Chapter 30: What you mean to me
"Where… where am I? Am I dead or… is this a dream? I feel so heavy… Is... is there something on top of me? It feels so warm."
"Jack"
"I'm so tired."
"Jack!"
"I just… want to sleep."
"Jack, please wake up!"
"Hmm, is… is someone calling me?" the labrador asked as he slowly opened his eyes. Jack slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"JACK!" the voice yelled.
"AHH!" Jack shouted as he jumped back before grabbing the side of his stomach from a sharp pain.
The yellow dog shook his head and when he looked ahead he was face to face with a certain wolf with tears in his eyes.
"Legosi, is that you?" he asked in confusion. "Where am I?"
"You… *sniff* you're in..."
Legosi didn't even try to finish. He instead threw his arms around his childhood friend and brought him into a soft hug as he cried into Jack's shirt.
"You're awake!"
*huff*
"You're finally awake!" he cried as his tail slowly swayed back and forth.
Jack, still unsure of what was going on, hugged Legosi's head despite the pain he was feeling and began to stroke it. He looked around and realised he was in a hospital room, with the wolf as his only visitor.
Legosi let Jack go and slowly stood up as he wiped his face.
"Hang on a minute," he said in a soft voice.
Jack softly nodded, a sad look covered his face.
Legosi walked to the door and stuck his head out the room. "Everyone, Jack's awake!"
In that instant, Jack heard countless footsteps running towards him and within a minute, his room was filled with all his friends and family.
"Jack! Thank goodness!" an older female labrador said in relief as she started crying.
"Son I- I'm so glad," an older male retriever said as he sat beside Jack and patted his head.
"Mom, dad!" Jack said happily.
"BIG BROTHER!" a little girl labrador shouted as she jumped into Jack's arms.
"AHH!" the yellow dog shouted in distress "Lola! That hurts!"
Jack's mom ran over and picked Lola up
"I'm so glad you're alright!" Collot barked from behind.
"Damn it, man! Do you have any idea how worried we've been?!" Durham said in a frustrated tone. "You practically gave us all heart attacks!"
"He's right dude, none of us have been able to sleep because of what happened," Miguno said.
Voss climbed up on the table and punched both canines in the arm before telling them to back off.
"Guys, you're here too?" Jack asked with a soft whimper in his voice as he held his side.
"Of course they are," Legosi said as he walked over to the labrador. "All of us have been praying and hoping against all hope that you would wake up."
"How long have I been asleep?" the labrador asked as he relaxed himself.
"A full week now," Jack's mother answered softly.
"A WEEK!" Jack shouted in surprise before holding his side in pain once more.
"That's right," Collot responded. "And we've all come to visit you everyday since."
"Yea, and not just us," Legosi said as he moved to the side. He opened the door and on the other side were members of Legosi's club waving at Jack.
Kai and Kibi, along with Ells, walked over and each gave Jack a hug.
"I'm so glad you're alright Jack. When we saw what happened, I wasn't sure you were gonna make it!" Kibi said softly.
"I know I wasn't there, but I hope you know that everyone from school is hoping you'll get better soon," Ells said.
"I'm Ells by the way, I'm in the club with Legosi and a friend of his."
"It's nice to meet you Ells, thank you for visiting," Jack said with a gentle smile.
"Got that right! I mean, not only were you in bad shape, but this jackass was covered in blood and he wouldn't let you go," Kai said as he pointed to Legosi with his thumb. "We actually had to help the paramedics pull him off of you."
"S-Sorry," Legosi whined.
"Come on bro, give him a break! He is the hero who took down a gang of dogs and saved Jack's life!" a new voice said.
Everyone turned to the door and in came Bill, followed by Dom, who greeted tiger went over to Legosi and put his elbow on the wolf's shoulder.
"This maniac put a stop to their boss's plan and rescued all those dog students!" Bill explained.
He then turned Legosi towards him and grabbed his shoulders while he grinned. "You, my man, are insane! I never would have thought that you of all people would have the hard stones to do something that nuts! You're a freaken BEAST!"
Legosi's face went red as he pushed Bill away from him. "Bill, please stop," the wolf barked in an embarrassed tone.
"Who is this guy?" Jack's father whispered to his son.
"His name is Bill and he was with us during the festival," Jack whispered back. "He's a little rough around the edges, but he's alright."
"If you say so," the older labrador responded in a skeptical tone.
Miguno raised his hand. "Um… hey guys, I don't know if this is a good time, but I think Jack should know what's been going on."
"Is there something wrong?" Jack asked.
The room went silent for a moment before Durham spoke up. "Well, here's the deal. I don't know if it's going to happen while you're here or if they'll wait till you get out, but the police want to talk to you."
"WHAT!" Jack shouted in a frightened tone as his ears jumped.
"Oh no, no, no, sweetheart, you got it all wrong," Jack's mom said in a reassuring tone. "They just want to ask you some questions about what happened. But don't worry, your father and I talked to them and they agreed to wait until you're better."
"Oh, well that's good," Jack said as he laid back a bit.
While everyone tried to make Jack feel better about the news, Legosi took a step away.
He took a deep breath and spoke. "Um… excuse me, but can I say something real quick?"
The others turned to the wolf.
"I uh… I know this is a little sudden, but would it be alright if I talked to Jack in private. It's kind of important," Legosi said awkwardly.
Everyone looked at one another and talked for a moment before turning back to the wolf and nodding.
"Sure Legosi, we'll get out of your hair," Collot said with a smile.
"You heard the mutt, let's get going," Kai joked.
Everyone left the room, leaving Legosi and Jack alone. Everyone, except Jack's family, who stayed behind. The three labradors then approached Legosi, who stepped back until he was against the wall.
Jack's mother looked to the side, then back at the wolf and gave him a gentle smile.
"Legosi," she said in a grateful tone before she pulled him into a hug.
