A surprising encounter in a Provencal forest

"Ah, I love this place..." I said with a soft sigh, inhaling the sweet scent of Summer, with the flowers all around us.

I was wandering in the forest with Lady, enjoying my Saturday by having a hike with my cute dog. The weather and temperature were perfect for this, a rare occasion during Provencal summers, considering how hot it could get. My silvery hair was tied into a low ponytail and I was wearing some cargo pants, military boots, and a tanktop, a comfy look for hiking.

It's now been three months since I borrowed Soraya's life. We were almost at the end of the Summer break, and I was still loving every second spent here. How I loved her life, her friends, her family... It felt so natural to be her now.

Dahlia and I exchanged a few times, she told me how Claire was slowly starting to feel better, even if our separation still hurt us both deeply. I truly missed her, but I tried not to think about her too much.

As Lady and I were taking a short break, with me sitting on a large rock, we heard a shot fired in the distance, making me flinch and Lady hide underneath my legs. It was most likely a hunter, despite them not being allowed to hunt yet, the hunting period not having started.

"Damn it... These drunkards can't even respect the rules." I grumbled before hugging Lady and kissing her head. "Shh, it's fine, Lady. We're safe, they're far away."

The poor dog was terrified of the piercing noise. I kept her in my arms until she stopped shivering. We then tentatively resumed our walk, hoping it would be quieter from now on.

A few minutes later, Lady started to sniff around before running somewhere, barking.

"Lady? What's wrong?" I asked, running after her.

Crossing through the dense foliage, I found Lady sniffing some blood stains on the ground, slowly following them. She led me to a clearly wounded animal, laying on the ground next to a small river, hurt but still alive. It looked like a kind of raccoon. Lady was observing it curiously, but cautiously.

"How dare someone hurt such a cute animal..." I muttered, grabbing a towel from my backpack and wrapping it around the wet and injured animal. "Don't worry, I'll help you." I then said, giving it a reassuring smile.

I couldn't leave an injured animal without doing anything. Even weakened, it tried to escape, but I held it firmly, making sure it wouldn't fall and hurt itself even more. I retraced my steps and hurried back home while carrying the bloodied creature.

"Mom, you're here?" I asked as I got inside the house. Only silence greeted me. "Fuck, of course she had to leave now of all time..."

Soraya's mother was still there when I left for the hike, but she was most likely with her lover now, leaving me alone to try to take care of the animal.

"It'll be alright." I said, rummaging through the pharmacy to get some **** and medical cottons. "First thing first, I need to disinfect the wound. It'll hurt, but it's necessary."

I laid the raccoon on a towel on the ground. I then imbibed a cotton with some **** and tried to clean its wound, but it screeched in pain and clawed my arm as it tried to get away.

"Damn it... It's going to be hard on my own..." I said outloud before remembering something.

I was a skinwalker. Among my abilities was the ability to heal wounds... Could it work on animals?

I dropped the cotton and freed the spines of my left hand, observing them. I could easily produce the healing liquid. But before I was able to try anything, I suddenly felt a pair of hands grabbing my throat and slamming me against the wall.

"What do you want to do to me!?" An accented but familiar female voice screamed in English.

Opening my eyes, I saw a naked Soraya in front of me, holding me and glaring at me with a mix of rage and fear.

"W-what? W-who are you?" I asked, utterly confused.

Lady was just as confused as I was, barking but keeping her distance.

"Why did you take me?! Answer me!" The other Soraya yelled.

I noticed a gaping wound on her right side, a similar wound to the raccoon's.

"You're... the raccoon?" I muttered in shock.

It seemed surreal, but it wasn't like I had no experience with supernatural things. I was a living proof monsters were real, so why not raccoons turning into humans?

"I'm... a tanuki, not a raccoon!" She didn't say anything else, but her grip weakened slightly.

She was fairly strong, but I could see she was at her limits, gritting her teeth hard. The pain from the wound was unbearable for her. A few seconds later, she let go of me and knelt, holding her side and panting.

I crouched in front of her, extending a helping hand. "Okay, that was surprising, but I wish you no harm, I promise you. Calm down and let me heal you."

