It was the late morning and the black market's streets were bustling with activity; the sounds of vendors selling their products and passersby's their laughter. The noises plus the soft patter of the rain reaching the window of a young lion's apartment whom was soundly comatose, lying on his mattress. Sleeping off a long night of fruitless searches and a painful beating for sticking his nose where it didn't belong. Was it his fault for entering Okamigumi territory? He couldn't even be sure at this point. Those two chucklefucks were always on his case about something, and had tried to rob him at least over a dozen times. Though he did give those red wolf bastards a run for their money, if there was even any solace to find in that. Definitely not, it hurt like hell and it will probably leave some scars on his body to add insult to injury.
Knocking a few of their teeth out in rebuttal was all he had to do for them to scamper off with their tails between their legs. So it'll take them a while to recover from that. But still, he had to get the wound stitched, not favorite pastime so to speak. But fortunately, he could call in a favor of an old friend from his heyday. Nothing like the chain that binds, right? Said friend was also knocking on the door for the better part of five minutes now; calling out his name. "Claude!", an angry voice yelled, banging more aggressively against the already fragile wood. The lion sat up, his bones popping at the movement, wiping the sleep from his eyes and yawning loudly. Fuck, I am stiff. No amount of pilates will fix me. "We don't have all fuckin' day, Claude! This isn't high school anymore! I am on a schedule!" Now he kinda wished it still were his high school days.
Cracking his shoulders, he wearily got to his feet, still feeling lightheaded from the nagging wounds on his body. "Do I really have to get up now? I'm dead fuckin' tired", Claude grumbled, almost staggering to headfirst to the floor, responding to the noise more loudly. "Yeah! I am comin'! Just lemme put on some pants, asshole!" Everything hurts. Looking down at the dirty mattress, he found its lower half surprisingly bloodstained, his eyes widening in distress; only now checking his legs seeing that they weren't doing so well. Shit! Those fuckers nicked me! Yesterday's pants were scratched to ribbons. Through the numbness he must've not noticed them until now. So much for the pants plan. Even now the fluid was leaking from his wounds like a broken faucet. Must've barely missed the femoral artery.
No wonder he was tired, he's been losing a lot of blood while sleeping. I can't believe I am so stupid! This one's from the thigh to my knee! He needed to get those cleaned and stitched, now. Last night's shower clearly not being enough. Why can't he go one month without getting his shit kicked in? Limping towards the door, his body was getting heavier by the second, the banging from his friend not subsiding; keeping him focused and determined. Just a little further. Can't keel over dead now. Reaching for the handle and weakly pulling it open, as the light poured in momentarily blinding him, his vision becoming clearer as the black leopard's annoyed mug greeted him. Kigatsu looked him up and down, seeing that he was almost naked, giving an amused sniffle, "Oh, that's great! Your wounds look terrible!" This wasn't the time for jokes. Couldn't he leave the verbal abuse for a later date?
It was a kind of sarcasm Claude got used to over the years, even though it was not something he could appreciate coming from them at this very moment. Though he was probably just being sincere. Kigatsu's nose scrunched up in disgust at the lion's sweaty smell. Without much hesitation, the leopard pushed him back inside and towards the conjoined living room which was also the kitchen, knowing the layout of his apartment as well as the back of his hand. As they walked, the Barbary lion was being supported by Kigatsu, the leopard let out another snide remark, "Judging by the puss, you didn't clean your wound all that properly, ya moron." Claude groaned in response, the reality only now really settling in. Entering the room, he got seated into a chair, the melanistic leopard immediately started inspecting the damage.
Kigatsu hunched down and tentatively touched the leg wound with a claw, the lion immediately recoiled back at the sharp pain. Beads of sweat forming on the lion's head. The leopard looked up at the Claude, shaking his head disapprovingly. Luckily, the adrenaline eased some of his pain. "One day: yer goin' to get yerself killed", the leopard sighed, opening a bag with supplies he always carried with him. "I'll need to clean it first before I can apply the stitches. This is going to hurt and it's going to hurt a lot." Just my luck. As if I wasn't suffering enough. Getting out some disinfectant wipes, Kigatsu began cleaning the biggest wound on his left leg, Claude sucking in air through his teeth; his claws sinking deep inside the arm of the chair. After this, he was going to spoil himself with some silvervine.
Breaking out into a cold sweat as he pushed through it, when finally the helpful feline had to get a new wipe. "Oh, and before you ask: no, I do not have an anesthetic." Not that he would have given it to them if he had. The disinfectant painfully pricking against his wound, relief evident on the lion's face as the pressure from it disappeared. "Quit whinin', you sissy! Yer lucky you don't have an infection", Kigatsu reprimanded, as he began wiping it more aggressively. "Why don't you do it yourself next time and see how that'll work for ya? Big lion during the fight; big lion after the fight, Claudius." His leg shot up at the roughness, the leopard forcefully holding it against chair, while Claude gritted his teeth and ruined his furniture. He cussed him out, right then and there, "Motherfffffuck! That hurts, Kigatsu, you piece of shit!"
Stifling his laughter with a mocking grin, the leopard went to clean the other wound. "Language. Don't insult your doctor while he's working", he provoked tutting, the lion giving him a hateful glare. A deep growl emanating from his throat. "But, if cussing out your ex helps with whatever is going on with you: by all means, continue." Pain seeped through Claude's expression as Kigatsu pressed harder against the exposed skin, almost feeling the need to apologize for taking this for granted. "Don't give me that look, you have no right to mope. By the way, that's going to be permanent scarring. Some of these wounds are pretty deep", the leopard informed without much sympathy. Fuck my life. It would be nice if he could ever meet his father without looking like a thug though; being unbelievably fortunate that he doesn't have any scars on his face. Honestly, he was a even bit ashamed for looking like this in front of Kiga.
Quietly finishing up, which was a train ride of agony for about seven minutes, the leopard pulled a kit from his backpack. It was time for the stitches. Opening a bottle of whiskey and pouring it over the wound without warning; making Claude yowl in pain, almost punching him out of reflex. HE DID THAT ON FUCKING PURPOSE! With a satisfied glint in his eye, he stood up, Kigatsu making his way into the kitchen to wash his hands and took a rag back with him, handing it to the lion who was an absolute mess. "Ya might wanna bite down on this, so your teeth don't shatter", Kigatsu joked, laughing at his distress. "Some of the skin is going to be painful to pull together. Brace yourself or don't; I couldn't care less." A part of him always believed the leopard was a sadist and this outright confirmed it.
Being offered the bottle, Claude took three big swigs hoping to lessen the pain later on. That motherfucker. Fortunately, there was no dead skin tissue. When Kigatsu got started pulling the needle through the wound, it wasn't that bad; the area already having grown numb, but pulling the skin back together was actual torture. The muffled screams being of no burden to the leopard, as he continued with the task at hand. "Very good, Claude! You'll get a sticker and a lolly later!", Kigatsu said with faux-pride. Is he mocking me?! When he was finally done and cut the thread, the lion pulled the rag from his mouth, breathing heavily; the sheer volume of adrenaline kicking his body into high gear. Then he realized he still had another wound next to it and his shoulder he had to suffer through.
