How Not To Become Lunch

Subfolders

Works

HNTBL 5: Stick With Your Friends

It’s always good to have friends at a new school. But in Jack’s case, it’s really good. Fiona’s basically the only thing growling between him and a one way trip through a hungry pred’s digestive tract. Now that’s a friend to stick with.

HNTBL 1: Don’t Get Bitten by a Werewolf

It’s not easy growing up in a world of predators and prey, but that didn’t stop Jack and Fiona from quickly becoming great friends- so great that Jack decides he wants to become a werewolf too, just like her! Only things don’t quite go the way the two kids had planned…

HNTBL 2: Don’t Fail Classes

Can Jack survive his first magic class without becoming a meal? Sometimes it’s not so easy to tell predator from prey…

HNTBL 3: Watch What You Say

It’s lunch time- probably the most dangerous time of the day- and then there are still the afternoon classes to worry about. How many close calls do you think Jack will have before the end of the day?… Provided he lasts that long.

A bit of a heads up, this one has a fair bit of exposition in the form of a literal history class. I normally don’t like having big chunks of explanation like this, but it fits in well with the story and this world admittedly needs a bit of explaining. I did my best to keep it interesting. And don’t worry, there are still some good vore bits before and after it.

HNTBL 4: Don’t Let Your Guard Down

Jack’s finally made it through his first day at his new school- and still undigested I might add. Now he’s safe and sound at Fiona’s house, what could possibly go wrong there?

HNTBL 6: Pay Attention

Not all humans survive by having a predator as a best friend; some use magic, some use science… Currently, Jack uses neither of those things.

Let’s see how scientifically accurate I’ve actually made my fictional science class! …Wait, you don’t really care that much and just want to get to the vore stuff? Oh, well that's in there too, don't worry ;). Though, as the professor is about to teach you, learning some science may just keep some of you human readers from getting nommed yourself.

HNTBL 7: Never Give Up

While her friend is in his own classes, Fiona can’t do much more than worry about him. Luckily, a special PE period gives her the perfect way to take her mind off things, and maybe even get the best free lunch she’s ever had.

HNTBL 8: Avoid Seasonings

Another lunch period, another handful of human students disappearing down the gullets of hungry predators. Jack is relatively safe with Fiona around, but that doesn't mean no one has their eye on him, and one particular predator has more reason to get him gulped than just his taste.

HNTBL 9: Don’t Make Vampires Jealous

Sarabeth has it out for Jack, and Fiona isn’t around to protect him. If the vampire could take care of things herself this would be over by now, but just cause she can’t eat him doesn’t mean she can’t get someone else to do it. And when it comes to eating Jack, most predators don't take much convincing.

HNTBL 10: Beware Hungry Wolf Pups

Jack survived another day of school uneaten. He’ll finally be heading home with Fiona where there are no other hungry predators around. He’s home free! …Right? Well, not if a certain little werewolf girl gets her way.

This one’s a bit on the longer side, and most of the actual vore content is towards the end, but there’s plenty of teasing leading up to it. Also: Sissy’s back! Yay! Who doesn’t love an adorable, hungry wolf-girl? Well, maybe not Jack… and maybe not his mom by the time she leaves…

HNTBL 11: Don’t Be a Dummy

…Nope, I can’t say anything about this one- just read it.

Here it is: number 11. Did I keep you all waiting long enough? Avoid the tags if you don’t want spoilers.

HNTBL 12: Be Careful at the Mall

After years of seclusion due to his unfortunate circumstances, Jack is finally going to the place of stereotypical teenagers’ dreams: the mall! Sure, it’s a bit dangerous, but he’s got Fiona with him! I’m sure he’ll be fine. Then again, Sissy is with them too…

HNTBL 13: Don’t Become Homework

When the teacher of predator class gives her students a homework assignment, it gives the human students at school a whole new reason to hate homework. For the predators, though, this might be one assignment they actually enjoy.

HNTBL 14: Catch a Break

Jack’s day has been a bit stressful- more so than usual- but he made it through again. Now he can look forward to a nice, relaxing afternoon, right? Okay, admittedly that’s a bit of wishful thinking, but even Jack can catch a break every now and then.

Also, don’t worry about Jack and Fiona’s friendship. Yeah, things got a little “uncomfortable” there for a minute but I'm sure everything’s just fine. Nothing to worry about. Honestly. Really.

HNTBL 15: Sleep Tight

The night can be a peaceful reprieve after a long day. A good, quiet night’s sleep is something we can all look forward to. But when the din of the day has been the only thing to drown out your own unsettling thoughts, a long, quiet night can quickly turn into a nightmare.

