To Be A Lowldorse

Author's Note: I am a therian, and I have four theriotypes; a leopard, an owl, a dolphin, and a horse. Because of this, I have the nickname, "Lowldorse". This is a poem about how I imagine my life would be if I could truly change between the animals I identify as.

I am a Great Horned Owl

I perch on a branch

High up on an old oak

A strong breeze ruffles my feathers

Something is coming

I think to myself

Something approaches

I turn my head in all directions

Searching for the disturbance 

My sensitive ears can hear

A stampede

I know this

The hooves pounding the ground

The frightened sounds of the horses

The mothers fear for their foals

I swoop down

Floating low over the horses for a moment

Then I change

I am a Black Arabian Stallion

My hooves hit the ground

The loud thuds breaking the silence of the night

Along with the whining of the herd 

As we flee

My tail is singed from the forest fire

The threat that we all fear

The young foal who lost his mother just weeks ago

Falls

I can see he is going to be trampled

So I fight my way back 

Towards him

I nudge him onto his feet

And run beside him

Protecting him as his mother would

Up ahead I can see water

How deep it is

I do not know

But water will separate us

From the fire

It is a dangerous route though

The water spans farther than the eye can see

And many of the foals 

Have never attempted a crossing before

I see the lead stallion take the plunge

And I'm right behind him

But as he barrels into the water

He disappears

My hooves hit the water 

Before I can stop them

And I fall into darkness

I am a Dusky Dolphin

I dive deep to avoid hooves

As horses fall into the water

Attempting to swim to the other side

But I know with much sadness

That most won't make it

The other side is several miles off

And there are too many young foals in this group

I swim up underneath one such foal

Who doesn't seem to have a mother

And I guide him farther into the water

Supporting him with my body

And swimming him safely to the other side

Where only three stallions and two mares

Have made it

One of the mares greets

The foal with a friendly snort

Rubbing his snout with her own 

And guiding him to the trees beyond

I chatter happily

Knowing that I have saved 

At least one young life today

But then I hear the panicked sounds 

Of the mare and foal that went into the trees

I hear a stallion attempting to fight something off

I poke my head out of the water

And shift as I see a leopard approaching the horses

I am an Arabian Leopard

I hesitate and I stare at the horses in front 0f me

My stomach growls

I am hungry and tired

And the horses that stand before me

Would make such a good meal

But something's wrong

I feel almost nauseated at the idea

Of bringing one down

A stallion steps forward

He rises onto his back legs 

And kicks his front ones at me

I back away

I stare at the young foal hiding behind the rest

I smell the fear coming off him

And despite every instinct in my body

I turn and run away

After I am miles out from the horses

I hear rustling in the bushes

I slow

Lowering myself into a crouch

A bunny flees from the bush and I pounce

My teeth sinking into it's throat

I have my meal

I think to myself

And for some reason

I'm glad I left those horses alone