Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I’m jolted awake by the alarm ringing on my phone, groaning and struggling to even open my eyes.  I feel around the bed until I find my phone, dismissing the alarm before just laying there for a moment, fighting to keep my eyes open.  Sunlight streams in through the window and I shield my eyes as I stumble out of bed.  As I try to collect myself, I can hear a voice from outside of the room.  “And this, kids, is why you don’t stay up past 2 when you have plans!”

“Dude, fuck off,” I groan, turning to my right and getting a glimpse of my roommate standing at the door.  Leo, a 20 year old skinny red fox, wearing his usual black tank top and grey sweatpants, sipping from a cup of coffee and scratching the back of his head.  He was one of the first friends I made since moving to the city, even though many wouldn’t believe it, his more casual and laid back attitude being a contrast from my usually serious demeanor.  He’s quick to make friends while I barely talk to anyone I don’t know.

“Aren’t you supposed to be the responsible one here? You were the one talking about starting early…” He grins before entering the room and setting his cup of coffee down on the table.  He sits on the bed and lays a hand on my head, petting my fur teasingly.  “Are we gonna have to waterboard you again? Last time was just a cup but Jacob does have a bucket laying around here somewhere…”
With that, I sit up, eyes wide open.  I can remember that weekend morning, just two weeks ago.  Everyone had made plans to mess around in the city, like going to the park and eating out.  Ben had mentioned something about the Black Market, causing everyone to go silent and the whole situation to become awkward.  I remember hearing Leo and Jacob chuckle before splashing me with a cup of ice cold water.  I had to put all of my sheets in the dryer, and on a laundry night too.

“Are you sure about going out today? I heard it’s supposed to storm, and from what we keep seeing in the news…”

“We’ll be fine, trust.  We’ll be back before curfew and we won’t stray too far, no going off on our own, we get it.  Now get your ass up or I’ll call Jacob…”

“I.  Am.  Up.”  With that, I scramble out of bed, motioning for Leo to give me a moment so I can throw some clothes on.  Luckily, most of my casual clothes are clean, and I find an old green t-shirt and some jeans.  I get changed before sitting on my bed and checking my phone, the same stories popping up on my feed.  Some fabricated story about a mixed couple and their hybrid kid doing something controversial, questions about why a grey wolf turned down becoming a Beastar, and the disappearances.  Herbivores being taken in the middle of the night, the return of the Black Market usually taking the blame.

My parents had warned me about the city before I enrolled.  The prison riot was all over the news, and even now, the Shishigumi and notorious serial killer Melon are on the loose and nowhere to be found.  Or that’s what the media says, they would tell me.  The truth is that trying to confront the Shishigumi is like suicide, whether Melon is still affiliated with them or not.  They stressed that Melon is the real threat.  While the Shishigumi mostly target herbivores and anyone who tries to rival them, Melon can target anyone, anytime, regardless of if they’re a small defenseless herbivore or a powerful carnivore.  At first my parents had set the rules for me, until there were more disappearances and there was a campus wide curfew, specific guidelines for anyone leaving campus even during the day, and increased security at night.

Leo comes back in to check on me as I get my shoes on, holding another cup of coffee.  He hands it to me and sits on the bed, checking his phone before speaking.  “Ben and Jacob said they would meet us at the park.  Ellie got called in to work, and Rick well, he’s Rick.  Came up with some excuse about his girlfriend.  I guess it’s just us for a while.  Anything you wanna do?”

“I just… I hope you don’t think I’m scared or too worried.  I just keep seeing all of these stories and I can’t help but worry.”

“Hey, it’s cool.  And I get it, you’re still getting used to the city, so it’s a lot to take in.  You’ve gotta stop worrying about it.”  He takes a sip of his coffee before speaking in a more serious tone.  “We’ve all thought about Melon.  He’s like the boogeyman, always out there and waiting to strike, but there’s nothing we can do about it.  We should just live.  If he gets me, I don’t wanna die with any regrets, you know what I mean?”  He starts to speak in a more teasing tone, lightly elbowing me.  “Speaking of living, when will you start? You’ve been here for two months and you still haven’t met anyone? I think I know quite a few people who would be interested…”

“Stop.” I move away a bit, trying to hold in a laugh.  “You know I’m not interested unless it’s serious.  Like if I meet the one.”

“You say that like ‘the one’ is just gonna show up out of nowhere.”

“Can I just have my fantasies in peace?”

“Have them later, we’ve gotta go.”

With that, I finish my coffee and get up, making sure that I have my wallet, phone, and earbuds.  Leo and I walk out of the room and make our way through the dorm, a few people lounging around in the common area, having light conversation while some are on their laptops working and drinking coffee.  Leo waves at some of them before we walk out of the door, immediately greeted by the cool spring breeze.

It’s a nice day outside, perfect for this time of year.  The flowers have started blooming and there’s green as far as the eye can see.  Several students are enjoying the perfect weather, some sitting on the benches, others running around, a couple of wolves rough housing, it was like something out of a TV show.  As much as I wanted to take it all in, Leo showed no signs of stopping, and we continued.

Two months isn’t long enough to get used to the bustle of the city, all kinds of species going about their day.  It’s a direct contrast to my hometown, where most species stay in their own little groups, and herbivores and carnivores would barely even glance at each other.  We pass a mixed couple, a squirrel and a mouse, both full of life and ignoring the few judgemental stares.

“I could only dream of having that kind of confidence,” I mutter after we pass them.  My parents both insisted that I marry another raccoon, and back then I didn’t have it in me to tell them differently.  They never put too much pressure on me, but I didn’t want to be the family disappointment.  It was part of my reasoning for my move to the city.  I was going to be the one who made it big, the talk of the town.

After a while, we finally approach the park.  We can hear all kinds of noise even a few blocks away, almost like angry yelling and chanting.  Leo takes a moment to text Ben and Jacob to update them and ask if they know anything.  As we wait for a response, we gradually make our way closer, erring on the side of caution and trying to assess the situation.  For a moment, it’s like we can almost hear a child’s cry, and after giving each other a look of confirmation, we pick up the pace.

After we turn the corner we start to make out two males yelling at a child.  One is a lion, older but ferocious, and the other, oddly enough, is an herbivore, specifically a younger, well built black stallion.  We can hear all kinds of expletives, but they don’t stand out as much as some other insults.  Freak, monster, abomination.  I can’t get a good look at the child, but they look to be a young sheep, and I can almost sense the utter fear emanating from him.

“Little freaks like you should’ve never been born!” The tiger picks him up, holding him by his collar, his claws out and baring his fangs.  He turns to the stallion for a moment, a grin forming on his face.  “No one would care if he ended up missing, right? Saves everyone else the damn trouble…”

The stallion cracks his knuckles as he approaches the sheep.  “Just let me get a crack at the failed abortion.  You carnivores don’t know how to hold back.”

It’s in that moment that I don’t even think about it anymore, and I just start sprinting, Leo making an attempt to stop me.  I may not be as strong or as vicious, but I can’t just stand around and watch.  I zone out all of the screaming and chanting, not even knowing or caring about what the protests are for.  I also zone out the black bear approaching, Jacob tackling me to the ground and holding me there for a moment.

“They’re gonna hurt that kid! We can’t just…”

“I’ll handle them.  You and Leo stay back.”

Despite having a mostly gentle nature, Jacob was a powerful beast, and when the situation called for it he never wasted any time in showing it.  I watch him rush towards the two men, and it all ends in an instant, Jacob grabbing the more powerful lion by the throat and slamming him into the wall, causing visible damage as broken pieces of brick fall to the ground.  Predictably, the stallion tries to attack him from behind, only to get knocked unconscious in a single punch, Jacob’s grip not even loosening.

All the kid can do is stand there, paralyzed in fear.  I can barely make out what they’re saying, my head spinning from the tackle, but I can only imagine Jacob threatening the lion with his life.  He slams the lion into the wall, watching him fall to the ground.  He turns around and looks at the sheep, the kid yelling out of fear and running away, Jacob standing there awkwardly, almost back to his former self.

The kid runs in our direction, and as I finally start to get back up, I get a closer look at her face, awestruck for a moment.  Scales, going down her left check.  She’s a hybrid, and that moment alone explains so much.  The general belief in my hometown was that hybrids weren’t natural, not physically or mentally cut out to survive in this world, and it’s only been worse in recent years ever since Melon.  Half gazelle, half leopard, and one of the most notorious serial killers and gang leaders in recent memory.  And here I am, staring down another hybrid, a mix of a sheep and some kind of lizard.

However, I don’t respond with any kind of fear.  Instead, there’s a weird combination of fascination and sympathy.  A little girl, mistreated from birth, not even given a chance before being labeled as a freak and an abomination.  I stand there a moment, looking down at her, as Jacob starts to approach with his arms behind his head, yawning.

“Are you okay, little girl? What’s your name? Where are your parents?” That’s all I can think to ask, just the basics.  It’s almost like she doesn’t know how to respond for a moment, but slowly I hear her stutter out, “M-Mina.”

“Mina? That’s a nice name.  I’m Cori.”  I point at the bear approaching her.  “That’s Jacob, he’s chill.  And the fox next to me is Leo.”

Jacob stands there and waves awkwardly.  Leo bends down until he’s on eye level with the girl and speaks to her.  “Do you know where your parents are? They’re probably worried sick about you.”

“T-they were in the park-”

“Mina!”

We hear a woman shouting, and we turn around to see a young sheep rushing towards her, her face puffy from crying.  “Are you okay? Where did you go?”

As she starts asking all kinds of questions, Leo tries to calm her down.  “Some guys attacked her, Jacob here took care of them.  We were actually looking for you.  She isn’t injured, don’t worry.  Where’s your husband?”

“W-we said we would meet up at the tea shop a few blocks away.  We were just going to the park together, and then we just…” She’s visibly shaken as she recalls what just happened.  “We didn’t know the anti-hybrid protesters would be there and we got separated.  A few of them recognized us and he told me to run.”

I chime in, not knowing how to calm her down other than offering my assistance.  “If you want, we can make sure you get there safely.  It’s not like we can go to the park or anything, and hey, we can always have a cup of tea and wait for everything to calm down.”

“It’s fine. I don’t want you to get hurt or put in any danger-”

“I can go,” Jacob responds, stretching his arms and yawning.  “Besides, Ben is running late anyway.  You two should head back to campus and plan for another day.  I’ll text you when I’m on my way.”

With that, the woman starts to lead the way with Jacob close behind her acting as a bodyguard.  I turn to Leo, still trying to process recent events and unsure of what to do next.  “Home?” I ask, wanting to hear his take.

“Yeah, home.”

I can tell from the tone of his voice that we both feel nothing but pure disgust at the protesters.  We both think about the same thing, the irony that two people throw out words like freak and abomination while attacking a literal child.  We try to keep our distance from the protests, taking a longer route further away from the park and the surrounding era, not wanting to risk getting into an encounter ourselves.

As we make our way back home, not much of note happens.  Leo checks his phone every now and then, texting Jacob and then updating Ben and Ellie on the situation.  I try to distract myself with our surroundings, nothing out of the ordinary except for what looks like a gazelle in a face mask.  I look to my right and it’s almost like he’s looking back out of the corner of his squinted eye for just a moment before he goes on about his day.

I feel a sense of dread for the rest of the trip, which Leo silently takes note of.  I remember something about a face mask and the squinted eyes, but I don’t want to make assumptions.  It’s almost like I feel a chill in the air, and something is telling me to run but I ignore it, staying close to Leo.  Something doesn’t feel right, even when I can see campus and we’re walking back into the dorms.  I get a feeling that we’re being watched, and I’m not sure if I should tell Leo or if he’ll think I’m crazy.

I take a moment and drink a cup of coffee in the common area, getting myself a snack and trying to get my mind off of it, but I can’t shake this feeling.  Something’s wrong.  When will Jacob text back? What is Ben doing? Why do I feel like I’m still being watched? And why can’t I get that gazelle out of my mind? Whatever this feeling is, it’s telling me to stay close and not to go out alone, even more important than ever.  And more importantly, it tells me to stay away from that gazelle.

Chapter Text

The rest of the day was mostly uneventful.  Leo and I spent most of the day hanging around the dorms, playing games and watching TV while talking in the group chat.  Jacob came back around an hour after us, and Ben showed up late in the afternoon.  As it turned out, he stopped at the cafe where Ellie works and when he received the text about the protests, he mostly stayed around that area and kept ordering so they couldn’t ask him to leave.  I had considered going myself, but with that strange encounter still fresh in my mind, I had decided against it.

As I sit in the common area, watching TV while scrolling on my phone, I consider talking to the others about the gazelle.  I don’t even know how I would explain it.  It was like in an anime or movie when a villain shows up and you can tell that he’s one from the start because he gives off an extremely dangerous aura, in some cases literally.  The more I think about it, the crazier I sound, the more cliche my explanation is in my head.  That glance, while it only lasted for a second, felt cold.  Calculating, dangerous, almost evil.  I don’t like to believe it’s evil, no matter how it feels even now as I think it over.

That’s always been one of my flaws, for better or worse.  I’ve never believed that someone can truly be evil.  Even the most vicious and unforgivable out there have a reason for the way they act.  Even a terrifying carnivore who tears apart his victims without remorse, who’s always seen covered in someone else’s blood, there has to be a reason.  Some kind of messed up backstory, mental issue, anything other than someone simply being born evil.  At least that’s how I rationalize it to help myself sleep at night.

As soon as I know it, it’s close to evening and the sun is starting to set.  I lost track of time just messing around, doing anything to divert my focus.  I know I remember something about a gazelle but I don’t know what, so instead of trying to distract myself any longer, I try to look up anything involving a dangerous gazelle.  I look up criminals first, and a feeling of dread enters my body as I see the first name that comes up: Melon.

I had heard a few stories about him but never really did my research.  I wasn’t the kind to hyperfixate on criminals, and I never believed he would be a threat since I wasn’t in the city until recently.  I try to find out what I can about him, including his methods, the demographic of his victims, his association with the Shishigumi, and whatever else I can find.  I feel like an idiot and I regret not taking what my mother said seriously.  I really moved to the city, knowing full well Melon and the Shishigumi were out there, and didn’t do any research on them.

I try to get whatever facts I can.  Melon usually disguises himself by wearing a face mask and squinting, confirming that the gazelle I saw earlier was Melon.  But he’s not really a gazelle, he’s a hybrid, both a gazelle and a leopard.  He would not only disguise himself but get melon leaf tattoos all over his body to cover up his spots.  He seemingly killed without discrimination, and would use his disguise to lure herbivores to their death, and he was extremely manipulative to the point where his victims didn’t know his true intentions until it was too late.

It didn’t take him long to rise to the top, joining the Shishigumi and immediately assuming the position of leader.  He was extremely ruthless and quick to violence.  A retired Beastar, Yahya, and a grey wolf, Legoshi, both played a role in putting a stop to him.  I mostly glaze over the events leading to his arrest, but I make sure to take note of his transformation, when the spots covered more of his body and he grew more muscular.  Supposedly, Legoshi was given an offer to become the next Beastar after playing a pivotal role in Melon’s arrest, but for unknown reasons he declined.  Melon spent the next six years in prison and escaped in the middle of a riot.  Some believe he caused it, but there isn’t any evidence to support it.

As I research him I feel like I’m going too far, barely able to handle the fear.  I ask myself if I should tell Leo and the others.  I don’t want to scare them and make them think Melon could show up at any time, but also that’s the truth.  It’s terrifying to think about, and he actually looked at me.  Maybe in that moment, he picked his next target, and the second I’m alone, he’ll kill me.

I make sure to look up more about him, potentially a weakness or at least a reason behind the killings.  Maybe there’s something I can appeal to, or at least I hope there is, even as every source tells me that he’s insane and can’t be reasoned with.  Only a few websites go into his history.  His father walked out on him and his mother was abusive, potentially going as far as sexual abuse.  He was bullied as a child and treated like a freak, until one day, he snapped and killed his bullies.  From there, he killed his own mother, and that’s how it all started.

I can’t help but feel sympathy for him, as messed up as it is.  He was dealt a terrible hand and the world never gave him a chance.  That’s how I try to interpret it, how I try to be optimistic and give myself a small amount of hope.  He was treated like a freak and a monster, and he gave what I think is a reasonable response and became the monster.  I think it’s a tragedy, and if Melon was given a real chance, he wouldn’t be a serial killer and crime boss.  I try to tell myself that maybe I can use that to appeal to him, but it also seems too cliche, like from a badly written TV show.  

I sit there deep in thought for a moment and decide to take a break to process all of the information.  I walk up the stairs to our room and knock on the door, waiting for a response and not wanting to invade Leo's privacy.  If Melon’s after me, I can’t go out alone, not even on campus.  It isn’t long before Leo answers, dressed up like he’s going to head out, wearing a black hoodie and sweatpants.  “Hey Cori, what’s up? I was just about to head out and grab a bite.  You wanna go with?”

“Actually, I was gonna ask if you wanted to eat on campus.  We shouldn’t go too far out after earlier, and there’s something I need to talk about.”

“Uh, sure.  I wasn’t planning on going too far tonight anyway.”

Leo grabs his phone and locks his door behind him before we head out.  As we head out of the dorms, I try to think about how to start the conversation without coming off as awkward, crazy, or outright scaring him.  He picks up on my silence as we walk through the courtyard and turns to me, stopping for a moment.  “What’s going on? Something feels off about you.”

“We can talk about it inside.  You’ll get it when I tell you.”

Almost as if he feels the same unease I do, he picks up the pace as we head to the dining hall.  I make sure to grab a bit more than usual, as eating is one of my best responses to stress.  I grab a couple of egg salad sandwiches, some salad, and a glass of vegetable juice, and set it down on a table in the corner.  As Leo sits down, I take a moment to eat, wolfing down one of the sandwiches and drinking some of my juice before Leo breaks the silence.

“So, what’s really going on? Why are you worried?”

“It’s about that gazelle we passed earlier, the one who looked at me…”

“Yeah, I was gonna ask about that.  Something’s been off about you.  You literally sat there on your phone for hours and you didn’t speak to anyone.”

“Look, I don’t know how to explain this to you.  I did some research and I uh… I think he was Melon.  He fits the profile perfectly.  The mask, the squinted eyes.  And the way he looked at me, I felt something like a chill, a sense of pure dread.”

It’s at that moment that the expression on Leo’s face changes, almost like he had the same suspicions.  He’s silent for a moment, putting his drink down and leaning closer.  He does his best to mask it, but I can hear the tinge of fear in his voice as he asks, “Are you absolutely sure?”

“There’s no way it was just a coincidence.  It’s him, and I think I’m his next victim.  Why else would he look at me like that?”

“Look, it may not be much, but maybe that’s all it was.  A glance.  You haven’t done anything for him to notice you.  Again, it isn’t much, and maybe I’m just saying this so I feel better about it, but wouldn’t he have followed us back home?” The more Leo speaks, the more it sounds like he’s trying to convince himself more than anything.

“Melon doesn’t seem to have a rhyme or reason behind what he does.  He just saw me and probably decided right there that he’s gonna kill me.  We can’t go out alone, and if possible, we should all stay on campus.  I don’t know if we should tell the others, or tell the dean-”

“What the fuck do you mean you don’t know? You’re getting targeted by a serial killer.  Everyone here is at risk.  I’ll tell Ben, Jacob, and Ellie to meet us here, and we’re all going to Hazel together.  If Melon shows up, he can’t take all of us.” There’s a mix of fear and determination in his voice, and it’s obvious I can’t convince him otherwise.  “And I'm not leaving you alone, not even for a second. You're staying on my side of the room”  Before I can even give him an answer, he sends a text to all three of them.  “We should go ahead and finish eating.  The second they get here, we’re going.”

I quickly finish my dinner, gaining a new respect for Leo.  It was rare that he showed that kind of determination and even protectiveness.  He seems a lot stronger and I feel safe around him.  I also feel worried, knowing that everyone will panic at the news and that the next few days will be a mess.  Knowing Dean Hazel, she won’t allow students to leave campus unless there’s a reason behind it.  She’s like a protective mother in that way, always putting the safety and happiness of the students over everything else.

It isn’t long before they arrive and wasting no time, we all head out towards the Dean’s office.  Luckily for us, Hazel usually works into the night, but not wanting to chance it, we move with a sense of urgency that only increases after Leo fills them in on the situation.  Jacob stays in the back, making sure that we’re protected, while Ben moves closer to Ellie.  Leo stays by my side as we enter the administrative building, rushing to the dean’s office and knocking on the door.

We’re greeted by Dean Hazel herself, a giraffe in her late 30s who looks slightly aged from stress and working long hours.  She can sense that it’s something urgent and ushers us in, locking the door behind us before she has everyone take a seat.  As Leo starts to explain the situation, starting from the protests all the way to now,  she motions for me to move to the chair across from her, wanting to hear my side of the story.

