Of course, shifting would rip clothing, wouldn't it? What had his life become that it made perfect sense to him? Then again a lot of things had changed for him since waking up from the ice into an era not his own. Sam tended to make the horror of the loss a little easier to cope with. It prompted him to want to be there for him in any way he could.

His eyes widened to a near comical level as he watched until a panther stood before him. "Damn," he swore under his breath, reaching out a tentative hand to stroke along Sam's fur. What an odd thought.

"Can you - still understand me even when you're like this? Just - uh - nod if you can?"