Page 32 of Her Feral Beasts

Lyle immediately starts a slide show like this is a normal day at work for him.

Welcome to Animus Academy

Our noble leader talks to us in his deep, grocery list, clipped voice, his eyes seemingly taking in everyone at once. I’ve never seen a teacher like him, and no one in the audience makes a sound as he speaks. “Welcome. The rabid and most feral students from your year have been taken out for briefing by myself later. Those of you who remain are considered capable of listening to me for the next few minutes.

“The purpose of Animus Academy is to prepare you for a productive and safe life within the wider community, and that includes our non-shifting, human friends. We are a three-year practical program. I do not like to think of this place as a prison, whatever you may have heard. You might be here as ordered by the council, but it can be quite enjoyable if you give it a chance.”

More than a few people scoff at that, but quieten immediately when Lyle levels them with an unimpressed look.

“The rules are plastered everywhere, so you can’t miss them, as well as their associated punishments. And I want you to hear me because I have azero-tolerance policyon serious offences. There are no warnings. You will be punished for any harm or damage you cause to a person or object. Class A offences are out of my hands and you’ll be taken by the Council of Beasts for a trial. The same laws that apply in the outside world apply here, and if found guilty, you are looking at imprisonment at Blackwater Penitentiary. We are all adults here, and I expect you to start behaving like one.

“Lastly, what you can expect. Your timetable is in the packet of information given to you in your rooms, but you’ll be split into smaller groups. There are also some classes where you will be split into anima-animus groups.”

I glance at the slide showing our subjects and inwardly cringe as Minnie lets out a giggle as she diligently takes notes with her sparkly pen and a tiny pad. Lyle reads the classes out loud.

Animalia Law 101

Control of Animalia Instincts

Safe Shifting

Safe Use of Powers

How to be Friends with Humans

Practising Safe and Consensual Sex

Safe Courting Behaviours

Self Defence

“I’m so excited by this!” Minnie whispers to me. “It’ll be fascinating to see what we learn!”

“Yeah, me too,” I say, trying to sound positive…until the silence of the lecture theatre makes us both look with dismay at the lectern—

Where Lyle is staring up at us with a gaze like daggers. My blood runs cold as he snaps, “Do you have something to share, Miss Aquinas, Miss Devi?”

“He knows my name, what the fuck,” Minnie mutters.

I shake my head and call, “No, sorry.”

He glares at me. Literally tries to kill me with his eyes. “I didn’t think so,” he deadpans before turning away to point at the screen.

I’m trying not to be dramatic, I really am, but my nerves are literally trying to sew themselves back together as I clench my fists in frustration. There’s nothing I’m going to enjoy more than the satisfaction of knowing that when I successfully break free of this place, Lyle Pardalia is going to be leftfuming.

Chapter15

Aurelia

Lyle drones on for the next few minutes about the school values, and just when we all start to fidget, he closes off his speech and hands us over to our guides.

Theresa indicates for us to stay with her while the boys trudge after Lyle and the two massive bear shifters to talk about their specific program. It probably includes ‘how not to hump the furniture’ or ‘why you shouldn’t chew on carpets’ and other important things. Although, I have to admit as I ogle Scythe’s broad back swaggering out last, I might very well be needing that lesson soon, too. My anima dismays at the sight of our mates leaving, but Minnie makes for a good distraction while she proudly shows me that she wrote everything down in case either of us forgot.

A red-headed man in a zoo keeper’s khaki shorts and button-up shirt enters the theatre carrying a large cage covered with a black cloth.

“Alright animas,” Theresa says. “As we discussed yesterday, the unfortunate fact of the matter is that you are only a few anima in the midst of a large number of animus’. A majority of the beasts here are looking for a mate and are highly aggressive in general, at least towards each other. When the academy decided to take on students with animas a few years ago, our noble headmaster found a solution to the concerns of the community. Show ‘em, Rick.”

The Headmaster,I realise vaguely, has yet to make an appearance. Lyle, being the Deputy appears to be doing all the face-on work.

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