[fic] State of Mind - Chapter Seven
Reality was beckoning, but Ward was finding it difficult to drag himself out of sleep’s grasp. He had been dreaming of warm comfort and hands grooming his hair. It was such a lovely feeling, he didn’t want to leave it but the cold morning air was fluttering against his closed eyes. Sighing, he opened them and looked around. It was such a nice dream, but he was back to his dirty world of matted hair and dirty face.
Sighing, he hauled himself upright and ran his hand through his hair.
<‘?!?!?!’> Ward’s eyes widened as his face reddened. It has not been a dream. His head had been groomed and it had been an amazing experience. He remembered now that he was fully awake, Fons coming to him with food and grooming his hair. It had felt so good.
Ward flushed. He didn’t like this awkward feeling of how helpless and glad for it had been or how nice it was. He must be ill. He needed to eat and sleep. With more eating.
Sniffing, he managed to search out the gift-foods Fons had left him the night before, shoved into a corner while he had rested. It was berries and bird today. The feathers made for a nice taste as he thought about how good that annoying bird that tweeted at him would taste. He was going to eat that bird one day.
<‘Aaaaah.’ He contentedly patted his stomach. <‘I gotta find out how he gets this stuff.’> he muttered to himself as his eyes lazily roved the clearing. His stomach rumbled again as Ward frowned down at it.
<‘Still hungry are you?’> He poked his belly. It had gotten much thinner, the slight roundness no longer present. <‘Hmm. What to do…’>
Ward grinned widely. He had the rabbit plan. He would catch a rabbit and trick that nutty bastard into frying it for him. He rubbed his hands together. Oh, he was the best Edward for sure.
Scampering out of his clearing, he headed off into the forest keeping away from the direction he had gone in the day before. He didn’t need another Envy encounter. Probably near the river was the safest, he concluded. Not too far from the berry-bush.
Reaching the rise of ground before the bush, Ward peeked over. He could make out two furry shapes eating the grass on the other side of the berries. Perfect. Crouching, the small Edward crawled his way down the hill, freezing whenever one of the rabbits looked up. Oh he was good, he was the perfect predator, Ward thought to himself as he crawled onwards with his tail twitching behind him. This wasn’t so hard at all, exactly like chasing the butterflies for his master. Step, shuffle and freeze.
He froze, eagerly watching his future dinner. They were still eating the grass, unaware of his looming presence. The Elric stifled a chuckle as he lowered himself some more. Oh delicious bunnies, you will be mine. He edged forward some more, pressing himself down into the earth as flat as possible. The back of his mind was telling him that he needed to be quiet and as still as possible. It was also telling him to clap softly and press the ground. Ward stifled down that annoying clapping urge. Now was no time to have fun, he needed to move silently. He could play later.
There it was. He was so close to the rabbit he could see the nose twitching as he stared at it. This was going to be his dinner. Bunching his legs beneath him, he waited for that moment where it was looking down and then he sprung at it, hands grasping and teeth bared. The rabbit leapt straight into the air in response as his hands came around it, grasping at the fur.
Ward landed with a thump on the ground as the rabbit bounced off into the forest, hands clutching some fur and ears lowering dejectedly. Now he was going to have to do it all over again.
<‘That was pathetic.’>
The familiar and rage inducing voice came out from behind the tree and crawled up his spine. All fur stood up as Ward hissed at the familiar annoyance stepping out from behind the tree, white pelted hands clapping mockingly. This bastard was really beginning to get to him.
<‘What do you want?’> he growled roughly as he pulled himself up and dusted off. He felt humiliated knowing the Mustang had witnessed the failure of his first hunt. Why was he even here? The bastard had seen him yesterday, couldn’t he lay off for another day before bothering Ward?
<‘Just checking up on my favourite little Edward,’> smirked Sting. <‘Making sure the rabbits had not mistaken him for food before I could eat him.’>
Ward fumed, <‘Who are you calling so tiny a rabbit would eat him?!’>
The Mustang chuckled as he stepped over towards the Elric, pelts crisp and clean. <‘Oh you Edwards, so touchy. So tasty.’> Lips licked over pointed canines as the Elric shuffled back uncertainly.
Sting gave himself a short shake. <‘I’ve been thinking it over.’>
Eyes narrowed suspiciously as they followed the ever closer maybe-threat. Ward’s ear twitched as he bottled down a not unappreciated urge to punch that smug grin off that face. Hard.