They took a short break to let Claude gather himself. That sick fuck, sado-masochist is going to have the time of his life very soon. A certain heaviness began weighing down on his head and lifting a burden from his mind. Rex, thank you! The alcohol is kicking in! Fuck yeah! "Look on the bright side. This will make you look tough and intimidating", the leopard smiled toothily, throwing the used needle next to him and getting out a new one. "There are plenty of guys and gals who find such injuries sexy." Claude has never met a man or woman who finds such things indicative of a pleasant personality. Stop talking out of your ass. Also, what kind of doctor says such things to someone who's lying half naked in a chair? The Barbary lion frowned, "Kiga, you're not coming onto me, right?"
Starting with the second round of stitches, he rolled his eyes at Claude's nonsense. "No, that would be very unprofessional. My nonexistent PhD would weep", he answered in monotone, tying the thread around the needle. "I know the shit you're into. So, don't you get any weird ideas, you pervert." When he started with the other wound, it didn't hurt as much as he expected; probably because it was much smaller comparatively. The alcohol had also numbed his senses by a bit. Not even needing to bite down on that filthy rag. He didn't feel as lightheaded as ten minutes ago, so there's that. Inspecting the shoulder wound, Kigatsu told it wasn't as bad as it looked and that it would heal naturally if he disinfected it. While he was busy, Claude gave a quip, "I never thought you dropping out of college to piss off your mom was a good idea. You should've just become an actual doctor."
Kiga momentarily stopped with dressing the wound to look the Claude in the eyes, he gave a wry laugh, "No, because dropping out of college to hunt down your estranged father is so profound." At least you have a family to fall back on. The Barbary lion sighed, he didn't want to start this conversation with him again. They already had it long ago, when he dropped out first and Kigatsu was very angry over it. "Also, you're lying half naked on a chair while your ex is taking care of your injuries. How's that for career prospects?", the leopard argued with a raised brow. "What happened to that investigative journalism internship again?" Dead in the water, but he could always reapply if he wanted to. They would be thrilled to take him back with the grades he had and his mom was stubborn, yet kind enough to sign the leave of absence, while Kigatsu just stopped showing up.
Finding his father is a challenge and a half, seven months and still: all he got was bread crumbs. His mom wasn't going to send him money after the stunt he pulled; his debit card was also disabled. And, she wasn't very excited to support his new lifestyle, she's everything but an enabler she's not. Working in an illegal restaurant to make ends meet was an experience. "Me staying here isn't permanent, Kiga. I just have to find my fuckin' dad", Claude dictated, the alcohol reddened his cheeks, he was getting a little tipsy, and when that happens he tends to make light of things. "And getting my wounds fixed by someone so pretty is just a bonus." The leopard snorted at the lion's playful attempts at flirting even amidst the pain. Still focused on his work, he cleaned the last few bits of the claw mark.
Kigatsu teasingly cupped Claude's face within his hand. "Safe the compliments for when you're not a bloody mess. After all these years, despite being so big: you're still an itty bitty lightweight", he retorted, putting the final bandages on. Yet, he still gave a reminiscing smile. "Also, we tried that remember? You know how it works with me: no take-backsies. It was fun while it lasted." The lion chuckled weakly, feeling the lingering adrenaline mix with the strong liquor. The past was in the past, and it was better that way. He'll never change. That crazy bastard. "Fair enough", he conceded, wincing a little at the pressure that was still on the leg wound. "Though, you have to admit: I was amazing in bed. I still love you, even in my own weird way." At least they had fun back then, compatibility didn't really matter.
Their teasing grin mellowed to a soft smile, as he gently stroked a bit of his mane. It was the same gesture that they always used when they needed each other. They've known each other for years by this point, but it barely felt like that. Life just went by so fast and the lion could barely comprehend it. "That's very sweet, Claude. Indeed, you were something else", Kiga admitted, his tone affectionate but a bit hesitant. Finally someone who owns up to it. "Can't help that I have a soft spot for ya. Without you, I wouldn't have had a place to stay when I ran off from home." Even if they had already broken up, he couldn't let him sleep on the streets. If something had happened to him, he would have never forgiven himself. Friends are rare in a hellhole like this. Offering him a place to sleep was the least he could do after everything Kigatsu has done for him.
The lion carefully removed the leopard's hand. They couldn't fall back into old habits. Back then, he had already hurt him enough with his selfishness. "And you turned out just fine without me", Claude complimented. "Felines always land on their feet, don't they? You don't need a degree to show off that you're smart." Kiga backed away from him with a snicker, cleaning up the mess that he made while tending to his wounds. Packing up his tools and heading for the kitchen, leaving him in the chair. "You're going to eat to get your body back into shape", the leopard dictated, the lion already knew where this was going. Rex, he's right. And I also still have to work tonight. "I know you still have some venison in the fridge. I'll cook you up something."
He wasn't much for meat in the early afternoon, but he's going to need that extra energy. Emi will fire him if he shows up late. After around ten minutes, Kigatsu returned with a plate and cutlery, the enticing aroma of meat wafting throughout the room. His stomach growling in anticipation. Oh, man. I barely ate anything last night. No wonder I am woozy. "Here you go. Eat up", the leopard said authoritatively. "Don't you dare squander my love." With a shaky hand, Claude took the plate from his mitts, his mouth watering at the sight. This is going to do him some good. The lion looked up with an appreciative expression, "Thanks, Kiga. Sorry for being such a wreck." It was the same look he always gave him back in high school after they kissed.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, ignoring the attempts at provocation, the leopard sighed softly, "You're doing this to yourself. This is what you get for fighting dumb and dumber for the umpteenth time." Claude shrugged nonchalantly, regretting it a little as his shoulder burned with a nagging pain. Not paying it any mind and taking a bite of his meal, he started playing with his fork, talking with his mouth full of blood. "You, hmm, are a leopard. There's no, hmm, way you'd understand." Swallowing, he wiped a piece of fat residue at his cheek away with a napkin he got provided. Meanwhile, Kigatsu rolled his eyes at the display and the lack of manners. "I am just as much of a feline as you are, Claude. I just don't concern myself with petty, infantile feuds such as the cats versus the dogs."
In the middle of cutting his next bite, he looked up at him with a undignified voice, "It's not like I can help it. Those assholes just can't catch a hint! They get stitched up and right after they try to jump me again." Those two brothers had been trying to get revenge on him for... whatever petty reasons they had. Ironically, they were unintentionally proving that lions were simply stronger. The first time they tried to fight him was because he took the last slab of beef from a good vendor who was about to retire, and it kind of snowballed from there. "Why don't you just kill them?", Kigatsu asked bluntly, leaning his head on his hand. "It's going to get messy, sure, but it would be self-defense." It was not like he didn't have it in him, if those two ever got the chance they definitely would off him.
Claude raised an eyebrow, before shaking his head. "And very possibly putting a target on my back? I don't know who those guys fraternize with", he responded hypothetically. Taking another bite of his venison, he began elaborating further on his reasoning. "If, hmm, any of those connections tie back to, hmm, the Okamigumi: I am fucked. Capital F." Those wolves would hunt him down until they caught, brutally tortured and eventually killed him. Not his kink; not the most fun way to go, he wasn't a masochist like Kiga. Even if a connection between them and a criminal organization was highly unlikely, he wasn't leaving it up to chance or coincidence. So, he was basically stuck between a rock and a hard place until he figured something out. For now, it would be for the better to avoid those two if possible.