She sighs for a moment, looking me dead in the eyes with a serious expression on her face.  “So you’re sure, beyond any reasonable doubt, that you saw Melon today? I don’t doubt you or anything, but I need to hear it from you.”

“Yes.  It had to be him.  He matched the profile and I’ve felt nothing but dread ever since he looked at me.”  I can’t stop my body from shaking as I try to recount the experience, specifically how I felt at the time.  “It’s like I was his prey, the way he looked at me.  Like he’s unpredictable, but it was like he picked his target.  He’s gonna kill me.  I’m gonna… I’m gonna fucking die and there isn’t a single thing I can do about it!”

At that moment I can’t stop the flow of the tears streaming down my face.  The whole day, I tried to suppress it and make sure that no one else knew.  I hate when people worry, but in that moment, it’s like my emotions overflow and it all hits me at the same time.  It’s true.  I’m probably going to die.  I’ve never been in a decent relationship or had sex.  I’ve never gotten to truly live, to see more of the city and all it has to offer.  And all my parents will get is a phone call, and all they’ll see is what’s left of my mangled corpse, if there’s anything left at all.  Imagine finding out your kid is dead and there isn’t even anything left of him to bury.

Dean Hazel tries to comfort me, telling me to let it all out and that it’ll be okay.  In a weird way, ever since I started going to Flowing Leaf, she’s been like a mother figure to me, always looking out for my best interests.  She’s had this weird ability to make everyone feel safe around her, to reassure people even in the darkest situations.  The fact that she isn’t able to probably speaks volumes for the level of fucked that I am right now.

After a while, she turns her attention to everyone and addresses us.  “Until Melon is found and arrested, no one is allowed to leave Cori alone.  Tomorrow, I’ll make an announcement to the students and staff that no one can leave the premises without a valid reason, confirmation from staff and security, and at least three people with them at all times.  That rule also applies to wandering campus after hours, which we will limit as much as possible. With so many criminals on the loose, I’m not taking any chances with my students.  I want you all to immediately go back to your dorms.  I will personally accompany Ellie so you can get inside as quickly as possible.  And Cori, if you see or hear anything, you immediately notify me or any of the staff, understood?”

I nod my head in confirmation as she escorts us out of the building.  We stick close together and make a beeline for the dorms, Hazel and Ellie splitting off as the rest of us go inside.  We all move to me and Leo's room so we can talk in private, Ben lingering and looking at the door.  Jacob taps him on the back to get his attention and he follows us up the stairs.  We enter the room and lock the door behind us, Leo taking some extra precautions and making sure the window is closed and locked.

It’s almost like Leo is a different person, pulling out a notebook and scribbling some notes down before ripping out the page and laying it on his desk.  “Okay, you’ve probably all seen this before, but this is almost exactly like a horror movie and horror movies have rules we need to follow.”

“Dude, are you serious? This is real, horror movie rules don’t apply.”  Ben speaks up first, picking up the piece of paper and ripping it.  “Not to mention, the rules only matter in the older slashers.  Most of the modern horror movies like to subvert expectations.”

“And Cori is Melon’s only target,” Jacob chimes in, Leo rolling his eyes before addressing us again.

“The reason there are rules to horror movies is because a lot of them are common sense, except for the kill order.”

“And what even is the kill order?” Ben asks, grabbing a juice out of the minifridge and taking a drink, the lanky hyena stretching almost out of exhaustion.  “Or are we just gonna ignore that part?”

“Well, if it’s just five, Ellie’s the woman out of the group and I’m the jock, so we die first.  You’re the comedic relief, so you die around the middle, and that leaves Leo and Cori.  Leo’s the best friend or even love interest, and Cori’s the main target and the last one standing.  He either lives, dies, or gets killed off in a sequel.”  Jacob leans against the wall, thinking for a moment “But also, back to subverting expectations, some movies kill off who everyone thinks is the main character, and it’s really the friend who survives, so it can go either way.  But the rest of us are screwed.”

At the mention of love interest, both Leo and I look at each other before I address the group.  “We’re not dating, thank you very much.”

“Just sleeping together for your safety,” Ben replies, grinning and chuckling a bit.  It isn’t long before Jacob and even Leo join in, and I can’t help but let one out, even the smallest bit of humor helping the situation.  “Anyway, we can’t worry too much about it.  Security will be watching every corner, and there’s nothing we can really do about it.  I’m heading to bed.  See ya.”  And with that, Ben walks out of the room, waving to us before closing the door behind him.

“He has a point.  There’s nothing we can do right now, and we can’t take on Melon if we don’t get any sleep.  We can talk in the morning.”  Jacob is the next to leave the room, leaving just me and Leo.  Leo sighs and sits on the bed, and I hand him a juice from the minifridge.

“I don’t even know what to do… I guess we can share the bed? I don’t really have any issues with it…”

"You know that I can still sleep in my own bed, right? It's not that-" I stop myself in that moment, noting the worrisome expression on his face. As much as I feel like he's overstepping, he cares about me, and I don't want to worry him. He almost treats me like a childhood friend when we haven't known each other that long, and if it means he can sleep at night, I can get over it for now.

“Hey,” I sit next to him on his bed and pull him into a hug, doing my best to comfort him.  “They have a point.  There’s nothing we can do, and I hate to admit it and I’m fucking terrified, but they’re right.  Just uh, don’t try anything in our sleep, or Melon will be the least of your worries, trust me.”

For a moment, Leo looks at me and grins, patting my back and almost going back to his cheerful self.  “You know me, darling.  I won’t do anything you don’t already want…”

“I will jump out of the window and yell out until Melon finds me.”

“Not even funny, but anyway, you know I won’t do anything.  If anything happens, I’ve got your back, and Ben and Jacob are only a few rooms away.  So try not to worry and get some rest.”

We both start to get ready for bed.  We change into our pajamas, each looking away from the other as we do so.  We both lay on the bed and Leo leaves his lamp on as an extra precaution.  We both lay there silently, scrolling through our phones and trying to pass the time while distracting ourselves.  It’s like we both see the headline at the same time, looking at one another before reading the breaking news: Middle-aged Tiger Found Dead in Park.

We look at the picture and both immediately recognize him as the same tiger that attacked Mina earlier this morning.  The article says that the body was identified and his name was Jim, 62, and that his body was found in the park around two hours ago, his throat slit.  The murderer is yet to be found, but the kill is similar to many that have happened recently, and some believe it could be the work of one of the escaped prisoners.  We don’t even speak, both thinking the same thing.  Could it be Melon? Is he on the move? Or is he already waiting close to campus, ready to strike the second I let my guard down?

It’s in that moment that a feeling seems to wash over me.  It isn’t just fear or dread, it’s resistance.  At this point, if I’m going to die, I don’t plan on going down without a fight.  I think back to the articles I read earlier, and a few names come to mind.  Yahya, a retired Beastar, and Legoshi, the wolf who helped stop Melon.  If they’ve beaten him before, maybe they can beat him again.  They may be my way out of this, and if I’m careful, no one at Flowing Leaf will be put at risk.

I try to look up everything I can about them.  Yahya is still active and a few look up to him as a force of justice who defends weak herbivores in any way he can.  I can’t find much about Legoshi, other than that he dropped out of school, married a white dwarf rabbit named Haru, and supposedly ate his friend’s foot with his consent? Just who in the fuck is this grey wolf?

After a bit more digging, I find Yahya’s business number and put it in my phone, filled with resolve.  It isn’t much, but I at least have a chance.  All I need to do is set up a meet, preferably on campus, and in a worst case scenario, I tell the dean and get approval to see him.  She’ll definitely understand.  As I put my phone down, I lay there and I can’t help but be proud of myself.  A serial killer is targeting me, and for once in my life, I’m taking initiative and trying to save myself.  It isn’t much, but I can’t help but have a renewed sense of hope as I start to drift off to sleep, needing as much rest as I can get for the big day ahead.

Chapter Text

Melon

9:35 PM, two hours ago

The older tiger’s cries are like music to my ears.  The sweetest melody is always the last, the moment when they cry and beg for their pitiful lives.  There is always something so satisfying when the roles are reversed, when the powerful, intimidating carnivore is reduced to a sobbing mess and can do nothing but cower.  Some say that a beast’s true self shows in their last moments, and in his, he’s nothing but pathetic.  Such a shame, I thought it would be entertaining to break him slowly, but he really was weak.  I shouldn’t be surprised, since he wasted his last day preying on someone so weak and defenseless.

His eyes go wide and all I hear are his muffled screams as I approach him, his body shaking as he tries to let out a last desperate no.  I twirl the knife around in my hand and let out a laugh.  “How does it feel, little kitty? To be so defenseless, so pitiful.  To know that no matter what you do, no one will hear you scream.”

With that, I grab him and slam his head against the brick wall, holding him by the neck as he can do nothing but swallow his own teeth, blood dripping down his face as I look down, right into his eyes.  The most satisfying part is when they realize they are going to die, and that there’s nothing they can do, nowhere to run and no one to save them.  In his case, he can’t even beg for his life.

I consider drawing out the punishment, but for a moment I let my mind wander to the earlier encounter.  Watching the protests from afar, watching the two men attack a hybrid child, I thought I had already picked my targets, until I saw him.  That bleeding heart raccoon, rushing in, thinking he could save her.  That same raccoon showing sympathy for the girl, he and his friends going out of their way to look after.  The thought of it disgusts me, and reminds me of that damn wolf.

It’s always the same with people like him.  Those annoying, idealistic, “you can be saved,” “we can do better,” “we can change the world,” types.  They’re always so delusional and believe that a beast won’t give in to his instincts in the end.  They would probably try to talk to this tiger, try to “understand” him, and as I slice open his throat and look into his eyes one last time, all I can feel is a sense of satisfaction.

I look behind me, signaling for two lions who were waiting around the corner.  Agata and Free walk into the alleyway and pick up the tiger’s body, and I stand there for a moment in thought.  The raccoon won’t have it as easy.  Ever since I saw him, ever since I followed him, I knew that this time, I would be extra thorough to make an example out of him.  Maybe by the time I’m done with him, he’ll do the rest of the work himself.

I follow Agata and Free, ordering them to leave the body in the park.  I want him to be found.  I hope the raccoon picks up on it.  He probably already knows he was followed, that he’s next.  I can’t help but wonder if he’ll try to hide or try to fight it.  Neither will do him any good.

After they set the body close to where the protests took place at the entrance, I get in the back of the car and wait for them.  I can’t help but lick the knife clean out of anticipation, thinking over the many ways I can break the raccoon’s spirit, saying one word to myself as the two lions enter the car.

“Cori…”

Cori

Present

“Cori… Cori… Aw fuck it, Cori!”

“Huh?”

I’m jolted awake by Leo’s yelling.  I’m almost blinded by the sunlight and I scramble for my phone.  I look up and see Leo holding it, his usual relaxed grin spread across his face.  “Looking for this? What if I kept guessing the pin? I wonder what I’ll find on it…”

“Leo if you don’t-” I’m interrupted by him “dropping” the phone in the laundry basket, a mischievous smirk on his face.  “Leo… I’m gonna get you for this.  The moment you think all is right in the world and you’re truly happy, I’ll remember this.”

I dig in the laundry basket for my phone until I find it, buried underneath a pair of pants.  Leo’s still smirking as he rests a hand on my shoulder, and as he starts to speak, I realize he’s in one of those moods.  “Come on, don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it.  Going through your roommate’s dirty laundry-”

“Dude, fuck off.  You can’t be serious…”

“And what if I am? Just saying, with everything that’s been going on, we could always destress…”

“Dude…”

I start to walk out of the room, still in my pajamas.  It’s not that I wouldn’t do anything with Leo.  I feel like I’ve grown really close to him since I moved here.  It’s just that I’ve always wanted to do it right and take my time with it instead of impulsive sex when a serial killer is after me.  I know that he cares about me and that’s why I feel like if we did go for something more, it’s something we should do right.

Leo follows me and stops me for a moment, putting his hand back on my shoulder.  “Look, I’m sorry.  It’s just everything’s so… fucked.  And that can’t even begin to describe it.  I just wanted to help ease the tension and I know I go too far when I mess around, but I just wanna help.  Even if all I can do is crack a few jokes or just give us a few minutes where we can forget…”

“Leo…” I turn around and look at him, feeling a small amount of guilt.  “I like you, and I get what you’re trying to do.  I appreciate it.  But you know I have boundaries and well, I don’t know.  You’re a good guy, and you’ve looked out for me and everyone else and I owe you for that.  The thing is, you’re putting way too much on yourself.”

I sigh, trying to find the right words.  I can tell he’s going through a lot, and I can almost feel it myself.  The thought of not just potentially losing a friend but also ending up being next on the list, mixed with the frustration of not being able to do anything.  Knowing that at any moment, it could all be over.  I know that he copes differently from me, takes it out in different ways.  He tries to mask it by putting on this carefree facade and tries to shift the focus by joking around, flirting, and teasing, but this time, his true emotions show through.  In the two months that I’ve known him, I’ve never seen the mask slip so easily.

“How about this? We can make plans around campus today.  You mentioned something about helping me find a club, right? How I need to put myself out there more? It’s not like we have anywhere else to go, and I don’t have too many plans today.  So how about we focus on that and maybe chill with everyone later tonight?”

“Shit, speaking of chilling, Jacob’s making breakfast this morning.  He wants us all to eat together.  He said something about omelets.  We should probably get Ben up or he’ll sleep through breakfast again.”

Leo seems to perk up a bit, and we both head out and make our way to Ben’s room.  Jacob’s breakfasts are always something to look forward to, and it’s almost become a tradition, one that Ben often misses by sleeping in.  As we approach his room, we can hear rock music blasting from his speaker.  Leo knocks on the door and it isn’t long before the hyena answers.  He had already gotten ready while we were still wearing our pajamas.  “Jacob making breakfast or something? You guys usually don’t visit this early.”

For some reason, Ben seems more energetic than usual.  He’s actually walking ahead of us as we head down the stairs to the common area.  As we walk, of course he immediately asks, “So, you two do anything last night? Other than obsessing over Melon.”

“Obsessing over our plan to stop Melon,” I reply almost proudly, trying to enjoy the little wins.  Having even the most half-assed plan is better than having no plan at all.  Leo looks at me as we walk, and I feign confidence.  “Melon’s been stopped before, right? It’s easy, talk to the ones who did.  I’ve gotta talk to the Dean, but I have Yahya’s number.  If I find a way to talk to Legoshi, we may have a real chance.”

It’s almost like I can see the spark of hope in Leo’s eyes as we head to the kitchen.  As usual, Jacob already had the omelets ready, cooked to our liking.  He’s also made pancakes with all kinds of berries and a small amount of whipped cream.  It’s days like this that remind me how much we lucked out with Jacob.  He’s really caring and a good friend, he’s a bear so everyone will think twice before messing with us, and he’s one of the best cooks I’ve ever met.  He’s the kind to experiment with different flavors, but in a way that works so well that you could believe a professional made it.  As we dig in, we make sure to update Jacob on what we know, and the general plan for that day.

It’s like for a moment, everything is just normal.  Just a few college kids having breakfast, talking about whatever we feel like to get Melon off of our minds.  Leo brings up trying to get me and Ben into a club, shooting some ideas.  He even mentions that Ben should form a band, which he declines.  And of course, he pushes him about Ellie, flustering him and making him stutter.  It’s too obvious from the way he interacts with her, and Leo always tries to do his part and be a kind of wingman to get the two together.

            It isn't long before it’s closer to 10 and we have to finish up.  I had suggested that we visit the dean early, before she makes her announcement and her office is flooded with students wanting answers.  Leo had insisted on going with me, and as much as I tried I knew there was no convincing him otherwise.  He’s the first who’s ready to go and I feel rushed as I finish my second cup of coffee.

          We head out to the courtyard and make our way to the dean’s office, discussing our plan a long the way.  Ben and Jacob are to spend the rest of the day with Ellie, who called in to work and planned on staying on campus for the rest of the day.  There isn’t much of a line, and she lets us in.

          I feel a small amount of guilt as we sit down and I get a closer look at her face.  She obviously hasn’t slept, probably spending most of the night stressing about trying to protect the students.  I try to start the conversation, just saying it outright.  “I think I know how we can handle Melon.  I need your approval for this, please hear me out.”

          It’s more apparent that she’s exhausted, sighing and looking down at her desk for a moment.  “We don’t want you taking any unnecessary risks.  He’s after you, probably waiting for his chance.  In fact, I wanna ask that you stay on campus at all times and that you always have someone with you.  And please use common sense.  It may not just be Melon.”

“I know.  Melon will keep going after me regardless.  It’s why I did some research and found a way to contact Yahya.”  I do my best to appeal to her, pulling up some of the articles I looked up last night with more information about him and Legoshi.  “Maybe if I can contact someone who’s dealt with him before, someone who knows how he operates, we can know how to stop him.  I can try to get him to meet here, explain the situation, and if not, we can try to figure something out.”

Dean Hazel takes a moment before starting to speak up, but I cut her off, holding back tears.  There’s a mix of anger, desperation, and frustration in my voice as I continue.  “I don’t wanna fucking die hiding behind everyone else, waiting and hoping that he makes a mistake or something works out for us.  He’s coming for ME! He’s a fucking psychopath and none of us know how far he’ll go! Yahya, he’s our answer and the only chance I’ve got.  If I’m dying, I’m not going down without a fight.  If I have to, I’m going whether someone’s got my back or I’m out on my own.”

“Cori, just listen!  I can’t say that I get how you’re feeling because I don’t.  But I can’t just let you go out there because that’s exactly what he wants! So just… hear me out.  Go ahead and call Yahya, and if I have to, I’ll get him on the phone myself.  We bring him here and find out what to do.  But you’re not gonna just leave campus and get yourself killed.”

As I scroll through my phone, Leo starts to speak up a bit to Dean Hazel, explaining his side and all of the measures he’s taken to keep an eye on me.  I tap on Yahya’s name and wait for someone to pick up.  I can hear a female voice on the other end, telling me that there’s a queue and that I’ll be on hold.

“What kind of business do you have with us? If you have any information related to the recent killings or that could be used to bring down the Black Market, you can tell me and I can make sure it gets back to the appropriate authorities or Yahya himself..  If this is a personal call, please hang up and dial the appropriate number.  If you want to show support, you can donate using our website.”

“I know that you’re busy, but this is important.  Melon is after me and Yahya is the only one I can contact who has dealt with him before.  I need to meet with him on campus today.  I can’t leave safely and he’s the only chance I’ve got.”  It’s hard to stay calm as I wait for her response.  I’ve tried to get my mind off of it, but how am I supposed to? Melon is gonna kill me and it’s like saying it out loud makes it feel more real.  I hate it.  It’s hopeless and all I can do is depend on someone I’ve never even met.

After a moment, an older man’s voice breaks the silence.  His voice is deep, grim, and he sounds tired, but he’s to the point.  “One question.  Are you sure?”

“Unless there’s another gazelle and leopard hybrid wearing a face mask, yeah.  I saw him yesterday and-”

“Not over the phone.  You’re calling from Flowing Leaf University, right? I’ll be there, 3 PM.  Dean’s office.  Make sure to let her know.”

With that, he hangs up, and I’m left standing there with my phone in my hand.  Leo and Hazel are ready to bombard me with questions which I answer.  Hazel takes a look at her schedule and seems to be marking stuff off before she looks up at me.  “I’ll postpone the announcement until after the meeting.  Until then, I’ll make it known that no one is allowed to leave and security will be all hands on deck.  And be back here early so we have time to prepare.  We’ll be talking to a former Beastar, after all.”

Leo and I make our way out of the office, neither of us speaking a word.  There’s a feeling of unease that I still can’t get rid of, even knowing Yahya will be here to help.  It’s almost like everything is going too well, that all of the pieces are falling into place like they’re supposed to.  What if something is about to go wrong? What if we’re all still playing right into Melon’s hands? As we head back to the dorm, I can’t stop thinking that Melon is out there laughing, like this is all a sick game to him and he’s already won.

Chapter Text

The next four hours are mostly uneventful.  I had spent most of that time with Leo in our room, watching TV and scrolling through my phone.  We only left the room to grab a quick lunch and make our way back with it.  Leo was feeling the same unease I did, and decided that we were better off not being out for too long until we met with Yahya.  That feeling had only grown since then, and as we lay around waiting, it’s like he’s the Leo from last night.  He’s concerned and overprotective, not even cracking as many jokes or making an occasional flirty comment.  He seems to be worried about not just Melon, but Yahya for some reason, almost like he doesn’t trust him.

I had only researched a bit about Yahya last night.  I was more focused on finding a way to stop Melon, and while my knowledge about Yahya is limited, I can somewhat understand how Leo is feeling.  All I really know about him is that he’s a retired Beastar who dealt with Melon six years ago, but I also saw bits and pieces about how people didn’t trust him despite being in such a position.  I never really thought about it until now, latching on to him as my best chance at surviving, but now as we wait, I can’t get it off my mind.

