"Well fellow humans, we got six weeks to get good at this game," said Michael. "Otherwise, it's the oven, down a throat, and into the stomach we go."
"Before eventually getting turned into fertilizer, of course," said a crippled male, that walked into the room that the team-in-training was using for strategizing. Behind him was another nervous male human, who had the markings of a Slave instead of Livestock.
"John, do you approve of this method to try and free ourselves?" Michael asked.
The crippled buck sat in a chair. "I think the lot of you will be turned into fertilizer, but it doesn't endanger the rest of the herd, so I'll allow it."
"What's Jeffrey doing here?" one of the others asked.
"He lives in the house, and thus knows things you don't," said John. He looked at the slave. "Tell them what Robert did in high school."
Jeffrey gulped nervously. "I don't know if I can tell."
"This isn't aiding in an escape, if that's what you're worried about," said John. "I know the rules of the process you are under, in order to become a Freed Domesticated Human - can't cause trouble nor assist in an escape attempt of slaves, pets, or livestock, save to protect them from criminals."
Michael looked at the slave. He was trying to become Free, the same as them.
Jeffrey looked at John, before looking at the rest. "Robert was the captain of the Beastball team in high school, and lead them to the championship three times, winning two of them. I was at the games with his folks."
Michael's eyes widened. "That good?"
"To be fair, it's been years since he's played seriously, but he does play the occasional pick-up game with his friends," said John. "Then there's the werewolf himself - he doesn't like to lose, and can be rather formidable as an opponent. I speak as one who has been against him, and with him, in one scrap or another. He likes to get into your head, and psych you out, before beating you. Then there's the fact that you're dealing with Julia - another for the mind games, as some of you might know, from when she's collected your genetic material, making you very compliant as she collects it the Fun Way."
A few bucks chuckled nervously.
"Then there's James and Hanna - both of them healthy, physically fit, decent running and so on," said John. "Then, there's Fred - that overweight werewolf wants to be the Goalie for the Wolfes.... you're talking about a thousand plus tub of lard, that will be tricky to bypass - he can't run too good, but he can still block your shots."
"So, should we just quit this before we get started?" Michael asked. "Robert would absolve the wager if we changed our minds, right?"
"If you did change your minds, he'd allow it, and not come after you for Big Meal Day," said John. "But, if you're serious about doing this, there are tricks you can do."
"What sort of tricks?" a mare asked.
Beastball's a full-contact sport, and that includes hitting your opponents in sneaky ways," said John. "Michael, come here."
Michael came over to him.
John stood up. "Now, straight up punching and kicking is out - too noticeable. Instead, you need to be subtle."
He placed his heel on top of Michael's toes. "Toe Stomp."
He placed his knee near Michael's groin. "Crush Jewels."
He placed his elbow by Michael's nose. "Snout Smash."
He looked at the rest. "These are the tricks you need to work on, in addition to getting the ball into the goal. They must be quick, and in the moment of contact."
"What about the Wolfes?" Michael asked. "Will they be doing these sorts of tricks to us?"
John shook his head. "They don't want to bruise the meat, but there's other tricks they might try, and I can help you learn how to avoid them, and do them yourself."
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Get MORE!
Shop Memberships
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