Letting out a laugh, Kigatsu had another one of his evil machinations. "Can't you, like, get rid of them somewhere quiet? Y'know chop them to bits, put them into trash bags and throw them into a dumpster somewhere?" Claude frowned, a small smile tugging at his lips, not knowing if the leopard was joking or not. Judging by their expression, they weren't that serious. "That's an excellent idea! So what now?", Claude darkly laughed. Kigatsu raised his brows. "You want me to: lure them somewhere secluded, knock them unconscious, drag them to my apartment without being seen, put them in my bathtub and...-" He stopped while he was ahead, his mouth agape. "-Nah, no, dingleberries, I'd never get away with that." Kiga was just putting ideas in his head again. Break the cycle, Claude. Don't listen. This is a prime example of one of the many reasons they separated.
They brung out the best and the worst in each other. A permanent solution to a temporary problem wasn't his style. Looking a little disappointed, Kigatsu resigned himself back into his chair. Claude put the final bite into his maw, noting that this piece of venison was smaller than he thought or he just ate it really quickly. Figuring he should also pick the bone clean while he was at it. "Look, let me put it this way for you. If both of those jailbirds die or go missing; they'd immediately suspect that I had something to do with it", the lion explained, swallowing down and putting his plate on the small table. "My fights with them have basically become a running gag for those that frequent the restaurant. I heard one of the customers say: 'Well, beat me two red wolves!'" Huffing, Claude was at wits end. Eventually, if they kept going like this, he would be forced into a situation that wouldn't leave him much of a choice.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. "Yeah, I can see why that might be bad", Kigatsu acknowledged, taking the plate and putting it into the sink. He sighed leaning on the counter. "Last thing I want is that you get hurt, Claude. In my honest opinion, searching for this - what's his name? - 'Miguel' here is a quest of futility. Do you have any idea how rare Barbary lions are?" Of course, he was aware. The odds were never stacked in his favor to begin with. What are the chances he's even in the city anymore? Or in the country for that matter? "I know, Kiga", Claude nodded dejectedly. "I just need... closure, something my mind can latch onto; an image at the very least. If I can't find him here: I will move on, I promise." Alright, if I find nothing these coming two months: I am outta here. The leopard sarcastically hummed, not sure if he believed him.
Standing up from the chair, his legs still hurt even despite the intoxication, being extremely careful to not pull his stitches. It was time for him to put on some clothes and to groom his mane. Judging from Kigatsu's reaction upon seeing him; he probably looks like he just escaped a live burial. "Lions and their pride. Ever heard of the expression: 'curiosity killed the cat'?", the leopard inquired, washing a few of the lion's dirty dishes. "I think it's a bit too late for him to be paying alimony to yer mum." Claude scoffed at that. Slowly straining towards his bedroom, he replied sarcastically, "More than once. And I'm chopped liver. Also, fuck you!" Rummaging through his closet, he saw that he didn't have a lot of clean clothes left; most of them were either muddy, bloody or both. They wouldn't cover up the smell of grime, sweat or other bodily fluids on his body. Deodorant it was then.
I also need to get those sheets, melton and fitted sheets cleaned. Here's to hoping I can still get the blood out. The laundromat was still open, so he had to go before work. Gazing into the mirror, his dark, curly messy mane looked awful; immediately fixing it with some product. Lamenting that even after all these years of effort: he still looked like a wiry teenager. Putting on some green trousers and a gray sweater that was uncomfortably sticking to his shoulder, Claude joined Kigatsu back in the kitchen. "Aw, I liked you better without clothes", the leopard observed teasingly, he's told him that maybe a hundred times now. He motioned around with his hand. "You know you're a slob, right? This place was and still is a mess. When was the last time you vacuumed?" Probably when he expected to have a girl over... three weeks ago. I'm lucky that Kiga hasn't seen my bathroom... he would probably faint. "I didn't have a lot of time to do it these past few days", Claude lied, checking his fridge only seeing beer and an expired can of peas. "I'll do it later when I get back from work."
Getting a bottle and opening it; the hissing sound echoing through the room. Nothing like an alcoholic beverage in the morning! He took a big sip, gulping it down in one go, Kigatsu gave him a judgy glance. "Ah, what? You think the pain is going to disappear by itself? I can't do shit, if every time I move my legs: I want to curl up into a ball." If he wanted to make it through the day without looking like an easy target, he didn't have much of a choice. The leopard sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Drowning it in alcohol is only gonna help ya for so long. You need to take care of yourself, Claude. Properly." Says the pot to the kettle. He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms with a frown. "And that includes cleaning this place from time to time. I can see blood splattered against the wall from your last cooking session."
Chuckling, he knew he was no five star chef, the lion figured he should be more careful with those blood bags next time. Though, he couldn't really help himself, zebra blood is just so good and it really gives him a kick when he puts it in his energy shakes. "Yeah, laugh. If the police ever search this building, you're beyond fucked", Kigatsu pointed out, walking around the kitchen island to restock his backpack, turning his head away from him. "Remember what happened to Sahrah the nile crocodile? She got eighteen months last September for meat possession and consumption, in part because she didn't clean her apartment." Oh, yeah, that was the talk of the town for a while. If he was gonna stay for a while longer, it would be for the best to keep this place in tiptop shape for when he left.
Turning on the coffee machine. Claude waved him off, subsequently rummaging through the cupboards, searching for a coffee mug. "I hear ya, Kiga. Will take care of it later", the Barbary lion conceded. "Sorry but, don't you have another gig to attend to? Weren't you on a schedule?" Humming an affirmative, Kigatsu hoisted his backpack over his shoulders. Heading over to him in the kitchen to give him some parting advice. "Yeah, I need to go and babysit Friggs' stray-" Turning to him, about to ask for more context, the leopard shushed him with a finger; being a little disappointed he wouldn't get the whole nine yards. "-tell you about it later. And, please, Claude, for the love of Rex, please clean those wounds. Thoroughly this time." Shooting at him those pleading eyes Kigatsu only gives people he cares about; Claude's only weakness.
Putting the coffee mug under the machine and pressing the button; it whirred loudly. "Fine! You win!", he promised with a groan. "I'll behave myself. Just get outta here and if anything's up I will call ya." Satisfied with his answer, Kigatsu smiled and strode off, Claude following him to the exit. "You better!", Kigatsu replied with annoyance, his voice cold. "I'll be back in a couple of days to check on you. If anything happens: you have me on speed-dial. Au revoir!" Claude waved him goodbye; the sound of finally shutting the front door filling him with relief. He can be such a worrywart. Those guys will be outta commission for a while, so they won't be doing much of anything. He only just woke up and he still had so many things to do. Chores first, pleasure later. First order of business: having himself a good, old cup of joe and getting his silvervine.
A sudden cathartic scream echoed through room 701. The limp bodies of Collot and Voss lying before the TV; pretty close to mirroring the same way the actors were playing dead in the movie. Rather unfortunately, they were watching the most mundane horror movie they've ever seen. Bleat 3 was by far the worst one they'd watched in a while. It was a total mood killer too, because the first two movies blew their expectations out of the water even though they were old. Seeing how far such a great franchise could spiral downwards was genuinely disheartening for the two. The Bleat Franchise were some of the few slashers that don't just lazily use a carnivore as the killer and instead utilizes the innocence of herbivores to their benefit. Guessing who the killers were was actually quite difficult with how subtle the clues are.
Unequivocally, both Collot and Voss were in mutual understanding that the first movie was the best. The first scene from Bleat 1 was a genuine stroke of brilliance and killing off Drewe Behrrymore in the opening was very bold. It paved the way for all the other horror movies since. They had to rewatch a few times before they caught the subtle clues and were blown away at the intricacies. The killer reveals caught them totally off guard too. Your own biases and assumptions are better off being thrown out of the window with movies like this. It was a challenging jab towards the status-quo and maybe that's why they loved it so much. Finally, a class wasn't getting victimized or blamed. Everything had to do with the animal condition and how it plays a huge part in choosing between right and wrong.
