Chapter 230: The Calming Coach and Cautious Tiger
I take my time with Coach Harris and Sam, sitting quietly and drinking my tea. I can't shake the thoughts of the Black Market and everything else I've heard today. It makes me feel weaker and more defenceless in a world of such power.
I sit in the corner, without making a sound as Coach Harris and Sam talk a bit more about something. But I'm not listening on their conversation... I'm observing them. No wonder their bodies are made to feast on the weaker; their large hands and claws make the mugs of tea look like thimbles. Between big sips, I notice their large fangs, which look even scarier.
I know that Coach Harris and Sam are both very athletic and fit, but I don't doubt for a second that their bodies could get even stronger if they had easy access to meat. It's scary to think that in a year or two, Sam will need to eat meat, despite how much he's grown to like herbivores.
Scary to think about
"It's getting kind of late." Coach Harris announced. "I think we should all head off to bed soon. We'll be leaving at 12PM tomorrow, I expect everyone to be ready by then. Before you leave, just know that if you have any follow up questions about tonight, be sure to ask me in private. I don't want others to know about our conversation, or else we will be in very, VERY big trouble, got it?" I check my phone; 9:18PM. Man, we were here for a long time. Sam and I get up and move towards the door, still shaken by what we heard. It's a tough world we'll need to grow up to.
"Oh, one more thing." Coach Harris tells us. We stop and turn around. "I don't want you to think that every single street in Durranga could be "the black market". It's still a very safe city for herbivores, plus it's very controlled. If you get anywhere near a dangerous spot, there will be locals there to stop you, and point you in the right direction, okay?" He adds.
"Yes, Coach." We both say.
"Very well. I wish you both a good evening. You should get some rest; it's been a long day." He replies. We then leave, seeing that the hallways completely empty. Anyone could learn about the Black Market and be afraid of carnivores for a long time afterwards, but... I'm not afraid.
I have no reason to be afraid of my own friends at all. Coach Harris said that the Black Market is there for moderation, not overindulgence. All my friends are very responsible of their own behaviours... Sam has always been incredibly careful around herbivores and things he doesn't understand, Tye always sticks by his friends, who would never go overboard on meat. Erica's always been very protective of her fellow students, so she would be responsible with meat. After everything that happened, with the blood and Abe, I'm sure he'll be very careful from now on, and Nalu? Well, it's a little hard to tell, with how young and immature he is, but I'm sure he'll be a fine carnivore when he grows up.
I just need to be cautious of those who have more than what they need... but I doubt I'd ever come across anyone like that. And if I do, Coach Harris and Sam will be there to crush them.
"Do you want me to walk you back to your building?" Sam offers.
"No, I'm fine, thanks" I say in confidence. I see Sam's tail and ears droop down. He says good night to me, before going back inside. That's strange, maybe he just wanted to be with...
Oh... I just realised what I said. I must have made it seem like I was afraid of him. I should have been more careful of my words. And now I'm all alone, outside. It's dark, and there's a calm breeze blowing across the front yard. It's just a simple walk that I've done a lot of times... and a journey begins with a single step.
I move take one step out, and still, there's no one around. I'm overthinking this. This school must be the safest place in the city... even if I was almost killed here today. I work up the courage, and then...
I break into a sprint, across the pathway and over to my building, only there, I can claim my safety. I'm done for tonight, and I'm not gonna be afraid of something I'll probably never come close to.
~~~
I open the door to my dorm room, and see my four friends, all comfortably sitting at their desks, doing some schoolwork.
"Oh, Jamel. You're back." Sona says. "How was your evening?" he asked me. I look around the room to see my four dormmates. Over the course of this week, I've grown to learn more about them. At first, they feared carnivores; not from who they are, but what they're capable of. Since then, I've shown them my ways, and how I've become friends with carnivores. That there's nothing to be afraid of, except for those who want to harm them. I don't expect them to make friends with every carnivore they'll ever see, but maybe, just maybe, they'll be ready in the future.
"I think I might go to bed now." I tell them. "I'm absolutely beat."
I have a lot on my mind that I need to process... I'm sure I could probably work things out tomorrow.
Chapter 231: The Awful Auction
I wake, without a bed, except my surroundings seem different. It's dark, but I see that the room seems a lot smaller, and I'm surrounded by nothing but red drape. I stand up and notice there's something in front of the drapes.