"Thank you. I know I've already said this before, but thank you. I've known you since you were just a pup and now here you are, a strong, capable wolf who saved my son."
She hugged a little tighter. "I'm so grateful that it was you who Jack became friends with and I hope you'll continue to look after him."
Legosi hugged her back and spoke. "Of course I will. He's my best friend and I would never abandon him."
The female dog let go of the wolf and wiped her face. She then stroked Legosi's cheek in a grateful manner before walking out the room.
Jack's father was next and he also brought Legosi into an embrace. "Legosi, When I first met you, I wasn't sure you would be a good friend for Jack. Since then, you've done nothing but prove me wrong and put one fear after another to rest. I'm glad you are a part of our lives and Jack's."
The old dog took a step back while keeping one hand on Legosi's shoulder. "You may not be my son, but you should know that I've come to think of you as one of my own over the years. I know you and Jack will do great things."
Legosi blushed as his tail started wagging. He was happy that Jack's father thought of him as family and that he trusted him so much.
At that moment, Jack's little sister Lola dashed into Legosi and hugged his midsection. The wolf then looked down and was met with her innocent eyes.
"Legosi, you're my hero," she said in a sweet voice, her tail wagging joyfully.
Legosi blushed in embarrassment as Jack's father pulled Lola off his leg. The two then left the room, leaving Legosi alone with Jack.
Jack turned to the grey and cream furred wolf. "Legosi… is there something wrong?"
Legosi turned to face Jack, a pained expression on his face. He looked to the side and took a deep breath. He then walked past Jack's bed and sat down in the chair beside it, his hands folded on his lap.
"Jack I... there's so much I want to tell you. So much has happened, but I don't even know where to start," the wolf said sadly as he looked down at the floor.
"How about at the beginning?" Jack responded as he moved his hand on top of Legosi's.
Legosi looked down at Jack's hand, then back at the labrador, his eyes filled with sadness. He gave a soft nod and began his story about what has happened this past week.
"Mmm… What happened," Legosi asked in a groggy voice as he opened his eyes.
"So, the man of the hour finally wakes," a gentle voice answered in a joking manner.
Legosi sat up and looked around, alarmed by the sudden response. He turned his head and saw the school nurse, a female gazelle smiling at him.
"No need to be alarmed dear, you're safe now."
Legosi, still a little dazed, took a deep breath. His eyes then widened as started to remember what happened the night prior.
"JACK! WHERE'S JACK!" the wolf shouted in panic, practically jumping out of bed.
The female herbivore put her hands up, motioning for the large canine to calm down as she spoke. "I understand your concerns, but please, you must relax."
She sat down on the bed and began to pet Legosi's head. "Now I can't tell you anything as of yet, but I can say that Jack is currently at the hospital and he's in good hands."
Legosi looked to the side. "So… you don't know if he's alright," the wolf said in a sad tone, trying his best to hold himself back.
"As I said, Jack's in good hands and the doctors will tell us as soon as they can," the nurse said as she continued the petting.
"For now, you should get some rest. So how about I walk you back to your room, does that sound good? I know your friends are worried about you."
Legosi turned to her. "Ok," he said in a somber tone.
The nurse helped Legosi up from the bed and slowly guided the mentally exhausted canine out of her office.
They slowly walked down the halls so that Legosi could be allowed to let his mind catch up with the rest of him. As they walked, Legosi couldn't help but notice the strange looks he was getting from the other students.
This made him feel incredibly awkward. It didn't help that there were some who were whispering to each other. He couldn't completely hear what they were saying, but he heard enough to know that they were talking about it.
The nurse gave all of them a stern look which made them turn their heads. A few minutes later, the two made it back to room 701.
"Here we are," the nurse said in a soft voice. "Legosi, if you start feeling strange, don't hesitate to come to me, alright?"
Legosi, who was lost in his own mind, simply faced her and nodded.
The two parted ways and Legosi was left alone. The wolf didn't say it, but he was so scared and confused. He remembered everything that happened last night, including what he did to Arthur and how he must have looked when he was begging his friends for help.
He wondered how he could face them after letting such a horrible thing happen to Jack, or if they would even want to see him. After all, the way his pack and clubmates looked at him, it was clear that he looked like the devil himself.
Legosi, after taking a moment to breathe, entered his dorm room. There he saw his roommates talking to each other in a huddle.
Legosi's ears folded back and his tail drooped. He wanted to run away, but something inside him said that he needed his packmates now more than ever.
The large carnivore took a deep breath and spoke. "Um… hello everyone," the wolf said in a somber tone as he put a hand behind his head.
The others quickly turned in surprise, their eyes widened with shock.
"L-Legosi?" Miguno said in a trembling voice as the others slowly walked towards the wolf.
Legosi saw everyones' sad faces and looked down. It seemed as though it was a mistake to see them.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, Miguno brought the larger canine into a soft but firm hug, his tail wagging ever so slightly.
Legosi reached down to hug him back, but before he could, the others gathered around him and brought him into a group embrace. Their tails acting the same as Miguno's. The gray wolf tried to say something, but instead, he hugged them back and to his surprise, they started crying. Even Voss, who had climbed onto Legosi's shoulder, couldn't stop himself from shedding tears as he rubbed his face into the wolf's muzzle.
Legosi started crying as well and before they knew it, they were staining the room floor with their tears. Legosi hugged his packmates a little tighter which hurt them a bit, but it was a good kind of pain, one that proved to them that their friend was alive.
After letting all their feelings out, the 701 canines walked Legosi over to their desk and took a few moments to calm down. They then asked the wolf to try to tell them about everything that happened.
Legosi wiped his face clean and began his story. He explained how Jack was used by a husky named Arthur in order to get to him. The wolf then went on to explain that Arthur's goal was to kill him in front of the dog students he tricked into joining his gang, as some revolutionary tactic.
