Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
"Hmhmhm!" a muffled giggle is all that pierces through the crunch of fallen leaves, the unusually perky Eli deliberately stepping on each one in his path. The resonant crackles make his lop ears jitter, "Mmm, isn't that sound great?" he moans.
"Yeah, a real jam." a sarcastic voice from lips curled into a smile says, "C'mon, let's get to the blacktop before the sun sets already. I wanna show you this complicated dunk I've been working on."
The azure cat beside him hurries her pace, leaving him behind, though he's still too focused on crunching leaves to care. It's only when a whistle from the cat reaches his ears does he break his trance and run off after her.
Eli's unusual friendship with Geist had truly blossomed over the month, mostly of her accord. Every day since visiting about his "wolf problem", she showered him with snacks, books, and all manner of things to make recess (and classtime she convinced him to skip) more comfortable. In truth, it initially unnerved him with how instantly clingy she was, yet she was equally funny enough to keep him coming back.
Funny, intelligent, nice...her name carried all these and more. A kind of person he wasn't used to yet more than happy to accept.
Now, on a Thursday afternoon like many before, he leaves her tarp hovel and accompanies her to the park, where she impatiently rummages through her bag atop the blacktop, "...in here somewheeerrrreee..."
Eli plants himself on the bench and sets his bag to the side, "Can you even jump high enough to dunk?"
The cat scoffs, "Tch! I'm a cat!"
"...so can you?"
Geist rolls her eyes, "It's not just about jumping y'know."
Eli chuckles, "What else is it about?"
"It's aaaaall in the wrist."
"You're gonna have to show me."
"Gladly!" she says, proudly pulling a deflated orange sack from her bag.
Eli stares in disbelief, "...what are we supposed to do with that?"
"Blow it up, dummy! You first." says Geist, chucking it right at his chest, earning another laugh.
After a solid 10 minutes of haggard breaths from the bun and stretching exercises from the cat, the pair are no closer to having a basketball.
"Guh...this isn't working..." Eli sputters between gasps, a paw to his now light-head.
"It was all I could find, just blow harder!"
"Are you sure you two even can blow harder than you normally do?"
A new voice catches their attention, a voice smooth, low, and brimming with unearned authority. At the edge of the blacktop stands another pair; a freshly permed wolf boy and spiky-feathered crow girl, both Geist's height, clearly from her grade.
The wolf steps forth, paws behind his back as not to wrinkle his lovingly pressed tracksuit, though the aftermarket collar sewn around the neck invokes less of workout clothing and more of a 'prestigious' school uniform.
Eli scoots down the bench, immediately soured by the wolf's aura. Geist has long made him aware of the pair's repeated antagonism against her, but seeing them up close for the first time cuts him deep.
The wolf locks eyes with him and flashes a fake, too-white smile as he passes by, "Oh, you made a friend. Think I've seen you around. Eli, right?"
The bun uncomfortably shifts further back onto the bench, saying nothing.
Geist simply rolls her eyes and sighs, "Why are you here, Hikaru? Find another first grader to yell at?"
"The little litterbug deserved it." the wolf answers coldly, turning his attention back to her, "But actually, I'm here to return something."
He motions his companion forward with a finger. The crow crosses the black top, fists curled, chest puffed out, her grisly eyes betraying the floral-print kerchief tied around her head.
"Lovely." says Geist, jokingly holding out her paw, only to get quite roughly shoved aside by crow, "Ow-hey!"
"Not to you, you little thief." Hikaru says, stepping up beside her and watching his friend begin digging into the cat's bag.
"What are you--gh!" Geist chokes at the sight of a dusty book in the hands of the crow, feeling the resulting grin right in her chest.
She flinches at the wolf's paw patting her shoulder condescendingly, "Seems our library's archive is missing a few important books. Principal Dunbar's tasked Petra and I with getting them back." he saunters over to the crow, now giving Geist a blep of the tongue, "Record time, eh? I might even get a trophy."
The cat's paws tremble, "Y-you...give that back...I need that..."
Petra laughs a horrid, honk-filled laugh, tucking the book under her wing.
"Not a chance." says Hikaru, paws prim and proper behind his back once again, "You've had as many chances as you allegedly have lives. Pretty sure I can get you banned from the library with this."