Bars. Steel metal bars. I'm surrounded by four walls of bars and red drape. I also notice that I'm barely clothed, only wearing my underwear. What's happening here? I notice a streak of light fills the "room" from behind. I turn around to see a small carnivore looking at me. He turns around and I hear him say "Yeah, he's awake. Should we start now?". I walk over to ask him a few questions.
"He'll fetch a good price, I bet." What's he talking about? The small carnivore moves away from the drapes before I had the chance to ask where I was. The drape falls flat, encasing the room in darkness. Suddenly, my surroundings begin to move, as if the room were on wheels. We roll for a little while, and I can tell that I'm somewhere completely different.
Outside of the room, I can smell cigarettes, tobacco, and alcohol, a very bad scent for herbivores. I can hear a lot of animals talking, but I can't make out any conversations. I hear floorboards creak, as someone walks past.
"Is he ready? I can tell this is going to be big." The voice says. I hear something banging, like a gavel. "Good evening, gentlemen." The voice says this time on a microphone.
"I believe we've found the grand prize, the sale of the year. Everyone, make sure you're ready, you have a tissue, or even a bucket on hand, because you will not be able to control your saliva."
The red drape is thrown off, and floats away. I'm not in my room anymore. I'm in a cage. There's too much to take in at a first glance. I'm on a stage, but I can tell that I'm not in a performance. I look to my left to see the voice of the microphone, a very sketchy looking canine of some sort. I look ahead to see about a hundred animals, all sitting comfortably in the seats ahead of me. After a quick scan of the room; they're all carnivores.
"We can see you all drooling with excitement." The voice says to the carnivores. "Here he is, gentlemen. A 15-year-old Blackbuck Antelope taken fresh from the streets. Perfect meat condition, grown straight from the country. Athletic build, as well." A loud holler of excitement erupts from the carnivores. This isn't a stage performance.
It's an auction.
I hear all sorts of obscene comments, that make me feel even more worthless. They call out about my almost naked, slender, athletic body. Is this all I'm destined to be in the long run? Just a piece of meat for some carnivore to enjoy? No matter what I do, no matter where I finish, I'll always just end up on a plate?
"Alright everyone, settle down. Only one of youse is gonna get this delicious specimen." The auctioneer says "Let's start the bidding at $1400. Do I hear 14? Yes, you in the back."
I turn forward again, they're bidding for me. All of them either raise their hand every now and then to make a bid, or just stare on at my body, drooling. I don't know which one makes me feel more uncomfortable. I look at a few in the front row, their mouths are literally dripping with saliva, and they don't even wipe it off. Some of them just suck it back in their mouth and swallow it back down.
I want to collapse right there in the cage, and just submit myself as the sad, big piece of protein that I am for these savages, but there's something telling me to keep standing strong, to prove myself as courageous, even if no one cares.
"3800 going once." The auctioneer calls out. I can hear and feel my heart pounding
"3800 going twice." He counts. I guess my fate is sealed with the lucky carnivore out there.
"SOLD, to the man in the second row." I look out to see the beast who had purchased me, but I can't see because of the lights. A few disappointed sighs can be heard. I guess I was a crowd favourite...
But this is no time to joke around, I'm in deep trouble now. I see someone shuffling through the audience, with heavy footsteps. Suddenly, a large green flash appears on stage, a big, tall Komodo dragon; I guess he had the winning bid.
I step back as far as I can in my cage, trying to move away from him. He leans in from the other side and smiles at me with a toothy grin. Reptiles always have a lot of teeth, which makes this guy even scarier.
He reaches around his back pocket and gets a length of rope out
"Keep ya mouth shut. You won't get saved here, buddy" he says to me in a deep, loud voice. The auction crowd begins to disperse as the Komodo ties my arms up, and picks me up. I gently cry out in fear as he slings me over his shoulder.
I feel so high off the ground...
"The boys at the hideout haven't had a meal like this in ages" the Komodo says. He then sniffs up my leg, dangling in front of his face... before stopping.
I notice that his grip is loosened a bit, so I swiftly kick myself out and bounce on the ground below
"HEY! My prize is getting away!" the Komodo yells out. Great, now what do I do? I'm surrounded in a Black Market, and I can already see six or seven carnivores. They're already surrounding me, and it looks like there's no way out...