<‘I’ve decided that you’re joining the pack. We need new [recruits] and I’ve deigned to let you join after much personal thought.’> Sting preened a little, dark eyes watching Ward intently.
The Edward frowned at the gunbu. This was a sudden and unexpected change of mind. It was suspicious. He was pretty sure the Mustang wanted to do nothing more than eat him. Hughes however…<‘Flash made you, didn’t he?’> he guessed accusingly. <‘You don’t really want me to join. You’re just doing what he told you to.’>
A single ear stiffened in reply as the other drew himself up to his taller height. <‘He did not.’> Sting objected, <‘I am allowing you to join out of my own…good nature. You clearly need all the help you can get. You smell and your pelts are dirty and thin.’>
<‘They are not!’> Ward huffed. The Mustang was certainly NOT convincing him.
<’There a holes.’> the smooth voice drawled.
Ward twitched. There weren’t that many holes.
The Mustang sniffed delicately, <‘My pack provides food, pelts and warmth. We can keep you clean and fed if you help out. Joining my pack is a privilege. You will make the pack bigger and a bigger pack gets more territory. I will protect you if you are in the pack. I will eat you if you are not.’>
The Edward frowned uneasily at Sting. <‘You are not going to eat me.’>
<‘I might. It’s been many seasons since I last ate an Edward. That one didn’t get a pack offer, so consider yourself grateful.’> Eyes slitted as the appraised the scrawny and tatty Edward. <‘You would not be a difficult hunt. We would take you easy.’> A finger snapped with a small spark as Ward started in surprise.
He wasn’t so sure about this pack idea. The Mustang seemed more likely to eat him and the voice in his head was telling him to hole up.
<‘She says I should be kind and take a lost [pup] like you in. Says we need [pups] to be a pack. You come now with me.’> Sting nodded firmly as he stepped back, <‘Come this way.’>
Ward decided. He wouldn’t go with the older Mustang and would stick it out in his den where no-one was going to eat him. <‘No.’>
Tattered ears flattened as they looked over a shoulder at Ward. <‘What?’>
<‘I’m staying in my den. I’m not joining your pack!’> He growled. <‘I’m fine on my own.’>
<‘Really?’> Snap.
Wards eyes closed shut tightly as fire wooshed past. Pressing himself down, he dodged behind the nearest tree as fire raged. It stole the breath from his lungs and made everything unbelievable warm. Sweat trickles down is clenched face as he waited it out. As quickly as it had come, the fire left.
<‘You are lucky, [pup]. She says to leave you alone. You’re not useful roasted.’>
Ward peeked out from behind the tree.
<’Probably not even a decent meal on you.’>
The Elric bristled and narrowed his eyes. The Mustang was ruffled and harassed looking in the middle of the clearing. <‘I give you one last chance to think it over, runt. Next time you say no, I will eat you.’>
With a quick turn Sting was marching off. <‘I have left you an example of the benefits of the pack!’> he called over his shoulder, white pelted hand waving.
The Edward watched with wide eyes as the Mustang faded into the undergrowth. He shivered as his legs collapsed beneath him and he took a gasping breath. He had been so lucky! He had not expected the Mustang so soon or to get away with no burns.
Crawling over to the berry-bush, a delicious scent assailed his nose. In the centre of the clearing where Sting had stood were two roasted rabbits. Delicious! Ripping the leg off one, Ward flopped down and munched it to settle his nerves. Food was always good for nerves, he decided. Now he needed to think about the Mustang and avoid him for as long as possible.
= = =
Hunting season open, animal rights protest
The hunting season is here amidst the protests of many subhuman activists. With the opening of the season, many skilled hunters and their families will be bringing home trophies in the limited time available.
The prime target this year are gunbus, who have been proving to be overwhelming problems on the outskirts of the city with feral populations running amok. This problem has been increased with the addition of abandoned family pets where members realise that their new Mustang or Kimbley is not so cute when grown up.
Protestors object to this form of management, citing inhumane killing practices and the many wounded gunbu who will attack humans when desperate for food.
“There are better ways to manage the overpopulation! Tranquillise and transporting them is much kinder than destroying packs!” says one vehement supporter of wildlife.
The Elric Protection Squad also brings concerns about the hunting season, “It’s hard to keep track of hunters and their kills. What’s to stop them from killing an endangered subhuman?”
Species under the Endangered Subhominid Act include all variations of Elrics, the Canadian Envy, Lusts and Prides. Fines exist in greater than $2,000 for the accidental or intentional killing of these endangered animals.
Next Chapter ->