"Ishku," she responded in a voice which scared her. It was warm, gentle, and flowed, sending shivers up her spine. But it wasn't her voice. They weren’t her words.
The priest said, "Ishku, it is nice to meet you. Some janaav are not brought into their second life with names, but it is good to see you know yours. Were you well-connected to the jungle?"
Ishku nodded, afraid to hear her voice again. If she said nothing, the foreign sound wouldn't become real. She would wake up as an otter, the shifting proving only a dream.
"Good. You know how to be social. You are an otter, and they’re more social than others." He chuckled. "Trying to get a leopard to calm down and find inner harmony is far more difficult. It can take days at the shrine before they are ready to enter the city."
The priest took Ishku's hands and looked into her eyes. "You are a sweet woman. You will follow the priestess over there so you can be integrated into your caste."
The priestess wore amber robes and had six red dots in two rows of three on her forehead. She also had a silver nose ring. "I am Rubek. I will guide you. The Well of Ghuma changed you, and in doing that, it changed your dharma. You will follow the path of the otter, though how will be decided by your kin."
"Dharma?" She squeaked and jumped a little at the noise leaving her lips.
"As an otter, you followed instincts given to you by the spirits. It guided you and gave you purpose. Now you can move beyond instinct. You will be tempted to fall from your dharma more often, but you can also accomplish so much more. Dharma is the path you will follow, whether it is as a warrior, priestess, or craftsman. The Ashtadash created the paths so we could purify our souls. From what I can see, you will make a fine wife and mother. I sense a strong nurturing desire."
Children. The thought never really crossed Ishku's mind as an otter. One day she would find a mate, and kids would come as a course of nature. Now, she realized, it was a choice. A husband was a choice. Excitement overcame fear as words tumbled from her mouth. "Is a mother a path I can take? I think I would like it. Maybe I could care for other children, too."
Rubek giggled, and said, "Yes, there are such paths. You could teach. Perhaps you will be blessed abundantly, and you could nurse the children of those unable. You could also help them give birth. But first, let me get you settled with your future family."
The Ganga River flowed through Jaya, and on the bank there was a stone structure. The stones were a muted mustard, and the steps led up into a cloister which entered a pyramid temple. At the base of the stairs were two stone statues, one on either side. They were otters biting fish. Rubek said, "This is your home. They will have a feast ready for you, as they do every time a new brother or sister joins them as janaav." Rubek touched Ishku's shoulder, and it sent another tingle through the otter. Human touch was quite strange, especially without hair.
Black otter spraint was smeared on the pillars leading up to the pyramid. Fish scales, bones, and other undigested items were evident in the dung. The scents overwhelmed Ishku and told her to stop before she entered someone else's territory.
She shifted down to an otter and froze. The shift in perspective and abilities was momentarily paralyzing, as she lost height, weight, and speech. Then she went to the stone pillars and sprainted, leaving her scent by the pillars.
When she looked up, there were human people watching. Some had fur all over their skin. Others had a snout still protruding from their mouth. Still others hid their animal signs with clothes. A young man knelt and said, "Come, shift back to a woman, and join us in the hall. It can be uncomfortable shifting so often after the transformation."
He stroked Ishku's back, from the top of the head, along the spine, and Ishku arched her back and purred in response. She slowly worked back to her human form, but failed to complete the transformation twice before it took hold. Every failure shot her partially developed form back into an otter, feeling as if she was pulling against a rope which whipped her back.
The man said, "I am Piv. I will guide you to your path."
He reached out a hand, and she took it. "Thank you. I am Ishku. It is hard. Walk and speak like men? Touch feels different."
"It feels intoxicating," he said. There was a sheen to his eyes, some twinkle. A light touch to the small of Ishku's back only accentuated it. "Now come and enjoy food like you never have before."
Iron doors opened to reveal a well-lit interior, with beautiful tapestries filled with dyes from berries, plants, and bugs. Statues of otters were positioned along staircases which led to catwalks and large balconies. The eyes of the otter statues, unlike the ones outside, had sapphires inset.
The smell was savory and thick, with plenty of meaty dishes spiced with delicious flavors lost to an otter's tongue and nose. Men and women danced in the center of the room, with tables all around them. Many wore little more than loin cloths and sheer tops, revealing beautiful forms. Ishku's cheeks were hot from the sight, and Piv leaned over. "Yet none of them are as beautiful as you."
She chortled, not entirely sure why, then her senses snapped back to everything around her. She trembled, legs weak, until they gave in and she knelt. Piv knelt beside her. Warm arms wrapped around her and gave comfort. She focused on the warmth, drowning out the bewildering surroundings. He whispered into her ear, "It is