It was also commentating on how herbivores were just as capable of committing evil acts as carnivores. Goes to show that the killer can always be the one you least expect. It could be your best friend, your lover or even your family member. However, this movie felt like a disservice to the entire franchise with its very loosely put together twist, which even suspension of disbelief couldn't safe. "This movie is a contrived mess!", the fennec grumbled at the sheepdog, momentarily letting his gaze wander back to the screen. When the house exploded because of something honestly trivial, Voss just pressed pause with a bemused frown. "I don't get it", the sheepdog complained, slinking down further against the wall of his bunk. "The reviews said that it was kind of decent, but it doesn't even come close to beating Bleat 1 and 2." Disappointment was evident in his tone and facial expression.
Voss just turned the TV off out of sheer frustration with the movie; Collot didn't seem to particularly mind. Neither of them wanted to watch any more of it. "I knowwww", Voss lamented getting to his feet, ready to raid Durham's candy storage again; he had to drown his sorrows somehow. "We shouldn't have ignored the reviews and skipped to the fourth installment like the people online told us to." They were young, but they knew a garbage plot when they saw one. If they weren't the most media savvy canines in room 701: maybe they could've even enjoyed the movie for what it was. But, of course not; they just had to be total cinephiles. The sheepdog huffed indignantly, "Now it kinda makes me wish we didn't watch the franchise in the first place." Though he knew the comment was a bit unreasonable logically speaking.
One bad apple doesn't mean the tree itself is rotten to the core. The fennec frowned at the putridity and slander his roommate just spouted. "Hey! Bleat did meta-commentary before it was cool, Collot!", Voss beckoned with an argumentative tone, climbing up the bunks momentarily stopping to sit down on the coyote's mattress. "Wesley Craving was an effing genius!" A carnivore horror director at that too. Most would find such a thing indicative of a sick individual, but he wanted to make a point by directing Bleat: never judge a book by their cover. The sheepdog nodded, getting to his feet and stretching his back. "I get that Kevv Wolfsson had other things to do, but couldn't they wait for him to finish his other projects? I swear the one who wrote this script is a hack." They continued riling each other up about the quality they expected, and veered off on how capitalism is ruining modern day franchises for monetary gain.
After a good while, Voss just put a stop to it before it became a thing that might ruin their day. "Collot, let's just stop this and move on", the fennec fox proposed, popping a lemon candy in his mouth. "We'll watch Bleat 4 tomorrow evening and forget this ever happened." If they wanted to wash away the filth, you had to rinse it with quality. There were more important things they had to worry about anyway, and cursing an already hated movie to postmortem, double death wasn't their most efficient time investment. "I guess, you're... definitely right. This isn't cutting it", the sheepdog agreed, keeping his annoyances to himself, silently tapping away on his phone. "Need to study for the upcoming biology test anyway. Physiology tests are the absolute worst and hella awkward." Voss never really needed to put in much effort, mostly because he was fine with having C's. And having a C in math won't make you a worse programmer.
It was quiet for a while, both of them busy with their studies now that they had time to spare. It was better spend on that anyway. Time slipped away and the clock against the wall chimed, 15:00 PM signaling the end of the day and a few more hours before dinnertime. Out of the blue, Collot mustered an inquiry, still focused on his books, "If you were a character in the movie - what role would you fulfill?" That's a question Voss had to think about. Overconfident Know-It-All? No. Red Herring Ronald? Double no, his size would immediately absolve him of wrongdoing. This was much harder than he thought and than it had to be. "Uhm, probably comedic relief", the fox responded, not seeming too sure of himself. "If life was a poorly timed gag: I think we would come pretty close if I'm honest. They should make a movie about whatever shitshow we've found ourselves in." Both let out mirthless laughs, a joke was only good when it was made once and they've burned through all their horror movie references regarding schools.
"Yeah", Collot chuckled, turning the page. "If Rex is some fat loser sitting in his computer chair somewhere; he definitely fucked us over." Both let out bereaved sighs, sometimes they could've sworn if hell existed they were already there. How wonderful it all came to be. Collot looked up at the clock, which was slowly ticking by like it's nobody's business. Strangely enough, the rest still hadn't returned, despite the fact they were nearing the end of the school day. They should be back by now. Being unusual to the sheepdog, most of the time they would already be here doing whatever with each other. They're not fashionably late either; even Jack hadn't come back and something about it just rubbed him the wrong way. "Voss? There's something that has been bugging me for a while now", Collot suddenly shared trying to get his attention. "Do you have any idea why Miguno and Durham - fuck, everyone has been acting so strangely?"
Rolling his eyes, the fox let out a scoff, eventually standing in front of the sheepdog. Calmly, he cleared his throat in preparation to speak, like he's been waiting to do this for a while now. "Rex almighty have mercy on my soul. Are you fucking serious? What's wrong with everyone?", Voss asked rhetorically, almost angrily. The frown on his face evident as he pointed at him, throwing his hand up in exasperation. "Geez, Collot, they've all been acting weird beyond comprehension and you're only fucking bringing this up now? Where the fuck do I even start with their bullshit?" Taken aback, the sheepdog gave him an apologetic look, feeling a little stupid for not having brought this up earlier. He was kind of hoping all of this would blow over, but it hadn't and Voss was totally out of his depth with how bad everything in this room had become. The fennec grumbled, "It's been a week! And now you cry wolf?!" There were some bright, fun moments like they usually had, but the overwhelming majority of the time being in this room was putting him on edge.
Everyone's refusal to acknowledge the situation for what it was would be their downfall. Sooner rather than later the pressure in this room would combust and ruin everything that was inside. "I-I am sorry...", Collot replied with a crestfallen voice, groaning into his hands. "We... shouldn't- I... - I have been pretending that everything was fine. But- no, it's not. Ugh, what the hell have we been doing?" That question hung over the room like a miasmic cloud of regret, making him wish that he had done something about it. Thinking his complacent inaction had done nothing but make it worse. The sheepdog looked up at the fennec, "This... is all my fault. If I had just said something I-" Voss interjected with a small laugh, shaking his head. "You honestly think all of this is your doing? You give yourself way too much credit." Heaving a sigh, the fennec jumped down next to him on his bunk.
Patting his lower back, the fennec fox gave a contemplative smile. "Collot... fucking hell how do I say this? This... conversation has been a long time coming", Voss divulged, scratching his neck. "What happened a week ago... has impacted us more than any of us would like to admit." Sinking his backside on his mattress, the sheepdog sighed. Voss was right. This school had become a rotting carcass; a shell of its former self. Every word spoken outside of this dorm was rife with fear and uncertainty, speciesism becoming synonymous with casual conversation. He had no idea how much longer he would be able to take it and, even worse, who had already snapped under the strain. "We should've been there for each other", Collot ascertained, his voice laden with sadness, staring up at the ceiling. "But, our stupid stubbornness has made everything worse. We basically let that killer win." The police hadn't caught them yet, so he assumed they'd gotten away with it.
