Goedendag!
I have an announcement to make regarding Shadows Amongst Us. The narrative is going to get a complete revamp.
When? When I feel like it, so it won't be updated in a good while. I'll probably start after like ten more chapters of Broken Mirror.
Also, I abide by Chekhov's Gun and Killing your Darlings, so don't worry about pointless interactions and loose plot points. They will be addressed eventually.
Yes, I had an interaction written out that I had to kill off behind the shed. Alas, poor me, poor Dexter.
Also, I've been made aware of people recommending my story on Reddit. I've just made a reddit account u/graspingawareness (subtle I know) and will start recommending the story in less than a week's time on there at r/Beastars.
You guys are eating well today.
That's all.
Tot ziens!
Usually bustling with students, the hallways had a certain doom and gloom to them. They felt empty, despite there being plenty of people to roam them.
The chatter and loud footsteps from not even a day ago were replaced with a ghostly quietness that hung in the air thickly.
Despite the hallways being filled with many different carnivores of all shapes and sizes, they all stayed quiet. The tension seemingly rising to an ever increasing sense of despair.
It seemed like every footfall: was one quiet interruption from the events that have plagued the school over the span of three days.
Legosi also stayed silent, slowly taking in what has befallen the usually cheery school. The only audible noise coming from the tense breaths of other animals.
Once a place of camaraderie and education, felt like a shell of its former self. The school that once was, becoming a fantasy people yearned for.
Did I... cause all this?
"You're making quite some waves, Legosi, and you love every second of it."
The voice startled Legosi; a couple animals gave him confused glances.
The wolf gave no response to whatever was talking to him. Silently strolling forward, past the endless sea of animals.
"You loved how afraid that rabbit was."
Legosi nodded gloating. How much he wouldn't give to feel that again. The tenderness, the taste, those lovely fluids and that soft fur.
"Look at everyone! Do you see it? It's fear."
Legosi looked around. The distrust, the suspicion and their feelings were all caused by him. Etched into their bodies, their minds and their souls.
All of this filled him with a twisted satisfaction. He licked the inside of his mouth. Remembering that sweet taste again.
"You know you like this and you want more. All of this is because of a single bite."
The wolf gave it some thought and came to a surprising conclusion: he liked this.
Yes, I do want more. If only one nibble can do all this; can I make it even better? From afraid to terrified?
"You know you can. Why stop here?"
Legosi chuckled to himself quietly, so nobody could hear how much he was enjoying this.
"Are you ready for seconds?"
He didn't even need to answer that, his expression saying more than words ever could. He stood upright, looking over everyone with a certain hunger.
Legosi's stride had significantly slowed down and he was starting to clog up the hallway in his indulgence.
"Hey Wolf! Move along! We're going to be late.", a fox demanded loudly. Legosi held up his hands defensively. "O-oh, s-sorry! I'll move."
The fox gave him an antagonistic stare as he walked past.
Looks like someone woke up at the wrong side of the bed.
Eventually he made it to his first class. The thoughts running across his mind weren't filled with studying at all.
His fantasies were only on how to quench his thirst for more.
The hallways were empty, everyone had already made their ways to class. Despite the killings, classes weren't put on hold. They wanted to ease the students into moving on from the incidents.
All of that was easier said than done. The tensions between the students were at an all time high.
Louis especially knew what would happen if those problems weren't addressed.
As if the segregation wasn't bad already. I need to pick up the scraps for that incompetent tiger.
He made his way to principal Gon's office, bitterness written over his face.
How could that moron cancel club rehearsals? Is he out of his mind?
As soon as Louis reached Gon's office he barged in without knocking.
"Yes, yes- I assure you! Your daughter will be safe. These horrible tragedies will be appropriately taken care of." The tiger saw Louis walk in.
He hissed something under his breath. "Now's not the time!"
The deer didn't even flinch and kept walking forward with determination.
"Wha- no! Of course, we have time for you! Yes- Yes we- Okay, it will be taken care of. Yes, goodbye." The principal sighed.
The deer sat down in the chair across from the principal with his arm folded. Giving him a questioning glance.
The principal groaned knowingly. It's not like he didn't expect this to happen.
"Louis, now is hardly the time. I've been getting calls all morning. Parents are pulling students out of school.", the principal complained.
"They're mad that the murders haven't been solved yet. That the killer is still roaming free. If only they knew." He stood up and poured himself some water.
The tiger gulped some down and put it next to his computer.
Louis sighed already being sick of the tiger's nonsense.
"Explain something to me, Mr. Gon. Why haven't the perpetrators been caught yet?" A rhetorical question.
The principal knew the answer all too well, but was too proud to say it.
"Why does a school as prestigious as this have no real security?", Louis frowned curiously.
Cue the obvious, judicially correct answer.
The principal gulped. "Well, that would invade the-"
So predictable.