"In the end, he thought that by killing a wolf like me, he would show everyone that dogs shouldn't be looked down on. That even though they are artificial, they can beat their ancestors," Legosi said as he finished telling his roommates what happened, his tail drooping and his ears folding back.
"So, in some bizzare way… what happened to Jack was my fault. Because I was born a wolf… and was friends with Jack… he got hurt."
"THAT'S BULLSHIT!" Durham said as he slammed his fists on the table and stood up, tears falling down his face again.
"Don't you DARE sit there and say it was your fault! You didn't lay a trap for Jack! You didn't trick dozens of dogs into joining some freaking cult! AND YOU SURE AS HELL WEREN'T THE ONE WHO PULLED THE TRIGGER! All that was the doing of a fucking fanatic trying to play hero!"
As the coyote continued shouting in frustration, Collot stood up and grabbed him from behind.
"Durham, that's enough!" the sheepdog barked, his tail showing a bit of aggression.
"This was a terrible incident that should never have happened and we all feel the same way you do, but taking it out on Legosi isn't going to change anything!"
"WHO THE FUCK SAID I WAS TAKING IT OUT ON LEGOSI!" Durham yelled, his tail standing completely upward. "I'M TRYING TO DRILL IT INTO HIS HEAD THAT HE ISN'T-"
"STOP IT!" Miguno yelled at the top of his voice, surprising everyone. "Please… just stop. No more yelling… please!
Legosi stood up and gently put his hands on the hyena's shoulders. "It's alright Miguno. We're all just frustrated right now.
"He's right Miguno," Collot added, still holding Durham back. "None of us knew what was going to happen or even how dangerous this group was. Sure, there were some rumors, but it's not like we had anything concrete to go on."
As Voss watched and listened to everything, he couldn't help but look to the side. He hated seeing his friends act like this and Collot's last comment struck him hard.
After taking a moment to gather himself, Voss clenched his fists and looked up. The fennec fox grabbed a nearby eraser and threw it at Collot.
Collot shook his head after getting hit and looked at Voss. "What's wrong Voss? You usually don't try to get our attention like that unless it's important."
Voss took a deep breath and started explaining what he's been doing for the last few days when he was off on his own. He told them about Manny, the fox that Legosi stopped during the cafeteria incident and that he needed an ear. Voss even made a small joke, saying who better to be his ear than an animal with ears as big as his.
Voss went on to explain that before everyone went to the festival, he met up with Manny to talk and that Jack showed up soon after. It was here where Manny warned him and Jack about the dog gang. At the time, he didn't pay much attention to it.
Upon admitting this, Voss began to tremble. He tried to keep going, but his shaking hands made it difficult for him to communicate clearly.
"So… you knew," Durham said as he took a step forward, his tail even more fizzled up than before.
The coyote then started to growl and before anyone could react, he picked up the small canine with one hand and slammed him into the wall. "YOU KNEW THE WHOLE FUCKING TIME AND DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!"
Voss grabbed the larger carnivore's arm and tried to pull him off in desperation, but Durham pushed him even harder into the wall and growled louder.
"Durham stop!" Legosi shouted as he rushed the coyote in a panic, punching Durham and knocking him to the ground.
*huff*... "I'm, I'm sorry," Legosi said as soon as he got his senses back. He turned to Voss who fell to the floor hard. "Are you alright?"
Voss looked up at the wolf with tears in his eyes. Despite this, he nodded to Legosi as he let out a gentle smile.
As Legosi picked up his tiny roommate, Durham stood up and let out a loud snarl. The two turned and the coyote lunged at them. Before he could collide with them, Miguno tackled him to the ground and held on tight.
"Let go of me damn it! Voss, this is your fault!" Durham barked.
"ENOUGH!" Collot yelled in frustration, tears falling down his face again. "Look at us, fighting each other like this. It needs to stop!"
Legosi looked to the side and realized what he had to do. He lowered Voss onto the table and kneeled down in front of Durham. He then started scratching the side of the smaller canine's face, calming him a bit.
Despite Durham still growling, Legosi moved his face closer and licked the base of Durham's muzzle and up to his forehead. The wolf did this a few times until Durham finally calmed down.
"L-Legosi?" Durham said as he snapped out of his rage.
"Don't worry, we're all here!" Legosi said with a smile.
Durham looked up at his friends, then to the side in embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry. Guess I really lost it huh?"
"Understatement of the year," Miguno said in a sarcastic manner as he rolled his eyes.
The hyena got up and Collet helped Durham onto his feet. The coyote then turned to Voss and bowed his head as he apologized for his outburst. Voss put a hand on Durham's head before lifting up his muzzle and hugging it.
"It looks like we finally got our heads on straight," Collot said with a small calm laugh.
"Yea, looks like it," Legosi replied.
He turned to Durham. "Listen, I know how you feel and I agree Voss should have told us. But… even if he did, I don't think anything would have changed. We all knew the rumors, but none of us did anything about it. So… it isn't fair to blame Voss for what happened."
"Well the same goes for you!" Miguno said as he chimed in. "None of us are to blame for what happened, so… can we please stop trying to assign it?"
Everyone looked at each other then back at the hyena and nodded to him while giving him their smiles. They all went into another hug and as they embraced, they promised that they would support each other as they healed and that they would do the same for Jack when he got home.
Back in the present, Jack repositioned himself in his bed, though he had to move slowly due to the pain. He looked at Legosi and gave him a soft smile.
"Heh, sounds like you all went through a lot." The labrador's smile turned to a frown as he looked down, his ears folding back. "Sorry that I caused so much trouble."
"Jack, no… no, no, no," Legosi said sadly.
The gray wolf put his hand on Jack's. "You have nothing to be sorry for. We were only arguing because we were scared. We all care about you and when you got shot and then taken away, we were terrified about losing you."
Jack, still having a sad look on his face, looked back at his childhood friend and began slowly wagging his tail. "And… what about you?" he asked in an almost pleading tone. "How did you feel about all this?"