I collapse suddenly to the ground
The shock of it all sent me into a frenzy, unsure of what's real and what's fake. I'm trapped in a limbo of uncertainty and panic. I feel something hard brush across my fist. Then a pair of soft, small hands pinning my arms down. Did I hit something? Did I fight them off? Will I ever find out?
Chapter 232: The Room Sees Red
I wake up in the dorm room, with no bars or drapes around, and I notice that the lights are on. I see Kero sitting at the end of my bed with a bloody nose. Jeddi is holding my arms in place, and I see Sona and Paddo sitting down and comforting Kero. Did I do that?
"W-what happened?" I said, half-awake. For a few seconds, I thought that I was still dreaming.
"Y-You hit me!" Kero says at the end of my bed. Oh man... I must have been punching in my sleep.
"We woke up and heard some knocking. When we turned on the light, we saw you freaking out in your sleep." Sona said. I guess while I was freaking out, I must've hit Kero by mistake. Paddo gets a few tissues to wipe away the blood, but it just keeps coming out. I keep staring at the injured Impala sitting at the end of my bed, and overwhelmed by the thought that we as herbivores are so weak. I was semi-unconscious, and I still managed to hurt someone. Just before, Sam was bitten by a bear at full force in the shoulder, and he walked away from that with just a bandage.
We are surrounded by many differences in this world, and it's not just herbivores and carnivores.
~~~
After apologising many times, and Kero cleaning up his face, we went back to bed. But I wasn't able to sleep well, cursed with the thought of being vulnerable to anyone at any time. I stumbled out of bed at around about 8. Berriwan students were given the day off, after what happened yesterday. It only seems fair, given that two students were jailed, two other students almost lost their lives, and they still need to clean out all the fake blood from the gym.
In the morning, my friends helped me get ready to leave. They helped pack up my clothes, as well as my makeshift bed, while I stumbled along. I can't believe that on the last day, my friends have to do everything for me. First, I scare them, then I slow them up. I hope they don't remember me as some sort of self-entitled, rude, violent freak. Once everything was packed up, I had my bags ready at the door.
"Jamel, it's okay. I understand how it feels to be dreaming about a terrifying situation." Kero says after I apologise for the thousandth time. "I'd like to think of it as an honour. I got hit in the face by an athletic superstar! Just try and get some sleep on the ride home though, okay?"
"It's gonna seem weird without you here, even if you were only staying for the week." Jeddi tells me.
"Yeah. You guys have a really nice school here. And with Fassid and Masama gone, I'm sure things will get better." I tell them. There's no knowing how things are gonna turn out, but I'm sure the herbivores and carnivores will mend their ways. Suddenly, Paddo came through the door, really excited.
"Guys, guess what?!" he called out. We all turn our heads, waiting his response. "The teacher in charge of the basketball team said that they've already got their team chosen for the Spring tournament, but they want me to train with the team, and try out for the Summer Competition!"
"Oh, wow Paddo. Good job. We'll be behind you all the way!" Sona says, celebrating his success.
"Good job, mate. Just don't leave your dirty, sweaty basketball gear around the place." Jeddi says, joking around with him.
"I'm really proud of you Paddo. Hopefully you won't run into the same trouble that I did." I say. Paddo smiles at me.
"I doubt it. Everyone else on the team seems to be pretty happy that I'll be doing training with them." Paddo says. Good for him, I hope it all works out.
Chapter 233: Hope for Herbivores
Eventually, 11:30 comes around and my friends agree to walk out with me and wish me goodbye. It looks like everyone else's roommates are doing the same, because there are a lot outside to wish us farewell. As we exit the building together, for the last time, I look onward at the large number of carnivores. It really reminds me of how simply unique and different every single one of us are. There are big carnivores, like bears, tigers, and lions, as well as smaller carnivores, like reptiles and otters.
All of these animals, individually, lead their own lives, and are in control of their own destiny and feelings. We've come to unite and learn about each other and shared great moments and made friends that will hopefully last for a while.
Even though we learnt some difficult and ugly truths, I'd like to think that as two schools, we've come together and unified to beat out the wrongdoers.
"We're gonna miss you, Jamel. Thanks for staying with us." Sona tells me.
"Yeah, we loved having you around... even if we got knocked around a bit." Kero jokingly says.
"Thanks... sorry again." I say sheepishly. Suddenly, a few carnivores towards us, and stop at my dormmates. Now I feel even more nervous...
