Chapter 91 - A Cry for Help
It was later in the evening, and Legosi and Louis were finishing up their dinner of ravioli. "These were pretty good, even if they were just frozen. Do you think you'd know how to make them from scratch, though?" Legosi asked.
"It might take some work, but you'd know I'd attempt anything for you."
The wolf looked up at the ceiling. "What if...you made our wedding cake?"
The deer smiled widely. "Mmm..." He came over and stroked his cheek. "And you decorated the wedding itself."
Legosi smiled equally as wide. "Do you...think stars are overdone?"
"Never."
"Good...because I think that's our theme." Legosi reached a clawed hand toward the ceiling, grabbing at the air. "We have our sights set high, and even if the stars aren't there, we'll keep reaching for them."
"Always and forever."
Legosi, feeling his nose start to stuff up again, reached for the spray Jack had given him. He inserted it into one of his nostrils, but to his dismay, found that it was empty. "Oh..."
"You...really ran out that fast?"
"Well, id mighd have been half full..." The carnivore also realized he may have simply used it more than he should have. He really wanted to nip this thing in the bud.
"Huh...We can get more soon."
Legosi stood up. "I'll go see if Jag has more." He walked over to his coat and slipped it back on. "Id'll jusd be a lil bid."
"Wait, really? It's late!"
"Only 9pm." The scarf went around his face again.
"I'll be back, and den we can watch something," Legosi promised.
Louis came close and hugged him tightly. "I love you, be safe. Come back soon, I already miss you."
Legosi giggled. "I'm jusd going back to my old dorm, silly. I love you doo." With that, he was out the door. He made his way back from room 701. Jack couldn't believe that he went through the bottle he had given him earlier, but he had a new one ready. The wolf thanked him and assured him this one would last.
The night was cold and dark, and a bitter wind cut through the campus, causing Legosi to stop for a moment. He shivered, reaching for the bottle he had just been given.
Shuffling behind him made his ears perk up. He started to turn around, but a hard impact to his head knocked him over. Before he could get his bearings, another impact turned his whole world black.
Louis was waiting at home, wiggling his feet and watching the TV. He couldn't wait to see his fiance again.
A while passed, then a little bit more. He decided to call him, finding his contact and raising the phone to his ear.
No answer.
He tried calling again. Still no answer. He sent him a message.
Louis: Hey, where are you?
After a few minutes passed, still nothing. He furrowed his brows. Where is he...? Probably just distracted.
Then more time passed, and the thoughts in his mind got more intense. Finally, his anxiety got too high for him to handle, so he got up and got ready to go to room 701.
He got his warm clothes on and scarf, grabbing his gun since he was going out alone. He made sure to lock the door after he left and headed toward the school.
Louis took a few steps outside, having to use his phone as a flashlight due to how dark it was. At least the lights by the school were on, but they didn't reach out this far. As he continued the trek, the light from his phone picked up a dark blotch on the ground in the near distance.
The deer furrowed his brows and got closer. He kneeled down and shone his light on it. It was blood, no doubt about it. A modest pool of it, and then some smeared on the ground as if something were dragged.
Louis' eyes widened. Don't assume shit, don't assume shit, don't assume shit... He followed the trail, afraid of what would be at the end. He made sure to pull his gun out.
The path led to a tool shed near the edge of the school grounds. Some dull thuds could be heard coming from within, as well as some deep, guttural grunts. Louis' chest tightened as he swallowed, going to the latch on the door.
Fumbling could be heard inside, and soon the sound of another door slamming open. Heavy footsteps took off into the night and all was quiet.
Louis quickly ran to the other side of the shed, seeing the door was open. He was afraid to turn the corner and see just what the animal was doing there. If this were a predation incident, what poor herbivore—The sound that was akin to a pained squeak escaped his lips as he saw what was there.
A wolf, larger than average, laid bloodied and bound by his wrists and ankles on the cold concrete floor. He was also blindfolded and gagged. He wasn't moving.
