Chapter 11: The Struggles of Survival

Saigo was nervous about his first day on the job.

After the interview andsome enquiries, the caiman finally got himself a place in a local coffee shop. Like most reptiles, Saigo wasn't the type to be talkative so working behind the counter where he was trained to serve the various types of coffee on the menu was enough for him.

Every animal has a role to play in this cafe: the herbivores like the gazelles and dik-diks were the servers, the Dalmatian was managing the cashier and the customers while the hippopotamus is the one making the snacks. Their manager of this cafe is a West lowland gorilla.

"How's our new trainee doing, Sam?" the hippopotamus asked, whispering close to the Dalmatian's ear. Sam wagged her tail, gesturing with a tilt of her head. "Oh, he'll be alright. Doesn't talk much but gets the job done."

"Alright but if he tries anything funny, I'll deal with him."

"No doubt about that, Tituba," Sam laughed, knowing how hippos are around any Crocodilian species. "But I can tell that guy's jumpy. Most crocs I know are calmer than a log."

"Eh, he keeps to himself but does the work like we ask so we'll see."

Little did they know that Saigo has eavesdropped on the conversation while grinding some of the coffee beans and checking the matcha power to see if it has gone bad. He figured since he is a reptile, their sense of smell isn't as strong as a mammal's. Then again, he never once asked Yura about what kind of sense do humans have.

It was something that was bothering him besides the interview.

All he could do now was focus on the orders at hand. Coffee shops aren't as busy as restaurants but the customers do linger around, working on their laptops, lounging in their seats while sipping hot beverages or chatting with friends.

Today was hot but then it rained heavily. Saigo hoped that Yura was alright by herself in the apartment.

"Hey, two more orders of hot mocha followed by an iced cappuccino!" Sam called out. Saigo decided that was the time to focus on keeping his place in this new job. He was avoiding anyone from touching him, afraid they might see his tattoos. Long-sleeved shirts were very difficult to find since he was short on money.

His mind however was still thinking about that human in his apartment. That night where the two of them cling to each other's bodies made the caiman stir in his loins. Was it even possible to be aroused without his precious jewel?

Saigo was feeling heated, bucking his knees together to finish his shift so that he could claim Yura again. He does wish to feel himself inside her, marking her as his. However, he damn well knew that both him and the human have established where their relationship lies.

He hoped that Yura wouldn't mind if he'd take her to the waters with him.

...

Yura was still in awe of how small animals such as guinea pigs could extract a single organ from a large carnivore. She was gazing at the shelves where the organs were displayed to be written as supplements.

Most notably: bear bile, lion paws and even crocodile tails.

"Are you just browsing or buying?" the guinea pig prompt, walking really close to her. Does he know that she could easily step on him? Yura was stiff, praying that the little rodent doesn't smell her. She has been hoarding a few of his wares to be pawned at a different store.

"I just wished I had something of caiman value," Yura sighed to herself, mindful of her face getting exposed. She has noted some animals do wear face masks out of protection. "It's just that...I missed spending time with him since we are so busy..."

There was a pause until another guinea pig scurried over with a large scalpel in his paws. "We have a ledger for you to take a look if you can't find anything."

Yura bent down to tap the guinea pig on the head, eyes crinkling to form a smile. She bowed a thanks before helping herself to the ledger. There were various names written on the left side while the right side of the columns showed their species and body parts that were sold.

Slowly, her fingers stopped at a familiar name: Saigo... Yacare Caiman...Genital...

There, it was something that she was looking for. If she could sell the other organs she stole, maybe she could help him get some kind of surgery. Yura has seen a bit of it since she has stolen some drugs from a hospital before when she was sick.

It was risky but saves a lot of money. Yura hoped those humans who have escaped before her do not resort to the same tactic that she has done for the past two years. There were some things she regret during her theft.

"Um...have you made something with the caiman's genitals?" Yura asked, one of her hands clutching her body to prevent any of the stolen goods from spilling out.

"We're planning to but we're trying to accommodate our client since he is very old," explained the guinea pig. "I'm sorry but you can't have it."

"But can I just see it please?"

The guinea pigs exchanged uncertain glances at each other. No other customers except the Shishigumi would want to see their products being made. But something about this new customer's eyes unsettled them since they have dealt with various carnivores who sold themselves here and their herbivore customers.

This one's an enigma.

Reluctantly, they showed Yura the jar containing a long phallus soaked in liquid to keep it moist. Her eyes almost bulge out at how thick it was and blushed at the idea of it inside her. Then again, she shouldn't think too much about it.

Without thinking, she began to hit both of the guinea pigs on the head, then snatching the jar containing Saigo's precious jewels. Before she bolted out of the clinic, she kneeled down to whisper to the unconscious guinea pig.

"I'm no animal. Forget what you saw."

The adrenaline was pumping into her as she bolted out of the shop, pushing some passerby's to avoid getting caught. Black Market has always been a place where the depraved thrive while the innocents suffered. It would be a miracle if she didn't get caught or be part of a chase every time she steals something.

She noticed one of the regular stalls that most animals pawned certain items to exchange money. Not only was she going to get a wad of cash for Saigo, she would like to have something to eat as well as new clothes to disguised herself better.

It's bad enough at she could feel the breath of large carnivores close to her while the stench of their salivas made her gagged. Once she received the money, Yura decided to walk around, checking for a stall that has something she could eat.

However, that thought was cut short when she heard soft moans and heavy growls between the corners of the stalls. Curiously, Yura wanted to know what was going on. She halted in her tracks, eyes wide while her mouth instantly dropped behind her face mask. She couldn't believe at what she was seeing close to the wall:

It was a large Komodo dragon, copulating with a young human female straddled onto him!

Uh-oh! Seems like Yura should run since the animals in Beastars are fast so Yura might as well get caught, right? Of course in this story there are other humans hiding in plain sights or camouflaging themselves to avoid getting detected.

Don't worry, I have an idea on what happened to the humans in Beastars. I read Margaret Atwood and Orwell to help me with this