I took her arm and helped her stand up, while she just looked at me, wary and confused. "Why help me? W-what are you?"

I smiled. "I'm just a skinwalker on a relaxing break in Provence. As for the why, do I need a reason to help someone? It's just the right thing to do. Now, sit, I still need to finish disinfecting and bandaging your wound." I then caressed my still slightly sore throat, grimacing. "I got you're not fond of the skinwalker way of healing, so we'll get back to **** and cottons, okay?"

I went back to grabbing the materials and resumed tending to her wounds, examining her appearance at the same time. It was impressive how well she copied Soraya's body. She groaned in pain but let me take care of her. I wasn't sure how fast a tanuki would heal, though, which led me to an important question.

"So, hmm, what is a tanuki exactly?" I asked while bandaging her. "It's my first time meeting a non-human other than another skinwalker."

"You know not of our marvelous kind?" She sounded offended. "We tanuki are loved and worshiped throughout all of Japan!" Seeing that I had no reaction to her grandiose declaration, she asked more quietly. "You really never heard of us?"

"Uhh, I might have heard of tanuki in some manga or anime, but briefly. And I am now aware that fiction and reality are two different things, even if there's a semblance of truth in legends." I admitted.

"I see..." She said, trying to hide her disappointment. "Well, let me educate you, then. We tanuki are yokai, we bring prosperity and joy to humans, and are known for our incredible shape-shifting abilities, as you just witnessed! And you, you are a skin-stealer?" She asked a minute later.

"Skinwalker, actually." I corrected, petting Lady who started to calm down.

She shrugged. "Skinwalker, skin-stealer, it's all the same. My dad told me about your kind. You wear the skins of humans, right?"

"That's the gist of it... raccoon." I said, unable to resist messing with her.

"I'm a tanuki, not a raccoon!" She protested angrily.

"Oh, but it's all the same, isn't it?" I grinned.

Her eyes narrowed but she didn't reply. It was fun to tease her like this, and seeing a copy of Soraya act like this was somewhat cute and arousing, in all honesty.

I laughed. "Sorry, sorry. It's just nice to meet another non-human and be more... myself. It's been a while."

We both sat on the couch, with her grimacing slightly.

"Any particular reason you're here?" I asked.

"I heard time and time again humans talking about France at the shrine I live at. I was curious and wanted to see what this fuss was all about. But it seems like humans here aren't aware of our greatness. A barbarian shot me on sight as I was bathing in the river... I'm never leaving Japan again..." She grumbled and crossed her arms, acting like a moody teenager.

She had quite a character despite the dire circumstances, and I couldn't help but smile, amused. "Talk about bad luck. But well, you survived, it's all that matters. Anyway, I can't keep calling you raccoon or tanuki forever. You have a name?" I then asked in a more friendly tone.

"Haruka. What is yours?"

"My real name is Edward, but you can also call me Soraya. She's my current identity." I replied, gesturing at myself.

"Oh, you were originally male? Interesting." She commented.

"Well, I suppose genders don't really matter for skinwalkers, but I enjoy my time as a woman more." I admitted, slightly embarrassed.

"It is my first time taking the shape of a female. It is... different." Haruka said. "I am a male, in case you were wondering."

I nodded. "I see. It's impressive, you're a perfect copy of Soraya."

She, or he, had a proud grin on his face. "Of course. We are the best shapeshifters out there, no matter what these lame foxes might claim."

"Foxes? Kitsune, you mean?"

"Indeed." Haruka got up and bowed to me. "Anyway, thank you for helping me. And sorry for being wary of you."

He grit his teeth as he did so, due to the pain. This wound wouldn't heal in just a few hours.

I smiled at him. "It's alright, don't worry. As I said, it's just normal to help someone in need. You should rest for now, Soraya's mother won't be back before the sun sets at least."

"I need to leave before she does, then..." He quietly said. "I can't transform back right now, it might make things worse."

I felt bad for kicking Haruka out like this while still injured, but with Lady and Soraya's mom around, I wouldn't be able to explain his presence, especially looking like a copy of Soraya...