The deer rushed inside, quickly going by his side and setting the gun down without a care, going to the victim's face. A large gash ran up his right eye, and a chunk seemed to have been taken out of his left ear. The blood from his head dribbled down his fur, staining his scarf and pooling on the floor. He was agonizingly still.
Louis already felt his breath leave him as he pulled his hand back when he saw the state of the canine's face. "No, no, no, no, no, Legosi...Wake up, wake up, wake up!" He shook him.
The wolf's body moved back and forth limply.
Louis touched his cheek gently. "Y-you're okay..." He pulled his hand away, seeing the blood on it. The silver ring on his finger was now tainted with crimson. "Oh god...Oh god." Somehow, no tears were flowing, but his throat was completely dry. The realization hit him. His mate had been attacked. He had to call someone. But...who?
The dog finally made a noise. His nose snorted, making a whistling sound as the air struggled to move through it, having no choice since his mouth was gagged.
Louis swallowed hard and began to pant as he pulled his phone out, not caring if any blood got on it. He quickly found Pina's contact and called him. "Please...please, come on, come on."
The sheep picked up, nigh immediately. "Talk to me."
"P-Pina! Pina, please!" Now he felt the tears come, for some reason.
Shuffling was heard on the other end of the line. "What is it, Louis? Talk to me!"
"You...you know that two door shed outside of school?!" He was yelling now. He needed to tone it down. His eyes turned away from his partner. He couldn't keep staring at him like that. "Please come right now! Right fucking now, please!"
Pina's voice was strained over the speaker. "O-okay just gotta, mmph! Get my shoes on. Should I stay on the line? What's going on?"
"Just get here as fast you can!" He hung up and dropped to his knees with a hard thump, crawling to Legosi and pulling the gag out of his mouth and removing the blindfold. It took some time but he made sure to get all the rope untied as well. "Legosi, dear. Can you hear me? Please, I need you to speak to me." He waited for a moment.
The wolf's brows furrowed, the whistling of his nose stopping as the air could now pass through his mouth. He breathed light, shallow breaths.
Louis leaned over him. "Legosi? Please, hang in there. I'm right here for you." He leaned down and began kissing a place where he hoped it wouldn't hurt over and over again. "You're going to be okay. I'm here. I won't ever leave you. Ever."
"Snnrrk." Legosi's feet moved slightly as his stuffy nose made awful noises. He squirmed slightly as his brain attempted to regain control.
Louis shook a bit as he began sobbing and he wrapped his arms gently around him, in a daze of just kissing that same spot over and over. "You're okay...We'll be okay..." When they started this, he always knew he was in danger, because he was an herbivore. To have the carnivore he loved be the one that got hurt..."Oh god..."
Legosi began to cough slightly, and then wheeze. He opened his one eye, the other one caked in blood and swollen. "Nngh...ghhgk."
The deer sniffled as he pulled his head back. "Hey! Hey! You're okay! I'm right here, I'm right here." He gripped his arm tightly. He never knew that his tail wagging was something he would miss so much. Now, the appendage just stayed limp.
"Nngh...L-Lou..."
Louis' breathing picked up. "Yes, yes! I'm here." He moved his bloody hand down and grabbed Legosi's, lacing their fingers. "I hope I'm not hurting you..."
"Wh...where...where..."
"What? Where what?"
Legosi's head lulled back, moving from side to side, deliriously. "Where...are we..."
"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that I'm right here."
Legosi squeezed his hand back. "I'm...cold...it's so cold here...My head hurts, Lou...My head...it hurts so much," he choked.
Louis felt more tears fall. "I know...I know...We're gonna get you help. Hang in there. I promise I won't leave."
"...Okay." The wolf's voice came out as a whisper.
"Okay, okay." He put his forehead to his gently. "Just stay there...Can you sit up?"
"Rrgh...why?"
"Nevermind, it doesn't matter. Stay there. Just...you're okay."
Footsteps approached, growing faster until a tall figure stood in the doorway, shining a light in. "Oh...god..."
Louis turned his head back, seeing the white circle of light ahead. He honestly didn't care who was behind it. "Please, help!"
