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Minako dreamt of blood again. Crimson that spread across the floor: seeking and soaking her fur with warmth. Salty, pungent, and tantalizing, the scent of it spiked the air. She could taste the metallic tang and disgust clenched in her dreamscape gut as drool collected in her mouth. She was salivating at her own suffering. Claws slashed through the dark and she tried to fight - to flee - but, no matter what she did, she was helpless. Her mouth felt thick and heavy. She opened it to scream and bite, but her sharp teeth and voice were absent. There was no escape. A fanged maw gnashed in the shadows.
Minako threw herself awake. Panting, she hugged herself into a ball and held herself until the quaking of her limbs lessened. Her dreams often took this twisted form - a slave to her own body and instinct - where the scores the claws made bled phantasmally and she screamed without noise. Kill, the voice of the monster sometimes told her. Sometimes it just snarled and took, ravaging her body. These terror-filled, heart-thumping awakenings were the only reprieve from the beasts that haunted her nightmares.
Her roommates were still asleep; the sounds purring and soft snores filtered through the blood that rushed through her ears. She released a shaky sigh and clutched herself tighter until her pulse eased from its erratic thrumming. She wiped the sweat from the divet between her clavicles. She hated waking up with the sweats from her night terrors. She hated the night terrors too, but she was grateful she hadn't woken up snarling or thrashing. She had heard her roommates grumble about how that happened too often. Minako couldn't help but agree. She knew she made them nervous; waking up wildly like she was a victim of her feral instinct. Sheila the leopard had always been more understanding than the other two felines. Her comforting smile and smooth voice had helped ease Minako out of the panic-driven frenzies she'd wake up in. She was a good friend and Minako knew because she had so few of them. Quality over quantity.
Releasing herself, Minako grasped her watch. Squinting at the banged-up timepiece, the hands glowed softly and she groaned. It was a quarter after five in the morning, The sun wasn't even up and her first class didn't start until eight. She doubted she would be able to go back to sleep. As a mountain lion, Minako knew her species thrived in the pre-dawn hours of the day, but, as a teenager, she wanted to curl up in her bed and fall into a dreamless slumber. She knew the later was unlikely and eased herself from the top bunk, mindful of the sleeping tigress, Sora, beneath her. Luckily for Minako, Sora slept like the dead. Under the cover of the dark morning, Minako got dressed.
She found herself at the fitness center like she so often did on mornings like these. Her mind was scattered like dust in the wind and a punishing workout usually fixed it. She wasn't usually up quite this early, but some mornings called for exceptions to her schedule. The women's change room door squeaked down the empty hall and Minako let herself in. After ditching her bag in a locker, she accidentally caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Deep bags ringed her eyes on her tawny face. Tufts of fur stuck up, unbrushed. Minako looked awful and she quickly glanced away. She found that the lights were already on. She wasn't alone.
A slight huffing and the whirring of an exercise machine pricked her sensitive ears. Sure enough, on a treadmill in the center of the room ran a deer - and not just any deer. It was Louis the red deer. Minako knew him, or, more accurately, she knew of him. They were in the same year and even shared some classes, but Louis was infamous. He was a star student and actor, an heir to a conglomerate, and the next student in pursuit of becoming the Beastar. Louis was so popular he had his own fanbase. It was almost silly, the amount of attention the young deer received. He strutted around the school with a gaggle of fawning students in his wake. He seemed so distantly beautiful, like a faraway star in the night sky. Minako was certain that the two had never so much as had a conversation.
Louis looked up and locked eyes with her. His antlers curled elegantly atop his head and his face a little pink. She was suddenly gripped with a feeling of embarrassment at being seen looking as tired and crazed as she knew she did. Her cheeks heated and she nodded at him silently in greeting as he resumed his jog. His expression was blank, as though her existence had no effect on him, but she got a feeling he didn't seem happy to have company. Minako was proud of herself for not fleeing like a spooked prey-thing.
She popped in her music earbuds and set herself through the motions of her workout. She did so almost mindlessly. The muscles of her arms and legs ached from the basketball practice she had had the night before. She pushed herself harder and ignored the pain. She and Louis seemed to dance around each other through the gym, which wasn't very large. The wall of mirrors making it easy to discreetly glance over at what he was doing every once in a while. His face remained stoic through it all. A pop song jived in her ears as she moved to an empty treadmill and set herself and a grueling pace. Sweat dripped between her breasts and along her brow. She probably smelled bad enough that even a deer could scent her. Her ears perked over the whirring of the machine and the ' thump ' of her footsteps as she ran. Louis picked himself up from the mat along the mirrored wall and dusted himself off before spraying down the mat. Minako watched him from the corner of her eye as he finished and exited into the boy's change room without so much as a glance her way.
Now alone, Minako cranked the speed and sprinted on the treadmill, as fast as she had tried to run in her dream. Her feet made heavy thumping noises against the whizzing belt. Sport shoes catching on the ground a few times, Minako decreased the speed and hopped off before she could trip. Bent clutching her knees, she panted hungrily at the air. Her lungs burned and screamed. She wanted to collapse on the cool gym floor and not move. Minako glanced at the well-worn watch on her wrist, the fur on her arms slick from sweat. It read six-thirty. She was thirsty and exhausted and decided she was done punishing herself for the morning. She still had to be able to walk to class after all. On sore, wobbly legs, Minako hobbled into the changeroom.
