Even though Evan had been freed from the ropes, he still hadn't stepped down from the platter. He was too stunned after everything that had happened.
Callisa, Frida, Aiko and Morona were standing in a row. Rigid, heads bowed. They tried to hide the wet spots between their legs by pressing their thighs together.
In front of them, Professor Gator paced back and forth. He looked like a teacher disciplining misbehaving students—or an officer drilling soldiers. The rolled-up newspaper never left his hand.
The bar was dead silent. Everyone watched. No one spoke.
The silence was broken by Gator.
"Ladies. In my long life I have seen many people lose control purely because of hunger. Looking at you, I can say this is something more than that."
The girls lowered their heads even further. Gator eyed them sternly.
"I would like you to explain yourselves. And I warn you: if you try to lie, the consequences will be more serious than this."
To emphasize his words, he waved the newspaper under their noses, and they flattened their ears and antennae even more.
He pointed the newspaper at Callisa.
"Perhaps you could begin, Miss…"
"Callisa Vulpine, Professor."
"Very well, Miss Vulpine… how did this come to pass?"
Callisa shrank a little, tucking her tail and laying her ears back.
"Well, it all started with… that burger thing."
Gator didn't know exactly what she meant, but he let the vixen continue.
"I invited Evan over. I wanted to question him about human cuisine. He was tense, so…"
Her face went completely red.
"I see. And…?"
"When I… licked… and… then… fine, when I swallowed, I lost my mind from the taste. I hadn't planned any culinary date at all, but that flavor…"
She went scarlet to the tips of her ears and hid her face in her hands. Gator nodded and turned the newspaper toward the wolf girl.
Through clenched teeth, she answered:
"Frida. Frida Vollmond."
You could hear she was angry—but whether at Gator or at herself was unclear.
Gator seemed surprised.
"Vollmond? Is your father Ernst Vollmond, the Na—"
Before he could finish, Frida cut him off.
"Yes, he's my father. Can we not talk about him?"
Gator gave her a scolding look, then nodded slightly.
"So how did your part of the evening happen?"
Frida looked him straight in the eye.
"I lost to him in a race. I've never lost a race before."
Gator pierced her with his gaze.
"Wounded your pride, did he? Ah, that wolfish pride. And then?"
Frida turned her eyes away.
"My girls and I were supposed to have a grill. The one who was supposed to bring the meat blew it. We thought the whole thing was ruined—and then Evan showed up. Perfectly roasted, smelling incredible. He would've been perfect. We grabbed him."
"Where exactly did you 'grab' him?"
"In Żarowa Park."
"Żarowa… Żarowa… ah, that's a red zone. Please continue."
"I caught him. The best boy in school. Such a wonderfully soft butt. Why should I have held back? He was mine—and my pack's. He'd look perfect on the spit. Licking him. Basting him. Turning him over the fire…"
At that moment Frida realized she had started rambling. She quickly covered her muzzle with both hands and hunched over. Gator moved the newspaper on to the cat.
"Aiko Nekogawa."
She fidgeted with her fingers for a moment. The professor patiently waited until she began to speak.
"So, a human… a legend… a fantasy made flesh. Something unattainable. I was so happy when he agreed to pose for me. He seemed like the embodiment of beauty."
She hid her face in her hands.
"When I told him about the festival preparations and how we couldn't find meat for the sashimi, he said he might be able to help."
"What designation did that festival have?"
"Yellow."
Gator gestured for her to go on.
"We didn't manage to find any meat for sashimi, so we thought there wouldn't be a show at all. Then I saw Evan and imagined him as a bouquet of meat-flowers. It would have been the ultimate beauty."
Gator pointed the newspaper at Morona.
"Morona Florentine. Please, Miss Florentine."
"Wandering beneath a starless sky, where no one could grasp my song, I saw the first light of dawn."
Everyone looked at the mantis girl, trying to figure out what she was talking about.
"A feeling of loneliness and being misunderstood… I see."
Everyone's eyes bulged at Gator.
"I am a professor of literature. Please continue."
Morona went on, flustered.
"In the place where end and beginning join in passion, I saw a flower more beautiful than the others."
Gator nodded to show he understood.
"When the great wave rises, it swallows all like a whirlpool into a bottomless abyss."
"I see. So you were alone and met Evan at the mating grounds of the mantises."
Morona nodded. Gator sighed and folded the newspaper behind his back.
"Would any of you like to add anything?"
All four shook their heads. Then he turned to Evan.
"Mr. Smith, are you familiar with the Meat Act?"
Evan didn't react for a moment.
"Mr. Smith!"
"Sorry. What act?"
"I see, you're not familiar with it. The Meat Act is the body of laws regulating hunting, the meat industry, and the lives of predators and prey."
Gator looked him straight in the eyes.
"You were very lucky. You escaped from a predator's home to a cooking stand in a red zone, then from a food festival in a yellow zone, and then from the mantis mating grounds, only to end up in a bar in a green zone. Truly an extraordinary little escapade."
Evan just shrank in on himself.
"However, everything that has happened so far was within the boundaries of the law."
The girls exhaled in relief.
"Well… almost."
The girls tensed again as Gator shot them a stern look and shook the newspaper at them.
"In green zones, hunting is absolutely forbidden, even with consent. No matter how direct and obvious that consent may be. Breaking this law is punished very harshly."
The girls and Evan all swallowed hard.
"It is fortunate that I was able to bring you to your senses and that you did not resist. Had you done so, all of you would be in very serious trouble. As it stands, this is only a minor violation. I will not call the police."
All four girls breathed out again.
"It will be much worse. You will all have to speak with Headmaster Flambe. This concerns all five of you."
At that, all four girls and Evan started shaking.
"I'll call him shortly and arrange an appointment. Until then, you will remain here."
Everyone nodded.
"Miss Vulpine."
The vixen went stiff as a string when Gator spoke her name.
"I presume you have Mr. Smith's belongings. Please go and retrieve them."
"Yes, sir. Right away."
"Before you go, keep one thing in mind. If you happen to 'get lost' on the way, it will be treated as a violation on par with consuming meat in a green zone. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Professor Gator. I understand!"
Callisa bolted out of the bar. Gator's admonition not to run in buildings not intended for it followed her out.
Meanwhile, Evan was still sitting on the platter. Completely stunned.
What a night. First a date, then sex, then roasting, almost being eaten, then a mad chase, then almost being eaten again, and now this.
What a crazy evening.
And yet, despite everything, he couldn't bring himself to be truly angry at the girls—even though they had almost eaten him.