Beastalkers- a Beastars alternate story

Chapter 3 - With excessive warmth

I stared at Tristina, a low growl emanating from her body.

"Tris, what happened? Are you hurt?" I said as I walked towards her. Tony stepped in front of me, preparing to fight.

"Do you know this carnivore?" Tony asked. He was suspiciously calm about the whole situation.

"Don't worry. I know her." I turned to Tristina. "Tristina, this is Tony, the guy I was talking about earlier."

"Yeah that's cool," she said, out of breath. "Can we focus on hiding me for right now?"

"Wait but what happened?" Tony asked, but before Tristina could answer; she collapsed to reveal a sizable gash in her torso. Tony rushed over to her, checking the damage. "It's fine. The cut was shallow and didn't go past skin. She's losing a lot of blood. Get the first aid kit from the club room." I did as he said. My stride was inefficient, but I managed to get the kit and delivered it to Tony. He dressed the wound like an expert; as if he had done it many times before. After patching her torso, he moved her to the cot in the club room. "It looks like she lost a canine too." Tony said. "Did you see where it went?"

"Oh no. That's been gone for a while." I grabbed my keys. "Here it is!" On the keychain was her tooth, preserved in resin.

"She gave you her tooth?"

"Out of shame. She gave it to me in Junior High."

"What happened?"

"It's a long story. Besides, the details are fuzzy."

"We have some time, we gotta wait for her to wake up."

"I'll tell you what I can remember. It was three years ago. We were both first years in the gardening club. One night, when we were walking home together;"

~0~

The night was cold. I huddled close to Tristina; her warmth unaffected by the piercing wind.

"Hey Mal?" she asked. "Why are you holding my arm like that?"

"I'm f-f-f-freezing. Aren't y-y-you c-c-c-cold?"

"I grew up in the mountains. I'm used to it." She said "Besides; aren't you a mountain hare? You should be used to it."

"I'm an Irish h-h-hare. Th-th-th-that's why I don't have a wh-wh-white coat-t-t." Tristina's signature smirk crawled across her face.

"Fine. I guess you can come a little closer, my little Mally~"

"I'll kill-ah ah"

"What happened?"

"I bip my tomgue!" It started to bleed. Tristina stopped. "Whab awe you doing?" Tristina looked at me. Not any look that she'd ever given me before, but a look of determination. Her mouth started to tense up and wrinkle. A low growl sounded. "Tris?" She grabbed me, constricting my body close to her. Her excessive warmth crystalized into an inferno. Her claws pierced me, creating a gash in my forehead. I had almost given up entirely on life when suddenly, I thought of Tristina. How dare she? How dare she care about me; let me love her, then let me down like this? This goddamn bitch. The audacity. My body was engulfed with pure unbridled rage. My heart raced faster than ever before. I felt my body heat outshine hers. The sweat on my body vaporized into steam. My adrenaline skyrocketed. I stood up, Tristina on my back, and threw her into the snow. "Bitch!" I yelled. I huffed, standing strong over Tristina. The strain caught up to me and I passed out. I fully expected to die, but I didn't. The next thing I remember was Tristina crying over me as I faded into unconsciousness. I woke up in the hospital, Tristina right by my side.