It isn’t long before it’s 2:30 and we have to start making our way back to the office.  I can’t help but be anxious.  Leo hasn’t really heard much from Ben, Jacob, or Ellie, and no one’s heard from Rick since yesterday morning.  Rick’s never been the best at communication to begin with, and he mostly keeps to himself and his girlfriend who we’ve never even met, but after yesterday, I can’t help but worry.  On one hand Melon never saw him with us, so the last person they’ll target is some lizard they don’t even know.  On the other hand, so much has happened in the past day and I would feel comfortable if he at least texted back.

We enter the office and wait with Dean Hazel.  She seems to be typing frantically on her computer and checking her phone.  We can hear the coffee pot brewing and heating up on a nearby table.  As we wait, Leo tries to make conversation to ease the tension.  “So uh, Yahya… You’ve met him before, right?”

Hazel doesn’t even look away from the computer.  “A few times, yes.  Cori’s not the only one who’s had a run in with a psycho.  But also none of those psychos were Melon..”

“But how is he like? As a person?” I chime in, wanting to get a good idea of whether I can trust Yahya or not.

“He’s uh…” Hazel hesitates for a moment and turns away from her computer, looking directly at us.  “He’s different from what you’re used to.  He’s to the point, and he can come off as… rude or aggressive.  But he’s gotten a lot better, and he means well in the end.  He used to be a Beastar for a reason.”

She gets back to work and Leo and I are left to ponder, and it isn’t long until it’s 3.  Almost immediately, we hear a knock on the door, and Leo answers.  A tall, brown horse stands in the doorway, wearing an outfit that seems too casual for a detective, a white tank top underneath a black hoodie and matching sweatpants and sneakers.  He walks into the office and shuts the door behind him, taking a seat.

“Coffee?” Hazel asks, and he nods his head, motioning for me and Leo to sit next to him.  She pours us each a cup of coffee, offering cream and sugar which the horse rejects.  I pour a lot in as usual, quickly stirring my coffee and taking a sip.  He drinks his black, matching his serious demeanor.  He’s the first to speak, right to the point.  “So tell me, how did you encounter Melon? Don’t leave out any details.”

Leo and I take turns telling our stories.  I make sure to let him know everything, the chill in the air and the feeling of unimaginable dread.  We go into how we’ve been strategizing since last night, and how the tiger who got murdered is one of the same men who harassed Mina.  He scribbles some notes as we go on, and when we finish the story, he already seems to have a plan together.

“First things first, Hazel.  You are to give Cori permission to come and go as he pleases.  We’ll need to meet at my office regularly.”  Before Hazel can speak out in protest, he continues, sipping his coffee.  “It’ll be too suspicious if I keep showing up here every day.  Too many people will see me with him and they’ll ask questions.  Melon will also realize that we’re on to him if he hasn’t already.  It’s better if he believes that everyone’s too relaxed, that Cori’s feeling either too comfortable or desperate to the point where he’ll go out there on his own.”

This time, it’s Leo who protests, interrupting him.  “Hold on, are you planning what I think you’re planning?” I already know before the words come out of his mouth. Bait.  In some way, Yahya plans on using me as bait for Melon, without my approval.  I’m starting to understand what Hazel meant, what all of those articles meant.  “So your whole plan is to just have him go out there and die? You KNOW who Melon is, right? You know who we’re dealing with? He’ll fucking die!”

“We know that we’re dealing with Melon, but who else? Are the Shishigumi involved, or did he do all of the work moving that tiger’s body himself? The kill wasn’t at the park, which means he was moved, which means someone probably helped him.  If we can find out who they are, we can know who we’re dealing with.”

Yahya looks me directly in the eyes as he continues.  “That’s if you’re up for it, of course.  In around three hours, I want you to leave and walk to my office.  You will be followed and closely monitored.  I don’t think Melon will make a move himself out in the open, but maybe someone else will.  If we find out who he’s working with, we can plan from there.”

“Okay, quick question.  You come off like you have this all figured out, like you’ve been waiting for something like this to happen.  Almost like an obsession, like you think you know every move before he makes it.”

He doesn’t say anything in response, confirming my suspicions, but I press on anyway.  “I would’ve been left on hold for hours if I didn’t mention Melon.  His name came up and I became a priority.  You probably changed all of your plans just so we could meet up.  Am I right?”

For a short moment, I think he’s impressed, but there’s no way to tell.  His facial expression is still the same; stern, uncompromising.  He finishes his cup of coffee and thanks Hazel for it before getting up from his seat, almost like she’s an old friend.  “When we’re in my office, we can make a plan.  It’ll be a long night.”  With that, he walks out of the office, making sure not to draw any attention to himself as he passes several groups of students enjoying their afternoon in the courtyard.  He looks back for a moment before walking away.

I turn to Hazel, who looks visibly stressed compared to earlier.  There’s been one question I can’t get out of my mind, and right now she’s the only one I can turn to.  “Wasn’t there something off about him? I did some reading, but he seems to be a lot more methodical.  He’s just so different from what I expected.  It’s like he’s been planning this for a long time.”

Leo interjects.  “HE’S different? Dude, you read him like you knew everything about him.  Seriously, it’s like you knew exactly what he was thinking!”

“I just guessed.” As stupid as it sounds, that’s the truth.  I tried to think about where he was coming from, why he was planning something so risky, and I put myself in his position.  As much as I don’t like the thought of going out there and risking it, I can’t help but agree.  The immediate response at even the mention of Melon, it makes me think he’s just been waiting for his chance and that this is something he’s been waiting to set in motion for months, maybe even years.

“What do you mean you just GUESSED?” Leo looks at Hazel for a moment before whispering in my ear.  “You sure you aren’t a psychic or something? I won’t tell anyone, trust.”

This time it’s Hazel who interrupts, pouring what’s left in the coffee pot into her cup.  “As much as I don’t like this, Yahya has a point.  So far the only one we’ve been planning for is Melon.  You’re right, he’s definitely been planning this for a long time, knowing him.  She sits down and sighs, not showing a sign of being even slightly reassured.  “I’ll be making the announcement shortly explaining the new rules.  You two should probably get some rest while you can.  Don’t worry about anyone stopping you when you leave, you’ve been given permission.”

Leo and I finish our coffee and start making our way out of the office before she stops us.  “Please.  Stay safe.  And I’m asking you, don’t make this any riskier than it already is.  Don’t go out there trying to be a hero or doing anything to draw attention to yourself,  even if it’s that same little girl.  Just get there safely.”  After a moment, we walk out of the office and make our way to the dorms to wait out the next few hours.

I leave campus at 6:00 exactly, a bit hesitant even after three long dread-filled hours.  I try to look casual, my hands in my pockets, keeping to myself and trying to blend in.  I look around every now and then for signs of Melon or anyone who could be associated with him.  The feeling of unease grows and I try to think of something to distract myself as I check the GPS on my phone, anything to stop myself from standing out or even going back.

The sun is starting to set, giving the sky a beautiful orange hue.  I start thinking about how weird it is, at a time like this, how there can be so much beauty in the midst of all of this danger.  I get lost in thought for a moment as I glance at couples enjoying a night out, eating and drinking.  Kids are running around outside of small shops, and a group of high school students are chatting excitedly.  It’s almost perfect.

As I make a left turn I can’t help but stop for a moment.  A mixed couple is sitting at a table nearby.  I can’t stop looking at them almost in awe.  An anteater and a black panther, openly gay, just dating without even worrying about the dirty looks or passing slurs.  And the way the anteater holds his hand for a moment with a warm smile instead of fear, it’s so intriguing that I almost don’t notice the panther looking directly at me.  I didn’t realize how close I had moved to them, and all I can do is wave awkwardly and smile before continuing on.

I can’t stop thinking about that couple, a part of me yearning to go back and talk to them, get to know them, and I almost don’t notice the black car approaching me.  I try not to think anything of it, but they’re obviously driving below the speed limit like they’re either cruising or looking to stop.  My heart starts pounding in my chest as every instinct tells me to run, but I keep my cool and instead just slightly pick up the pace.  I make a right turn.  The vehicle also makes a right turn.  I make another left.  The vehicle also makes another left.  I try to get a quick glimpse at who’s inside, but the windows are tinted.  Why are their windows tinted? Oh fuck, they are following me.

I break into a sprint, cutting through a nearby alleyway.  I’m almost too horrified to look back, but I do so out of morbid curiosity.  The vehicle is stopped, and two lions step out, one with his mane styled like a pony tail and the other wearing a bandana over his face, his mane styled like a mohawk.  The one with the bandana pulls a pistol out of his jacket, and my heart sinks in my chest.  I can’t help but let out a scream.  This is how I die, right here.

In that moment, it all happens so fast.  The lions approach, both of their pistols drawn, and I hear shots fired, but not from them.  The lion with the pony tail yells out in pain, his gun on the ground and blood dripping down his arm.  As the other lion turns around, I make a run for it, sprinting into the street and getting back on course.  I don’t even know who saved me or why, but they gave me the window I needed.

Unsure of what to do, I pull out my phone and try to call Yahya, but before I can do so, yet another vehicle approaches.  This time it’s an old beaten truck with the windows down.  The wolf in the driver’s seat honks the horn, yelling for me to get in.  I hesitate for a moment before she yells out, “Yahya sent me! We’ve gotta go, now!”

I get into the truck and she drives off.  I look back and let out a sigh of relief, not seeing the two lions following us.  The wolf takes a drag of her cigarette and stays focused on the road.  She looks older, in her early 60s.  She has tan fur and a tired look about her, skinny and with bags under her eyes, and her denim jacket is worn and has all kinds of stains.  The truck smells like whiskey and cigarette smoke, which may not be as appealing to most but reminds me of home.

Most of the ride to Yahya’s “office” is silent; office as in she parks the truck in front of an apartment complex.  I sit there in confusion before she gets out and motions for me to do the same.  I follow her to the building and she unlocks the door.  When she closes it behind us, I can’t help but bombard her with questions.  “Where are we? I thought he meant an actual office, and what about that woman who was on the phone and-”

She holds a hand up like she’s asking me to stop, and then she walks down the hallway to the elevator.  All I can do is follow her inside.  She hits the number four and we wait, and moments later, the door opens and she continues on her way.  She walks until she reaches Room 415, and she knocks on the door.  Almost immediately, Yahya opens the door and ushers us in, locking it behind us.

The apartment is a mess, unexpected of someone like Yahya.  As I look around me, it feels like something right out of a movie.  The walls are covered in notes, pictures, newspaper articles, anything that has to do with Melon.  Yahya scribbles down a few notes before breaking the silence.  “So it is the Shishigumi, like I thought.  Dammit.  Only a few months and they’ve already reestablished themselves.”

“So now that I’ve almost gotten shot, what’s the plan? I’m not about to walk back on my own, not after what just-”

“You’re staying here,” he interrupts.  He opens the cabinet and pulls out some glasses.  When he opens the fridge, he pulls out a bottle of carrot juice and pours us some.  He sits down at the kitchen table and seems to be contemplating something for a moment before speaking again.  “That goes for you too,” he says, pointing at the wolf.  “You’re at risk now that they’ve seen you.”

I take a sip of my juice and the wolf sits next to me.  Instead of drinking any of hers, she pulls a flask out of her jacket and sips from it.  It’s like she also realizes that this will be a long night.  Yahya seems to pull out endless amounts of pictures, records, anything about Melon and the Shishigumi, and he starts laying them on the table.  He walks away for a moment and returns with a laptop, all kinds of tabs open including messages detailing any and all potential sightings or even possible activity.

He pulls up a document and starts to type out the notes he was taking earlier.  I can’t help but go back to thinking about how overprepared he was for all of this.  It isn’t long before he finishes up and looks at both of us.  “I’ll warn you now, you’ll both have a very busy couple of days.  If any of you wanna back out, now’s the time.  I won’t hold it against you.”

I don’t even consider it at this point.  Whatever his plan is, it has to be better than having gang members follow me around and try to shoot me, or at least I hope so.  The wolf pulls her flask out and offers me a drink.  I accept.  This is gonna be a long night.

Chapter Text

Leo

I wake up and expect to see Cori next to me, only to remember the conversation from last night. After he reassured me that he was safe and with Yahya, he told me that he was spending the night to come up with some kind of plan to stop Melon. He also insisted that I stay on campus after telling me that the Shishigumi are also involved, which I already expected. After he hung up, I didn’t hear anything from him for the rest of the night, and all I could do was hope that he was okay.

The first thing I do is check my phone and send him a text, hoping he responds. It isn’t long before he texts back, saying he just woke up and that he’ll be on his way back shortly. I feel relieved but still worried as I lay in bed for a little longer, looking through my phone.

I haven’t known Cori for long, but there’s always been something about that raccoon that draws me in. He’s more serious, but he has a big heart, sometimes too big. He cares a lot for others but not enough about himself, and all I can think about is the risky shit he’ll end up doing for Yahya, and how inconsiderate that fucking horse is. It’s frustrating, how he doesn’t even seem to care much for Cori’s life. How he was so quick to put him at risk and how it seemed like it didn’t mean anything to him. Retired Beastar or not, who the fuck does he think he is?

I can’t help but think back to the day we met, only two months ago. Cori was new to Zebuth and had just enrolled in Flowing Leaf. He was the usual: guy from a small town wants to make it big in the city, or so I thought. He was also an idealist, talking about changing the world, making sure that carnivores, herbivores, and hybrids could all be equal and all live in unity without fearing each other. The usual spiel. It wasn’t something I took seriously at first, but it was just the way he talked about it, the passion…

Two months ago

I make sure Cori stays close to me as we walk into the club, looking back at the nervous raccoon with a smirk on my face. The nervous ones are always the cutest, and usually the most gentle and considerate. In some cases, they have that wild and dominant side locked away, and all it takes is a few drinks and some words of encouragement before the roughest sex imaginable. And as I glance at him, all I can think of is how to draw that wild side out for myself.

Cori keeps looking around in the club, almost awestruck. It must be something right out of a dream for him, being his first night in Zebuth. Carnivores and herbivores talking, getting drunk, dancing, losing themselves in the night and walking together, hand in hand, with more lustful intentions in mind. Of course there are always a few who see how far they can go in the club, finding a corner away from prying eyes or even trying for a quickie under the stairs, the slurping and moaning drowned out by the music.

Speaking of said music, it seems like it’s more background noise to Cori than anything. I try to ask him if he’s in the mood to dance, but he declines and mutters to himself about how “this isn’t music” like some spiteful old man. I try to change the subject as we order our drinks, ordering myself a light beer to get started while Cori asks for wine. “So are there any clubs like this back home? There has to be at least one, right? A little speakeasy for the few mixed couples to mess around?”

Cori takes a sip out of his glass of wine. The way he’s taken aback by everything happening around him is all I need to know. “We don’t have any, at least I don’t think we do. We’re uh… segregated.”

I can’t help but feel bad for him. I’ve heard of a few towns like his, where it’s like they’re split in two. Carnivores and herbivores almost never interact if they do at all, and forget about marriage. A lot of places like that expect you to marry the same species and everything. Ugh, and of course it has to be straight. They’re bigoted and they refuse to admit it.

“I’m sorry man,” I say, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “But hey, you’re here now. You can be with whoever you want, and hey, maybe you’ll find someone tonight. You never know…” I make sure to lower my voice and speak in an almost seductive manner, hoping he picks up on it and shows interest.

“Uh, sure… I’m just uh… not used to this. I can really be with anyone?”

“Anyone.” I grin, eager for the chance to finally reel him in and get lucky. This raccoon obviously lacks experience, and the way he’s opening up, it won’t be too long before I can give him all the experience he needs.

It’s like he takes a minute to process it, and he looks back up at me and opens up a bit. “My parents always wanted me to get with a girl I knew in school, a raccoon. And yeah we dated for a bit, even kissed, but it all felt so… forced. And she felt the same way. It was more like an act we put on in front of our families, when we both wanted someone else. We both wanted to date different species, and be able to date the same gender.”

I pay close attention but I also can’t help but gawk at the bartender, a wolf in his early 30s and definitely gay coded. As he refills my drink, it seems for a moment he’s giving me bedroom eyes. I put my focus back on Cori as he continues.

“It was impossible to find anyone. I really felt like the only gay beast in town, and while I did come across a few others, they weren’t interested in messing around with another species. It’s part of why I wanted to move to the city. There’s gotta be someone here.

“Yeah…” I try to think of a way to lighten the mood as I down my second drink, giving the bartender the same look as he hands me a slip of paper. His number. I pocket it and grin before turning back to Cori. “How about we dance?”

“I’m not much of a dancer, and this isn’t really my kind of music-”

“Hey, it’s cool. Just bounce around a bit, find your groove. Maybe you could reel someone in…” I grin and give him a suggestive grin, taking his hand and moving slightly closer to him, our bodies almost touching. “What do you say?”

Cori is flustered for a moment, but he stays seated, looking down. “Sorry, I just can’t. I may look stupid or just awkward. I’m not ready.”

“You’re good.” I lean in closer, holding his hand as I speak in a low whisper. “What about a more… private dance, back in our room?”

He perks up, a blush across his face as he struggles to even get a word out. It’s working. I lay my hand on his leg and move it up ever so slightly, waiting for some kind of approval to take it further. He’s starting to sweat, an apparent bulge forming in his pants, and I huff as my own length starts throbbing, begging for release. “So, what do you say? I think it’s time to give you a proper welcome.”

With that, I take his hand and lead him out of the club, giving the bartender one more look as I hold up the slip of paper he gave me. It isn’t a long trip back to campus, and I stay close to Cori who’s mostly quiet, fidgeting a bit and obviously nervous. I hold his hand and almost lean against him, and as we walk into our room, I lock the door behind me and sit on my bed, patting the spot next to me and inviting him over.

He hesitates for a moment before sitting on the bed. I take my shoes off and get comfortable, and soon he does the same. We both lay there and I make the first mood, trailing my fingers down his chest. He blushes intensely as the bulge in his pants grows, my intentions all too clear.

I start to move closer to him, almost on top of him. It’s in that moment that he puts his hands up as if to stop me. I linger for a moment before laying back down. “Are you good? We can take it slow if you want-”

“It’s not that. It’s not like I don’t want this, like holy shit I can’t believe we’re doing this, but I’m just not ready. I wanna get to know you more. Your hobbies, interests, stuff like that…”

"You’re good. Mostly I like going out and also reading. Sometimes psychology. What about you?”

"I uh… I like playing video games. I like some TV shows and I’m kind of into politics? Like talking about what I would do, what I wanna change, the usual.”

“What do you wanna change?”

“I wanna change everything.” Oh great, he’s one of those types. The idealistic ones who will rant for hours about shit completely out of their control. It’s so repetitive. I open the mini fridge and get out some cheap strawberry daiquiris, handing one to him.

He continues, not even opening the bottle. “It just isn’t right, none of it. Why are carnivores and herbivores so divided? Why do so many live in fear and disgust of each other? Don’t even get me started on hybrids, they’re never even given a chance. It’s just so wrong.”

“It is what it is. As much as I hate to say it, it’s always been like that. Everyone talks about how herbivores live in fear, but if we even look at one of them wrong, Rex forbid a cop’s nearby. It sucks, but it’s just the way it is and we have to learn to live with it.”

“But we shouldn’t!” He interjects, raising his voice. I try to get him to tone it down but he continues. “I hate that fucking phrase. ‘It is what it is.’ It’s just accepting it, that we have to live this way. We’re all just beasts in the end. What’s the point of working to overcome our own instincts if we’re not even unified in the end? Maybe if someone would just step up and speak out, more would follow. Just one beast who’s fed up enough to let everyone know that this isn’t right, that we should strive to do better.”

“You wanna know what happens when someone does? They’re locked up and treated like another crazy, or if they gain enough influence, they just end up maintaining the same status quo while saying the same shit everyone wants to hear. It’s life, Cori. As much as it sucks to say, you just accept it.”

“Then this isn’t living.” The words strike a nerve, and there’s a look of determination in Cori’s eyes. “People just need to realize that and take the first step, even if it’s starting small. Even if it’s desegregating a small town. Even if it’s refusing to just play a role, even if it’s dating outside of your species.”

I can tell that it’s personal for him, and I feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe he isn’t your typical armchair revolutionary after all. I can see a fire in his eyes and a passion unlike any other. It won’t be long before that hope is crushed and he ends up like the others, but for now, I can’t help but embrace the moment, even if it’s with a hint of sarcasm.

I open my daiquiri and lift it up like I’m doing a toast. After a moment he does the same. “To a new world,” I say, as our bottles clink together. We both take a drink, Cori downing almost half of the bottle. He takes another sip and then responds.

“To a new world.”

