Losing Control, by Shifturn

[vended]

I hate the idea of these stories getting lost, so here's some repost now that they can't be properly found on a website.

PART 1

"You know those things are nothing but pure sugar," Ann stated in her usual matter-of-fact tone.

Sherry continued sipping her raspberry icy without showing a hint of concern. "Mmmmmm, hmmmmm, they sure are..." she replied a moment later, exaggerating her enjoyment of the experience.

"Like literally," Ann went on, "there's nothing else in there."

"Not true, there's ice." Sherry stirred the cup with her straw so Ann could hear it swishing.

"I'm being serious. There's no way that's good for you. You know we're already past the age where metabolism starts slowing down. You're gonna have to start thinking more about your health at some point."

Sherry rolled her eyes in mock disgust. Really though, she was more amused by Ann's uptight behavior than anything else. "Gee, thanks mom." "She hates it when I say that..." she thought, quietly smiling to herself.

"Ugh, I hate it when you call me that." Ann huffed.

"Well, that's who you sound like. 'Sherry, you know you need to watch your diet. Sherry, you're not staying out too late are you? Sherry, you really shouldn't offer blowjobs on every single date..."

"Sherry!" Ann gasped in a hushed voice.

"Well, she doesn't put it quite like that, but she'd still be pretty pissed. Man, if she how much cock I'd actually had in my mouth..."

"Stop it! There's other people eating here! They can hear you, you know!"

Sherry gasped loudly, clutching her hand over her heart as her eyes widened. "Oh... oh my god... do you mean...?" Now it was Ann rolling her eyes, in response to Sherry's pretend concern. "People... people might hear me say sex?!?!"

"Oh good lord!" Ann blushed deeply, shielding her face with her hand while also trying to look around the burger joint to see if anyone was watching. There were only a few other patrons, what with it being afternoon on a weekday. Still she was sure someone must have heard.

"Wow... you are so much fun to mess with." Sherry laughed, relishing her best friends discomfort. After four years of friendship, she knew just the right way to push Ann's buttons to get the reaction she wanted. She also knew when to back off though, for the most part. She didn't want to piss Ann off really, just tweak her a little. Liven things up a for her. God knows she needed it.


__________

They'd known each other ever since Ann's family moved to Sherry's town during their tenth grade year. They didn't talk much at first. In fact, Ann rarely talked to anyone at all. Sherry didn't like her, she seemed too goody-goody. Always getting the answers right when called on in class. Always one of the first to have her book turned to the right page, as if there were a race to see who could be the fastest tool. And apparently she was too stuck-up to talk to anybody. That was Sherry's first impression at least.

Sherry was the complete opposite. Always in trouble for one reason or another. She had already earned something of a bad-girl reputation by the end of freshmen year. She wasn't really trying to be that way, she just didn't care much for rules. She lived by the motto that if other people would just stop coming up with so many rules, she wouldn't seem like such a bad person.

So naturally, she didn't care much for little rule-abiding Ann at first. But she wouldn't bother Ann if she didn't bother her. That was another creed she'd learned to live by. And in Ann's case, it proved not to be a problem whatsoever. A few weeks went by, and Ann not only didn't bother her, she didn't bother anyone. And that's when Sherry started getting pissed.

It wasn't Ann she was pissed at, though. It was other things she saw, other things she heard. It started off simply enough. People laughing and mocking, making fun of the new girl. It became the "in" thing among the popular crowd. They needed someone to make themselves feel superior, and Ann was perfect for the job. She saw it happen in her classes once or twice, and had witnessed Ann's reaction. Over the next couple of weeks, it started to dawn on Sherry: Ann wasn't trying to be a stuck-up bitch. The poor girl was just shy as hell. Almost to the point of terror. And these assholes weren't helping that at all.

“What the fuck is wrong with them? She's not bothering anybody, just leave her alone if you don't like her.” Apparently, that wasn't possible with some people, not when the rules of high school dictated otherwise. And if there was one thing Sherry didn't handle well, it was rules.

It came to a head one day during lunch period. Ann was sitting by herself, actually reading a book while her food went virtually untouched. Whatever she was reading, it had her full attention. Sherry sat one table over, with an unobstructed view of Ann's activity. She wasn't really trying to watch Ann, she just happened to be in Sherry's field of vision. Hell, there wasn't really anything to watch. She was just sitting there reading, and occasionally fidgeting every so often as if she was uncomfortable. Sherry noticed the book jacket seemed to be missing from the cover. "Heh, she's one of those 'oh my god, I can't get it wrinkled' types. God forbid something be out of place. Or even worse... dirty! That girl really needs loosen up."

She shook her head to herself, promptly deciding not to bother dwelling on her conservative little classmate. “It's a shame, she's actually kinda pretty. Bet she could get whatever guy she wanted if she'd just try a little. Oh well, if she wants to spend her time with her nose in a book instead of getting some, that's her business. More cock for me...”

Unfortunately, Sherry wasn't the only one who'd noticed Ann reading. She'd caught someone else's attention, someone not as willing to give the girl her space.

Beth Harper. If there was a more fitting stereotype for stuck-up, popular bitch, one would be hard-pressed to find it. Ann didn't even notice as the girl strolled toward her from behind, her nose high enough in the air to pose a threat to air traffic. "Oh shit..." Sherry thought quietly, tensing up as she saw where this was heading. "Here we go..."

Ann was jerked from her mental solitude as Beth snatched the book from her hand in one quick motion. "Watcha reading there, Poindexter?"

It took Ann a second to figure out what was going on, she'd been so absorbed in her world of words. "Oh... hey! Please give it back! Please?"

"'Please?!' To hell with 'please' girl!" Sherry scowled to herself. "She jerks it out of your hand like that and you ask politely? Don't say 'please' you powderpuff, knock her on her ass!"

"Let's see what we got here." Beth casually flipped to the front of the book, expecting to see something nerdy. Something that would reinforce the "brainiac" image and give her more ammo to unload. Maybe a book of poetry, or an autobiography on the life of the man who invented the pocket protector. Or probably something like that 'Jane Eyre' thing they'd been forced to read in English class.

"Oh-hoh... my... god!" A gleefully mischievous smile crept over Beth's lips as her eyes rested on the title page. It was even better than she'd hoped.

"No! Please let me have it!" Ann stood from her chair reaching for the book, but Beth easily kept it from her. The quiet girl was clearly getting flustered. "Ugh, there's that 'please' word again! She's not into manners girl..."

Beth laughed almost manically. "This is too good!" She pushed Ann away again as she reached one more time, and then, in a condescendingly lustful tone, read the title aloud to the entire cafeteria.

"'On the Edge of Hunger!' Oooooohhh, steamy!" The entire cafeteria erupted in a cacophony of braying laughter and mocking "WOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ann turned beat red as she scanned the crowd of hooting, hollering teenagers, a look of morbid shock frozen on her face. Sherry watched on in silence, a burning anger rising in her chest. "Oh, what a bitch..."

"Let's see what we've got in here..." Beth opened right to the page Ann had been on, thanks to the bookmark still tucked inside, her smile widening. Her task of humiliating this poor girl couldn't have been any easier. She began to read aloud from the page.

"She felt his hot breath on the nape of her neck, their bodies pressed together as one of his hands moved gently up her thigh."

More "woooos" rose from the crowd as Ann looked on in horror.

"Clara could feel his enormous manhood pressed against her leg through his jeans. 'Oh my' she thought, 'is he really that big?' She was so inexperienced, could she really handle all of that?"

The laughter reached a fever pitch, freezing Ann in place. She was too stunned and mortified to even try to take her book back now. The damage was already done. She felt like her darkest secrets were being exposed to everyone, and Sherry watched as tears began to stream down the poor girl's face.

"'Please,' Clara moaned, 'please, take them off. I... I need you... now...'" Ann hung her head in shame, preparing to bolt from the cafeteria...

"Beth, shut the fuck up and give the girl her book back, you stupid twat!" Sherry jumped up from her seat, overcome with fury. She'd had enough. She didn't like getting involved in other people's shit, but this was just too much. The sharks were on a feeding frenzy, and Ann was being used as chum. There was no excuse for this.

A hushed murmuring fell over the entire cafeteria as this new drama unfolded, the onlookers watching eagerly to see how this would play out. The crowd had been quite enthralled with “story time.” Yet now, they anticipated an even better show.

"What... the hell did you say to me bitch?!" "

“Oh hell, it's on now..." and other such mumblings echoed through the room. The gauntlet had been thrown.

"I said... give the girl her book back... or I'll shove it down your throat," stated Sherry calmly as she stepped around the table, closing the distance between them. Soon she was standing face to face with Beth, glaring right into her eyes.

"Then again, I've heard you like things going down your throat..."

Nobody was certain who threw the first punch after that, or even the last. But by the time the slow-responding staff had pulled the scrapping girls apart, it was pretty clear Sherry had thrown the most. Ann watched as both girls were hauled away from the scene as the staff began to reinforce order amongst the chaos. They'd caused such a ruckus that by the time things had settled down, everyone was more interested in the fight than they were in Ann's book, or her 'dirty' secret.

Several uneventful weeks went by as both girls served their suspensions, but eventually Sherry returned to school. She hadn't really given the incident much thought. It wasn't the first time she'd been suspended for a fight, after all. She hadn't seen much of Beth since the incident, and really didn't give a shit. Whatever she was up to now, she hadn't bothered Ann again. So it seemed she'd gotten the message.

Sherry had almost forgotten the whole thing, until one day, when she was approached by the most unlikely person. She'd been rambling through her locker for a textbook that she used for doodling more than studying. When she turned around, there was Ann, just standing there, staring awkwardly.

"Hey... um...." she'd stammered, clearly nervous about actually being to one to start a conversation. "I just... wanted to say... thanks... you know... for what you did a few weeks ago... for not laughing... and you know... what you did with Beth...

"You mean kicking her ass?" Sherry said with a joking smile, trying to ease the shy girls nerves.

Ann laughed a little. "Yeah... that. Well... I'll leave you alone, you know... just wanted to say thanks and everything. I'll see you around." Ann was preparing to bolt now. Sherry realized it had probably taken all the girls courage to initiate even this small bit of social interaction. She called to her as she started to step away.

"Hey..." Ann stopped, waiting nervously for whatever Sherry was about to say.

"...You mind if I borrow that book you were reading?"

The rest, as they say, was history.



__________

Four years later, Ann and Sherry's friendship had never been stronger. They'd helped each other out through the tumultuous high school years in more ways than either could remember. Sherry talked with Ann about things she didn't talk about with most. Things such as what she might want to do with her life, even though they seemed far fetched. Most people told her she was crazy for wanting to go into the veterinary field, even people in her own family. Her mom always told her she should find something more "practical." Like receptionist work. Ann encouraged her to go after what she wanted, even offered to help her figure out how. Sherry's grades were never very good, but with Ann's help, they improved.

Now, they were both in college, and Sherry was pursuing her dream. That is, when she wasn't pursuing a fling. Ann tried to keep her friend on the straight and narrow as best she could, but Sherry had maintained one distinct characteristic from her high school days: she still didn't like rules.

As for Ann, Sherry's watchful eye had ensured that no more incidents like the one in the cafeteria ever occurred again. She'd been painfully shy, and for the most part, she still was. But Sherry helped her work through it somewhat, building the girls confidence and helping her break ever-so-slightly out of that shell she'd made. She no longer dreaded every moment of meeting someone new. She'd even managed to go on a few dates here and there, at Sherry's urging, of course. Nothing had really taken off, but it had at least been a step in the right direction.

Indeed they were an odd pair, each apparently needing the other to help them submit to control, or let it go. As they sat finishing up their fast-food lunch that day, they had no idea they were both about to get exactly what they needed, in the most unexpected way.

"Would you lighten up already? All I said was sex. Everybody does it."

"Sherry, come on, is that all you think about?"

"Not the only thing, just the main thing. Don't act like you don't think about it too! I know there's a caged animal in there, just waiting for some lucky guy to let it out!"

"Sherry..."

"Mark my words, we're gonna get you laid..."

"Stop!"

An older couple shuffled by them... a husband and wife, apparently... having just stood from their booth after finishing their meal. Sherry caught the woman giving her the strangest look. She couldn't tell if it was surprise or amusement, but she knew the reason for it. Clearly they'd overheard the conversation. Sherry smiled cheerfully as they passed by, seeing yet another opportunity for mischief.

"Hi! We're talking about sex!" Sherry chirped happily. The woman's eyes went wide for a moment, the husband grunting deeply without even glancing toward them, and then they continued on their way.

Ann buried her face in her hands. "Oh my god Sherry, I can't believe you just did that."

As they moved further away, Ann could hear the woman muttering something to her husband and they continued walking to the door... “Dear, did you hear that girl...? Do you think she should also...” the rest was inaudible, but the husband nodded in agreement with whatever had been said.

“God Sherry, don't you have any tact at all?

"Hey, you hear that?" Sherry held her hand to her ear, as if she'd just heard something unusual. Ann started to say something, but Sherry shushed her quickly. "Yeah, that sound right there! You know what that is? That's the sound of the world not ending!"

"God, you're embarrassing me. You know I don't like talking about this stuff in public."

"Nah... just reading about it."

Ann's face went from embarrassment, to outright scorn in three seconds flat. “Oops... too far...”

"Hey, I didn't mean anything..."

"You KNOW I don't like talking about that!" Ann's face turned that familiar shade of red as she relived her most humiliating moment, every detail flooding back into her mind. "You of all people... I don't need you making fun of me too..."

"I'm not making fun! I swear! I'm trying to get you to understand that it's not a big deal. I mean, so you wanted to read about sex? So what? We ALL like sex! Those assholes were all of bunch of hypocrites for laughing at you for something they all like too!"

Ann had started to calm down. She couldn't stay mad at Sherry for long. Deep down she knew she didn't mean to hurt her with that remark, it was just her knee-jerk reaction to that memory. The flush of embarrassment remained on her face though. "Yeah... well... I guess I shouldn't have had been reading that in public. That was stupid."

"Pfft, you were just reading. Jeff Miller got caught jackin' off to porn in the computer lab."

