By nightfall, they had arrived.

Those creepy, crawly slimy bastards. They were here to challenge me, just as they'd said they'd be. I'd show them.

I knew they had no faith in the magicks. I knew they thought that my power to metamorphosize was just hullabaloo. So they'd challenged me, told me I'd have to proove it. At least we were meeting on my terms: nighttime, in the woods by my place. And I knew another thing: none of them would survive.

*~*~*

The starry sky was a bonus for me: not only did it add to the atmosphere, the stars gave me more power.

There were six of them, all boys from my school. All of them ready to have yet another laugh at the freak.

But soon, they wouldn't be the ones laughing.

They stood huddled in a pack, their letterman jackets providing not nearly enough warmth. But one of them, with curly, blonde hair and freckles, stood ahead, and seemed to be the leader. I suddenly remembered his name. Jim. He had always been one of the worst ones.

"So, when are we gonna get this little freak show started?" He was yelling louder than necessary, but I stayed silent and prayed that the wind would carry his words away, I didn't want him to wake my parents.

"I agree! Let's get going!" spoke up a brown-haired one. It'll be a shame to kill him, I thought. He's kind of cute.

So I began.

*~*~*

Few know the true pleasure of being able to change shape. Some think it would be painful, for your bones have to grow or shrink, according to the shape you are taking.

But there's no pain, merely the exhilaration of the change and a very strong feeling of power.

Power of the mind and soul belonging to something more powerful than yourself.

*~*~*

The first changes were unnoticable, the shifting of internal organs and the like. So I added some dramatic gestures to give effect. The looks in the boys' eyes showed they were not impressed.

But the next change took them by surprise.

I could feel the fur grow instantaneously all over my body. The coarse, white fur was first, then the black stripes. I could hear their gasps of surprise as my hands and feet transformed into powerful paws. I got down on all fours then, and I felt my backbone elongate into a long, ringed tail. I faced them as I felt my head beginning to enlarge, and my facial features changing into those of a Siberian Tiger.

And that was the last thing any of them would see.

*~*~*

I lay on the grass in the moonlight, licking the last of the bones. Fear made the meat all the sweeter. I hadn't eaten for three weeks, except for small animals. Now, the meat of these six would keep me full for two months.

I bared my fangs and roared at the moon.

I laughed to myself. The freak strikes back.