Legosi raised his brow a bit. "What do you mean? I told you, we were-"
"No! I mean… how did YOU feel specifically. I know you hide and bottle up your emotions, especially with stuff like this. But I want to know how you felt. Were you angry, scared, guilty? What was going through your head? That's what I want to know," the yellow dog explained as he put his hand on top of Legosi's again.
Legosi looked down as his ears folded back. There was still so much that he wanted to say, but he was so scared to say it. He took a deep breath, turned to his best friend, and spoke.
"That's… a little harder to explain," Legosi answered, his tail drooping. "It's not because I was bottling up my emotions like I usually do. Honestly, I couldn't hide them even if I tried. It's just that I didn't know what to do. I felt so lost and confused because… I did something awful.
"What do you mean?" Jack barked as he slowly leaned forward, trying his best to ignore the soreness.
The gray wolf gripped his pants with his left hand. "Jack, when you were shot, something inside me… 'snapped' and I… lost control," he said sadly.
"Legosi, what happened?" Jack asked, a look of concern covering his face.
Legosi was terrified. He was so scared of what Jack would think of him if he revealed his 'other self'. Despite this, he knew there was no going back now. He decided to continue his story about what had happened since the night of the festival. The larger canine let go of his pants, took a firm hold of Jack's hands and brought them up.
"Jack, what I'm about to tell you. It could trigger something. And… it may cause you to hate me or make you feel unsafe to be around me. I know I already told you that I was the one who attacked you all those months ago, but this time was different. This time, I seriously hurt someone and that's why I need to be sure that you're ready for this. I don't want to lose you, but I don't want to hide anything either."
Jack felt his heart ache. He understood what Legosi was talking about and began to piece together what happened. The labrador, feeling even more uneasy, took a deep breath. He knew that now wasn't the time to lose himself, but to stay strong. He already decided that he would love Legosi no matter what and that included his darker side as well.
"It's alright Legosi, please tell me everything," Jack said with a fierce determination in his eyes.
Legosi, seeing how far Jack was willing to go, smiled at his friend as his ears perked up a bit.
He explained to his packmate that after he was shot, the wolf was overcome by the most monstrous emotions he had ever felt.
Sadness, anger, guilt, grief, and most of all, the need for revenge. All these emotions swirled within his mind as Legosi unleashed his inner demon on Arthur. That he no longer saw the husky as a fellow canine or even a fellow animal.
In that instant between him crying over Jack and him attacking Arthur, the gray carnivore could only see two things. The first thing was 'Red'. Red of the purest hue. And second, an enemy. A monster that needed…
To Die!
"I fully intended to end that husky's life, but I didn't. I don't know if it's because I regained my senses at the last millisecond, or because I was strong enough to resist, or maybe because I was just too weak to go through with it. All I know is that instead of biting his neck, I bit his shoulder. Then afterwards, as I looked down at him," Legosi explained.
Jack looked forward. "Wow. I just… wow! I never… wow," he said in disbelief. "I don't know what to say."
Legosi looked to the side, his ears folded back. "Jack, I'm sure you have mixed feelings about me now. Honestly, when it happened I didn't know what triggered it. Yes, you getting shot made me give in, but there was a part of me that felt like there was something more to it."
"More to it, huh?" Jack said as he shook his head.
Legosi nodded in response. He then asked Jack to get comfortable again as he continued his story about what transpired over the past week since he knew it would be the only way to explain everything.
The next day, after Legosi reunited with his roommates, many of the students were packing their things to go home while the police conducted their investigation. It didn't take long for word to spread about what the wolf had done. They wanted to talk to Legosi and praise him for his heroics, but they knew that it wasn't safe to be at school.
As far as Legosi knew, the only ones who weren't going home besides himself and his roommates were the other members of the drama club. He knew that the dog students who were a part of Arthur's gang weren't going home either. They were ordered to stay by the police.
The wolf wanted to use this opportunity to get answers from Arthur and Oscar, but knew he couldn't for two good reasons. The first was that they had been arrested and were being kept in a special area on campus while they were questioned. The second, and most important, was that Legosi didn't know what he'd do if he saw them.
He'd probably be able to keep himself calm around Oscar since he was the one who helped the wolf find Jack and took a hit for both of them.
Arthur on the other hand was another matter altogether. Legosi could feel it in his veins. He knew that if he saw the black and white husky now, he wouldn't be able to hold himself back. Just thinking about Arthur made Legosi's fur bristle and caused the young carnivore to growl.
With all this in mind, Legosi decided to go see his club mates. After all, he hadn't spoken to any of them since the incident and he figured they would want to know how he was doing.
The gray canine left his dorm and headed to the club room. He entered the building and upon arriving, he heard voices coming from the room.
"I still can't believe all that happened while we were performing. You think Legosi's ok?"
"Ells?" the wolf thought.
"I know! I heard the rumors, but I didn't think things would happen during the festival. As for Legosi, I heard he finally woke up, but no one has seen him since."
"Shiela."
"He's probably still recovering, either that or he decided to stay in his room until things calm down. It could even be both for all we know."
"I know that's the case, but I still wish we knew more. I'm really worried about him."
"Dom, Kibi."
"Will all of you shut up already?! I can't even hear myself think! I mean look at all of you, worrying about Legosi like he's some defenseless pup! You should all know by now that he isn't going down that easy!"
"Kai," Legosi thought as he let out a soft smile, his tail wagging happily.
"Damn straight! Take it from a guy who was on the receiving end of one of his punches, the bastard's as tough as they come."
"Still though, taking on an entire gang of dogs, that wolf is insane! Heh, if we don't do something soon, he'll out-shine all of us!"
"Oh Bill," Legosi's thought has he let out a soft laugh.
After hearing all that, the large canine took a deep breath and opened the door. He walked in and was met with a multitude of stares.