HNTBL 16: Tie Your Shoes

Stress is a stubborn thing. When you try to push it down, it tends to pop up in other ways. Sometimes it’s just little things, simple mistakes, like forgetting to tie your shoes, for instance. The way I see it, there are two reliable ways to get rid of stress: with a friend, or with a stomach. One of those ways definitely has a better outcome than the other.

There’s been a lot of tension in these last few stories, right? I think we can all use a break from that. So could Jack and Fiona. It might not be easy for them to get over recent events, but they’ve had run-ins with the more uncomfortable aspects of their relationship before, and I’m sure they’ll pull through again. Besides, if I don’t let off some of the tension now, it won’t be as fun when I ratchet it up even higher later.

HNTBL 17: Keep a Cool Head

Fiona wasn’t having the best morning either before her heartwarming talk with Jack. In fact I’d say she was even worse off.

HNTBL 18: Avoid Brooding Predators

Jack has his friends, and his enemies. For most of the latter, it’s usually nothing personal, just breakfast. Of course for some it is personal, particularly for a certain vampire. And she’s hatching a scheme to get rid of him once and for all.

HNTBL 19: Don’t Cheat

As if a math test isn’t stressful enough, Jack has no clue someone in his own class is trying to get him sent to his doom. Well, to be fair, he does know a number of his classmates are trying to get him sent down into their bellies, but this is different.

HNTBL 20: Stay OUT of Detention

Jack is really in trouble this time. He’s walking straight into the lion’s den- or in this case, the tiger’s den- and with his mark he might as well be a steak with an “eat me” sign. And without Fiona there to protect him, things don’t look good. She’s on her way, of course, but who knows what’ll be left of him by the time she gets there…

HNTBL 21: Don’t Tease Pups

A certain little werewolf pup is about to have a very special day at school.

HNTBL 22: Get A Grip

So, who exactly did Fiona meet in her new class?

HNTBL 23: Don’t Get Burned

Jack and Fiona have settled in nicely to their little lunchtime routine. But today, lunch is going to go a bit differently.

HNTBL 24: Don’t Flip Out

Let’s see how Fiona reacts to being put on the spot. And how Jack reacts.

HNTBL 25: Don’t Shake Hands with Strangers

It’s the weekend! No school, no popular werewolf boys, just Jack and Fiona hanging out at her place. Plus Sissy and Mrs. Lupella I guess, and- oh, who are you?

HNTBL 26: Don’t Make the Same Mistake Twice

Okay, well that wasn’t the smoothest introduction, but at least it didn’t end with Jack being swallowed- Well… nevermind. At least now it’s behind him! And now he’s under Mrs. Lupella’s watchful gaze in the safety of her own home, he should be safe now right? …Actually, can anyone else remember what happened last time he assumed he was safe just cause he was at Fiona’s house?

(April Fools) HNTBL 27: Expect the Unexpected

It’s been quite a while since the last upload, but that’s because we’ve been working on something special. The *final* chapter! Didn’t see that coming, did you? Well, “Expect the Unexpected”

HNTBL 27: Don’t Sweat It

Sometimes plans change, and the sudden shifts can make life seem a little stressful. When that happens, it’s usually best to look on the bright side and find something about it you can enjoy. Don’t sweat it. …No, seriously, don’t sweat it. That’ll only make you even tastier for the next pred that goes by.

HNTBL 28: Share Your Story

“The stress can eat you alive just as well as any predator.” Words for a marked prey to live by.

HNTBL 29: Don’t Leave The Pack

“The strength of the wolf is the pack.” “There’s safety in numbers.” These are good sayings. Jack should keep them in mind.

Well, that was an… interesting weekend. But now it’s time for school again. What could possibly go wrong? …So, so much… you have no idea.

HNTBL 30: Make New Friends

Where would we be without our friends? In Jack’s case, the answer is almost definitely somewhere warm and gurgly. Making new friends isn’t always easy, but it does help to have things in common, like being edible, for example.

Jack was just starting to settle into his new routine back home, but it looks like the stomach of life has started to mix things up for him already. I guess things don’t look too bad though, all things considered.

HNTBL 31: Don’t Become Show-And-Tell

It’s a very exciting time for Sissy, now that she’s finally old enough to eat humans, and she’s excited to share that excitement with everyone she knows! How exciting!

HNTBL 32: Swallow Your Pride

Swallow your pride, or someone else will swallow it for you.

HNTBL 33: Don’t Jump To Conclusions

Fiona continues to compare herself to her new friends. More humans disappear down gullets in the process. The advanced pred kids will be very well fed by the end of this, won’t they?

HNTBL 34: Don’t Underestimate The Pack

Fiona wants to prove to everyone that she belongs with her new friends in the advanced pred class, but I think she’s still learning herself what it means to be part of a pack.

