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Ian had holed himself up in his duplex for months. He hated being seen using a crutch to walk so he gathered up plenty of greens and prepared for a long wait.

A few weeks later he was bored, but he was determined to wait until he didn't need a crutch to walk. So he waited. . .and waited. Months had passed and still he hadn't changed.

This morning Ian woke up light headed. He got out of bed and hobbled to his bathroom where he relieved himself and blamed that on his inactivity and willful confinement, but he also knew he had to get out today or he just might lose it. It took him awhile to gather himself enough to pull on a pair of pants and use his staff and head out the door. He stood at his door blinking at the sunlight before starting on a path to the cafeteria. After he was a little away from his duplex he felt a grinding pain in his chest and he halted. It couldn't be, could it? He doubled over gasping for breath and crying out, the sound he made more deer than human as he dropped his staff and fell to the ground with one hand clutching at his furry chest.

"urrrruuuuuh! Someo. . .elp. ." his voice was cut off as he struggled to just breath with the intense pain in his chest.

Ian couldn't seem to gather the breath to reply as Emerwyn ran to his side. The woman he had loved, the woman he had let go for the same reason was coming to help him when he needed it most. Unable to say anything he looked at her pain in his eyes as he felt his chest begin to broaden and swell. Emerwyn would be able to tell what was going on.

And if his chest wasn't enough his lame leg seemed to explode with pain causing him to roar. Please let this be over soon, he found himself mentally chanting. Please let this be over soon.

Through the wall of pain Ian could hear her voice, but even though he could not make out any words he was soothed by the tone. Emerwyn was here, everything would be better now.

The pain in his chest was easing as it was wider and a little bit bulkier than it had been. and his leg seemed to be changing to match the other. It was painful, yes. But perhaps after this it would be truly over. Maybe he wouldn't change anymore.

"Emer. . .wyn" he managed to gasp. "Thank. . .you." his free hand made a fist in the ground as his left went through a particularly painful change before it underwent a change as well. His had was now almost completely a hoof, but he still had a thumb that was a miracle within itself. He felt himself shaking and grimaced. He was showing a great sign of weakness in front of a woman, that was most frowned upon by them, he had learned that early. "I'm alright now." That was said clearly but it was obvious that he was masking some pain.

How like a woman to try to tell him that he was not well enough. "I'm fine, really." To prove his point he pushed himself to a knee (forcing himself not to grimace at the pain of the new shifted muscle). "See, I'm fine." and he pushed himself up a little more, a bit at a time so he didn't fall.

He was a man. Men did not show pain to women under any circumstances.

It wasn't to her that he needed to prove he was strong to though, it was too himself.

"I know." he said simply and continued to his feet wobbling a little at the fact that he was no longer lame, but still happy that he would be able to walk at least somewhat normally.

"um. . .do you want to go and catch up somewhere?"

Trees. That might be bad.

Ian's eyes followed her as she grabbed his staff then came and hugged him. "I missed you too." They also needed to talk about what had happened between them. This might not be a good day, but perhaps it could mend a rift.

His first few steps were uncertain, but it was easy to get used to walking again and he paused, making sure Emerwyn was going with him.

"Everything changes. In the autumn, leaves change colors and fall. People change too, not with the seasons, but with events that occur. Deaths can change people, births can change people, and turning into animals can change people." Ian knew he had changed. How could he not?

But he did need to know. "Emerwyn, love, why did you leave?" The pain of suppressed emotion was clear in his voice. He had forgiven her long ago, it was himself that he couldn't forgive. He couldn't help but feel that he was the cause of what had happened between them.

"Are you still being haunted?" he had to ask that. He still loved her, he wanted her back. "I've never stopped loving you. A few months back, I wanted to search you out" he paused, a few months back he would have settled for any female company but she didn't need to know that. In the end he hadn't gotten anything.

"Please, forgive me, I was also being selfish." and he waited.