that his pants had torn as he kicked them off with his boots and socks, the feet following about the same course as his hands.
Looking ahead, something was off. It was as if the colours were becoming…washed. Not only that but a deformed hand confirmed that his face had pushed out, his nose a part of his upper jaw.
“Wonther where they are.” Andrew referred to Daniel and Sandra, his speech impaired by his reforming mouth, his thickened lips as he resumed his quickened pace to where he hoped they were.
Along the way he still changed. His feet distinctly hooves and jogging along on what used to be his toes, now hard bony hoof that didn’t send sensation along the way he was used to, his hands the same way but not yet stretching and still just usable enough for Andrew to loosen his backpack to keep the straps from digging into his now bare chest. Covered completely in brown horse fur now, if black along the forearms, forelegs and what was now a mane, he was still able to move on two legs when he returned to the mineshaft.
Anyone looking at Andrew now would see a horse with humanlike proportions, standing on two legs with a backpack digging slightly into him, snorting as he fumbled with a flashlight for some moments before managing to force it on before walking in, tail flicking in time with his steps.
Andrew was still dimly aware that he needed to halt these changes, the slowed pace now acting to suppress it to an degree. But his need to find his friends was greater still.
“Daniel! Thanthra!” Andrew managed to force out of his mouth, still lacking a response.
When he finally reached the point where they’d split up, the internal lights were still on as he scanned the area. The door they’d gone through was ajar, so maybe they were there? And ahead was where the silver sphere that somehow was responsible for his predicament rested.
“With…way?” Andrew mumbled thickly to himself.