Present

I think about that night. Not much else happened after that. We had a few more drinks, went more into our personal lives, and it was the beginning of a friendship. In my case, a bit of a crush. Sometimes I still hope Cori will finally loosen up enough for us to mess around.

It isn’t all bad. I didn’t really make any more advances that night, and it wasn’t too long before Cori passed out, being a lightweight. A couple of texts later and I was in Ben’s room, heavily intoxicated as the hyena railed me. As selfish as it is, part of me hopes that he and Ellie don’t work out. I liked having him as a fuckbuddy.

I still meet with that bartender from time to time. Nico, gay and happily single. As much as I crave the comfort of another male against me, all I can think about is Cori, and not even in just a romantic or sexual way. That night, there was a fire that has never went away, and it drew me to him, made me want him. I feel this need to protect him, and I hate that I can’t. I hate not being able to do anything but wait.

I lay on the bed and scroll through my phone a bit longer, waiting for Cori. All I can do is hope that he’s okay, that he doesn’t get in over his head, that Yahya looks out for him. All I can hope for is that his fire never burns out.

Cori

It doesn’t take too long to get back to campus. After we went over today’s plans and tested out the tracker Yahya put on my phone, he had someone else take me back to campus. This time it’s a young cheetah driving a dark green sedan, 30 at most, with a scar on his left cheek, another across his face, and an eyepatch over his left eye. He doesn’t speak much, as much as I wanna know his story, and he lets me out without a word and drives off.

As I walk back to the dorms, I think about that cheetah for a moment. It’s obvious why Margie, the wolf from last night, wasn’t driving me; she could be recognized and that puts us both at risk. The cheetah looked intimidating, but my thoughts turn to how he got those scars. What kind of story does he have to tell? And while I think about it, what about Margie? What’s her story?

I make my way to my room, still in thought. Maybe Yahya has history with these people, or maybe they’re like me. They were in shit situations and they needed Yahya to get them out, and maybe they’re working for him out of obligation. Maybe they believe in what he does and they wanna be a part of it. As I enter the room, my thoughts are interrupted by Leo sprawled out on the bed, still in his underwear.

He looks up from his phone and greets me, almost like we haven’t seen each other in years. He rushes over and pulls me into a hug, and we spend a moment in silence before he starts to bombard me with questions. “Are you okay? What happened? What’s the plan? He’d better not be getting you into-”

“Hey, calm down. Just let me explain. And please put some clothes on, this is really awkward…

With that, Leo pulls away and quickly throws some clothes on. I sit on the bed next to him, looking down and not knowing where to start. I can hear Yahya’s voice in my head. “That friend of yours, he asks too many questions. You can’t tell him anything.”

“He has a plan to take down Melon. That’s all I can say. He’s dealt with him before, knows how he works. He had my back last night. But I may be spending a few nights over there until we get this all figured out.”

“Cori, if there’s anything I can do-”

“There’s not.” I feel a hint of guilt as I cut him off. I can tell that the stress is building up, and I try to comfort him and put on a face. “Look, I know it all looks fucked, but last night was reassuring. Yahya has every base covered, and he needs me alive to get to Melon.” I play it up a bit, whispering into his ear. “That horse has eyes and ears everywhere. Shit, he probably has someone here, watching our every move.”

“Just… Promise me you won’t try to take this on alone. I’m worried about you.”

“I promise.” I feel bad for lying, but I don’t have much of a choice. I try to change the subject, forcing a smile. “Hey, how about we get something to eat? Definitely some coffee. I barely got any sleep last night.”

With that, Leo takes a moment before we head out of the dorm and to the dining hall. He shoots a group text updating everyone. He keeps up his fake smile but it’s easy to see he’s worried, and a feeling of unease grows in my stomach as all I can do is keep quiet for now and do my part.

As I walk close to that table from last night, outside of that bar and restaurant, I can’t help but look for that couple. The Rat’s Tab. Weird name, but from what I looked up online, supposedly a group of rats had an almost endless tab that never got paid off. It made the news and everything, brought so much business they changed the name, and it still hasn’t been paid.

Dammit Cori, stop getting distracted! I try to focus on the mission at hand. Put on an act. Daring, confident, exactly what Yahya told me. I can hear his voice in my head again, almost like he’s right beside me, guiding me.

“You’re the bait. You just survived a close encounter with the Shishigumi, so act like it. Go out and do something. Walk around the same area as yesterday, with an air of confidence. Make them believe you think they can’t touch you.”

“Isn’t that like holding out a sign that says ‘please shoot me?’ I could also just look like an idiot and they see an easy opportunity. I’m not doing it.”

“You are.” He speaks with a tone of authority. “That’s the point. They could see an opportunity and make their move. In that case, I have someone to stop them, maybe take one of them and interrogate, find out where they are. Either that or they catch on to you acting as bait, which is ideal. It will anger Melon, frustrate him, lead to him making a mistake. We use that opportunity to take one of the Shishigumi if not Melon himself.”

“But what if they know you want them to slip up? What if they already know the play? Do you even have a backup plan?”

“Even if they do, they shouldn’t be able to get to you as long as you stay on the designated route. There will always be some of us nearby. I’ll even keep watch myself if I have to.”

That conversation didn’t help with the constant feeling of dread, and as I wait for a bit, hoping to see that couple, I start looking around, expecting Melon or one of the Shishigumi to make their move at any time. It’s a normal evening, too normal. There are a lot of beasts, but any of them could be Melon or one of the Shishigumi. But Yahya has beasts watching my every move. But what if they’re already dead? What if I’m alone, and they’ll get me any second?

I keep moving, continuing on the designated route. The plan isn’t to go to his office, but to go around and eventually make my way back. I don’t see anything out of my ordinary, which only adds on to my anxiety, expecting one of them to come out from the shadows. The sun starts to get lower in the sky as I turn right onto the worst part of the route: the less populated, almost dead roads. The slums, full of addicts and beggars who wouldn’t bat an eye.

Don’t get distracted, I think to myself. As much as I wanna help them, that creates an opening. Don’t give them any money, don’t even ask how they’re doing. Oh, a single mother to the left, obviously strung out and with five kids. Not my problem, it’s the same sob story, different day, one that will get me killed. Don’t look back, don’t worry, don’t get distracted.

It isn’t long before I finally make my way back to campus, letting out a sigh of relief as I reach the courtyard. Leo and Jacob are both sitting outside, waiting for me. I wave to them and as they immediately hit me with endless questions, I tell them the minimum: that I’m okay and that it’s just part of the plan.

After a quick dinner, it’s like most nights where everyone just does their own thing. Ben hits up Ellie, Jacob goes to work out, and no one has seen Rick. All Leo has heard is that he’s been sick and he’s with family, just a single text. It isn’t long before we go back to the dorm to destress and get our minds off of everything.

Except our ideas of destressing are completely different. As I lay down and get comfortable, Leo’s already pulled out the drinks: this time something harder. A bottle of whiskey and a couple of shot glasses, already pouring some into both and downing his first without hesitation.

As usual, he pours himself another, and I wait a moment before downing my first. I feel the burn as it goes down my throat, and before he pours me another, I hold my hands up. “I’m good. I wanna have a clear head, just in case.”

“Come on, man. Loosen up, have some fun. You’re too stressed out…”

“Look, Yahya can call at any time. He wouldn’t like it if I was-

“Dude, fuck that fucking horse.” Another shot. “He doesn’t even care about you, man. He’s using you to get to Melon. He’s gonna get you killed.”

“He has my back, and he’s always keeping an eye on me.”

“Does he though?” He holds the bottle like he’s about to pour another shot, but puts it down instead. “You’re going out there in the open. He’s not protecting you. Whatever you’re doing, it’ll get you killed. And I can’t just sit here and watch anymore.”

“He knows what he’s doing, Leo. Just trust-”

“Trust us, Cori.” He moves closer before leaning his head against me. “Trust us. Your friends. Everyone’s been worried. At least talk to us! Let us know what’s going on. Let us help you.”

“I can’t-”

“You can, anytime. At least trust me. Please…” He lays a hand on my shoulder. I can see it in his eyes. Concern, despair, longing. How can I say no to him? Lost in thought, I almost don't notice Leo pulling me in for a kiss.

It isn’t my first kiss, but it’s the first one with this much passion, this much need. I usually deny his advances, but fuck it, he’s right. I could be dead tomorrow anyway. I lean into the kiss, moaning softly, opening my mouth as our tongues do a passionate dance, a clash for dominance.

He pushes me onto the bed as we both throw our clothes off, his cock throbbing in his underwear. We make out on the bed as he rubs down my chest, grinding his bulge against mine. I can’t hold it back anymore, my length throbbing as pre stains my briefs. Holy fuck, this is really happening.

I take the initiative, pulling his boxers off and getting a glimpse of his erect cock. He pulls away from the kiss, doing the same. He rubs his length against mine and moves his hand down, stroking both of our cocks together. I let out a moan as I tease both of his nipples, rubbing and pinching them a bit. “Oh damn… If you wanted it this badly, all you had to do was ask…” I’m mostly winging it, hoping Leo leads me along, but a growing part of me wants to take control.

That’s exactly what I do. I touch his hand, teasing his length with my finger. I wear a cocky grin on my face and Leo moves his hand. In that moment, I push him down and stroke his cock. I move my head between his legs and sniff his length, taking in his scent and yearning for more. The sniffing turns into licking along his length and teasing the tip, and it isn’t long before I try to take it into my mouth.

Leo is taken aback by my sudden eagerness as I slowly bob my head on his cock. I try to get a feel of it and see how much I can take in, and I can hear the fox moaning softly. His taste and smell are overwhelming, and my own length throbs with need.

It isn’t long before his hand is on the back of my head, ushering me along, lightly pushing me down onto his cock. I swallow his pre, the salty taste almost urging me to go further, to go faster. Leo starts doing the same, the pushing becoming more of a thrusting.

“Holy fuck, are you really a virgin?” Leo teases as he starts to take control again, dominating me and thrusting into my mouth like a fleshlight. I start to gag on his length and he slows it down a bit but keeps it at a steady pace. He huffs as he starts getting closer, his cock twitching in my mouth and close to release.

That release comes quicker than expected. Leo speeds up, his balls slapping against my chin and with one huge moan, he pushes every inch into my mouth, ropes of hot cum shooting out of his length and down my throat. His taste only makes me harder and begging for more, and after a moment, he pulls out, grinning as he shoots a small rope onto my face.

“That was… Oh fuck-” Before I can continue, Leo takes control again. He pushes me down and licks some of his cum off of my cheek, grinning before working his way down to my length. I’m close and he knows it, licking the tip before taking in my cock with ease, sucking on the length while massaging my balls.

His mouth is so warm, and I can’t help but moan out. It’s even better than I imagined, and as he bobs his head, taking a moment to lick and suck on the tip before going back down, I can’t help but give in to my instincts. I grab the back of his head and lightly thrust, pre streaming down my length. He’s surprised at first but gets right back to it. Fuck, experience really does make that much of a difference.

It isn’t long before I pick up the pace, facefucking him as my cock twitches and begs for release. And seconds later, I thrust into his mouth one last time and finally blow my load. It’s different from masturbating, and I feel like so much more is coming out, strips of seed pumping into his mouth. Leo swallows it eagerly, and as I finally pull out of his mouth, he doesn’t waste any time in cleaning me off.

In typical Leo fashion, I don’t get much time to enjoy my orgasmic high before he’s sitting in my lap, grinding his rear against my still erect length. Holy fuck, he’s really doing this. He grabs my shoulders and shows his usual mischievous grin, only for it to falter. “I’m sorry… I can’t.”

“Leo, what’s wrong?

His voice starts to break, tears streaming down his face. “I like you, but what’s the point? You’re gonna die. Melon’s gonna get to you, and when he does… I don’t wanna think about it.”

“Hey, I’ll be fine. Yahya-”

“Fuck Yahya!” There’s a mix of anger and despair in his voice as he continues. “He doesn’t even care about you! You’re a means to an end to him. Have you even read up about him? I have. He’s not who you think he is, Cori!”

“He’s my only chance, unless I find a way to contact that wolf. There isn’t time for that.”

“Okay, what? You’re just gonna go out there, hold up a fucking sign, yell out for Melon? Is that what he wants you to do next? Oh wait, no, fucking stand in the middle of the Black Market until he finds you! What’s his fucking plan, Cori? You haven’t told me anything! How does it end?”

“It ends with Melon in prison and both of us living a happy life. It ends with us going out on a date! We forget about it, have the best four years of our lives, and then many more after that, together. It ends with us going out and changing the world so that we never get another Melon.”

I continue, wiping the tears off of his face. “I saw a mixed couple yesterday. An anteater and a black panther, both guys. They were both happy. I want a world where everyone can live like that without being judged. I want a world where hybrids like Melon and Mina are given a fair chance.”

“That’s what you said back then. You want a new world. You wanna change how beasts think.”

“Remember what you said that night? I know you were being sarcastic, not taking it seriously, but I still stand by that toast. To a new world.”

In that moment, drunk and sobbing in my arms, Leo looks me in the eye. “I’m too fucking broken, man. You’ll end up like me, drinking and fucking your way through life.”

“Leo…”

“I’m sorry, just… I need to get some sleep.”

“You can talk to me, anytime. Look… You told me not to take shit on alone. Now I’m telling you. I’m always here, by your side.*

“They all say that.” He pulls away and holds up his empty shot glass. “To a new world,” he slurs with that same hint of sarcasm, before laying down on the bed. I don’t know what to do or say other than to stay close to him, and more importantly, to let him in, starting tomorrow. Yahya will just have to deal with it.

Melon 

All I can do is laugh after the Shishigumi send me their reports. That raccoon was stupid enough to take the same route as yesterday and expected me not to notice. What is that horse thinking? Has he lost his edge in the past six years?

He isn’t nearly as discreet as he thinks he is. What, does he really think I won’t notice his little rats scurrying about? The cars parked and waiting, watching? Knowing him, he probably watches the traffic cameras too. Too predictable, too easy.

He thinks he can bait me. What does he think, that we’ll take the raccoon out in the open where he’s watching? That horse makes it really hard not to underestimate him. It’s a miracle he’s survived this long.

I can’t help but cackle as I scroll through my emails. This little cat and mouse game was fun while it lasted, but now everything is already in motion. Tomorrow. The look on that raccoon’s face will be priceless. The look on Yahya’s will be even better, the despair when he realizes he couldn’t protect his little Cori followed by the horror when he realizes he’s next.

Sweet dreams, Cori, I think to myself. Enjoy them while they last.

Chapter Text

Yahya

I pour another glass of whiskey as I scroll through my emails. I check my phone for any response from the Cornered Rats, but all I see is that text from one of the younger members thanking me for her release. Even retired, being a Beastar has its perks. I take a sip out of the glass and brace myself for another sleepless night.

I start looking through the call logs that the chief marked for me, any that could be of interest. The recent spike in Black Market activities has been concerning, to say the least. It’s almost like the recent prison break gave them a sense of confidence. It doesn’t help that some believe that my age alone prevents them from facing justice.

When I retired, a few stragglers from the Black Market misinterpreted it as a sign that they could do as they pleased. Little did they know that the retirement was for the role of the Beastar itself. I caught them by surprise, and it seemed for a bit that the Black Market was truly a thing of the past.

Two years, I think to myself. We had two years of peace. It wasn’t long before some remnants of the old Black Market organizations started to organize, before many seized the opportunity to reestablish themselves. They all conspired together and it wasn’t long until the Black Market was reopened, bustling with carnivores looking to get their fix, and all of our hard work was for nothing. The weak and defenseless were back to living in fear, and like before, every effort only felt like picking at the problem. A problem that only got worse after the prison riot months ago.

As I sort through a few of the pictures and videos the Cornered Rats sent me, all I can do is turn my head in disgust. Carnivores. They go back to their ways like nothing ever happened, putting on an act in public when they view half of their fellow beasts as nothing more than meat. They think about how they taste, they salivate at the thought. They disgust me.

Well, not all of them. There are a few exceptions to the rule, the few who overcome their instincts and don’t eat meat. Gosha of course, an old friend and confidant. His grandson Legoshi, a young wolf who only devoured with consent, a complicated situation but one born from necessity. Margie and Kuroishi, two of my most trusted associates. And Cori, that raccoon.

At first, the only reason I helped him was because Melon was after him, but this raccoon is one of the few exceptions to the rule. He’s idealistic and views everyone as equals whether they’re a carnivore or herbivore, or even a hybrid like Melon. He doesn’t have that vicious side to him and he seems to genuinely care. Too much. I think back to that conversation we had last night.

“Do you think we could help Melon? Just talk to him, try to reason with him? His whole life is this nightmare and maybe all he needs is people who will listen, people who will be there.”

“Legoshi thought the same way, six years ago,” I told him. “He got shot. He was almost drowned. He’s lucky to be alive.”

“But maybe if-”

“He already tried. Melon isn’t someone you can reason with. He kills because he enjoys it. He gets off on seeing others in pain. The only thing he’ll want you to understand is how much he loves that last look of horror in your eyes when he kills you.”

I don’t think Cori took that conversation well. Kids like him try to see the best in the world, and that naivety gets them killed. At least he can follow orders. Since then he’s been on top of it, staying on the route I marked for him and actively communicating with me if he sees or hears anything that even feels slightly off in any way.

As much as it frustrates me, I feel the need to protect that kind of innocence, even if it’s just for a short time. He hasn’t seen that eager look on a carnivore’s face when they shop at the Black Market for their cut of choice, when that cut could easily be someone they passed on the street or knew in school. They never give it a thought: that their meal used to have a life, just like them. Their blatant disregard for life is revolting, and it makes the few like Cori worth protecting. It almost makes relocating to this crummy apartment worth it.

The relocation in question took place shortly after the prison riot. At first, I mostly stayed in the Police Headquarters and only had this apartment as a backup, but as Black Market activity spiked it wasn’t long before there were too many incidents in and around the building for it to be mere coincidence. Melon being active was the last straw, and I made the move in the night as quietly as possible, making sure I wasn’t followed along the way. Since then, I’ve worked in the Police Headquarters during the day, and from my apartment at night.

I sigh heavily. Another sleepless night with next to no activity apart from the usual. Melon and the Shishigumi are mostly quiet, alarmingly so. I look through my contacts and hover over Gosha’s name for a moment. No, I shouldn’t involve him, I think to myself. But should I call him? At least check up on him and his grandson? Too late, but I could call tomorrow and see if he wants to meet for lunch. Just a few minutes where we can reminisce and I can forget about Melon. Cori should be safely on campus during the day, so it should be fine, and there’s always a chance that Gosha has some information.

As the sun starts to rise, I think about him for a moment. What if he never met that wolf? What if we cleaned the city up and became Beastars together. What if… I shouldn’t think about that. Every second I waste lingering on the past I can plan instead, before there’s more blood on my hands. If Melon gets to Cori, how long before he gets to his friends too? How long before he finds Legoshi? Or Gosha?

Cori
I sit on a park bench overlooking the sea as the sun sets over the horizon, painting the ocean a beautiful hue of reddish orange. I don’t usually walk this far out, but it feels like the perfect place to reflect, to just imagine the world beyond. Maybe someday I could board a ship and find out for myself.

My thoughts also turn to the beast beside me. The hybrid also seems to be lost in thought. He’s an open book, his eyes filled with an unimaginable pain and loneliness. This is the one place where he doesn’t need to wear the mask, his true self exposed. He’s vulnerable. I want to move closer to him, to comfort him.

I never thought I would see the real Melon for myself. He’s broken and truly alone in the world, not a monster like people claim. I reach a hand out and lightly brush it against his arm for a moment. First contact. He looks over at me as we share a moment of understanding.

I feel a sense of comfort and longing as I move closer, laying my hand over his as we both stare at the setting sun. It’s a peaceful moment, one I hope we can have again. So peaceful that I don’t notice him baring his fangs as he grabs my neck.

I try to let out a scream but nothing comes out. I feel betrayed, like I was stabbed in the heart. His grip tightens and he grins, laughing hysterically as my vision starts to fade. The last thing I see is Melon digging his fangs into my throat.

I wake up panting and drenched in sweat. Leo is laying next to me, a concerned look on his face. “Dude, are you okay? You have a nightmare or something?

“Yeah…” I try to collect myself, still fixated on the dream. Something felt real, at least for a moment. That look on his face, there was so much pain. Am I just projecting or is there something more? I need to get my mind off of it. “We should get ready. I don’t wanna be late.”

As we put our clothes on, Leo keeps glancing over at me. I try to make sure that I have everything together, checking the time on my phone and groaning as I realize I’ll have to miss breakfast. As I start to walk out of the room, he chimes in, “Cori, about last night…”

“We were drunk, it happened.” The best thing I can do for now is not think about it. It’s Leo, he never does serious, nor will he start.

“I’m sorry. It shouldn’t have been like that. I wanna do it right, too. Do you think we could, when this is all over with?”

