Page 32 of Celestial Bodies

By the Mother Fucking Planet. He’s a LION!

Dacias’s face elongated as his nose and mouth extended, forming a snout. He stretched his front legs, and Julen could hear the cracks of his bones reshaping. Dacias released a sound that morphed from a human wail into a full roar, signaling the completion of his transformation.

Julen looked at him with wonder.He is beautiful. Dacias turned to face Julen. He lowered his head and released an ominous growl.

His eyes possessed a predatory gaze, and his ears flattened. Julen began tofeel uneasy. How much of the animal took over when Rugireans manifested? Did they lose the human version of themselves entirely?

Dacias crept towards Julen, his lips slowly parting to reveal his razor-sharp teeth. His low growl morphed into a snarl. Julen’s heart raced. He knew his eyes were bugging out of his head.Is this a trap? Was this a trick the whole time?

He looked at Dacias and swallowed the fear. “If you’re playing around with me, I will yank that tail right off and use it as a belt, Dacias!”

Dacias leaped on top of Julen, the force knocking Julen to the ground. Julen screamed, then stopped as Dacias rubbed his head against the side of Julen’s. He made adorable little gurgling sounds and began licking Julen’s hair between bumping his head sweetly against Julen’s. His ears stood erect, and his tail flicked from side to side.

Dacias plopped down next to Julen and nuzzled the side of his head, continuing his sweet little gurgles. His tail draped across Julen’s body. Julen’s heart nearly burst when he felt the soft tuff of Dacias’s tale brushing against his skin.

Julen calmed his breathing. “Holy Vexora, you scared me!”

Julen sat up, amazed that most of the festival had transformed into various animal forms. He marveled at the array of species scattered across the field, including alligators, tigers, bears, wolves, foxes, gorillas, zebras, and more. The animals ranged from those that might leap out to attack you in the jungle to those you’d commonly see on a farm.

As soon as someone changed, they pranced about the field. The similar animals wrestled in playful ways. Some would roll about the ground, and others raced each other. Flocks of birds whipped across the field, circling bears and tigers in a teasing manner.

Julen’s mind raced with questions. Can anyone shift into any kind of animal? What about insects? Are fearsome creatures compelled to join the Fighting Forces? And what if a big, robust man shifts into a tiny mouse? Is that even possible?

He looked back and realized the answers to his questions weren’t coming anytime soon. Dacias, the lion, lowered his front half to the ground. He shookhis mane and made a sound that seemed like he was trying to communicate with Julen.

“Are you…are you trying to say something?”

Dacias shook his mane again. Then his head started swaying, almost like he was motioning Julen to get close.

Julen trusted his gut and approached. Dacias dipped lower.

Julen squinted at him, then asked, “Do you want me to…get on top of you?”

The shaking grew wilder, and Dacias began pouncing his front paws on the ground as he dipped lower.

“Dacias, what on Vexora—”

Dacias pranced again, growling more and dipping again.

“All right, all right.” Julen straddled Dacias. “Oh, gracious, what are you doing? Should I…hold on?”

Another shake of his head. Julen gripped onto Dacias’s mane and said, “I don’t want to hurtahhhhh—”

And they were off! Dacias zipped along the field, darting around animals scattered about, then veered out of the clearing and down a long, narrow path through the woods.

Julen crouched low, gripping Dacias and screaming the entire time. Julen had to duck to avoid getting snagged by low-hanging branches.

They emerged from the forest and ran into a massive field bordered by a great cliff that overlooked the Rugirean Sea. Dacias veered closer and slowed his pace.

The waxing crescent moon shimmered in the sky, reflecting on the sea like jewels. A breeze rushed through Julen’s curls as he inhaled the fresh scent of the ocean.

“Dacias! This is magnificent!”

Dacias slowed more, and Julen held out his arms as if he were flying.This is what freedom feels like.

Dacias went to a spot where the cliff overlooked the beach below. The crashing waves calmed the adrenaline still coursing through Julen.

Dacias lowered himself to the ground, and Julen hopped off. He knelt andkissed Dacias on the nose.

---