If looks could kill, the sheepdog would be dead by now. "Don't be an idiot!", Voss swore, punching the Collot on the shoulder with minimal damage. "Are you seriously going to let that monster define what you feel?! It's never too late to do something about it!" Jumping to his feet, the fennec hurled himself across the room getting out a notebook from his backpack, sifting through it with a determined expression. Sitting up straight, the sheepdog wondered what he was doing. "Okay, yeah, you can call this invasion of privacy all you want, but I didn't have much of a choice if I wanted to stay sane", the fennec told vaguely, Collot's expression turning to intrigued as a few pieces clicked in his head. "You're the only one who hasn't been acting up too much and who's stayed pretty much the same, except for the self-loathing but we can gloss past that." There was no way. Voss has been keeping tabs on everyone within the room. Flicking back a few pages, Voss looked up at his roommate who had an expression only describable as shock.
"Don't look at me like that", he jeered in an instant. "I am sick of playing charades with everyone. Why do you think I press everyone's buttons so much, huh?" Now that he's said it, he has been more proactive in trying to annoy Durham and he's been hanging around Miguno more than previously. It was just one big fucking ruse. All this time, Voss has been trying to distract 701 enough so that the foundation of the dorm room dynamics stayed alive. Jumping on the bed beside the sheepdog, Voss pointed at the page, "Look Collot, I've been worried to dead about everyone here and... it's getting worse." Snatching the notebook from Voss' paws, he started looking through all the individual observations about each of their roommates. It was basically a glossary of misery. Alphabetically sorted and carefully crafted using different methods: post-its, colored pens; the whole shebang.
Deciding to give the sheepdog some time, he didn't even attempt to take it back; instead opting to let him come to his own conclusions. Behind his bangs, his eyes narrowed, his mouth quirking downward. "Miguno... cries himself to sleep?", he said in exasperation, his eyes glued to the paper. "Why hasn't he told us?" Seeing another line that says: 'Bad rumors about hyenas and foxes doing the rounds. Small animals cause of spread.' How does he know about all this? Letting out an astronomical sigh, the fennec's eyes flickered with sympathy and explained, "Foxes and hyenas haven't been having a good time. Small herbivores are spreading rumors about them, especially with that hyena pack devouring eight days ago." He loosely heard something regarding that last week, but mostly ignored it like all the other times. Voss pulled out his phone, wanting to show Collot something. Leaning his head down, his curiosity peaked, the fox pulling his head down by the hem of his shirt.
A video played, it was their dorm room, the camera was placed on the ground in the left corner of it. Suddenly, a lock clicked, and the front door opened off-screen. Footsteps were audible as they walked in and the door clapped shut, presumably closed by one person. A snout peaked around the corner, judging by the coloration it was Miguno, looking and sniffing if anyone was inside. Finding out that nobody was, he walked further into the room, his face neutral. His lip was twitching and his breathing was ragged. He looked extremely exhausted. Until suddenly his knees gave out on him and his expression crumbled; giving way to tears as he totally broke down. His chokes, sobs and uncontrollable laughter echoing throughout the video. Lying down in the fetal position on the floor, crying into his knees; making Collot's heart ache. It went on for at least ten minutes longer, but Voss just clicked it off there. He had shown him more than enough.
Open-mouthed, Collot just sat there breathlessly, staring off into space before looking at Voss with a hint of malice in his tone, "How did you get this?" He already knew the answer, but wanted Voss to tell him why. The fennec crinched, trying to back off, but the sheepdog wasn't allowing him to escape. Pulling him back a bit roughly, Voss having to stifle his yelp, holding his entire body in one hand. "Okay, okay, to set the record straight", Collot began, squeezing slightly, holding him in front of his face. "Our roommate and friend is terribly upset... AND YOU HAVE A FUCKING VIDEO OF IT?! VOSS!" A loose bit of spit landed on the fox' face, which he promptly wiped off, returning a deviant glare. The sheepdog almost had the nerve to throw him through the window. Restraining his fury, the sheepdog let go of him and dropped him to the floor, not being able to remember last time when he was this angry. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he groaned loudly, "What the fuck is wrong with you?-" He looked down on the fennec with a scowl. "-Do you have videos of us too?!"
Voss staggered back a little, holding his arms out defensively. "W-What, NO! Only of Miguno and Legosi!" Immediately covering his mouth after snitching on himself. His admittance wasn't exactly helping his case. It actually did it for the sheepdog, rudely snatching the phone from Voss' hands, the fennec recoiling and falling back on his butt. He didn't even want to know the reason why he began filming the wolf too. He spoke angrily, deleting the video, "Voss, you know that's invasive on multiple fronts! There's a reason Miguno does it while alone!" And the reason was glaringly, painfully obvious: he didn't want to burden his friends with his trials and tribulations. Voss now basically made it impossible for them to help, because the hyena would naturally ask how they knew. And, if they didn't answer, he would just shrug them off. Collot picked the book back up again and scoured its contents, having the immediate urge to burn it. Whatever Voss had written down, disgusted as he was, now he had to know.
Reading it, he compiled it into a short rundown: Durham's getting more irritable; small things set him off for no reason; he's barely spending any time on homework anymore, Legosi isn't sleeping well; probably nightmares, insomnia or both; growling can be heard in the middle of the night; also became prone to talking in his sleep, Jack's keeping stuff from us and has become more shut in; something Charlie allegedly knows more about; smiles less than he usually does and Miguno is getting viciously bullied; presumably by his classmates and larger carnivores; emotionally checked out at the end of the day. After reading all that, Collot had to catch his breath, having no idea why he didn't have an entry. Whenever something like this happened, he always tried going through the motions. However, this time he's sure he can't just disassociate himself from the situation at hand. How unbelievably easy that would make his life, right now.
Shutting the book in one motion, Collot looked at Voss who had a guilty expression. It was a bit too late for remorse; the harm has already been done. The sheepdog mirrored the fox' gaze, letting out a dejected sigh, "When? How many days ago did you make that video?" Giving way to acceptance, Voss' previous face of discomfort ceased and turned into acquiescence. Last thing he wanted to do was give him more to howl about, but he wasn't offered much of a choice. "Last week, on Friday", the fennec divulged, seriously not in the mood to do this, his face turning into a scowl. "I saw him return with bruises on his neck and arms, when I inquired about it - he brushed me off." Those weren't exactly hallmarks of a positive school environment, more-so an abusive one. It's easy to find reasons and justifications for cruelty; one poorly timed report or rumor was often all it took. Unfortunately, Miguno was getting assaulted with the brunt of his classmates' anger.
Malice most often doesn't need a 'why', but a 'how' and simple means. They didn't have to search very far with how much of an easy target the hyena is. His own kindhearted nature basically did him in. Being a carnivore made it even easier for them to do so without consequence. Using their power in numbers like the cowards they were. Collot got up from his bunk and stretched his back, hoping that if he activated his body that his brain would scramble for a solution or something of the sort. His tail sagged between his legs, accentuating his completely decrepit mood. "This is one fine mess we've got ourselves in, Voss. If the others find out about this, there will be hell to pay", the sheepdog commented offhandedly. The fennec had clambered on the desk by the window, wanting to be at eye level when they spoke. He gave a melancholy albeit serious nod, "You don't say."
