Wild

☽ 14 ☾

The day of the obstacle race. Jungkook had trained Jimin as much as he could within the short period of time and Jimin had improved a lot. Though he was anything but confident. He looked around, searching for his newly made friends, Taehyung and Jungkook. 

He finally saw them, walking through a crowd of people. As soon as he saw them, he waved his hand in the air to get their attention. He noticed that Jungkook had a worried look on his face as he approached him. 

"What?" Jimin asked. 

Taehyung sighed and hit the back of Jungkook's head. The younger biting his lips in anxiouness. 

"I forgot to tell you one part..." Jungkook mumbled, "This game is supposed to be in group of two."

"WHAT?!" Jimin shrieked. All the training for almost a week in vain? No, he wasn't going to let that happen.

"Well, it's not compulsory but it's technically a duo game because the whole idea is to improve team skills along with animalistic skills." Taehyung added, "Unless, you're a lone predator or prey... like a leopard, or rhinoceros or um... a wolverine."

"So you can team up with me!" Jimin said, pointing towards Taehyung. 

However, the black-haired man shook his head, "Jungkook and I we've been team since we were allowed to take part in this."

Jimin slumped his shoulders. He could have asked Namjoon or Jin but wolves and lions are both herd animals. If they are no together, they would team up with someone from their pack or pride. 

"You can go talk to Hoseok hyung!" Taehyung advised.

"Um, Taetae... we have to go." Jungkook mumbled, pointing towards their left. 

The two gave Jimin a sorry look before leaving him alone. Jimin sighedm wandering around in search of Hoseok. He finally found him after looking around for almost fifteen minutes. 

"Hoseok hyung!" Jimin called, gaining the attention of the red-head. 

The other smiled widely and walked towards him, "Oh hey, Jimin, how are you?"

"I-I fine." Jimin mumbled. 

"Are you taking part in the race?" Hoseok asked.

Jimin nodded with a pressed smile, "Um... can I- you- can we team up?"

"Oh..." Jimin sighed, already aware of the answer that was about to come, "I'm sorry Jimin... I'm already agreed to team up with Jae-geun"

Jimin looked in the direction Hoseok was pointing. Spotting a stripped hyena. He sighed once again, and nodded. 

"I'm sorry Jimin, If you would have asked me a while ago-"

"It's okay Hoseok hyung... I guess... I'll have to do this alone..." Jimin mumbled, bowing to Hoseok before walking away. 

He sat down under the shade of a tree, wondering how the hell was he suppose to go against the other teams. Especially when most of them were predators. And the preys weren't any less dangerous. All they had to do was walk over Jimin, and he would die.

'How are humans a superior species?' Jimin bitterly thought to himself. He could have asked Yoongi hyung, but the elder was being distant as usual. Even more so after the incident with Ethan. And even if Yoongi was participating in this race, it was unlikely that he would do so with him. Tigers were lone predators as well. If not staying in small groups. 

He looked around, mentally noting all the animals that were taking apart. Apart from the six that he already knew, there were atleast five different types of predator animals. He didn't bother differentiating the species. And eight different types of prey animals. His eyes widen when he saw two hippopotamus. That drained the last bit of willingness to take part in the race. Jimin couldn't possibly had done a little bit damage to the hippos, even if he had bloody gun. Hippos have bulletproof skin. It was completely pointless.

"Ugh!" Jimin grumbled, running his hand down his face in an irritated manner. 

Suddenly, he felt something solid hit the back of his head. He flinched, groaning his pain before looking behind. 

Yoongi stood behind with his hands crossed over his chest and a tired expression on his face. He wasn't even looking at Jimin. His eyes were in the group of people and animals in front of them. 

"Why did you hit me?" Jimin complained, looking down to see what Yoongi threw at him. 

It was a chest guard. Similar to the ones, Jimin had once used while playing a paintball match. Along with where knees and elbow guards. He glared at the elder, rubbing the back of his head before picking up the guards. 

"Wear them." Yoongi mumbled. His voice was barely audible to Jimin. 

The younger rolled his eyes, putting the guard over his head before pulling it down and strapping it against his chest. He sighed realizing that the chest guard was a little loose on him. Then, he got up and slipped his leg throught the knee pads and his hand throw the elbow pads. 

"Are you going to team up with me?" Jimin asked, surprised himself. 

Yoongi glanced over at him once before answering, "Since the Elder's aren't present, Ethan made it compulsory for team of twos. In case of them is down, the other one can get them to safety."

Jimin hummed and nodded before getting stuck with a word, "Safety? What do you mean getting them to safety?"

"It's the wild world... there will be blood." Yoongi muttered, nonchalantly. 

"Uh, are you sure you-you want to take part in this?" Jimin asked. 

He knew it was a mistake asking the question. And the deathly glared that Yoongi was giving him proved it. 

"If I lose control... look me in the eye and whatever you do, don't run." Yoongi replied, "Tigers are ambush predators, we don't usually like hunting things which are aware of our presence. That being said, don't be an idiot and try to pet any wild tiger you come across in the future."

"I wasn't planning to..." Jimin mumbled, "If-If we get separated, how would I know which tiger is you?"

"I'm the only tiger here, Jimin..." Yoongi sighed and started walking. 

"Wait-what?" Jimin stopped and looked back the group of people and animals infront of him. Indeed there was no other tigers present. And as he thought about, he hadn't seen a single other tiger in this place. Not even cubs. 

"If you stand there for one more second, I'm starting the race without you." Yoongi's voice came. 

"Uh, right, I'm sorry" Jimin stuttered and trailed after the elder. 

He wasn't sure where they were headed, but the echoing sound of the drums and horns were catching his attention. And his only goal in the race, was try and not killed. 

Hopefully, Jimin would succeed on that.