Pina stepped in, dropping his bat on the ground and pulling his backpack off. "S-sorry I took so long. I figured I should get a first aid kit, and I guess I was right..." He pulled a box out, setting it in front of him. "So, what're his injuries?"
"I don't know, I was too freaked out to look at them all..."
The sheep took a few steady breaths and crawled forward a bit. "Louis...if you don't mind...could you move?"
The deer got to the side. "I'm sorry. I didn't know who else to call." He was still shaken up. Hadn't he been prepared for things like this? Was he really that weak?
Pina looked the wolf over. "Should we get anyone else involved?"
"Someone who knows what they're doing has to help..."
"The nurse? Ambulance?"
Louis scratched his cheek. "I'm not sure..."
Pina sighed, looking over the wolf. "How're you doin', sport?"
Legosi blinked his one eye. "Pina...what're you doing here..."
"Helping." The sheep brought some alcohol to a cloth and started dabbing at his wounds. Legosi flinched but didn't move much otherwise.
Louis hadn't let go of his hand. "We won't leave."
Legosi smiled. "...love herbivores."
Pina stifled a laugh. "I know!" He continued to clean the wounds, turning the canine's large head around. "Louis, hold the light so I can see."
The buck did so, looking away from his lover's injuries. He just couldn't stand seeing them.
The other herbivore got to work, removing the bloodied scarf and cleaning up the fur, applying bandages where he was able. "Okay, where do you hurt, Legosi?"
The wolf looked down. "My head...my...chest...legs...a lot."
Pina held a worried expression. "I don't think I can give him what he really needs...he needs to see an actual medical...doctor."
"Oh...Okay. I guess we should contact the school then?"
Legosi held his hands up and grabbed both of their shoulders. "N-no...I...know where..."
"You do?"
"That...panda guy in the market...he'll know who attacked me."
Pina's jaw dropped. "Wh-what is he talking about?"
Louis blinked. "He...mentioned him before. Wait...You want us to take you all the way there?"
Legosi rolled his head back. "He works with carnivores...he might know what to do..."
Louis looked to Pina. "You think we can carry a large bloody wolf all that way?"
The other herbivore gulped. "Uh...guess so...but this seems sketch as fuck. What about all this blood, too? I'd rather someone stay here and report it to the school so they actually do something about this."
"No!" Legosi gurgled. "This is between just me and him now!"
The deer looked at him. "Hm...We need to think fast."
"Well, I could call Bill, but I don't know if he'd wanna get involved. But he would be a huge help..."
"Just...What's been going on between you two? Legosi said he wasn't at lunch."
"I think he's moping. I sent him a message but he never responded. Anyway, we can't count on him! We need to find out what to do right now!"
Legosi started to sit up, groaning slightly.
"I think we should try calling him..." Louis insisted.
Pina took his phone back from Louis, pulling Bill up and giving him a call. "Hope the bastard answers..."
The tiger didn't pick up. In fact, he hung up immediately.
Louis furrowed his brow. "Try calling him from my phone."
"Sure." Pina reached for the deer's phone. By this time, Legosi had fully sat up, wincing and holding his chest.
Bill actually answered this time. "Louis? Funny, Pina just called me right before you did. I'm too afraid to talk to him right now, though. What's up?"
Pina wasted no time explaining. "Legosi was attacked by the culprit, and he knows someone who could treat his wounds and study them to find out who it is. Problem is me and Louis aren't strong enough to get him there. Can you help us?"
"Pina?! Ah, uh, well...uh..." He pulled at the collar of his shirt on the other side, his roommates raising their brows at him.
"We're at the groundskeeper's shed near the edge of the campus. Legosi's hurt pretty bad..." Pina sighed. "And I apologize for what I said at the library."
"This isn't a joke...?"
"No it's not a joke! There's blood everywhere!"
"Oh geez...I'll...I'll be right there." He hung up and rushed to get ready.
Legosi coughed, wheezing as he held his chest. Pina looked over in concern.
Louis was staying close to him. "Hey, don't move too much."
