Chapter 6: The Dreaded Feline
Whoever came up with the phrase "Silence is Bliss" certainly has never been in my shoes.
What am I supposed to say? What is he supposed to say? Is anyone supposed to say something?
It's a cold, windy night, the streets are bare, and the sun has already set. I can only see a few metres ahead of me, and I'm walking home from school with an awkward, shy tiger. Any small talk would be wonderful because the walk is about 10 minutes long.
"So... uh... how many are trying out for the race?" I ask after a while.
No response. Did he hear me at all? Was I too quiet? Did I only think that I said that?
"A-About 8 or so... it's a bit less than last year." He said after a while.
"Oh OK" I replied.
What now? Ask him another question or back off from talking to him. I have heard that felines don't usually socialize, but this is ridiculous. He's helping me out with something here; the least we could do is make some small talk. We turn the corner into the next street; only a block left to go.
"So... uh. Do you... like to run?" He asks. Wow, we're both in an awkward position here.
"...Yeah. I guess it's nice to run and keep fit." I reply.
"Is running the only sport that you do?" he asks again. Finally, we're making progress.
"Yeah. We Blackbucks like to stay active and run long distances. I doubt I'm the first athlete of my species" I add... man, this is slow
"I wouldn't know. But I think it would be pretty amazing if you made it to the Regional Finals".
Our state, Werrina, has four levels of athletics and sports carnivals. First is the school carnival, where students at the same school compete to qualify to the next stage, which is the Regional Finals. The Regionals consist of several schools in the area, and the winners move onto the District Finals. The "Districts" are usually done in a bigger city, with better facilities and it's a big deal. Athletes from hours away come together and try their very best to make it to the State Finals, the big one. The State Finals is where the best in all of Werrina gather in the Capital City, Durranga. Most of the animals that make this level go on to represent our country in the Olympics.
"You really think so?" I reply in anticipation. Only a day ago, him and his friends were harassing me for wanting to try a sport. Earlier this morning, he ran away from me after saying hello. Now he really thinks I have a shot at being a good runner. "Well... I doubt I could beat you... You made the State Finals last year; you must have been training hard... to get there." I said.
As I was talking to Sam, I remembered the rumour about him. About how he moved to Whigata after devouring someone. It is said that carnivores sometimes devour to gain strength and a lot of protein to make them stronger, faster and more powerful. Maybe, and I'm not giving into these rumours and saying that they are true, but if they are, maybe that's why he's so strong, and able to be a good athlete.
"Still, you never know. You'd be able to surprise the competition and amaze the other schools." He adds
"Yeah." I say hesitantly. We cross the road, only a few houses to go. Now I can't say anything. I look up at him. He doesn't seem interested in the conversation, and a little uncomfortable. Gee, maybe those rumours aren't as farfetched as I once thought.
"Oh, this is my house. Thank you so much, Sam. You're a nice guy" I say. Maybe if I act nice to him, he'll feel better about himself after what he did. It's only natural for herbivores our age to kiss up to carnivores, especially larger ones that we don't know well enough.
"Oh, I... uh. No problem." He replied. Ok, maybe he's still a little shy around us. He checks his watch. "Well, I should get back, my parents would be wondering where I am. Good luck with your training" he adds in a hurry.
"Thanks. I'll see you around" I say as I open the door. As I enter my house, I looked out the window and saw him run down the street in a hurry. Gee, maybe he's taking training seriously.
"Hey Jamel, how was your training?" I hear Mum ask me from the kitchen
"Oh, it was great" I say, walking into the house. "Riley and I are going into town tomorrow to get some running shoes. I'm getting really excited about this"
"You should be, you've worked hard for this, and it's not every day an herbivore gets to race." Dad comments.
"There are some steamed vegetables and potatoes in the fridge, you should heat them up for your dinner, then have a nice shower and an easy night. You don't want to overwork yourself." Mum says.
Mum and Dad have never been ones to overexert themselves, even at work. They work hard, but make sure that at the end of the day, they don't tire themselves out, or get too stressed. They've passed that behaviour onto me, and I'm grateful for that.
"Thanks Mum, I'll do that"
Dad walks over to the window and looks out from beyond the curtain. "Did you walk home with that tiger, Jaml?" he asked
"Yeah, that's my friend I was telling you about; Sam. He's trying out for my race as well and he wanted to walk with me for company."
"That's nice of him" Mum replies. "Maybe one day we could invite him around for dinner" she adds.
"Yeeaah... he would feel right at home" I say, hesitating again.
Chapter 7: The Bothered Fox
"He backed you up against a fence, bared his fangs to you AND you got him to walk you home?" Riley asked.
