Call of the Forest (Elf TF/TG)

The sun beat down on the young man’s head as he walked down the road. He tugged at his collar, feeling the sweat coating his body and almost wishing he’d left his armor behind somewhere. At this point, the only reason he continued to wear it was because if he didn’t it made wearing it thus far a waste of effort. He pulled out his waterskin, and moved to take a drink. A single drop of water dripped out onto his parched tongue, and no more.

The party had known that they’d need supplies. This region was infamous for it’s extremes of weather, harsh summers and rough winters. They’d packed twice their usual amount of waterskins. It had been an awful idea to storm off without anything. Leon had gone without any of the party supplies, too frustrated and angry to think about whether he’d actually make it all that far without them.

But for all that, he couldn’t regret it. Not if stopping to pick up a few extra waterskins would have meant sticking around that place one second longer.

Still, all principles aside, that did mean he was wandering around without any water in lethal heat. Everything hurt, everything felt hot, he was practically melting in his armor… it was time to take a break. And maybe find some water.

As if on cue, he crested a hill. He wasn’t sure how he’d missed it until then - perhaps too focused on his own worries and pain - but once he was over he saw an expansive forest, just off the road. He didn’t think twice about leaving the road and going into the forest. He was more than willing to trade the chance of getting lost for a bit of shade and maybe finding some water.

Almost the moment he was beneath the forest boughs, he breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t realized the sun was scorching him that much, but he already felt better as he strode through the woods. He was still thirsty, but he already felt less hot.

...Should he really have left? He thought, as he walked down the path between trees. He’d shouted so much, then just left. Nobody had called him back. He wondered, was it because they didn’t want him, or because they were too busy arguing with each other to notice he’d even gone? The party had fractured like broken glass.

He stopped as he heard something from nearby. At first he wasn’t sure what it was, but as he listened, it became increasingly clear. The babble of a stream. Water. His exhaustion momentarily forgotten, he ran full steam ahead to find the source of the water.

In a small clearing lay a pond, fed by a small stream. It was a shockingly clear blue, the cleanest looking water that Leon had seen in ages. He was too thirsty to be cautious, as he dropped to his knees beside the pond and took a swift drink. Then he took another. It was probably just because he was the thirstiest he could remember feeling, but it tasted absolutely divine. He drank deeply from the pond, taking gulp after gulp of water.

He was so completely focused on the water that he didn’t notice the subtle changes taking place. How his short cropped brown hair started to grow out, brushing past his ears and continuing downwards. Or how his ears seemed to grow out at the back, becoming just a little more pointed. Of course, it was up in the air if he would have cared - he was just happy not to die of thirst.

He sat back with a satisfied gasp, feeling better than he had since he’d left the group. He felt like a person again, now that he’d been able to wet his lips a bit. He felt content, like there wasn’t anything wrong in the world, for this moment at least. After taking a few more sips of water (and causing his hair to further lengthen, down to his chin, along with beginning to brighten his brown eyes), he realized he smelled awful.

He must have been baking in that armor for hours, sweating out whatever water he did have. The pond looked deep enough to bathe in. This was a chance to get cleaned up, wasn’t it? If he had the chance, what reason could there be to continue walking around smelling like the local pig sty and feeling like one too? He filled his waterskins first, before taking off his armor, leaving it neatly piled beside a tree.

Pulling off his clothes and tossing them on a rock next to the pond, he waded into the deeper part of the pond, kneeling in the water. It was at a nice, cool temperature, a relief in the sweltering heat. Even the floor of the pond was smooth and felt nice on his skin. He started to wash the sweat from his body, using a ragged cloth from his bag.

The act of washing himself for some reason made him feel… peaceful. There was nothing to worry about, just cleaning himself off. He ran the wet cloth across his body, not noticing how his body began to ripple and change. The imperfections, the scars, the signs of a rough life of combat and adventure seemed to wash away with the sweat, leaving his skin smooth and flawless. That wasn’t all, either, as whenever the water touched, his pale skin seemed to darken slightly, as if sun-tanned.

Leon continued to change as he did another circuit of his body with the cloth. This time, muscles seemed to smooth out and fade, and his proportions shifted. Shoulders narrowed and softened, his hips grew out while his waist thinned, his masculine figure fading quickly. Of course, he didn’t notice this, either, too busy being happy with himself to notice anything at all. He felt better than he had in days, the stress and worry washed away with the grime. What had he been so worried about? All was well, if he could have this quiet moment like this. He knew why he had been mad, but… it was so hard to think that way, now. He knew it the way one knows the name of a country’s capital or the places one picks out on a map - he knew what it had been about but not why it had provoked such extreme reactions from him and the others. Why stress over things you can’t change?