"Please, you have been making budget cuts to security ever since I first enrolled." Louis laughed amused.
"Let's also not pretend I don't know about that little rattle snake of yours." The deer was talking in a hushed tone like it was still a secret.
The principal gulped guiltily. He knew Louis was talking about Rokume. Cherryton's one and only guard.
"That all seems pretty invasive to me. Having a little bir- I mean snake tell you all the dirty secrets.", Louis grinned. His head leaning sideways looking out of the window.
"Where are you going with this?" The tiger was staring at the deer with a questioning glance.
Louis slowly took the glass of water and drank it all. "Ah, refreshing.", He began. "You never expected something bad to happen here and yet here we are."
We're in hell looking at heaven. You just need a little push.
Gon looked annoyed, the deer already getting on his nerves. Louis taking notice of how his face just scrunched up.
"Yes, you're right. We have been cutting corners on security. Mostly, because there never have been any incidents at our school since its founding.", the tiger justified. A faux smile forming on his face.
Two dead in three days isn't a very good track record. Louis knew this all too well.
"So, you basically let your guard down?" Louis moved his legs on the desk. The principal watched him warily. "Tsk, tsk. That's not a good look. With the security we have now; no wonder the police haven't been of any help."
Gon's hand clasped around his pen. The pressure of his grip causing it to nearly break.
"Are you here just to insult the school's competence?" Gon looked unamused. "If that's the reason you're here, I'd rather have you leave."
Louis shook his head. "Oh, no, no, no! I wouldn't dream of questioning your decision making skills, principal Gon." Sarcasm was flowing from that sentence like a waterfall.
"I am here for an entirely different reason.", the red deer said calmly.
"For what may that be, exactly?" The principal frowned questioning the deers intentions.
The steadfast deer slammed his fist on the table. "Have you completely lost your marbles? Cancelling rehearsals two weeks before the play?!"
The principal gave the deer an apologetic look. "L-Listen, I didn't have much of a choice, the board of directors-"
"Screw the board!", Louis snapped. "Right now, we should be showing that we can coexist! Cancelling the play isn't going to help with that."
The tiger stammered. "I understand that, but-"
The deer gave him a livid glare.
"Listen very carefully, principal." The deer demanded. "Overrule the decision to cancel the play, otherwise I will abdicate my position as the potential Beastar."
A daring powerplay. Something Oguma taught the deer very well.
Gon scowled in anger. "You wouldn't do that!"
Louis gave him a challenging laugh. A direct challenge to his authority.
The tiger knew that he had no power here.
"Oh, how I will! You would have wasted three years and have nothing to show for it. You guys haven't delivered a Beastar in five years and the school's becoming rather desperate."
He flashed the tiger a convincing smile.
Louis knew he'd won. It was the final blow the school wouldn't be able to take. It's sink or swim.
"I hope you know what kind of games you're playing, Louis." The tiger growled, Louis had him beat. "You know this second killing isn't going over all too well. This is basically a Hail Rex."
One that could make or break the school.
The deer gave him a smug smile. "Don't you worry about that. I will make the school run smoothly again."
"We need to give the papers something positive to write home about." He leaned forward intently. "We cannot use another fiasco: like how you tried to cover up Tem's killing."
Trying to cover it up only landed the school into more controversy.
Gon gave him a passing glance from his computer. Knowing the deer was right.
"If we hadn't done that: the tabloids would have had a field day slandering our school." The principal scoffed.
Covering it all up and failing at that, won't make you look better in the eyes of the public.
Gon opened one of his drawers and laid a tube out on the table. He rocked back in his chair.
"Alright, here are the posters for the upcoming play. I want them up on the walls before lunch.", he demanded.
Giving the deer what he wanted was a gamble, but it was the best one the principal had.
The posters would be up in an hour tops considering how efficient Louis is at his job.
"That will be taken care off.", Louis affirmed.
The tiger steadied his glasses seemingly wanting to get back to work.
Louis snapped with his fingers getting the tiger's attention again.
"Oh, and for the record: make sure to clear up your schedule for an announcement twelve days from now in the auditorium." Louis eyed the principal authoritatively.
Louis swiped the posters from the bureau and put them in beside his chair.
The tiger gave him an annoyed glance letting the silence fester a little. "Of course, as originally planned."
Satisfaction glistened off of Louis' face.
"Also, another piece of advice: lift the lockdown. The students will feel better if they're allowed to freely move, naturally."
Easing the tensions is something everybody desperately needs. Making the animals feel trapped with a killer won't help with that.
Gon sniffed. He didn't look happy at all. He moved his hand and pulled at his face.
Come on, you dumb tiger. Your hands are tied here.
"I'll take that suggestion into consideration.", the principal said dryly.