"Not so loud!" Ann scolded, before her face took on a more curious expression. "Really?!"

"Yup," Sherry continued. "And he was one of the ones laughing the loudest. So who gives a shit what they think? Who cares what anyone thinks? We all like sex. Hell, the whole damn world likes it. People, dogs, birds, cats, horses, chickens, frogs..."

“Would you stop...?”

“'Of course, frogs are kind of weird about the way they do it. So I guess they're not the best example. But dogs, now that's a critter that knows what it's about! They don't give shit what anybody thinks. When they wanna hump, they hump...”

"Geez, why are you so obsessed with animals?"

"Come on, loosen up! I'm just teasing. Besides, I think it's a good analogy. Especially for you, when the right fellow comes along...”

“Sherry...”

“I can see it building up in there. Come on, I see the way you check 'em out on the sly. Don't act like you ain't been looking. All you need's a good, hard rut...”

"Sherry!" Ann knew where this was going, and she'd heard this comparison more times than she cared to.

“You keeping it all bottled up... you gotta let it out at some point. Otherwise, one of these days you'll be walking down the street, you'll see some stud-muffin, and you won't even know what hit ya. You'll just be hunching on his leg like a dog in heat.”

“For god's sake, Sherry!”

“And I ain't coming to bail you out when they have to drag you off. I'll just be like 'yeah, I told her she was gonna lose control one day...”

"Knock it off! Quit talking like we're animals, alright... that's not me.”

"Oh really? What was the name of that book again? 'The Edge of Hunger?' Sounds pretty primal to me..."

"Can we talk about something else already?"

"You know, I read that, and I never figured out how someone can be on the "edge" of hunger. I mean, you're either hungry or you're not, you know?"

"I don't think that was the point..."

"Yeah, I mean, I know they weren't talking about food, they were talking about..."

"Can we PLEASE talk about something else?!"

"I've done told you before about using that word..."

Sherry smiled, trying to get her friend to loosen up. “Geez Ann, you're being such a pill today...” She was thinking of her next outrageous thing to say... something to nudge Ann just little more from her comfort zone... when she noticed Ann gazing off into the distance.

"Huh, that's weird," Ann stated bluntly. "That old couple's just been standing by the door for the last couple of minutes. I think they're looking at us."

Sherry turned around, seeing the same couple she'd engaged a minute ago watching them intently.

"Creeeeepy..."

“Yeah well... you've been putting on quite a show for them, you know.”

After a moment, they turned and nodded to each other, and then exited the restaurant. Sherry turned back to her friend, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh well... at least they got their money's worth..."



__________

After a few more minutes, Ann and Sherry finished up their meal and were ready to continue on with the rest of their day. Sherry needed to get ready for an intern position she'd managed to snag at a nearby veterinary clinic. Ann, for the most part, had the evening off, though she would probably spend at least part of it studying.

They loaded up into Sherry's car, but lingered just a moment while Sherry checked her phone for messages. She always seemed to have a dozen or so.

"Hey, you want to swing by that bookstore real fast? I bet they got some more of those steamy books you like," suggested Sherry, getting ready to put her phone away finally.

"Knock it off," replied Ann. "I gotta get home and check on Bumper anyway."

"Yeah... hey you need to see about getting him neutered pretty soon. He's about four and a half months now, right?"

"Ah, he's still just a baby."

"That's why he's pissing all over the place, you know. He's marking territory. That means he's about to start humping anything he can. I'm telling you, that's what they do..."

"Ugh, I just don't have the money right now. Things are getting expensive."

"Yeah, well, don't wait too much longer. Trust me, I know about these things."

Ann couldn't help but chuckle just a little at Sherry's words. She'd really taken this vet thing by the reigns, and was making something of herself, in spite of what everyone in high school had thought of her.

"Yeah, I guess you do. You'll make a great veterinarian. Really."

Sherry's warm smile indicated she was about to respond, when they were interrupted by a knock on the drivers side window. They both jumped, startled to see the old woman from the restaurant staring through the window at them, a broad grin on her face.

Sherry looked back at Ann for just a moment, shrugged her shoulders, then cautiously rolled down her window halfway.

"Um... Can I help you?" she asked, politely but also sternly. Ann glanced at the surrounding area, wondering if the husband was still around as well. She spotted him in an older model car a few spaces down, gazing at their them with a cold stare. His expression gave her chills.

The old woman began to speak in a purposeful, but cheerful, tone. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but notice what you girls were discussing in there. You have quite an interest in sex, don't you?"

Ann's embarrassment started to return. This had happened before, someone trying to reprimand Sherry for her "loose language." She knew all too well just how Sherry would respond. This probably wasn't going to end well.

Sherry maintained her cool. She loved messing with prudes who treated sex like some forbidden land of crime and cooties. "Yeah, we were talking about it. We actually like doing it sometimes, too. How 'bout you?" She smiled the biggest smile she could manage, then looked over to give Ann a playful wink. She spotted the old lady's husband watching them intently.

Sherry turned back to the woman, then gestured with her head towards her husband. "I bet you and him like to get pretty freaky now and then, eh?"

The old woman smiled wider, not seeming the least bit angry or annoyed. "I absolutely love you're attitude, dear. I think it's perfect. No need to be shy about something in our nature!"

Sherry's eyes widened a bit. She hadn't expected that, but, she wasn't going to argue when someone called her perfect.

"Well, thanks, I guess..."

"Oh no, thank you. I'm thrilled to see there are still souls like you, not willing to be trampled underfoot by society's unnatural restrictions.”

“Oh... well, alright then! Yeah, hooray for sex!” Sherry laughed a bit. She couldn't decide if this old woman was being serious, poking fun... or just completely off her rocker. Whatever the case, at least she was getting a kick out of this.

“You're friend would do well to listen to your advice. There's much wisdom in what you say.” Sherry stifled a laugh in her throat. Of all the things she'd expected to be called... wise was certainly not on the list. But again, she wasn't going to argue.

“Well, thank you... it's about time someone recognized my genius...” Sherry couldn't help but chuckle. “You know, it's refreshing not to be called a slut or something just because I like sex. I appreciate that, miss.”

She turned and playfully punched Ann on the shoulder. “You hear that... I got some wisdom going on over here!”

Ann turned toward her friend for a moment... “Yeah, I guess...” She turned away again, her eyes fixed on the woman's elderly husband. Something about the way he was watching them was unsettling. She couldn't put her finger on it...

Sherry turned back to the woman, unaware of Ann's concern's. “Well, it's been great talking with you, miss...”

“Cerina, dear. My name's Cerina.”

“Miss Cerina... well, it's been great to meet you. I'm gonna have to run though. Gotta whole wide world to 'share my wisdom' with. But you keep tellin' people how it is, alright?”

“Of course, dear. It was such a pleasure to meet you. Before you go, sweetheart... I think... yes, it's decided. My husband and I have a gift to share with you. Something from which you'll both greatly benefit.”

“Oh... well, okay... that sounds cool... maybe...”

“Hmmm... well, dear. I'd say there's more 'heat' to it than 'cool.'” She winked at Sherry as she spoke. For the first time in her life, Sherry was a little put off by the sexual undertone is someone else's words. “What the hell's she getting at...?”

“I think you're friend will benefit the most. But you dear... I think you'll find this to be quite a blessing as well. Yes... this will be exactly what you both need...”

“Hey... sounds... sounds swell, I guess. Sooo...” Sherry, was getting a bit confused at this point, trying to figure out what she had stumbled into... “Ummm... is this like, some kind of invitation to a sex club or something? 'Cause... I can barely get her to watch an NC-17 film with other people...”

“Dogs in heat...”

“Wha... haaat?”A warm thrill sparked between Sherry's thighs abruptly, as a cold chill shot up her spine. Her voice pitched oddly from the unexpected... but not unpleasant... sensations. She heard Ann inhale sharply, but was too distracted to realize that the same kind of tremor had bolted through her as well.

“Yes, dogs in heat. I think that's absolutely perfect.”

The old woman, Cerina, began to walk away, but turned back briefly, a soft smile curling her lips.

“Your gift will shortly manifest. If there's anything you wish to say, do so now, while language is an option. By the end of this day, you both shall have exactly what you've always truly wanted. You have my word on this.”

And with that, she was gone, waddling over to her car where her husband waited patiently.

The couple drove away, leaving Ann and Sherry to themselves. They both sat for a moment, trembling, trying to both comprehend and recover from what had just happened. They each suspected that the other had felt something, but neither one was sure if they'd felt that same... thrill. And frankly, neither one of them felt comfortable enough to ask. Not even Sherry.

After a few more awkward seconds, Sherry finally broke the silence. "Boy, that old bag really gave me the heebee-jeebees."

Ann nodded in agreement, trying to ignore the hot, flushed feeling that still lingered. "Yeah..." she rasped. "What was that about?"

After that, neither girl spoke much as Sherry cranked her car and exited the parking lot.

[vended]

PART 2

Little was said between the two young women regarding the strange encounter as they started the trip back to Ann's apartment. Both girls were too distracted with the strange... sensations they'd experienced. Sherry wasn't so much concerned about the feelings themselves, so much as what had seemed to trigger them. The fact that it had suddenly sparked up just as that old hag had mentioned "dogs in heat," something about that was unnerving. She tried to understand what could have caused such a strange response, when she finally came to one very simple conclusion; she just needed a good lay. That made sense. She'd always had a healthy sex-drive, and it had been a while since she'd had some action. It seemed her body was just reminding her of what she was missing. At a very peculiar time.

Ann was a bit more disturbed by the whole episode, including the unexpected thrill. She'd hardly been paying attention to Sherry's conversation at all. She was more concerned about the strange old man giving them the evil-eye from his vantage point in the other car. Something about his expression was just plain creepy. He'd made some kind of strange hand gesture... was he waving? And that's when it had hit her... a wave of... something. Arousal? Lust? Pleasure? She wasn't sure what word to use, it felt more powerful than any of those, and shook her to her very core. By the time she'd recovered, the old woman was walking away. The only thing she clearly remembered overhearing, aside from Sherry's wisdom compliment, was something about “dogs in heat.” That stuck with her, but she wasn't really sure why.

As they pulled up to the first red light near the restaurant, Ann settled on the only explanation for the occurrence that her mind could come up with. Reluctantly, she admitted something to herself that she couldn't quite yet say aloud.

Sherry was right. She was horny. Really horny. And she wanted sex, badly.

That was it. Had to be. And with all the public sex-talk... putting images in her head... yeah, that made perfect sense. Her body was just asserting it's own natural desires, and had chosen an odd moment to do so.

The fact that Ann might just be horny wasn't exactly a startling revelation for her. She knew Sherry had a point; sex was a completely normal, healthy thing to want. But it was also an extremely personal thing, especially for her. As close as her and Sherry had gotten, she still couldn't understand that girl's total lack of regard for the intimacy of the experience. Ann didn't just want some random, good time, pump-and-dump fling. She wanted something more.

Yes, right now her body was willing to settle for anything to satisfy that... increasingly persistent... ache. But she knew her heart would regret it later. She wasn't like Sherry, she couldn't go and open herself up like that to just anyone. Even if it left her tense and frustrated... "uptight" as Sherry put it... she'd just have to keep a handle on her desires until the time was right. Her books could serve as something of an outlet until then.

In this way, both girls internally rationalized the entire happening in a way that calmed their nerves sufficiently. As for the old lady and her husband, both of them were completely satisfied with "batshit-crazy" as a perfectly logical explanation. In truth though, neither of them could shake the strange feeling there was something more to it all. But also, neither wanted to acknowledge that to be the case.

After a few more minutes of silence, Sherry was feeling enough like herself again to finally resume her usual chatty persona.

"So, you wanna do something tonight after I get done at the clinic?" she asked, breaking the silence finally.

"I don't know. What'd you have in mind?"

Sherry thought for just a moment, before a pleasant twinge between her legs answered for her.

"Hmmm... I think I want to get some dick tonight."

"Ugh, do you have to phrase it like that?" But despite Ann's protest, she couldn't deny, a certain part of her liked the image.

"I'm not even joking. I'm gettin' me an itch, and I'm about to find a scratchin' post."

"Do you ever run out of euphemisms?"

"I've got a million of 'em babe.” She almost made another animal pun, but considering the odd experience they'd just had, she thought better of it.

“So whadaya say, you in or out? I know all the best bars for gettin' freaky..."

"I don't know, the whole 'bar' thing doesn't really appeal to me. How about we just go see a movie?"

Sherry grunted in a disappointed tone. On any other night, she might have relented to that suggestion. But the moisture pooling between her tingling thighs made it clear... her body wasn't gonna settle for popcorn and a coke tonight.

"Movie? Okay, I know a good one. How about the one where we go out, get tore up, find the two hottest guys we can, and go to freakin' town on 'em!"

"Ugh, Sherry..."

"I hear it's in 3D, you know? Looks like it's coming right at you..."

"Gah, you're terrible..." Ann scolded, even as she couldn't help but laugh at the remark. Again, she quietly admitted to herself, that she kinda liked the imagery.

"Seriously though, how do you ever plan on finding a man if you stay cloistered in your apartment all the time? Or only go to movies with me? You've got to get yourself out there, you know?"

"Yeah... I know. Not tonight though, okay?"

Sherry may have continued pressing harder, if not for that distracting ache. She found her mind wandering to what she'd like to do tonight... and with who. She'd been looking forward to the clinic tonight, but now, all she could think about was getting it out of the way... so she could have her fun.

After a few more minutes, they finally pulled up in front of Ann's apartment. "Well, we're here." Sherry turned to say goodbye to her friend. And that's when she realized something wasn't quite right.

Ann was sitting there, her eyes glazed over, just staring out the passenger side window. "Weird, did she even hear me?"

"Hey, you okay?" No response. Her cheeks were flushed a particular shade of red though. A knowing smile turned the corners of Sherry's mouth as she followed Ann's glassy stare... straight to a particularly cute young man sitting on a bench near the entrance of the building. She looked back at Ann, who was starting to breath heavier. "Oh, wow, I knew there was a caged animal in there. Hmmm, let's see if we can break through that shell just a little."

