Phoenix Drop University- Softmore Year

17: Aphmau's Courage

The last months of school, the last stretch, yet, it was more stressful than ever, Exams loom over the horizon and the growing threat of Drake gnawing at the brains of the students, rumors start floating about, 'Who did it?' Why?'

The most popular of them? 'It's that Lycan boy' Or 'The Leader of the Werewolves'

The mass of students wasn't given all the information, just that students and teachers had gone missing.

And so, Aaron drew stares and whispers as he walks down the halls to his classes, the young freshman dodging out of his way and scrambling to get away.

Of course the few people who knew were also suspect, Aphmau starting getting questions, 'are you alright?" They asked, 'is he hurting you?"

The more questions that she was asked, the more stressed and angry she became, outraged that anyone would carelessly point fingers.

So now Aaron takes the back hallways to his classes, away from everyone else to hide from prying and wandering eyes, Aphmau follows
him, any chance to evade the thousands of questions.

"This is stupid." Aphmau starts, and Aaron looks at her with tired eyes, he's worn to the core, exhausted and sick of the rumors.

"It's fine Aph..." He tries to avoid talking about it, he doesn't have the energy to argue.

"No it isn't, look at you! You've lost so much weight and your eyes look so dead, your fur is coming out in clumps!" He solidifies her point my taking a clump of fur that was stuck on his ear off, they were almost bald now.

"I... I know, Axel is still trying to wake up Macenzi, Exams are a week away and all of these rumors, Drake.... doing who knows what." Aphmau embraces him, standing on her toes to do so.

"Macenzi is stable, you've studied like a madman and The pack is in Drake's tail as we speak, everything is going to be fine Aaron." He looks at her, and wants to believe so badly that what she says is true.

But it isn't.

"Aph, Why hasn't the headmaster intervened this time?" In all honesty, he already knew the answer to the question, but he wanted to know if she understood.

"Because he's probably fending off angry parents and five thousand lawsuits." A smile tugs at his mouth, but it's quickly overwhelmed by a wave of anxiety.

"Because he's dying, have you seen him lately? He's so withered. It looks like the wind could blow him away."

Now that she thought about it, the last time she had seen Headmaster Forrester, was at the beginning of the year, and even then, he looked sickly.

"Dying? He's not that old Aaron... I don't think he is..." Aaron moves some hair behind her ear, this is where they would part for the time being.

"He's old. Trust me, but that's not what I meant, his magic is dying, because Drake is harvesting it, using it to reform his body." Aphmau's face goes white, how did her boyfriend know this, she pinches herself lightly to make sure she's not dreaming.

It's not a dream.

"How do you-"

He stops her, finishing her sentence for her.

"Know that? I don't. But it's a hunch, a hunch that has a very good chance of being correct." Aphmau stops outside her Spanish Classroom door, looking at him, worry stained upon her face making her look older than she is.