Feral High, Ch. 2 (Patreon)

The first day seemed to be blazing past Anon, whose head was entirely wrapped up in just trying to navigate the eclectic school grounds and hallways. He had a chaperone everywhere he went, often in the form of the previous classroom's teacher, making sure he arrived to each new place safely without being mobbed by the gaggles of Anthro students that surrounded him. He had came across some strangely wild popularity, everyone had questions and focused their attention on him, but again it felt more like he was being sized up to eat. Eventually everyone would realize how lackluster and boring he was, and he could resume a normal school life. Still, it was kind of fun being actively sought out for conversation.

At his old school, he was ignored on the best of days, and picked on ruthlessly on the worst. Somehow, despite previous racial tensions, there was absolutely no animosity what to speak of, the rainbow variety of species treating him like one of the group already, although some did seem a bit overeager to be included in projects with him. Maybe he was just overthinking things, Anthros might just be naturally more friendly. The only thing to get used to now was the smell. It wasn't that they stank, but Anthros did have a much stronger natural odor than Humans did, and the tightly packed classrooms quickly seemed to get overheated. Thankfully he always had a window seat.

By near the end of the day, activity had slackened off around him, and the Coach of the PE class was leading him to his locker. The Coach was a Rhino, a burly figure that parted crowds all by himself, tough grey hide marked with scars and tattoos, and a no-nonsense look to his horned face that scared off even the more hardcore looking types. He barely spoke beyond shouting encouragement or orders when in class, but Anon suspected a softer side. The one time he had seen Coach checking his phone, he had seen an adorable baby rhino girl in a pink onesie beaming at the camera. He tried to keep questions polite and unintrusive, as he fiddled with the door to his locker.

All he ever usually got in response however was "Uh-huh," or "Yup," or "Gaff." The last word was apparently an Anthro one, but he hadn't figured out the meaning. A lot of Anthros said it around him. Maybe he would do some research on it, that and a very mysterious detail he had read about in Social Studies called "Fury", which was a key attribute to the Anthro race, apparently contributing to their darker past and why they rarely fought in wars anymore.

A disturbance down the hall came to his ears and he peered around Coach to see some kind of squabble going on. He couldn't make out any details, only a large packed mass of Anthro students and teachers milling around and talking loudly. He mentioned it to Coach, who grunted angrily. "Classroom 4-A's down that way. Don't be late. Home room's important," the Rhino said, and then began stomping off down the hall to investigate, leaving Anon alone.

Shrugging, and deciding it was best that he follow the teacher's advice, he turned back to his locker and began putting away his books. The thick scent of something thick, acrid, and musky filled the air around him suddenly and he blinked, sniffing hard. Something soft brushed his leg and he looked down. A spotted, yellow-furred tail was tapping against his leg, and he leaned around his locker door to see who it belonged to.

His eyes met a hungry pair of bright yellow orbs, staring right up at him. Their owner, a pretty, if pinched faced Leopard girl was grinning at him, long teeth flashing, ears twitching and glinting with several long earrings. She had a lot of makeup on around her eyes, and she was deliberately leaning forwards towards him, hands in her pockets. Spiky jewlery hung around her wrists and was studded into the jacket she wore over a t shirt that had a deliberately low cut v-neck. A short black skirt barely reached her thighs, and it seemed intentional.

"Sup, what's up!" she rasped up at him, head coming up just to his shoulders. Her spots were done in an eclectic pattern, and obviously touched up with tattoos to make her head seem on fire. "How goes it newbie?"

Anon shyly turned to face her, smiling politely down at the Leopard. She was very pretty, but she would have been more so without so much make up. It made her face look way too hungry and feral. He said hello and told her things were going well, and then gave his name.

"Anon huh? Sounds foriegn. Mine's Shazi." She licked at one corner of her jowls, flashing her long teeth again in a feral smile. He thought he remembered something about how Anthros didn't usually do that when trying to be polite. Teeth were a sign of aggression and dominance. And he definitely felt dominated already, what with how she seemed not to blink, big bright eyes drawing him in.

Another presence appeared at his back as he took a step backwards if only to get a little space and he bumped into someone. He turned to apologize, only to see another bright pair of eyes, these ones so dark they almost appeared black, staring at his almost nose to nose. This girl, an African Wild dog, was at eye-level with him, long ears standing proudly, and a similar feral smile on her face. She was also very pretty, long canine muzzle covered with super soft looking fur, her nose studded with piercings, and she clutched a textbook in front of her chest, almost deliberately squashing it against them to make them stand out even more in the croptop level tank she wore. Super tight, ripped jeans covered her legs, with faux fur at the knees, and elegant hindpaws perched like a dancer's. She didn't back up, instead winding a paw between both of his sneaker-clad feet and pressing in close against this arm. She also smelled the same, almost like smoke but not anything he was familiar with back at his old school.

"This bitch here is Zenza," Shazi said, sounding amused, her tail still flicking at his leg. "Say hi, Z."

The dog girl giggled and her tail waved back and forth behind her. "Hi, Z," she said, making the leopard girl chuckle hoarsely. Her voice was toned and sweeter, almost like she was playing around almost bursting into song. She had a wonderful smile too, but he felt crowded and a little flushed. Were Anthros always this touchy? "You're really cute!" Zenza continued. "Just transfer here?" Anon said yes, he had, just this morning. "Well, aren't we blessed then!"