"He's pretty cute. You should go talk to him. See if he's up for a little bow-chica-wow-wow..."

"Yeah... sure, that..."

Sherry's eyes nearly bugged out at Ann's barely coherent response. "She's really zeored in on that guy. Not even paying me attention!"

She watched, as Ann began to fidget, like she had that day in the cafeteria. She whimpered out a quiet little "uh" as she continued staring at the object of her desire.

"Oh my god! Down girl!"

"Of course, you don't have to talk to him if you don't want. We could always go to Japan. Set you up with some of those crazy sex-tentacles that are all the rage over there."

"Uh huh... wait, what?"

Ann snapped back to awareness to find Sherry giving her the biggest smile she'd ever seen. The outspoken girl raised her hand in a mock salute. "Welcome back to Earth, space cadet!" She glanced over at the guy Ann had been ogling. "Have any exciting... close encounters out there?"

"What? No... no, no. I was just... thinking about... studying..."

"Mmmmm, hmmmm, I know what you were studying..."

"No! Really! I wasn't... you know... he's just over there... that doesn't mean...

"Oh come on Ann! What's the big deal? So you were puddling over some delicious piece of man meat? Do you REALLY think I'm in any position to judge here? It's me!"

"Uh... I know... it's just... I don't want to talk about this. It's personal, okay? Look, I'd better get going. I wanna hang out sometime though. Just, you know, not for that stuff."

"Uuuh, fine. We're not done talking about this though."

"We never are..." Ann reached for the door handle, getting ready to hop out.

"And make that appointment for Bumper already!" Ann couldn't help but smile. It was funny how Sherry went from wild-child to Ms. Serious when it came to animal health.

"I will. Just need a couple more weeks."

"Alright, but don't blame me when he decides to show your leg a good time." Sherry had to fight the temptation to spin off into a dirty joke.

"Yeah, well... at least some part of me would have one," Ann suddenly stated with a goofy smile. "That's what you were thinking, right?

Sherry sat in stunned shock for a moment. It's not that Ann had virtually read her mind, but she'd actually had the nerve to say it! Very, very quietly, but still, she'd said it.

Sherry playfully punched her friend on the shoulder again. "Alriiight! There you go girl! There's hope for you yet..."

Despite the appearance of normality both young women currently maintained, it would soon become apparent that things were anything but normal. As Ann hopped out of the car, waving bye to Sherry, neither of them could have known... this would be their last interaction with each other using words.



__________

Ann lived alone in her small, rent controlled apartment, save for her German Shepherd, Bumper. Her canine companion greeted her happily as she entered.

"Hey Bumper, how are you boy! D'you miss mommy? Yes you did! Yes you did! Yes you... OHHHH BUMPER!"

Her happy greeting turned to aggravation as she spotted the giant wet stain on her carpet. She ceased her playful petting to examine it. "Ugh, I really don't feel like dealing with this right now," she groaned. And with a huff, she plopped down on the couch.

"Awww....BUUUMPER! Oh, you've got to be kidding!" He hadn't just peed on the carpet.

"Awww, geez it stinks! Now I have clean that AND take a shower... uuugh!" She darted to her bedroom, stripping off the tainted clothing and tossing it in the corner. She stood in only her underwear as she rummaged through her clothes, looking for something to change into after showering off. They were a pretty, lacy matching bra and panty combo, a little sexier than what she'd normally buy. Sherry had insisted she get them, and she'd finally done so if only to shut her up. It's not like she was planning to show them off anyway.

She searched for something clean to wear, which shouldn't have been difficult considering she'd just washed clothes. But for some reason, it was taking her forever. She was getting distracted... that smell. The scent of Bumper's accident was drawing her attention, wafting towards her from the damp shirt and jeans she'd just discarded.

"Ugh, has it always been that strong? Geez it stinks..." The smell wasn't the only thing distracting her, though. Her body was still aching for attention. Her mind drifted off as she became more aroused. She found herself leaning against the dresser, instead of searching through it, just enjoying the sensations.

The smell was doing nothing to deter her strangely hyperactive sex-drive. If anything, it was getting stronger. Ann's conscious mind, however, had yet to make any connection between the two.

"RUFF! RUFF!" She was startled from her revelry by the sound of Bumper barking excitedly. He'd followed her into her room, intrigued by a new scent he was smelling... from her.

"God, Bumper, you scared the crap out of me." She spun to face her dog, preparing to drive him out of her room. Considering his recent behavior, the last thing she wanted was for him to start peeing in here too.

Something stopped her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but... he seemed different now. He looked... better... somehow? Healthier, maybe? She looked at him curiously, trying to figure it out.

It wasn't just his appearance. There was something about his behavior. Those excited little yips... his body language... it was all so, interesting... for some reason. It was like he was trying to tell her something, send her some kind of message. She had the strangest feeling... she could almost get it... somehow...

He yipped again, louder this time. And suddenly, her body got the message loud and clear. Her privates trembled unexpectedly, her already damp panties now becoming drenched. Her knees began to wobble.

"Uuuhhh... what...?" She shook and shuddered as she stood there watching him. The signals she was getting seemed to bypass her conscious mind, wiring directly into some baser instinct she didn't even know she had.

The scent coming from her had Bumper's full attention, bringing forth a side of him that had only recently matured. Ann watched in a daze as his canine phallus began to emerge. Her knees began to weaken, and she fell back against the dresser, propping herself up weakly with her hands.

"Guuughhh...." Ann gasped as she leaned back, trying to clear her head. It wasn't working. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. Her hips bucked suddenly as she watched him, trying to summon the will to look away. She let out an astonished whimper, gripping the edge of the dresser to steady her shaking body. It happened again; a quick, unexpected little thrust, almost against her will. It was a strangely automatic motion, triggered seemingly in response to the sight of...

"Guh... huh... huh..." Without thinking, Ann began to jerk her hips rapidly. She let out small, raspy gasps of pleasure, lightning bolts of pure sexual thrill streaking through her privates with each motion. Her hair stood on end as goosebumps rose on her flesh, and she felt her legs getting weaker.

She bent her knees slightly, preparing to drop to all fours as she began to lose control. Her scent was getting even stronger.

Finally, Bumper made his move. He suddenly lunged forward, sticking his nose directly in her crotch. The scent that had him so intrigued... it was coming... from right... there...

The sensation that rolled through Ann's privates was nearly overwhelming. Yet she summoned all her strength to remain standing, her shy, conservative self suddenly revolted by her body's reactions to... her dog.

Ann wasn't the cussing type, but right now, she wasn't feeling too concerned with manners.

"Oh... god... what the fuck... am I doing?!" With a strength she didn't know she possessed, Ann violently pushed Bumper away, trying to clear her head and get a grip on the situation before... before things got really out of control.

Gasping for breath, and utterly mortified at her own behavior, she wobbled past her dog and out the door of her bedroom. She heard him whimper as he started to follow.

"Urrr... Bumperrr... STAY!!" she shouted. Bumper cowered, confused by the mixed signals he was getting. She smelled ready... but she wasn't acting ready. His simple, instinctual mind resonated with a thought that was essentially the doggy equivalent of "what gives?"

Ann was thinking the same thing herself, but for completely different reasons. She'd never felt anything this strong before. Not for a man, and certainly not for a dog! She stumbled over to the bathroom across the hall, planning to splash some water on her face to clear her head. It wasn't working... her bathroom smelled. Bumper had relieved himself against the toilet at some point during the day, in an ironic case of "close, but no cigar."

Her head began to spin as her nose was filled with the pungent aroma. An aroma that she suddenly realized, didn't seem as gross as it had just a few minutes earlier.

"Uuuhh... what the hell... what the hell is this?" She splashed her face again, trying desperately to regain control. "What the hell is wrong with me? I've never acted like this before. Maybe... maybe this is some kind of weird... psycho-sexual disorder or something. Maybe I am bottling things up too much."

Her entire body tingled. She couldn't concentrate. The smell was overpowering, calling forth that need she was trying so hard to deny. "Guh... why can't I get a handle on this? He's a fucking dog!"

She stumbled out of the bathroom now, trying to get away from that smell. Bumper was still sitting in her bedroom, eying her with an intent, but confused look. She could see he was still ready to go... and her body quivered noticeably.

Had she been thinking clearly, she might have reached forward and shut the bedroom door, locking Bumper inside. Had she been thinking clearly, she might not have turned and wandered back toward the living room in a futile attempt to escape the scent that was clouding her judgment. And had she been thinking clearly, she might not have allowed herself to inhale so deeply upon remembering the pee-stains she'd never gotten a chance to clean.

Ann was not thinking clearly.

Rolling heat shuddered through her nether regions as the scent filled her surprisingly sensitive nostrils. She tried to cover her nose with her hand to shield herself, but it was no use. She shambled forward on shaky legs, her mind reeling from desires she could neither understand nor deny. Overwhelmed, she collapsed to her knees beside her couch, her right arm draped over the side to keep her from falling out completely in the floor.

Her body began to tremble, ever so slightly, a strange sense of numbness setting in. She knew something had to be terribly wrong, but she couldn't think straight. Instead, her mind dwelt on the intoxicating scent that permeated her apartment. It was more than just a smell, there was something else to it. It was like another message, something her senses were just on the verge of getting. With another whiff... and another unwanted jolt of pleasure... something in her mind clicked. Suddenly, she understood the message.

"....His territory... this belongs to him..." Her head swam with the certainty of the knowledge. It wasn't so much a thought, so much as it was just a simple fact that her mind understood to be true. Bumper had marked it, and therefore, it was his.

Her body shuddered suddenly. The numbness she'd felt before changed. It became a strange, rippling sensation, passing over her skin and... deeper. She knew, somehow, something was about to happen. But she couldn't understand what.

She heard Bumper approaching from down the hall, happily trotting towards her.

"Bu...bumperrrr... starrry... arrrway..." She couldn't muster the strength to yell again, her privates were crying out in glee for his approach. Her voice wavered strangely.

Her front door opened suddenly. Her mind was addled pretty bad, but she thought for sure she'd locked the door. "What?! No! Oh god! Please, no one can see me like this! Who the hell..."

Her blood nearly ran cold when the old man from the restaurant walked in, looking her over with a stern glare as if she were the intruder in his home. He closed the door behind him, and continued watching without a word.

"Wharrt... what arrre you... doingrrrr..." "What the fuck is wrong with my voice?! Why is this guy here?!" She started trying to rise back to her feet, pushing against the couch with her right hand, but simply couldn't muster the strength.

Then, she felt it. Bumper's cold nose, pressed against her backside, trying to drink in her scent as he had before. What little strength she held onto drained from her, and she gave up on trying to stand.

Something... something really was not right with her thinking. She knew that as she looked upon her uninvited guest. Here she was, crouching on her floor, in nothing but her underwear. Caught in a state of intense sexual distress, a clearly aroused German Shepherd sniffing at her most private areas. The humiliation should be pushing her to action. She should be running to her bedroom, or yelling for help, or... something.

Instead, she was leaning forward. Exposing her rear to Bumper.

"Oh god... this... this isn't right. Get up, Ann. Get up!" She couldn't do this. Not this... this most personal, intimate act... with some animal, while this strange man was watching?

"Grrr....errr..whrrrat's wrrrroong... wrrrrith...mrrreeee... arrrooogh!"

Her body spasmed violently, causing her to lose her grip on the couch and drop fully to her hands and knees. The rippling she felt before intensified, settling into her body and seeming to pass through into her bones. Bumper backed off a moment, sensing something unusual was happening.

Her mouth hung open as the sensations washed over her. "Uuurrr... ggrrrr..." She could feel it, her body twisting and pulling. Not painfully... but forcefully. Her hands began to cramp, and she watched as they began to change.

Her well manicured nails began to lengthen, her fingers pulling back into her hand as they thickened slightly. Her thumbs shrank and shriveled, losing mobility as both hands began to stretch. She turned her right hand over, sensing something happening to the palm. It was turning black, the skin becoming leathery and tough. A small layer of fuzz sprouted on the backs of her now misshapen hands. It was black, similar to the fur on Bumper's body. Dog's fur.

Ann looked on in stunned fascination, unsure if what she was seeing could be real. The rippling sensation settled on her stomach, and she reflexively clutched at it with one of her shifting hands. Her fingers didn't want to move right, but she could feel something on her belly.

She looked down her body, trembling, as bumps began to form down her abdomen. Two neatly aligned rows, starting just below her breasts and becoming more pronounced by the second.

"Oh god... teats... dogs teats!" She looked back up at the old man, as cold and unmoving as a statue while he watched events unfold. "Yrrrou... dirrrrd... thirrrrss... "

"... Dogs in heat... "

Her body shook at the phrase her mind suddenly conjured up. No, she hadn't conjured it... she'd remembered it. The old woman... his wife... Ann had barely heard it, but she'd said it, just as...

"Nrrro... whrry? Stoorrrp thirrrs... pleeearse..."

"... I told you about using that word..."

Sherry's words echoed through her mind as a thin pelt of black and brown fur began to coat her skin.

"Oh god, Sherry! If this is happening to me... then what...?"

Her thoughts were interrupted as Bumper pressed his nose against her once again. Apparently, he'd decided that whatever was happening, wasn't as important as what he needed to do now.

Ann shuddered, a powerful tremor running down her spine. The sensation traveled lower, centering on a point just above her butt, where it morphed into a feeling of intense pressure. Suddenly, she could feel the back of her panties being pushed up, as a long, furry tail emerged from her body.

“Errrgg... orrh... gorrrd... nooorrr... " The tail twitched and wagged almost with a mind of it's own, pushing it's way out from beneath her underwear and hanging over the back as it reached it's full length in a matter of seconds.

With the emergence of her tail, Bumper caught a fresh whiff of Ann's new scent from beneath her underwear. That was it. It was time for this dog to have his day.

A moment later, she felt him upon her, his weight pressing her down closer to the floor. Before her mind could protest, her body responded with resounding approval. As he awkwardly hunched against her, she found herself arching her back against her will. Bumper was trying frantically to position himself, and she couldn't stop herself from responding in kind. She found herself shifting her own posture and wiggling her hips, some carnal force compelling her to guide him. In the midst of this instinctual act, Ann gazed up at the old man watching her.

