The Night I Became a Cat

I’ve always known I wasn’t like the other kids in Eldermoor. It wasn’t anything obvious—just little things. While they played games, laughing and

running through the village square, I felt the pull of the woods. Not out of fear or isolation, but because something about the stillness there felt right

to me. The trees seemed alive, more than just silent witnesses to time passing. I thought that feeling was just in my head, a way of comforting

myself for being different. But that all changed one fateful night.It was late autumn, and the air had turned cool and crisp. I had finished my chores

early, hoping to sneak away to the woods before anyone noticed. The sky was a deep navy, the moon full and glowing like a watchful eye in the sky.

As soon as I stepped into the woods, I felt it again—that familiar pull, as if the forest itself was calling to me. This time, though, something was different. The air felt... charged, like something was about to happen.

I wandered deeper into the forest than usual, my feet guiding me through paths I’d never taken before. That’s when I heard it—a soft, melodic sound,

like the purring of a cat but deeper, more resonant. It was faint at first, barely audible over the rustling leaves, but it grew louder the closer I got to

the heart of the woods.

There, in a small clearing, stood an ancient tree, its massive roots twisted and gnarled, and its branches stretching out like arms reaching for the sky.

It was unlike any tree I had ever seen before, almost glowing under the moon’s pale light. Perched on one of the low-hanging branches was a black

cat, its fur as dark as the night sky, its eyes glowing an eerie green.

It stared at me, unblinking, and in that moment, I felt an odd connection to it—like it knew me, like it had been waiting for me all this time. My heart

raced, but I couldn’t look away. Suddenly, the air shimmered around me, and a wave of warmth surged through my body. It wasn’t uncomfortable,

more like being wrapped in a heavy blanket on a cold night. But something was happening—I could feel it. My body started to change.

I looked down at my hands, and to my shock, they were shrinking, my fingers pulling back into tiny paws. My arms shortened, my back arched,

and my senses sharpened in ways I couldn’t explain. The world seemed larger, the night air more alive, and my movements more fluid. I had

transformed—into a cat.

For a moment, panic gripped me. I tried to speak, but only a soft meow came out. I tried to run, but my legs responded differently, quicker and

more graceful than I was used to. My heart pounded in my chest as I struggled to adjust to this new form. But then something shifted in me. The

panic faded, replaced by a strange sense of wonder. I wasn’t just a cat—I was *alive* in a way I had never been before.

The forest, once vast and intimidating, now felt familiar. Every rustle of leaves, every flutter of wings in the trees, every tiny movement around me

—I could sense it all. My vision, sharper than ever, caught details I’d missed a thousand times before. The night was no longer dark; it was filled

with life. The smells, the sounds, the feel of the earth beneath my paws—it all overwhelmed me, but not in a bad way. It was like I had unlocked a part

of myself I never knew existed.

I darted through the forest, faster than I ever could as a boy. My body moved effortlessly, my instincts guiding me as I weaved between trees and

leaped over rocks. The exhilaration of running freely, feeling the wind whip through my fur, was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. I felt powerful,

in control, yet strangely connected to everything around me. The night had become my playground.

I found myself creeping toward the village, slipping between the shadows as easily as breathing. I prowled across rooftops, sneaking into windows,

watching the villagers from a distance. It was strange seeing my world from this new perspective—everything seemed bigger, yet I was more invisible

than ever. No one noticed me, not even the dogs that usually barked at every movement. I was just another shadow in the night, unnoticed and

untraceable.

But as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, I felt the warmth return. It spread through my body, slowly reversing the transformation. My

paws stretched into fingers, my sleek black fur faded away, and my bones shifted back to their familiar form. By the time the sun fully rose, I was

standing on two legs again, human once more.

At first, I thought it was a dream. But when I looked down at my hands, I could still feel the echo of paws, the residual sensation of the cat I had

been. I told myself it couldn’t have been real—that I must have imagined the whole thing. But deep down, I knew it was true. I had transformed, and something told me it wasn’t the last time.

The next night, the pull of the woods was even stronger. I couldn’t resist it. The moon was high in the sky again, and before I knew it, I was back at the

ancient tree. The black cat was there, waiting for me, its green eyes glowing in the darkness. Without hesitation, I stepped closer, and just like before,

the air shimmered, and I felt the warmth wash over me. In seconds, I was a cat again, sleek and agile, ready to explore the night once more.

Night after night, I returned to the woods, each time feeling the transformation take hold more quickly, more naturally. It wasn’t long

before I stopped panicking, stopped trying to figure out why it was happening, and just accepted it. The nights became my secret life, a world

where I could slip between the trees unnoticed, where I could run free without anyone knowing.

I began to realize that the black cat wasn’t just an ordinary animal. It was the guardian of the forest, and somehow, it had chosen me to carry on its

role. I wasn’t just a boy who turned into a cat—I was a protector of the woods, a silent watcher over the village, bound to the magic of the moon

and the secrets of the night.

No one in the village knew, of course. To them, I was just Elias, the quiet boy who liked to wander the forest. But by night, I was something more. I

slipped through the shadows, watching over the village, over the woods, protecting it from threats no one else could see. Sometimes, it was

something as simple as guiding a lost traveler back to the road. Other times, it was more—like chasing away creatures that didn’t belong, things the villagers wouldn’t believe if I told them.

The longer I spent in my cat form, the more I understood the delicate balance of the forest. It wasn’t just a place of trees and animals—it was

alive, humming with magic and energy. The black cat had passed its powers to me, and with them came responsibilities I never could have

imagined. I was part of something bigger now, a world hidden beneath the surface, just out of reach of ordinary eyes.

I’ve kept this secret for months now, and I’ll continue to. It’s not something I can explain, not something anyone would believe. But every night, when

the moon rises and the pull of the woods calls to me, I’ll answer. I’ll return to the ancient tree, feel the warmth wash over me, and once again, I’ll

become the cat.

And as I prowl through the village, unseen and unnoticed, I’ll know that I

am not just a boy anymore. I am a guardian, a protector of the woods, bound to the magic of the night.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way