It was unusual for Tristan to have the afternoon off on a weekend, but thankfully today was a rare exception to the rule. The clinic had no need of him today, so his boss had practically shoved him out the door, telling him to relax and "go for a walk". It was such a warm day out that Tristan had decided to do just that and more. He was going swimming. It was almost sad, how much he was looking forward to his first swim of the year, since Noatak -as far as he knew- didn't have an indoor pool.

Today was going to be the day he shifted for the first time too. the voice that Fulong had called his 'talisman' was popping up more and more, adding little comments and asking questions about everything and anything. They had mutually agreed that perhaps shifting would help them know each other better, since Fulong had alluded to shifting making you and your talisman mentally closer together. It was something that Tristan was curious to find out about, whether it was true or not, and he was also eager to discover what it felt like to be his other self.

So that's how Tristan found himself hiking through the woods, looking for an open spot next to the lake. He'd decided to wear only his swimsuit and sandals, despite it still being spring, for it was an unseasonably warm day, and he wanted a tan anyways. After finding a spot where there was a small beach before the water, Tristan sat carefully in the grass, and began clearing his mind, focusing on becoming his talisman. The water had looked inviting, but he wanted to shift first, just to prove to himself that he could, and that he did have a talisman. Remaining in his sitting position, he tried to visualize himself changing into a horse. Hands becoming hooves, hair becoming fur . . . What he hadn't thought of was that horses prefer standing or lying down over sitting . . .