She'd never felt such shame before. This unwelcome stranger, taking in every moment of her display. Half naked... engaging in this perverted act... either one of these things by themselves would have been more than she could normally bear. Just the thought of being caught like this... under her own will, she would have never even started this, let alone continued as someone watched.

She wanted to bolt from the room, more than she had wanted to that day in the cafeteria. More than she had wanted to on many other occasions when she'd been embarrassed by far less.

And then she felt Bumper's canine member press against her through her panties.

Her body lurched forward with his weight as he began jerking his hips repeatedly in that age-old, carnal act. Without meaning to, Ann felt her hips respond, bucking of their own accord. Her mouth fell open as she fell into a rhythm, trying to complete the primal act. Her panties were in the way, blocking his entrance to her body. Part of her was thankful... an increasingly shrinking part of her.

She saw... and felt... her arms and legs beginning to thin out, the proportions shifting ever so slightly. As Bumper humped against her, her tongue lolled out, suddenly too large for her mouth.

"Arrr...urrrght..." Whatever she was trying to say was lost in the garbled sounds that emerged from her throat. She felt her teeth becoming sharper, and saw the tip of her nose darkening just on the edge of her vision.

There was a pressure on her hips now... not from Bumper, but from within her own body. She could feel her hips collapsing... narrowing... and as a result, her panties ceased to fit properly. She realized, in a moment of dread, they were slipping down.

This should have been the wake-up call. The red flag that sent her screaming from the room, begging for help, even if nothing had before. Her actual response was nothing of the sort.

With a sudden surge of lust, Ann threw herself more fervently into the act. Wriggling her hips, trying to remove the obstruction. The one thing that was preventing her from fulfilling her bodies desire, and Bumper's. The underwear slid down further, ever so slightly... and then, she felt it. Pressed against her bare body. She wasn't quite exposed enough just yet, just enough to feel him. Hard. Ready.

She froze, a shred of he woman she'd been suddenly screaming in revulsion. She realized in a flash, just how far she'd slipped, and tried desperately to back peddle from the situation.

"Arrrght...urrrght...rrooff!" She startled herself with the sounds, surprised at how far her own voice had degenerated. "Oh, god... I can't... make... that... now..." Her head was getting foggy. The words that evaded her throat were fleeing from her mind as well. She knew she didn't want this. But she wasn't in control.

Bumper continued humping against her, not comprehending what was interfering with his conquest.

Ann's body shuddered again, as more changes rippled through her. She felt a pressure on her chest, and she dropped her head to see her tender, pert, and now fuzzy breasts begin to fade. "Arrrghth!!!!" She whimpered, recognizing that she was losing a definitive part of her womanhood... of her humanity. But she couldn't turn the tide now. Soon, she felt the cups of her bra loosening, hanging empty as the once generous mounds retreated from them, leaving only her sensitive nipples alongside the other six that had formed.

There was a another sudden surge within her privates, even more powerful than the untamed urges she'd been experiencing up to now. A spasm... not an orgasm. Something... more intense. With a heave, her tender snatch suddenly twisted and squirmed, pushing itself backwards as it did.

"ARRRRRRGHHH! ARRRRWWWOOO!!" Ann howled with the indescribable sensation, her body jolted with a fresh wave of canine lust. Her vision blurred as need like she had never known overtook her.

She began to buck her hips with wild abandon. Nothing else mattered now. The unnatural situation, the old man watching, her own sense of privacy regarding this act... in the face of this primal need, none of these were important. All that mattered was this... she was in heat, and Bumper was a willing mate.

The blue, lacy panties slid further down, and finally, Bumper had full access to the part of her he sought the most. She felt him as he slipped inside, the knot pushing into her. The last remnant of her weak human resolve faded, and she whined.

The old man watched as the once shy girl began the mating act proper, sealing her fate as the animal she'd become. The last vestiges of her humanity faded as her face pushed into a muzzle, her ears reforming into points as they moved slightly up her head. Her hair was fading, receding into her scalp to match the fur that now covered her.

She and Bumper barked and whined as they grew closer to completing the mating act. They were stunned for a moment by a loud, obnoxious, bang against the wall.

"Hey, control your damn dogs already!" The pair gave little heed to the request, resuming the act with increased gusto.

The stern-looking man observed the final moments of Ann's transition. All that remained of her former self was the bra that hung loosely from her shoulders, and the panties that were now pooled around her hind paws.

Her telephone began to ring, but Ann was in no position to answer, or even care. Six rings later, the machine finally picked up, and Ann's formerly lovely voice responded to the caller. "Hi, this is Ann. I'm not able to take your call right now, but leave your name and number and I'll get back to you."

BEEP.

"Ann? It's Sherry. Hey, listen... this is gonna sound kind of crazy, but... something weird is going on. I... I don't know if I can explain it on the phone. Just give me a call and let me know you're okay. Alright... what?"

There was a loud bang, followed by the sound of barking in the background.

"Oh... shit... Becky, you furcking... stupirrrrd... grrraarrgh!"

The line went dead, cutting off whatever Sherry had been trying to say. Not that it mattered. Ann was occupied with other matters... and far beyond understanding the message at this point.

The old man listened to the message, hardly moving a muscle. Soon, this girl's friend would join her. It was only a matter of time.

[vended]

PART 3

"Grrrr..." Sherry growled, her lip curling back into a beastial snarl.

“Ughrrrrrr...." She inhaled and exhaled in a quick, steady rhythm, her eyes fixed on the site in front of her.

“Rrrr...rah, ah come on already! Who set the freakin' timer on this light!"

The traffic light on the corner of Lumpkin and Jackson had screwed Sherry over more than once, giving only a precious ten second gap to make a left turn. No turn arrow, just ten short seconds to find an opening. The stupid long red/short green light interval created a virtually never-ending line of oncoming traffic waiting to cross the intersection, particularly during the busiest parts of the day. In order to make the left turn, the only viable option was for a car to pull into the intersection until the light turned red again, forcing oncoming traffic to let them go. The end result was that typically, only one car per green light was able to make the turn. Maybe two if someone really gunned it.

"Damn it, I'm gonna be late again! Shit, I was really trying to make a good impression.

"Ugh, people and their freakin' rules..." She grumbled to herself, thinking fondly back to the days when she didn't give a flying fuck about little things like punctuality.

As she waited impatiently for traffic to creep forward, she found herself struggling with a particularly annoying bout of cognitive dissonance. She always prided herself on being her own person, having control over her own destiny. Yet here she was, letting other people's expectations stress her out even as she pursued her own dream. To get what she wanted, she had to put herself at the mercy of others. It seemed to fly in the face who she was.

She'd had this conversation with Ann many times before, when she wasn't looking for new ways to make her friend cringe. She liked the idea of working with animals. But obnoxious, needy, controlling people... not so much. If she could ever find some way to get the one without the other, she'd snatch up the opportunity in a heartbeat. But she had to be realistic, there was no way to separate the two. She'd almost let herself, and others, talk her out of pursuing her goal altogether for this very reason.

Before she met Ann, everyone who knew her always gave her the same routine. "Oh, so you want to work with animals because they're nicer than people? Well silly goose, those animals have owners, you'll have to deal with them you know! You want to do that, you gotta straighten up and do what others say! Too bad, that's just reality." It never made her want to "straighten up" though. If anything, it just made her more defiant, to the point of throwing away her dream altogether. If she couldn't do it on her terms, then she wouldn't do it at all.

And then along came Ann. She helped Sherry see things differently, without deriding her or making her feel stupid. She thought back to that conversation with her friend years before. The one that had completely changed her outlook on the situation.



__________

"I just don't want others telling me what to do all the time, you know?" complained Sherry.

Ann nodded, but seemed reluctant to agree. "Yeah... I mean, I get that. But... you kind of are anyway, you know?"

"....And... just how do you figure that?"

"Well... I mean... it kinda seems like... you're going to walk away from what you want just because of other people. So... you're letting them stop you from doing what you want before you even start... you know?"

Sherry sat stunned for several awkward seconds. Not once had she ever thought of it like that before.

Poor, nervous Ann took Sherry's silence the wrong way, thinking she'd just insulted the one person she'd managed to make friends with. She was already in the middle of formulating an anxious apology when Sherry suddenly blurted out...

"Holy shit... you're right! See, THAT'S why you gotta start talking more! You actually say shit that makes sense!"



__________

That conversation had proven to be one of the defining moments of Sherry's life, and her friendship with Ann. Sherry knew at that moment, Ann was the first person who really "got" her. Everyone else always tried to make her conform, and just ended up sucking the life out of her. But Ann spoke to Sherry in a way that... actually SPOKE to Sherry. Instead of trying to squelch the nonconformist inside of her, she used it to motivate her. This tactic, combined with a healthy dose of mom-like nagging, had brought Sherry to where she was today. If it hadn't been for Ann, she'd have given up on this whole vet thing long ago.

Now, unfortunately, that option was looking more appealing. She watched the clock tick by two... now three minutes passed the time she was supposed to be at the clinic, still waiting for two cars ahead of her to make that blasted turn. The pressure of knowing other people would count this against her... just absolutely grated on her now frayed nerves.

It wasn't just her tardiness that made her want to run away though. She shifted in her seat awkwardly, her attention drawn to yet another source of... frustration. It had been there ever since her lunch with Ann... that sweet but oh, so distracting throb between her legs. Her sex drive had always been a bit on the over-active side, at least by some people's standards. But today, it was verging on out of control. Sitting in traffic like this was giving her nothing but time to dwell on her desires. And the longer she dwelt on them, the more she just wanted to skip this stupid internship and just... find someone... anyone...

"Shit, I'm already late anyway. I could call in... then hit the town... see if anyone's up for a little... oooooww, hellooo..."

The fit, attractive man strolling through the crosswalk would have gotten Sherry's juices flowing even on a normal day. Today, though... it took nearly all her willpower to keep from jumping out of the car and offering her body right there.

"Ohhh, lordy... that's one juicy piece of man-meat. And his friend's not too bad either..."

She furrowed her brow in surprise, suddenly registering a major problem with that last thought. The young man's "friend" that she'd just noticed... was the male Golden Retriever he was taking for an afternoon walk.

She jerked her eyes back to the road, trying to ignore the warm surge of heat that she'd just felt. She pretended to herself that she wasn't the least bit shaken, that the sensation had obviously been triggered totally by that handsome guy... and nothing else whatsoever. As far as she was concerned, that last thought had never even gone through her mind. And it most certainly had nothing to do with the words of that weird old lady from just a little while ago...

"... Dogs in heat... "

She tried to throw a mental wall around this new and more disturbing bout of cognitive dissonance, and settled on ignoring the freakish occurrence as her preferred resolution. Even as the incident reminded her of the strange old woman's words, she decided that her hormones were just in overdrive, and reacting to that man...

He was still there, off to the side, continuing on down the sidewalk. Feeling a little settled now, she allowed her eyes to drift back in his direction.

"Mmmmm, yeah... that absolutely gorgeous... sexy... delicious... little furry hunk of..."

Sherry always thought of herself as fairly open minded... but now she put her mind on lock down. She simply would not allow herself to even acknowledge where her mind was trying to go. As far as she was concerned, it hadn't even happened... and it wasn't GOING to happen. Even as her hips gave an involuntary jerk from that last glimpse she'd caught, she forced the image from her mind and focused on the task at hand. Suddenly, spending the next few hours at work seemed like a welcome distraction from... whatever it was that was messing with her head right now.

Had she been thinking a bit more clearly, she might have seen the problem working at a veterinary clinic might pose, considering the peculiar way she was suddenly thinking. At the moment, she had no real inkling of what these strange new thoughts were heralding. If she had, she most certainly would have given more consideration to that "skipping work" idea from before.

Finally it was her chance to make the turn. She was only about thirty seconds away from the clinic now, she probably could have walked there and back to her car more than once in the time it took to get through that one intersection. She dared not glance away from the road, and instead focused on blaming her over-active sex drive for her strange behavior. She only allowed one thought to run through her mind...

"When this shifts over, I've GOT to get laid. I'm getting just a little too worked up..."

Calling on the full power of her resolve, Sherry shoved the urges down. She took several deep breaths as she drove, trying to steady herself for the next few hours of work. By the time she pulled into the parking lot, she was certain she'd gotten a firm handle on herself.


__________

The smell of the clinic hit Sherry like a bomb going off in her nose as soon as she opened the door. After being there for several months, she'd have thought she was used to it by now, but apparently not. The various scents that assaulted her all at once... they seemed stronger today... and somehow different. She inhaled deeply, trying to figure out what it was...

"There you are!" Becky chirped at the flustered, puzzled looking young woman. She couldn't help but notice how flushed Sherry's cheeks appeared to be. "You alright? You look like you're upset."

"Ugh, it's just been a long day. I just... you know... had some stuff... uuuhh..." Her words were interrupted by another unexpected twinge of arousal. She thought she'd gotten this under control before she walked into the clinic, but now the crude desires surged again, even stronger than before. Her moist privates felt like they were melting.

Suddenly she remembered she'd been talking, and Becky was still waiting for her to finish her thought. "Uhhhh... just, rough day, like I said. And then I got caught at that stupid light again..."

"Oh my god, they so need a turn arrow there. You know, I heard you've still got like a thirty second grace period after the light turns red. It's like a law in some states. Not sure about this one though."

Sherry could only stare in disbelief at Becky. Sometimes, she couldn't believe the things that came out of that girls mouth. "Uh, wha...?"

"Holy crap, is she talking about what I think she is?"

"Yeah, thirty seconds. Or maybe it was twenty? I don't know, it was on some radio thing."

Sherry knew exactly what "radio thing" Becky meant. She knew, because she'd listened to the same one. The DJ's on the local radio morning show were complaining about bad drivers, and people who didn't seem to know what traffic lights are for. The bit about "grace periods" was simply a smart-ass remark about how some people ignore when the light turns red. The girl was quoting sarcasm as fact, and didn't even know it.

"Oh my god, this girl has the IQ of cabbage..."