Legosi looked to the side as he scratched the back of his head, his once wagging tail drooping. He looked back at the club members and gave them a very soft smile.
"H-Hey everyone. I'm uh… I'm sorry if I worried you," Legosi said awkwardly as per usual when dealing with a group, his hand behind his head again. "I uh... I just came by to let you know that I'm alright."
Everyone continued staring at the wolf in shock, not responding to him at all.
Legosi's ears folded back as he looked to the side again. He took a deep breath, put his hand back down, and turned to leave. Just before he could however, someone grabbed his hand. The wolf looked behind him where he saw Ells Looking up at him.
"Legosi, please wait," the sheep said as she gripped the wolf's hand a little tighter. "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to stare. It's just such a surprise to see you here so soon after what happened."
Legosi turned to the smaller animal. Just as he was about to kneel down to talk to her, the door behind him swung open.
"LEGOSI!" a female voice from behind yelled.
The wolf turned around and was immediately met with a hug. He looked down slightly and realized it was Juno.
"Legosi! I'm so glad you're alright! We were all worried about you!" the female gray wolf said as she buried her head into Legosi's broad chest.
Legosi, unsure what to do, patted her back before slowly pushing her away and wiping away the tears on her face that were forming.
"It's ok Juno, I'm not hurt," the larger wolf reassured. He turned back to the others. "I really am fine everyone. I'm sorry I caused such a big mess."
"YOU BETTER BE SORRY YOU JACKASS!" Kai shouted, causing everyone to jump. He walked over to Legosi and punched his stomach before tears started to form under his eyes.
"Do you have any idea what the fuck was going though our heads? You show up with your friend in your arms and your face covered in blood, this just after disappearing on us!"
The mongoose clenched his fists as he looked down. "Then you collapse on us, forcing us to take you to the nurse's office! Then- Then you just show up here and act like nothing happened, thinking that all you have to do is apologize and that will make up for everything!"
Kai then looked up at the larger animal, trying his best to hold back the tears. "You can't just say you're alright and expect us to just leave it at that."
Legosi, having known Kai well, gave the small carnivore a calming smile before kneeling down and hugging him.
"You're right Kai. I put you and the others through a lot and I should be explaining myself," Legosi said as he stroked Kai's head.
Kai blushed a bit from the sudden hug. The stroking, combined with the sound of Legosi's heartbeat also made him feel embarrassed, but at the same time, it also made him feel happy. He slowly pushed Legosi off and walked over to the practice stage and sat down, doing his best to hide his reddened face.
Legosi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and faced all his clubmates that were present. He started explaining what happened after he left his friends to look for Jack.
He told them everything, from fighting off the large dog breed gang members to finding all the innocent dog students partying.
The wolf then explained how Oscar helped him despite being Arthur's brother and his confrontation with Arthur himself. He of course left out some of the more sensitive parts, such as almost ripping out the black and white husky's throat for obvious reasons.
"So there you have it. I was able to get Jack out of there, though only by the skin of our teeth. Honestly, I still can't believe all that happened. I keep thinking that all of this was just a bad dream, but I know it isn't."
"Jack is in the hospital and my roommates are beside themselves with worry. I just… I don't know what to do," Legosi said as he finished his tale.
The other club members looked at each other in disbelief. Though it had only been two days since the incident, the rumors about the wolf who took down a pack of dogs spread like wildfire, and of course, the Drama club members had heard nearly all of them.
While the stories were slightly different in one way or another, they all told the same tale. The tale about a noble wolf who fought fang and claw to save his best friend.
The rumors made what Legosi went through seem like an epic from legend. A story of loyalty, courage, and heroism, but as expected, that wasn't the case at all.
Legosi's own account of the experience was that of a man who had betrayed his own kind and in the process, nearly lost a dear and precious friend who he could not live without. It was truly nothing short of a waking nightmare.
While the club mates talked amongst themselves, Kibi stepped forward. He looked up at his carnivore friend and spoke.
"Legosi… you're an idiot," the anteater said with an upset look on his face.
Legosi's tail jumped as the others looked at Kibi in surprise.
The wolf's ear flickered. "Kibi, what do you-"
Before the large carnivore could finish, Kibi put his hand up, cutting him off.
"You're an idiot… with a good heart," the herbivore said as he hugged his friend's torso. "It sucks that you had to go through all that, but you were able to save Jack and that's what you should be remembering right now."
"I… I still don't understand Kibi," responded.
Kibi let his friend go and looked up, allowing their eyes to meet. "Isn't it obvious Legosi? You and your packmates are so busy feeling guilty about what happened, that you don't even notice the good you did."
"Hey shrimp, you wanna run that by us again?" Bill said as we walked forward.
"He already knows he saved his friend. He just feels guilty because that dog gang wanted to kill him for literally the stupidest reason ever and in trying to get to him, they used Jack who was shot. I mean the guy saved him in the end, but I get why Legosi feels so messed up about it."
Kibi shook his head. "That's what I mean Bill. Legosi, his roommates, and even you guys are focusing on Jack, but what about the others?"
"Others?" Els, Shiela, and Juno said simultaneously.
"He means the other students," Dom said as he walked over to Kibi and put his hand on the smaller animal's shoulder. "If Legosi hadn't stopped Arthur, those innocent dogs would have gotten themselves in a whole lot of trouble and not even realized it until it was too late."
"Exactly!" Kibi cheered. He turned back to Legosi. "I get that you feel bad about what happened, but you have the right to think about the people you saved."
Legosi looked to the side. It was just as Kibi said. In all the confusion, he didn't once think about the other students that were there that night.
"Thank's Kibi, you're right," the wolf said as he looked back at his friend.
Just as everyone was feeling better, the club room door opened.
"Hello, I'm looking for Legosi," the new animal said as he walked in.
Legosi turned around and there he saw an adult gray wolf holding a clipboard.