HNTBL 35: Think On Your Feet

Thinking on your feet is a valuable skill; it’s much harder to think once you’re wriggling in a predator’s gullet and your feet are flailing in the air. You can only get by on luck and protection so often.

HNTBL 36: Don’t Have A Meltdown

Restricting teachers to only eat failing students doesn’t give them the most incentive to help Jack learn, does it?

HNTBL 37: Don’t Be Surprised

There are all kinds of surprises. Sometimes a hungry maw comes out of nowhere and sucks you down into a predator’s belly. Sometimes your friend just acts a little differently than you’d expect. Sometimes both.

HNTBL 38: Be Polite

Because nothing screams “I want a certain vampire to digest me alive” more than rudeness.

HNTBL 39: Watch Your Step

Jack’s rather stressful day is finally approaching its end; whether he’ll still be alive for tomorrow is far less certain.

HNTBL 40: Don’t Think About It

It’s usually good for a human to give some healthy thought to the who and how of a predator’s meal. You’d hope to figure well enough to avoid making the same mistake as the person currently gurgling in your classmate’s gut. For Jack, though, sometimes he’d be better off if he could just… *stop* thinking about that subject for a while.

No actual consumption in this one, just some post-vore consequences. One of which is naturally digestion and all of the juicy gurgles that come with it. The other, well, that has to do with who is doing the digesting, and who is sitting next to her. I’d better get the next story out quick, because I'd hate to be the reader stuck with this ending. Brace yourselves, though. Things have only begun…

HNTBL 41: Avoid Public Bathrooms

It’s tough to know, as a human, that the final moments of your final journey in life will probably involve a predator in a bathroom. But Jack never really thought that his own ‘final journey’ might *start* in a bathroom.

I do have to apologize to those fans of the series who dislike disposal- not that there’s any actual, explicitly described disposal here. But disposal is an (admittedly much smaller) piece of my enjoyment of vore, and every now and then I like to dabble (especially after collaborating with a certain fan of the series who very much does like disposal). All that said, I’d say the bathroom in this story is used much more in service of sitcom-esque tropes rather than vore-style disposal. It’s hinted at and implied (albeit strongly) like adult topics in a PG movie; never directly addressed or described. Hope you don’t mind stomaching it.

For those of you who do like disposal, I hope you enjoy. This is probably about as close as you’ll get in this series, but we can’t all have everything, just ask Jack.

Oh, and there’s also normal oral vore and Jack/Fiona tension and other story stuff, of course.

HNTBL 42: Tread Lightly

Fiona’s quite good at using her claws and jaws to get a meal where she wants them. Let’s see how good she can be at using her words to keep Jack away from where she doesn’t want him- mentally and physically.

HNTBL 43: Don’t Get Ditched

Fiona’s got a promise to keep, but she’s starting to feel like she’s caught between a rock and a hard place, figuratively that is. Jack, on the other hand, might be more literally being caught between a wet and a squishy place.

HNTBL 44: Don’t Crack Under Pressure

Things are getting a bit tense… Just think, the last time Fiona and Jack had a “serious” disagreement, they were probably little kids and it was probably adorable.

HNTBL 45: Don’t Look Tasty

New day, new start. Jack and Fiona have both had a bit of time to get some small perspective on things, let’s see how our favorite pred/prey pals do.

HNTBL 46: Watch Your Back

I wonder how hung up Fiona is about her morning encounter with Jack? Oh, she has other things on her mind, doesn’t she?

HNTBL 47: Don’t Walk To Class Alone

The human kids who do, oftentimes never make it. Luckily, despite his reputation as a walking buffet sign who likes to hang out with predators, Jack still has a couple friends he can count on, even without Fiona around. So he should be fine, right?

HNTBL 48: Be Extra Filling

Technically, if you just try to be the most filling meal possible, you can at least save the next guy from being lunch. And after you’ve been digested, you’ll never have to worry about being lunch again, right?

Here’s the exciting conclusion to the previous cliffhanger! No spoilers here (unless you read the tags, I guess), but I can promise you that Jack will be getting out of that belly, one way or another (we’ve seen Fiona’s meals take about a day). And if he thought the ride in was tight…

HNTBL 49: Don’t Get Marked by a Werewolf

Is this title a repeat of the first story’s title? Yes. But this bit of advice really does bear repeating. This story alone features three humans who all happen to have been marked by a werewolf, and while only one of them ends up getting gurgled, it can be argued that none of their lives are going great.

