***** Built In Her Image *****
Karen's bedroom came into focus as the sound of clanging steel stole Sara from her slumber. Her head jerked towards the door, where she could hear an announcer on some show state, "Alright, blacksmiths. Time's up, hammers down."
Andrew was watching his forging show again, and Sara just smiled and shook her head, returning to her pillow and the soft embrace of the sheet. She missed the fur that coated her body, but loved the way that Karen felt beside her, curled up and warm, her rhythmic breathing enticing Sara to fall back to sleep.
Sara ran her hand along her mate's side, savoring the soft feel of supple flesh as her fingers traced the woman's midsection, which was still rounded by Andrew's life altering cum. She could tell Karen had processed a lot of the magical fluid already, by how much the woman's jiggly and prodigious tummy had shrunk from earlier that morning. It was hard to deny how bizarre the process was, even for Sara, who valued what Andrew was doing more than anyone.
The older woman's thick, dark eyelashes flicked as her eyes darted from side to side beneath their lids, her hands held at her chest while she moved from side to side as if she was navigating through some expansive place. Sara remembered the dreams she had experienced while under the influence of Andrew's magical seed, of chasing and hunting through the thick forest and grassy plains of some unknown land.
She studied Karen, trying to find any kind of a hint in the older woman's movements about what she might be dreaming, and in their place finding only mystery. Sara leaned forward, pecking Karen on the cheek before moving out from under the covers with a quick and graceful stride.
While Sara took care of her after nap routine, Andrew listened from the living room. He was curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and thumbing through a book, taking small bites off of a plate that rested on the coffee table just beside him.
"I've got a spread of cheese, crackers and some weird meat stuff from the fridge, if you want anything," Andrew called out to Sara, who finished her business in the bathroom and soon emerged shaking water off of her hands.
"Mmm, I love charcuterie," Sara announced as she bounded over, before giving Andrew a quick kiss and pillaging the snack tray.
"So, is sleeping beauty still sailing the ocean blue?"
Sara considered Andrew's words, and thought back on the image of Karen swaying from side to side with her hands at her chest, and she had to admit, the image fit.
"Is that what she's dreaming?"
Andrew laughed, before responding, "No clue. I watched her for awhile, and the way she moved reminded me of being on a boat, rising and falling with the tide. But, truth be told, I have no idea. Ohh, and did you hear her little chirping noises?"
"What? No way... I miss all the fun stuff," Sara said with a playful pout.
"No, you didn't," Andrew paused, watching Sara's anticipation build. "I recorded it."
Andrew's phone lifted off of the table, carried by unseen hands towards Sara, who caught the device as it approached. It had already been unlocked, and as soon as she gripped it she could see an image of Karen on the screen, the beautiful woman laying on her side, her body moving in the same rhythmic motion Sara had just seen, her lips parted ever so slightly as she breathed. Then, out of nowhere, Karen let out a series of chirping noises that were strange and yet seemed somehow fitting, as if something in Karen's nature was represented in the unexpected sound.
Sara's eyes got large as a thought occurred to her.
"You don't suppose she's dreaming of being an animal, do you?"
They both recognized how Karen's movements made sense when put into that context.
"Honestly, I have no idea, but that really seems to fit. You don't think... No, that would be too crazy."
Sara just watched Andrew, raising an eye and letting him know she wanted him to give voice to his insane theory.
"Well, you always raved about your dreams when I was doing this to you, and talked about how much fun it was to run as a cat. The end result of that process was that you were able to shift into your cat form..."
"So," Sara took over, "You think that Karen might be preparing to become some kind of were-animal."
Andrew popped a large chunk of cheese into his mouth and chewed while he shrugged, making his uncertainty clear.
"Whatever she is dreaming, we need to take it seriously. She's already such a powerful healer, it's gonna' be really cool to see what this process does to make her more... well, more whatever she is."
Silence fell over the room as that thought grew within their imaginations. Karen was already amazing, and unlike Sara, her powers never seemed incomplete. Whatever was happening, they were certain it was going to be unexpected.
"Once I finish this episode, would you be up for a trip to the hardware store?"
"New project?" Sara asked, eager to see what Andrew was cooking up.
"Kinda, more of a favor for Tani'm. Something to try and help her get her life back in order."
Sara studied Andrew, recognizing a small amount of reticence in her diminutive mate.
"Let me guess, Karen?"
Andrew took a drink of milk and nodded. "Yup, Karen!"
The show started back up, and while Andrew studied every frame with wide-eyed eagerness, Sara took a book from a shelf and continued to snack while she started on the story contained within.
The finalists were tasked with creating a khopesh, an egyptian sword of remarkable beauty and lethality. Andrew was seated at the edge of the couch by the time it came to testing, and studied every detail presented on the screen. His only distraction was the tray of charcuterie, which vanished bit by bit as Andrew and Sara continued to eat from its bounty.
"You've been watching this show a lot lately," Sara observed, a little surprised by the amount of joy she felt from her studious mate.