Males
It's not a dream.
You've been here for hours; you rested for a while, but a loud announcement in a language that you don't understand wakes you. The people behind you are shuffling away, and you can only assume that the voice was announcing that it was closing time. At least there won't be anyone gawking at you.
You might have celebrated a victory, but your attention has turned to the cavern in front of you. You can see stirring now, and although you aren't sure what it is... you're also quite positive of exactly what it is. You back even closer to the bars, doing your best to flatten yourself... but it doesn't seem to matter.
They can sense you; they can smell you. They have heard you walking around in circles, and they were only being kind enough to wait until the gawkers and lookers were gone before coming forward to finally see what all of the commotion is.
There are three of them, and they stand tall and proud. Their hair falls around their shoulders in mane-like waves, and their chests are just as bare as your own, and just as broad as yours used to be, when you were a human.
They stalk forward on clawed feet, and when they open their mouths... you can understand their language, even though you know for a fact that they aren't speaking anything that you've heard before.
"You're our new mate."
The words are said with such sureness, such delight and determination that you believe them for just a moment. Just as quickly though, you shake your head and press yourself harder against the bars.
"I am not." the only thing that you can do is deny it, hope that maybe they'll listen to you. The only thing that you can do is press even harder to the bars and raise one clawed paw in defense. "I'm not. Don't come near me." Your voice is breathless, frightened. You hate it, but they just smile at you.
"You'll come to us. Soon." One gives the air a long, slow smell, and the smile on his visage deepens. "Very soon."
They seem so sure of themselves, but they don't walk like they've ever been human. They don't speak like they were ever men... and when they saunter away, they do it with such sureness that you know for a fact they know something that you don't know.
You hate it.
Written by Karlyene on 12 October 2020