Trackstar Antelope

Trackstar Antelope: Volume 39

Chapter 365: Feline Friends Unite

Sam and I approach the entrance of the Sports Centre, and we can see a few other students from the State Finals sitting outside as well. I check the time, 12:48PM. I guess we have a bit of time to do our warmups.

"Everyone's probably inside, waiting to start" Sam tells me. "We should go get changed, and then we can meet up with Kevin and Maku".

"Do they know that you're here?" I ask him.

"I don't think so..." he says, before looking down at me. "You didn't tell them anything, did you?" It's almost as if he's frowning at me from my angle. Something definitely has changed with Sam... and I need to find out why.

"N-no, Sam... I didn't" I say nervously. He then smiles happily at me before sitting down at a bench outside the changerooms.

"I'll just wait outside the change rooms until the others come out, then I'll get changed" Sam explains. "I can't wait to see the look on their faces when I surprise them".

I guess Sam's pretty excited to see the others. Maybe this is some weird feline way of greeting each other after a while. I make my way into the room, and I'm greeted by a few others around me. It feels nice to be included by the other carnivores.

"Hey Jamel, how ya going?" Maku says from one of the benches.

"Yeah, not bad. My friends told me that today's training is also pretty exhausting, so I don't know how I'm gonna be by the end" I reply, setting my bag down next to his.

"Ah, you'll be fine. They'd go easier on you, wouldn't they?" Maku tells me.

"No way. If I want to run with the carnivores, I have to train like them as well" I reply. I would have thought that Maku would've caught on to that by now.

"Oh... right. Sorry Jamel, I didn't mean it like that" Maku replies as I put my running shirt on. Soon after, Kevin comes along and sits down.

"Hey guys..." he says, a bit tired. "I wonder how I'm gonna go today... after yesterday, I just feel so fatigued"

"Better hope you can run on Wednesday, Kevin" Maku says in a competitive tone. "With Sam gone, and you exhausted, the State Champion Title might just fall into my lap for a fourth year in a row" I know that there's a big rivalry between the three felines, but I guess these guys must always finish close to each other.

"I wouldn't count on that, Maku" I hear from the changeroom doorway. It's Sam, standing proud and tall, with a smug grin on his face. "Jamel was able to beat me in the District Finals, I'd say you're both in a bit of trouble".

Maku and Kevin turn, and their eyes shoot open in surprise. They quickly rush over to Sam and greet him with a lot of energy.

"Sam! How ya going, man? It's been a while!" Maku says while shaking Sam's hand.

"What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't qualify for the state finals" Kevin says in amazement.

"I'm here to help Jamel train for the race" Sam states, still loudly. "Plus, on Sunday, I have an interview for a scholarship at Tabud Nari, the sporting academy. They have some sort of summer program going on, which sounds useful".

"Hey, I'm trying out for that scholarship too!" Maku says in disbelief. "I'm sure we both have great chances of getting in, too bad they're only offering one scholarship".

"I'll grind you into dust if I have to, haha!" Sam says jokingly... I hope.

I look at Kevin's face, and he seems a bit concerned by what Sam said. Maybe he's caught on to Sam's changes too. They've known each other for a while now...