Ch 30

Catwoman perched herself on the edge of the ramparts of the castle, looking out into the island's vast jungle. The half moon shone overhead, reflecting off her jade green eyes as the wind blew through her fur, and up her nose, full of scents from all over the island. Sounds echoed back and forth, a full cacophony in her ears. She could see the leaves waving softly, even from so high above, smell the scent of the ocean carried all the way from the shore, discern each bird calling out below.

She leaned forward slightly, on the balls of her feet, resting on the tips of her fingers in an all fours position as she stuck her head out over the edge to take it all in. The world was so alive now, with these senses. She thought about the thrill she found in testing this body's limits. It was amazing. Looking down the edge of the castle wall she felt certain she could scale it easily.

When she had first become feline she had desired nothing but to regain her smooth skinned, human body. But when told it would be possible...she had become frightened. Why? She had just told Batgirl how she was loving her new form, and that she was glad to explore a relationship with Tygrus, but she'd begun to think she'd have no choice in the matter, at least not for awhile. Now the chance to be human again sat right in front of her. Before, she felt a sense of being whole and satisfied with this new body, resigned to it, but willing to make due for the time being. This distraction, right at the moment they should be preparing for a pack of mutated, military trained super wolves, was dividing her mind again at exactly the wrong moment. But she couldn't put the dilemma out of her head no matter how hard she tried.

What did she really want? She closed her eyes as she searched her heart. But as she did so she heard the echoing of footsteps behind her, a familiar heartbeat, a male human scent.

"You don't seem too focused on watching for trouble."

She turned to see Batman, as he came up next to her. She smiled and laughed lightly. "I think I'd smell them first."

"I'm sure." He said, returning the smile. His voice grew more serious. "You're thinking about the cure?"

Selina sighed, her ears lowering slightly. "I'm pretty transparent aren't I?"

"We weren't looking for a cure just yet, but just stumbled upon those archives. I want you to know Selina, we don't have to make any choices until after this crisis is over. In fact I think it's best we don't worry about it until then."

"Easy for you to say." She said as she turned her body to face him, sitting on her knees, her tail trailing off the edge of the rampart. "It's more than just whether I like the fur and ears, it's my whole life. It's also about us."

Batman put his hand and removed his cowl. "Then let's talk about us."

"We'll hear them coming. I need to speak to you without a mask. We haven't had much time to speak since you realized I'm both Batman and Bruce Wayne."

"No," Selina sighed, "We haven't. Bruce...we had quite a lot of fun didn't we?"

"I'll admit it, yes. I hoped I wasn't contributing to your problem. Giving you more challenges."

"Not at all. I've always respected you and what you stand for Bruce, even if I could never be like you."

"You can be who you want."

"And that's the problem. I didn't want to give up my life. I thought about it, thought of ways it could have worked. Whether I could have been a crime fighter with you as Batman. An activist for causes I care about with you as Bruce..."

She paused, then shook her head. "But it wouldn't work. You've seen my brand of justice Batman, and as much as I loved doing conservation work, as much as it made me feel like a better person, it'd never totally satisfy me."

"I wish I could find something that would."

"But I think I have found it Bruce." She looked at him. "I...know this must seem odd, but I think I can take what Dorian did to me and make it something good. And I don't think it's just enjoying this body's benefits. I think this place offers new challenges, a fresh slate for me to build on."

"And us?"

Catwoman put her hand to his face. He was handsome, she thought. Handsome for a hairless human face, with that odd human scent. It was strange, she admired him deeply, but her feelings seemed more...platonic now. She remembered romantic feelings, but they seemed almost dream like. As if they were someone else's emotions. Part of her change, she realized. Cheetah had said her memories were being filtered through her new senses and instincts. The thought disturbed her. Was she losing a special part of her memories with Bruce and Batman? As she thought of her past however, another question came to her mind.

She looked down, her ears low. "Bruce...I have one question: All those years I knew you, both as Bruce and Batman. Why didn't you tell me?"