It was a nothing answer, no solutions, no inherent value. Collot already wanted to throw his hands up in the air and call it a day, but that was not really much of an option; their friend was getting beaten and it didn't seem like it would stop anytime soon. The sheepdog growled at Voss' stupidity, "Y'know, instead of spying on your friends: you could've put your privacy invasion skills to use by gathering evidence!" Opening his mouth and putting his finger up in negation it immediately sagged, whatever retort Voss had ready evaporated in thin air. All this time he had been jotting down the problems, but not pulling them by their roots. He'd basically left Miguno out to dry and let his problems fester for longer than he needed to. "I... You... Fuck", Voss chuckled despite himself, Collot had him there. "I'm... a terrible, horrible friend. This could've been finished before it would ever reach that noggin of yours." Slowly he fell silent, guilt running through his chest.
Staring straight at the sheepdog, he shot him a pleading glance. "Fuck, Collot. What have I been doing? I... was trying to help, but clearly I wasn't doing so at all. I-" The door was thrown open by Durham and Miguno entering both of them laughing. Cutting their important conversation off, and just when they were making some headway too. "Did you see their faces?! That was awesome, Miggs!", Durham praised holding up his hand for a high five. Eagerly both their hands clapped together, giving each other their usual hug and cheers. The hyena being careful with his instrument still slumped over his shoulder, not wanting the strings to get damaged. "You'll have to play your guitar in public again soon! They loved your music!" Collot using his height could see a purple mark on Miguno's neck from his angle. Voss was telling the truth, any doubts he had were instantly dispelled, everything within that book was true.
"Ehm, I dunno, Durham", Miguno said. "I don't mind playing for an audience, but I am gonna run outta songs." The coyote gave him a few reassuring pats on the back, telling him not to worry about it. Meanwhile, Collot and Voss tried to remain as casual as possible when they tried to hide the book. This embarrassment would have to be shoved to a later date. "Not a word", the fox whispered from the sheepdog's back. "We'll discuss it later. No reason to stir the pot." Putting the stalker's manual in-between his study material, Collot indirectly telling Voss that he was not to write in it anymore. And, if he did: he would have to share it first before falling back into habits. Also, he didn't really have time to read over everything, because there was far more to it than just those notes; having at least fifteen more pages left to read l. "Come on, man!", the coyote pleaded with puppy-dog eyes. "Lay your claim to fame while you still can! Did you see how those girls were looking at you?!"
Giving a shy laugh, the hyena shook his head. "Alright, I'll do it! Stop it with the lip service, you'll have to help me with the speakers next time." Durham's face gave way to a beaming smile. It was the first time in days they had seen him this happy, Miguno's little serenade must've been something else for him to react like that. Or maybe it was because the hyena is his best friend and he's just being supportive, Voss couldn't actually discern which one it was; it could be both. Durham gave a celebratory fist pump, "Awesome! We'll discuss the details during dinner! You guys coming along? Jack texted that he and Legosi are going straight to the cafeteria." It took them a few seconds to figure out that the coyote was addressing them, nodding along with whatever he just said, their tails wagging. Food, the absolute golden standard for canines. No situation, no matter how dire; breakfast, lunch or dinner is their squire.
Walking through the halls, the coyote was still enthusiastically speaking of Miguno's guitar solo, while the hyena politely nodded along. The fennec was still whispering their to-do list in the sheepdog's ear, telling him this was far from over. Things might seem good now, but these moment aren't meant to last. They'd have to come up with a plan to address their issues or else they would swallow them all whole. Miguno was the first and most important thing to resolve and they had to make haste; it could become worse at the drop of a hat. Animals would get more brazen and might even try something with them present too. If bad came to worse Miguno would be too kind to do anything back. If they allowed that to happen, his fate was basically sealed. Never would they allow him to become anyone's punching bag, and they had the wolf to back them too if they really needed a trashing. For now, simply enjoying dinner would have to make do.
Most of the time it was the small victories that mattered, and getting through another day; a little bit closer to going home was certainly one of those things. Els had missed her parents and siblings a lot, especially her older brother, Geto, who would help her with homework when he was off from working in dad's garage. The constant worried phone calls were giving her whiplash. She knew it came from a good place and they were genuinely concerned about her wellbeing, but the incessant yammering about dropping out was becoming a thorn in her side more than anything. Although, with such things it would be better in the long run not to lash out or do something rash; they would think it was because of the lockdown pressing down on her. And, knowing her parents, they would use that as an excuse to get her out of here. However, she needed this year if she ever wanted to make her dancing dreams become something more tangible.
Alas, such was life; her parents would have to wait. Now, just think positive thoughts and keep going. Tottering through the halls in a happy stride, the angora goat made her way towards the cafeteria. Another tumultuous Tuesday was already behind her, after the dinner she would go straight to bed; embracing the cool linens she oh-so deserved. Her homework could wait for Wednesday; it wasn't going to grow legs and run away. Although, sometimes she could swear that the animals in this damned hallway have no legs, because they weren't moving forward. And, it wasn't like she could push past them with her frame either. "Crumbs", Els complained, very annoyed at her own inability to do something about it. "I can never catch a-" someone with stripes caught her eye. "Bill! Could you help me to the cafeteria, please?" Turning at the calling of his name, the tiger gave a stern glare in her general direction. A small part of her froze at how angry and disgruntled he seemed.
Seeing who called out to him, his gaze and expression softened into a small smile. Though he still looked terrible, it was a far cry from how he looked yesterday during club. That's what he gets for partying the entire weekend... Such a party animal. "Els! Yes, of course, naturally!", he motioned for her to walk closer to him, reaching out for her and putting his hand on her back to lead her through the thick crowd of animals. The goat having a bit of trouble squeezing her way through, but eventually making it. "These halls are clogged aren't they? Luckily, you have me to help you out." Always so useful and kind. The best a club mate could ask for. She gave a cheery nod, sometimes Els felt that Bill never got enough appreciation for all he does, especially towards those in need; he always put others first. Els gave a chuckle, "I guess you're right about that! Being tall has its advantages, doesn't it?" He let out a boisterous laugh, agreeing with her, some animals giving the pair odd looks as they passed.
The scornful and worried eyes pressing down on her as they continued to make small talk; her wool bristling in a nervous shudder. Els hearing whispers about the vilest of things happening to her if she kept following him, making her want to clap back at them for being so insensitive and speciesist. The nerve they have! They have never properly interacted with a carnivore in their lives and they dare make judgments?! A goat and goose in her peripheral letting out girly snickers at the pair; Els feeling the immediate urge to punch the daylights out of them. Her scowl deepening and her blood boiling closer to her breaking point. Being stopped by a soft squeeze in her shoulder from Bill, telling her to ignore them. A few weeks ago Els wasn't much better than them, but after what happened with Legosi: she got offered a new perspective and she'll take this fearless approach any day of the week over whatever she was doing then.
Her gaze wandered upwards, meeting his as they walked. The angora goat muttered a quick: "I am so sorry", under her breath, the soft smirk on the tiger's face telling her he isn't very bothered by it. Always, she wondered how they did it; staying positive despite two devourings taking place at this very school and getting all the backlash for it. She couldn't help but feel bad. Chuckling despite it all, Bill ignored the name calling which he was better at hearing than her, cherry-picking out a few of his favorites: meat-eater, chow-kitty, striped-jackass and a couple more to do with deviancy beyond his pay grade. "Anyway, just ignore them", the tiger advised, distracting himself as to not 'accidentally' kick the ones responsible to Mars. "They wouldn't know a good carnivore if they bit them in the ass! Pun intended." Notwithstanding the fact that the joke was very vulgar and inappropriate, Els almost couldn't stifle their laughter. And, he said it just loudly enough so that the others definitely heard; Bill was nice, but he was no doormat.
