“Okay...can you guys explain this from the top?”

The three shifters nodded. They were seated on the couch wearing clothes from the girls. Yewon started off.

”My real name is Kim Yewon, I was born in the same facility as Yuju, who’s real name is Choi Yuna, and Yerin. We grew up with constant tests and experiments, hurting us mentally and physically. We still have some scars from beatings. It was dark and cold and...just plain scary. We finally got the courage to escape and when we did we got shoved into a pet shop and ended up here, with you guys.”

”Are there other shifters?”

”Yes but either in those illegal testing places or hiding somewhere. We were lucky to escape with our lives and end up with you. We also over heard in the facility about one day having to abandon the test subjects if or when the government found them. We didn’t take any chances and left.”

”We need to be careful with you guys...we don’t want you to get caught...I read an article somewhere about the government on the lookout for shifters, the only reason they are is because they actually found one. A cat shifter like you. They experimented on them until they died. Now they need new shifters...they might come for you if we aren’t good at hiding you guys.”

Yewon held Yuna and Yerin’s hands as Sowon talked.

”What do we do now?”

Asked Yuna showing her puppy eyes to Sowon. She sighed and went towards her.

”You can stay with us...be a part of our family..”

”F-family..?”

”Yeah..a family is a group of people, biologically related or not, that take care of you and keep you safe. Would you like to be part of ours?”

Yuna, Yerin, and Yewon looked towards the other two girls who had smiles on their faces.

”Y-Yes..”

Sowon smiled and hugged Yuna and Eunha and SinB went to hug their pets. SinB spoke up.

”Are you guys more comfortable in human form or animal form? Either way it’s fine..”

”Can we be humans outside and inside?”

”Yes Yerin but what you can absolutely not do is shift in the public eye okay?”

They nodded and Sowon stood up and sighed.

”Hm...who wants lunch?”

______________

“Sir, we’ve encountered an illegal testing facility.”

”Of what exactly?”

”Animal shifters.”

The suited man looked up from his desk and looked at the employee with an intense stare.

”Don’t play games with me now.”

”No sir. I have evidence.”

The employee placed a manilla folder folder down on his desk and looked at it carefully. He smiled.

”We will finally be able to progress our testing and experiments at this point...there are many shifters at this faculty.”

”But sir...we’ve sent spies in and we were informed that three female shifters have escaped the laboratory. Will it effect the minimum number of shifters we need to meet our goal?”

”We need at least 250 shifters to continue this study program or else we get shut down. We need every shifter we can get. We will catch the scientists that run this faculty and ask them any information about the three females...they will not get away.”

”Yes sir! We will get our best officers on the scene.”

The employee was dismissed. The man looked at the folder again, looking at the shifters available.

”Wolf shifters all the way to alligator shifters...this is crazy...there’s such a variety...I wonder if there’s a shark shifter...oh wait, there it is...this will surely secure our spot in the government.”

______________

Two days have passed and the three friends got to know their new shifter roommates a bit better. 

Eunha learned that Yewon hates to be alone since in the lab, when she was alone, it most likely meant that she was going to get experimented on or beaten. She also hates falling asleep alone. That’s why Yewon and Eunha made a routine. Yewon would shift into a cat at night so they could sleep with little awkwardness and then when Eunha would wake up, Yewon would be a human.

Yuna and Sowon got along just fine. Sowon was very caring towards Yuna and would even let her cuddle with her sometimes, even as a human. They would play when Yuna’s a dog and talk with each other and make jokes when Yuna shifted back to a human.

Yerin and SinB were taking some time getting used to each other but SinB has definitely grown closer to Yerin. Sometimes she finds herself looking at the shifter and how her skin looked so soft, how her eyes were a dark brown and looked like dark holes SinB could get lost in and how her nose was like a cute button. Yerin also saw how gorgeous the girl was and tried to get even closer. SinB isn’t comfortable with Yerin sleeping with her so Yerin would shift back into a parakeet and sleep in her cage.

”Yewon...you’re really warm..”

Yewon groaned in her sleep and cuddled closer into Eunha. She wrapped her arms tighter around her. Eunha smiled.

”I never thought I would be so close and comfortable with an animal shifter before.”

”Things change Eunha..”

Eunha held back a squeal as she saw how cute Yewon’s sleepy voice sounded like. She grinned and brought the girl closer to her. She then heard Yewon making noises and not being able to stay still.

”Yewon? What’s wrong?”

Yewon whined and looked at Eunha with pleading eyes. Eunha looked into her green orbs and saw how her cat pupils dilated.

”Yewon?”

”I’m sorry...I’m in heat..”

”Oh...OH! Um...do you want me to..oh gosh~”

Yewon began to Eunha’s neck and dig her teeth into her soft skin. Eunha let out a soft moan and held onto the back of Yewon’s head.

”K-keep going..ahh~”

”Get out of bed lovebirds!”

”Shutup SinB!! Oh fudge~”

SinB scoffed and went back to the kitchen where Yerin was eating breakfast with Sowon and Yuna.

”Pan...cake?”

”Yes Yuna. How does it taste?”

”Really good! A lot more better than having dog food..although that’s kinda good too I guess.”

Sowon chuckled and patted her head gently. Yerin picked at her food.

”Whats wrong Yerin?”

”Why aren’t we as close as the other girls are to each other? It just...makes me feel like you don’t like me as a human...you liked me more when I was a bird..”

”No Yerin...it’s just...a new experience for me. I may need some time to get comfortable but...you can help me right? Tell me more about yourself.”

”Um...when I’m a human...I like to sing and run around with my legs that I don’t have as a bird..I also like to..what was that noise from Eunha’s room?”

They heard a whimper and a moan and then the door slammed shut. 

“Oh no...Eunha’s ...and she’s using Yewon..”

”? Using her? I need to save her-“

”No wait, nothing bad’s happening in there...I hope..”

”Are they...mating?”

”Well...I guess you can say that.”

”I thought Yuna was gonna be the first to find her partner, Yewon’s the youngest!”

”Hm..well..I guess that was a wrong prediction.”

”Yewon was in heat these past days...was Eunha in heat too? Is that why they’re mating?”

Yerin looked towards Yuna and Sowon. Yuna has a look of concern and worry and confusion in her eyes and Sowon was shocked.

”You’re on your own buddy...sorry SinB.”

”Whew..okay...humans, full humans, sometimes like to mate for fun, not always for carrying babies. So...I guess thats what’s happening in Eunha’s room right now..”

Yuna and Yerin nodded and they flinched as they heard something thud and hit the wall. 

“Oh gosh...I guess you can say...it’s pretty wild in there..”

”Shutup Sowon...is Yewon like...rowdy when she’s in heat? Because that’s how Eunha is too I guess..”

”Um...she makes loud noises and gets clingy and people and moves and squirms around...but like 10x more annoying.”

”Oh...okay then.”

”I heard Eunha scream! Is Yewon biting her? I told her not to do that!”

Sowon slowly cupped Yuna’s ears. She sighed and closed her eyes.

”My little Yupup has much to learn. She’s too innocent for this world.”