Batman paused "I needed to protect you from those who would-"

"Use me to get to you?" Catwoman laughed. "Oh come on Bruce. How many times were both of us put in danger to get to the other? Villains knew Batman cared for Catwoman since I saved you from the Joker on television." She tilted her head. "I think I know the real reason. You couldn't truly trust me."

"Selina now-"

"I was a criminal, I wouldn't have turned your secret to the mob but you figured I would use it to my advantage at some point. And you know what? I would have." She sighed and looked into his eyes. "Don't you see? In order for us to be together it isn't just me that'd have to change, you would too. I don't want that. Not for me. You need to be with someone who as dedicated to your values as you are Bruce."

He remained silent.

She smiled, "Bruce, you knew this day was coming. Maybe in another world, or a dozen other worlds we worked out. But here? No."

Bruce put a hand in hers. "Then this is the end?"

"Of us as a couple...yeah." It hurt to say it out loud. "I'll always treasure what we had, and cliche as it is, I hope you'll still call me a friend."

"Always. If you ever need anything. I'm here. Just ask."

"Of course," Selina hugged him around the chest, and they held each other for several seconds. When it was over, Bruce put his mask back on.

"I have to get the signal device working before the wolves attack. I'll be down stairs. Goodnight Selina."

"Goodnight Bruce."

He nodded, and turned, then paused looking back. "And for the record Selina, I work with aliens, mutated humans and intelligent robots at the League. Don't think that looking a little different has to make you an exile."

And with that, he was gone.

Catwoman sat with her own thoughts for several minutes. Having finally closed the door with Bruce had left her cold.

Eventually she heard the sound of padded feet ascending the stairs. Large feet, a distinct musk, plus the pleasant aroma of cooked meat. It was Tygrus, with a small roasted bird on a skewer.

"Part of human dating is to spend dinner together correct? I caught and cooked some food."

Selina gave him a concerned look. "Were you out there? It's dangerous!"

Tygrus shrugged, "I wanted to scout around the castle. I took no great risk."

She shook her head, "Well, thank you, though I'm not very hungry." She tore off a small piece of flesh, savoring the flavor on her tongue.

Tygrus sat Indian style, facing her, "You're welcome." He took a bite, then turned his gaze to the dark forest. After he swallowed, he said, "I have always loved the view from here."

Selina declined an offer for another bite, lightly pushing the skewer back to him, "It's beautiful."

Tygrus took another taste of the bird, and after swallowing, spoke, this time with a serious tone. "Yes, and worth fighting for. Worth fighting to preserve our future here."

"You mean our species, as cats?"

He nodded, "Yes, and..." He moved a bit closer, setting the bird down, "I hope our future together." He put a hand to her cheek.

Selina closed her eyes and smiled as she leaned into his huge hand. He could almost cover the whole side of her face. "Let's talk about that Tygrus. What do you want if we win this war with the wolves, if we start a life together? What do you see us doing?"

Tygrus leaned back. "Why, establishing our own territory here apart from the other cats, hunting the forest every season, starting a family."

She lowered her ears slightly, and looked out over the forest, her tail twitched.

"Do you not desire children Selina?" Tygrus asked.

"Actually...I do. Every time I'm near you I have images of beautiful sons and daughters that look just like us running around. I think about how wonderful that would be."

Tygrus gave a deep but quiet chuckle, "Then why do you look so uncomfortable?"

She sighed, the wind blowing her fur. "Because..." she stuttered slightly, her hands held out in frustration. "I-I don't feel like Selina Kyle in those moments. Selina Kyle didn't want a bunch of babies. She wanted to lay on a bed of the jewels she stole, travel the world, stealing some more. It's when I feel that desire for children that realize how much this transformation has changed me. Not just my body, my mind as well."

Tygrus cocked his head to the side slightly. "I'm sorry...you say you desire things, but...do not like that you desire them?" He asked, confusion in his voice.

"I know it sounds odd but..." She looked at him, "I was thinking about how being here with you and these other cats might be a fresh start, how I might be able to get my thrills as a cat without being a criminal. No law on my tail, new start, everything. It's great except...well first I worry I'll eventually want to leave the island. I may get bored of this. But it's more than that..."