“I don’t know.” I head out of the dorm and make my way to my first class. Biology. No breakfast, no coffee, this is gonna be a long day. Oh, and having to risk my life being lion bait later. Thanks Yahya.

I enter the classroom and take a seat, looking to my left and seeing a lizard wearing glasses and a light brown sweater despite the spring weather. It’s Rick. I move over next to him and whisper, “Dude, it’s been days! Where were you?”

He stays focused on his book. “Family problems, my sister.” Like usual, he only says the bare minimum. He always seems so focused on something else, but I don’t know what. Maybe he’s like me and his mind always wanders.

“You know you can always go to us, right? We’ve got your back.”

“I know.” He doesn’t even bat an eye except for one moment where he turns to me. “Thank you.”

“You should come by later. Everyone’s been wanting to hang out, catch up a bit.”

“I’ll think about it.”

The class is uneventful, just more rambling about the cell over anything else, the basics that everyone knows about except for the few idiots in the back who never pay attention. As we walk out of the classroom, I try to talk to Rick, but he walks ahead silently, almost like he’s in a rush. I follow him to the courtyard but he’s already making his way to the dorms.

I sigh and start to follow him, but my phone starts vibrating. Yahya’s personal cell. I pick up and he has a surprisingly more casual tone than usual. “Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to go by headquarters for lunch. I can arrange for someone to pick you up. There are a few things I would like to discuss in private.”

“Uh, sure. What time? I have my classes so we have to-”

“Don’t worry about it. You can miss a class or two. I insist. I’ll be there in a little over an hour.”

This is weird and out of nowhere. Yahya giving me the okay to skip class? Maybe it’s something important. “I’ll be ready out in the courtyard.”

“I’ll see you then.” He hangs up and I’m left confused. I shoot Leo a text updating him and head back to my room to get everything together just in case. What’s so important that he wants me to skip class? And why is he trying to act so casual? I sit on the bed and take a second to think it over, only feeling more anxious as I wait for the next hour to pass.

Chapter Text

After sitting in my room for close to an hour, I wait out in the courtyard and as expected, a green sedan pulls up minutes later with that same cheetah from before. I get in the back of the car and without a word, he drives off.

The ride to the police headquarters is mostly uneventful. I spend most of the trip scrolling through my phone to distract myself from the building anxiety, but I peek out of the tinted window for a bit to get a view of the usual hustle and bustle. It helps distract me, since even two months in it’s a lot to get used to.

Every time I see so many beasts in one area, it’s like I’m in a different world. So many different species interacting, carnivores and herbivores treating each other like old friends, it’s almost beautiful. Even with the danger looming over my head, it makes me remember how much I love it here, why I jumped through every hoop just for a chance to move to Zebuth.

It isn’t long before we arrive at the Police Headquarters, and I’m awestruck as I get to see it up close. It has to be over a hundred floors, and I can’t imagine the years of effort and the millions put into it. The cheetah leads me inside to a young sheep at reception. He shows her his wallet and she nods her head before we turn around and head to the elevator, two officers following close behind as escorts.

The cheetah hits “57” and we all wait silently. One of the officers, an older beagle, lets out a cough. The younger golden retriever next to him
scrolls through his phone like he’s expecting something, only to put it away after a glare from the beagle. He taps on the wall, obviously bored, until the elevator finally reaches its stop. They watch us exit the elevator before heading back down.

As we enter Yahya’s residence, while it’s an improvement over his apartment, it’s surprisingly modest for a retired Beastar. He motions for us to sit at a table. Glasses of carrot juice are already waiting, along with salad and sandwiches. We sit and he’l starts the discussion.

“So, how’s class?” Yahya seems like a parent in a way, and his casual demeanor is offputting if not slightly unnerving.

“Uh, fine I guess?” I take a bite of a sandwich and a sip of juice, my anxiety only building and making it more difficult to keep the food down. “It’s the usual, been getting by. Boring most days.”

“And how are your friends doing? That fox specifically. Leo, right?”

“He’s fine, I mean he’s Leo, but quick question: No offense, but what’s with you? Why are you so… casual?”

He sighs, taking a sip of carrot juice. It’s like he knows I can see right through him, and I push the question. “You’re always so serious and right to the point. What’s going on?”

He hesitates for a moment before speaking up. “That wolf who worked with me six and a half years ago, Legoshi. You’re just like him. Too much like him, it’s alarming.” He looks down at the table, almost like he’s trying to find the right words.

“How? I barely know anything about him.”

“He… always wanted to see the good in everyone, even Melon. He fought against his instincts, rejected them. He tore his fangs out right in front of me to prove a point. And he did it all for a white dwarf rabbit.”

“I heard about that. He married her, right?”

“He did, and they even have a daughter. A hybrid. The point is, he only embraced his instincts as a grey wolf when it was necessary. He devoured his friend’s foot with consent. And through all of that, he showed nothing but sympathy. For that bear Rizz, for me, and even for Melon, even after getting shot, even after almost getting drowned. It’s frustrating, but admirable.”

“Wait, what do you mean with consent? How does that even happen?”

“Supposedly, his friend saw it as the only way for him to take on Rizz. A wolf who doesn’t consume meat doesn’t have any chance against a bear, and he knew that. And Legoshi showed restraint, much more than most carnivores would.” He says that last part with a judgemental tone in his voice.

“But why are you telling me all of this? I already know, don’t trust Melon, he’s a psychopath.”

“It’s not just that. I see it in you, that same sympathy and denial. You don’t want to give in to your instincts, and even right now, you want to help Melon, which is commendable. I just want to make sure you don’t end up going the same route as Legoshi because you won’t be as lucky.”

“I mean, I’m not about to rip my fangs out in front of you. Why did he even do that, anyway?”

He hesitates, almost like he’s thinking something over. “That’s a long story, but he… he wanted to prove a point, that he isn’t like every other carnivore. I never met anyone like him, someone so determined to reject his own instincts.”

“But why would he go that far?” My question is met with silence and I only push the issue further. “There’s no reason.”

Yahya checks his phone and proceeds to pull the most cliche shit you can imagine. “We should be getting back. You’ll need some time before you head out tonight.” If that isn’t evading, I don’t know what is

With that, we finish up our lunch and he has the cheetah escort me to the elevator. He tells me the usual, to keep him updated and to not stray from the route. I nod my head before we head back down.

The next few hours passed a lot more slowly than usual. I spent a lot of the time with our conversation in the back of my mind. This time, Jacob’s the first to speak up, noticing something is off.

“Are you okay? You’ve just been sitting there for the past ten minutes.”

“It’s nothing, just-”

“Look, just let us in,” Ben chimes in, the hyena sitting back in a chair with his feet up. “You’re always too serious. Chill out, have a drink.”

“You know I-”

“After you’re done. You know what I mean.” Ben always seems so laid back, even in almost hopeless situations. The hyena has always been like that, ever since I met him. Leo and Jacob are his alarm clocks, and his grades are always just barely passing.

There has been a noticeable change since he started crushing on Ellie. He still has a relaxed attitude, but now he showers on a somewhat regular basis and seems more invested in general. He spends time with her and is even willing to do something previously alien to him: work. Some days he spends hours at the cafe helping out where he can, just to talk to her.

Jacob has always been the opposite: more quiet and serious, hardworking, and protective. When you know him enough, his presence makes up for the lack of words, knowing that he always has your back. He’s the youngest of our group, only weeks away from 19, but he’s easily the most mature and his cooking is unmatched. The bear can see through almost anyone.

I try to think of an evasive response, which has been the usual since the other day. “I can tell you guys when I’m back. There’s just a lot going on, and I’m just… I’m stressed out.”

They both know I’m bullshitting but don’t press the issue, and it isn’t much longer before the sun starts to set and I have to go. I take a look back at them before making my way out of the dorm, almost bumping into Rick. I quickly apologize and leave as everyone bombards him with questions about his absence.

I’m already used to the route with all of its twists and turns, alleyways and other shady areas. I try not to let myself get too distracted, just trying to get it over with and go home. We need a better plan, I think to myself. They’ve probably caught on and it’s a waste of time. Maybe we should- it’s that couple.

I turn around and see them sitting together again, at The Rat’s Tab. The anteater and black panther, enjoying a light dinner and talking happily. I stare at them for a moment and start approaching slowly. I’m not sure if I should talk to them or not. I may interrupt a private conversation or ruin a moment, but I may not get another chance. What if I miss out on meeting two people who could’ve been close friends? I move closer to the table and try to think of a way to start the conversation.

Fuck. I’m choking. What do I say? Shit, they stopped talking. They’re both looking at me. Definitely made this one awkward. The panther starts speaking to me, “Can we help you?”

I stutter as I try to think of a response. “I uh, just wanted to say hi? I saw you two the other day and uh, you seem really… nice. Sorry, I should get going.”

Surprisingly the anteater speaks up next. “You can sit with us if you want. We’d really like the company.”

His voice. It’s so innocent. I almost feel the need to protect him, but I can’t dwell on it much. I pull up a chair and sit with them. The anteater can tell I’m nervous and tries to ease me into it. “What’s your name?”

“Cori,” I respond, scratching my neck. Why are they making me so nervous? It’s not like they’re dangerous, and I don’t feel any attraction to them, or at least I don’t think I do. Why can’t I just talk to them?

“I’m Kibi, and this is Tao,” the anteater says, pointing at the panther. It’s nice to meet someone who doesn’t…”

“Wait, are you two-” Way too early. Good one Cori. I try to do damage control before I make them uncomfortable. “If you are, I don’t judge. And well, that’s actually why I kept looking. It’s intriguing… in a good way.”

“What do you mean intriguing?” I’m worried that I sounded too offputting to Tao. Understandable, with how most act around mixed couples.

“Where I come from, they expect everyone to date only their own species. And they’re always extra judgemental if you aren’t straight. I came here for school and it’s completely different, but also the same. It’s a lot to take in. What I’m trying to say is uh, I like you. I like how you’re both so open about it and I just hope I can be too someday.”

Kibi puts his small hand over mine and Tao does the same for a moment. It’s like they both show sympathy. “That almost happened here,” Tao states, and it’s almost like he’s reminiscing. “And even now, they still push for it.”

“I saw the other day when they were protesting at the park. There was this kid, a hybrid, and two guys attacked her for it. She was maybe five at the most.” I start feeling uneasy as I recount the events of the other day, even while leaving out the more disturbing parts. “They called her an abomination.”

“It happens all the time.” For a moment, everyone is silent, Tao’s face twisted in a mix of rage and frustration. “They don’t even try to understand! It’s none of their business! If they so much as lay a hand on Kibi-”

Kibi holds on to Tao in an attempt to calm him down. “They won’t. They haven’t tried to yet.” The anteater tries to bring some positivity to the conversation. “It’s only a few bad apples. Most beasts don’t mind seeing us together. And we can’t have children, so there’s no reason for them to worry about us “

“I feel bad for them.”

They turn to me as I look down at the table, my mind focused on Mina and Melon.

“Hybrids. They’re never really given a chance. All everyone does is treat them like freaks from the day they’re born. They reject anything that’s different, and then wanna sit there and act surprised when all of those children they treated like monsters grow up to become monsters.”

I feel it too, the more I talk about it. Not just rage and frustration. Hate. And it’s harder to mask the building emotion. “None of them deserve to live like that! They’re just kids, dammit! They all have wants and needs, they all have dreams they hope to attain. They all bleed the same blood and they all need to be loved and cared about. None of them deserve to be treated like that! They need help, dammit! Help! How is it that fucking hard for everyone to understand?”

In an effort to calm me down and not knowing what to do, Kibi lays one of his hands on mine and looks into my eyes. There’s something about him that makes me feel safe. Comfortable. Everything tells me that I can trust him.

“You’re right. That’s why everyone else needs to take that first step and give them that love and care. It can change their lives. Sometimes, all they need is someone who can take the first step, no matter how hard.” He looks at Tao as he says this, and I feel connected to both of them, like we all understand each other.

I enjoy the moment of understanding but notice the sun has almost set. Fuck, I need to finish my rounds. “Sorry, but I’ve gotta go. I’m running late and everyone is probably wondering where I am. Maybe we can meet up again?”

“I wouldn’t mind. We eat here all the time. It was nice talking to you.” Tao looks at Kibi who nods his head in agreement. I get up and move my seat back before waving to them. I feel bad for leaving so early, but it’s almost night and Yahya will wonder why I’m taking so long.

Before I can go, Kibi moves over to me and whispers. “Thank you. Tao really needed that. And if you need to talk more, you can come by my office. I’ll find a way to squeeze you in.”

He gives me his number and I put it in my phone. He walks back over to Tao and we wave to each other one more time before I walk away to finish my route.

It isn’t long before I pick up the pace, my anxiety at an all time high as night starts to fall. There’s an almost eerie feeling as I pass through some of the less populated areas of the city, the “you’re about to get stabbed” kind of eerie.

I’m almost at a run, and I’m tempted to call Yahya for a ride. It’s like everyone I see can smell my fear and see the sweat running down my face as the panic starts to set in. Something feels off. I need to run for it.

Before I can start sprinting, I see a lone rabbit walking across the street, next to a row of apartments. She’s small and weak but without fear. Black and white, and there’s something about her. Something with her scent. Something I can’t get my mind off of as she retreats into a nearby alleyway.

I watch until she disappears, lost in thought. She looks like a rabbit but something seems off. What’s with her scent? And why is she alone? Is she gonna be okay? I stop for a moment, lost in thought, too lost to hear the black sedan approaching.

The second I notice, it’s too late. They’re on me. I break into a sprint and try to call Yahya, but one of the lions pounces onto me. It's almost like all of the breath is taken out of my body, his claws out and his fangs bared as he holds me down. I try to reach for my phone but another lion stomps on it, shattering the screen. The lion pulls me back and I can only react with horror at what's in front of me.

The last thing I see is a masked gazelle with leopard spots who smiles as he sticks a needle into my neck. I try to let out a scream, horrified as I start to put everything together. I took too long. They found me. I can't get away. I try to let out a desperate scream, but nothing comes out, and Melon smiles down at me as everything goes black.

Chapter Text

Jacob

As Leo wolfs down the rest of his stir fry, I keep taking quick glances at his face before looking down at my tablet.  It feels very nitpicky, but I want to get every little detail right, especially that smile.  That smile that lights up a room, which he makes as he takes his time to savor his dinner

Right now, his smile is a reminder of why I opted to make dinner and why I love it so much.  It may not be much, but a good meal can ease anyone’s troubles, even if momentarily.  Other than the flavor, the part of cooking that makes it all worth it is that look of bliss.  And right now, that bliss is what we all need.

Pink, I think to myself.  He’ll wear pink.  He likes the color and it suits him.  But now should it be a t-shirt or hoodie? Crop-top? I don’t think I’ve ever seen Leo in a button down, and it isn’t sweater weather even though I can see it.  I make sure to look over the smile on his face.  How can I give it more focus?   I want it to bring the rest of the picture together in a way but I’m not sure how.

As I give it some more thought, Leo finishes his food and rinses off his plate in the sink.  I look over at Ben, who’s lounging around on the couch in a grey tank top and black sweatpants.  I think I got his laid back vibe just right, slouched in a dark red hoodie with his hands in his pockets.  He’s standing right next to Ellie, the wolf wearing a bright yellow dress and holding a bouquet of flowers, happy instead of stressed and worn out.

When she isn’t working, Ellie is putting everything into her classes.  I’ve only known her for two months, but she had a rough upbringing and it cost her.  She had to work through high school and it had an impact on her grades, and she couldn’t afford to go to college.  She worked for five years and could barely make ends meet.  She reached a point where, as she put it, “it wasn’t living,” and she took out student loans to go to Flowing Leaf.  I respect her for it, that she took a chance to live the life she always wanted.  She risked it all and that’s something I can’t understand.

Unlike Ellie, I had a more privileged upbringing.  We lived in a rough neighborhood, but we were always better off.  We had food on the table and we never really struggled.  My parents still live in a nice house, a sharp contrast from the rest of the neighborhood.  Everyone always reminded me that I was one of the lucky ones, that I had the opportunity to put more into art and cooking while the rest of the neighbors had to work for a living.  That I was “handed” so many more opportunities, among other things.  And as rude as they were about it, they were right, and I can’t even imagine how it was like for them.

As I move to Cori, the raccoon standing next to Leo and wearing a dark green button up and jeans, my mind wanders to him.  He wasn’t born in Zebuth like the rest of us, and this was all so new to him, but it’s also like he was always ready for it.  That’s something I noticed about him from the day we met.  It’s like he always belonged here, and in a way by moving here, he came home.  He’s truly happy here, and I can’t get over the way his face lights up when he sees more of the city for himself, all kinds of species interacting in ways he probably never thought of in his hometown.

There’s something else I see in him too, something that the others don’t.  He may be smaller, but he’s strong, a lot more than everyone gives him credit for.  When he goes on his rants about wanting to change beast society for the better, I see it in him.  Not just a passion, but a power behind his words.  He’s brave, and while everyone else is taken aback by how he’s willing to run right into the face of danger, I’m not.  And it concerns me, because he’s just a raccoon and a raccoon can’t back it up with physical strength.

I finally turn my thoughts to Rick, not wanting to spend too much time worrying about Cori since he’s currently out on his run.  Two months and I still don’t know anything about that lizard.  He always has something to do, either involving his girlfriend or a family issue.  I have him standing a bit off to the side, wearing a white t-shirt, a brown jacket, and jeans, and he’s waving.  I feel like I projected a bit with him, since that’s how I imagine him.  Waving to us because he has to go somewhere, skipping class and then coming back days later with some half-assed explanation and then acting like nothing happened.  But as I say that, he’s here, drinking a cup of coffee and scrolling through his phone.

I make sure to save my progress and move over to him, starting the conversation.  “Hey, how have you been? It’s been a few days.”

His reply is minimal.  “Fine.  Just family stuff.”

“You know you can always talk to us about it, right?”

“I know.”

I give up.  It was worth a shot, but he’s just so quiet.  Does he even trust us? I know I shouldn’t think that way, but he never really opens up and he’s always keeping to himself.  I don’t even know what he’s studying, and it’s been two months.  Maybe I should start charging him for dinner.  If he wants to eat, he needs to reveal something about himself.

Ben yawns as he gets up from the couch, interrupting my train of thought.  He scratches the back of his head and starts leaving the common area.  “Someone wake me up when Cori’s back.  You’re all too quiet.  This is boring.”

Leo starts to move over to him.  “We can hang out in your room if you want.  I don’t really have any crazy plans.”

I chime in.  “What about Cori? He should be back in less than an hour.”

“He’ll be fine,” Ben says before yawning again.  “They aren’t stupid enough to try anything.”

“He has a point,” Leo says, agreeing with the hyena.  “As much as I worry, this whole plan is stupid and they know Yahya is watching.  They won’t go for him.”

“But what if they do?

“They won’t, trust me.  It’s Cori.  He won’t stray from the route.”  And before I can reply, they both go upstairs, leaving me and Rick alone in the common area.  Sighing, I sit back down and reopen my art.  I work on the courtyard a bit, needing some kind of distraction.  It may be just another hour, but it feels like forever, and someone needs to be awake for it.

Yahya

They got him.

That’s the first thing that goes through my mind when the signal is gone.  Cori wouldn’t be stupid enough to forget to charge his phone.  He knows the risks and to call me when something is even slightly off.  And that’s what I keep telling myself, as I feel a growing sense of dread when he doesn’t show up on the map.  He knew what he was getting himself into.

I was already worried when he wasn’t moving for a long time, but it was at a public place.  It was some restaurant, the Rat’s Tab.  Maybe he got caught up in something, saw someone he knew.  Either way, it was stupid.  I specifically told him not to waste any time, not to stray from the route, not to give them an opening, but he did anyway.

It’s his fault.

I waste no time in calling Margie and Kuroishi to update them on the situation.  The situation feels alarming more than anything, and the pragmatic part of me can’t help but wonder why.  As much as I’ve grown to even like the raccoon, he couldn’t follow basic instructions and he did it to himself.  So why does this feel so urgent? Why do I fear for him?

“They got him,” I tell them.  “Meet with me, now.” 

I also make sure to contact the Cornered Rats and tell them that it’s all hands on deck.  They should always be ready for something like this, even more since it involves Melon.  Six months and we finally have an opening.  We can’t just let it go to waste.

I start another pot of coffee for the long night ahead.  It’s an opening, I tell myself.  They slipped up.  It didn’t go the way we expected, but it still worked.  But now Cori’s going to die, and knowing Melon, slowly.  Painfully.  But he knew what he signed up for, so why am I so worried about him?