The wooly animal readjusted into a more comfortable sitting position. "Is breathing hard?"
The wolf wheezed again. "...Hurts."
"You probably have broken ribs. I hope you don't mind being carried by Bill."
"Bill..." The wolf suddenly made a grab for Louis, clutching onto him.
The deer looked at his eyes. "What? What is it?"
"H-help...Bill...he...my back..."
"What about your back?"
Legosi shivered. "H-help me, Adler!"
Pina gawked. "Wow, he's really out of it..."
Louis teared up again. "No, it's me, Louis. And we're going to get you help. Don't worry." He didn't like that he was so emotionally vulnerable at the moment, but there was no way he could control it.
The sheep brought his hands to the wolf's legs. "You said your legs hurt...can you tell me where?" He moved his hands all over them, noting when the carnivore would wince.
Louis stayed looking at his face, a huge imaginary weight pulling at him, giving him the urge to just lay down on the ground and close his eyes.
Pina rolled up one of the pant legs, revealing a gash on the wolf's left ankle. "Oh man." He reached for the medkit once again, getting everything ready.
The wolf swallowed, still in the caring state and not the practical state he should have been. "You're okay, it's just a few cuts..."
The other animal looked up at him with concern. "Uh...is that for his benefit or yours?"
"Both?" He wiped his eyes.
"...Well...don't worry...he won't die. But he really does need medical attention."
Louis kissed his mate again. "See? You'll be okay."
"Going to the black market, though...will you be okay?" Pina finished up wrapping the wolf's leg up and looked pointedly at the deer.
The cervid swallowed again. "No. But it's for him, so I have to."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Bill knows that area fairly well."
"I know...But going back..." He shook his head and stopped talking.
"...We have your back, okay? Plus, if it really is a legitimate hospital, I'm sure we'll be safe there."
"Okay. Yeah. Okay." Louis nodded, looking at Legosi again. He just kept reminding himself it would be fine.
The wolf was now spacing out, staring up at the ceiling, his pupils wide.
Louis put another hand on his cheek. "Legosi..."
"I'm here, I'm here!" Bill said, entering the shed quickly. "Holy shit." He stopped and his eyes widened at all the blood.
Pina stood up slowly and stepped aside so the tiger had a clear path. "Think you can carry him? We're going to the black market."
The feline looked down at the wolf. "Wait, the black market?! Why?!"
"Legosi says there's a...panda guy? He said he met him when he went there once. Must have been with you, then, right? I remember you telling me about it." Pina stayed to the side, waiting for Bill to gather the wolf.
The cat moved forward. "I wasn't with him when that happened. He ran off."
Louis looked to the feline as he watched him pick up his mate, bridal style. "He said he was chained and muzzled."
Pina blinked. "Well...a doctor in the black market probably has to use such measures. But for someone like Legosi?"
The wolf remained unresponsive, hanging limply from the tiger's arms.
Louis sniffed. "Let's make sure we aren't seen on the way out of here, or this could look very bad for all of us."
Pina gulped. "Uh, yeah...how do we...leave?"
Bill took a moment to think. "Better question, how do we get all the way to the black market with a bloody wolf in my arms?"
"Maybe we could find a blanket to cover him with?" Pina suggested.
Louis scratched his chin. "Uh...Wouldn't that just look like he's a dead body?"
"I-I don't know!" Pina groaned looking around frantically. "What we really could use is a car!"
"Do you know where to get one of those?" Bill asked.
Louis gasped as a realization hit his head like a rock. "Gon."
Pina did a double take. "G-Gon? As in, principle Gon? Are you insane?"
"Maybe I am! But do you have any other idea?!"
"He probably went home for the day! How are we gonna contact him?"
"Legosi has his number," Louis said, as the pieces fell together. He quickly found the phone in the wolf's pocket and pulled it out, seeing that there were two missed calls and the message he left earlier. "We're lucky whoever attacked him missed this..." He quickly opened the phone, thankful there was no password and went to his contacts, finding Gon quickly. He lifted the phone to his ear. "It's extremely late, I hope he's up..."