She took a deep breath, "I'm falling in love with this body. The senses, the strength. I...I'm..." she looked in his eyes, his handsome square muzzle lined with dagger like teeth that showed every time he opened it, his glowing amber eyes, his body roped with bulging yet lithe muscle, the wonderful meal he had killed for her. She thought about all he had done over the past few days, conquering every obstacle in front of him, she thought about his scent, his deep, beautiful voice. "I'm falling in love with you, Tygrus," she admitted. "My gut keeps telling me how wonderful sharing a life with you would be...but I know that at least part of that is how Dorian made me to be."

Tygrus looked down briefly, then up. "And this poisons your feelings?"

"Yes...Tygrus Dorian changed me without giving me any choice. I don't think human Selina would feel the way I do. She'd look at you and admire you, admire what you'd done, but she wouldn't..." she swallowed, "...want you."

She suddenly threw her arms around him and kissed him forcefully. Tygrus did not miss a beat, and tightly embraced her.

'Selina,' the voice inside her head seemed weak, tired. 'You have to stop. Remember even memories are changing. Please...if you don't stop now...' It faded away, barely interrupting her enthusiasm.

When they finally broke their kiss, he sat her squarely in his lap, cradling her head as she lay against the soft fur of his chest.

"Tygrus what's happening to me? I'm so happy right now but I'm starting to wonder if I should even call myself Selina. And knowing who I have to thank for it...I...don't even know if I have a right to be happy about this change. I feel like I'm participating in Selina Kyle's murder."

Tygrus lightly rubbed her behind the ear, drawing a purr from her throat. "You always have a choice. You can choose to become this new, beautiful creature" He lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Or you can return to human Selina, if you feel that is wrong. I spoke with Batman. I know a cure will come."

Catwoman remained quiet as Tygrus continued, "I cannot choose for you, simply know two things. You are more than the simple creature my father intended, and if you choose to stay with me...I will protect and provide for you and our children. And I will do all I can to make you happy." He chuckled, "And if you get bored with the island...perhaps you could convince me to come with you? Or would the humans cast out those like us?"

Catwoman spoke, still resting on his chest, "Some would fear us...say we shouldn't exist. Others might be more understanding...Batman mentioned that not everyone is normal...there are some that are stranger than us." She thought about the green Martian, the red android Red Tornado, and Metamorpho.

"Another adventure then? I've read much of the human cities, I would not be against seeing them Selina."

"Perhaps..."

They stayed silent for several minutes, quietly letting the warm breeze blow through their fur as they rested in each other's arms. Finally Tygrus said, as he relaxed his grip, "Regardless of what you choose, I am thankful to share moments like this with you, my beautiful cat woman."

She laughed, "Oh goodness Tygrus, thank you, but that was cheesy."

"But you are beautiful. Your fur is like the sun. Your eyes like emeralds."

Catwoman put her arms around his waist, and whispered, "Keep going..."

"Your scent is sweet. Your body is lithe and strong, springing onto your prey. You move with grace and beauty, yet kill with fire and fury. You are...the Apex of what a female should be. Even among all other cats here, you are worthy of the name Catwoman."

She sighed, taking in his flattery, as she set her head under his chin. "You've been planning this speech for a while, I can tell."

"For years..."

"It was nice, thank you. It is quite a coincidence that after taking the name Catwoman and dressing up in a cat costume all those years I'd end up turned into a cat creature. Though I assume Dorian picked me for just that reason."

"Perhaps Dorian did not create you as much as you think. Perhaps he only unleashed something that was in you all this time."

Selina laughed, "I don't think genetics work that way Tygrus."

"I know little of genetics, but I know from the moment I saw you, even before you changed, you seemed to have the soul of a cat."

She looked up at him, trying not to smirk too much. "You know, I think I read about some crazy people like that on the internet. Thought they were cats trapped in human bodies."

"I merely mean to say...just because you were born human does not mean you were meant to stay that way. Perhaps this was your destiny."

