What is your favorite form?

Probably being a snow leopard anthro! It really fits me, in my opinion, and it's fluffy, and nice and warm for those cold winters. :)

When transforming don't you mind ruining your clothing?

It was certainly irritating at first, but I learned how to adjust that such that it shifted with me. So now I can avoid that!

What does the transformation feel like?

I've been told by a friend that I make shapeshifting look good. He said in books from their world, the term "estreen" is used. As for how it feels, it's...hard to describe, really. It's not painful, in fact its a bit pleasant, like taking a warm bath and getting a good soak in. Just a gentle shifting feeling, like you're made of liquid as the features and shape change. Definitely a bit tiring, though.

And what about the tail? I imagine growing that for the first time must have been weird.

It was definitely an experience! There's a whole section of the brain for it, it feels like!

I'll bite!

Can you tell us a little more about animal welfare consulting, what that involves, and how we can help, perhaps, in furthering that cause?

As a second question, with your preferred shape being snow leopard oriented, how are you coping with the record summer hots (asking for a GSD).

:D

Sure! So you might've heard, for example, of things like 'enrichment' for captive animals. Or that happy, comfortable cows give more milk? But there's a massive, obvious communication barrier with finding out how to enrich the lives of captive animals, and one of the things animal behaviorists study is to study those things, and figure out how to make the animals feel better being out of their natural surroundings.

I can cheat, by shapeshifting into the animal in question and giving the new enclosure, or method of transport, or what not, a once over, and give my opinions. Is it big enough? Is it hard to move around in. Is it too hot, or too obviously fake to the animal in question? Then I can communicate that back to the handlers or whoever's hired me. Hope that helps you get the picture!

I'm spending a lot less time as a snep lately, but some more time as a dolphin anthro and swimming, when I can! Otherwise I'm just trying to stay in the air conditioning.

Great answer! For sure! I'm actually quite familiar with enrichment! I used to work with several zookeepers that researched and designed a lot of enrichment activities for the animals under their care and did my fair share of helping out with them.

That's a fantastic practical use of a shapeshifting talent. Well done.

Haha! I guess some human invention just can't be beat under certain circumstances.

Thanks for your answers! Cheers!

(Author's note: Temple Grandin was a significant influence on me taking this direction with Lindsey.)

What restrictions or limitations do your powers have?

Well, I have to get a sample from the animal, and keep in contact with it. It sorta...melds into me, and then I can turn into that animal as long as I keep the sample. So far I've only been able to 'hold' six forms at a time, and I've noticed if I get hurt badly in an alternate form, I usually lose it. Past that, I also have to shift human between other forms, and while I'm getting faster at shifting, it still takes a lot out of me, energywise, to do. I get very hungry, and I think it affects my blood sugar.

Has it been difficult to acquire more animal specimens since being on Kaerwyn that aren't 'alien' to you? Or do extra-dimensional or mythical-looking forms add more fun?

No, not really? I can do anthros, and in all honesty, those are pretty easy to get on Kaerwyn. I'm learning to balance my forms for utility a bit though, so eventually I'll probably have to give up some of the anthro forms to get more utilitarian animals.

Anthros and ferals require two different samples?

Yes, that's correct.

Given where you are now, what would happen with the sample of a creature with extra abilities that aren't biological, such as unicorn magic or fiery dragon breath? Would you only acquire the shape, or would other perks transfer along with it?

I can't copy magical abilities of creatures I become. So unicorn magic is out. If the dragon could spit fire because of a chemical reaction, I'd still be able to do that.

Can you use multiple samples at once? If so, what happens and how difficult would that process be compared to using just one sample at a time?

I can, for lack of a better term, 'store' multiple samples at one time. But I can't mix and match parts from them. So I can't be a gryphon by getting samples from a Harris Hawk and a Snow Leopard at the same time.

would you ever use your abilities in a heroic fashion like saving people or fighting crime?

I've already done the former, although I'm not exactly keen on hurting or killing people if I can avoid it! As for fighting crime directly, I don't know I'm really cut out for that. Seems like there's better metas suited for that on my world.

Space stuff? A bit of a space fan myself.

Also, when did you discover you could transform into anthro animals and how did you deal with it?

It was stupid, really...I was working overnight at a animal shelter, and messing around on the computer during a lightning storm, and got fried. I don't know why I survived, but after I got the animals calmed down, I realized I could shapeshift. As for dealing with it, since it's voluntary on my part, it's not really something I had to 'deal' with, other that registering with META (Metahuman Evaluation and Tracking Administration). And that was pretty painless?

Interesting!

Sorry, I tend to geek out when there's space stuff mentioned, so what kind of space stuff are you interested in? Space exploration and rockets? Details about stars and planets? Solar system? Galaxies? Black holes? Theoretical models on how the universe ticks?