"I'm not sure they meant... like... " Sherry intended to explain to Becky why she was an idiot... without actually calling her one, of course. She'd learned to be a bit more tactful than she'd been in high school. But the smell that permeated the clinic today... god, she was certain it was different. Between that, and the constant dull throb between her thighs... Sherry could hardly concentrate on anything.

"... I think that they were being... like... uuugghh... whatever, isn't your shift about over?"

"Huh? Oh crap, yeah I was supposed to be out like ten minutes ago! Ha! Oh my gosh, I did it again! I'd better get going. I think Dr. Reynolds wanted you to help with something, he's in... um... oh, exam room three!

"Surprised he's not in the back plowing Ashley again. Those two go at it like rabbits every chance they get."

She took another unintentional whiff of air as Becky gathered her belongings scattered around the front desk. "Ah, geez, why does everything smell weird today? I hope I'm not getting sick..."

"Well, I gotta run, see ya!"

"Okay, see you later." Sherry replied as Becky started to prance out the door. The girl was just a few years older, and a full fledged veterinary technician, not just an intern like Sherry. And yet for the life of her, Sherry still couldn't figure out what the hell Becky actually did around here.

At any rate, she didn't have time to worry about it right now. She was already late, Dr. Reynolds was probably wondering where the hell she was by now, so she needed to get to exam room three pronto.

The scent of medicine and animals was getting stronger to her nostrils as she made her way down the hall to the exam room. On the plus side, Becky's somewhat... misguided assertions had taken Sherry's mind off of her own strange behavior, at least a little. Though her body still ached with the need for some good, old fashioned, down and dirty...

"Focus, you dumb bitch, focus!" Sherry internally scolded herself. "You're already off to a bad start today, just get it together and do whatever they need you to do. Then you can go work this out of your system, sound good?" The internal Sherry happily agreed with herself as she reached the exam room. She practically flung the door open, ready to be the happy, helpful, eager to learn intern that she needed to be right now.

"Hi Dr. Reynolds, sorry I'm laaaaaa..." The sight in front of her sent her reeling. Her mouth dropped open, as a wave of hot, churning sexual need rocked her body. Her already moist womanhood practically drenched itself now, and she steadied herself against the door frame to take some of the load off of her suddenly weakened knees.

There in front of her, was her boss, Dr. Mike Reynolds, along with another veterinary tech named Ashley. She'd known they had a thing for each other for quite some time. Everyone did. In fact, it was practically common knowledge that the two of them had snuck off to have their little flings all over the clinic. No one had ever caught them in the act though.

Sherry would have been far more at ease with her body's reaction, had that been what she walked in on. Unfortunately, it wasn't. There they were, both fully clothed in their vet scrubs, giving an innocent and completely routine examination... to one of the most... healthy looking male Rottweiler's Sherry had ever laid eyes on.

It was Max, one of the dogs a local family had boarded with the clinic while they were on vacation for a couple of weeks. Along with his brother Jumbo, Max was being kept in the kennel out back. Today, though, they were getting their shots, something the family had asked to be taken care of while they were away.

"Sherry! We'd just about given up on you today. I went ahead and got Ashley to help with Max's examination. We were just finishing up his shots..." Dr. Reynolds trailed off as he noticed Sherry, staring at Max with a surprised, yet somehow vacant, expression.

"Um... you okay?"

Sherry had to pull on every ounce of willpower she could muster to respond to her boss's simple question.

"Uh... yeah... yeah! I'm fine... just tired, sorry." Her voice was shaky as she spoke, and she was breathing like she'd just run a marathon. She forced her eyes away from Max, trying to ignore him... and his suddenly much stronger scent.

"Okay, you just seem a little out of sorts."

"Yeah, I know... sorry. It's been a rough day... I'm alright though.

"Alright, well, in that case, do me a favor and run Max back down to the kennel. He's all done here."

Sherry's body cried out "yes," but her mind was screaming "no!" The way her body was reacting to this animal... it was becoming all too apparent that something was terribly wrong. Being horny was one thing, but this... this was definitely not normal.

"Yeah... okay, sure. I'll take care of it," she said weakly, feeling extremely uneasy about having to handle this... distinctly male animal just now. Still, she couldn't just not do her job, just because her body had decided to have some kind of inexplicable meltdown. With a click, the doctor clipped the leash around Max's collar, holding it out to Sherry expectantly. She took it with a shaky hand, trying not to let her reluctance... and her other feelings... show through.

"Okay, come on boy. Let's... let's get you... back... locked up, alright?" She said, trying to sound normal as she went about her assigned task.

"Oh, and one other thing," added Reynolds. "While you're in there, do me a favor and check the cages. You know, just make sure the other dogs are secure. Becky fed them earlier, and... well, you know Becky. Just make sure she locked everything up, okay?"

"Yeah, sure, I will." With a tug, Sherry was quickly leading Max out of the room, and down the hall towards the kennel.

"Does she seem a little off to you today?" Dr. Reynolds asked his assistant bluntly.

"Who knows? Probably broke up with a boyfriend or something." Replied Ashley, not terribly concerned about Sherry's odd behavior. She was far more interested in something else at the moment. "So, now that we're alone... we've got a little time before the next appointment is scheduled. You wanna... do some stuff?" She smiled, pressing herself against the doctor suggestively.

“Hmmm, what'd you have in mind?"

Ashley cut her eyes at him playfully. "Take a wild guess..."



__________

Sherry moved purposefully down the hallway towards the kennel in the back, doing her best to avoid paying Max any attention whatsoever. It wasn't easy. Aside from him being a fairly large dog, Sherry could also smell him... intensely. Everything smelled stronger, but him especially... the scent was a constant reminder that he was right there. She tried to ignore the pleasant but completely unwanted shudders coming from her now dripping sex as she hurried along, practically dragging poor Max with her. Sherry was normally far more gentle with the animals she worked with. But right now, she just needed to complete this task as quickly as she could. And then hopefully, she could get her head together and get herself under control.

"What the fuck, girl? Get it together!" She caught sight of the employee bathroom as they passed by it, getting an idea.

"Okay, I'll drop Max off, then I'll just hit the restroom and... take care of this, privately. Shouldn't take too long, just work out the tension and then get back to work."

It wasn't the first time Sherry had ducked away for a quick auto-erotic romp, especially on days when she was in a bad mood and needed a pick-me-up. She'd never done it here though. Here, she was actually happy about what she was doing. Usually, she was so focused on pursuing her dreams that even her hyperactive hormones didn't distract her... much. It seemed that today, though, she'd have to make an exception. Considering what Ashley and Mike were probably up to at the moment, she wasn't going to give herself any grief over this. Tonight was just too far away... she needed to get some relief, now.

She was still trying not to acknowledge what had triggered such blatant lust as she approached the door to the kennel. But it was getting harder to pretend that this was just an average case of being horny. And as she stumbled through the door leading into the kennel, it became damn near impossible.

The smell hit her like a freight train as the door clanged shut behind her. There were two other dogs currently boarded with the clinic. One was a three year old female Collie named Princess. She was here for grooming, and had been spayed some time ago. Sherry gave her little thought, but her eyes were immediately drawn to the Rottweiler in the cage across from her. Max's brother, Jumbo.

A wave of dizziness hit her, accompanied by yet another surge of carnal need between her legs. The leash slipped from her hand, her eyes widening as she had a disturbing realization.

Up until now, she'd regarded the unusually strong odor coming off of Max as an annoyance. A distracting irritation unrelated to her body's strange behavior. But now, assaulted by the scent of two males at once, she realized, this wasn't just some coincidental oddity. The smell of these dogs... it was fueling her arousal!

"What... the fuck...?" She wobbled, leaning to brace one hand against the nearby wall as she tried to process what was happening. She could smell all three of the dogs at once, but could also distinguish their individual scents. Her body gave no reaction to the Collie... but Jumbo and Max... her legs began to tremble as her knees grew weaker. God, it was as if she could actually smell their maleness.

She hadn't realized it, but her body had begun giving off it's own scent, which was now affecting her companion. She heard a soft whimpering sound; Max had stayed next to her, even after she dropped his leash. She looked down at him, seeing him eye her with a certain... interest. His scent changed sharply, and Sherry almost collapsed from the signal that it sent her. She didn't understand how, but deep down, some primal part of her understood... she'd caught his interest, as a potential mate.

She fought with all her strength not to drop to the floor as her legs felt like they were melting into jelly. It wasn't just Max's scent. His body language was changing. The way he was trying to sniff at her, the excited little yip he gave, his increasingly impatient shuffling... she'd seen this behavior before. Even without the strange signal she was somehow getting from his scent... she knew. And if it hadn't already been clear enough, the sight of his canine member slowly emerging from it's sheath left little room for doubt.

She stood for a moment, mesmerized, as pure animal instinct began to override her rational thinking mind. She was only vaguely aware as her knees began to bend... this male... she needed... to present herself...

Sherry gasped as she suddenly realized where her body was taking her.

"Oh... OH HELL NO!" Summoning all her will, Sherry forced the unnatural urges away. She bent down just enough to grab Max's leash, and pulled him toward the cages with even more force than she'd used before. She had to get this dog locked away from her before she did the unthinkable...

With shaky hands, she retrieved the key from the nearby hook, undid the lock to Max's cage, and swung the door open. He didn't seem too excited to get in though. He seemed far more interested in the smell coming from between Sherry's legs. She nearly doubled over when he turned suddenly, sticking his nose right into her privates.

"UUrrrrh... oh... god...!" She nearly dropped the keys at the feel of his muzzle pressed against her, nothing separating them but the denim of her jeans and the thin panties underneath.

"Urrr... oh, fuck Max... get... urrrgh... get in there!" Using her foot, she finally managed to shoo Max into his cage. She was really trying not to be too rough with him. But it was either that, or... something else.

Finally, she managed to slam the door to the cage shut, securing the lock with her trembling fingers. Stepping away, she returned the key to it's hook, and then leaned against the wall, trying to steady her heavy breathing and pounding heart. There was another door just past the cages, a large glass door which served as a rear exit from the clinic. Her earlier plan to retreat into the restroom no longer seemed sufficient. She needed to get away from this freaking smell! The whole clinic was covered in the scent of dogs, her only shot at relief was fresh air.

Pulling herself together, Sherry headed for the exit, trying to ignore Max's frustrated whimpers, and the response her body tried to give. If she could just get outside for a minute, maybe she could clear her head. If it was secluded enough out back, maybe she could even... relieve her tension as she'd planned.

Her new plan came to a crashing halt as she pushed the bar to open the door... only to discover it was locked. "Arh, fuck it! Are yrou kidding mre..." Her voice cracked as she blurted out her frustration.

Utterly exhausted from her efforts to fight her own urges, she leaned her head against the door, trying to get herself under control. She couldn't go back to work out in the main clinic, not like this. There would be more dogs out there, and the whole building reeked of them. If she couldn't get a handle on this now...

She reconsidered her earlier idea about the bathroom, but that option seemed increasingly insufficient. As she took in the odors coming from the two dogs, she became increasingly concerned. She needed to get out of here. Away from the clinic, completely, until she figured out what was wrong. As much as she hated it, she knew she had only one real option.

"I'm sick. That's what I'll say. I'll just tell them I'm not feeling good, then go home. It happens to everyone. It's not like I'm perfect or..."

"ARF!" Her train of thought was interrupted by the barking from one of the cages behind her. Jumbo seemed to be getting worked up now, along with his brother. Without thinking, Sherry took an involuntary whiff of the air... and caught his scent... it was changing in the same way she'd noticed Max's had. A fresh wave of need rocked her body, and she braced against the locked door with both hands... it seemed his interest had been roused as well. She kept her eyes focused on the empty parking area outside through the glass, trying not to look at the animals her body seemed to crave.

"This is fucking STUPID! Damn it, they're fucking dogs! What the hell is wrong...?"

Her blood ran cold, as her mind offered up the answer she'd been avoiding. She'd known since this afternoon, deep down... there was something about that old woman's words to her.

"... Dogs in heat... "

Reality came crashing down on her. This wasn't a coincidence. There had to be a connection to this and that crazy old bat from earlier. But how could she make Sherry act like this, with just a few simple words? It didn't make sense, was it some kind of hypnosis maybe? Was that even possible? Apparently so, considering how she'd been behaving. If that was it, maybe it would wear off soon? Ann always told her she was suggestible...

"Ann..."

Sherry's own predicament seemed suddenly unimportant, as another realization set in. The old woman's words... she hadn't said dog, she'd said dogs. Plural. And she'd specifically called Ann out... something about “benefiting from her gift...”

Sherry's concern intensified as she recalled dropping Ann at her apartment She'd been acting different... completely out of character.

"Holy shit... Ann!" With a lightning quickness, Sherry snatched her phone from her pocket. Was Ann going through this too?

"Shit, if I'm this shaken up, poor Ann's probably having a nervous breakdown!" She found Ann's cell number in her contact list, and pressed dial. Her fingers felt stiff as she fumbled with the touch screen, but she gave it little thought. She had more pressing concerns.

"The person you are trying to call has a voice mailbox that has not been set up yet.... "

Sherry groaned in aggravation. "Geez Ann, why have a cell if you're not even gonna use it?! Set up the freakin' voice mail at least..." She fumbled through her contacts again, this time finding the number for Ann's land line in her apartment. "Should have known to try this first."

As she waited for Ann to pick up, she could still feel her body calling out for her to find some way to fill it's cravings. But for now, her concern for her best friend had taken precedence. She could hear both Max and Jumbo, jumping against their cage doors. "Hmmm... the hypnosis thing doesn't really explain what's up with them..."

She didn't have time to worry about that though, as her call finally got a response. ""Hi, this is Ann. I'm not able to take your call right now, but leave your name and number and I'll get back to you."

Sherry rolled her eyes. Of course she had to get the stupid machine now. Considering how Ann had been acting earlier, she had probably zoned out with a book... or... "Oh hell... Bumper... no way, not Ann... "

BEEP

Sherry fumbled for words, trying to figure out what to say. There was still a chance this was all somehow in her head, and she didn't want to sound crazy or perverted. Well, more perverted than she normally did, at least.