Catwoman tilted her head, still smirking, "I don't really believe in destiny."

"I didn't, until you returned."

She raised a brow as he cupped her chin. "If you do not believe in destiny however, it merely means you make your own future." His voice turned even more serious, almost harsh. "You do not owe your past human self your life, Catwoman."

Catwoman moved his hand from her chin and held it. "Even if I stay this way, I could still disappoint you. Catwoman, human or feline, follows her own heart."

"I would not respect you otherwise. That is the heart of a cat."

She smiled wickedly. "Well said..."

Their eyes locked for several moments, until he gently took her off his lap, lightly holding her by the shoulders. "Okay then, Selina I am loathe to leave you but I need to check on a few things before it gets too late... if you wish to find me again, I will be in the west conservatory when I am finished. I will probably sleep there."

"Thank you Tygrus. I want to stay up here for just a little longer. Go take care of what you need to do."

He nodded, "Be safe." He took her by the head and kissed her deeply once more, then rested his forehead on hers and say. "I love you, whatever you do."

She whispered, "I know...thank you...I..." she lifted her gaze to meet his. Why fight it? Why deny the truth? "I love you too Tygrus. Be safe."

He smiled, taking his mostly empty meal on its skewer rod, "Did you want to finish this? You need to eat."

She shook her head. "I'll get something later."

He nodded, then descended the stairs back into the castle.

Of course no sooner had he left than her stomach gave a growl. She was hungry, but just couldn't take the time to think about food at the moment. She perched herself on the rampart again, looking out over the forest.

So she was free to choose her path. But why was it so difficult a choice, really? Was she somehow obligated to go back to what human Selina was, in mind and body, just because she was first? What about what she had become...was becoming? Yes it might hurt her ability to connect with human society but that didn't seem to concern her much now. She never really cared for fitting in, except for fun and to blend in long enough to steal. That was part of how she fashioned herself as Catwoman

That is, she'd fashioned an alternate identity for when she was on the job. Not that she bought Tygrus' theory about her having a cat person inside her all this time, though she found him adorable for thinking so. It was a gimmick, a totem of sorts that fit her personality. It wasn't like she thought of Catwoman and Selina as two different people, or a mask that was engulfing her...

Then again...wasn't that what was happening? She couldn't deny that she was being engulfed by this new identity as a cat person. Or that she liked it. She was a member of a race of Apex predators now. Of course they'd been tracked down and hunted by the men with their guns but when the battle came...her species had come out on top. Yes, her species. In the forest and in the castle the humans had fallen so easily. Was it...wrong that she felt above them now? Terrible as it was, the way she had slain several at once, despite their tools, their training, it felt...satisfying. They had seen her as their prey. It was the other way around.

Human Selina hadn't really known that feeling. She'd always been chased, across rooftops and down alley streets by the bat. She was the pursued in their game of cat and mouse. Not anymore. Not for a true Catwoman.

"Catwoman," she might wonder if she was truly Selina Kyle anymore, but at least Catwoman would always fit. Yes...

Selina was quite formidable, but could never have truly been called an 'Apex Predator.'

Of course, Selina wouldn't wish to be with Tygrus either.

Selina wouldn't have enjoyed the taste of blood in her mouth.

No, she didn't feel human anymore. That thought had frightened her so much. Now...it was the prospect of becoming human again that scared her. The instincts no longer made her ashamed, they were wonderful. It wasn't about choosing between human and beast, that was a false dichotomy. She still kept her devastating human intellect, her deep appreciation for beauty and all those things that made humans unique. She merely saw things from a new perspective. She lifted her paw in front of her face, rotating it, popping the claws in and out. She twisted her head to look down upon her whole body. The firm muscles roped and shifted beneath her fur. She could admire it now, her own sleek body. Designed for springing on and killing prey. The thought of a hunt filled her with excitement. She wished she could go out into the jungle right now. Tygrus had...but, oh don't be silly. It's dangerous out there. Besides, hunting would take time, who knew if there was anything close down...there...