Given how dire the situation is, there wouldn't be a lot of leeway for the principal. The stakes were too high.
"We're on the same side here. We all want the same thing." Louis stood up and offered him his hand. "Let's make the best of it all. While we still can."
The principal seriously doubted that. Louis didn't care about prestige, he cared only for his ambitions.
Gon reluctantly took his hand. Clearly pissed over how he was blackmailed by a student.
"Fine.", Gon grunted. "The board won't be happy about this."
If the board were to find out what just happened they'd have his pelt.
The board are just a bunch of spineless cowards. It's like asking a rock to swim, totally hopeless.
"When are they ever?" Louis let out a chuckle. "Have a nice day, Mr. Gon. I'll see myself out."
The deer strode out of the office victoriously. His mood being changed into an excellent one.
"Oh, this is going to be such a mess." The tiger let out a groan. "I hope you know what you're doing."
Jack was looking at the clock desperately. Usually he never did this, but classes have been miserable. The tension in his classes was palpable.
The students were moving uncomfortably in their seats, looking around the class for some sort of reaction. This is the worst feeling Jack had ever felt.
Not even the teacher was paying the class any mind and not for the lack of trying. The polar bear had noticed the mood as soon as he walked into class.
The silence was straining, like something was about to explode. Everyone was anticipating some kind of climax, yet it never came.
Jack looked over at Legosi, he was oddly focused on his work. Normally he'd be with his head in the clouds.
"Hey, Legosi? How are you even able to get work done like this?", Jack whispered. The wolf gave him no reaction.
What's with him all of the sudden?
"Legosi!", Jack said in a hush. Still no response.
This wolf... of all times he decides to take his work seriously; it's now? It's like he's in a trance.
The wolf seemed totally lost in the pictures, he always took the same amount of time looking and then moved on.
"The nuclear option then." Jack gave a decisive huff. The Labrador flicked his finger at Legosi's nose
The wolf dropped his pen moving his hands to his muzzle. "O-Ow, Jack! That hurt!" He looked at his friend. "What was that for?"
"You were spacing out; in your schoolwork no less." The lab began. "Is there something on your mind? It's unlike you to be so focused on something like biology."
Legosi gave him a sad look. He stayed silent for a while, thinking about what he should say.
"I-I am just trying to get my mind off of things. A lot has happened in the past few days.", Legosi confessed. "I don't really know what I am supposed to do."
Jack's gaze softened, immediately regretting his choice.
I should've known. If only I talked to him a little bit more yesterday. He feels guilty over something out of his control.
He put his hand on the wolf's shoulder. "You know you can talk to me right?" He shook the wolf a little. "I am here for you if you need to talk."
The wolf looked at him tentatively.
"Legosi, you're my best friend."
The Labrador gave him an earnest nod.
Legosi's face twitched slightly. There was a hint of something. Jack couldn't fully make it out.
"Jack, I am fine. I-I still am a bit nervous after everything that happened yesterday." Legosi gave Jack a strained smile. It wasn't a lie.
Jack removed his hand from the wolf's shoulder. He looked a bit more at ease.
What was I thinking? Everyone handles their feelings differently.
Jack wasn't taking the situation all that well himself. He squirmed under his own hypocrisy.
"I am sorry, Legosi. I guess I thought you would handle it the same as everyone else.", he apologized. "I shouldn't have put my expectations on you like that."
The wolf shook his head slowly. "No, don't apologize. Everyone is on edge. It's okay to feel bad sometimes."
Jack thought he didn't really deserve forgiveness, but decided to let that feeling slide.
"Alright, but Legosi, if you need anything." Jack pleaded with a smile. "Just tell me."
Legosi returned one in kind. "Sure, Jack."
Legosi sighed moving back in his chair. "Thanks for being there for me. I don't know what I would do without you."
The appreciative comment made Jack feel good again. His tail wagged joyously.
"No problem, likewise. We can always rely on each other.", Jack laughed.
Legosi moved his frame to the right and picked up his backpack from the ground. He opened his bag and took out one of the egg sandwiches he was always hoarding.
Legosi opened it from the plastic wrapping and split it in half; handing one piece to Jack.
The retriever thought about it for a short while and eventually just decided to eat something. He was going to need it after skipping last night.
"Thanks. How many of those do you have in there?", Jack chuckled.
The wolf shrugged. "Enough.", he said with his mouth full.
The two laughed about that for a while until Legosi got a ping on his phone. The wolf looked at it in surprise.
Announcement: The lockdown will be lifted in seven days time. Club meetings will continue as scheduled.
For more information go to wwy.CherrytonSchool.Inf thanks for your continued support.
Legosi put his arm up in victory. Jack gazed at the wolf amused.
"What? Did you get a text from your crush?" Legosi shook his head smiling toothily catching himself immediately.
"No, even better. Adler is still going to reach the big stage."