"Ann? It's Sherry. Hey, listen... this is gonna sound kind of crazy, but... something weird is going on. I... I don't know if I can explain it on the phone. Just give me a call and let me know you're okay. Alright... what?"

A loud "THUNK," followed by the squeaking of one of the cage doors being pushed open startled Sherry. She spun around to face the cages, just in time to see Jumbo, happily trotting out into the open. He barked excitedly, catching a fresh whiff of the new scent her body was giving off.

Becky. She'd fed the dogs earlier, but the ditz hadn't secured the lock on Jumbo's cage like she was supposed to.

"Oh... shit... Becky, you furcking... stupirrrrd... grrraarrgh!"

She caught sight of the animal's already erect member. Suddenly, the strange, feral urges she'd been fighting off, began to fight back even harder.

A wave of... something... washed over her. A spasm... she didn't know what it was, she'd never felt anything like it before. All she knew, was that it felt like every muscle in her body seemed to tense up. Her face... arms... legs... everything began to tingle. Like her whole body was going to sleep. More strange spasms rolled over her, and in the process, she lost her grip on the phone. It clambered to the hard concrete floor with a bang, something that would have been a disaster on any other day. But at the moment, she didn't have time to care, as these strange... but not unpleasant sensations... continued to wrack her body.

"Urrrgh.... whraat... ther... furk... ARRRHH!" Her body seized up in an especially strong spasm. She dropped to her knees, overcome by whatever was happening to her. Jumbo watched her cautiously, confused but intrigued by her behavior.

"Urrghh... ooorrhh.... whart's harppening...urrr.." She whimpered, her voice taking on a strange pitch. Having spent as much time around animals as she had recently, she couldn't help but notice a certain similarity between the sound she was inadvertently making, and the animal that was staring her down.

"Ooorrr.... ooorrhh god....nooorr...." Cold realization set in. Suddenly, she understood with grim certainty, exactly what the old woman had meant with her words. As Sherry heard the sounds coming from her own throat... as she felt the strange way her body was beginning to tense and writhe... the unquenchable lust bubbling up within her... she knew full well. Even though it shouldn't have been possible, somehow, it was happening.

She was actually becoming a bitch in heat.

"No, this can't be happening! That's not real! People don't turn into dogs!”

"Noorrr.... I'rrrm, norrt... orrrrr.... doorrg... arrr..." She tried to force the words out, but her voice didn't want to cooperate.

"Oh god, no! I'm... I'm losing my voice! Please no! I don't want this! I don't..."

"Heerrrrrr....." She almost howled as another spasm rocked her, and then, her fears were confirmed as an intense, but somehow painless cramp, suddenly seized both hands.

She watched, absolutely stunned, as her hands began to stretch and flex right before her eyes. She brought her hand closer to her face, observing as the nails began to darken, curving into dogs claws even as her fingers began to shrink. She could feel them stiffening, and desperately tried to wiggle them even as they morphed before her eyes.

"Noorrr... pleearrrrse... storrrp thirrrs!!!"

"I told you about using that word..."

Sherry's earlier, playful scolding of Ann came flooding back into her mind all at once.

"Oh god, Ann... is this happening to you too?"

"Pleearrrrse... dorrn't... charrrnge urrrs..."

Even as she pleaded with whatever force may hear, she found the words harder to form, and could feel her body starting to tingle even more. As if purposefully in response to her request, dark, brown fur began to creep over her skin, emerging from her pores and covering her arms and hands in a matter of seconds. She could feel the same thing happening on her legs, even as her feet twisted within her shoes.

Her stomach churned, and she brought one of her misshapen hands down to it absentmindedly. She could feel the skin on her belly rippling beneath her shirt. And then, with a somehow very feminine sensation, she felt several small bumps begin to spring into existence on her underside. She could feel the dogs teats as they developed, settling in beneath her sensitive breasts.

"Rrrrrr... ROFFF! ROFF!"

Her wet, aching snatch jerked at the sound of Jumbo's deep barking. She dropped both of her altered hands to the cold concrete floor, trying to hold herself up and not collapse completely to the ground.

"Urrrgh.... orrr... hrrrmm..." She whimpered and groaned at the carnal need that pulsed between her thighs... thighs that she could feel, were becoming covered in a soft coating of fur beneath her jeans.

Jumbo took a few cautious steps towards her, sniffing at the air. He seemed uncertain about the situation. But the smell now emanating from Sherry was triggering instincts which he couldn't deny. Nor could Sherry, as she found herself looking the animal over even as her mind screamed for her to look away.

“Grrrr..." Sherry growled, her lip curling back into a beastial snarl.

"Ughrrrrrr...." She inhaled and exhaled in a quick, steady rhythm, her eyes fixed on the site in front of her.

"Rrrr...rah, ahrrrrrRRROOOOWW!" Her voice pitched and deepened, as the inner animal she was struggling to contain began to force its way beyond her feeble attempts to control it.

A feeling of pressure began to build in her lower back, just above her shapely backside. She groaned again, her eyes widening as a furry dogs tail began to slowly push it's way from the base of her spine. She could feel it bunching up, confined by her pants and underwear.

"Ooorr... hrrrmmmm... " She whimpered, the sensation of it pushing from her body sending strange chills of pleasure up her spine. She could feel the fur creeping up over her back now. She could also feel her new teats, brushing against her shirt as they became more developed.

Her attention was drawn from her bodies strange changes by the sound of a door opening. She was gripped with fear at getting caught like this... then considered the possibility that maybe someone else could help. It hadn't even crossed her mind before, she'd been so caught up in what was happening and just trying to stop it. But that didn't seem to be working. She knew she'd probably freak somebody out like this... but at this point, did she have a choice?

Her own concerns didn't seem to matter now, since someone was already walking in. She had no option really. Like it or not, this situation was upon her. It couldn't hurt to try.

She glanced at the door leading back into the clinic, but then reliazed that it wasn't the door she'd heard. Whoever had entered had come from behind. Through the door to the back parking area.

"Wait, I thought that door was locked? Ah fuck, who cares, as long as they can help..." As the door closed, Sherry heard footsteps on the concrete floor behind her. Footsteps that stopped rather abruptly. She could only imagine what the poor soul must have been thinking, stumbling onto her like this.

Still on hands and knees, Sherry turned, trying to face whoever had just arrived. It was awkward though, her body didn't seem to be moving quite the way it should be. The strange spasms and distracting needs didn't help much, either.

"Pleearrrse... Irrr... dorrrn't, knoorrrw wharrrt's harrrrperrning... Irr... thirnk I'rrm turrrnirng..." She stopped as she caught sight of who had joined her in the kennel.

It was her. The old woman from the restaurant, looking Sherry over with a mischievous smile.

“...Cerina ...”

Sherry whimpered, as her hopes for aid were dashed.

[vended]

PART 4

"Well well, you're coming along nicely," Cerina stated bluntly, clearly enjoying Sherry's predicament. "Yes I think this form will suit you perfectly. Your friend certainly seems to be enjoying it, as well."

Sherry's mouth dropped open in a stunned gape. She shuddered again, this time not so much from pleasure, but from what Cerina had implied.

"Arrr... Arrrrnn?"

"Oh yes. I just spoke to my husband. He says she's really, really enjoying herself. She was kind of hesitant, but her little friend helped her out with that. What's his name? Bumper, is it?"

"Arrrrggh!!" Sherry understood all too well what the old hag was implying, but she didn't want to accept what she'd just heard. It couldn't be... Ann... the sweetest, kindest soul she'd ever known... nothing more than some animal? She couldn't believe it. Not Ann. The thought of her best... her dearest friend... doing that with Bumper... it was just... just...

Her sensitive, aching privates spasmed again at the image in her mind. Ann and Bumper... "Oh... my god..." As mortified as she was, she couldn't help the way her body had reacted.

"It's funny, I kind of figured that you'd be the first to finish, seeing as how you were far more in touch with your nature. But that Ann... my goodness, she didn't hold out very long at all. It seems you really hit the mark with what you said before. All that pent up frustration... once it started coming out, she just couldn't hold it back. Don't worry, dear, she's very happy with how things turned out for her. You will be too, you'll see."

"Noorrrr..." Sherry's heart sank as she pondered Ann's fate... and her own. All of this, all because of some old woman who'd overheard them...

No, not them. She'd overheard Sherry, not Ann.

The tip of Sherry's nose began to darken, taking on a leathery texture... but Sherry was only vaguely aware as a sudden pang of guilt struck her soul.

This was happening because of her. She was the one who'd made such a scene in public. It was she who'd pushed the topic... who'd engaged the old couple as they walked by their table... all just to mess with her friend. She was just joking around! Just trying to get Ann to loosen up and have some fun. How the hell was she supposed to know this would happen?!

"Orrr gorrrd, Arrrnn... I'rrrm, sooorrry..."

"Oh dear, you have nothing to be sorry for! You've done nothing wrong. Your friend is loving this, I assure you! You should be excited for her! You wanted her to start enjoying life... well believe me, she's enjoying it more than ever! So will you dear. You'll see, this is all for the best, for both of you! I should think you would be pleased... the form I'm blessing you with, it's far more appropriate for the life you wish you live, is it not?

Sherry opened her mouth in an attempt to protest, but the feeling of Jumbo's nose pressed against her rear end cut her words off. "Urrrrgh... hrrrmm..." As her attention was drawn back to her own predicament, Sherry felt a sense of resignation to her fate sweep over her. Ann was a dog now... because of her... and she deserved no better. And as she felt the pressure building around her mouth, her teeth becoming sharper against her thinning tongue... as she felt the primal urges pulsing through her body, she knew... she wasn't getting much of a choice in the matter.

She leaned forward a little on her shifting, lengthening hands, her thumbs reduced to nearly useless at this point. She raised her rear end slightly, her tail twitching beneath her jeans. New, feral instincts guided her actions, and she allowed them to carry her down the path to their ultimate conclusion. There was no point in resisting, not anymore.

"I can see though... you're not embracing this as I had hoped. Hmmmm.... Perhaps I overstepped my bounds this time.”

Sherry perked up a little, a glimmer of hope returning at Cerina's words. Was there a chance she would undo this? Maybe this whole thing was some kind of warning... a lesson in discretion.

Cerina walked slowly toward the trembling, shifting woman on the floor, moving with a peculiar grace. Jumbo backed off at her approach, despite the instinctive call to breed. Something about this strange intruder compelled him to subdue himself.

“You know dear, I normally do not intervene on behalf of one such as yourself. The people upon whom I would normally bestow my gift... they're not like you. Most are so caught up in the cares of this world, or the restrictions and taboos of society... they never experience life in all it's glory. People like your friend, Ann.”

Sherry whimpered at the mention of her friend, reminded of her current fate.

“You see, my dear Sherry, there are three kinds of people. First there are those like Ann, who bottle everything inside and deny their true nature. These are the people I've sworn to spend my life in service to. It was she that drew my attention initially, not you. It was she who my husband and I were sent to help. To free her from the prison she'd locked herself inside. It may appear as an unwanted intervention, but I assure you, in most cases, it is the only way to truly free such souls. She was not meant to live that way, nobody was.”

“Then, there are those who walk the middle ground. They try to balance the cares of the human world with the beck and call of nature. It's not an ideal life, but at least they do not deny themselves completely.”

“And then, there are the rarest of the rare, the ones such as yourself. Those who speak the truth, and try to live by it.”

As Cerina spoke. Sherry felt the fur creeping over her body... along with the continued, dull ache of burning arousal. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take this. Whatever point Cerina was trying to make, Sherry wished she'd hurry up and make it. At least Jumbo had relented though... for whatever inexplicable reason. It was hard enough keeping her thoughts together as it was, without him poking at her. Thank heaven for small favors.

“I wasn't lying when I commented on your wisdom dear. I believe you're the first truly wise soul I've encountered in a while. That rare jewel that's not afraid to be real. Society requires you to conform to some degree, but you still look for opportunities to challenge the absurdity of this world. And most importantly, you revel in the call of nature, rather than deny it.

Sherry felt her ears twitch as Cerina continued speaking. She could feel them stretching, poking through her natural human hair as they did. She whined, growing concerned that her changes hadn't halted. Her only hope was to hear Cerina out... and hope she offered an alternative.

“I must admit, it is a bit unusual for me to bestow my gift on one who already refutes the prison of this world. But I sensed something within you dear... you share a special kinship with the natural world. I felt you might appreciate a closer bond with that aspect of life. And I suspect, you truly will.”

The sound of Jumbo's whimpering interrupted Sherry's focus. She was trying to listen to Cerina, hoping for a chance to save herself and Ann... or at the very least just Ann. She'd settle for that. But Jumbo had no interest in Cerina's speech... it was Sherry he wanted. And yet, he'd ceased trying to engage her, an unknown force restraining him. But his interest was still peaked. Sherry heard his cry... and her body shuddered with increasing need. Without meaning too, she caught herself sniffing the air with her newly altered nostrils... the scent of two ready males sending shivers to her very core. The smell was getting even stronger, due to her own changing senses.

“Urrrrhhgghh... mmmrraaawwwghh....” Sherry couldn't contain her own disturbingly canine-like simpering. Her tongue felt odd and flat within her mouth. As she moved it around, testing it's changing characteristic's... she felt her teeth poke it, as they continued their own alterations.

“Uurrrrrghhh... rrrraawwgghth....”

“Yes, indeed dear.” Cerina smiled broadly. “I can see, my gift truly does appeal to you. But you also have your doubts. That's understandable. So, I'm going to make you an offer, dear. One I very rarely make.”

"Wharrr...?" Sherry perked up at this, gazing hopefully at Cerina.

“I will offer you a choice. To accept my gift, or reject it.”

“Yearrth!!” An excited yip popped out of Sherry unexpectedly. This was what she'd been waiting for! She already knew her choice.

“Most of those for whom I intercede are so blinded by their own notions of 'modesty' and 'morality' that I take the liberty of choosing for them. Anything less would simply result in the continual denial of their true nature. But there's no danger of that for you. In whatever form you take... you are open, honest, and in touch with your desires. And furthermore, you really were concerned about your friend's self-destructive mindset. You tried to set her right, as best as you were able.”