Seeing a couple of tails stiffen at that comment, she gave onlookers a victorious grin telling them to mind their own business. Els patted him on his lower back, putting her left thumb up. "Good job", she complimented, knowing that if the faculty had heard it, they'd both be in big trouble. Lowering her voice, she looked back down the hall and saw a couple animals heading for Mrs. Morning's office. "We need to go now, they're getting the teacher. We'll take the long way around to the cafeteria." That owl would tear them apart, metaphorically speaking. Bill followed her along as she gently pulled his hand, the rows of animals thinning out as the hallway split into two directions. Her grip on his hand intensifying. "Els, careful! You almost scratched yourself on my claws...", Bill cautioned, a flash of guilt spreading across his features, hesitantly arching his back forward to give her easier access to his hand. "I... don't want to hurt you on accident."
Heeding his warning, Els gave a nod and a comforting smile, loosening her grip and putting her hand up a little. Staying close to the right wall as they neared the crossroads. If they went left they'd make a beeline for the cafeteria, if they went right they'd end up at the other side; taking at least three minutes longer. It was perfect, because it also led to outside. "Don't worry so much about dear me. Worry about the scolding you'll get from Mrs. Morning if they catch up", Els replied nonchalantly, motioning her head to the right. They intentionally slowed down to make it very clear where they were headed. "This way. That damn owl is known to fly through the halls, so she'll definitely catch up at this rate." She knew her legs would only get them so far if they ran independently. Desperate measures it is then. Pulling him by his tie, so he was at eye level, Els whispered in his ear exactly what he needed to do, Bill's eyes growing wide instantly; ready to refuse. But, Els gave him a look that didn't give him much room for argument.
Last thing he wanted was to spend time in detention with that preachy History teacher, so he didn't have much of a choice. If one gets caught; both get caught. With a deep groan of exasperation, he crouched down allowing her access to his back. This was probably going to be the first and last time she did this; the feeling was probably mutual on Bill's part too. If anyone saw them like this: they would definitely get penalized and her entire family tree would probably faint. "Els, so you know: this is in the 1001 Carnivore Taboos. So, if we get caught, you owe me at least a witness statement", Bill joked, very carefully hoisting her on his shoulders. Making sure she was comfortable and seated safely, he levied a final humorous, dramatic warning, "Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to Tiger Air. Please hold on tight and fasten your seatbelts as there is expected turbulence and a possible chance of running into a wall face first-" The angora goat laughed and before she had time to react they were moving at a pace she'll never reach on her own, as Bill ran down the hall at light speed. "-That's all, now enjoy your flight!"
Els almost fell off his shoulders because she wasn't ready. Bill not hesitating for a second and instinctively pulling her to safety. WOAH! Tigers are fast! If she didn't know any better, she would inquire if he was on track and field. They zoomed down the hall, rounding the corner to the left in a wide arc. Luckily nobody was there, except for a zebra further down they both knew all too well personally, tapping away on her screen, extreme focused and annoyed about something. They ran towards her slowing down a little bit, before passing her briskly. "Hey Ellen!", Els greeted, waving at her with both hands, while Bill gave a polite nod. Ellen looked up from her phone, knowing the voice who spoke up; as they jogged past her. The zebra returned the gesture, "Oh, hi Els-! Wait, ELS?!" Her eyebrows climbed in realization. You could hear her shoes clacking as she turned around towards the two, her eyes drilling in their backs. This was the moment Bill bursted into a sprint, he'd rather get caught by Mrs. Morning than Ellen.
Naturally, Ellen gave chase and being an equine she made some good ground on them. Rex almighty! She's fast! The commandeering tone of her voice reaching octaves neither were ready for, "BILL! Let go of her! What do you think you're doing?!" That was kind of a hard call at the speed they were going; while he was agile braking wasn't a good idea, he'd face-plant. Not even to mention the fact: that damn owl would catch up and see which way they were headed. "Sorry, Ellen! No can do! Maybe later!", Bill quipped, facing her while running backwards, before turning again and sprinting at a quickened pace. Ellen wasn't going to let such blatant disrespect go, not allowing them to get away. "Uhm, Bill?", Els called with an octave of worry, the tiger turning his head to see if everything was fine. The goat pulled him by his whiskers, setting his face straight again; him yelling out multiple profanities. "Sorry! Oh, Rex, I am so sorry! She's catching up! Move those legs of yours!"
The zebra had played hockey for most of her life, so her stamina was quite excellent all things considered; keeping up pace with a tiger was as impressive as it was risky. "Ellen! I am fine! This is just a quick workaround for both of us!", Els appealed, turning her head back, trying to calm her down. "This isn't what it looks like! Don't you think I would've reacted differently otherwise?!" It took a solid twenty seconds more of running and jeering from both parties, before the tiger had to let her off his back. Tactfully making sure she didn't hurt herself anywhere. Before tending to himself and nurturing the whiskers she pulled. Ellen ran straight at them beating Bill's shoulder with her hand, "WHAT THE HELL, BILL! You almost gave me a heart attack! What if someone else saw you?! You'd get arrested on the spot!" A carnivore even consensually touching an herbivore was pretty close to breaking the law, because of all the nonsense it brings with it. True as it was, nothing could be done about it now.
Rolling with the punches, the Bengal tiger apologized profusely and told her it wouldn't happen again for the third time. Els shook her head with a sigh, "Come on, Ellen… It was meant to be in good fun!" Shooting her a glare and crossing her arms, the zebra huffed indignantly. Clearly not fully sold on the explanation given, but having to relent on her tirade, lest it never stopped. "Please can we get this over with? I'm starving here and dinnertime is almost over", Bill pleaded, dramatically rubbing his stomach, pointing towards the cafeteria and its echoes with his thumb. "They have cheese crunchy's today and I don't want to miss out on them." Good call. Not eating now means snacking later, and my figure can't take another hit like that. All three of them started to walk inside, the clamors of the cafeteria rife with conversation and laughter. They'd avoided the teachers and faculty, for now. All they had to do was make it past dinner and it would be forgotten about tomorrow.
Promptly getting their food, Bill getting extra because big guy. All three sat at the same table, nobody else even bothering to join them. Neither the tiger or the goat knew why Ellen had joined them, they assumed because she wasn't done fuming or because she was being her usual distrustful self. But, that didn't seem to be the case, at least, not yet. They all began eating, the silence being comfortable as they minded their own business for the time being, when suddenly the zebra spoke up, "I can't believe I am saying this, but I need your help." Both Els and Bill looked at each other in sheer bemusement before returning their attention to her. Ellen: always lead-actress, impeccable, perfectionistic, straight A's Ellen needed their help? Was this some poorly-timed April Fools prank or what? "Don't look at me like that! I am serious!", she maintained, stabbing her fork into her celery and taking a humongous bite, she was known to be an stress-eater. "I've been fucking up my lines at the second mook scene and my choreography has been off for days!"
Then why didn't she ask for help earlier? Wait, Els already knew: she was stubborn and she thought it would be a blow to other's perception of her ability as an actress. Bill spoke with his mouth full, not even waiting for the admittance to land, "Then why don't you ask Tao? He knows that entire scene by heart, because he got cast the same role as last year." Indeed, he does play the second mook and barely has any lines, while Louis and Ellen have plenty. So, he basically has to have remembered them all to know when it's his cue to speak. Ellen groaned, cupping her head into her hands, earning her some looks from animals at the neighboring tables. "Just calm your tits, Ellen, please. Throwing a tantrum won't help you", Bill crassly remarked, forking down another bite of beansteak, earning even more of her anger. Meanwhile Els playfully punched his arm telling him to quit it. "Tao might be shy, but he is competent. If anyone can help you: it's him." Despite being a stellar actress, she wore her emotions on her sleeve most of the time, giving the pair a dejected look paired with a deep sigh.