"Aren't you two Paddo and Sona? The guys that landed Fassid and Masama in jail?" they ask, pointing at them. Oh man, they're here for vengeance! We all step back, except for Paddo and Sona, who tremble in fear, before answering.
"Uhhhh... y-yeah?" they answer after a while. The carnivores' eyes widen in surprise.
"Wow. We can't tell you how happy we are, thanks to you two." One of them says. We all stand there in surprise. I thought they would have bullied us for getting rid of someone, even if they were evil
"Yeah, those guys were assholes." Someone else said. A few others crowd around and join the conversation.
"Yeah, they always cheated in exams and stuff."
"They chucked my textbooks on the roof once".
It sounds like everyone's happy to be free from those two. All they ever did was cause carnage and make other students suffer for it. I move away for a bit with my dormmates, so I can talk to them for a bit more. We hear the bus horn honk from behind us, signalling that it's time to go.
"Promise me one thing, you guys..." I tell them. "Promise me that the school gets better, and that the divide between herbivores and carnivores closes. You're all wonderful, amazing friends, and I'm sure you can all help make the world a better place." I only just thought of it now, but it's the most amount of herbivores I've ever spent a long time with.
"Thanks for everything, Jamel" Sona says.
"Yeah. Win the State Finals for us herbivores." Jeddi calls out.
"I'll definitely try my best. Training's gonna get a bit harder in Durranga." I tell them. Coach Harris is going to be frantic now. I hope he doesn't overwork me.
I pick up my bags and stroll confidently onto the bus. I hope that someday I will be able to see them again, after all, they are fellow antelopes. I choose a seat next to the window that faces the school, so I can wave goodbye to everyone. I look out to see everyone, waving at us, and saying goodbye to the few who are still out there. I look further behind to see my four antelope friends waving at me. Those four seem so distant from the other carnivores, but I guess they wanted to step back so I could see them.
I suddenly feel the weight of the seat shift beside me, as someone sat down. I look beside me and see Sam in the next seat. He just stares at the back of the seat in front. Oh man... this is awkward.
Chapter 234: The Long Trip Home with an Awkward Friend
After what happened last night with Sam, I've been a bit nervous around him. After the talk about the Black Market, the three of us stayed for a little bit after to talk about other things. But the entire time, I only looked at Sam and Coach Harris, and saw their dangerous fangs, and their large bodies. And once we finished, how I told Sam I didn't want him to walk me home. He must've thought that I was afraid of him, even after saving my life yesterday.
Things are so awkward between us... but usually Sam is pretty shy. He'd normally just sit away from me. So, why did he sit next to me, and make things more awkward?
Eventually, we've all piled onto the bus, and Coach Harris enters last. We all give him a round of applause, to thank him for all his hard work, which takes him by surprise. He waits for everyone to finish.
"Good news everyone." He begins. "I just heard back from the hospital, they say that Erica is fine, but they'll keep an eye on her for the next few days, so she won't be back to school until Monday." Well, that's a relief to hear. Too bad that she couldn't go to the State Finals though, she worked really hard. We all talk in excitement about this news.
"I also spoke to the police station in Lavalla." Coach Harris says, quieting us down. "Abe has been sentenced to 14 days at the Yorta Youth Justice Centre. His sentence was shortened because he was able to prove that he hadn't taken any blood for quite some time, and that he also turned himself in." Well, if he turned himself in, then I'm sure he'll feel less guilty. Even though I now know what brown bears are capable of, I can't wait to see him back at school... if he does return.
"Alright, I think we're all ready to head back to Whigata!" Coach Harris calls out. We all cheer and celebrate, as well as wave goodbye to our newfound friends from Berriwan. I can still see Sona, Kero, Paddo and Jeddi at the back waving wildly at me, as if no one else was watching. I smile and wave back at them. They're such great guys.
~~~
As we drive along the outer communities and houses of Lavalla, I can't help but reminisce from yesterday's events, even if it wasn't the main part of yesterday for me...
If I remember correctly, Nalu will be joining me at the State Finals in the Year 7 Long Jump. I also heard that a guy in Year 12 did well in the Sprints, and another girl in Year 8 crushed the competition in Javelin. I guess it will be the four of us on our way to the State Finals this year. No one could've expected this kind of outcome.