"Totes," Shazi said, sniffing at his arm and making him flinch on reflex. "You smell nice too. Use that human stuff, deodorant?" Anon nodded. "I like!" the leopard said, giggling along with Zenza. "Care to hang around with us for a bit while our friend catches up?" Anon gulped but nodded, the two were refusing to back up at all and he couldn't stop catching admittedly nice views of presented necklines.

"Isn't he just the sweetest?" Zenza asked, leaning against his arm a bit more and sniffing at his ear. He supposed canines would have good sense of smell, and introduced themselves through it. "So new but already so polite. Most people won't even talk with us. Girls get lonely you know?" He found himself looking into her eyes, hypnotically dragging him into those dark pools. "Anon..." she said, drawing out his name like an encantation from a video game. "Anon...I like that name." She finally leaned back, making him gulp again and feeling his face flushing red.

Shazi leaned one elbow against the locker beside him, finally turning her attention back to the hallway. Anon tried to as well, but only then noticed that everyone else was avoiding being around him suddenly. They seemed to find something much more important to look at or do other than make eye contact in his general area. Were these girls unpopular like he had been? He felt suddenly bad for them, strange as they were. He tried giving them both a smile and they glowed even more. A soft purring even came from Shazi, and Zenza's tail wagged harder.

"So, what's human school like?" asked the leopard. "That place as much a total drag as this one?" He responded that it was very similar but also very different. Back there, things weren't so organized and neat. He also wondered what had happened down the hall that had drawn so many onlookers. "Eh, probably some school drama, got it everywhere," Shazi responded then. "Hate drama, don't you?" Anon tried to make a joke, asking if she meant the bad kind or the acting kind.

"You like acting?" asked Zenza, once again drawing him into staring at her eyes, her ears perked more. He nodded. "Oh me too, I love being on stage!" She sighed wistfully. "I haven't been allowed to audition yet for the next big play though, such a bummer." He wondered why that was.

"Probably has something to do with her Ex trashing the stage when they were still dating," Shazi said with a cackle, and the two traded mock, but also very real seeming, snarls.

"Kalle was a dick," Zenza said then. "I told him I had to get ready for last year's big event and he got all feral and mean, said I wasn't spending enough time with him. So he caused a lot of drama for me and I dumped him. Guys can be so mean, cant they?" she looked at him so endearingly that he had to admit that yeah, high school guys were the worst. He was sorry she had been treated that way. "And a gentleman too!" she said, and sighed wistfully. "Where were you a year ago...?"

Anon thought it best not to tell her how last year he was being shoved into lockers, so he just laughed awkwardly and tried not to keep staring at them. He felt rude in that every time he looked at them they seemed to get so intense. Eye contact apparently was a big thing for Anthros.

"Oh and here's the queen of the hour!" said Shazi suddenly and Anon looked over at her exactly as a shadow fell across his front. He looked forwards and balked, backing up hurriedly against the locker behind him, clutching the strap of his backpack hard between his hands.

Another Anthro female, this one a Hyena, towered over him by over a good head, her bright teeth flashing so openly that he could count them all. Her thick furry hide was pristine and shiny, and rippled with obvious non-feminine musculature that made him gulp. Her assets were all but shoved right into his face as well. Shazi was athletic while Zenza was curvier and more hour glass. This girl was like a brick house, broad across the shoulders and chest, barely contained by a heavy metal t shirt and a studded leather jacket, which was rolled up to her elbows. She was leering down at him with interest, muzzle twitching, and she made a soft, high pitched yipping giggle as she inspected him.

"Kenzi!" said Zenza, tail waving again. "This is Anon, the new guy. Isn't he cute?"

Kenzi the Hyena nodded, cocking her head to the side, wild mohawk like hair standing above her head and twitching, notched ears. Shazi said from the side, "Although this scene is pretty lame. You think Anon would wanna come hang with us?" Those huge eyes narrowed and she beamed more.

Anon swallowed nervously as the Hyena leaned one arm above his head, casting him in further shadow, the three women now surrounding him. Danger Will Robinson! He coughed weakly and mentioned that he actually had to get to Home Room. "Home room?" said Shazi, laughing. "Nah, that place is lame. Attendance ain't mandatory, kids use that for hanging out and doing homework. Why it matter where you do that?"

Zenza leaned against him again. "Would you rather us have to go off by ourselves? I was hoping we could talk more." He felt trapped by those eyes, but a growl from Kenzi drew his attention. He suddenly felt almost afraid for his life as she leaned slowly down and sniffed at his face, muzzle close enough to see the individual short hairs upon it and the sheen of her black lips. She licked them, breath hot and acrid, and her bright eyes pinned him in place. "What do you say, escort three girls off for a break?" Zenza said, singsong tone, beside him, and slowly linked a feminine and yet solidly strong arm through his. Shazi did the same on his other side, and without realizing it he was being escorted out of the hallway, locker slamming shut behind him as Kenzie closed it with a flick of her tail.

He almost wanted to call out for help as he was escorted out, but Zenza took that moment to lean her head against his shoulder and his resolve crumbled. They were being really nice...why not see where this went?