Chapter Text
"22nd of May,
Dearest diary, I want to share my thoughts with you...
Sasha has been worrying me a lot lately. I understand that she may not like Anne very much, but we have been living together under the same roof for so many years ... We are friends... Sasha has not been at home for a week now. Previously, of course, she also disappeared for days and nights, appearing only on the third day, but now that it has become difficult for her to control her lion shape... This is disturbing. This has never happened, and what could be the reason is not clear. Sasha doesn't let any of us touch her, and she seems to hate me in general, judging by how incessantly she loves to watch me when I work. Hunt?
In fact, it seems to me that the more angry she is, the more she turns into a lion. And she becomes absolutely uncontrollable, destroying everything in her path. Although earlier she could calmly spread, and be in a sober mind.
Where is she now? Is everything okay with her? Did she get off the—"
Marcy didn't have time to finish the last line, someone's screams outside the window and an incomprehensible roar distracted the young witch; she knocked over the inkwell in surprise, and all the dark liquid spilled onto the notebook.
- Damn it! - she shouted, throwing a quill at the manuscript and jumping out from behind the table. Grabbing a bag with several poison potions inside, Marcy rushed outside to Anne's angry scream. Anne, uncontrollably waving her cute deer tail, shouted at someone from around the corner of the house. And Marcy, even without seeing the opponent, could understand who it was.
Sasha was already covered with light hairs of wool all over her body, her short hair stood on end, and her eyes sparkled as if it was night, although the sun was shining with might and main.
- It was always your fault! - she screamed. - You stupid deer, why do you think you're better than me?! Why does Marcy always choose only you?! What the hell do you think of yourself? You can't even stand up for yourself! What kind of protection are you talking about?
- The only one here, from whom you can expect trouble - you! - Anne pointed tactlessly at Sasha, slashing the ground under her foot with hoof. - Let's remember who almost killed Marcy, just not noticing her? Who set us on wild buffalo beetles?! Whose fault is this?!
Sasha began to growl angrily, and the fur now covered her entire skin; the pupils narrowed, replaced by those of a cat, the teeth sharpened, showing grown fangs. Glancing at Anne with a predatory look, she grinned as she crouched on the ground. Sasha didn't seem Marcy to notice at all
- I'll show you whose fault it is! - uttering a deafening lion's roar, Sasha began to change. She dug her fingers with sharp claws into the soft grass as her bones began to break and grow back together with a characteristic crunch. Her limbs grew in size, and her face became more and more like a lion's face, stretching out. This, of course, is not yet her final form. Only half.
At this point, Marcy could not stand it, running forward. Unlike Anne and Sasha, Wu didn't have any powers or abilities; she could only make excellent potions, was the best in the forest area and made musical instruments. She built houses for animals, treated those who were injured, wrote stories in her spare time and dreamed of better days when Anne and Sasha would liked each other.
Marcy jumped out in front of Sasha, blocking Anne with her body.
- Sash, stop it!
- Step back, Marcy, - she growled low, looking down at the witch. - I don't want to hurt you.
- I said stop! - Marcy fearlessly pushed the half-transformed Sasha into furry chest with all her might. Sasha really moved away, but only because Marcy wanted it so much. - What are you doing here? We must be friendly! What is going on with both of you! I don't understand... Sasha! Oh god, why are you two acting like little kids...
Marcy closed her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose and feeling in her heart how Sasha calmed down a little, lowering the degree of heated conflict.
- Who's kid here? - Anne was indignant, smoothing her disheveled hair with her hand. - Sasha came running like crazy, began to accuse me that I was supposedly dating you, poured poisonous words right and left, saying that we had left her altogether. Isn't that right, Sasha?
Marcy looked at Waybright in surprise. Glazed constricted pupils stared unblinkingly at the ground, the tail jerkily beat on the grass, but Sasha continued to stand, as if boiling in her own thoughts.
- I... - she bleated when Wu confidently came close to Sasha. - Marcy, I...
Marcy smiled at her kindly, placing her hand on Sasha's transformed paw, stroking her soft fur. From this, Sasha even cut off access to oxygen, stuck a tangled bundle of feelings in her lungs.
- Marcy, maybe you should move away from her now? - Anne suggested, twitching her spotted ear several times. - Look at her, she's clearly out of her depth right now. You never know what will happen... Last time Sasha almost killed you. And in principle, I personally don’t have much confidence in her, to be honest.
- Anne, stop it, - Marcy said irritably, turning to the centaur and accidentally taking her hand away from Sasha. - Can't you understand that you shouldn't think like that about Sasha? Give her a second chance, she's our fr—
- I'll kill you!!!
This wild roar is the last thing Marcy heard before falling to the grass from a strong push. In fact, she did not even have time to understand what happened, and how Sasha was able to transform into her final form so quickly. Literally in the air, the last clothes were torn, and Waybright, being a three-meter high lion, rushed at Anne.
Marcy turned pale, cold and very frightened, realizing that the "worst time" had come. Sasha was extremely aggressive, she wasn't sane, and Marcy need to be had to act quickly and clearly. Anne dodged sharp claws, skillfully maneuvering on the grass, which further enraged the lion. But Sasha didn't stop, dangerously snapping her jaws and uttering wild roars, she continued to chase the deer.
Marcy reached into her bag with trembling hands. Does she have to do it?
When Sasha grabbed Anne's body with her claws, and Anne screamed in pain, knocked to the ground, Marcy threw an acid bomb at Sasha, of course missing. The bottle shattered on a stone, exploding next to Sasha, and several acid splashes hit her fur. With a yelp of pain like a kitten, Sasha jumped into the air and turned to Marcy, waving her tail. The acid, spreading in small spots on the side, instantly corroded the wool, and hitting the skin, pointwise began to dissolve the pink flesh too.
- Marcy… - Sasha growled in an inhuman voice, causing Wu to fall to the ground from weakness. - I wanted to say that I... I... Argh!
She didn't end to speak. Sasha's eyes watered from the bitterness of resentment and anger, and the werewolf-lion, roaring, rushed off into the forest, leaving paw prints on the ground and knocking down several trees behind her.
Both girls silently looked after Sasha. The pause dragged on. But only until Anne hissed in pain, touching her side. The lion's claws went deep under the skin, but left only cuts - the internal organs were not damaged. Marcy hurried to her aid, treating the wounds with peroxide and blotting up excess blood with cotton swabs, applying bandages one by one. Bandaged, tightened, and even stitched.
Anne felt quite embarrassed at the sight of Marcy crying. She sobbed softly, but continued to treat the wounds.
- Mar-Mar, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to...
- I have to find Sasha, - she said in a trembling voice, tying the last bow around the centaur's torso. - I hurt her... I must definitely help her.
Without waiting for an answer, Marcy jumped to her feet, putting the entire first aid kit back into her bag. There were still a few bombs left.
- Anne, get up quietly and slowly go home, I still won't help you get away. You are too heavy. And... Lie down on your bed and wait for me! I'll come and check your wounds for sure. See ya!
With these words, Marcy ran straight along the lion tracks into the forest, to which Anne could only whisper in her back:
- Good luck.