Maybe it’s the brutality.  Melon kills indiscriminately, but he singled Cori out.  Will it be mostly physical or mental? Will he beat, maim, or starve him? Will he get devoured? Or will Melon slowly chip away at his sanity until there’s nothing left but a shell? A few of Melon’s kills were more disturbing than the others, more brutal.  Numerous cuts and scars, a few bullet holes implying the victim was used for target practice.  In a few cases, he went as far as mutilation, with disembodied limbs and organs strewn across the room.  Those kills looked a lot less calculating and methodical, like they were born out of emotion.  What kind will Cori be?

It isn’t long before I hear a knock on the door.  I let Margie and Kuroishi in, and motion for them to take a seat.  The hard part is explaining to Margie.  Her almost motherly attachment to our clients was concerning, to say the least.

“As I said on the phone, they got Cori.  He took too long at a restaurant, the Rat’s Tab.  I don’t know what held him up, but we’ll find out.  His signal disappeared and I couldn’t contact him.  He’s gone.”

As expected, Margie is the first to speak up.  “I told ya, it was suicide! You sent him out to die!”

I try to save face when I respond.  “He knew what he was getting himself into-”

“No, he didn’t!” Margie raises her voice, enraged.  “He was a boy, Yahya!”

“He’s 25-”

“25 and he was scared! He was getting stalked by a serial killer! And your first plan was to send him out there as bait!  He needed your help and all you did was hand him to Melon on a silver platter! What in the hell were you hoping to accomplish? Tell me!”

“It was necessary.  It was part of a long term plan-”

“Fuck your long term plan! How many more beasts have to die for your stupid ass obsession?” Tears are streaming down her face and Kuroishi lays a hand on her shoulder, trying to console her, but she pushes him away.  I don’t know how to calm her down, how to get her to listen to reason, because the truth is she’s right.  But how else am I supposed to bring Melon to justice? How else am I supposed to stop the killings? I knew it when I made the plan, that in a worst case scenario, we would sacrifice one beast to save hundreds of others not just from him, but the Shishigumi.  One sacrifice would help us bring down the Black Market and all affiliated with it for good.  So why do I feel a lump in my throat and a sinking feeling in my chest?

No, I can’t show any weakness, not now.  It’s already too late.  “That ‘obsession’ will kill more than a raccoon if he’s allowed to roam the streets freely.  That’s why we’re doing this.  We needed him to slip up and show himself outside of the Black Market.”

I pull a bottle of whiskey out of the cabinet and pour it into a glass, downing it before continuing.  “The bastards always knew a way to avoid detection.  Melon’s obsession with the kid worked in our favor.  Now when the Rats send us the footage from the traffic cameras, we can narrow down where the Shishigumi rest their heads.  And then the rest is history.”  

I take another shot and continue, almost like I’m trying to convince myself.  “We needed a target.  It was the only way to get them out in the open.  We almost got the footage after the attack the other night but something happened.  That’s why I made sure the Rats were on it immediately this time.  If only Cori had some survival sense, then he would be here with us.”

“It should’ve been you,” Margie says coldly, moving towards the door and glaring at me.  “They’ve wanted your ass for years.  It was your plan, your obsession.  And now he’s dead because of it.”  Before I can protest, she walks out and slams the door behind her, starting her truck and driving away.

Kuroishi says nothing, but I can see the stress on his face as he pours himself a glass of whiskey.  The coffee pot beeps as it finishes brewing, and I sigh as I pour myself a cup.  She’s right, I tell myself.  It should’ve been me.  In response, I down a third shot of whiskey to silence that little voice in my head.

Jacob

The feeling of dread starts to set in as I look at my phone.  It’s been over an hour since Cori was supposed to get back.  An hour and twenty-six minutes, to be exact.  At first I brushed it off as something coming up, maybe Yahya needed to see him, hell maybe it was extra crowded tonight, but he would’ve at least tried to contact us by now.  If Leo didn’t work, then at some point he would’ve shot a text in the group chat explaining everything.

Rick’s behavior seems off as well.  The usually composed lizard is pacing around the common area, which definitely isn’t helping ease my anxiety.  He doesn’t really show much emotion but right now, there’s one thing clearly written across his face: panic.  He notices me staring at him and we both exchange glances for a moment, almost like we have a mutual understanding.  Something is very wrong.

Should I call Yahya and try to find out what’s going on? I hover over his name in my contacts list but think it over.  What if I am panicking over nothing? Or what if he’s already busy trying to find Cori? Maybe he’s already looking over his body, for evidence.  Cut, maimed… My heart starts to sink in my chest and I almost gag at the thought of what they could be doing to Cori.  And I’m just sitting here, letting it happen.

It feels like my body is moving on its own, closer to the door.  Everything is telling me that something’s wrong and that I can’t just sit here.  Cori needs us, and I may have Rick but Ellie’s still working and Leo and Ben are upstairs doing Rex knows what.  It’s not like they can do much to help anyway.  You can be as brave as you want, but there’s only so much you can do against a psychopath and his gang of lions.  But I’m different.  I hate using it but I have the strength to make a difference, and as my hand hovers over the doorknob, I can’t help but wonder if this is my purpose.  If the reason I was born a bear was to protect.  Before I can turn the doorknob, a scaled hand stops me.

“Cori should be home any minute.  We should sit down, talk.  Get our minds off of it.”

It’s almost shocking hearing Rick’s voice at a time like this.  The panic is palpable and he’s obviously trying to save face, but there also seems to be a tonal shift in his voice, almost threatening in a way. “You’re panicked, you’re worried, I get it.  But if you go out there and try to play the hero, you won’t come back.  So just sit down and find a way to distract yourself.  That’s what I’ve been trying to do, anyway.”

“Cori is out there, Rick.  He could be dead.  We can’t just sit here and act like nothing’s wrong! We need to help him!”

“Okay, what’s your plan? Walk over there and beat up a gang of heavily armed lions? Stop a serial killer with your fists and the power of friendship? Go ahead, I’m not gonna stop you anymore, but I’m staying here.  Unlike you, I value my life.”  With that, he sits down on the couch, almost like he’s expecting me to let go.

That’s exactly what I do.  As much as I hate it, he’s right.  If I go out there, it’s suicide, and it won’t do anything to help Cori.  I sigh, defeated, before moving over to the couch and sitting next to him.  He looks over at me and again, he’s the first to speak.

“So, what were you working on earlier? You kept looking at us like you were studying us.”

“It’s uh…” I take a moment to collect my thoughts, taken aback by his now more friendly tone, the opposite of what it was a few seconds ago.  “It’s us, standing in the courtyard.  Happy.”

“Mind if I see it?”

I pull out my tablet and open up the drawing, the courtyard still left unfinished.  Rick looks at it, almost like he’s paying attention to every little detail, and for a moment it seems there’s a hint of a smile on his face.  “We should recreate this some time, all of us.”

“What’s going on with your family?” A bad time to bring it up, I know.  And definitely a weird way to change the subject.  I can’t help it with how distant he’s been, and maybe finding out bits and pieces about Rick’s personal life can work as a distraction.

“It’s uh…” He looks uncomfortable for a moment.  “There’s a lot going on and I would rather not go into it.”

“We’re always here for you.”

“I know, and I’m grateful.  Any interests?” He does the same thing, abruptly changing the subject.  I can’t help but worry about whatever he’s hiding, but the last thing I need is to stress about something else right now.

“Cooking, art, science fiction.  And uh, conspiracy theories.”  I get kind of nervous, not wanting to be compared to some of the conspiracy nuts around the city.  “They’re just really interesting, you know.  I like thinking about them, making up some of my own.  It’s fun.”

“What’s your favorite?” Rick perks up, almost like he shares the same interest.  I feel a bit excited.  Maybe I can go on one of my shadow government rambles, but those are always so predictable and it doesn’t take long before I sound clinically insane.  There’s also The Desert, some urban legends.  Maybe I can go into the theory about that brown bear who devoured his classmate, how he was a test subject for an experimental medication and how they’re doing everything to keep him quiet.

“I’ve always wondered what’s in The Desert, you know.  Government experiments? Abominations? XX? An underground society? Or maybe it really is just a nuclear hell.  But I just don’t think that’s enough to explain why no one comes back!” I’m almost enthusiastic as I want to start listing off the endless amount of theories related to that place.

“The nuclear wasteland theory sounds like a coverup.”  Rick seems to share that same enthusiasm as he continues.  “Think of it.  Radiation is the easiest excuse for why no one ever comes back.  They get sick, they die.  That and the outright horrible living conditions.  Hunger, dehydration.  But it makes too much sense, and you would think that someone would be prepared, right? Suited up, heavily armed, enough supplies to last for weeks.  There has to be something else.”

“XX?” I respond, thinking back to all those articles about the urban legend and even the short comic book series about him.  The ultimate beast, a hybrid of the fastest, strongest, stealthiest, most durable, and most intelligent species, supposedly created before the war as a superweapon.  Some believe that he was the reason the bombs dropped, that they were the only thing that could stop him.

“I see it but there wouldn’t be so much coverage about him.  They would do everything to cover it up.  Maybe it’s something similar? Some kind of abomination, a horror that scours the wastes for any and all who are foolish enough to traipse into its territory.”  Rick starts to get a bit overdramatic before changing the subject.  “But I also like the idea of a secret society.  Imagine if a group of people really did survive the war and moved underground, and they either murder or integrate anyone who approaches.”

“But that begs another question,” I say, considering making this into a debate.  “Do they still follow the laws of the old world? Are they savages who live by eat or be eaten? Or have they found a new way?”

Our conversation is interrupted by my phone ringing.  I see that it’s Yahya and I immediately answer it, Rick going dead silent.  “What’s going on?” I ask, doing my best to mask the panic in my voice.

“Cori.  Have you seen or heard from him? I can’t find his signal.” Right to the point, as expected.

“No, he hasn’t come home.”  Saying it out loud only makes the dread set in faster.  “Yahya, did something happen?”

“Where’s Leo? I tried to call him, but he never picked up,”

I start making my way up the stairs.  “He went off with Ben a while ago.  To his room.  I’m gonna check on them, but hey, what’s going on exactly?”

He doesn’t answer for a moment, and I walk down the hall to Ben’s room.  I knock on the door but no one answers.  I check to see if it’s locked and feel the doorknob turn.  I open it and I’m greeted by the sight of two naked men laying on the bed.  Leo and Ben are cuddled up together, dead asleep with their clothes laying across the room.  As I move closer, I gasp as I see a white powder on the bedside table.  There’s also a spoon and two needles laying next to each other.

“Son of a bitch!” I yell out as Rick takes my hand and pulls me out of the room.  I close the door behind me and lay against the wall.  All kinds of emotions start to build up, and in a fit of rage, I punch a hole in the wall.  “You stupid fucking-” I can’t even finish my words before breaking down and crying, Rick taking the phone from me and putting it on speaker.

“They’re asleep.  They won’t be able to respond for a while.  What’s going on?”

“I wanted to tell all of you together, but-” It’s almost like Yahya himself struggles to find the words.  “Cori’s gone.  They got to him.”

I knew it deep down, but hearing the confirmation makes me feel like there’s a hole in my chest.  It’s true.  They got Cori, and he’s probably dead.  I get up to walk away but Rick stops me before answering.  “How did it happen? Is he alive?

“We don’t know.  I have all hands on deck, and I’ll be getting the traffic cam footage in a moment.  Then we can track them, maybe get Cori out before it’s too late.  But this is Melon we’re talking about, so as hard as it is to say, don’t get your hopes up.”

“I’m going out there,” I declare, standing up and making my way down the hall.  “I’m not about to sit here and just let him die!”

“No! You won’t be doing a damn thing!” Yahya yells out as Rick follows me.  “I can’t tell you that Cori will be rescued because I don’t know.  If you go out there, you’ll waste your time at best, and at worst…” He hesitates before continuing.  “At worst, we’ll have another body on our hands.”

“Then what the fuck am I supposed to do? Sit here, act like everything’s okay? It’s not! My friend could be dead! I’m not just gonna sit here and hope he’s still alive, hope that you guys get to him in time!”

“That’s exactly what you’ll do!” He yells back.  “Sometimes it’s the only thing you can do.  Most of your friends don’t know he’s missing.  Most of the other students don’t know he’s missing.  And it won’t be long before they do.  Your job, if you really want to help, is to make sure they don’t panic.  Save face, have some confidence.  Trust us, it’s all you can do.  And make sure that fox doesn’t stick his nose where it doesn’t belong.  We don’t need anyone else getting tangled up in this mess.”

“He’s right,” Rick says.  “Cori’s my friend too, but you don’t see me running out there committing suicide.  I hate it too, just sitting here and waiting.  But whether he’s alive or dead, Cori wouldn’t want us risking our lives without a plan.”  He lays a hand on my shoulder.  “Look, Yahya knows what he’s doing.  He’s a retired Beastar.  He’s dealt with Melon before and he’s survived.  So keep your chin up and put that smile back on your face.  You have to.”

“I’ll be there tomorrow morning to see the Dean.  I’ll make sure to update you.  Whatever you do, don’t leave campus and don’t even go outside alone.  Make sure all of your friends know to stay inside.  And one more thing.” Yahya pauses before ending the call with one more statement.  “I’m sorry.  It… It should’ve been me.”

He hangs up and I’m left confused.  Did Yahya just show… guilt? Does he feel remorse? Does he blame himself for this? I look over at Rick who seems taken aback by the same questions.  I try to break the silence.  “So, what do we do now?

“Whatever stops you from going out and doing something stupid.  Have a drink, talk about conspiracies.  Draw.  Anything to get your mind off of it.”  He starts heading back to the common area and I follow him.  “And make sure to get some sleep.  We’ll need it.”

He’s right, I think to myself as I sit on the couch.  I hate it, but he’s right.  I pull out my tablet and reopen the drawing, getting back to work on the courtyard.  I stare at everyone’s smiling faces for a moment.  Happy.  Everyone’s happy.  It’s a beautiful day, the sun is shining, and everyone is happy.

Cori

I wake up and I’m in the middle of a room.  A cell, I note as I take a look around.  No windows, just walls and a bed.  There are even bars on the door.  I sit on the bed for a moment and try to remember what happened and how I got here.

I was walking around, finishing up my route.  I saw that mysterious bunny girl, and something about her scent was off.  I still can’t figure out what it was.  Then that black car showed up, and they attacked me.  I saw him.  Melon.  Something about the way he moved intrigued me, a sick kind of calmness and fluidity in his actions.

I try to look around for anything I can use, but the room is empty.  Not knowing what else to do, I walk over to the door.  Maybe someone was dumb enough to leave it unlocked? I try to pull it open but it doesn’t budge.  There’s no way it was gonna be that easy.

The panic starts to set in, but I try not to scream.  The last thing I wanna do is alert them.  I’m trapped in here and there’s no way out.  Yahya probably doesn’t even know I’m gone… or maybe he does.  I remember now! That lion smashed my phone.  Maybe he realized the signal went out and he’s already on his way to rescue me.  But how will he even find me? Or what if he gets caught and the Shishigumi open fire?

I’m not left alone with these thoughts for too long before I hear footsteps approaching the door.  I brace myself, not having any other options.  I have to fight.  Maybe I can somehow overpower one of them, no I can’t.  Or maybe land a cheapshot and grab their gun, make a run for it.  I don’t know what I’m gonna do, but I need a plan and I need it now.  I can hear a key turning and I get ready for whoever is behind that door.

Chapter Text

When the lion pushes the door open, I lunge at him and try to tackle him to the ground.  Instead of knocking him down like I hoped, I only pushed him back slightly.  He’s so much bigger and more muscular, and the reality starts to set in when he pushes me back into the cell with ease.  It’s strange.  For some reason, I expected much more force from a lion.

As I stand against the wall, I start to get a good look at him.  He’s tall and a lot more muscular than me.  There’s a scar across his right eye and he has light golden-yellow fur.  His mane is styled like a pompadour. He closes the door behind him and I brace myself as he approaches me, but he stops and stands still.  He puts his hands in his pockets and he looks at me, almost like he’s sizing me up.  Or calling dibs on what part he’s gonna eat first.

There’s just this moment of silence between us as we stare each other down.  It’s like we’re both waiting.  Who’s gonna speak up first? Who’s gonna make the first move? I know I can’t take him in a fight, and knowing my luck he almost definitely has a gun hidden away in his suit.  For a second I consider charging at him, hoping that he tackles me and I manage to get an opening to take it from him, but this isn’t an action movie.  He could probably tear me apart with those claws.

I make the first move and speak up, doing my best to hide the fear.  “Who are you and why am I here? I didn’t do anything to you, and there obviously has to be some kind of slip up, right?” Try to act casual.  Appeal to emotion over time.

“Nah, the boss wanted you.  I don’t know why, but it’s not my place to ask.  Just as long as he’s happy.”

“So you just take people because he says so? If he asked you to take a little kid, would you? Or how about one of your own?” Rile him up a bit.  Guilt trip him, if it’s even possible.  He’s definitely seen some shit, or he wouldn’t have that scar.

He seems unaffected, maintaining that same casual demeanor as he replies.  “He didn’t ask for a little kid.  He asked for you.”

“But why? I haven’t killed anyone.  I haven’t done anything illegal.  The only thing I did was look at him a few days ago.”

“Big mistake.”

“So you’re just gonna leave me in here?” He starts walking away, almost like he’s heard this same spiel before.  “Hey, I wasn’t done! Why is a lion taking orders like a little bitch? I thought you were stronger.  Come on, tell me!”

He doesn’t even respond, and he leaves the cell.  I hear the lock click and I’m left alone with my thoughts, only for a minute or so before I hear him coming back.  Or so I thought, as I hear a voice right outside of the room.  It sounds calm, almost sympathetic.  “You should get some rest.  You’ll need it.”

Before I can say anything, he also retreats down the hallway.  I can’t help but worry about Leo and the others.  Yahya.  Do they even know I’m here? Are they still waiting for me to come home? I think of the fox’s reaction, when the realization hits that I’m not coming back.  Just last night, we kissed.  We slept together.  He was probably planning on asking me out when this was all over with.  It’ll hit him the hardest.

There’s also my parents.  I make sure to call every week, and it’s been five days since my last call.  What will they think when I don’t contact them? Maybe they can get one week, or someone can bullshit an explanation, but what about two? Three? How long will it be before they realize something’s off? How long before they realize that I’m dead?

I can’t let that happen.  I don’t know how, but I need to get out of here.  And that voice isn’t much to cling to, but maybe I have a chance.  I can’t help but chuckle to myself.  I’m really just sitting here in a fucking cell, about to be Melon’s next victim, and the only thing I have left going for me is a voice.  I’m hoping for a voice to save my life.  I’ve only been in here for a few minutes and I’m already losing my mind.

The best thing I can do is try to go to sleep, as hard as it’s gonna be.  I’m banking on a few things right now.  That voice, if it’s really out to help me, wouldn’t tell me to sleep if it wasn’t safe to do so.  Melon’s a sadist, and he’ll make sure I’m wide awake when he kills me.  And I can’t fight back without sleep.

I lay on the bed, groaning in pain.  The lions were rough on me, and I’m itching from Melon sticking the needle in my neck.  My back hurts from when one of them pounced on me and it feels like I got hit by a car.  I sigh and do my best to ignore it for now.  I slowly drift off and think of home.

It’s a normal day at the Den, as everyone calls it.  It’s really just a small section of the library we always cordon off to hang out after school.  A place for the nerds, socially awkward kids, and other “undesirables.” The kids who sit alone, the kids who are like a walking target for the more aggressive beasts.  It’s the one place where we feel like we can safely be ourselves, even if it’s just for an hour or two.

Only a few of us are here today.  There’s Marco, a lion more gentle and nervous than the others despite his appearance.  He keeps his mane short and he’s reading a book like usual.  It’s almost like he’s somewhere else when he’s reading, and it’s hard to draw his attention.  A part of me envies him, thinking about how nice it would be to just escape sometimes.

Cody starts tapping on my shoulder like usual.  The smaller raccoon is a lot more energetic than I am, and in a way he’s a lot braver.  He dyes the tufts of fur on top of his head, this time a light purple, and he doesn’t really care what anyone thinks most of the time.  He shows me this game on his laptop, some kind of first person shooter, and he rambles excitedly going over even minor details that no one notices at first.

I’ve known Cody since we were little kids.  We always lived close to each other, and we’ve mostly shared the same interests. It doesn’t help that people regularly got our names confused as well.  Not only that, but he’s one of the few who listens, who has ideas on how we should change beast society for the better.  We look out for each other when the larger carnivores start harassing us, but it’s mostly Cody who needs to be looked after.  I tell myself that I don’t mind it, that if I can’t deal with a high school bully then there’s no way I can deal with the real monsters.

It’s one of those days, as a large tiger in a leather jacket approaches us with his lackeys.  Juan.  He’s a year older than us and presents himself like a wannabe gangster who rules this place with an iron fist.  He could never be Darius, the lion who leads their group and surprisingly isn’t with them.  We try to keep to ourselves and avoid meeting his gaze.  Marco stays focused on his book while I watch Cody play his game.

