In the Wyld World, there are many religions, just as there is in this world. However, in the Wyld World, there is one thing that practically all religions have in common: They are the final word in terms of what is, and what isn't, acceptable.

Enter young Nate Redbone, Native American of the Navajo tribe. He has almost turned 20, and still hasn't gone Wyld. However, once Nate becomes Natalie, how will he be treated amongst his own people? And in return, can he accept them as well?

The Changing Woman
A Wyld Universe Story
Part 2
by AoifeM

I sat kneeled before my encircled family, who were just as stunned as I was. My eyes were investigating every last inch of me, from my delicate arms to the two new breasts, teasing my audience as my nipples peeked out from the sides of my hairpipe breastplate. And yet the first words anyone said to me post transformation wasn’t ones of comfort or sympathy, but rather ones of reprimand.

“Cover yourself up!” My mother had the audacity to scream. “You’re showing!”

My jaw fell agape. I immediately countered, “I’ve turned from a boy to a girl for only 10 minutes and you’re complaining about my…my…!” I couldn’t say breasts. It was all too much to deal with.

My father wrapped the ceremonial tarp around me, covering up my new assets and help lead me to the car. I wanted to cover my face, or perhaps even just close my eyes and pray I could disappear. I felt like I was under the spotlight, and deathly afraid that the whole world would notice my new condition. All I thought about as I made my way home was, this can’t be real! This can’t be real! I just hope I was hallucinating, and hopefully when I’m back to normal I could chastise myself for even thinking such unthinkable thoughts.

But that wasn’t the case. I was a woman, for now, and for the foreseeable future.

It didn’t take long for the rumors to begin. Young Nate Redbone turned into girl. Nate was punished by the Shaman. Nate became some sex crazed bimbo. Nate’s looking for potential new suitors.

I just remained in bed. Blinds shut, covered entirely in sheets. I really didn’t want to see myself, as all it did was make for a frightful reality check. And with all these rumors circling about, it just made my situation even more repulsing.

Late one evening I heard a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it was my younger sister, Haylie. She was 17, obviously a few years away from her own transformation. Seeing what I went through made her extremely nervous about her own future, but right now she didn’t want to focus on herself. She knew right now I needed someone to support me. These times weren’t the most pleasant.

“Hey there…bro,” she said halfheartedly. She pretty much knew that classification wouldn’t stick on me any longer.

“Hi Haylie,” I replied with my soprano voice. Even after a few days the sound of my voice still gets to me.

“How are you feeling?” She asked, knowing full well how I was taking all of this.

“Like a girl,” I replied, “I guess…”

“This must really suck,” she said, trying to sympathize with my plight.

“It’s funny,” I started. “Here I was worried about whether I’d become a monster; some sort of freak. And never once did it cross my mind that I could possibly change gender.”

“It’s not something that typically happens, so I’ve heard,” she explained, “but I’ll do what I can to help you get comfortable! I swear!”

“Maybe something to knock me into a coma or something,” I sarcastically joked.

She didn’t want to hear that as she rushed up to me and grabbed my hand. “Don’t talk like that, Nate,” she pleaded, “I may have lost a brother, but I won’t lose you too!”

“Hale,” I softly said. I guess I didn’t know how bad she was having it herself. “I’m sorry. This isn’t easy to just accept.”

“I’m not like mom,” She declared. “I won’t force things on you. When you’re ready to take your first steps I’ll be there.”

I couldn’t be mad at her. I gave her my first sisterly kiss on her neck and told her, “Thanks Hale.”

My sister was my only friend during these times. My father seemed to have withdrawn a little as well. I'm sure my father was disappointed he just lost his only son. And my mother, well, she seems to be annoying me even more than usual, trying to push things onto me that I had no desire of doing. Haylie and I however had gotten quite a bit closer since the change. When I was a boy, we were a sibling rivalry, and picked on each other quite often. Now she was my closest friend, and coach. Perhaps she felt sorry that I had to lose everything I was. This was a punishment that she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy, let alone her brother.

She would often see me once she got home from class. She wasn’t taking it well either. Most of her classmates would tease about my misfortune about how she wasn’t the prettiest of the family and whatnot. Hey, it’s not like I asked for this!

Of course she also held on to some of her “brat” tendencies as well. I guess that was to be expected. She began to call me “Natalie,” much to my chagrin. So much for forcing things on me. Then again I think that it was part of her devious plan. She would bother me until I just gave up and go with it. So ended the life of Nate Redbone, and began the life of Natalie Redbone.

But of course what she did wasn’t anything close to the embarrassment my mother would do. I was lying in bed for too long one morning, and she was obviously tired of my moping around. I was going to learn to be a girl the hard way.

All it took was the cold splash of water from mother’s wash bucket to force me awake. Startled I got tangled in the covers and fell face first onto the floor below.

My nightshirt a mess my biggest fear was my nipples showing through like a sore thumb. Please don’t stick out, please don’t stick out, I pleaded to myself. It was to no avail though. My body seemed to have made a decision without regard for my feelings.

“No daughter of mine will lay around all day with the lack of decency for her personal hygiene!” She began to pull me by the ear to the bathroom, getting a firsthand experience of shaving my legs, cleaning my hair and other feminine skills. It almost made me wish I would’ve taken Haylie’s offer when she first gave me the chance.

She borrowed some of Haylie’s clothes as she watched me put them on. The embarrassment of the whole thing was only worse with her standing right near me. Luckily in terms of body shape Haylie and I were similar, so other than perhaps a little tightness within the bra area I was good to go. At least I didn’t have to try on more than I had to.

I was then prodded downstairs, with Haylie watching all of the commotion.

“Okay, okay!” I yelled at mom, just wanting a minute of respite.

“Haylie,” she commanded, “Go spend some time with your sister. She needs to get out.”