Sherry felt her newly grown tail twitching beneath her clothes. She'd just experienced her first “wag” reflex, ironically triggered by the thought of losing her canine features. There wasn't much room for wagging bunched inside her jeans and panties, but the appendage didn't seem to know that

“So dear, with that in mind, I shall place my trust in your own wisdom. You will make the choice for both you and Ann. If you accept the gift, then you are free to embrace the nature of the animal, and take it's form completely, as Ann has done already. But... if you believe that this is not the best course of action... if you truly feel the human form is the more suitable for you needs... then I shall restore you both. I will bow out gracefully, and allow you to help your friend in whatever way that you see fit. So dear, what is your choice?”

“Hrrruumaarrrn....!” Sherry growled out, disturbed at how her own voice faltered. “Irrr... choorrrse hurrrmaaarrn!” Despite her growing difficulty with speech, Sherry was thrilled that this nightmare would soon be over.

“It's not quite that simple dear... you must show me that you mean it.”

“Arrrghh... hoowwrrrr?” There was an urgency to Sherry's request, which she hoped Cerina understood. Even as they talked, Sherry's change was still advancing. She could feel a strange, writhing numbness creeping in. Even on her hands and knees, her arms and legs felt awkward, as the muscles tensed and spasmed.

“Simply show me which form you prefer. If the human form is your choice, then behave as such. Stand, on two legs, and speak to me, saying that you wish to be a human. But if you prefer the animal, then, by all means, stay on all fours, relinquish the power of speech... and embrace the bitches heat.”

So that was it then, all she had to do was stand, and tell her what she wanted. Something so simple less than an hour ago. But now... Sherry wasn't so sure.

“You should decide quickly, dear. If you progress much further, your choice will be made by default.” Cerina made a gesture with her hand... but not at Sherry. Jumbo, who'd been strangely well-behaved as he sat behind her, now shambled toward Cerina. He sat obediently next to her, yet his gaze remained fixed on Sherry. “I shall keep him restrained dear, until your choice is made. Whatever comes about will be of your own doing.”

Sherry's eyes followed the perfect specimen of canine-maleness completley of their own accord. His member was still primed and ready, and her own body gave another shudder to remind her... she was too.

Cerina followed Sherry's gaze, and smiled for a moment. Then, her voice took a more serious tone. “You should know dear... it's quite contrary to my character for me to restrain any creature from pursuing it's natural desires. But, I'm willing to do so this one time... that's how much I respect you dear.” Jumbo whined, clearly still compelled to engage Sherry despite whatever force was being used to hold him back. “We both know your human side would be no match if I allowed him to provoke your animal nature too much. But, I do not wish to keep this up for long. If this is not your wish, I shall find another for him.” Cerina patted Jumbo's head affectionately. “But dear... please, ask yourself. Do you truly wish to pass this up? For you, for Ann... and for him?” The agitated Rottweiler whined and whimpered with frustration.

"Arrr... arrgh!" Sherry tried to respond, but her body was demanding her to give in. She could sense Jumbo, his scent wafting through the air, sending increasingly potent signals, revealing his eagerness to claim her as his mate. Her back arched at the thought, her juices soaking through her panties as they prepared her body for the act.

Max whined from his cage, his scent mingling with Jumbo's, reminding Sherry there were not just one, but two healthy males in her vicinity.

That strange feeling of writhing numbness settled over her... within her... seeming to somehow pass through her body in a wave. She felt her body tensing up, and realized that whatever strange force this old lady had invoked... it was now getting ready to finish what it had started. Her chance to save Ann... and herself... was slipping away.

"Orrr... I'rrrm norrrt, a dorrrrg!" Sherry raised her hands from the floor, preparing to struggle back onto two legs. She began to rise, even as her body begged for something else. Cerina quietly watch Sherry's actions, studying her every move.

Sherry yelped a bit; her efforts to stand bent her bunched-up tail in an awkward way... she wasn't used to having to account for that just yet. Shakily, she managed to stand, though she feared her aching sex could make her drop again at any moment. Her feet didn't want to support her as they should, she could tell they must have been drastically altered within her shoes. Her hands were caught in a state between hands and paws. Though she hated to admit, they were starting to look more like the latter.

She leaned against the nearby wall, trying to maintain her balance as everything within her cried out to let Jumbo have his way. The confused Rottweiler whined at her, unsure of what his potential mate was doing... and why he couldn't just engage her. Her scent was so strong and ready... he couldn't just ignore it.

Nor could Sherry ignore his. Even as she tried to fight, she found her changing nostrils becoming more sensitive. It was almost overpowering... the signals being sent straight to her dripping core... she wanted so badly to just give in. But she couldn't. Not if she could save Ann from this curse. After everything Ann had done for her... she couldn't give up. She owed her that much.

She steeled herself against the onslaught of carnal lust as best she could... she was running out of time to make her stand. She dared to take her hand from the wall, trusting her shaky legs and altered feet to support her slowly shifting frame. She wanted there to be no confusion about her choice. She could feel her legs unwillingness to support her. Her wobbly knees... her bunched-tail... the visceral scent of that Rottweiler... all these things conspired against her, to make the act of dropping back to all fours seem so much more appealing. But she couldn't let that happen. She had to do this, for Ann. She whined, working her mouth awkwardly, preparing to speak her mind.

“I... Irrrawww... arrrruuaawwwwrgh!!” Her eyes widened with sudden dread and shock. Her voice had devolved even further in just the last few moments, and it only seemed to be getting worse. How was she supposed to fulfill Cerina's request if this change made it impossible? It wasn't a fair request!

Cerina appeared to understand Sherry's thought almost as soon as it had gone through her mind. She seemed to be remarkably discerning of the world, and those around her.

“Don't worry, honey. I understand you're in an... unusual state right now. Your words don't have to be perfect. I won't hold you to any particular standard. Don't try to force it... if humanity is truly your preference, then just... show me.” There was a note of sadness in Cerina's voice as she spoke. The notion of Sherry turning down her so-called gift... it seemed genuinely distressing to her.

Sherry internally balked at Cerina's “helpful” statement. She made it sound like this was such a simple thing. She damn well must have understood... the overwhelming pull of these primal urges. It wasn't just Sherry's physical alterations that were making speech difficult... it was something else springing up from deep within. Something that instinctively compelled her to express herself with direct but primitive sounds... something to which human language was foreign and unnecessary.

She braced against the wall again for just a moment, steadying herself before resuming her defiant stance. She could feel her body tingling... she knew fur was continuing to creep over her beneath her clothes. She could see a fine pelt on the backs of her arms and hands, and could feel it elsewhere.

She straightened her body... ignoring the twinge of discomfort from her confined tail... and renewed her effort to speak. She had to do this, for Ann.

“Irrrr.... I... rrruugg... wrrraaant... mrrreeeee, arnd Arnn... torrrr, urrrghh.... tooo, rruaw... beeee...errr...” She shook as she tried to speak. The animal nature seemed to be revolting to her choice, sending fresh waves of carnal desire coursing through her being. “....beee... eerrraawww...”

Her belly rippled strangely, and she reflexively dropped a hand to her midsection in the midst of her attempted speech... having completely forgotten the canine teats she'd so recently budded...

“...Huurrmmawwwgghh!!!!...” Sherry was forced to lean fully against the wall to avoid slipping back to the floor as her knees tried to give out completely. That innocent, unintentional stimulation... it sent a signal that appealed directly to Sherry's rising bitchhood. There was one distinct purpose for the new growths she'd been endowed with, and nature compelled her to embrace it. And Jumbo... he was right there, ready and willing to make it happen...

“....Hrrrrmm.... hrrrrrmmaaawww... aarrrwwweoo...!” Her voice faltered and fumbled, as she tried desperately to steady it.

Cerina watched Sherry's struggle with what seemed to be a combination of concern and restrained amusement. "My dear, I know it's quite a tough decision. You have such attachment to this human world, but the canine world... it holds such promise, no? It must be a difficult choice for you, one who holds such discernment about the appeal of each. If I may make a suggestion, dear... when you're not really sure what's best... just go with what feels right."

"Rrrrrr... rargh!" Whatever Sherry was trying to say, her altered voice couldn't force it out. But even in the midst of her current situation, the irony wasn't lost on her. That's how Sherry had always lived, just doing what she wanted... what felt good. Now, that was the last thing she could afford to do.

She had to focus! The longer she took to do this, the harder it became to muster the strength she needed. She leaned her shoulder against the wall... she had no choice but to rely on it to maintain an upright stance. She was about to try and speak again, when Jumbo's behavior changed.

The Rottweiler was growing increasingly frustrated by this confusing situation. He stayed obediently by Cerina, but was clearly growing antsy. He stood from his sitting position, circled in place a couple of times... his eyes shifted back and forth between Sherry and Cerina, as if asking for permission...

Cerina patted the canines head to comfort him, but his need did not abate. His attention centered fully on Sherry, who found herself watching him with unwanted curiosity. He was firmly planted on all fours now, tense... ready to spring into action. He whimpered, his member standing at attention...

Sherry's mind fogged as the world around her faded. With little prompting, her focus narrowed to a fine laser-point. Jumbo's maleness bobbed up and down with the rhythm of his heavy panting. It was a rhythm she herself assumed, unconscious of her actions. Her eyes glazed, and her tongue began to droop over the corner of her lips. Saliva dribbled from her mouth, and she whimpered...

Cerina smiled broadly at the sight before her. The young woman remained standing, but it was only because she relied on the wall for support. She wasn't even aware of her surroundings... the concerns she's had moments before were now miles away from her attention... there was only one thing she was focused on. Cerina decided, she'd seen all she needed to see.

“And so the choice is made. I can see what you prefer dear... what you truly desire. I was right... your wisdom guides you well...”

Sherry snapped back to awareness, her foggy mind struggling to comprehend the situation. “Did... did she just say... oh, shit... oh shit, no!”

She tore her gaze from Jumbo, back to Cerina, shaking her head as she pulled her tongue back in her mouth. Drool still clung to the side of her mouth, running towards her chin.

“Nrrrrrrooo... nnrrooowww... norrt...” she grumbled out, her eyes wide with panic. She held up one shrunken, malformed paw/hand in a “stop” gesture, trying to send the message as clearly as she could.

“Doubts are understandable, but deep down you know what's best. You've shown me what you truly want, and we are in agreement. And so, there is now no further need for restraint. May nature take its proper course!”

Cerina glanced down at her canine companion, and patted his head one more time. He responded with a sudden head-shake... then another... and then, whatever force Cerina had imposed on him began to lift.

Sherry watched, both mortified and thrilled, as the eager Rottweiler trotted towards her with one single-minded purpose.

“Arrrawwwgh!”

“No! Oh god, please, no! She can't do this... it wasn't fair! She knows I can't control this... how could anyone?! God, I can't let this happen... Ann... Ann's depending on me...”

Unfortunately, Jumbo heldo no concern for Ann, nor for Sherry's doubts. His only concern was mating with the bitch Sherry was becoming, and there was now nothing to impede that goal. He approached her yet again, this time from the front... sniffing at her warm, moist crotch. She whimpered, her eyes rolling back in her head. She stepped back a few steps, trying to push him away with one hand while still bracing against the wall with the other. She took a few more awkward steps back, but she couldn't go far without risking a total loss of balance. Her current part woman/part dog state proved to be extremely unsteady, particularly with the urge to drop to all fours constantly clawing at her mind.

“No... oh god... no, I... I can't... I don't... I don't want, to... want to...”

What she wanted didn't seem to matter much, as Jumbo moved back around behind her, having been shooed away from the front. His nose once again pressed against her rear, and she couldn't help but snarl in need as she was flooded with the lust to let him claim her. She continued to fight, but now, her body began to shake and tremble. Almost as if it were rejecting her attempts to remain human.

That strange tingling, throbbing numbness flared again within her, stronger than before. She tried to will the feeling away, but it bashed it's way through her feeble willpower. Her body seized up in a powerful spasm, causing her to double over. Hugging her midsection with one arm, her body began to twist and writhe in a frightening, yet somehow erotic way. She knew instinctively, this was it. Her mind could not accept it yet... but her body was more than ready.

She tried to take a few tentative steps forward, to get some distance between her and Jumbo. Her legs really did not want to cooperate, and she was forced to lean fully against the wall to remain upright. Her body spasmed again. She could feel it. A massive wave of change was about to wash over her.

"Urrgh...norrrgh...arrrfh!" Her entire body clenched and heaved, as her proportions began to shift to more closely resemble the animal sniffing at her privates. Jumbo backed off just a moment, startled by her sudden movement.

There was a tightness in her chest now, and with one malformed hand, she reached up to clutch her ample breasts... breasts that where now coated in a thin layer of fur, much like most of her body now. Her fears were confirmed... her breasts were beginning to recede... diminishing ever so slightly. She whimpered mournfully... she'd always taken pride in this aspect of her figure... and especially in how they'd always given her no uncertain power over men. But soon, they would be no more. She could already feel her bra getting looser, it wouldn't be long before the garment was completely useless to her.

It wasn't just her chest though, the change was working it's will throughout her body. She could feel her shoulders shifting, twisting, pushing her arms forward slightly. Likewise, she could feel pressure building around her hips. She felt her balance faltering, as her hips narrowed. Her jeans slipped down, no longer hugging her normally curvy figure the way they had just moments before. Her new tail twitched, the base of it exposed to air for the first time. The remainder of it was still tucked away beneath her clothes, causing a noticeable bulge in the seat of her pants.

She leaned more against the wall for support, silently aghast at what was happening... and yet amazed at the pleasure she was getting from it. The whole process of the change... it seemed to be fanning the flames of lust that were already stoked by the presence of the two males... particularly the one still sniffing at her. Her behavior was confusing to Jumbo, keeping him somewhat reluctant to make his move. But ultimately, his instincts couldn't be denied. Especially as her scent became even more pronounced, her body chemistry morphing to a more canine state by the second. He whined in primal need, the mating instinct starting to take precedence over his hesitation and confusion.