Thinking about how to help him, an idea popped into my head. I knew a way to take care of Haruka without having to explain things to anyone.

"I think I have an idea..." I said, looking back at him.

"Hey Soso, what's so urgent?" Marie asked as we exchanged kisses on the cheeks.

She was wearing a cute denim skirt, a blue shirt, a red camisole, and matching red flats. She was beautiful as always. Seeing her dressed so elegently was making me excited.

I let her in, leading her to my bedroom. "It's complicated. I need to show you."

Once inside the room, I locked the door and sat on the bed, with Marie joining me.

"You seem weird, what happened?"

I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Marie, I need your body and life again."

Before she could say anything, I plunged my spines into her soft bare thighs. She gasped, surprised, but I covered her mouth and topped her as her soul flowed within me and she deflated.

"I didn't expect to get back inside your skin someday, Marie. But I'll be careful, don't worry~" I said as I got up.

"Wow, that was... creepy." Haruka commented, leaving the closet he was hiding in.

"I got used to it." I simply replied, starting to undress.

The idea I came up with to help Haruka was to return inside Marie's skin. Unlike Soraya and Joanna, she lived alone, she had her small studio not far from the campus. And she was single, so no partner to deal with. She would allow me to host Haruka until he fully recovered.

Now naked, I grabbed my chin, pulling and removing Soraya's face and regaining my original one. How I hated my own, bland male face. It felt so wrong... I freed my arms next, regaining my flat torso. I grit my teeth and freed my lower half, holding out a moan as my original genitals returned.

Haruka observed me as I fully stepped out of Soraya's skin. "So weird... That's your real appearance?"

"For now. I don't know how long it'll take before I lose it." I said in my cringey old voice. "But I don't care. This me is gone."

I grabbed Marie's hollow skin and immediately tore her back, slipping my legs inside hers. Without waiting for the process to finish, I slid my arms next, and was assaulted by intense sensations as I gained her slender legs, arms, her well-shaped chest, and her genitals. This time, I couldn't stop myself from squealing, it was so good...

Finally, I pulled her head on top of mine, fully regaining her body. Her memories unlocked yet again, making me indistinguishable from the original Marie. Ah, how wonderful it felt to be inside her skin again~

"Ahhh, it's good to be back~" I muttered in my hot borrowed voice.

Haruka seemed weirded out and intrigued by this display, but didn't say anything.

I got dressed into my elegant and cute clothes and admired my reflection in the mirror, my hands caressing my current chest, hips, and legs. "Ah, I almost forgot how wonderful it felt to be you, Marie~"

I didn't have the time to admire myself, though. I closed my eyes and tweaked Soraya's memories of the last three months. I barely had to change anything besides today's events anyway.

Looking back at Haruka, I realised there was another problem. He was completely naked still. Not that I didn't enjoy the view of Soraya's naked body, but it would make leaving the house difficult.

"Hmm, can you make clothes appear on you?" I asked.

He shook his head, appearing shameful. "No..."

"Okay, then let's find something Soraya wouldn't miss." I said, opening the wardrobe.

Looking through it, I found an old t-shirt Soraya only rarely used as pyjamas nowadays, plain panties, some sports shorts, and a pair of old sneakers. Haruka quickly put everything on, and still looked quite cute in that outfit.

I smiled. "Looking good, girl~ Give me a minute and we can leave."

"Alright."

I stabbed Soraya's hollow skin and restored her. "I'm going to miss being you, Soso, but I'm glad we'll still be friends~"

Before she regained consciousness, Haruka and I quickly left her room and the house. It would be far too awkward if Soraya were to see a copy of herself.

"Well, let's go to my flat, now. You'll be able to recover in peace there." I said as we got inside Marie's car.

Haruka let out a sigh of relief. "I need to repay your kindness, Edward. I dislike being indebted to someone else."

I giggled. "Don't sweat it. I'm glad to have some company I can be myself with. Maybe you have more tales to share about Japan and the greatness of tanuki?"

At that, his proud grin returned. "Of course I have more to share!"