"Um… hello. I-Is there something you need from me?" Legosi asked nervously.
"Ah, you must be the one I'm looking for," the older wolf responded in as friendly a manner as possible. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Legosi. Now before you get nervous, I want to inform you that you have nothing to worry about, young pup. I would just like you to come with me so we can have a talk."
"A talk?" Legosi asked, his tail hiding between his legs.
"Mhmm, just a talk. Now, would you please come with me?" the adult carnivore asked once more.
Legosi nodded and the two wolves walked out of the room, leaving the Drama club members to wonder what this was about.
After about ten minutes of walking, the two gray furred carnivores arrived at an office on the other side of the school campus. The adult wolf went in and invited Legosi to do the same.
Inside, there was a large desk where the older wolf had taken a seat. He offered the chair in front of it to Legosi, to which the younger canine nervously sat down.
"There really is nothing to be nervous about," the older carnivore said in a calm tone. "We are just going to talk for a bit."
Legosi looked to the side. "I-I'm sorry. Talking to people isn't something I'm all that good at, especially if they are someone I haven't met before."
The gray wolf turned to his elder. "I mean, I don't even know your name."
The older carnivore's tail jumped from the realization. "Oh, I'm sorry about that," he responded. "I was so focused on getting you here that I forgot about my manners."
"I am Dr. Joseph Renolds. I'm a guidance counselor and a licensed psychologist," the older wolf said in a friendly manner as he extended his hand forward.
Legosi leaned forward and sniffed the older wolf's hand. Ordinarily, Legosi wouldn't greet others this way since most animals found it strange. For canines however, such a greeting is very common as it's their way of saying hello since they use scents to remember who they've met.
After getting the doctor's scent, the young wolf extended his hand forward, so that his elder could get his scent as well.
Dr. Renold sniffed Legosi back and after getting his scent, the two shook hands for real, completing their ritual.
The doctor sat back in his chair and smiled. "Now Legosi, before we speak I feel like I should better explain myself. Due to recent events, I was asked to speak with you and make sure you're alright."
"I'm sorry, but who was it that asked you?" Legosi asked, still feeling a bit nervous.
"I was asked by both the police and your principal," Dr. Renolds answered.
"Th-The police?!" Legosi said as he froze in his chair.
"Yes, but please don't worry. You aren't in any trouble, I promise. I'm just here to make sure you're alright. You did go through a very traumatic experience after all. I wish to know how you are dealing with the situation and to find ways that may help you deal with any anxiety you may be facing," the older carnivore explained.
"I assure you, this is a safe environment where you can freely express your thoughts without fear. With all that said, I do not, in any way, want to force you to do something you are uncomfortable with."
"So while I was asked to see you, you are not obligated to stay and talk with me. While I am hoping you and I can at least chat for a bit, you are free to go at any time."
Having listened to what the older wolf had to say, Legosi closed his eyes and took a deep breath as his ears and tail began to return to normal. He looked at his elder and spoke.
"I uh… I understand Dr. Renolds, but I'm just not sure I'm ready to share my feelings with you. As I said, I'm not good at talking with new people and in truth, I have a hard time telling my friends how I feel most of the time," Legosi explained.
The older canine smiled. "It's alright Legosi. You don't have to talk about yourself if you aren't ready yet. We can talk about the weather, about your hobbies or interests, we can talk about anything really."
Legosi felt a bit better after hearing that and even started to wag his tail a bit as a result. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to tell the Doctor about what had happened, but the young wolf wanted to talk to him a bit longer.
After taking a moment to gather himself, Legosi started by telling the older wolf about his club. It was one of the easier subjects the young carnivore could talk about.
As the conversation continued, Legosi began asking questions himself. He asked the doctor things like why he became a psychologist and what he was like when he was Legosi's age.
Joseph was more than happy to open up, which in turn caused Legosi to open up as well. The young grey and cream furred canine told Dr. Renolds about his roommates and about Jack.
It was here where the older wolf had taken great interest. He couldn't help but notice how fondly Legosi talked about the labrador or how close he kept Jack to his heart. He knew that the yellow dog was Legosi's best friend, but the way the young wolf spoke about him led Joseph to believe that perhaps there was something… more.
"Legosi, am I right to assume that you care very deeply for Jack?" the older canine asked as picked up his clipboard.
Legosi nodded. "Of course, he's my best friend. I would do anything for him!"
"I understand Legosi, but what I mean is, Jack seems like someone who's especially important to you. You told me a bit about your other roommates and how you are all a family. The way you talked about Jack specifically was a bit different than how you talked about the rest of your pack," Joseph explained.
"When you talk about him, your tail wags a lot more and you have this gentle smile on your face that you don't show when you're talking about the others. You said that you feel a warmth in your heart whenever you're with him and you feel like you can truly be yourself when he's around."
"Tell me, why do you think that is?" the older carnivore asked.
Legosi looked to the side. He had never really thought about it before, but he always felt a stronger connection with Jack than with the others.
"I uh… I don't know," Legosi answered. "I guess it's because I've known Jack a lot longer than the rest of my roommates. Jack, he's… he's a lot like family to me. I mean, it's the same with the rest of my pack, but with Jack, I just… I don't think I would have been who I am today without him."
Dr. Renolds picked up his clipboard again and wrote everything down. He then reviewed his notes before taking a deep breath and giving Legosi a serious look.
"Legosi, I'm going to ask you a rather personal question. I understand that you may be hesitant to answer, but I feel that doing so will help you understand yourself a little more and may even help explain any strange behavior you've shown."
"Are you alright with that?" the older canine asked.
Legosi looked to the side, his ears folded back and his tail drooped. "I uh… I guess? If it will help..."
The doctor took a deep breath and spoke. "Legosi, do you like Jack?"
The younger canine quickly turned his head back to his elder in surprise while his ears and tail jumped.
"W-What do you mean?" he asked.
