Wild Eyed Jokers

Chapter 1 Frank’s POV I breathe in the crisp autumn air as my black hair is blown from my face. The other Wilds had already split up to hunt. Prey is scarce, everyone is competing at the same time to prepare for winter. We fear we may not be able to find enough meat for the pack. The underlying stress may be what is making us less efficient in executing our goal. My pack has only one goal, which is to survive. I grip my dagger tighter as I smell a trace of something. Rabbit. Perfect. I begin stalking through the tall grass, a predatory grin spread across my face. I spot the small animal, it’s pink nose twitching. It freezes in fear as it senses my presence, but has no time to react before I pounce on it. I frown as I stab into it’s back. I don’t want to hurt this innocent creature, but I need to survive. I need to help my pack survive. I take the burlap sack from my shoulder and store it with the other small prey I’ve gathered today. Squirrels, more rabbits, and other small animals. I close up my bag, not satisfied with the amount of prey I have gathered. I hear a howl in the distance. Bob is calling for the pack. Howls are heard in response from throughout the forest, including mine, as we make our way back to each other. We meet in the clearing, everyone lining up to show Bob whether or not we had gotten enough prey. I bite my lip nervously, knowing I didn’t make the cut. The line grows shorter and shorter, until it’s my turn to confront Bob. “Let me see your prey, Frank,” Bob says in an intimidating manner. “Yes, Alpha,” I reply shyly as I open my bag to show Bob what I have gotten for today. “Dammit, Frank!” Bob bellows, “You never find enough! Even a pup could hunt better than you!” I hear murmurs from my pack speaking of how it’s not surprising, considering I’m about the size a young, female should be. I’m slightly offended, but it’s true. I’ll have to ignore it. “I’m sorry, Alpha,” I cower back in fear. “You’ve been getting inadequate amounts of prey for days,” Bob says softer, yet still aggravated, “I’m going to have to make you hunt late today.” “Yes, Alpha,” I say obediently before turning back to the forest. My stomach growls, but I know that because I have to continue hunting, there will be no food for me tonight. Fucking Bob, did he not know how difficult it was too hunt during autumn? I sniff in, hoping to get even the slightest trace of something. I have no such luck. I keep searching, I have to find more for us to eat. All of the sudden, I smell it. Deer! That’ll be enough to feed my pack for a day or two! I begin to run, but my foot gets snagged on a tree root. My ankle twists as I fall. It hurts, but I’ll have to work through that. I attempt standing, I need to get that deer! The second I put pressure on my injured ankle, I yelp in pain and fall again. I whimper as I realize I’m stuck here. I howl for help and get no response. My ankle begins to swell and I think it may be broken. I try standing again, but I can’t do it. I keep howling as my ankle is in searing pain. I don’t know if my pack will find me. Gerard POV I frown in front of the mirror we have in the den, running my hand through my red locks. I’ve been asleep all day, much to my skulks displeasure. Look, it’s not my fault I stay up all day and sleep all night when the day is just so nice to be awake in. While the rest of the skulk go to sleep, I often go as close to the surface as I can get without being outside and draw, listening to the sound of the birds chirping and all the diurnal people starting their day. Sometimes, I’m only just falling asleep as the sunsets, and I know if my mother caught me having not slept at such an hour she’d lose her shit. There’s only a few of us in the den, other species have more if they’re social, but I just live with my mother, father and my little brother Mikey. I’m adolescent though so I don’t know how long it’ll be until she practically chucks me out, I mean I have been scrounging off her and bringing back fuck all. I’m basically the runt of the litter. Mikey’s the one who’s gonna go out and mate and is a much better hunter than me anyway. “Gerard, fuck have you not being out hunting yet?” Mikey says suddenly, from behind. “I- uh I’m about to” I stutter out, looking at the ground. “Don’t let mom catch you, she will kill you dude, you need to get your shit together and get out, it’s not gonna be long til the sun rises” “Okay okay, I’m just going, fucking hell, Mikey Way” I sigh and trudge out into the night, grabbing my bow and arrow on the way. I dislike hunting, I want to go herbivorous but there’s no way I could survive like that, it just hurts to kill a poor defenseless animal. I zone out, putting my earphones in. I’m supposed to be listening out for prey but honestly I would rather just escape for a while and put off the task I came here to do. The moonlight is rippling through the leaves, leaving fragmented patterns on the forest floor which I find trudging through oddly satisfying. After a while, it starts getting light and I know I shouldn’t be out this late but fuck it. I take out my earphones to take in how gorgeous the world is, I look up at the sky, painted all shades of pale pink, yellow and blue. The sun, though still not above the horizon casts a glowing golden glow on the already orange leaves beneath my feet. It’s so overwhelmingly gorgeous watching the world light up at this time, all my surroundings coming alive, hell it feels like I’m only just coming alive. I can hear birds chirping and the footsteps of the odd diurnal Halcyon up early. I don’t mind that much, even my skulk are terrified of diurnal tribes, Halcyon or not, though I must admit other adolescents or Wilds scare the shit out of me. It’s okay though, they’re not normally up for a while yet. Suddenly, a howl from only just a few feet away snaps me back to reality. I realise I’ve strayed out of my territory in my daydream as I take in the scents of all the other tribes. Fuck. I turn around quickly, fearing what this animal would do to me and walk in the direction of the den as fast as I can. I can hear the howls and feel my heart pounding at the amount of shit I could have got myself in. It’s incredibly frowned upon to cross into other tribes territories, there’s some leniency if it’s that of another Halcyon, but if you trespass into a Wild’s territory you’re in some shit. And if you were to communicate or form a relationship with them, that’s a fucking deathwish. And, as if my luck couldn’t get any better, I think this is a Wild tribe. A shot of pain reverberates through my back and I realise something’s thrown something at me - a stone I think. Fucking hell, they’re actually going to kill me. I walk faster and suddenly the same happens again. I look around nervously, and realise the stones seem to be coming from the same place as the howls. I become aware of the fact they sound incredibly pained, and I wonder if this being is in trouble. I remember my mom’s waiting at home and decide to turn around quickly, whatever they are, they’ll be fine, I’m sure of it and I’m not risking my life trying to help it when it could so easily be some sort of decoy anyway. “Hey!” I hear a call “Get your ass over here, Halc” I oblige, knowing I’m walking into my death and knowing I have no choice. Maybe, he’ll go easier on me instead of if I run and get caught by his entire pack. Privately, I try to send a telepathic message to Mikey telling him I love him as I get close. “Right, dude, I know we’re not supposed to interact, but could you help me before I die out here?” he says. I frown, wondering what the hell is happening and why he is actually talking to me. “You could say something, you know,” he snaps. “I uh yeah, b-but do you want t-to get me killed,” I get out. I look round into the foliage and see a surprisingly small wolf hybrid curled up. He’s shaking in the cold but drags himself up against a tree trunk when he sees me. I stand dead still taking in the being before me, with no clue how to react. I mean I want to help him and you know what, he’s actually kinda cute.

Notes

Hey! This is WelcomeToTheRevengeDays. SnailTheSaints does Gerard's POV and I do Frank's POV. There is no set update schedule as we both procrastinate more than Dan Howell. Comment and tell us what you think!
Virtual Hugs! -Alex