The transformation continued as he washed down his legs, the limbs joining with his torso in it’s loss of muscle and shape. His thighs thickened a bit, and his overall proportions shifted to give him a good bit more leg to match his upper body. As he rubbed the cloth along his face, a strong jaw smoothed and softened, while masculine stubble fell away. He wasn’t quite feminine, but was certainly androgynous now - and the change didn’t show signs of stopping. Leon, meanwhile, was thinking about this forest. He didn’t remember seeing it on the map. Had he already been lost when he took this fruitful detour? It wasn’t a small place, but he hadn’t seen it labeled anywhere near the dungeon he was coming from. He hadn’t exactly taken the time to think about where he was going, obviously, but he hadn’t been walking for more than  a couple days.

As he took some time to wash out his dirt-encrusted hair, it began to grow longer and longer. Now, it brushed past his shoulders and kept going, Leon oblivious to this even as he washed it out. It grew brighter now, too, becoming a brighter brown and continuing on to a dirty blonde color. While he was doing this, his ears seemed to grow longer too, while his eyes continued their journey towards the color green.

Leon lay back in the pool, all but his head submerged now, and this allowed more of his body to change. Now, along with the further development of an hourglass figure, the rest of his body began to take a distinctly feminine tilt. His arms and especially hands became thin and delicate, as he rested them on top of his chest. Beneath his nipples, two mounds of flesh began to bud, then swell, while his bottom became a larger and softer cushion. It was hard to see him as a man, now, were it not for that distasteful little thing between his legs.

Leon liked this place, he decided. If it wasn’t on any maps, he’d have to put it on one. He thought he wouldn’t mind staying there for a while. For a long while, maybe. As he thought about that, ‘he’ was rapidly becoming a less accurate pronoun, both physically and mentally. His manhood shrunk and receded inwards, a fraction of its former self, while memories of battle and combat training slipped away from Leon’s mind. Why would they need to fight? Their life was a peaceful one, wasn’t it? A warrior could hardly have a peaceful moment like this, right? It didn’t seem right, but Leon was far too relaxed to question those intrusive thoughts, conceding their memory easily, without a smidge of resistance.

By the time the phallus had vanished between Leon’s legs and been replaced by it’s feminine equivalent, the transformation had kicked into gear. Leon’s figure changed quickly, her breasts ballooning to an impressive size and her butt swelling to match, deep curves and exquisite legs. If the old her could have looked, they’d have been more than a little aroused at the sight - but for now, she just relaxed in the water.

It was nearly time to get out, unfortunately. She’d cleaned herself off thoroughly, and had her drinks. Leon felt kind of odd, she found. Like something was off. Well, she knew an easy cure for that. Taking a deep breath, she let her head slip beneath the water.

Once it was under, the transformation came thick and fast. Her hair grew out rapidly, now bright blonde and long enough to brush her bottom. Her ears were undeniably pointy, long and sharp enough to cut oneself. Her eyes took on a hue as green as the grass surrounding the pool, while her face went from androgynous leaning femine, to the kind of beauty one would associate more with paintings than real people. And beneath the water, the last of her woes fell away. That little concerned voice snuffed out. She didn’t remember a smidge of her old life, and wouldn’t have it any other way if she had the choice. Leona was an elf woman who led a peaceful, care free life in the forest. Nothing more, nothing less. Why would she want the pain and suffering she’d put behind her?

By the time Leona pulled her head above water again, she had only a single, vague memory of her old life. Those dearest friends of hers, who weren’t here. Who had lost themselves in the world beyond the forest. She’d love to have them back here…

She stood, leaving the pool a completely different person than the one who had entered it. She dunked her filthy clothes inside the pond and washed them thoroughly, pulling out a simple wood-brown shift when she was done. Much better!

Leona stretched out on the grass, content with her place in the world. Without consciously meaning to, the elven woman began to sing. Her voice was as light as the air, and amplified by the magic of the enchanted forest she had stumbled into. It snaked its way between trees and out. Her song reached out, out beyond the forest, out to touch the very minds of those she desired.

In the world beyond, three different people perked up, hearing an ethereal voice in their ears. An… intoxicating voice, drawing them to somewhere. They didn’t know where. But they knew they had to go.

Leona smiled as she finished the first verse of her song. She could feel them. She could feel them coming to her. They would be together again...

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