Joseph took another deep breath. "I'm asking you if you like Jack. And I don't mean like as a friend or a family member. Do you LIKE him, like him?"
Legosi leaned back in his chair as his face turned red, almost falling back in the process. "W-Why would you ask that?!"
The older grey wolf folded his hands together. "Legosi, as I mentioned before, when you talk about Jack, your face lights up in a way I have seen on the faces of animals who feel a certain… 'connection' to someone."
"With this in mind, I felt it necessary to ask this question. Especially since you don't seem to have realized it yourself or that you thought that what you felt was something else entirely."
"Now, I could be completely off the mark with this assumption. However, given what I learned from you, as well as what I've seen from your own body language, I don't believe that to be the case."
"What's more, there's also something else that has led me to this conclusion."
Legosi gulped as a drop of sweat ran down his face. "S-Something else?"
"Yes. Something else." The older carnivore nodded and took a deep breath. "Legosi, I'm sorry to be so direct about this, but I know about Arthur's wound."
Legosi's eyes widened as he let out a gasp and involuntarily stood up.
"W-Wound?" the young wolf said, his voice shaking with fear. "Yes, and I'm sure you know what I'm talking about."
Legosi looked to the side. He knew exactly what his elder meant, but was still too scared to admit it.
Seeing how nervous Legosi was getting, Joseph decided to try something different.
"Legosi, I promise you aren't in any trouble, but I need you to clear some things up for me," the older wolf reassured.
"Before I was asked to talk to you, I received a report from your principal that included a picture of Arthur. Within the report, there was a picture that showed he had lost a small chunk of his shoulder. It wasn't just a bite mark, a part of his shoulder was bitten off."
"That kind of damage wouldn't come from you simply trying to subdue him. It comes from a full on attack that was fueled by anger or desperation. So please tell me Legosi, what happened that made you do that?"
"I know that your friend was shot. Was that the reason for it or did you attack first? I need to know the order of events so I can help you. Please, tell me exactly what happened."
Legosi turned his head back to the doctor. He could feel the tears from his guilt begin to form, but quickly shook his head in order to control himself.
"Doctor, I know this is going to sound horrible, but I… I tried to kill Arthur," Legosi confessed, still holding back the tears. "It's just as you said, that husky, that monster, he shot Jack as we were trying to escape. I- I thought Jack w- was de-"
"Arthur… he wanted to kill a wolf. He wanted to kill ME! And he tried to use Jack to do it. He believed that if he killed me, a wolf, in front of everyone, it would somehow show that dogs aren't just some experiment like so many animals seem to think they are. That, in killing me, he'd make all the bullying and speciesism towards dogs stop," the younger canine explained.
Joseph's eyes widened. He had never heard of an incident like this before. It was clear to him that Arthur was in for a long recovery, and not just because of what Legosi did to him.
After writing this down, Dr. Renolds continued his questioning. Legosi, having finally confessed the hardest part, corroborated much more easily and answered every one of his elder's remaining questions.
The young wolf explained how Jack wounded Arhtur's eye, which was why the husky missed him and shot the labrador instead.
He also told the doctor about Oscar and how he had tried to help Legosi rescue Jack, resulting in the younger brother getting attacked as a result.
Legosi then went on to mention that most of the dog students were actually innocent in all this and didn't have any knowledge about Arthur's plan. At least, that's what it seemed like at the time.
With all this written down, Joseph would be able to protect Legosi, just as he had hoped. However, there was still one last thing he needed to know.
"Alright, thank you for telling me all this. Now, before I let you go, you still have to answer something for me," Joseph said with a gentle smile.
"And what's that?" Legosi asked in a calm voice, feeling less nervous than earlier.
"I'd still like to know what Jack means to you," the doctor answered, believing that now was the time to be direct.
Legosi looked to the side. He knew that he couldn't avoid the question any longer and after taking a moment to collect himself, he looked back at the older carnivore.
"Jack... he's been my best friend for years. He's the reason why I was able to keep going while I was dealing with my depression. When I'm around him, I feel safe."
"A few months ago, there was an… incident, and we ended up drifting away a little as a result. Even though I was making some new friends who helped me deal with it, I still felt incredibly scared and lonely without him."
"Jack he… he has a way of lighting up the room. He can put a smile on everyone's face and makes you feel like everything will be alright. Even when he was dealing with his own demons, you could still sense this… aura coming from him. Like, all he had to do was sit next to you and all your troubles would disappear."
Legosi looked down at his hand. "And when he holds your hand, you feel this incredible warmth that you can't find anywhere else. Jack has this 'light' that can pull even someone like me out of the darkness."
As Legosi continued staring at his hand, a tear fell down his face.
"He… means everything to me."
Back at the hospital, Legosi was looking down at his feet while Jack contemplated his story. The wolf didn't say anything about him confessing how he felt about Jack, but only because it wasn't the right time.
"So basically, after getting the earful you rightfully deserve from Kai and the others, you get called to talk to a therapist and since then you've been going back to see him?" Jack asked as he slowly laid back into his bed, taking care not to exacerbate his wound.
Legosi nodded. "Y-Yea. The first time was mandatory, but the rest were my choice. He has a way of making me feel at ease and he's been helping me deal with my depression. In fact, he wants me to become a regular patient."
"Wait, really?!" the labrador asked. "And are you gonna do it? Don't get me wrong, I think it would be great if you were able to get proper counseling. It's just, wouldn't that be expensive?"
"Actually, no. I say 'regular' patient, but I mean I wouldn't be an official patient. See, because of what happened, Dr. Renolds was asked to stay at the school as a temporary counselor for a few months. The school is paying for him, I'd just have to make the appointments," Legosi explained.
"Wow, I'm surprised Principal Gon would do that for us! I mean, I know he cares about the student body, but it's a little weird that he's doing something now," Jack said as he brought a hand up to his muzzle.