"I didn't know what I was thinking, my mind panicked!" I reply. "Anyway, I always feel safe at school... it's not like a fellow student would attack me there"
We're in the shoe shop, in the Sports Section. I've never been in this area of the shop before, and it all feels so surreal. I've never seen these shoes up and close before, and they look so flashy, and brightly coloured. I only have my dark school boots and a pair of sandals for hot days. Riley and I are patiently waiting for assistance and looking at running shoes.
"It was so bizarre. Sam had that look in his eyes. It was like a burst of fire, some sort of red smoke I guess, flashing itself in the black depths of his pupils. He looked angry, yet he was so calm last night" I recall.
"Can I help you boys with anything?" A shop attendant asks. She's a red fox, and I look around to see that everyone else wearing the uniform is a carnivore too
"Yes, we were looking at shoes to run in, for athletics." Riley stated quickly.
"Right, well, what shoe size are you?" She turns and asks Riley.
"Um, well... actually. They're for me." I quietly add in.
She turns around, looks a little bit confused and surprised by this. She sighs deeply "Oh... Oh wow. Uh... well, what shoe size are you?" she asks again.
"Um, Size 6" I say, backing off a bit.
"Ok, well we have these shoes for running in" she says as she shows off a display of flashy sports shoes. "Prices range from 60-140 dollars; pick the ones you want to try on" she says.
She definitely seemed surprised that I wanted to buy some shoes. This definitely doesn't feel right. Of course, I feel safe from harm, but there's the sense of being in the wrong place.
"Uhh... they look nice" I said as I point to a pair of grey runners on the bottom shelf
"Yeah, I think they'd do well..." she said, with interest. Both Riley and I are feeling a bit pressured to get out of the store now. "I'll go get a fitting pair from the back" she said, before disappearing behind a curtain.
"How are you feeling, nervous?" Riley asks me.
"A little bit. We shouldn't stay too much longer. I need to get out of here." I answer
The smells, the sights, the unfamiliarity, I'm just not used to any of this. My mind is ready to leap out of my body and run out of the store.
"Don't worry. I'm a bit nervous too." He says. "I've been here a few times, but never felt this way, being with you" he added.
Suddenly, the shop assistant came back out with a shoebox.
"Got a pair for you to try on! Just slip them on and have a bit of a walk around" she says. She seems to be pretty happy to have us, but it's tricky to feel welcome
As I put the shoes on, I notice that they feel different to any other shoe I've had before. They're soft, comfortable, and fit just right...
My school shoes are tight, and get tighter as I run, causing blisters, but these shoes breathe so well, and they make me feel like running... that and the instincts in my mind to get out of a shop filled with carnivores who don't want me here.
"Wow... these feel so... I'll take them!" I say to the shop assistant.
"Excellent! I'll box them up" she says. Finally, we can get out of there.
Chapter 8: Timidly Attacking
"Man, I can't stop staring at them" I tell Riley. We've sat down at a bench in town and have some lunch.
"I'm really happy for you Jamel. I hope you get a lot out of them." Riley says. Just then, his phone rang "Hold on, it's probably my mum" he says as he got up and walked away to a quieter area. I look around the streets. It's been a while since I've been to town on the weekend. Around me are all sorts of stores, including different animals walking around, shopping and working. It seems a bit darker today, due to overcast, but every now and then, a beautiful beam of sunlight perks out to warm us all up, but the wind reminds us of the season, and pushes us back inside for warmth.
"Cool shoes" I hear someone say over my shoulder. I look up, and it's an alpaca and quite a tall one as well. He seems a few years older than me. "Who are they for?" he asks
"Myself" I say quietly
The alpaca laughs, maybe he didn't take me seriously. "No, but really, who are they for?" he asks again. I pause for a bit, somewhat confused, but then decide on my story.
"M-me... I'm gonna race in these. I'll use them to run in a race, which is why they are running shoes" I said. I'm not gonna spend my weekend explaining how shoes work to idiots.
"A race? With carnivores and all that? Boy, do you have a death wish... Didn't your parents tell you to keep away from lions and wolves and... Oh." He stops "You're from that non-segregated school, aren't you?"
Non-segregated? What is this guy, an herbivore supremacist? I've never felt nervous or intimidated by an herbivore. I've heard that alpacas can be a bit stubborn or arrogant, but I didn't think they were like this.
"Y-yeah... so what?" I reply
"Trust me, you should get out of there before one day, you walk home, and then you notice one of your "friends" following you. They might take you to an alley, or somewhere quiet. They'll drool over the fact, knowing that that day will be their first taste of—"
"Ahem"
We both look up, it's... Sam? From this angle, sitting down, he looks like a giant of strength and bloodlust, ready to unleash a fury on us. I look back to the alpaca, he's terrified. Maybe it's his first time getting so close to a large carnivore like Sam.
