“It’s like swimming! You just jump in and you’ll figure it out!” Sam was saying as he lead the way across campus. He was facing Todd and walking backwards down the sidewalk while gesturing wildly with every word, making such a scene that everyone else in front of them made sure to steer clear.
“So… We’re going to go swimming? H-how’s that going to help me get better at socializing?” Todd asked, having completely lost track of Sam’s train of thought by now.
“Swimming! Dude, that’s a great idea! Lots of people to talk to at the beach!” Sam exclaimed, but then he stopped to think for a moment. “Except it’s too late to swim, so we’ll go with Plan B!”
“W-which is…?”
“Party, dude! A party! There’s all sorts of parties for the freshmen to get to know each other at the beginning of the semester!” Sam said confidently. “And I know what you’re gonna say. ‘I don’t know anyone,’ right? Well, here’s the thing, bud… Nobody knows nobody! And in a week or two, nobody will remember the guy that struck out at a party when there’s a big, badass wolf strutting around, so there’s no pressure if you mess it up!”
Todd opened up his mouth to try to refute the idea, but there was an odd logic to it that he couldn’t really dispute. He did tell Sam that he wanted to get better at socializing, and if Sam was right this was basically a consequence-free way of practicing talking to people.
“Y-you’re sure this is going to-“
“Here we are!”
Sam looked all around cautiously, as if he were making sure they weren’t followed. Todd could hear the sound of a sound system’s bass thumping from nearby with his improved senses, and Sam quickly pulled him off the sidewalk and around the back of the nearest building and up to a door that lead down into the building’s basement. He knocked on the door in a particular pattern, and it cracked open a tiny bit to let the sound of music come rushing out.
“Password?” A voice came from inside, just barely audible over the music.
Sam scratched his head at that. “There isn’t one, right? Least that’s what the others told me…” Sam replied with confusion. “Shit, I didn’t come to the wrong place, did I?”
“…There isn't a password, I was just testing you. Come on in.”
The door flew open and Sam pulled Todd inside, and soon they found themselves in an emptied out basement, filled with flashing lights, booming music, and torn-up old furniture. Students of all ages were milling around and socializing, mostly freshmen but with plenty of upperclassmen mixed in to keep things interesting.
“Sam?” Todd asked cautiously. “T-this isn’t a college party, is it? Like, an official one?”
“Yeah, so? Those things are all cheap snacks and party games anyway. Do you want to play party games or do you want to party?”
“I-“
“Rhetorical question, little buddy. Now, remember what I said, right? Just jump in and you’ll figure it out! I’ll be around, just come find me if you’re having any big problems!”
Sam quickly disappeared into the crowd In the direction of the table handing out drinks, his white tail whipping excitedly until it vanished out of Todd’s sight.
“…Well, I’m in the water. Now what?” he muttered to himself, looking around at the party. A couple of brave people were dancing near the speakers, while most people were just milling around and looking just as awkward as Todd probably did. “Okay, just talk to someone… pick anyone and talk to them…”
“…Anyone? Man, you’re not picky, are you?”
A sudden voice from Todd made him nearly leap into the ceiling, and he spun around to see a young man about his age, a freshman by all appearances since he looked completely human. The other man had dark red hair that curled in loose waves almost down to his shoulders and was peering at Todd through a fashionable pair of glasses with a cheeky grin on his face.
“S-sorry?”
“You were talking to yourself. Something about taking anyone home or something?” the other young man chuckled. “Just thought that was a funny thing to admit out loud.”
“N-no, that’s not what I said! Or, not what I mean, I mean!” Todd protested, looking all around for a way out. “I was just… looking for someone to talk to… God, that probably sounds really lame, doesn’t it?”
The other man looked at Todd oddly, then he put a hand on Todd’s shoulder reassuringly. “No, it doesn’t. That’s why we’re all here, right? Just takes someone with balls to admit it,” he said seriously. “Name’s Vince. Wanna talk?”
Todd blinked a few times, surprised that Sam’s advice seemed to actually be working.
“Uhh… S-sure. Todd, by the way,” he said feeling his heart start to finally settle down. Todd and Vince headed off to a quiet corner of the basement and found one of the ratty couches to sit on and started talking, swapping a few of the stories they’d already collected during their first day at Claw Valley.
“For real? You got a modeling gig already?” Vince said. “Impressive, but whoever the photographer is, he’s got good taste…”
“Huh?”
“Wolves, I mean. Very photogenic, you know? What did you think I meant?” Vince teased, sipping at something in a plastic cup he’d grabbed earlier.
“I-I thought… umm… oh, forget it,” Todd sighed, laughing to himself at Vince’s joke. “So… what are you turning into? Or don’t you have any idea?”
Vince shuffled nervously in his seat, looking a bit sheepish at the question. “H-horse…” he said quietly after clearing his throat.