Geist remains still for a brief moment, eyes cycling through confusion, despair, and rage in a blink. She takes a shaky step towards them, "I-I need it! Really!"
"No one likes a liaaaaar~" the wolf coos, annoyingly waving a finger.
Eli takes a glance at the book in Petra's grasp; an aged but clearly cared for doorstopper all in beige. He'd happened upon Geist obsessively flipping through it a time or two, only once seeing the cover of a sinking ship. He would always ask what was so interesting about it, and always get a change of subject in response.
Knowing it was stolen from the library put the rest of her 'collection' into question, and yet, seeing her shiver at the mere threat of losing it, he couldn't care.
Geist's front falters, "Please..." she reaches a paw out, eyes wide, pleading.
The wolf outright smacks her paw away, "Forget it! This isn't yours! Frankly I'm sick of all your transgressions being forgiven!" he says, projecting his voice to sound big, something that regrettably made both Geist and Eli crumple, "I've got half a mind to report that little tarp fortress of yours too. No reason our back lot should be filled with trash!"
Gritting her teeth, Geist tenses and makes a desperate grasp for the book, "You can't!" she cries, all but tackling Petra.
Petra caws an angry caw, clutching the book tight and swinging around and around so hard she lifts Geist off the ground. The cat mewls and screeches, clawing at the cover, trying to wrench it loose.
The sounds of the tussle echo off every tree in the park, so loud and biting, Eli has to yank his ears down tight to his chest. The ruckus is so immediate and harsh, he tumbles back off the bench, onto his knees.
His heart races harder with every shout. He peeks around the corner, hoping not to see his friend in trouble.
"stop...stop it...stop it..." he mutters inaudibly.
Geist hangs onto the crow's wing for dear life, but the war of attrition is lost as Petra effortlessly swings her wing hard enough to send the cat flat on her rear. She sniffles and wipes the loose feathers from her cheek.
Petra, trying to shake the dizziness from her spinning away, passes the book back to Hikaru, who glances down at the cover with disinterested eyes.
"The Long Gone Shoremen: A History of Bulleade Harbor." he reads aloud before laughing, "That's rich. What, you need to investigate the beach? You won't even get near the pool in gym." he continues to chuckle, tossing the book carelessly between his paws.
The pages shuffle as they're tossed. Suddenly, from the book drops a small paper, landing on the dirty blacktop. Geist's eyes go wide, her voice chokes once again. In a flash, she dives for it, only to be met with a careful-but-firm bootstomp from the wolf.
"Oh? What's this?" he says, cocking an eyebrow and dragging his foot back just enough to see.
It's a photograph, one of a raggedy cat with a pipe between his teeth, standing in front of a small ship with a proud smile.
"What the..."
A sniffling catches his attention. The cat at his feet dares not to move as she looks up at him, "Th-that's mine...I swear..."
For once, in her eyes there is no malice, no snark, no anger. She all but begs him, "Please...don't..."
All is silent but the autumn wind as the two stare each other down.
And then...
CRUNCH
Hikaru stomps the photo into the blacktop with all his might, the sharp grit of the blacktop assuredly tearing it to pieces under his boot.
Geist lets out a terrible, near silent squeak, eyes unblinking, paws no longer jittering as they hang useless at her sides.
The wolf whistles tunlessly, carelessly, turning one last time ontop of the picture before walking off, motioning for Petra to follow along. The crumpled Geist just sits there on her knees, staring at the pile of shreds that was once a complete photo.
Eli peeks around the corner of the bench to see her tearfully try to gather the pieces before the wind carries them away. His heart still races, but the ringing in his ears gives way to the cat's soft sobs, a sound he'd never heard from who he'd come to know as an impossible ray of sunshine.
In the time he'd known her, he was convinced she couldn't even be wronged. She forgave every faux pas and accident as if it were bumping into a stranger on the street.
To see someone treat anyone so callously, to see them just take without a thought, to hear her cry...
It's wrong.
It's wrong. It's wrong. It's wrong. It's wrong. It's wrong.
The bun stands, the world around him darkening, leaving only the heartless wolf in his sights. His legs walk for him, approaching with thoughtless, nigh-emotionless intent. His paw reaches out without his input, tugging hard on the wolf's silken, brushed tail.
"Ow! What do you want?" Hikaru stops and turns.
"Apologize" says Eli, low and deep from his chest.
The wolf cocks a brow, "Snrk, for?"