"Uh... Jamel. Did you want to... go look at some shirts?" he asks after a while. The alpaca is sweating bullets now, his neck is lowered, and he's drawing his head away from Sam; signs of submission.
"Yeah, sure. I'll see you at the shop in a bit." I say, with a streak of confidence over the alpaca. He begins to walk away, before looking back at me.
"Just remember; you can't be 100% safe in that school" he says, before disappearing amongst the crowds. I try to ignore him.
"Thanks Sam. He was really starting to freak me out" I said, with a sigh of relief.
"B-but... he ran away..." Sam says with a quiver in his voice. "What if he calls the police on me for being too scary or if I accidentally threatened them?" he said almost crying. Man, he really is shy around herbivores.
"It's alright. All you did was stand there and ask me a question; I can't see how you can be arrested for something like that." I say, trying to relieve him. Just then, I see Riley coming back from his call. "Anyway, I got some shoes for running that I think you'll like" I say to Sam, trying to change the topic.
"Oh, uh... Yeah, they look cool, I guess" he says, still nervous. His head is darting around, as if he was looking for someone. "I gotta go, I have things to buy, homework to do; all that, you know?" he says while standing up.
"Was that Sam?" Riley asked me.
"Yeah, you should have seen him. There was this alpaca who was being mean towards carnivores. I think he was from the herbivore school, anyway Sam came up, and just by standing there and he scared him off." I say, all in a hurry.
"Riighht..." Riley says, a little unsure. "My mum said that she can pick us up in 3 minutes." he added.
It's times like these that I'm really thankful for a friend like Riley. Dingoes can make for really good companions if you stay on their good side. Riley is very proud to remind me every now and then that dingoes are loyal and protective to those that they trust. Like most canines, they're social with each other, so whenever I'm not with Riley, he's usually seen with another canine or two. Despite this, dingoes are shy around loud and energetic animals, so we found friendship and comfort between each other. Dingoes also have a freakishly strong bite, similar to a jaguar. When Riley and I first met, he kept biting spoons and forks into two by accident, but he's learnt to control it.
I'm more than happy to have him as a friend.
Chapter 9: Body Image
"Thanks again for helping me out Riley. I couldn't have lasted a minute in that store without running out again." I say, as I leave the car
"No problem. If you ever need me to come along for that kind of stuff, I'd be more than happy to help out, even if neither of us feel comfortable. I'll see you at school tomorrow" he says, before his mum takes off. I walk up to the front door. Locked, damn.
What should I do for the time being? Well, I have a pair of brand-new shoes to try out, and a race to run next Tuesday. I kick off my boots at the front door, and slowly lace up the new shoes. Wow, these shoelaces alone are amazing me. It's some sort of course, synthetic material. The shoe feels nice and tight on my feet without restricting my steps. I jump off the step of my front door, and land excellently, as if I landed on a gym mat.
Time to test these boys out. I step out, and my foot is padded really well. The next step is the same, and feels so nice, compared to my school boots at least. I step out onto the street, and begin my running. I know for a fact that my block is about one lap of a running track. For a short exercise, I should just do one lap for now.
It was the most amazing run I've ever had. My shoes were so comfortable, and my feet are telling me "I can run a hundred blocks" but my mind and lungs are telling me that I'm exhausted. I am exhausted. Maybe I should take today easy and do some homework for now. I shouldn't worry too much about the race for now, it's only Saturday, three days to go.
Sundays are always a time for me to focus on homework and studies, and even if I have the race coming up soon, today is no exception. Of course, I use Saturdays as well, but Sunday is when I really focus hard on my work.
Let's see... some worksheets on Algebra, shouldn't be too bad, a report due for Biology, I've already finished half of it, and some essay questions on "The Canine-Feline Wars", OK... maybe I haven't started that yet. But first, before I get started, I should have a shower to refresh, some breakfast to fuel up, and a morning jog, to train and help focus on today's work.
As I get ready to go into the shower, I notice my body in the mirror. I know, sounds very vain of me, but all this time spent with other carnivores, like Coach Harris and Sam makes me realise that carnivores naturally have a stronger, more athletic form than us herbivores. This isn't just Coach Harris and Sam, two very athletic, muscular carnivores, but even Riley has more muscle tone than I, and he doesn't exercise as much as I do. Other carnivores at school, even those that I know don't do sport, have some sort of a body that is more defined and athletic than mine. As much as I'd hate to say it, I'm a bit jealous. I bet if I ask Coach Harris, he could clear some things for me.