Sherry heard his whimpering, and her body responded with yet another jolt of raw sexual heat. Her drenched, tender canal gave a sudden jerk... and then again... was she about to cum? No, it was something else... something more intense. Her mouth fell open, her slightly longer tongue hanging out over her lip, as she realized what was about to happen.

"Oaarrrrgh.... aaaawwrrroooph!!" The force that was invoking this change... it was centering now on her most intimate spot. She could feel the same writhing, twisting sensation that was already at work elsewhere beginning to build between her legs now. Sherry braced herself as best she could... if she could just hold on and not give in to this, for just a little longer... she had to show Cerina this was NOT her true desire! Maybe she could still convince her...

Jumbo had no interest in waiting around. He'd held back as long as he could stand, but now he could take no more. This bitch he smelled... she was more than ready. His loins demanded that he plant his seed. Now.

"AARGGPH!" Sherry yelped, distracted from her efforts to hold back the change as Jumbo suddenly lept up, his
weight falling against her side. He wrapped his paws around her waist, and without any further hesitation, began to hump her leg in earnest.

"Aarrrooww! Arrr... garrrrph... heph... heph... heph..." Her now futile efforts at speech gave way to a steady, heavy panting, as her body responded to his efforts to initiate the act of breeding. His repeated thrusts triggered something in her, instincts that had gradually crept into her mind ever since her first meeting with Cerina.

Her tenuous grip on humanity began to slip, as did her now loose fitting jeans. Jumbo's actions were having the unintentional side effect of pulling them down just a little more. A sudden sense of dread gripped her at the thought of being exposed now... and was almost instantly squashed by the sudden pulse that gripped her now well-lubricated canal.

Her arms and legs began to tense up with the sensation of oncoming change, but Sherry could barely take note. Her thoughts were becoming more and more centered around the instinctive response her body gave to Jumbo's thrusting. She could feel his engorged canine member against her leg, and was compelled... to move... adjust her position... for him...

"Urrrrowwwww..." Sherry whimpered, involuntarily starting to bend her knees in preparation. She tried to clear her head, but everything in her was screaming to give herself over to the act.

"No! I can't... that's what she wants... can't let her... have her way. This... this is MY life! She can't just decide what me and Ann are!" Sherry halted her body's attempt to give in, for the moment. Jumbo whined, the tempo of his leg-humping becoming more urgent.

"I decide... what... I am... what my... life... god, I need this... NO! Ugh... but it feels... so right... if I could just... for a minute... nooooo..."

The mating urge was overwhelming. It forced it's way to the forefront of her thoughts, despite all her efforts at repression. "I need to... but I can't... do what I... want..." A distinctly human part of Sherry's personality stirred. But it wasn't working in her favor. Her own stubborn nature, that willful disregard for everything except what she wanted... it now worked in tandem with the instincts claiming her mind. She WANTED to do this... so why the hell was she fighting it?

"Arrr... garrrwad, heerrrroooouuuus!" Sherry's human mind began to buckle under the relentless barrage of changing hormones and new, feral compulsions. She still braced against the wall, panting heavily, trying in vain to clear her head. Her body hitched and rocked with Jumbo's pumping against her leg.

She was on the verge of giving in, when an image flashed through her mind. Her friend... the one that was relying on her to win this fight... Sherry's eye's widened in horror as she realized... she could not remember this person's name.

She whimpered, realizing her awareness was becoming far more basic. Her thoughts were slower... muddled. She looked around in a panic... it was more than just names. Her mind couldn't recall the words for at least half the objects around her. The keys on the wall... her possibly broken phone... the clothes she was wearing... she knew what they were, deep down... but the words were getting jumbled. Her thoughts felt like they were moving through jelly. She tried again, focusing on her friend. She could see her face... she knew her... the heartfelt connection she had was still there... just not the name.

A strange sensation settled over her thighs as they began to thin out, followed by her arms seconds later. As the proportions of her limbs entered into a state of flux, Sherry's balance began to falter. She turned to try and brace against the wall with both arms/proto-forelegs, Jumbo still firmly attached. It bought her only a few more brief moments on two legs. Though she managed to regain some balance, the movement also caused her now looser-fitting jeans to slip even more, pulling her soaking panties with them. Her tail suddenly popped free of the clothing, springing fully into view for the first time. Her pants and underwear were now clinging to the tops of her thighs, leaving her once shapely, but now furry rump, completely exposed.

A fresh, unfiltered dose of Sherry's own unique scent smacked Jumbo squarely in the face. He redoubled his efforts to claim his mate, whining with more urgency than ever before. Sherry felt his snout press firmly against her entrance. Her body jerked... then again... and then...

"Arrrghhh... aarrrrwooooOOORRRR!" Suddenly, her vagina clenched and flexed... and then finally, Cerina's “gift” laid claim to the most intimate part of her womanhood. She pushed away from the wall, dropping her hands/paws to between her legs purely out of reflex. The action made Jumbo lose his own balance. He slipped to all fours, pulling her jeans and panties down to just above her knees in the process.

"Arrroooww... oarrrgh... goowwwrrrd... hurgh!" She heaved and groaned as her snatch shrank and shifted, pushing itself further back. The feelings were indescribable. The way her body pulsed and quivered... the sensation of herself changing in such a personal way... it was stimulating in a way she could have never imagined.

But in the midst of it all, she somehow retained her balance... and the presence of mind to notice that Jumbo had released his grip. She sensed an opportunity, one last chance to stave off this change, to save herself and... that other person...

Unfortunately, she did not retain the presence of mind to pull her pants back up, so muddled were her thoughts. Not that it would have mattered much. Her latest change brought with it a new, far more intense wave of canine lust, which would soon overpower and crush her meager resistance. She took only about two steps away from the wall... away from Jumbo... when her now too-big jeans tripped up her already precarious balance. She dropped, finally succumbing to the old woman's will. Never again would Sherry walk on two legs.

"That's it dear... yes, that is truly perfect. You and your friend belong on all fours. Don't worry dear. This is a good thing for both of you! I promise, this is everything the two of you have wanted... and everything you both deserve.”

A fading part of Sherry's mind caught the gist of the old lady's words. That portion, however, was quickly caving in to the animal heat clouding her thoughts. The moment her hands, now virtually paws, had hit the floor, something in her mind had snapped. The position felt right. She didn't want it to, she knew what it meant. But she couldn't shake the feeling. And as she once again felt Jumbo's snout against her privates... it really did feel... perfect.

She was frozen in place, a small fragment of humanity straining to hold on. But that same fragment was now gripped with the inevitability of her fate. This was it, the moment Cerina had been waiting for. The one Sherry had been hurdling towards ever since she'd felt that first shudder, back in the fast-food parking lot. She whined, feeling more pressure building in her mouth and jaw. She leaned forward, instinctively flicking her tail to the side

She knew what she was doing, but couldn't stop. Didn't want to stop. This was what she wanted. She heard the old woman laugh joyfully as Jumbo climbed upon her, preparing to seal the deal. It brought a perplexing moment of confusion, as that now faltering fragment of her former self revolted against the sound. She knew this was what the old woman wanted, not her... so, why did she want it more than anything? Her new carnal mentality was not equipped to resolve such contradictions.

She experienced one last, brief moment of contemplation, as her devolving mind tried to wrap itself around this troubling conundrum. She felt, somehow, this old woman was controlling her, imposing her own will over Sherry's life. But then she felt Jumbo's member press against her now canine opening, and the lightning bolt of lust made it clear that she wanted this. She wanted to this to stop... but needed to continue. As she stared up at the one who'd brought this change upon her, somewhere from the depths of her hazy mind, Sherry wondered...

“... am I losing... control... or...?"

And then, her thoughts scattered as Jumbo sank himself deep within her, triggering an explosion of pleasure that neither her body nor her mind could fight. Her hips responded automatically, jerking and thrusting as Jumbo fell into his own steady rhythm. Her mouth began to jut forward into a muzzle as she whined and whimpered, her voice losing the last vestiges of human sound. She felt her breasts absorbed fully into her body, the nipples now blending in with the new teats she'd so recently developed.

Despite her awareness of these events, she could not cease her activities with Jumbo. If anything she threw herself into the act more fervently, the mating urge overpowering any remnant of rational thought. As Jumbo picked up his tempo, her mind embraced the thrill of primal heat. Whatever had been troubling her fled from her awareness. There would be no room for confusion, for riddles, or cognitive dissonance in Sherry's new world.

Her body began to shudder with the beginnings of her first canine climax, and Cerina's gift claimed Sherry's life completely.

"There now, isn't that much better dear?" If Sherry understood her words, she gave no indication. She was far too preoccupied to care.

Cerina watched as Jumbo and Sherry completed the age old act. It was more beautiful to her than anything in this world, and nothing brought her and her husband greater joy than letting others share in natures bounty. All that ridiculous 'restraint' and 'control' people were so obsessed with... that people imposed upon themselves. It wasn't natural... and it wasn't fair.

As she waited for Sherry and her companion to uncouple from each other, her attention turned to the other animals imprisoned in the kennel. Max and Princess... a male and a female. One was aroused and begging for his own opportunity to mate, but the other... the Collie bitch gave no response at all.

A sense of anger welled up within the normally kind old woman. To restrain desire was bad enough... but to remove it completely, to deny even the opportunity... this was something she could not abide.

She glided past the two somewhat sated dogs before her, and stood before the Collie's cage. "Oh, you poor dear. There now... we'll make this right for you."

Princess perked up suddenly, whimpering with confusion. Her demeanor became more and more agitated, and she began to sniff the air eagerly. And Max, who'd paid her no attention until now, became distinctly aware of her presence. She'd held no appeal before, but now... Max sensed she was just as viable a mate as the bitch Jumbo had mounted.

Cerina smiled, reaching for the key Sherry had used to lock up Max not more than a few minutes ago. She would not deny these beautiful creatures of their true nature, either.

Not long afterwords, Cerina slipped out of the kennel's rear exit with the former woman-turned-bitch, leading her by the same leash Sherry had lead Max with just a while ago. Sherry made a number of escape attempts as the old woman lead her to the car. If anyone had witnessed what had just transpired, they may have misinterpreted this behavior as Sherry's old self revolting, struggling against her fate.

Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, Sherry was embracing her new form. Her attempts to get away were nothing more than overwhelming excitement at the new sensations and experiences this change had brought with it. And despite her altered form and simplified mind, the core of who she was remained. Her old, defiant, do-what-I-please nature balked at the old woman's interference with her attempts to explore the new smells, sounds, and sights she was being bombarded with. But her elderly keeper was in full control of the situation, and she knew how to keep Sherry in line. Ultimately, Sherry would be allowed to indulge her senses, but there was a time and place for that. Cerina reveled in nature's freedom, but she also knew some control was required, here and there. She gently but sternly directed Sherry to climb into her car and wait obediently in the back seat.



__________

“Sherry, you back here? What's the hold up, girl? It doesn't take that long to lock up one...”

The kennel door swung open, and Ashley stopped mid-sentence at the sight before her. Sherry wasn't back here. Instead, she found Max and Princess, locked in the same position she'd shared with Dr. Reynolds just a few short moments ago. There was no sign of the intern, but the rear entrance stood wide open. She saw something moving just outside the door. Jumbo had gotten loose!

“Oh shit!” Ashley turned and hollered back into the clinic. “Mike! Get back here now, we've got a problem!”

She started for the open door, hoping she could get the large Rottweiler before he ran off or got lost. She also needed to deal with Max and Princess... the Collie's owners probably wouldn't be too happy. "Thank god that dog is spayed..." At least they weren't going anywhere at the moment. Maybe Dr. Reynolds could deal with them while she was getting Jumbo.

“What the fuck did Sherry do?! Even Becky never fucked things up this...”

Her foot bumped something on the floor, sending it sliding across the concrete in front of her. As it slid away from her, something about the object drew her attention from the escaping dog. That color scheme... it looked familiar. It looked like... Sherry's American flag phone cover. Why the hell was Sherry's phone on the floor?

The phone came to rest next to a pile of clothes, carelessly littering the floor. Ashley recognized the shirt immediately... it was the one Sherry had been wearing. Her jeans and underwear had also been discarded with her top, the whole bunch wadded in a pile in the middle of the kennel.

“What the... fuck?”



__________

It was a short trip to Sherry's new home, though she had no idea how long it was exactly. Her own perception of time was now drastically impaired. When she was finally allowed to exit the vehicle, she found herself in front of a fairly modest house. Her attention was immediately drawn to the front porch, where she spotted the old woman's gruff, stoic husband petting another dog.

Her ear's perked up immediately. There was something familiar about the other animal, something that drew the former woman's interest. The other dog seemed to share her curiosity. They trotted towards each other, both eager to explore this situation further. They sniffed each other curiously. And then, the dog previously known as Ann gave an excited yip... she recognized her closest friend.

Sherry responded with her own excited barks, overjoyed at the reunion. They knew something had changed since last they'd met. Yet their simple mental state did not permit them to ponder this issue very deeply. Whatever had been altered, they were both comforted with one thing that hadn't changed. They still had each other, and that's what was important.

They settled into their new lives with considerable ease. Ann, being the compliant, well-behaved rule follower she'd always been, took very well to training. She quickly learned several basic dog-tricks to happily entertain her new masters. Sherry didn't take to these tricks quite as readily, and Cerina chose not to force the issue. It was one thing for Ann, she enjoyed the activity. It was part of own unique personality... her own nature. Sherry's nature had always been a bit more defiant. Forcing her to be something that she wasn't would have defeated the purpose of Cerina's gift. Besides, both bitches were always eager to participate in the true purpose for their transformation. The puppy breeding business Cerina ran on the side allowed the dogs to fully embrace their nature, and was quite profitable for their owners.

In the end, both girls got exactly what each of them had needed. Ann's new form allowed her to finally loosen up and enjoy life the way it was intended. Particularly some of it's more basic pleasures. And Sherry could now work with animals without having to deal with people. She didn't have to worry about other people's rules or timeframes... she could enjoy what she wanted, whenever it pleased her. It wasn't the way she'd envisioned her life in high school, but neither her nor Ann complained whenever the males were brought around.

Indeed they both found exactly what they wanted. And all that it required was for each of them to give up a bit of their control.