As usual, it isn’t that effective.  Juan slams his fist on the table and sneers as he stares down Cody, letting out a low growl.  The smaller raccoon does his best to avoid eye contact, but it doesn’t help the situation.  The tiger looks him over, almost like he’s his next meal, before muttering under his breath.  “Fucking faggot…”

“Excuse me?” Cody speaks up, looking away from his game.

“Cody, no.  Not now-” Marco tries to interrupt, but can only watch the intense staredown between the raccoon and the tiger.

“No, I have to say this.  Faggot? When did who I sleep with become any of your business?”

The tiger slams his fist down onto the table, baring his fangs.  His claws are out and he leaves marks across the table.  It’s escalating.  “Everything is our business,” he emphasizes as he leans in closer.  “And we don’t take kindly to you dick suckin’ degenerates.”

Cody refuses to back down and it only gets more heated.  I don’t know what to do other than stay between them, act as a shield.  I stand up and stare down the tiger myself, bracing myself for the worst.  He only laughs before grabbing me by my shirt and pulling me closer.  I can see him salivating, looking at me like I’m his next meal.

“What do you think you’re gonna do, you faggot lovin’ prick?”  He traces a claw down my cheek and holds it to my neck.  Don’t panic, don’t scream.  He loves it.  He wants me to beg.  All I know to do is stare him down as an act of rebellion, but it’s like the words come out on their own.

“Such a big bad tiger, aren’t you? Going after two little raccoons.  Are you really too much of a bitch to pick on someone your own size?”

Oh fuck, he snapped.  He’s seeing red, and Marco even puts down his book. Before it can escalate, a voice booms across the library.  “Juan! What did I tell you about picking on the scraps?”

He turns around and sees Darius.  The muscular lion stands dominant, with a long mane and a muscular body.  He’s easily the strongest in the whole school, but unlike the rest of his gang, he’s more reasonable.  But his most notable quality, the one that’s about to save us, is his pride.  He growls as he approaches Juan, whose back is against the wall.  Juan is almost like a completely different beast from a few seconds ago.

“What did I tell you? Did you already forget the code?” Juan says nothing, almost shaking from fear as Darius grabs him by the neck and pulls him closer.  He can almost smell his fear and for a moment, it’s almost like he takes it in.  All we can do is watch as Darius yells out, almost shaking the whole room.  “Did you, or did you not, forget the fucking code? What is Rule 4?”

“Uh… it’s uh…” Sweat is pouring down the smaller tiger’s face as he desperately tries to recall the rules.  “N-never go after the scraps… The ones who can’t defend themselves…”

“Louder!” Darius roars.  We’re almost frozen in fear, even though he’s taking our side.  Darius’s claws start to dig into Juan’s neck, drawing blood as he starts to gasp for air.

“It’s… Never go after anyone who can’t defend themselves! S-scraps aren’t worth our time!”

“Good,” he says calmly as he lets Juan go.  Juan slides down the wall, panting.  Darius turns around, almost like he refuses to even acknowledge him.  He speaks to us after a moment.  “Are you two okay? What happened here?”

We both scramble to explain the situation to the best of our ability, but it’s Marco who words it best.  He’s so calm and collected, his face back in a book like nothing happened.  Again, I envy him.  Darius sighs before speaking again.  “I’m sorry about Juan’s behavior.”  He glares at the tiger as he continues.  “I’ll make sure he doesn’t mess with you guys again.”

He helps Juan up and walks him out of the library without a word.  We’re all still trying to process what happened.  Cody and Marco both check up on me but I reassure them that I’m fine.  I can’t get my mind off of Darius, that lion’s weird code and how it keeps saving our asses.  Part of me always wants to look up to him, even though he leads a gang and has been involved in several incidents over the past few years.  A violent man with honor, something right out of a movie.  I like that.

It isn’t too long before it starts getting late and we have to make our way out of the library.  Marco is the first to head out, and I wait for Cody to get ready before we walk out of the room.  In that moment, as he’s laughing and talking about some game we can play tonight, the realization starts to hit me that this isn’t real.  It hits hard, and all I can do is stare at Cody, who stands there confused.

I miss his face.  I miss that bit of innocence he had so long ago.  I miss the sound of his voice, the way we hugged.  And I hold on to him tightly, not wanting to let him go, knowing that he’ll be gone and in the Capital..  It’s like he starts to dissolve into dust in my arms.  I try to scream but nothing comes out, and it feels like everything is shaking.  I hear a rough voice, yelling at me to wake up.

I’m in this room again, and I’m staring at a lion, the same one from last night.  He sets down a plate with eggs and toast, along with a glass of water.  “Eat up.  You need your strength.”

“For what?” I ask.  He doesn’t respond, but I keep asking questions.  “Hey, what exactly is going on here? Do you at least have a name?”

“The name’s Free,” he responds, turning to walk away.  I get up and grab his arm, almost pleading to him.

“Look, I just wanna know why. I don’t wanna die! I haven’t done anything to Melon! Just please, tell me what I need to do.  Give an arm, a leg? Suck his dick? Kill someone? Come on,” I keep trying to plead to no avail.  He heads towards the door and I start getting desperate.

“You’re killing me!” I yell out desperately.  “You’re letting an innocent man die! You may not be holding the gun, the knife, whatever the hell he’s gonna use on me, but you’re just as guilty!” My pleas seem to fall on deaf ears but I don’t know what to do.  I hold on to him tightly but he doesn’t seem to budge.

I scramble and try to think of something else to say, but he holds his hand up, almost like he’s stopping me.  I let go of him, defeated.  Before he leaves the room, he looks back at me for a second.  It’s almost like I can see something in his eyes.  Is it sympathy or even pity? Or am I just losing my mind, grasping at whatever I can, even the smallest hope that someone’s looking out for me.  But all I have is that voice from last night, and as Free leaves, I can’t help but wonder if the other lion is looking out for me.

I look down at my plate of food.  Free told me I need to keep my strength up, but can I even trust that? What if Melon put something in my food? What if I take a bite and it ends up killing me? No, that doesn’t make sense.  Melon wants to do it in person and make it painful.  But what about Free? Maybe that look was sympathy, and he put something in my food to either kill me or at least make me numb so that Melon can’t make me suffer.

Maybe it’s just my mind playing tricks on me, I think to myself.  Maybe that’s part of Melon’s plan.  I could just be overthinking, but what if I’m not? Maybe they know I’ll overthink it and starve myself.  Or they put something in it.  Or they didn’t.  It’s a risk.  And where the fuck is the meat? Aren’t the Shishigumi known for selling meat on the Black Market?

I try to think that it’s a positive for a moment.  Maybe they know I’m not a devourer? It makes me think they’re considerate, or that again this is all just a trap and they’re trying to mislead me.  Make me think they stopped to consider my diet, but it was all a ploy to poison my food.  It doesn’t help that my stomach is growling.  I never ate dinner last night.  I planned to after the run but everything just went to shit and now I’m sitting here, waiting to die.  Waiting for Melon and the Shishigumi to devour me, to get off to my begging and screaming.

I take a bite of the eggs.  If that’s how it’s gonna be, I won’t give him the satisfaction.  I’ll die right here, quietly.  And it’s my victory, as small as it is.  I don’t die afraid, I don’t die screaming.  I die peacefully, accepting it.  And I start wolfing down my breakfast as these thoughts fill my head.  Even if it’s just in death, I beat you Melon.  There’s a feeling of satisfaction as I clean my plate and wait for whatever’s next.

Except nothing comes.  No pain, no shortness of breath.  I’m still here, a few minutes later.  Maybe it’s a long acting poison, but also the food didn’t taste off.  It was just a normal breakfast.  Nothing in the water either.  What the hell are they playing at? Why are they feeding me a normal breakfast and why didn’t Free attack me? Why is one of them trying to help me?

I can’t help but feel confused more than anything.  Part of me feels like it’s their goal.  Another part of me wants to have hope that maybe they aren’t out to kill me, at least not yet.  Maybe Melon just wants to talk for some reason? That makes no sense, he’s a serial killer, but what else? Could the Shishigumi be against him in some way? If so, why did they take me to begin with instead of just handling Melon?

It feels like hours, or at least I think it’s been hours.  Without a clock or any windows, I have no real semblance of time.  Hell, it could’ve been a whole day by this point and there’s no way I can know for sure.  It could be before lunch, I think to myself.  That’s assuming they’ll feed me three meals a day.

I lay on the ground after a while, bored.  I hate the waiting and the not knowing.  I’m just looking at the walls and the ceiling, counting every little detail.  It’s a really nice room considering, and they’ve kept it clean.  What do they do with everyone else they’ve brought in here? Take them somewhere else to kill them? That or someone is really good at keeping things clean.  My thoughts are interrupted by the footsteps approaching my door.

When he opens the door, we’re face to face.  He walks almost with grace, like he’s weightless.  I finally see his face without the mask, half of it covered by leopard spots.  He shows his fangs almost casually, licking his lips as he looks at me.  I always thought he would be terrifying up close from how Yahya described him, “a real freak,” as he told me, but he’s just different.  And I’m intrigued.  Now that he’s up close, there’s not that same chill in the air, not the same sense of danger.

I look him over and to my knowledge, he’s not even armed, or at least I don’t think he is.  Well, other than the knife in its sheathe, which makes sense to me.  They don’t know much about me, what if I attack? I did attack Free when he first came in, so it’s for security.  He isn’t wearing a suit that could conceal anything, just a pink button down with a floral pattern and black pants.  I look back at the knife and keep telling myself that he’s a killer, but it just doesn’t add up.  There’s no way this guy can be that sadistic.

His voice is low and raspy as he speaks up first.  “I’m sorry if the lions got rough with you.  I did hear the commotion earlier and couldn’t help but wonder.  So, what does the little raccoon think of our den?”

“They uh, they didn’t attack me.”  For some reason it feels like it’s easy to speak to him, and I continue.  “I panicked and I needed… I think you can say some kind of reassurance.  I’m in a room, in a place I don’t know.  I’m surrounded by lions who can tear me apart.  And there’s nothing I can do about it except sit here and hope.  And I hate that.  I hate not having that bit of control.”

“It’s only natural.  It’s instinct,” he replies as he sits on the bed.  “Like if one of them snapped and tore you into tiny pieces!” His voice is really high as he emphasizes the tiny with his fingers.  He’s so casual about this, like a friend I can always confide in.  Someone I can share a drink with and open up to without him trying to hook up with me.

“I feel kind of bad.  They didn’t, and they even made me breakfast.  I don’t know what to think.  And now I’m just sitting in this room, talking to a serial killer…” I slow down and look at him, and for a moment the smile is gone.  “A serial killer who hasn’t even touched me yet.  All of those stories about you, about this monstrous hybrid, but you don’t even look or act like a monster at all.  But do they even know what a monster is anymore?”

“What is a monster to you, Cori? Something that attacks in the night, tears you apart?” He says the last part with a kind of ferocity in his voice, not to mention a bit of excitement.  “Or is it something you never see? Something all made up in your head, or something you don’t expect?”

“What is a monster to anyone?” I look into his eyes for a moment before looking down.  “Where I come from, if you aren’t with someone from the same species, you’re a freak.  Hybrids are abominations to them.  But it goes further than that.  We all just build walls, and there’s a whole half of the population that probably thinks of us as monsters, just because we’re carnivores.”

He sits there attentively as I continue.  “I moved to Zebuth because I thought in the city, it would be different right? But it’s all an illusion.  Everyone puts on this grand act in public but we still hide behind the same walls.  Those protesters at the park the other day, they’re the worst of them.  They went after a little girl just because of something she can’t even help! And it makes me think that maybe, the real monsters are the ones building those walls, holding up the signs.  Why should a little girl be attacked like that? How does it make sense?”

It’s almost like I’m trying to appeal to him, this beast that I just met.  And he seems to be listening.  Is he sympathizing? Of course he is, he’s a hybrid.  He’s one of the few who understands, who has been through more than I can possibly imagine.  I wanna help him, as crazy as it sounds.  He’s suffered for so many years and he keeps it all bottled up, wears a mask.

He gets up from the bed and walks around almost casually, heading towards the door.  He turns around and looks at me before answering me.  “You’ve put a lot of thought into this, haven’t you? You’re a thinker.”  He approaches me with a grin on his face, looking down at me.  Does he like me in a way? He turns to my empty plate and glass.  “I’ll take this back real quick.  It’s almost time for lunch.”  He turns the fork around in his hand, standing there for a moment, before he drops the plate and glass.

It’s sudden.  As the glass shatters,  I don’t have time to react before he plunges the fork into my left hand.  I let out a scream, blood pouring down my wrist.  His grin is sadistic, and he watches me struggle for a moment, like it’s just entertainment to him.  I try to crawl towards the broken glass but he steps on my hand, pushing the fork in deeper.  My left arm is shaking as he lets out a chilling laugh, one born of insanity and nothing else.

He grabs me by the neck and slams me into the wall.  It feels like all of the breath has been forced out of my lungs.  His grip tightens and I’m gasping for air.  Is this it? Is this how I’m gonna die, right here in this room? I struggle but there’s no use, and Melon speaks with nothing but hate.  “If I had to hear another second of your hopeful rambling I was gonna stab myself.”

“Why?” I manage to barely let out.  “Why are you doing this?”

“Because it’s fun,” he says before letting out a chuckle.  “Giving you that small bit of hope before seeing the look on your face when I crush it!” It’s almost like he’s trying to crush me in response as he chokes me.  Everything starts to get blurry as I can’t even breathe.  I’m going out of it, fast, and there’s nothing I can do as the last thing I’m going to see is that sadistic grin.

He can see it and he lets go of me.  I collapse on the ground, gasping for air which at this moment is the most precious thing.  It’s only for a moment before he puts the knife to my throat.  “It’s so fun watching you squirm…”

“Melon, please…”

“And I love it when they beg.”  He presses the knife, drawing blood.  “What happened, Cori? I thought the real monsters were the ones holding up the signs.  Do you think I’m a monster?” Before I can answer, he continues.  “No, you’re not that kind of person.  You’re one of those annoying little bleeding hearts who thinks they can sympathize with me.”

I’m taken aback.  How is he able to read me, and so easily too? It’s like he can see my confusion and he responds to it.  “Did you really think I wouldn’t pick up on the way you were looking at me? It was like you were trying to read me, right? Did you wanna reason with me? Save me? Is that what you thought all this time? That maybe you’d be the first one to crack my code and understand!~” His expression is almost comical, the way he’s mocking me.  The way he even lifts his tail up as he puts emphasis on understand.

He forces me to look right into his eyes.  “You’re just like that damn wolf! You think a few nice words can change everything.  What did you think would happen? That I would just go about my life and have this awakening? That you would singlehandedly change my life and rescue me from thirty years of despair?” He has the theatrics down, and it hits me that this is a game to him.  It’s a sick, twisted game, and right now he sees me as his plaything and nothing else.

He presses the knife deeper and I brace myself for the end, expecting it to come.  But it doesn’t.  He pulls the knife away and lets out a laugh.  “Oh, you should’ve seen the look on your face! That’s the best part, that look of fear in their eyes.”  He pulls me closer, face to face.  “It’s always the same, no matter what species, what gender, what background.  And unlike everything else, it’s honest.  And that is always the best part.” That last part seems to have a more somber tone, which feels pushed to the side as Melon walks to the door with that same grace from earlier.

As he opens it, several lions are seen listening in.  Melon gives them an order as he walks out.  “Clean him up and make sure he doesn’t die.  I’m not done with him yet.”

One of the lions races in with a bandage, his fur darker than the others.  He looks at me before speaking.  “I’m gonna have to pull the fork out.  This is gonna hurt, a lot.”  I recognize the voice.  It’s that same man who talked to me last night.  “Shit, this is definitely gonna need stitches.”

He tells me to get ready, and all I know to do is hold on to something for dear life.  I hold on to his free arm, and he grips my hand tightly as he focuses on the other one.  He waits for a moment, and I nod my head.  “Please, just do it already…”

“Okay, one, two, three!” He pulls the fork out of my hand in one go, clean.  I yell out in pain as my vision blurs, blood pouring from the wound.  It’s like something out of a movie but far worse, the sight of my hand covered in blood as the rest of the lions rush into the room being the last thing I see before everything goes black.

That dark lion is the first beast I see when I wake up.  He’s sitting at the foot of the bed watching me.  The sheets have been replaced and my hand is wrapped up.  Before I can do anything, he stops me.  “Don’t move.  You’ll need your strength.  And we don’t wanna risk opening up that wound.”

“Why?” That’s all I can think to ask.  “Why are you looking out for me? I thought you guys were out to kill me.”

“Melon is,” he responds.  “Well, when he’s done with you.  He plans on dragging it out for now.”

“But why? Seriously, what did I do to him? Why is he so cruel?”

“I don’t know,” he replies, like he’s giving it some thought.  “It could be childhood trauma or he was just born that way.”

“It has to be trauma.  No one’s born that way.”  I’m telling myself that as well.  It feels more like I’m just trying to cope, the idea of someone being born like him, almost pure evil, terrifying me.  I try to change the subject.  “You never told me your name.  You’ve been looking out for me and I don’t even know what to call you.”

“Agata.”

“Thank you, Agata.  I don’t wanna sound overdramatic but I owe you my life.”

“Hey, I’m gonna get you out of here.  It sucks to hear, but you just have to hold out as long as you can.  I’ll tell the others that you’re awake and get you dinner.”

“But why? Why are you so worried about me?”

“You don’t deserve this.”  That’s all he says before he moves to the door.

“Wait, I have so many questions-”

“I don’t have much time.  If I take too long, the boss will-”

Almost like he said too much, Agata stops himself before walking out of the room, leaving me alone.  What did he mean by that? Is Melon keeping them on a short leash? He can’t even keep himself on one, I think to myself as I look at my bandaged hand.    I rub my neck and feel a scratch where he threatened me with the knife.  And I just keep going back to the same question: why? Why would he do this?

It’s something that I ponder while I wait for one of the lions to return with my food.  There has to be some reason for it.  He was perfectly fine one second, and he attacked me the next.  It could just be bullshit, and he was always this psychopath like Yahya said, but it doesn’t sit right with me.  I refuse to accept something like that, and with that thought, I feel like I have an almost newfound purpose.

As dangerous as he is, as close as he was to killing me, I need to find out why Melon is like this.  I’ve talked about changing beast society my whole life and right now, I feel like this is where I have to start.  I have to understand the worst of the worst.  I have to try to help him.  If I can’t even do that, if I can’t help a single beast, then how am I going to change the world? There’s another part of me that thinks the opposite.  If I can’t accept that a single beast is evil, how am I going to survive long enough to change the world?

Chapter Text

Leo

As we sit in Dean Hazel’s office, the news is still too much to process.  Every time I look at Yahya, I want to give in to my instincts and sink my fangs into his throat.  This is his fault, I think to myself.  Cori’s captured because of him.  And every minute we waste here could mean Cori’s life.

I don’t even want to listen to his bullshit explanation, how he did everything he could, how he feels guilt.  The only part that I agree with is that it should’ve been him.  Not someone as gentle and caring as Cori.  Not someone who actually saw the good in beasts, who wanted to change the world.  Instead, we’re stuck with the asshole who’s just part of the problem: an upper class herbivore who only benefits from the system.  He can see the way I’m staring him down and I want him to see.

It’s always them.  Herbivores who will play the victim every time someone so much as looks at them wrong, herbivores who will treat us like savages foaming at the mouth and struggling not to take a bite out of them.  They act like we only see them as food and nothing else, when only a minority actually go to the Black Market.  Every attack, every devouring is just another tool for them to oppress us further.

Jacob’s told the story before, about how when he was a teenager, they almost forced some kind of medication on him to control his strength.  Instead of embracing our differences, they want to take them away, restrain us, weaken us until we’re down to their level.  The only thing that spared him was a recent controversy surrounding the medication which forced them to take it off the shelves.

I only feel pure rage when I stare down that fucking horse.  Using Cori as bait, treating him like a pawn.  He should’ve been the fucking bait.  I can’t get the feeling out of my mind, that moment when I found out Cori was missing.  How I shouldn’t have let him leave, how I should’ve been out there and looking for him, unlike the retired Beastar.  I think back to that night for a moment, about what I did instead of looking out for Cori like I promised, and the guilt hits me again like a shot to the chest.

When we enter Ben’s room, the hyena immediately heads for the mini fridge and hands me a beer.  Ugh, the cheap shit, I think to myself.  Well, it’s better than nothing.  I open it and sit on the bed, downing it and gagging a bit at the taste while Ben seems to be enjoying his.  All these years and I can never understand his lack of taste.

“Where’s the wine?” I’ve asked him so many times before.  “Whiskey? Liquor? Even daiquiris?” Every time I would ask him that question, he responded with the same look.  Sometimes he gives me shit for it, telling me that I’m “bougie” and that my desperate ass would drink it anyway.  Good point, but at least have some taste? Please?