Suddenly, I get a text from Riley. He says that he wants to meet up at his place. That's good, maybe he wanted to tell me something important, or help me out with those essay questions, or I can ask my growing number of questions about carnivores. I don't know why, but all of a sudden, I'm just so interested. I reply back, telling him that I'll bring my books and we can study together after.
Chapter 10: The Dingo's Den
Maybe it's in the food we eat. For breakfast, I usually have cereal with soy milk, and sometimes a slice of non-toasted bread (I prefer it soft, instead of crunchy). What do carnivores eat though? Well, Riley likes eggs... Of course! Animal products, like eggs and milk, are used as a protein source for carnivores, and if I remember from Biology last term, proteins can help strengthen muscles and bones within the body. I can have breakfast, have a quick jog to his house and try some normal milk. But first, toast or cereal...?
After a good, hearty meal, I step outside with my bag full of textbooks, and forget how chilly these mornings are. It's May at the moment, and in Australia, that means that it's almost winter. Woolly animals are growing out their wool to keep warm, reptiles are bundling up with heavy coats, and some mammals are beginning to get sleepier, some even staying asleep all day. It's a different time of year for all animals, and we all do what we can to get by. Blackbuck Antelopes don't grow wool, need extra layers or hibernate though. We stick it out, but at least we males get darker coats, which look cool.
I do my stretches, like Coach Harris told me to do, and set off. Riley's house is two streets from mine, which is half a lap of the race, so I should do a quick warm-up jog to get over there, and talk to him. I start off slow and begin to build to a jog. I get my arms moving to heat my body up and get myself ready, and before I know it, I'm at Riley's house.
I knock on the door, and I'm greeted by Riley's father. Like most male adult canines, he is quite tall, but also intense and energetic around other animals, whereas Riley's mother is calmer and more noticeable of her actions. Both of them work in an herbivore-majority workforce, so they know how to treat smaller, weaker animals. I'd like to think that Riley got his exciting personality and habits from his dad, and his manners and humbleness from his mum.
"Hey Jamel, Riley's just inside." He says. Riley's dad seems in pretty good shape, even if he doesn't have time to exercise. The Diet Theory must be true then.
"Uh... Thanks. I shouldn't be too long. Maybe just some homework advice or something" I say as I make my way through the hallway, into Riley's room. Riley doesn't like to clutter things around, so he neatly stores everything he owns on bookshelves, his desk and his cupboard. Come to think of it, I've never seen anything out of place in his room, or even his locker at school.
"Hey Riley, what's up? Did you want to do any---"
"Read these." He replies bluntly, while handing me three of books. I notice the titles; Dealing With Carnivores: The Tough Environment, Canine and Feline Behaviours and Expressions and Battling the Giants: Your Guide to Talking to Carnivores.
I pick them up "...What's this all about, Riley?" I ask worryingly.
"I saw Mr. Harris last night when we went out for dinner. He wanted me to give these to you, in order to help out your "instinct troubles". He said you'd understand." He told me. It seems as if Coach Harris trusts Riley with this sort of thing. I'll need to thank him, I completely forgot about needing to practice repressing my instincts while running.
"Right. Well... Actually, I had something I wanted to ask you as well." I announce.
Chapter 11: Pushing the Diet
"An egg, but why? I'm not sure that your body will react well to it." Riley reminds me in the kitchen.
"Please, I just want to try and see how this goes. If I enjoy it and benefit from it, then I can use eggs to my advantage in becoming stronger. If not... well, you can have it."
"Scrambled, poached, boiled, omelette, fried, devilled... Struth, sometimes athletes eat these raw." Riley says while checking his fridge for ingredients. "I guess I can start you off with a fried egg. It's pretty simple, plus I still need some breakfast." He adds while he sets up the pan on the stove. Riley starts with some butter, as he gets out some salt and pepper... he's definitely done this before
Just then, Riley's dad walks into the kitchen, and I see his nose perk up and twitch at the smell of eggs.
"Are you guys making breakfast?" he asks
"For me, yeah. But Jamel also wanted to try eggs out, and see how his body reacted to them, with his race coming up on Tuesday." Riley said.
"Ahh, I heard that. I think it's great that you're giving it a go, and exploring your possibilities" he replies "Carnivore Athletes have so many options to get better, tofu, milk, eggs, Black Ma—" He stops himself quickly, and I see Riley look up, a bit puzzled. "Uh, I meant... protein powders, yeah. It used to have a different name to when I was younger..." He added.
I look at Riley, he also looks a little confused, and so I know that they aren't hiding anything from me. At least... Riley isn't.