She nodded as my sadistic mother headed back upstairs. Haylie couldn’t help but wonder as she saw me, “Are those my clothes?”

My cheeks red I couldn’t help but apologize. “Eh, heh…It was mom’s idea.”

She rolled her eyes about that one, but at least was kind enough to not to have me describe every single detail of the horrible experience that had befallen me. “Do they fit okay?” She asked, obviously seeing how I was constantly rearranging my boobs even right in front of her.

“Other than the…bra,” I hesitantly replied, even though I was stating the obvious. I’d rather not be wearing one at all. “How do you girls where these things?”

“Well, you most likely need a slightly bigger one,” she assumed, “You are 2 years older than me, after all.”

“Great,” I quipped, as I rolled my eyes similar to how Haylie did. It was amazing almost how identical we were with some of our gestures now that we shared the same gender. It kind of freaked me out how everything was so instinctual, like I didn’t even realize how I was acting until I did it. And it was hard to micromanage every detail, so sooner or later I would slip, and that little bit of Haylie in me would come out from hiding once again.

Having not much choice, we decided to head outside and wander around for a bit. I didn’t have any clue where I’d want to go at the moment. Honestly if I could I’d stay back inside my nice little cocoon I had at home, but with my mom I didn’t really have a lot of choice. I’d rather avoid contact at all possible…

“Nate?” I heard from overhead.

…Of course, it’s pretty difficult avoiding contact when you’ve become the new girl on the block.

Shawna landed right in front of us, staring at awe at the sight she was witnessing. “Is that you?” She asked me still unable to believe it.

“…Yes,” I replied, wishing I didn’t have to be the bearer of my own bad news. “It’s me.”

“It’s Natalie now,” Haylie chided, not making things any better.

I saw her eyes tear, which in turn made me tear up as well. “Oh Nate!” she cried as she fell into my arms and wrapped me inside the warm embrace of her wings. It was probably the best feeling I’ve had since becoming a girl.

She released me, and stated. “I’ve heard all the rumors. I didn’t want to believe it was true! I’m so sorry!”

“…It’s okay,” I said, more worried about consoling her than myself at this point. "Not all the rumors are true. You can be rest assured I'm not some sex crazed floozy." I dropped my head and sighed. "Not like that's much of a consolation."

“It’s been kind of rough for the both of us,” Haylie added. “And our mom hasn’t been making his…her life any easier.”

“I don’t know how she can just flip a switch like that,” I confessed, “It’s been a week and she’s treating it all like Nate never existed.”

“I can see how that would be difficult,” Shawna agreed. “I guess that the whole Wyld phenomena can desensitize people from things like this.”

“No kidding,” I replied, “It’s not like I wanted to wear anything like this.”

“Well,” Shawna digressed, “If it makes you feel any better I think it looks good on you.”

“Ummm,” I started as my cheeks resumed turning red, “thanks, I think?”

“So you’re being called Natalie now?” She wondered.

“Mostly by my sister here,” I said as she razzed me. “It seems to be gaining popularity within my family lately however.”

“Do you like it?” She further questioned.

“Do I have a choice?” I retorted.

“Well, of course you do!” She answered. “But, if you did like it, I wanted to know if I could call you that now? Just to help you out?”

What’s with people these days? Is everyone trying to get rid of Nate?

Indifferently I replied, “Go nuts.” Although I probably wouldn’t have admitted it, even I felt weird being called Nate.

And so we continued to talk as we continued to walk around town. All these stares, particularly from the guys, were getting to be very nerve wracking. At least Shawna was there, threatening to claw their eyes out if they kept on looking at me like that. I was at least thankful she’s there, helping me.

We didn’t walk too much further until we were greeted by yet another companion.

“What’s that Coyote doing running all the way over to us?” Shawna asked.

It couldn’t be. It was that same Coyote from a few nights back, who followed me to my house and never would shut up. Apparently even with my changed gender he could recognize me.

“Oh man,” I whined as I involuntarily rolled my eyes once again, “It’s that same Coyote that had followed me home after you left that day, Shawna.”

Now right in front of me Shawna kneeled down and gave it a little petting. “I don’t know,” she began, “It seems kind of friendly.”

“You didn’t have to listen to it yap all night,” I sourly remarked.

You must run!

What the? Did I just hear something?

They’re coming for you Princess! They wish to fulfill the prophecy under their own terms!

I was getting a little paranoid. “You guys hear something?”

Both Haylie and Shawna looked at me as if I was crazy. But I could hear it as clear as day, and it was coming directly from the Coyote in front of me.

Please, I could hear as he pleaded his case, you have just awaken and don’t know the full extent of your powers. You’re outnumbered now. Please, escape!

I should have been more proactive in heeding his advice, because in the few minutes I stood here confused at what was happening, the “enemy” who was “chasing” after me finally caught up to me. Women who had woven Navajo blankets wrapped around them as a traditional makeshift dress surrounded us. I was kind of worried about what was going to happen as they began to spin around us in circles. Was this some ancient cult ritual or something?

Then something weird occurred. They began to shower me in flower petals. I didn’t know whether to be worried or insulted. If these were the people the Coyote told me to escape from, then he needed to take a chill pill.

And yet there he was right beside me, eyes alert and his teeth snarling. He knew something I didn’t. But it didn’t take too long for everything to come together.

The shaman who presided over my change just a few days prior stepped forth, covered in body point and dressed in what seemed like bone carved remains of long dead animals. He took one look at me and kneeled, making the following statement:

“Oh great Princess Asdzą́ą́ Ná¡dleehé, returned to us from the dead. How long we have waited. Finally we can transcend this mortal coil. Please guide us poor, insignificant souls into are new tomorrow. Please guide us Diné to the Fifth World.”