Meredith Mackenzie
Something was wrong.
Meredith didn't know what it was but she could feel it. She felt hot and yet chills were running up and down her body and her ankle throbbed in time with her head. She wondered if she was coming down with something and she hoped that wasn't the case as she really couldn't afford to take time off right now. She was at a critical point in her studies as she was within months of qualifying as a veterinary surgeon. She took a deep breath, doing her best to ignore just how awful she felt, and bent back to her task.
It was late evening and she had been called to the clinic for an emergency, it was her turn on call, and she was dealing with a Terrier who had swallowed something and was choking. Luckily she had managed to remove it without having to involve major surgery and she was now getting him settled for overnight observation. Satisfied that he was settled she headed back to the reception where the night nurse was working.
"All sorted Merry?"
"Yep, the Terrier is bedded down for the night Sarah. I'm headed home." Meredith said doing her best to act as if everything was fine.
"You okay?" Sarah asked, her large brown eyes concerned.
"I'm fine. Just tired I guess. "Meredith said.
"Well go on home and get some rest then hon, see you soon."
Meredith said goodbye and left the clinic heading towards her car, but before she got there she felt pain flare up across her body. She gasped in agony as it felt as though her body was burning up from the inside. The heat was incredibly intense and was made worse by the throbbing pains in her joints and bones. She didn't understand what was happening to her but she knew that it was serious.
She took several tottering steps before falling to her hands and knees. Thankfully the clinic backed onto the local woodland and she did not have far to crawl before she was safely within the trees. She had no idea why getting into the trees was important only that it was. She lay there in agony unable to do anything but breathe through the pain, whatever was happening to her was not happening fast enough and the pain was constant.
A cry from nearby distracted her momentarily and she realised it was coming from close by and that it came from a child. The strong maternal instincts that caused Meredith to care for animals kicked in and she found the strength to stagger to where she heard the cries. A young girl lay on the ground violent spasms racking her small body, Meredith could see patches of fur sprouting from the girls skin. In the back of her mind Meredith was aware that whatever was happening to her was the same thing that was happening to the girl but she was in too much pain to do anything about it. All she could do was lay down beside the girl.
Through her own pain Meredith did her best to talk to the girl letting her know she wasn't alone.
"You're okay, I'm here." She said repeatedly as the transformation continued.