Tye, Erica, Liam and Sam always make it to the State Finals and do fairly well. I heard that Tye kind of choked on his run up, so he didn't get a good throw. And of course, with Abe confessing to using blood, he was immediately disqualified, so he won't be joining us either. I only hope that Erica will be alright to race in the future, and Sam? I just feel bad that I pushed him out of the Top 3 in our race. Speaking of, I noticed that he's been sleeping for most of the journey, and we've only been on the road for about 30 minutes. I guess he must've had a bad night last night, like I did.
I hope he doesn't wake up and attack the closest antelope, like I did. He'd pack a much stronger punch than I do.
We go over a small bump on the road, which rattles the whole bus. We shake up and down in response. I feel a heavy weight on my shoulder, I look beside me to see Sam resting on my shoulder, still asleep. What do I do now? I can't move him at all... I hope he's comfortable though.
I look around Sam to the next row of seats to see Tye and Nalu sitting, not even noticing. Maybe they can help me out.
"Psst! Tye, Sam fell asleep on my shoulder, and he's really heavy. What do I do?" he peers over to see a large tiger resting on my side. Tye just laughs for a little bit, before responding.
"Oh man. He did that to me on the way down. Just endure it, I'm sure you'll be fine." He says after chuckling to himself. Nalu then looks over to see what's happening.
"Jamel, you realise what that means, right?" he asks me. What, that he wants to claim me as his own, and if anyone tries to move me, they'll get hurt? "It means that he trusts you. When we felines asleep, our instincts tell us that we're vulnerable to any attackers. If a feline falls asleep next to you, it means that they trust you, and they can count on you to protect them if something happens."
Does Sam really think that much of me?
Chapter 235: Jamel takes the lead.
He just looks so peaceful and content, as he rests on my shoulder. His breathing is so shallow, it makes me forget how big he really is. It's nice to be reminded that something so big and potentially scary can also be so kind and gentle. Tye and Nalu look onwards as I'm dwarfed by the sheer size of this cat.
I then see Tye move across to Sam, where he pats Sam on the head. I see Sam smile, still asleep. It's the same with Riley, sometimes. After a long day of school, or even basking in the summer heat, he'd always enjoy a nice head scratch.
Come to think of it, I haven't been thinking a lot about Riley lately... I just hope that once we get back, we're able to patch our friendship up. The last time I spoke to him was when he and Sam fought in the streets. Things could've turned ugly quick... I bet Sam would've destroyed him swiftly if he was spiteful enough.
"Hey Nalu" Tye says, while scratching Sam's head. "Do you know if tigers purr like cats?"
"No, Tigers, Jaguars and Snow Leopards do this thing called a 'chuff'. But we only do that to say hello to each other. It's kind of like a puff of breath, similar to a sniff." Nalu tells us. "It's because we aren't usually as social as canines."
"Yeah, it's a bit more complex with us canines... there's smells, sounds, all sorts of things that we use to say hello." Tye says. I feel Sam's head move across to Tye, waking up.
"What, like sniffing each other's butts?" Sam says. Nalu and I laugh.
"NO! We don't do that... anymore." Tye says, defensively. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be asleep?"
"I only woke up because your claws were digging into my scalp. Here, get Jamel to do it for a bit." Sam says, sluggishly. I slowly dig my small fingers throughout Sam's head, and he slowly relaxes. I notice that his ears droop down, and he raises his head into my hand, to make it a bit better.
"Jamel, you're really good at that." He tells me softly. I guess Sam's really good at diffusing awkward moments. I'd completely forgotten about what happened last night outside the dorms.
"I have experience. Riley always likes a good head scratch." I say.
"You should try and talk to him when you get back. I'm sorry things had to go badly before the trip. He'd be happy to hear that you qualified though." Sam tells me. He's right. He never wanted to fight Riley, and I'm sure Riley didn't want to either, deep down. You'd be crazy to take on a tiger.
"Yeah, I'll remember to go over to his house as soon as we get back home." I reply
"OH!" Tye calls out. Sam jolts up in his seat in reaction. "I just remembered, I meant to give this to you Jamel." He says while digging around in his pocket. He hands me a crumples up small note. "Someone left it outside my dorm room this morning for you. I have no clue who it could've come from."
I open up the note, and see two words written down:
"Remember Tarino"
I fall back into my seat, realising what those words mean.
"What does it mean, Jamel?" Sam asks, looking over at the note.
"It's a character from a story that herbivore parents tell us when we're young. It's a fable about knowing your limits, and never overestimating yourself." I explain to them. It's time I tell them the story of 'Tarino and the Wolves'.
