The full moon behind the clouds bathed the city in cold, diffuse light. Amina sat in the back of a cab, raindrops running their silent race down the window.
"This is fine." She gestured the driver to stop.
"You sure? Rough hood, this." The driver seemed honestly concerned.
"Yeah, I know, I'm from here. Need to stretch my legs." She smiled.
"Your call." The driver shrugged.
Amina waited until the car had vanished around the corner before she turned into a small side street and fell into a trot. Her way took her through a labyrinth of back alleys until she stood before a heavy door at the back of a warehouse. Someone had scratched The Den into the paint. She didn't need to wait for the door to open.
"You're late. " The burly, bearded doorman locked the door behind her, and gave her a hug.
"Nah, they were early." She grinned and made her way deeper into the building.
With each step she allowed more of the change. Growing hair and teeth, stretching limbs and an ambush of sounds and smells. Before her hands were only claws she undressed and fell on all fours, now more wolf than human.
She could smell the bears before she stepped into the big room with the iron cage. The crowd erupted into a wild roar when she made her entrance.
In the center of the cage waited a brown bear, outwardly calm, but #redolent of fear.
"You got guts." Amina growled. "Pity I gotta take 'em."
#microfiction #tootfic #writing #smallstories #wss366
