Jared was following after Jack, plotting away to get the counselor alone without the bear to talk to him, when he heard some familiar voices coming from the field in front of the cabins.
"Oh look! It's dumb and dumber, where's dumbest?" That was definitely Josh.
"Go away, Josh, no one wans to talk to you." Martin, definitely.
Jared looked between the counselors in the distance and towards the field where he could see Josh and two of his cronies facing down Martin and Ricky. He couldn't leave his best friends in a pinch like that, and so he veered off to the field.
"Oh that's right!" Josh said with a bit of a sneer. "He's probably in trouble for putting the moves on a counselor." He switched his tone to a mocking one. "Oh mister Jack! Kiss me mister Jack. I want to have your kittens mister Jack." Jared felt his ears burning hot. Had.. had he really done that when he got exposed to that plant? No.. that was just a weird dream. But Josh making smoochy faces told him otherwise.
Ricky puffed up and marched towards Josh. "You leave Jared alone! We haven't done anything to you, you just leave us alone."
Jared felt something inside him warm up at watching the racoon defend him. He was suddenly looking at the racoon in a new light.
"Make me, trash panda." The young deer got a smug look on his face at the insult. Then there was a ball of grey and black fur flying through the air and tackling Josh, bringing him to the ground. Ricky sat on the deer's chest, gripping the front of his shirt and snarling into his face. "You're gonna leave me and my friends alone, tree head. Or I'm going to be the shit out of you. Got it?"
Both Josh's cronies and Martin looked like they wanted to get into the fight but didn't know how and were eying each other, Martin looking distinctly worried at being outnumbered. Though he spotted Jared running up and gave him a weak smile. At least it would be even.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" The bellow was loud enough that the whole camp probably heard it, followed by the stomping as Vince came rushing up to the scene. He grabbed both Ricky and Josh by the collars of their shirts and dragged them to their feet like they weighed nothing. Not really a surprise given the rhino's size. Both Ricky and Josh started talking at once, Ricky telling the truth and Josh putting on his good boy act and pretending that Ricky just attacked him.
The rhino grumbled and turned, starting to march them to the camp office while still holding them by the collars. "We'll let Alex sort this out." The two cronies took the chance to slink away, leaving just Jared and Martin standing there.
"You think he'll be okay?" Martin asked, looking to his friend.
"I hope so." Jared said as he shoved his paws into his shorts pocket to hide the fact he had had his claws out ready to fight. Why did he feel suddenly very worried for the usually laid back racoon? Something inside of him now wanted to consider Ricky as possibly more than just another friend, thinking about him come to his defense had him blushing furiously.
"C'mon we have to let mister Alex know what really happened." Jared suddenly decided, he grabbed Martin by the hand and started leading him towards the office, suddenly very eager to save his friend in return. When they got to the office though, Vince was standing outside the door like a bouncer, which meant Ricky and Josh were already inside with Alex. Jared, a sudden burst of confidence making him not think tried to walk right in, only to be barred by Vince who said nothing and just shook his head.
Jared back off but went to stand with Martin near by. "Damn it. We need to help him."