I down the rest of my beer and casually throw the bottle to the side.  He gives me another, and I chug it down like I haven’t had anything in days.  Fuck the taste, everything is too stressful.  I just need to forget, even for a little bit.  Any kind of a distraction as long as my mind isn’t on Cori and the unspeakable things Melon will do to him if he gets captured.  And after I finish a second bottle, my mind starts to turn to Ben, and that mess of a hyena just has a certain appeal to him that I’ve never been able to explain.

I move slightly closer to him.  At this point, I feel this almost primal desire for him.  His scent is the one thing on my mind, the thought of it arouses me and I feel like I need to restrain myself to not make a move.  Think of Ellie, I tell myself, but the alcohol and growing need in my sweatpants wins me over.

“Leo…” He starts, and I feel a bit of guilt.  What am I doing?  But holy fuck I need him right now, more than ever.  I need something to distract me and get my mind off of shit.  I need to feel.

“I wanna ask Ellie out,” he continues, stuttering, but he starts to move closer.  We’re almost touching, and it’s like he keeps trying to convince himself more than anything as he manages to say, “We can’t keep doing this man.  I wanna do this right.”

“But you aren’t with her yet,” I remind him, the hyena huffing as his arousal only becomes more apparent.  “How long are you gonna keep talking about it until you do it? And how do you know she’s even interested?”

Just reel him in you useless whore.  You need this.  I grab another beer and down it, which only helps reaffirm that voice in my head.  He needs this.  And how many times did he come onto you, high out of his mind at 3 AM knowing how much you want Cori? How many nights did you spend in his warm embrace, feeling like you were in another world? When was the last time you were free?

I’m snapped back to reality by Ben, who gives in and makes the first move.  His kiss is so needy, almost desperate.  Like usual, he wastes no time, his hot breath against mine as he slips his tongue inside.  Ben is a moaning mess as he starts to unzip his pants, but I already have a different idea in mind.

We grind against each other as we strip down, and Ben is taken aback when I go for his pit.  His scent is like a drug, a fucking addiction, and as I take in a big whiff, I can’t help but shudder.  I know Ben is giving me that look, but as I give it a few licks, I can hear a soft moan.  I can feel his hand against the back of my head, pushing me into his pit and urging me to keep going.

Ben’s always had that dominant side, and the way he uses me like a sweatrag, keeping my face in his pit, that’s always the best part and has been since our first quickie in senior year.  It was my birthday present to him, and I can’t help but chuckle at the thought of him not even lasting five minutes.  And the way I built it up throughout the day, every confident smirk, even the lightest brush against him, it was definitely some of my best work.

He finally pulls me away after a couple more minutes and he has that lustful grin on his face.  I get on my knees and plan to sniff his balls, but Ben obviously has different plans in mind.  He teasingly slaps my cheek with his cock, leaving a string of pre.  He acts fast for someone who was so hesitant a minute ago, but as I take his length into my mouth, who am I to talk?

Ben’s taste is comforting in its own way.  It’s no surprise since we’ve been fucking on and off for the past two years and dating through the past six.  Ben wastes no time in getting rough, thrusting into my mouth.  As his balls slap against my chin, I’m grateful that I don’t have a sensitive gag reflex.  I grope his rear for support and claw into his cheeks, digging deeper than usual and eliciting a grunt of pain and pleasure from the hyena.  In response, he facefucks me with reckless abandon as I eagerly swallow his pre.

As Ben speeds up, I wait for him to finish but he never does.  Instead, he pulls out with a cocky grin on his face and strokes his cock.  He doesn’t even have to say anything before I open wide, my own dick throbbing as pre drips down the length.  A few moments later, Ben lets out one more grunt before painting my face with his load, strips of his hot seed shooting out in and around my mouth.  He has that dominant grin across his face, the one I love so much.  That look of satisfaction after marking me with his musk and cum.

We take a moment to breathe before Ben pulls something out of his bag.  A small bag of white powder, two needles, and a spoon.  He pulls a bottle of water out of the mini fridge and has a mischievous grin on his face.  “This, in that old lizard’s words, is some of the best shit on the market.”

“Ben, you know how I feel about this kind of stuff.”

“I know, only alcohol and sometimes a Kines on the harder days.  Don’t act like I haven’t seen you with a can of that shit before.  And you’ve never told me about your source.  How does a guy like you get his hands on a 2018 Kines?”

I don’t know how to respond.  Sometimes I just needed that boost to get me through the day.  I had heard the news stories but I’ve never devoured, so I always felt like it was safe.  I try not to groan at the thought of having to share what little I have left with Ben.  I try to change the subject to that white powder.  “Where did you even get it?”

Ben whispers to me three words I never wanted to hear.  “The Black Market.”

“Ben, no!”

“Look, it’s someone I know, don’t worry.  This komodo dragon, we’ve always been cool, and he’s never given me bad shit before.  And you know what they say, something about how you should never get high alone.  It’ll feel amazing, trust me.”

“Yeah, until it is bad shit and you end up dead.”

He’s already getting to work like he’s blatantly ignoring me.  I sigh and look away, wiping some of the spunk off of my face.  My thoughts drift back to Cori but it only lasts a moment before Ben taps on my arm, holding a needle.  “Come on, just try it once.  You’re too stressed out.  It’s top quality, trust me.”

Fuck it, I think to myself.  Ben keeps talking about it like it’s the greatest thing in the world, and it’s just a one time thing.  And if it’s bad, at least it’s bad enough to be a distraction.  I hold my arm out and look away, looking out the window and trying not to panic as he wets my arm.  He sticks the needle in and I try not to strain too hard.

I wait a few minutes and at first I don’t feel anything different, other than the panic of what will happen next.  But then there’s a rush unlike anything else.  It’s a weird state of mind, calm but full of energy, more than I’ve ever had.  And holy fuck I’m horny, and as I look at Ben, he seems to be thinking the same thing.  I push him down onto the bed and kiss him, every touch more sensitive than the last as we both fly away into a world of bliss.

I wake up groaning as the sun hurts my eyes.  Ben is already awake, smoking a cigarette and looking out the window while in his underwear. The sheets are stained with cum and as I look around the room, I can’t help but notice the dirty socks, rope, and a pair of panties.  What the fuck happened last night? And why do I still yearn for more?

I feel like it’s a struggle to get up. I feel more groggy than I have in my entire life and all I wanna do is stay in bed, call for him and cuddle. He turns to look at me, cigarette hanging out of his mouth.  I force myself out of bed and kiss him on the cheek before looking for some clothes to slip on.  And a Kines, I think to myself.  After throwing some clothes on, I slowly make my way to my room as my head pounds viciously.

I groan from the stomach pain as I see Jacob and Rick walking down the hall.  This is worse than a hangover, I think to myself.  I wave to them but they stop me in the middle of the hallway.  There’s a grim expression on Jacob’s face and I can tell something is off, but it doesn’t register until he starts speaking.

“Leo, you may wanna sit down for this…”

As I stare down Yahya feeling nothing but contempt, my mind wanders to Ben for a moment.  When he heard the news, the hyena left, almost like he couldn’t handle the guilt.  I get that, more than anything.  Jacob and Rick are with us, sleep deprived.  The bear lays a hand on my shoulder while Rick stays close to Yahya, like he’s looking him over.

Yahya finally turns to me after a moment.  It’s almost like he feels remorse, which he confirms by saying softly, “I’m sorry about Cori.  It should’ve been me.”

“You’re right,” I respond unfazed.  “It should’ve been you.”  I stare the horse down coldly and it all starts to come out at once.  “It was your fault, you son of a bitch! Yours! You sent Cori out on this suicide mission and used him as bait and now you just wanna sit there, ‘oh my bad guys it should’ve been me,’ like anyone here is dumb enough to fall for it! His blood is on your hands, Yahya!”

He doesn’t even respond and Jacob tries to calm me down, but I only get more frustrated.  “He didn’t ask for this! You were supposed to protect him! Retired Beastar, my ass.  You’re just an old rich bastard who sends everyone else to do your dirty work and acts like he’s the embodiment of justice! You’re damn right it should’ve been you!”

I wanna kill him.  At least hurt him, see the fear in his eyes..  If it weren’t for Jacob’s grip on my shoulder, I would.  Yahya remains silent, and for a second it feels like he’s ashamed.  I feel a small amount of guilt but mask it.  He doesn’t deserve it.

“I don’t think he’s dead,” he lets out.

“What do you mean? Melon’s a serial killer, and he wanted Cori specifically!”

“And that works out perfectly in his favor.  Melon picked him out.  He doesn’t really need anything from Cori and it’s personal.  He likes to play with his victims.  It isn’t much to bank on, but I believe he’s alive and well, probably going through the worst of it, but alive.”

“So he’s torturing him then?”

“Possibly,” he admits.  “Cori’s an idealist who believes he can change the world with a few convincing words and a smile.  He believes he can sympathize, which is exactly what Melon hates.  Knowing him, he probably wants to crush Cori’s worldview first, destroy any and all faith he has, and then kill him after.”

“So you’re telling me that Cori could be alive and we’re just sitting here-”

“We’re not doing this again!” The Dean chimes in this time after mostly staying silent.  The giraffe sighs and takes a sip of her coffee.  “Arguing with him isn’t gonna help us find Cori or prevent something like this from happening again.  Going off on your own will just get you killed.  And you!” She turns to Yahya, her tone making even him jump.  “Sending our students out as bait, what were you thinking? You were a Beastar! You should know better!”

“Why do you think I’m here?” He raises his voice slightly.  “I haven’t slept, haven’t stopped working ever since I lost his signal.  It’s been all hands on deck and all we’ve tried to do is find him.  Something happened to the traffic cam footage.  No other eyewitnesses.  We’re running out of options.”

“What other options are there?” I speak up.  As much as I hate Yahya, Hazel has a point and after last night, I can’t just sit back anymore.  “Come on, what other options?”

“I’m going to the Black Market.”

“No!” Dean Hazel is the first to chime in.  “You know what happened last time! It’s suicide!”

“What other options do we have? It should’ve been me out there to begin with, and now one of your students is going to die.”

“I’ll go.”  I turn around and look at Jacob, who steps forward.  “They don’t know me and I can defend myself.  I’m tired of just sitting back and not being able to do anything.”

“No.  You’re not going out there and getting yourself killed.  Enough of you are involved as is.”

For once I agree with the horse.  It’s not that Jacob going is a bad idea, and he’s definitely the safest option.  But I don’t want anyone else getting involved.  On the other hand, I understand him more than anyone else, disgusted at the thought of only being able to sit around while Cori could be dead.

“I’m the only one who can.  You’ll die.  They’ve already seen Leo”

Dammit Jacob, why do you have to make this so difficult? I sigh, hating the thought of it.  “No, I’ll go.”

“We are not having this conversation!” I’ve never seen Dean Hazel this fed up, but a lot of students view her as a second mother for a reason. “No one else is going out there and dying! Send one of your associates or anyone else, but not my students!”

“I’ll just go whether any of you like it or not.  I’m not just sitting back anymore.”  With my mind made up, I leave the office and don’t give any of them an opportunity to respond.  Jacob follows closely behind me and grabs my arm.

“Dude, what the hell was that? You know you can’t go out there! They’ll recognize you!”

“And I can’t just sit here.  I can’t let you go and take the risk, and as much as I can’t stand him, we need Yahya.  Rick isn’t speaking up so I’m pretty sure we’re out of options.”

“What part of they’ll recognize you did you miss? Melon’s seen you! You’re the last person we should send!”

“I got high last night,” I try my best to not let my emotions get the best of me.  “While you two were up waiting, while Yahya was investigating, while Cori was getting captured, I got high.  I should’ve went with him.  I should’ve been there for him but instead I stuck a needle in my arm and slept with Ben.  I know that Melon has seen me and I know the risks, but I’m not just gonna sit here and lose someone else.”

Jacob keeps following me and desperately tries to convince me to stay, but I’m not hearing any of it.  Just go back you idiot.  Let me be useful for once.  Let me make this right.  I can hear another set of footsteps approaching and I speed up.  Can they just leave me alone?

“Do you really wanna save your friend?” Yahya calls after me and I stop for a moment.  “Turn around.  We can discuss this over lunch.”

I wait for a moment and the horse continues.  “You wanna save your friend.  You feel guilty.  I understand.  But if you rush into the Black Market without a plan, if any of them see you, it jeopardizes everything.  What do you think they’ll do to Cori if they find out his best friend is walking around the Black Market asking questions? And on top of that, it’ll make them that much harder to find.”

“You talk about finding them, but didn’t the Shishigumi have a mansion before?”

“Demolished.  Everyone thought it was best to not even leave a trace.”

“Feels more like they swept it under the rug.”

“Can we continue over lunch? There’s someone I want you to meet-”

“No.” As much as he’s made me doubt myself, I stand firm.  “We can’t go out and have lunch when Cori can still be out there.  I’m going regardless.”

“Did you even listen-”

“I did and I know the risks.  I also know Cori could die if we take too much time trying to come up with a plan.  I need to at least see, okay? Just… let me do something.  Give me some eyes and a way out if you really wanna help.  If there’s even a chance I can find something out, then I have to at least check it out and know for sure.”

“Fine, I’ll call someone.”  Yahya is getting more frustrated as he scrolls through his contacts.  The fucker has no right.  At least I’m trying.  He walks away for a moment as he talks to someone on the phone, keeping it short and sweet before he comes back.  “Get going and don’t waste any time.  Don’t draw attention to yourself, don’t even ask any questions.  Walk around, pay attention, take note of anything you hear.  If anything even feels slightly off, get out of there.  We’ll be keeping an eye out and a cheetah will be waiting for you in a green sedan.  If you want to back out, now’s your chance.”

“Not happening.”  I head back to the dorm to get a few things, most importantly a hoodie.  I should at least have my face covered so they don’t recognize me.  And down a Kines while I’m at it.  I need that boost of energy more than ever.

The walk to the Black Market is mostly uneventful.  It’s hard to find, and I struggle to figure out which twists and turns I should take.  It’s probably easier to find at night, but there’s no way I would be stupid enough to be around here that late.  Already I feel like fresh meat the closer I get.  I’m not an herbivore, but I’m not the strongest or fastest carnivore.  If I even look at someone wrong, I could be dead.

I start to drool as the scent of fresh meat hits my nose, and as I follow it, I feel guilty.  I hate the idea of even touching meat, not even just to try it.  Ben tried a finger once, years ago, and I was so disgusted that I avoided him for weeks.  But right now, there’s a part of me that’s pumped.  My heart’s racing, I’m drooling, and I have to stop myself from racing towards the tantalizing aromas.  It’s a need and I keep fighting it, holding myself back.  And I have to head right to the source and stop myself from giving in just for a nibble.

Even during the day, a few stands are open and beasts are rushing in, whether it’s for a lunch break or just a quick hit to get them through the day.  The same beasts who live side by side with herbivores, salivating as they order what once could’ve been a friend or coworker.  I kind of understand where Yahya’s coming from, as bigoted as he is.  It’s two faced and outright reprehensible.  Is this the kind of terror an herbivore has to live with? That even a close friend could view them as their next meal?

I try to focus, listening in on passing conversation.  A hawk at one stand is explaining the higher prices, how meat is getting harder to come by.  A bear agrees, talking about how he had to reduce the portion sizes.  “Someone’s been cracking down,” the hawk mentions.  “Every time it’s like they have less to offer but for the same price.”

“My cousin had to shut down her stand a couple weeks ago,” the bear replies.  “She made the best filet you could ever have.  And when it got cold, it was like her rabbit stew was going out of style!”

I make sure to take note of the meat shortages.  That could be horrible for Cori.  What if he ends up here, in one of these stands? No, don’t think about it and don’t get emotional.  Not now.  Concentrate, find out what you can.

I barely notice an older fox approach me from an alleyway and lay a hand on my shoulder.  “Hey beautiful…” he tries to say with his raspy voice.  He’s definitely a smoker.  The way he rubs my shoulders is very unsettling.  “You lookin’ for some work? I can pay ya…”

“I’m just looking around.  I really don’t have the time-”

“Come on…” He leans in closer and whispers in my ear.  “With an ass like that, you could be my biggest earner…”

He slaps my rear and I pull away.  “Dude, fuck off!” I yell before trying to make as much distance between us as I can.  He doesn’t follow me, but he stands there and watches intently.  I make sure to stay around other beasts to make sure he won’t try anything, not like that matters much in the Black Market.  I overhear a conversation about this new drug that’s been going around, and I stop as I hear a masked komodo dragon give more details.

He holds a small bag of a familiar white powder and points at it as he describes it to a potential customer.  “Imagine growing wings and flying without a care in the world while also having a rush of energy unlike any other.  And if you have a girl at home, she’ll be begging for more! Imagine pleasure in every part of your body, so mind shattering beyond anything you’ve ever felt before! Just make sure to wear a condom or three!” He chuckles and as tempted as I am to ask more about it, I don’t.  No wonder Ben fell for his bullshit.

As I turn a corner, I look behind me and see the old fox following me.  I pick up the pace and he does the same, surprisingly fast for his age.  I sprint and try to lose him.  The longer that I’m here, the more suffocating it feels.  I’m alone.  No one’s gonna try to help me in the Black Market of all places.  So many beasts are just watching and they don’t even care.  They just go about their business.

Yahya must’ve known something was up.  As I sprint through another alleyway, I can see a green sedan pulling up at the other end.  I bolt towards it and see the cheetah in the driver’s seat.  I scramble to open the door and I let out a sigh of relief as he drives away, looking back and seeing the fox glaring at us.  My heart is racing and I’m hyperventilating while the cheetah stays silent.

I could’ve died and none of them even tried to help me.  All they did was watch, like it was just another day for them.  It’s like they’re numb to it, like it doesn’t matter because it isn’t any of their business.  Or they know that making it their business puts targets on their backs.  I wanna cry.  Yahya was right, and I can’t stop thinking about what Cori must be going through.  To my knowledge, that guy could’ve just been an old pervert.  Cori is with the fucking Shishigumi.

After a few minutes, he stops at a classy, high end restaurant.  He motions for me to get out of the car and I follow him.  I slowly realize how woefully underdressed I am as we’re surrounded by beasts of class.  Businessmen, even a couple politicians that I recognize.  I pass a red deer who looks back at me for a moment.  He comes off as very judgemental but I can’t get a good read on him.  He’s young, like that student at the top of his class who was groomed for success.  There’s something about him that I can’t describe, something different from your average herbivore.  I can’t think on it for too long as I see Yahya waving over to us, sitting next to an old komodo dragon.

I don’t know why Yahya chose somewhere outside where everyone can see us.  We sit down and a female goat stops for a second, mouth agape, before adjusting her uniform and asking us what we would like to drink.  Yahya and the komodo dragon order water, the cheetah orders whiskey, and I think fuck it and I order wine.  As we wait for our drinks, Yahya initiates the conversation.  “So, how was your trip? What did you hear?”

I recount the events of my walk, getting uncomfortable as I mention the older fox, and Yahya types it out on his phone as I go.  The komodo dragon perks up as I mention the drug dealer, like he knows something about it.  After I finish telling them my story, I get lost in thought about him.  What does he know? Is he related to that guy or something?

“First, I would like you to introduce you to Gosha.  We worked together when we were young, and he was involved the last time Melon was running rampant.  He’s also closely related to Savon, former leader of the Dokugumi, so he knows some of the ins and outs.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I respond as the waitress returns with our drinks.  I take a sip of my red wine and look through my menu, choosing a salad as an appetizer.  I keep looking over at Gosha.  I don’t know much about komodo dragons, but from the way he looks compared to that drug dealer and the how he dresses, I assume he’s close to Yahya’s age.  It’s hard to believe that Yahya worked with him years ago.  I thought he hated carnivores.

“You’ve seen the Black Market and you know how dangerous it is.  You’ve seen the looks on their faces, that lack of concern for other beasts’ lives.  Melon is the worst of them and would kill you without hesitation.  Do you still want to chase after Cori? Do you still feel like you need to do your part?”

“Of course I do,” I speak with resolve.  “Cori is still there as we speak.  Every minute we waste, Melon could be murdering him.  There’s no backing out now.”

“Are you in? If you are, I’ll take you to my office and get you up to speed on everything we know.  Last chance.”  He puts his hand out.

“I’m in.”  I say it without hesitation.  I know if it was the other way around and Melon captured me, Cori would do the same thing.  And as I sit here with the retired Beastar, I feel confident.  Two old men, a cheetah who doesn’t speak, and a college student, all taking on the Shishigumi.  It isn’t much but it’s what we have, and as much as I don’t like Yahya, he could've just let me go off on my own and die. And as I shake his hand, I take note of the bags under his eyes, and at least in that moment, I feel like we're on the same side.