The frantic escape through the dense, unfamiliar woods was a blur of rustling leaves and panicked breaths. Seth's mind, however, was a storm of chaotic thoughts, finally beginning to untangle the mess of his situation.
'Okay, let's recap,' he thought, his new, powerful legs carrying him with an ease his old human body would have envied. 'My name was Derek. I got doxxed and... terminated because some furry couldn't take a joke. Now I'm Seth, a... whatever this is, and my new furry friends are being hunted by humans.'
He glanced back at the ragtag group of animal-people—his "pack," as they called themselves. They were a sorry sight, clutching their few belongings, their ears flat against their heads in fear.
And because our original route was blocked by humans, we had to cut through goblin territory. Which, surprise, they didn't like. So they attacked. What a mess. A bitter, internal laugh echoed in his mind. 'Is this some kind of cosmic punishment? Cursed by the very thing I mocked online?'
His train of thought was interrupted as his arm brushed against the soft fur on his own chest. The sensation was... unexpectedly pleasant. Soft and comforting.
'Wait, no! Focus, you idiot!' he chastised himself. 'This is not the time to appreciate the fluff! This is serious! Why couldn't I have been reincarnated as a goblin? Or a slime? Those are classic, respectable isekai mobs! But no, I had to become the one thing I...'
His internal rant was cut short by a soft, worried voice. "Seth? Are you... are you alright?"
He turned to see one of the pack members looking at him with large, concerned eyes. It was a woman—or at least, the feline-equivalent. Her face was covered in a sleek, grey fur, with darker tabby-like stripes accenting her cheeks. Her eyes were a striking, luminous yellow, and despite the animalistic features, there was a undeniable softness and beauty to her face.
She wore a simple tunic, and yes, the distinct shape of her figure was visible, a clear mammalian curve that his new eyes instinctively registered as... attractive.
Her name is Fon, the knowledge surfaced from the body's residual memories.
For a moment, Seth was completely captivated. The way her fuzzy ears twitched slightly, the intelligence in those golden eyes... she was... captivating.
A jolt of pure, unadulterated horror shot through him.
'WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?!' he screamed internally. 'I'm... I'm attracted to a furry! Get a grip, Derek! This has to be some primal instinct of this body! Yeah, that's it! It's just the leopard-cat-hybrid hormones talking! It's not really me!'
He realized he had been staring for an uncomfortably long time. Fon was starting to look confused. Seth quickly forced a nod, his head bobbing up and down like a weird, malfunctioning toy.
"I'm... yeah. I'm fine," he managed to grunt, his voice tight.
Fon's worried expression softened into a slight, relieved smile. "You seemed lost in thought. But if you're nodding like that, I suppose you must be okay."
Just then, a large shadow fell over him. Seth looked up to see a massive, boar-like man, his snout snorting slightly, and his thick arms crossed over a barrel chest. This was Gronk, another memory supplied.
"Of course he's fine!" Gronk boomed, clapping a heavy hand on Seth's shoulder that nearly made his knees buckle. "Why wouldn't he be? After all, Seth is the strongest in our pack!"
The words hung in the air, silencing the ambient chatter of the group. All eyes turned to Seth.
Seth's brain short-circuited. The internal panic about his attraction, his past life, and the fluffiness of his fur vanished, replaced by a single, deafening thought.
'Hmm??' His eyes widened. 'Me?!'