Even though Victor was down and out for the foreseeable future, Calci and I were still working on our potion to free someone from mind control in Potions class. We were halfway through the process, if we stopped now we'd lose marks. But we were also working on a few other projects to help with detention as we let the anti-mind control potion gently boil off the impurities.

Calci was working on a health potion. Her table was covered in stuff like angel feathers, phoenix tears, ice dragon scales, and nice things like that. I had to admire her focus on getting the exact amount of powdered unicorn horn onto the scale, she was fiddling with individual grains of dust to get it just right.

Turning my attention to my own work, I fixed my mask more firmly to my small muzzle. Some of the ingredients were a little dangerous and I didn't want to accidentally inhale any of them. “All right, I need half a cup of elemental fire dust, mixed with two cups of sawdust from a pine tree, and a quarter cup of ground nepeta leaves.”

Measuring out the ingredients, I poured them into a silver bowl, thinking it was more like cooking than an actual potion. But the textbook said this was a tried and tested recipe for a very effective smoke bomb. Professor Pyrotechny came over to watch, his limbs and gears clicking as he moved. With my improved hearing, the clicks were really annoying, almost like someone snapping their fingers right next to my ears.

“Petra, why are you a felinoid?” the clockwork professor asked.

“I thought it would be interesting and help with detention,” I said, trying to keep my ears from folding down at the painful squeak in his voice. How had I never noticed that before?

“I see. Do you know the weaknesses inherent to your new form?”

“Uh, no, Professor Pyrotechny.”

The professor's eyes turned black and the gears in its head began whirring more quickly. “I see. Carry on.”

I watched as the professor went to it's desk and began doing something with the complicated portable magic mirror that it kept there. Not sure what that meant, but pretty sure it was bad, I got back to work thoroughly mixing the three ingredients together.

Once that was done, I poured three quarters of a cup of dragon naphtha into the bowl. The flammable liquid was absorbed into the mix, turning the dry powder into tiny, moist balls. Reading over the recipe, it looked like everything was working. There was only one way to be sure it wouldn't explode in my face.

Putting a spoonful into a flask, I went to the side of the classroom where a small, clear box was set into the wall. Pouring out the mixture, I closed the lid and tapped a symbol for fire. A glowing spark floated down, landing on top of my work. It flashed and in less than a second the box was filled with a thick black smoke.

I didn't cheer, at least not out loud. But inside my head I was shouting and yelling with joy. Something I'd done had worked and it hadn't exploded in my face, destroyed my clothes, humiliated me, or set anyone on fire. I almost wanted to cry with joy at the success.

Going to the supply room, I picked some single-use ignition vials. When broken they'd spark, setting fire to anything inside of them. In my old school that type of thing had to be signed out by a teacher and there were usually only a few for special use. At Doom Valley, they had several boxes full of the vials, and students could grab as many as they needed.

Back at my table, I began filling the vials. This was going to work.

***

Math class was boring as usual, but at least Ivy wasn't growling at me. She was giving me the side eye, and a tail kept popping out the special hole in the back of her pants.

If I was going to be a cat girl for more than a few days I'd need to get pants like that. The skirt was OK, but I had to keep checking my tail to make sure I wasn't flashing anyone, and I was much more comfortable in pants. And maybe I could ask Ivy what she did about underwear, the base of my tail was chafing against my panties.

I noticed Ivy's lips had curled up, revealing her very sharp teeth.

Maybe I could get someone else to ask Ivy about clothing options for people with tails. It would probably be safer.

***

“OH MY GODS!” Ameth the cat girl, shouted as I entered combat class.

I had been walking to my usual spot near the back, where I could try to remain unseen. Then I found myself on my back with the teachers assistant on top of me, and she was grabbing my furry cheeks like I was a chubby little baby.

“You're so cute! Oh we don't have nearly enough cat students here. This is so awesome!” she gushed.

As the shock of being pounced wore off, I realized that my cheeks were really hurting which got most of my attention. But I also noticed that I had a fairly cute cat girl, wearing a pair of tight shorts and a sleeveless shirt straddling my hips. Once again I was reminded of my lack of boy parts and wanted to cry.

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Angel Slayer came over. “Ameth, what are you doing?”

“She's a cutie cat girl!” the assistant said, as if that explained everything.

The combat teacher sighed and brought her fist down on Ameth's head. There were several loud cracks, one of which came from my hip bones being slammed into the rocky floor.

Ameth's eyes rolled up into her skull and she slumped down with a broken skull, neck and back. Angel Slayer picked her up by her shirt, and dragged her corpse to the middle of the platform. By the time the pair were standing where they should be, Ameth was alive again, giggling and saying something about tasting colours and hearing smells.

“All right class,” the combat teacher said, “today we're doing PT for the first half of class then you'll be sparring. Drop and give me fifty.”

Groaning, I rolled over and fixed my clothes. My combat class uniform had somehow changed in my locker, the padded pants had a hole for my tail, which made them pretty comfortable. When I was ready, I got into position. I was pretty sure my pelvis was cracked thanks to Ameth and Angel Slayer, but if I complained I'd probably be used as a combat dummy again. I started doing the push ups, wishing I was anywhere else.