Eli simply points to the crying Geist, who watches the scene with confusion.
"You need to apologize."
Hikaru has to stifle his laugh as he looks down at the shrimpy rabbit. Where does he get off telling Hikaru Hirano what he needs to do?
With a sigh, he passes the book back to Petra and holds his paws up, "You're absolutely right." he glances over at Geist, "Robin, I'm sorry you're such a fatherless creep--" he turns his attention to Eli, "--whose only friend is a latchkey aspie!"
THWACK!
It was in the blink of an eye. Before Geist or Petra could even register, there sat Hikaru, flatbacked on the asphalt, a trickle of blood running down from his nose. Eli stands above him, fist clenched and bloodied, head held low enough to shadow his eyes against the setting sun behind them.
Bearing his fangs, Hikaru scrambles to his feet, "Ohhh, oh you think you can fight you little sissy?! Come here!"
Eli snaps back to reality just as he is rushed by the wolf, decked square in the jaw hard enough to send him back stumbling back against the basketball hoop. The daze is brief enough for him to see another fist coming his way, which he throws his paws up to take. It still knocks him against the pole, making it ring and scare away the nearby birds.
The wolf throws a third punch. Eli quickly ducks forward and pops up behind Hikaru, sparing no hesitation in kneeing him right in the back, causing him to make the pole sing.
"Ngh! Rggghhh!" the wolf growls as Eli hops away.
With Hikaru hot on his tail, Eli rushes to the nearby playground, diving head first through the hard plastic tunnel entrance, the mad thumping of Hikaru's boots against the sides ringing in his ears. He emerges just as he feels a claw scrape his ankle.
The playground is a maze of mesh, nets, and rotating blocks, so brightly colored seeing it with the adrenaline nearly overloads his senses. Before he can get a grip, he is tackled into the net below, just barely avoiding hitting the dirt straight on his back.
Hikaru hurls an elbow into the bun's stomach, making him wail and try to roll away, his own paws and feet getting caught in the netting.
He manages to turn just as the wolf throws another fist. With no paws free, Eli opens wide and catches the wolf's fist on his teeth, clamping down hard as he can. The wolf cries out and pulls back, his paw now bleeding like his nose.
Eli gets a grip on the ropes, managing to climb up and over the wolf back to the center of the platform. Hikaru is not far behind, slashing at the net with his little claws, fraying it just enough to free himself and resume chase.
Just outside the platform, both Petra and Geist have caught up, the crow cawing loudly and pumping a fist into the air. Geist watches silently, cautiously, holding the pieces she grabbed tight in both paws.
Eli's mind races. What has he gotten himself into? What can even do from here? Lose him in the tunnels? Try to get him stuck in one of the rollers? Just shove him back onto the net? He grips his ears tight, begging for his thoughts to coalesce into a plan that makes sense.
In those precious few seconds, Hikaru is upon him again, "Get over here!".
The rabbit tries to run, only for his hoodie to be ensnared by the wolf's claws as he's pulled over and knee'd in the back. The shock of pain up his spine makes his legs crumple. He falls flat onto the platform.
"Unngh..." he groans, shutting his eyes tight.
They snap right open when he feels Hikaru pinning him. Hot breath blasts the back of his neck. A guttural, primal growl rings in his ears. A heavy pair of knees pins his legs completely.
"So...the little bunny's a biter? Figures." Hikaru says between breaths, "Didn't hurt that much though, you little wimp. I'll show you a real bite."
Eli feezes. All his nerves fire off at once yet his body refuses to move. The world turns to darkness again. The autumn breeze, crunching leaves, and jeering caws all fade under a high pitched wine.
He feels a paw, then teeth on his ear.
He hears him say his name...
"No...no no no noNONONONONO!!!" Eli screams, thrashing under Hikaru's weight.
The sudden volume makes Hikaru wrench back, "Ahh!"
In that moment, Eli pulls his legs free, turns, and swipes at the wolf with his nails, scoring a nasty cut across his muzzle. Hikaru stumbles back, giving Eli time to stand and rush him once again. With a loud cry, he sends a knee right into the wolf's stomach, knocking the wind out of him and allowing him to effortlessly be shoved up against the platform's side bars.
Eli hits his stomach again, this time with his fist. With no more air, Hikaru coughs up a glob of saliva, giving a grotesque gasp.