Yes. *smug grin*

To give a better explanation, space exploration is my jam. The facts too. Honestly, I like most of it except the theoretical models. I really want to explore space, but I haven't had much of a chance yet.

I remember having a showerthought of the pandemonium if someone on the ISS just so happened to be a werewolf. You wouldn't do anything like that...

...right?

Also what is your opinion of the future of space exploration, from the postponed Artemis launch to new space telescopes such as Roman and planned ones (looking at Lynx for obvious reasons ;) to Starship and SpaceX's plans to colonise Mars?

(Author's note: I will get back to this, I've gotta look some stuff up. Sorry to make you wait!)

I mean, didn't Scott Kelly already do that with the gorilla costume? I wouldn't think it would be a good idea to mess around with those people or the gear up there, to be honest.

The future of space exploration needs to be undertaken not for profit, but for the good of everyone. And needs to be done ethically. One thing I value very highly is that everyone should be able to live their lives as they want, not to other's expectations, so for example, things like Generation Ships are a nonstarter for me.

This does put me somewhat at odds with SpaceX, since I don't think privatizing space will do anything good.

I wanna see Roman and Lynx launched for sure, and JWST is already sending back beautiful images!

I kind of wonder how he got permission to bring it up there... LOL

I don't know.

What is the longest time you spent in a form and what form was it?

How much do your floors suffer from claw marks and scratches?

Well, by choice, I don't think I've spent longer than a week in a given form, although living on Kaerwyn, sometimes I don't get that choice, and that can skew the average a bit.

My floors suffer a bit. I probably should get them repaired, though honestly, it's kinda a part of living here.

Is it particularly strange to shift into non-mammals? And, if so, what is one thing that always is hard to quickly adapt to?

Not really, aside the note that becoming ectothermic is always kinda unpleasant, even after shifting back. You lose core heat and even when you shift back it takes some time to recover that when switching back. Get the WORST chills.

Ah, yeah, that makes sense, since you're basically reintroducing the concept of hypothermia by the act of switching back.

Actually, here's another question - what is the most interesting non-human sense that you've experienced, including super-enhanced versions of existing ones?

That's a tough one! Echolocation as a dolphin is trippy, and infrared as a snake is pretty weird...but owl auditory triangulation is also way way up there.

Well, I guess I wouldn't know, that one's pretty natural for me. Thanks for the info, though!

So, what sorts of silly superhero powers are there in your world?

Silly metahuman powers? I guess there's a few, not everyone gets something good. Like to be honest I'm having a hard time thinking of anyone I know who has a power I'd call 'silly', but maybe that's just because I don't know that many other metahumans at home.

Are Metahumans rare? How rare are they?

1/100, 1/1000, or "You becoming a seal" rare?

Between the first two, I think. But a lot of them will just have minor abilities that aren't much good or are too restricted that they can go on to be heroes or villains.

Is the most common superpower crazy strong back muscles and the ability to squeeze them into tight spandex suits?

...no, my world is not actually a comic book.

Do people actually have "super suits"?

Depends what you mean by that. Technopaths are most likely to have a gear loadout, and a lot of people still try to disguise identities if they have loved ones.

How does exercise affect alternate forms? Does swimming a lot as a dolphin leave your human form healthier? Does binging on cake as a hippo have a harmful effect?

The more I work out in any form, the better I can perform in other forms! I learned this the hard way and have to maintain a high level of fitness to be able to fully utilize my abilities! On the plus side, I seem to have a naturally high metabolism and don't keep weight on easily, so that at least keeps me generally in good shape.

Do you prefer partial or fully animal forms?

Depends highly on the situation, really, but for casual...anthro forms are way better.

Is shapeshifting common or do you get some odd looks when people know?

On my world, META, it'd be looked at askance, mostly because it would be so obvious. But as I spend most of my time on Kaerwyn, that makes it easier.

i know I'm late to this party, but as shapeshifters hold a very soft spot in my heart, I just have to ask: Is there anything you *can't* transform into?

Things I can't get a sample from, things that'd be biologically incompatible, most likely, and I can't emulate any magical powers.

What is your favorite planet in the solar system? (If you don’t count Pluto mine is either Neptune because it’s not as well explored as the others or Jupiter because of its interesting moons)

"I mean they all have fascinating traits, but Mars is closest to my heart for the possibility of colonization."

It’s too bad that Venus is uninhabitable. Back in the day before that was clear people actually paid attention to that world just as much as Mars.

"Yeah, before they realized what they were dealing with. Venus also is easier to land on, with its high atmospheric pressure. Mars has, in the words of NASA scientists, "just enough atmosphere that you have to deal with it, but not enough to be any real help in slowing down.""

What is Pluto like as well as the dwarf planets at the edge of the outer solar system?

"Cold."

Well, that checks out.