"Oh, I need to go to the supermarket now. You boys will be OK to get the eggs, then clean up?" He said and left in a hurry.
"We should be fine, Dad. No problem" Riley yells down the hallway as he cracks an egg into the pan. "So when the egg whites get whiter, that's when it's ready. And, you have to make sure it doesn't burn." He tells me. It sounds cool, and smells interesting
After a few minutes, the eggs get white enough to serve. Riley then tells me about how eggs are usually used in a carnivore's diet, especially in athletes, and how they can be used in so many ways. He then serves a plate with a beautiful white and orange egg, and two for himself.
"Well... I hope you enjoy them" Riley says enthusiastically. I cut a small piece into the egg white. It's pretty soft, yet firm and rigid. I take it to my mouth and chew it, while Riley is watching along, as if he was receiving feedback on a cooking show. It's bizarre to say the least, I don't hate it, but I certainly can't gain much from it. It's a nice snack overall, but a carnivore would probably enjoy this more that I do. Still, Riley and I had fun making it, and he'd love a third egg as well.
"Well... I'm sure you would enjoy it more than I do. It tasted fine, but..."
"It won't do much for you?" Riley finishes
"Not really" I add. "Although, another reason I came over, is because I wanted to try normal milk as well. A glass couldn't hurt, could it?" I ask Riley.
"We could give it a try" Riley says as he takes a bite into his egg. "There should be a jug of milk at the bottom of the fridge if you wanted to get yourself a glass."
I find the jug and pour myself a glass of milk. Carnivores require more protein, which can be found in milk made by animals. These animals are mainly cows and goats, but when you live in a rural town, any milk works. Herbivores used plant-based milk, such as soy or almond milk, which works because we prefer the flavour. I've never tried animal milk before, so who knows. The milk from this jug looks so pearly white and beautiful. Like an ocean of snow, but liquid and shinier. It also looks thicker and a bit denser than soy milk. It smells alright to me, I bring it to my mouth and take a mouthful. It tastes... bland? I can barely taste it at all. I swallow the mouthful, and gasp heavily.
"How'd it go?" Riley asks, while chuckling a little bit.
"That tasted really weird." I say "It looks really nice, it even smelled alright, yet... I could barely taste it." Suddenly, I got a searing stomachache, which caused me to bend over in pain.
"Are you OK?" Riley says while getting out of his seat
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." I gasp "Maybe the milk wasn't a lot of help either. I should probably sit down for a bit..."
Chapter 12: Jealous Puppy
After a while, I felt a bit better, but still a little weak. I read a few chapters of each book, and got a general idea on what was being explained
Basically, these books are a simple guide to carnivores, mainly canines and felines, from an herbivore's perspective. This writer seems to explain everything very well, as if he were a carnivore. I look at the back of one of the books, and there's a picture of the author, Doctor Korban. He's a goat, which is usually a smaller herbivore.
"I'll need to look at more of this guy's work..." I say, admiring the books.
"I've never heard of him, what's he about?" Riley says, looking up from his homework
"He's like a psychologist or something... he helps herbivores who are afraid of carnivores and all that, but he's also a big supporter for herbivore-carnivore cooperation. He has a big office in Durranga as well" I tell him. Durranga is our state capital, and from what I hear, it's an amazing city. I've never been because it's about a six hour drive.
He quickly glances over at the clock, 12:07PM. "Speaking of relations between carnivores and herbivores, did you want to get started on all that stuff on the Canine-Feline War? I can do some study on that while you can work on our maths sheets?"
"Yeah... I should worry about all that stuff later" I tell him. I'll definitely need to look into this Korban guy later on
Man, it's times like these where I'm so happy and glad to have a friend like Riley, and even other carnivores around me too. That alpaca from yesterday was definitely wrong, carnivores and herbivores should always strive for peace and harmony. I couldn't imagine my life without Riley, or carnivores in general.
I'm just so happy to have them around.
._./|\._. Dreamtime Story 2: Eggs Galore ._./|\._.
Riley: You know, Jamel. You can always try a poached egg, or even an omelette.
Jamel: You think so? What's in them?
Riley: Well, a poached egg is like a boiled egg, but without the shell, and an omelette is beaten and fried with butter. Sometimes, you can have it with chives, mushrooms or vegetables.
Jamel: Oh, I see... you know a lot about eggs, by the looks of it.
Riley: Well... it is one of my favourite foods.
Jamel: Still... I wonder if there is a better way for me to get protein.
Riley: I'll heat the stove up, why don't we keep trying and see which ones work for you?
Jamel: I think I've had enough for today, thanks.