Els sometimes just wondered if she was alright, working herself to the bone like that. All that pressure... I can't even imagine what that must be like. "Fine", she grumbled, playing with her food. "I'll swallow my pride and ask him… to help me." The last part resounded like a scoff, but Ellen was dead serious. Making it very obvious that she's not used to asking for assistance of any kind. Independency got her this far and if she was dumber she would've just flopped the script out of spite. Els gave an empathetic look, "See? That wasn't that hard! We're here for you when you need help, Ellen." The zebra's stiffened frame loosened up, returning a soft smirk and eating another bite of her celery. Relaxation oozing of off her as she allowed herself to lean back in her chair. "Thanks guys. I know I can be a quite stuck up and my pride can get in the way", Ellen admitted, making Bill snicker; Els shooting him a look and shaking her head. "But, know that I appreciate it."
Just when Els was about to affirm what she said: she felt a light tap on her left shoulder. Turning her head, a familiar sheep stood behind her. "Hey Els! How are you doing?", Charlie asked curiously, his clear accent still present but his overall Japanese skills improving. Both Ellen and Bill looking at him quizzically, neither of them expecting a herbivore to approach a table with a carnivore seated there. Els beamed making sure to use simple language, "Oh, hi Charlie! I am doing just fine. You're getting better!" Being genuinely impressed by how little he hesitated to speak and how his tone was almost perfect. Whomever is tutoring him is doing a fine job. The dorper sheep thanked her, before turning his eyes to the tiger next to and the zebra opposite of her. He pleasantly grinned at both of them, "So, who are your friends?" Els wanted to introduce them by name, but he was already a step ahead of her, holding out his hand to Bill. Woah. Not even a moment of hesitation. Even the tiger was caught off-guard.
Looking for any sign of nervousness or fear - there was none. Smiling toothily, Bill took his hand with stride and shook it, "The name's Bill! Your name was Charlie, correct?" The sheep nodded wordlessly, not really being able to find the combination of ones to answer without making a fool of himself. Opening his mouth and making attempts, but nothing really seemed to work. "Oops, sorry!", the tiger apologized with a chuckle, letting go of his hand. "Forgot you were still learning." Now Charlie leaned his frame towards Ellen with the same forwardness as he did with Bill, albeit with far more grace and dignity. Ellen chuckled at the politeness of it all and just played along; shaking his hand just as eagerly. A herbivore being so casual and friendly was a rarity these days, basically almost only being limited within the confines of the Drama Club. "I think your name was 'Ellen', right? Sorry for listening in", Charlie smiled, the zebra really didn't mind, telling him it was no problem. To her it was nice to have a good distraction for a while, and the dorper sheep provided just that.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the sheep looked around the cafeteria his eyes landing somewhere. Speaking in English to get the message across clearly. "Sorry, but I'll have to cut this short", he told, a bit of disappointment seeping through. "My friends are waiting for me at that table over there." Pointing towards the table with a bunch of canines, including Legosi. Did he point his finger too low by accident? Looking further back in the general direction the rest of the tables were also lined with carnivores, so it couldn't have been a mistake. The sheep called out one of their names and waved; a labrador turned his head and returned the gesture. Most of the canines now also looking their way and waving excitedly. "Oh, uh, alright!", Els scrambled, also answering for Bill and Ellen who were equally unsure on what to say. "Don't worry about it. Have fun!" Saying their goodbyes, Charlie walked off. Leaving their table totally stumped. The Bill was the first to recover, "Wow. That almost gave me whiplash." The angora goat also didn't know what to think.
This was the same sheep she had been conversing with for a while now, but she never would've expected this. But, maybe somehow it all made sense? He was a foreigner and they hadn't a clue about their customs. Maybe relations between carnivores and herbivores were more accepting back in... Germany, that's where he came from. "What the fuck?", Ellen sputtered, giving Els a look of confusion. "Don't got me wrong: incredibly nice guy, but what was that?" I don't know, but I do think that it's more-so positive than negative. Maybe others will take his example. Looking at him just laughing with everyone at the table was... inspiring. Even though others gave them strange looks both carnivores and herbivores. Els hearing whispers that this has been going on for a while, so it didn't seem like he was forced to be friends with them. That would be strange, he even called them his friends. "Ellen, don't judge a book by its cover", Bill playfully reprimanded in a know-it-all tone. Rolling her eyes, the zebra stuffed her mouth with tomatoes, knowing exactly what he was talking about. When the first devouring occurred, she was very quick to blame them and Bill has been teasing her about it for a while now.
The tiger gave a cocky grin. "Come on! Don't give me that! It's a nice change of pace for once!" Unfortunately, he is right... I can't even remember the last time I saw an herbivore shake a carnivores hand... Ellen shook her head, getting up from her chair; taking her tray along with her. "I'll be going now. Still have some homework to do and projects to finish", she told with a straightened posture, trying to find any excuse to get away from the tiger's prodding. Both Bill and Els nodded knowingly still busy with their own meals. "Thanks for the help, both of you. And the exercise." After a while of silence at the table as both of them minded their own business, Els had a sudden urge to satisfy a certain curiosity of hers. Was it a healthy curiosity? Not in the slightest. "Bill?", Ellen said without inflection, eyes still glued to her phone screen. The tiger giving a hum indicating that she had his attention. "What has been going on with you? Ever since the weekend: you look horrible."
Bill's hands paused from tapping on his screen, not daring to look her way; keeping his face as neutral as possible. He gave a vague answer, "Just had... a rough couple of nights. Nothing special." For one reason or the other, she felt like he was holding out on her; keeping her at arms length. Maybe it was none of her business, but the feeling that the issue was more deep-seethed became stronger than before. But, for whatever unearthly reason, it wasn't her place. It was his business. Carnivore stuff. Whatever that meant. "You don't have to be worried about me", Bill assured her with a appreciative tone. "I've just been a little bit stressed lately. There were a few unexpected hiccups this weekend... but I will be fine." That still told her exactly nothing, but the tiger's coolness made her worry dissipate yet it still lingered in the back of her mind. I pray that it will be fine. She sighed looking him in the eyes, "Alright. But, please, if there's anything I can do to help: just give me a call or something." There was a flash of horror in his expression, quickly shifting his body away from her.
Els could've sworn she heard a growl, but was too stunned to ask. Standing up, the tiger ran off without an explanation, leaving her in the dust. Even other animals had noticed the prudence at which he left, the odd murmurs becoming too much for even Els to entertain. Trying to follow Bill's tracks to the best of her abilities, but as soon as she reached the hallway: he was gone with the wind. She balled her hands up into fist and wailed them into the wall until it hurt too much. Getting out her phone she shot him so many angry and demeaning comments via text that his phone must've been burning red. She didn't care what was going on or what shit he may have gotten himself into, but she wasn't going to be brushed off like some unimportant speck of dirt. If someone yelled at her or called her names, that was fine. But, she drew the line at being patronized by those she actually considered her friends. Els needed to calm down. If she kept going like this she would burn herself out; she needed to approach this with a clear head. Rest is what she needed now, but after that she'll grill the tiger like he has never experienced before; not even from his own mother.