She sniffed the air. A breeze had brought the scent of something...a deer, or deer-like creature Dorian had cooked up. It was down there, in the jungle.

Her mouth watered. Her appetite had come back, in a big way now. Perhaps she could give some thought to food.

Wait Selina, there's food downstairs, no need to take any risks on a hunt at this time of night. But...it was down there, calling to her. Even though she had been born into this new body only a week ago, the genes she had been given screamed with the ancient call of the predators they had been borrowed from. She needed to hunt. Needed to. She climbed over the edge of the castle, her claws gripping the cracks in the side of the stone wall as she easily descended it, quietly dropping down to the grassy plain below.

She kept low to all fours, crossing through the tall grass between the castle and the tree line into the jungle. She lifted her nose slightly the wind. Yes, it was close, its scent was strong. She crawled over the floor, quietly, until she came upon the footprints of something cloven hooved in the soft, moss covered ground. She tested the wind again, and raised her ears. There was a snap of a twig to her left. Her eyes searched through the dense foliage to detect something moving, about 30 yards away. Yes, this was it.

Closer she crept, sure to stay upwind. She could make it out now, a deer like creature, brown with black stripes, and horns similar to those of an impala, extending out of the back of its head. It calmly picked the leaves off a nearby tree with a long tongue. Suddenly its head shot in her direction. She lay her belly to the ground, perfectly still. After a moment it went back to eating. Inch by inch, she moved closer. She could discern its eyes, large, dark hazel orbs. Its ears flicked, but no sign that it noticed her.

She was only a few feet away now. She could see blemishes in its fur she was so close. Suddenly a change in wind and the creature raised its head again. It smelled her! At almost the same time predator and prey leapt into a sprint. Anticipating a move to the right, she darted and cut it off, her hind legs springing her into the air, landing on the deer's back. Her toes and fingers bore their claws and planted themselves firmly into its flesh, her jaws clamped down hard on the back of its neck. She dragged her prey down, crashing into the grass and mud as she gave a twist with her head, the spine giving an audible snap. The creature lay still.

She lay on top of her kill for a moment, breathing deeply. She'd hunted and secured her first meal, all on her own. It had come so natural. And the rush...the exhilaration...

She would never eat a more satisfying piece of venison, she thought. Except dragging it all the way back to the castle and cooking seemed like such a hassle.

The taste of blood was still in her mouth, the meat on the creature looked and smelled so delicious. Her stomach begged for satisfaction. She examined its sizable leg and shoulder muscles. Cooling calculating her bite, she tore the creature open. Soon, her stomach was full. Yes, as Tygrus said, uncooked or not, meat was savory. She was hungry enough to brave any parasites in the creature. Besides, this was a special occasion. Sacred even. A rite of passage.

She could truly call herself an Apex Predator now. Catwoman licked the mess from her hand and lips, then gripped the creature's antlers tightly, ripping them out. She would have to show Tygrus her trophy. She headed back to the castle.

The wolves would come soon. They thought to make her their prey. She smiled at the thought. She was Catwoman. They would learn their place.

Tygrus entered the conservatory, somewhat frustrated. Getting people to cooperate was difficult. Here in the comfort of the castle the urgency of attack wasn't evident, even with the wolf problem on the horizon. His species natural territorial instincts, with people who were still getting used to them, was creating problems. He'd had to put down several fights, disputes over females, males, food, who would sleep where, etc.

At least the sight and smell of the greenhouse jungle made him feel at home. The tall trees, the thick brush, and soft ground were a surprisingly authentic piece of jungle in the stone building. He had good memories here, for the most part. Back when things were simpler.

He paused, there was the smell of killed game here! Then his ears caught a familiar heartbeat, and his nose picked up a familiar scent. His gums drew back in the Flehmen response, holding the pleasant smell in his nostrils. A pair of antlers laid loosely at the base of the tree in front of him. He looked up, smiling a wide, fang filled grin at her on the tree branch where she was perched, looking like she was ready to spring.

"I am glad to see you again so soon Selina."

"No," she said in a near whisper. "Call me Catwoman."