Chapter 236: Of Castles and Conceit
About a thousand years ago, our world was divided into many different clans and territories, all destined for control of land and power. Most of the carnivores were divided into their own kind; canines, felines, reptiles, birds, and all sorts of carnivores fighting alongside their species. With herbivores, most groups would have many different kinds of animals, and the most successful of the Herbivore Clans were the Ruminants.
They crushed anything that tried to overthrow them, but they always knew that they should never try to overthrow any carnivore territories, because of the difference in strength. The Ruminant Kingdom was just a few villages and some farms at the time, all surrounded by a strong castle wall. Their soldiers were also a good, well-disciplined team of strong men, but there were none who compared to Tarino.
Tarino was a bull, who had descended from a long line of warriors and guardians of the Ruminant Kingdom. He's considered to be one of the strongest herbivores of all time, as his pure feats of strength sent shivers down the spine of anyone who dared face him.
It was said that one night, he got into a brawl with a drunk at the village tavern after he won in a game of darts. Tarino simply picked up the drunk and hurled him over the castle walls. He was, quite simply, an amazing bull. But there was just one problem: he thought he was too good. Eventually, he let all his power go to his head, and assumed that he was sent from the Gods to protect all herbivores from the evil jaws of carnivores.
One day, the castle walls were breached, as the Mustelid Clan from the East of them had hit them with a surprise attack. No doubt, Tarino and the troops managed to hold them all off, without a single loss of life, and very little damage.
That night, the king had decided to hold a large banquet and feast for all the townspeople to celebrate the victory, as well as the troops' efforts. There was no man on the planet that Tarino looked up to more than the king himself. If the king told him to jump into a volcano, Tarino would go dashing to find the nearest one.
During the feast, it's said that the King got a little bit too drunk on wine, and he had mistakenly told Tarino:
"The Gods themselves have been talking to me. They tell me that you were blessed at birth with these powers. No wonder we're still standing!"
With the whole town drunk out of their mind, they began to cheer on Tarino, and they all believed he was a god. Tarino, already drunk on alcohol and his own self-admiration, then marched over the castle walls, with his best suit of armour, and the sword that was said to be an ancestral artefact, as he announced he was going to take out the Lupin Empire, a clan of wolves to the North, and all the other carnivore groups that get in his way, one by one, kingdom by kingdom.
"What happened then?" Nalu asked midway through the story.
That morning, everyone was already thinking of how many soldiers he had killed, how many died at the mercy of "The God's Gift." No one knew at the time whether he was returning, or on a One-Man Crusade to quash all the carnivore forces. A few nights went by, and there was still no sign of him. The next morning, on Day 5, a small wolf pup was seen outside the castle walls, holding a box. He had his arms in the air as he placed the box down in front of the drawbridge and ran off. The castle guards on the wall assumed it was a peace offering, and that the wolf was actually surrendering to us.
The king personally came out to open up the box, only to find a bull's skull, and his sword; broken in two. The skull had bite marks all over it, sealing the Guardian's fate. Inside was also a note that read:
"Thank you for the meal, we will be back for more." Signed, Valg, Emperor of the Wolves.
The news spread around the small kingdom quickly, and everyone's spirits plummeted. Their own saviour, and main defence was down, making them vulnerable to any attack. Only two days later, the same Lupin Empire stormed into the castle, spreading chaos and destruction. Once the walls were down, there was no hope left.
Many men were slaughtered on the spot, killed for their meat. Women and children were abducted, and taken back to the Empire as slaves, servants, and eventually food. There's even a part of the story that I heard, involving the king being sent back to the Empire, for Valg to feast on. A kingdom, supposed to reign for a long time, crushed after a week without its guardian.
Chapter 237: But What Does It Mean?
"The story teaches us herbivores a valuable lesson. It's to never overestimate ourselves, and always know your limits, especially around carnivores." I say to the others, captivated and interested by my story. "I think it's a good moral, but I guess I need to keep it in mind for Durranga. I just need to remember not to go overboard."
I wonder who could've sent that note to Tye though... it couldn't have been an herbivore if he found it in his dorm building.
"I think it's a silly story" says Nalu. Tye and Sam look across at him in shock and offence. "I'm just saying, a lot has changed in the past thousand years. Herbivores shouldn't be afraid to stand up against carnivores anymore."