“Really? You’re sure?” Todd asked, not picking up on Vince’s discomfort. “How do you know? I don’t see any ears or a tail… no hooves like Stripes has, either…”
“Umm… I-it’s a little embarrassing to admit,” Vince said with a shy laugh. “L-let’s just say I had to run out this morning and get some bigger underwear…”
“I don’t really-… Oh. Oh!!” Todd exclaimed suddenly, understanding what Vince was getting at. “T-that’s… V-very interesting…”
“You’re interested, huh? I mean, I’d show you since you’re so interested, but someone here at the party would probably get the wrong idea and kick me out,” Vince laughed, which Todd quickly joined in on. “Hey, can I get you a drink?”
Off to the side, Sam was making sure to keep an eye on his roommate, and was glad to see he was making some progress in his ‘training’. Satisfied that Todd could handle himself from here, Sam headed over to the dance floor to try to pick up a new ‘friend’ of his own, in particular having his eye on a couple of the upperclassmen…
-------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Daryl finally showed his face back at the dorm a little bit after dark. He’d been wandering around campus, trying to figure out what he’d say to Milo the next time he saw him but he kept on coming up with nothing. He walked past the open door to the RA’s room and heard a voice calling out that shook him out of his dazed state.
“Dare? That you?” Stripes said, peeking his head out. “Milo’s been out looking for you for the last hour. Didn’t say what happened, but he looked worried…”
“…He’s worried about me? Figures…” Daryl sighed. He’s probably just worried about looking bad for chasing you off. It was your own fault he got so worried, anyway. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
“…He was. Dare, are you okay? Want to talk?” Stripes asked, watching the intense emotions flashing across Daryl’s face with concern.
No, you don’t. Stripes doesn’t care, he just wants to make himself feel good acting like everyone’s favorite big brother. Your own big brother doesn’t care, so why would this-
Daryl shook his head to chase off the constant monologue and tried to focus on the present.
“S-sure… I’ve got something I wanted to ask you, actually…” Daryl said quietly, glancing down at the claws on the tips of his fingers. Stripes stepped aside and gestured for Daryl to enter, and the freshman slowly walked in and took a seat on the edge of one of the beds. He looked around and saw that they were along. “Where’s Max?”
“Chuckles? He’s out sniffing out parties. The unofficial kind. He wants to makes sure they clear out before campus security finds out about ‘em,” Stripes said, shaking his head in amusement. “A real rebel, that guy. Don’t let the hair fool you, he’s a total pushover sometimes…”
Daryl hung his head down, nodding along to what Stripes was saying without really listening. Stripes caught a glimpse of the white stripe down the middle of Daryl’s head, but held his tongue.
“What are these supposed to mean? What am I turning into, Stripes?” Daryl finally asked, holding out the long, sharp claws that had grown in earlier that day.
“Claws, I guess. Not too surprising, most people end up with them unless they get hooves,” Stripes said knowledgably. “Although… they’re non-retractable, so you can rule out a feline. They’re sharp too, so not a hyena like Max. Other than that, I can’t tell you much… Noticed any other changes?”
Like suddenly turning gay for Milo? His psyche taunted him once again.
“No, not really,” Daryl replied, ignoring his inner voice as best he could. Stripes nodded at that, realizing that Daryl hadn’t caught a glimpse of his hair quite yet.
“Well, I think you’ll probably have a better idea in a day or two. You’re feeling alright about this, though? You seem a little calmer than you were earlier,” Stripes observed.
“…No, I’m not. I’m really scared, Stripes,” Daryl said in a quiet monotone, sounding completely lifeless. “I’ve got no clue what to do… No idea what’s gonna happen next… No way to know if I can stop myself from doing something dumb again…”
Stripes kept quiet for a moment. He’d been an RA a couple times now, and he’d heard speeches like this before, though Daryl seemed particular upset compared to the others. Unfortunately, there wasn’t really much he could say to make anyone feel any better when they were like this. Things usually worked themselves out, given time, so it was his job to make sure his floor knew they had a friend who had already been through it all and could guide them through the process relatively painlessly. To that end, Stripes quietly rose to his hooves and dug around in his desk, looking for something. Eventually, he found it and went over to where Daryl was sitting.
“Here. They usually give you these at Anthro 101, but I can tell you need it right away,” Stripes said, pushing a claw trimmer and heavy nail file into Daryl’s hands, along with a small first-aid kid. “Pretty self-explanatory, just try not to get too close to the finger and accidentally cut yourself.”
“W-what? I-“
“And here’s some bandages for that knee of yours. I saw you slashed yourself up. Wash it off and apply them, and keep the extra bandages around your room for later. They stick to fur too, so don’t worry about that.”
Daryl was completely thrown for a loop here. One minute he’d been venting about his anxieties and the next he was getting mothered by a zebra. However, that moment of confusion was all that was needed to quiet the voices that had been shouting at him all afternoon, and to help him calm down after kissing Milo earlier. It gave him something tangible to work toward, even if it was something as simple as clipping his claws and cleaning up his scratched leg.
“Umm… Sure, I’ll get right on that. Thanks, Stripes.”
“No prob, buddy. Sleep well, I’ll try to find Milo and let him know you’re fine.”