The older tiger answered, surprisingly. "Hello? Legosi-kun?"
"Principal Gon!"
"Louis, is that you?"
"Yes! Legosi is hurt very badly, is there any way you can meet us at my dorm?"
"What? What happened?"
"I'll explain when you get here! Please, hurry! It's an emergency!"
"Uh...okay, I'll be right there! Should I call an ambulance or something?"
"No, no! Just get here, first."
The principal was quite confused. "Uh...okay. I'll be there soon." He hung up.
Louis sighed. "He honestly would have lost his job many times over if the school board found out about this."
"Uh, wow." Pina brought a hand up to his ear, tugging it lightly. "So Legosi was serious about being close with Gon..."
"Yeah. I don't know what it is between them, but it works, so why question it? Now we just have to make it to the dorm without being seen."
"That should be easy with how dark it is. Bill, you'll have to lead the way, though."
The tiger nodded and began walking out of the shed with the three in tow.
It was a very silent walk back to Louis and Legosi's home. The deer was stuck in his head, almost unable to believe all of this was really happening.
Suddenly, Legosi seemed to find his voice again, however quiet. "I heard Gon-san..."
Louis nodded. "I called him to come pick us up so we can get you help."
"Pan...da..." The wolf rolled his head back on Bill's bicep. "I feel light..."
The tiger shrugged. "I mean, you are pretty light. I'm not having any issue carrying you."
They arrived back at the small outcropping Louis and Legosi called home. It was so strange that just an hour ago they were there eating dinner without a care in the world.
"Should we go inside, or...?" Bill asked, looking at Louis.
"I don't know," the buck answered.
Pina looked at them like they were crazy. "It's cold out here and there's a murderer about! Let's get inside!"
Louis quickly unlocked the door and they got in.
Bill looked around. "Where should I put him?"
The deer looked to the bed, then the couch. "Put him on the couch." He couldn't handle seeing blood on the bed. Their special place.
Pina walked over to the kitchen. "Do you guys have any cold compresses? Or something to wrap ice up and put on his head?"
"We have some dish towels you can wrap in a bag of ice..."
Bill put Legosi down and huffed. "I knew I was right." He turned to Pina. "What if that was you?"
The sheep crossed his arms. "I wasn't out walking at night. What was Legosi doing anyway, Louis?"
"He...he said he was getting more medicine from Jack. His nose has been stuffed up."
Bill sat on the edge of the bed. "This is a mess..." He put his head in his hands. "I knew this would happen!"
Pina brought a finger to his chin in thought. "We didn't do anything to arouse suspicion...Why attack Legosi? What happened?"
Louis shook his head. "I have no idea! There's no way he'd have any reason to attack a carnivore."
The other herbivore steepled his fingers. "Legosi must have done something to tip him off..."
"What? How? All he did was leave to get medicine twice today."
"Twice? Why twice?"
"The first time he got it and then he ran out so he went out to get more."
"Well, we won't know anything until we're able to ask him..." Pina glanced over to the wolf on the couch, who started to limply paw at the air.
"...Lou...Lou..."
Louis came over quickly. "Yes?" He got on his knees next to him.
Legosi blinked, a tear rolling down his cheek. "Stay...here..."
The deer rested his chin on his arm. "I'm here."
The canine reached out and grasped one of the deer's hands as Pina arrived with the ice, placing it on Legosi's head. Tears continued to fall from the wolf's eyes.
Louis teared up as well. "Oh...don't cry..." He wiped his tears gently with his thumb.
"W-w-what if I can't get that job now? I-I was supposed to call him back..." the pooch whimpered.
"Don't worry about that now..." Louis kissed his arm softly and for a long time. "Don't worry about anything."
Pina went over to sit next to Bill. "That boy's brain is like...it's on shuffle or something," he noted.
Bill sighed. "I knew this would happen..."
"...You keep saying that." His boyfriend looked down and fiddled with his hands.
"Because I knew it!" Bill groaned. "And you went ahead, anyway!"