"I appreciate what you're saying, Nalu. But we choose to follow this story only to protect ourselves, not so our carnivore peers can be better than us." I remind him.
"Yeah, but it's not like a carnivore would attack you just because you want to race. Everyone likes you, Jamel. And everyone thinks you're doing a good job." Nalu adds.
"The idea of the story is that Jamel is risking his community by racing, right?" Tye said. It seems like no one gets it. Even I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how the moral relates to me. Am I maybe endangering other herbivores around me? Or am I being too cocky about my own strengths? I hope I find out before it's too late.
~~~
After a long bus ride home, we eventually park beside the school, happy to have returned back to Whigata. We all slowly get out of our seats, tired from the long bus journey. I see Mum and Dad outside, waiting for the bus. It's the first time I've seen Dad out of the hospital since his accident, and just next to him is Nalu's parents. I guess everything healed over time... literally and figuratively.
I jump off the bus and grab my bags before heading over to Mum and Dad, giving them both a big hug.
"Oh, Jamel. We're so happy to see you again. Congratulations on your qualification!" Mum says.
"Yeah, well done mate. We can't wait to see you race in Durranga." Dad says, His arm is a bit weaker than usual. I guess he still has a while to go to rehabilitate completely. Mum and Dad help me get my things into the car, while I wave goodbye to my friends. Hard to believe I spent a full week with them, it felt like it was only a day or two.
"So, Jamel." Mum says while starting the car. "I can't wait to hear all about your little adventure in Berriwan Grammar College."
"How was Tanami? I heard they're interested in doing some sports program there for herbivores" Dad said from the passenger seat.
"Yeah, it looked cool. Hopefully they'll be doing it when I head over there." I reply. "Has anything changed since I've been away?"
"Well... Todd and Mary from next door recently announced that they're expecting a chick in the next few weeks. Magpies take about three weeks to hatch out of their eggs, so they'll be waiting until then." Dad told me. Wow, that's exciting news for them.
"Oh, and your father is of course, out of the hospital. He'll be doing rehabilitation to get proper movement back into his arm again, and he'll be back at work hopefully next week." Mum announced. Now that is very good news. We pull into the driveway, and Mum parks the car. They both turn around to me in the back seat.
"We also heard about a certain bear from Mr. Harris... You can tell us about that later..." Mum said, unimpressed.
Oh man, she knows about Abe and Sam... I'm toast.
Chapter 238: Talk with the Parents.
"So..." Dad says while we're all sitting down inside. "What happened between you and an 8-foot-tall bear that we should know about?"
"Umm... well, there was this bear in my year level called Abe, right? And he was doing shot put for our school. Once he finished his event, he took two of my dorm mates back to school, where he decided to attack them." I told them.
"But what happened after, Jamel? What about the bear?" Mum asked.
"My friend, Sam, decided that something was fishy, because Abe usually avoids herbivores. He went back to school, and then fought against Abe." I say. Luckily, I meant to say, "Sam and I", but I must've completely forgotten. I don't know how much Coach Harris told my parents though.
"So, the entire evening, you weren't in any danger? You were only at the stadium and in your dorm room, correct?" Dad asks me. I don't want my parents to worry about me when I'm not here. When dad was in the hospital, I felt so worried and anxious about how it would affect us in the long term. I don't want to lie to my parents, but I definitely don't want them to think that I'm in danger.
"Yeah. I was with my friends for the entire evening, and I was always with the school group as well, near Coach Harris." I tell them. I know it's wrong to lie to my parents, who love and care for me so much, but it's worse if they knew the truth.
"Oh Jamel, thank goodness you're safe though." Mum says before hugging me again. "I couldn't imagine the shock and distress if something happened to you."
"It turns out that Abe was being drugged unknowingly by two students from Berriwan, but I heard that he's in juvie for a little bit." I tell them. "Abe's a nice guy though, he just got a little misdirected."
"I guess the Youth Detention Centre at Yorta can also help him battle any issues he's having at the moment." Dad said. He then pointed at the cut on my arm that Sam gave me on Monday, and Abe reopened yesterday "Ooh Jamel, what happened there? That's a nasty cut."
Shoot, now I have to make something else up. I can't tell them that Sam did it, even by accident.
"Actually... it's a funny story. I was mucking around with my dormmates, and I accidentally tripped and cut myself on the table corner. It's a lot wider than it was, but the school nurse informed me that it would be alright." I told them. Wait until they see the bruise covering my shoulder from when Abe hit me.