But Eli doesn't hear it. He hits him again.
And again.
And again.
Outside, Petra has stopped cheering, her fist pumping turning to anxiously rubbing her plume as she steps closer to Geist, who still watches silently.
Before long, Hikaru comes flying off the platform and down the slide with enough force to send him rolling halfway back to the blacktop.
Eli jumps down and slowly walks over to him, fury in his eyes.
The wolf whimpers, curled on the ground, clutching his stomach, his now frazzled tail trying to find it's way between his legs. He coughs, he wimpers, he gasps, he cries.
It's pathetic.
"Get up." Eli demands, standing above Hikaru. The wolf slowly looks back up at him, muzzle quivering as he tries and fails to say something. Eli's brow furrows, "Come on...get up...stand up! And fight me!"
Without warning, Eli kicks him right in the stomach, making him heave and gasp once again. The wolf shivers violently, fighting the urge to curl into a ball. The sudden disappearance of his bravado infuriates the bun, making him kick the wolf again and again, "You think it's okay to be mean?! You think you can insult people and destroy their things and make them cry?! You think it's okay because no one says it's not?!"
Petra's eyes go wide in horror. She runs to the pair, "E-Eli!"
Eli glares down at the whimpering cur trying to look up at him. There's no more anger in his eyes, no more grit in his teeth, only tears and a speechless, almost angelic face begging him to stop. The wolf that destroyed something precious, the wolf that punched and kicked him, the wolf that tried to bite him, is begging him to stop.
He should stop.
He doesn't want to stop.
"You scum..." Eli raises his foot and stomps the wolf hard, "I'LL RIP YOUR HEART OUT AND EAT IT!!!"
"Eli stop!" Petra pleads, grabbing Hikaru and holding him close, giving the bun the same pleading eyes, "Y-you won...you won..."
The world is still dark. Geist, Petra, the park, it's all gone. All Eli can see is the crying wolf at his feet, looking over his shoulder with tears in his eyes, twisted, bloodied muzzle choking out, "...I'm...sorry..."
The world's color returns. Eli blinks a few times to make sure it's real. His heart is pounding hard enough to tear out of his ribs. His fists shake. His ears twitch. He feels as if his legs will collapse any second.
He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. He instead grimaces, takes the book from Petra, and walks away. Just as he's almost out of earshot, he can hear Hikaru crying.
The long-forgotten Geist carefully matches his pace behind him, "E-Eli..." she quivers, still processing everything as she traces the rocks in her path. When she sees the book in his hands, it all clicks, "Eli that...that was AWESOME!" she cheers.
She pulls him into a tight embrace, "You're the coolest!"
Eli's body tenses again at feeling Geist's arms around him. Without thinking, he elbows her in the stomach and pushes her away, not even sure he meant to.
Her cheerfulness goes as quick as it came, "Eli...?"
Eli can't bare to look at her, "I..." he tosses her the book, turns, and heads off, "I have to go home..."
Geist catches the book, running her paws over it as she watches him run away, "Uh...o-ok! See ya tomorrow!"
---
Eli is thankful for his mother's late shift in light of how hard he slams the door upon getting home. He wants to go to his room, but the moment the door is shut, his legs give out. He collapses against the door and screams, pulling his ears hard and burying his face in his knees.
There he sits for a solid minute before he realizes the wet sensation on his fingers. His paws are still bloody.
He absent-mindedly wipes it on his ear, only to feel the familiar bumps of his scars. Holding his ear up, he sees the perfect bite pattern, now bright red again after having faded. The unmistakable teeth of a wolf.
Eli curls up against the door and cries.
-----------------------
This is a scene I've wanted to depict for a long time. I greatly fear Eli being seen as some, "abused little angel uwu so sad" archetype. Your abuse can grant you a sense of empathy and understanding of others, but it can just as easily make you lash out at people who don't deserve it.
If you want to be a wolf, you have to know the risks.
Keywords
male
1,204,926,
female
1,096,585,
wolf
194,662,
rabbit
140,120,
blood
21,294,
fight
5,768,
park
4,373,
crow
2,837,
autumn
2,196,
bullying
1,932,
bully
1,475,
playground
1,098,
basketball
980,
tower
423,
ptsd
118
Details
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2 days, 7 hrs ago
14 May 2025 04:26 CEST
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