She stuck her head under the sink faucet and lapped greedily at the cool water that gushed out. Her stomach clenched, but she couldn't tell if it was from hunger or workout too hard; probably, a mix of the two.
Her shower was brief and cold. She stepped out, wrapping herself in the towel she packed and stood in front of the mirror. A rosy hue brushed over her cheeks. Her eyes looked less crazed, but still tired and the bags were still evident. Minako sighed heavily before dressing in the school uniform she'd haphazardly snagged from her closet. The white cloth clung to the damp fur she hadn't dried well enough. Her mind felt clearer and less haunted by her dream. The muscles of her lean body were tense and tired, but, through the exhaustion and exertion, she felt alive. Well, alive enough to take on the day.
Softly humming a song under her breath, Minako swung her bag onto a shoulder and pushed open the change room door. She roughly ran her towel over her ears and the fur on her head one more time. The door creaked noisily as she stepped out, towel still over her eyes, and she was surprised as she ran face-first into something solid. She stumbled back and grasped onto whatever she had walked into with her clawed hand. Her nose ached and she went to rub it as the something grunted, "Ow."
Minako hurriedly shook the towel from her eyes and gasped softly. She peered into the face of Louis. His face was fair and handsome and his brown eyes stared back intensely. He huffed lightly and Minako felt his warm breath on her snout. He appeared to be annoyed.
“Uh, sorry about that,” she stepped back from Louis removing her hand from the hard forearm she had grabbed. There were indentations in his shirt from her claws. She wanted to get out of his space. He was an herbivore and she didn’t want to frighten or intimidate him while being so close to his face. They were at eye level with each other but the curve of his antlers made him seem to loom over her. She was lucky, if she had been any taller he could have taken out her eye. His ears flicked. Minako could hear the soft beat of his heart in his chest. He wasn't afraid. That was something she was used to. She moved quieter than most creatures and her nearly permanent austere expression often frightened animals out of her way.
“Don’t worry about it,” Louis said. This was the first time he has ever said anything to Minako. His voice was clear and concise like he was up on the theatre stage. Minako had seen him perform the year before for the freshman students. He was intimidating and Minako thought that perhaps the world was really Louis’ stage.
Louis grasped his now holey sleeve and observed the damage. He grimaced and his eyes then settled on her face, as she fought to keep her expression neutral. She was unnerved to be this close to him.
“Try to watch where you’re going next time, though,” his tone was harsh, and Minako felt her spine straighten at the accusatory way he eyed her.
“You’re a hazard with those things,” his hand gestured towards her clawed one. “Wouldn’t want you to hurt anyone, else.”
She curled her hands into her sides, trying to hide them from his sight. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, she had just reacted. It was an accident. Her tail thrashed behind her and her eyes flashed to his. She boldly met his gaze.
“I’m sorry if I hurt you, but you should maybe consider not standing in front of opening doors.” Her tone matched his.
Louis blinked and seemed temporarily taken aback by her response. She supposed that he probably wasn't used to being met faced on, but he was wrong to place all the blame solely on her.
“Are you bleeding?” Minako asked him before he could find something snarky to reply with.
Louis shifted his feet and adjusted his shirt sleeve. “No," he said, "The shirt isn’t even really torn.”
“Good,” Minako replied sternly with a frown and draped her towel around her shoulders. She started to walk away, “You can bill me for a new one if you need to.”
“You’re Minako, right?” Louis said. She turned back towards the young deer. She was startled he knew her name. Her expression must have portrayed her surprise because the side of his mouth quirked up in a small smirk.
“Ughh, y-yeah,” Minako replied, caught off guard.
“You’re on the girl's basketball team, right?”
Minako felt her brow crease. Louis knew who she was?
“Y-yes, why...” she trailed off.
“For billing you for the shirt,” Louis’s smirk was still pasted on his face. Minako snuffed at him and shook her head lightly. The audacity. His face was so smug and beautiful. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to punch him or not.
“I thought I recognized you,” he continued. “I’m L--”
“Louis,” Minako said softly. “I know who you are. Everyone does.”
His smile faltered ever so slightly before he seemed to check himself. Minako glanced at her watch, it was almost 7 and she had things to do.
“I have to go,” she muttered and spun to walk away. She was anxious to get out of this awkward encounter. She’d pay the bill for a new shirt and try to cast this memory from her mind. inwardly wincing that it was probably very expensive. Her footsteps padded softly on the hallway’s floor.
“Hey, Minako!” Louis called her.
She turned back towards him, the yellow artificial light set his red coat ablaze. His antlers gleamed like a crown atop his head.
Magnificent. She wanted to be angry, but he really was beautiful for an herbivore.
“I’ll see you around,” he said with a gentle smile.
“Yeah, see you, Louis,” Minako replied and walked down the hall. She didn't notice the large brown eyes that followed her retreating figure.
What an odd deer, Minako thought. He hadn't feared her as a carnivore and instead faced her with a tenacity she envied. She strode away, her heart thumping quickly in her breast, her nightmare all but forgotten.