The Old Country

'So this is what it's like to have fingers,' the girl laughed, and pointed the bow at Gisella. 'How does the world look from the other side of the crossbow?'

Gisella knew this girl. She was so very familiar that it took a moment to realise who she was. Gisella was looking at herself. She looked down. Instead of hands she had two little black fox feet. Before her she found a long, white-tipped fox tail. The fox has changed places with her. This was what Great-Aunt Tanteh had warned her of. While Gisella looked into her eyes, the fox slipped into Gisella's body, and now Gisella was in the fox's.

Now I am a fox, she thought, and the fox is me.