"Okay, as long as you aren't hurt" said mum, trying to change the subject. "So, when's the Durranga Event?"
"I'm not sure, but I was told sometime in early October. Imagine if it fell on my birthday, that would be really cool." I say. My birthday is October 6th, which is usually in the school holidays. I know that they definitely wouldn't hold it during then, but still, fingers crossed.
"Well, welcome back home, Jamel. We're very happy that you qualified, and that you had a great time in Berriwan." Dad says.
"Yeah, what was the campus like there? I heard it's absolutely magnificent." Mum asked me
"It was great. They had plum trees along the driveway, and everything looked nice. They had the dorm buildings, the gym and even the dining hall." I replied. "Lavalla's a nice town as well, and my dormmates showed me around the city. I'm happy that I met them, they're nice guys." I say.
And they are. They're the best herbivores I've ever met, and I just hope that things go well for them at Berriwan.
Chapter 239: Happy Reunions
"Oh, speaking of friends, last Saturday, Riley came around and asked if we'd heard anything from you." Mum told me. Riley came here? I guess he must've lost my phone number or deleted it in a fit of rage after the last time we spoke. I just hope he wanted to see me for a good reason.
"I might go and visit him now. I bet he missed me." I tell mum and dad. I get up and walk over to the front door.
"Sure thing, Jamel." Mum says. "Just be home by dark, I'll text you when it's dinner time."
"See you guys soon!" I tell them. I shut the door and begin to panic to myself. Riley really wants to see me? What does he want to say, do, think about? Does he still like me? Will he congratulate me?
I decide to pick myself up and walk over to his house. His parents would be home, so if something happens, they can put a stop to anything that happens... right?
Coach Harris did mention that some towns did have a Black Market... what if Whigata has its own Black Market, hidden away from herbivore eyes?! It's a small town, but I bet there might be a shop basement that sells that kind of stuff. They must've kept the secret very well because I've never even heard of it. Still, I've never felt in danger on the streets of Whigata, so I guess the carnivores here must have more self-control.
I walk down Riley's street, feeling tense and nervous. I thought he didn't want to see me at all... maybe he wants to apologise, and hope that I forgive him, which I will.
I missed him. I've never gone anywhere for a long time without him, and he's always there for comfort and support.
I move up his driveway, reminded by all the good times I had coming along here. Through the scorching heat, the windy breezes, and hard rainfalls, I always had fun at Riley's.
I just hope that this isn't the last time.
I knock on the front door, and await Riley's answer. The door opens, and I see Riley's dad standing. He looks very happy to see me. The last time I saw his, he was furiously dragging Riley by the scruff of his neck into the car.
"Oh, hello Jamel." He says in delight. "Fancy seeing you here. I was just hearing about your amazing victory at Lavalla, very well done." He definitely is encouraging me to stay, which is good.
"Thanks. I had a great time, and I'm happy to be back in Whigata. Is Riley in?" I ask him.
"Yes, he's just in his room. You can come in, he's very excited to see you." Riley's dad tells me. I guess Riley is willing to see me. He turns around and walks through to Riley's room. "Riley? Jamel's here." He says, while knocking on his door. I hear some scuffling and knocking about from inside, until...
"JAMEL!!! I missed you so much. Come in, I can't wait to hear about your race." He says. I think I missed his cheerful attitude most of all. And I don't mean since I left for Berriwan.
For the first time in three months, I finally have my best friend back to normal.
._./|\._. Dreamtime Story 26: Tricky Tongue ._./|\._.
Sam: Nalu, did you know that you stick your tongue out when you sleep?
Nalu: ...no?
Jamel: Heh, Riley does that too. It's kinda sweet
Tye: Feline tongues are kind of... rough, aren't they?
Jamel: Rough? What do you mean?
Sam: Check it out *sticks his tongue out*
Nalu: See all those bristles? It helps when we eat harder foods, but tiger's tongues are WAAAY spikier
Jamel: *thinking to himself* (I'm sure it's not just for eating harder foods... imagine that thing on your flesh!)
Tye: Felines are weird... just stick close to us canine, Jamel. Our tongues aren't that bad
Jamel: Is their any part of the feline body that can't kill?
Sam: Uh... our ears, I guess. They're nice and soft
Nalu: So are our tails, as long as you don't pull too hard on them...