Legosi shook his head. "Yea, it is pretty strange. Especially considering that neither he nor any of the teachers did anything during the cafeteria fight, what happened between Bill and I, what happened to Tem, or… or-"
"Or when you attacked me," Jack said in a somber tone, finishing his friend's thought.
"Y-Yea," the wolf muttered as his ears folded back.
"Anyway, the point is, I do plan on going back to him, just as I have been during this past week. He's been helping me deal with a lot and it's made things easier to talk about."
"Of course, that never got in the way of me or the others checking up on you once we were told it was ok to visit. It's thanks to him that I can talk to you like this at all."
Jack smiled, his tail wagging slightly underneath the covers. "Sounds like he's helped you be more open about things. Think you'll actually be able to talk to people now?"
"Hehe, I doubt it! But at least I'm a little bit less of a wallflower now," Legosi joked.
The two laughed quietly before Jack invited Legosi to come a little closer to him. The wolf moved his chair right next to the bed and leaned in. Jack proceeded to pet his best friend's face before speaking.
"Hey Legosi, with everything that happened, I never got a chance to thank you. You not only saved me from that gang, but you also stayed with me when I got shot."
The labrador, despite the pain in his side, moved forward so their heads touched. "You did so much for me, thank you!"
Legosi blushed as he felt his and Jack's head fur brush against each other. He closed his eyes and sniffed his childhood friend, getting a bit of the yellow dog's scent. The grey canine knew how much he had missed Jack, but being able to finally smell the labrador's scent again helped put his mind at ease.
Jack began to slowly move away, but then Legosi wrapped his arms around the smaller carnivore, pulling him into a gentle hug, being mindful of his wound.
Jack's face went red from the surprise embrace. He hugged Legosi back, taking care not to move too much. He then took his own whiff of the wolf's scent, allowing all the memories associated with it to flow into his mind.
The labrador then hugged a little tighter, showing that he didn't want it to end. Legosi also wanted the hug to continue, however, there was something important he needed to tell Jack.
He slowly let go of the labrador before helping him lean back into the hospital bed. He sat back down and stared at his friend, his heart racing. The wolf took a deep breath and spoke.
"Jack, I told you before that Dr. Renolds has helped me learn to deal with a lot of my problems. That's not all he did. Even though we've only met a few times, he's helped me… 'discover' a lot about myself. And it's thanks to him that I've come to realize something that was obvious for a long time," Legosi explained.
Jack watched as his friend fidgeted with his fingers and tried his hardest to say what he wanted. The labrador knew that this meant Legosi needed to get something off his chest.
Just as the wolf was about to say it, Jack reached for one of Legosi's hands and held it tightly as he brought it closer to him. The smaller canine then looked up at the wolf so their eyes would meet.
"Listen Legosi, I can tell that you have something on your mind. But you should know that I have something to say too. It's something that I've wanted to say for a long time, I just never got the chance or I was too scared to say it," Jack explained.
"You have?" Legosi asked in a nervous tone as he looked down at his feet.
The labrador nodded. "Yes I have. It's been eating away at me for a while. It's one of the reasons why I got so upset with that she-wolf Juno. It's also the reason why I've felt so weird around you lately."
"But, before I do, could you come closer again? I don't want to move around too much," the yellow dog asked.
Legosi picked his head up as his eyes met with Jack's once more. He shifted his chair closer to the head of the bed and leaned forward.
Jack gave a soft smile as he slowly sat up. "Legosi, I… I love you."
Legosi smiled back. "I love you too Jack."
"No, I mean I LOVE you love you. As in, not as a friend, brother, or even a family member. I love you as someone I want to be with. Someone I want to stay with. Someone who I want to be with for the rest of my life. I know it's strange because we're both males, but it's the truth," the smaller canine explained.
Legosi's eyes widened as his face turned red and his tail shot up. He looked deep into Jack's pleading eyes and gave him a reassuring smile.
"Jack, when I said I love you too, I meant it. I know you think I meant to say it as a friend, but no. Jack, I love you in all the ways you love me, I really do. You're right about it being strange, but if it's you, then I'm ok with it," Legosi explained.
"W-What?" the labrador asked as small tears began to form.
"It's true, I love you Jack," Legosi barked as he wiped away the labrador's tears with the back of his finger. "I think I have for a while, but I didn't know for sure because I've never felt like this with anyone before."
"The only love I've known is the kind of love you have for family like Collet, Durham, Miguno, Voss, and grandpa. Or the love you have for friends like what I have with the drama club... But with you, it always felt different. It's just that I didn't know what it was."
"For a while, I loved you as family. But then things started to change and I realized just how special you are to me. I mean, it took almost losing you to a dog gang and me talking to a therapist to finally understand it, but it's true. I know now that I can't live without you in my life," Legosi explained.
"Oh, was that all it took?" the labrador joked while laughing quietly.
Legosi looked deeply into Jack's eyes and gulped before closing his own and moving his head forward.
Jack's eyes widened at this. He was nervous, but wanted to let this happen. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and leaned forward as well.
The two canines slowly press their lips together, going into a very tender kiss. As the sensation of the kiss overwhelms them, they go a little deeper, their tails wagging with joy.
Legosi and Jack simultaneously pull away, a thin string of saliva connecting them. They look at each other until the grey wolf pulls his friend into a soft embrace. The labrador returns the hug and they close their eyes, beginning to imagine the coming changes to their lives.
Hello everyone. I know this is where I would tell you this chapter's secret, but I'd like to take this time to say thank you. Thank you for following along with this story. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
This is unfortunately where Book 1 ends and I'm sure some of your journeys with me will end here too. But for those of you who want to keep going, I'm happy to say that Legosi and Jack's story is far from over.
There is still so much more in store for them. New friends, new enemies, and many trials they will have to overcome.
So for all of you who chose to stay with me, I will see all of you in "Two Sides of the Moon: Book 2: The Blood that Binds"