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"Yeah, I always win," he grinned cheekily.

Oz walked by Aislinn's side as they began their walk. Oz's morning jog usually consisted of two laps around the village, a quick run on the beach, and then back again. He thought it might be nice today to take Aislinn past the beach and a little way into the jungle on a path he used regularly.

The rugby player towered over the would-be vet, and had to keep slowing himself down a few times. He was just so used to trying to get places faster.

Oz was reluctant to indulge the subject matter. He was still having feverish nightmares in his sleep about his fate, and whatever animal he might be. What scared him the most was losing his humanity. Would he become all animal? Like so many characters in Disney films that were turned into talking animals for punishment? Would he still keep his hobbies, his likes, his dislikes?

He chuckled. Trust a girl to always want to be something cute and furry.

"I guess we won't really know until something does start to change..." he began, but found it hard to talk about the subject rationally. He stopped suddenly.

"How...how can you just accept it?" the big oaf asked with a slightly pained expression. He didn't know how Aislinn had handled the news, but if she was so calm, he wished he could be only half as calm.

Oz's normally exuberant mood, already dampened from thinking too much, had disappeared completely now. Aislinn had something to possibly gain from this nightmarish scenario, so it could be a blessing in disguise for her. But what of him? He had nothing to gain...but everything to lose. What tormented him the most was not knowing what he was about to become. Would he be changed? Would he still be the big oaf, always eager to make a good first impression?

He started to walk again, keeping his pace nice and steady for Aislinn. His shoulders were hunched up slightly, as if he were trying to shield himself from something he couldn't see and could already start to feel.

As if rendered powerless by her touch, Oz stopped in his tracks. He looked down at her, unsure of what she would say. For a thick-set, hot-blooded male...he was being a total wimp.

Once more, she rendered him powerless. He knew she was right but it was still scary for him. Since the loss of his sporting talent, he just didn't have much to impress with. He had only his goofish nature...and if he lost that...who would he be?

"You gotta admit...its kinda scary though...I'm not alone in thinking this, right?" he uttered reluctantly, almost afraid of how Aislinn would judge him now.

A part of him felt better just knowing that he wasn't the only one scared shitless at the moment. Without knowing what he'll turn into, he won't know how much pain he has to endure...and whether he will be strong enough to avoid pain-numbing alcohol.

"Thats a deal," he replied, smiling in a cute sorta nervous way. "Piggyback?" he offered, trying to take his mind of what was going to happen.

Bending down slightly on one knee, he beckoned Aislinn to his back and then lifted her on, hooking his arms about her legs and shuffling about for comfort.

"Yup, I'm from the British Isles, the land of bad weather and cups of tea," he chuckled. He actually kind of loved British stereotypes, they were always ill-conceived but light-hearted. He'd never heard a person yet to refer to the British as cruel or evil.

"And yup again. My parents are very much into culture rather than fun, so I've been to Washington, New York and...San Diego for some of the museums and monuments. Thats about it though, kinda boring really."