Prairie Dogs (open)

"Don't worry, girly girl," Ashford chuckled darkly at the worried Pandora and Seulgi as drool dribbled down his chin, "it'll be over in a New York minute."

"Stop it,"
Jade spat. "You're scaring her. What the hell's wrong with you?"

"Listen, friend, I'm just being honest. This is just what they do. The bastards starve us, then, like the lions in the Circus Maximus of Rome, they sic us on some poor, unsuspecting victims."
Ashford gave Pandora a pointed smile.

"They don't have a right to keep us caged here like animals," Jade said. "We're people."

"Oh, but they do. You see, nothing engages audiences like playing with life and death. That's how the Bad Wolves maintain their influence around here. That's the price of power and control. And who's there to stop them? Besides... we're not people to them. Not really..."

"That doesn't mean we deserve torture."
Another girl in a cell added. Reese.

"Maybe, maybe not. Doesn't matter. These are just the rules of game, friend, and I suggest you start playing on the winning team."

"You call this winnin'?"
Jade scoffed, gesturing at the cages. "Nah. I've got a much better idea..."

Jade Black pulled out a dog whistle and blew.

@nico @Spiraea
 
Last edited:
Pandora visibly cringed at the drool.
"Christ..." She whispered, trying to steady her breathing as panic set in. She was meant to be the protector of the pair, she was calm and collected, she had to stay that way for Seulgi's sake, but she was helpless.

Minyoung could feel herself salivating, covering her mouth with her hand to try and hide it. She hadn't eaten since she arrived, which hadn't been too long ago, her bruises from the initial attack hadn't even healed yet, but she was desperate for food. She curled up against the front corner of her cage, facing Ashford and Jade.

"The audience?" Pandora asked, sitting up with a frown. "What audience? What game?"
"They leave us here... they starve us... then they give us one of you..." Minyoung replied wistfully. "And they let people watch, they think it's funny."
She buried her head in her arms.
"I don't want to eat people..."
 
"Look alive," Ashford chuckled, which turned to hysterical laughter as he heard the beating hearts of the guards coming for them.

They won't take us yet. We're not hungry enough. Jade thought to herself.

They came in with their weapons drawn. The cages were loaded onto pallet jacks and taken down the hall. The halls split several times. Jade, Reese, and Seulgi (group 1) were taken down a different hall than Ashford, Pandora, and Minyoung (group 2).

Nevermind....

They heard the roaring crowd long before they saw them. Group 2 were brought into a makeshift underground caged arena. Men, women, and children, survivors all under protection of the Bad Wolves, screamed for blood. The cages were set down at the center and the guards walked out.

An announcer engaged the rabid mob that was the audience through the speaker, introducing the contestants, new and old. If Pandora survived, she'd be mercifully made one of them; a Bad Wolf. Not surviving meant death at the hands of the starved METAs. There were no other options, no escape. Sometime METAs attacked each other to be the sole winner of a much bigger meal for themselves. The cages opened.

Ashford walked out, spreading his arms wide as a welcoming embrace to the cheers and jeers. He turned a cold sneer on Minyoung, and lunged.

"Nothing personal!"

Group 1 was also taken to another caged arena adjacent to the first, connected by a single hall where spectators went to and fro. In the cages, were a dozen Bad Wolf scouts carrying close-range weapons, with long range weapons having been banned. It was simply too easy a test. Them killing the METAs meant they got to move in the ranks and become Hunters. It meant better food and housing. If the METAs killed them, the META simply lived to fight anther day. But how would the METAs do without their power, the thing that made them so dangerous? The cages opened. The hunters inched forward.

The games began.

@Spiraea @nico
 
Last edited:
Seulgi watched as Pandora was lead down a different hallway, peering out of the back of her cage as she disappeared from sight. She was scared. She'd relied on her powers and weapons for too long now. She couldn't fight, but she was fast, she just had to outrun whatever was awaiting her. As her cage open, she hesitantly clambered out, gulping at the sight of the hunters. She didn't want to die here, but they had weapons, all she had were her teeth. She slowly edged towards Jade. She'd seemed nice, she wanted to get them all out, she needed to stay with her.

Minyoung watched as Ashford greeted the crowd, arms spread, soaking in the cheers. She timidly followed his lead, leaving her cage and scanning the area. It felt like a gladiatorial ring, her shoulders hunched, her hand resting on her elbow as she made herself small. She made eye contact with Pandora as she too left her cage and something awakened within her. She was just. so. hungry. and Pandora looked so tasty in that moment. She wasn't paying attention when Ashford lunged for her.

She yelped as he tackled her, rolling over with him as she wriggled. She locked eyes with Pandora who simply watched. She knew they both wanted her, if they killed each other off, she'd have fewer people to fight. Minyoung let out a scream as she scratched at Ashford's face, clawing at his flesh as she squirmed and struggled. She managed to claw her way free, scrambling to her feet and sprinting away, towards Pandora. Pandora grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her backwards towards Ashford before stumbling backwards herself to avoid the two of them.

Minyoung narrowly scraped away once more, getting to her feet and taking a moment to catch her breath. The adrenaline was racing, she had to survive, she had to find her sister. Ashford wasn't going to give up. She had to win. She sprinted forward, tackling Ashford, her teeth bared.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top