Pina turned to him, scowling. "I didn't do anything that caused this to happen!"
"That doesn't mean shit! Someone got hurt!"
"Yes, and we knew and accepted that risk! But this still gets us closer to finding out who it was!"
"Does it?! Did Legosi see who it was?!"
"...We have to wait 'til he's lucid..." Pina looked back at the wolf, who continued to weep silently as he nuzzled Louis' hand.
Bill groaned. "You need to stop this, Pina. I'm more worried about you than ever now."
The sheep sighed. "Look, we'll take it a step at a time, alright? See what Gon says. See what this panda guy says. We're too far in now to stop."
"Great. So you just have to keep going. What if it's not even Tao or Riz?! You don't know anything!"
Louis turned his head. "Will you just shut up, Bill?! This isn't the time for this!"
That quieted the cat down.
Legosi reached up and tugged at his uninjured ear. "Loud..."
Louis sighed. "Sorry, hon." He kissed up his arm softly. "Gon should be here soon."
Pina drug his hands down his face. His heart had been pounding this whole time but he had to keep composed. Louis was a mess and just a tad less delusional than Legosi right now and Bill was freaking out. Despite his objection to his involvement, he hoped Gon would arrive soon.
A while after waiting around anxiously, there was a knock at the door.
Louis looked up, then at the other two animals, expectantly. He didn't want to leave his fiance's side.
Pina looked between all of them and groaned, standing up and going over to check the door. "It's Gon," he announced before opening it.
The tiger blinked as he looked up at him. "Pina-kun? What are you doing here?"
"Uh, helping. Come in." The sheep led the older animal inside, gesturing to the wolf on the couch.
Gon gasped lightly and went over to him. "Oh my god...What happened?"
Louis looked up. "He was attacked. We don't know by who, but I found him in the groundskeeper shed all tied up..."
The tiger blinked. "Why was he out so late?"
"He went out to get medicine since he's sick."
"Why didn't you go and get it?"
"I know. I should have..."
Legosi stirred at the new voice in the room. "Gon...san..."
The tiger came over and looked at him. "Yes, Legosi-kun? I'm right here."
The former student looked at him. "What are you doing here..."
"I'm here to help. God, we should really call an ambulance."
Louis looked up. "Legosi insists we take him to a doctor in the black market..."
"Panda," the wolf stated plainly. "He'll know what to do."
"Normal doctors will know what to do, as well..." Gon mumbled.
Pina walked forward, hands on his hips. "Well, he says that this...panda doctor works with carnivores in the black market and would know who attacked him...of course he's pretty much delirious right now."
"What do you mean who attacked him?" His eyes shifted to the younger tiger in the room. "Bill-kun? Just what are all four of you doing here?"
Louis looked up. "Pina helped clean the wounds and Bill carried Legosi here and I called you to come get us."
Bill nodded.
Gon scratched his forehead. "Isn't the black market dangerous?"
"Well, it's worth checking out who this guy is first, right? I'm curious myself." Pina went back to the bed and sat on it, still a fair distance from Bill.
"I'm a principal. If I took a bunch of my students to the back alley market and something happened..."
Louis looked up. "But you're also our friend. You don't have to tell anyone you took us. We can say Legosi got hurt there. Just please, help us. We didn't know who else to turn to..."
Gon blinked and looked down at Legosi's face, silently, thinking.
The wolf began to sit up, wincing. "His clinic...it's on the outskirts of the market...I'm remembering..."
Louis put a hand on his arm. "Don't push yourself."
Gon gulped. "Will it...be safe there?"
Pina side eyed the older tiger. "You've never been there?"
He shook his head. "No. I've heard many things about it, though. But...if it's safe and you'll be with someone you know...I'll take you there."
Bill sighed. "Plus, there will be four of us if anything does happen. Well, three."
Louis nodded. "And I'll bring my gun."
Gon's eyes widened. "G-gun?"
The deer shrugged. "Just something to protect myself with."
"And my bat!" Pina chimed in.
The principal looked between all of them. What am I getting myself into?
