I couldn't just sit in the plastic hut for forever. Who would want to? I had new freedom! The foremost after being able to blink, had to be the ability to actually twist my head. I had a neck again!
I may have made myself a bit dizzy at first, just twisting my head back and forth, luxuriating in that refound movement. Of course, all the twisting, let me get a glimpse of my new body. I had no idea what it was. Okay, so I knew it was a rodent of some kind. But I definitely wasn't a mouse. I only had a stumpy little thing of a tail, not the long things I'd seen in cartoons. But I was okay with that. Having a tail would have been more of a challenge to master I think.
And I know the fish form had a tail, but really, that was like my legs merged together, not an additional appendage.
In any case, I had enough to master as I stumbled out of the hut I'd magically gotten into. Having not had use of real limbs for months, I felt like a toddler learning how to walk for the first time. Or crawl.

At least I seemed to pick it up rather quickly. Once I got the concept of crawling around in my head. My other senses, not so much. I may have known that I was human, but that thought quickly faded as the rodent's brain kicked in. Sounds, sights, smells. I had to explore, burrow, dig around.
And of course.
Find food.
It took me a couple of rounds to find that. A silvery bowl full of seeds and pellet food.
In eating, I almost felt human. Though I never stuffed my cheeks full of food. I could sit back on my back legs and use my front paws to get food into my mouth.
My change must have made me ravenous. Because I had intended to 'store food' out of this new found instinct, but I ended up emptying the bowl, pellet food and all without my cheeks retaining any of it.
Instead of feeling sleepy after stuffing myself, I had more energy then ever. I went around and around the glass box. Trying to find something to do. Some way to find my crew. But there were no exits here. And I couldn't understand that. I remembered a system of tubes for the rodents to crawl in, and looking up I could see them. But, I couldn't see a way to get to them.

~Wow. You're way more energetic then I'd anticipated.~ The girl's voice resounded in my mind. ~Almost as energetic as your friend Larry when he made the change.~
I turned in a circle before finally spotting her. I stumbled my way to the glass. She looked slightly different from my fish view. More clear and colored without the water lens to filter things out. ~What did you expect?~ I asked pressing a paw to the glass. ~Have me freak out again?~
~Oh you're freaking out.~ She said with a laugh. ~You're just not as panicked about it this time.~ She put a finger up to mine. The tip was probably triple the size of my paw.
I felt the fur on my back try to stand out of habit from when I had had a sail fin. ~I'm not stuck breathing water. I can blink! Of course I'm over the moon with this.~
She grinned at me. ~Well that's good to hear. You do seem a bit more comfortable in this form. Surprising considering you haven't been in it that long.~
~It's a step closer to being human.~ I said fervently. And the day when my ears would stop twitching would be a blessing. ~But I do want to know...what am I?~
She raised an eyebrow. ~You don't know?~
~I'm not good with animals.~ I replied back defensively. 
~I thought you would since you robbed a pet store.~
~I focused on the stuff, not the animals the stuff was for.~
She sighed, shaking her head. ~Tsk Tsk Fishy Thief. You need to do better research.~
~I'll remember that next time I can use a computer.~ I shot back. ~Can't you tell me though? What am I?~
~Maybe in a while. For now you should rest.~ She said after a moments consideration. ~You're going to over tax yourself at this rate.~
~OH COME ON!~ A sort of chattering sound came from my mouth, startling me. I could make noise now?
Her eyes lit up. ~Oh, now that's cute.~ she teased. ~You may have gotten even more adorable then you were two seconds ago.~
My ears laid back. ~I'm not adorable!~ I denied, making the sound again.
~Me, and all the little kids will disagree with you.~ She gleefully replied.
~Whatever.~ I turned away from her. ~How do I get out of here? ~ I asked to change the subject. ~I've seen the tunnels.~ And frankly, being able to remember that their were tunnels was just as thrilling to me. I wasn't discovering anything 'new' in this rodent form and it felt amazing.

~A couple of days.~ She said, a hint of her laughter in her voice. ~My mom wants to make sure the change goes over smoothly. So we're keeping you separated from the others until she's satisfied that there were no ill effects.~

I glanced around the cage my ears laying back. ~A couple of days?~ I repeated incredulously. ~I've already explored this place twice over! What am I supposed to do in here until then!~ Nothing would be new, like that fish tank had been.

She winked at me before turning away. ~Oh, I'm sure your rodent self will figure that out soon enough.~

#Henry