As we did our workout Ameth was talking to Angel Slayer. Well it looked more like the cat girl was pleading and the orc was facepalming, while occasionally breaking her assistants neck.

Finally after an exhausting half hour of push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks, rope climbing, running, and squats, we were done and it was time to spar. Naomi grabbed her spear, and I looked at my sharp claws wondering how effective they'd be.

“Petra, get over here,” the combat teacher shouted.

I did as I was told, whimpering the entire way. I knew that this was going to end with me dying or getting maimed. I always got hurt in this class, especially when I got called out. “Yes,” I said.

“You're getting special training today. Ameth will deal with you.”

The cat girl was looking at me like I was a birthday present, grinning so broadly my lips started to hurt just from looking at her.

“OK,” I said, knowing I didn't have a choice.

“YAY!” Ameth shouted, pouncing on me again. This time I was able to stay on my feet as she hugged me. But her skinny arms were surprisingly strong, and my ribs creaked in protest as they were crushed.

“Naomi, you're with Barbarina!” Angel Slayer shouted.

My friend turned pale and walked over to the scary bald girl who was busy sharpening her sword.

I couldn't see what was going to happen to Naomi, Ameth let me go just long enough to grab my hand and then we were running towards the edge of the platform. With a squeal of joy from her and a shriek of terror from me, she jumped headfirst for the lava, dragging me with her.

All I could see was the red hot magma below me. There was no time to think or react. I was going to die, and it would be permanent this time.

At the last possible moment, Ameth reached out, grabbing a tiny ledge with her claws. Somehow she turned our fall into a swinging motion and we were practically flying along the cliff face. When we finally came to a stop on a ledge, she let go of my hand. I fell to the ground, kissing and hugging it, it was the greatest thing I'd ever seen in my life. I never wanted to leave it. I didn't care that the lava field was only twenty feet below us, that there was no food or water on the ledge, and that I was exposed to the elements. This was my new home now. I wasn't going to leave it.

“This is going to be so much fun, Petra!” Ameth yelled. “I'm going to teach you everything I know about being a cat girl.”

“I don't wanna!” I whined, still pressing my face against the stone.

“Too bad. First you have to learn to climb. Our claws are really good for that, and since we're such good jumpers it's really easy to get around. Now watch me, and see where I'm putting my hands and feet.”

I dug my claws into the cracked rock, making myself as flat as possible. “Don't wanna!”

“Just staying here isn't any fun, silly. But I know what will get you moving.”

Looking at her from the corner of my eye, I saw her put a ring on her finger. Her hand started to glow. Making a fist she hit the ledge right where it connected to the cliff. Stone shattered and there was a loud cracking sound. My precious new home started to shake.

“One more hit and we'll be having a lava bath,” Ameth said.

“Does lava kill you quickly?” I asked.

“No.”

Standing up, which made the ledge wobble, I sighed. “All right, lets climb.”

“YAY! Follow me!” the unkillable cat girl said.

We started off easily enough, just regular climbing. There were plenty of cracks and handholds, that were perfect for my claws, fingers and toes. While I wasn't nearly as graceful as Ameth, I was a lot more agile than I had been.

Once I had a good rhythm going, Ameth picked up the pace. She not only went faster, but started making tiny jumps, forcing me to trust my luck at snagging hold of rocks, tiny ledges, and cracks. They started off fairly easy, but then she made a five foot leap to a ledge that was about two inches thick and only had some rough rock for handholds.

With my feet on a tiny outcrop of rocks, that could just fit my two big toes, my left hand holding onto a firm handhold, and the claws of my right hand shoved into a crack, I looked at her, wondering if she was insane.

Ameth shifted along the ledge, making room for me. “Come on Petra!”

“I don't wanna die!” I said back to her.

“You won't die. This is easy. The next part will be harder.”

Sobbing to myself, I did my best to visualize the jump. Bending my knees as much as I could, I took a leap of faith stretching out my hand to catch hold of the rock. My toes got ready to land on the ledge and grab on for dear life.

And I missed the ledge.

Screaming, I grabbed the cliff face, trying to find a hand hold. My claws scratched along the rock as I fell. Nothing was stopping me. I saw the lava coming up fast.

Then Ameth was there, grabbing my outstretched arm. Somehow she found a crack in the cliff, and stopped us from falling. I couldn't say or do anything. I was paralyzed by fear, and my tail was smouldering from being so close to the lava.

Without a word the cat girl began climbing one handed, dragging me behind her. Once we reached the top of the cliff we both collapsed, gasping for air.

“That was fun!” Ameth said. “Did you enjoy it!”

“I saw my life flash before my eyes,” I said. “There was a lot of laughing, and not from me.”

“Oh don't be such a baby. You didn't get hurt.” Her nose twitched. “Ewww. You should go have a shower and throw those pants away. You had a little accident.”

“Really?” I said, my mind still stuck on the lava that had nearly killed me. “I hadn't noticed.”

With her encouragement, I got up and headed for the showers. I had to hold up my pants, which were significantly heavier and squishier.