HNTBL 50: Q&A

Hey everyone, Lily here. You know, your favorite amphibian predator, underrated star of HNTBL. TheDragonBoy usually writes these little descriptions after he finishes the main story, but he’s a bit busy with my boyfriend Grizz at the moment, so I decided to be nice and fill this bit in for him. If you're confused, well, just read the thing, you’ll see. Anyway, here’s the Q&A where the creators and all your favorite characters- like me- answer all your questions about our stomachs or whatever. I didn’t answer any, though, I was far too busy to bother with this silly interview thing. And by the way sdjgkxmxlhfgfd;,hl

Sorry guys, it’s TheDragonBoy, I'm back, just had to make a few… edits? To get me away from Grizz. …Edits to the universe? Man, breaking the 4th wall is weird. Anyway, let’s see what Lily wrote while I was gone. …Yeah, that’s all fine, I’ll just leave it. She summed it all up pretty well actually.

HNTBL 51: Learn From Others

He’s having a rougher day than usual, which is fair, he does have something heavy on his mind. Oh, Jack? No, he’s actually doing pretty well! I’m talking about Ozzy!

It’s now been one in-universe week since the events of HNTBL #22. One week since Fiona got into her new advanced class and met Arthur. And also about one week since Ozzy got into his new advanced class. And that means they- along with Zach- share one thing in common: advanced physical education is coming up later in the day.

Meanwhile, Jack will be busy daydreaming about his new crush. Isn’t that a nice change for him?

HNTBL 52: Don’t Let Promises Break

Promises and trust are the backbone of relationships. Also, being alive, that’s important too.

***SPOILERS IN TAGS AND DESCRIPTION***

HNTBL 53: Push Back

This one isn’t for the vore, it’s for the story. It’s for the readers who follow these characters. But that also makes it one of the harder ones to read. This story sees our characters at what may be their lowest point yet. If you want the TL;DR, I could summarize it as {SPOILERS} “Jack and Fiona have a big fight in the cafeteria”, and I’d understand if you want to leave it at that, you won’t miss much information-wise. But if you can stomach it, I’ve always said that the highs feel higher when you’ve survived the lows. And particularly when it comes to vore, the threat of being eaten is always more impactful when you’ve seen others disappear down that throat for good.

With that said, here’s the fallout of the previous story. I plan on releasing the next story tomorrow, which is purposefully much lighter.

HNTBL 54: Pick Your Friends

Young or old, predator or human, boy or girl (or anything else), deciding who one’s friends are is an important part of life. Of course, when you’re human, a wrong choice can lead to an early digestion.

I felt like everyone, readers and characters alike, could use a bit of a breather after the last couple stories. So, while everyone processes things, here’s roughly 3000 words of Sissy being adorable! That’s not to say this does nothing for the plot. We’ve seen a lot from Jack’s perspective, and I wanted to give a glimpse at Fiona’s side, not to mention a hint or two of foreshadowing if you know where to look. Every good storm needs a moment of calm first…

HNTBL 55: Share Your Friends

Walking the line between two opposed friend groups is never easy, especially when one of them is intent on turning the other into belly fat.

Brace yourself, this is a big one. And I don’t just mean in length (2-3x normal), but also in magnitude. If you don’t quite remember all the kids from Survivors Anonymous (the marked prey support group), it might be good to read the story where Jack attends their prior meeting (yes, this title is intentionally similar):
HNTBL 28: Share Your Story

HNTBL 56: Recover

Sometimes you just need a moment to take a step back, take a breath, and maybe spend a prolonged period of time laying in bed.

It’s crazy how life can go from- well- crazy, to calm so quickly. But even when the world slows down, your head can keep spinning just as fast. Forced apart by their own actions and the workings of what can easily be called a very cruel world, Jack and Fiona have this short moment to reflect and recover. But the reprieve won’t last long. The question is: what comes next? Will the pressure let up because someone stops pushing? Or will it let up because someone finally snaps?

I said two stories earlier that ‘every good storm needs a moment of calm first’. I didn't mention that this storm is a hurricane. The previous story was just the first half. This is the eye; a moment of clear skies surrounded by towering walls of dark, threatening clouds. The second half of the storm is closing in fast.

HNTBL 57: Don’t Argue With A Werewolf

When you step back and think about it, getting into an argument with a predator, someone who could rip you apart and/or devour you, just doesn’t really sound like a good idea, does it?

HNTBL 58: Talk

So simple, yet it can be so difficult. But it’s at difficult moments like these when one’s true nature and their deepest beliefs are often put to the test.

**SPOILERS IN THE TAGS**

HNTBL 59: Clean Up

It’s generally good advice to clean yourself up after a predator attack. Nobody wants to be covered in drool (well, aside from you guys, maybe). You don’t need slick saliva making it harder to hold your wand or keep your footing. And if you were unlucky enough to make it all the way into a predator’s belly- and lucky enough to have made it out again- you definitely don’t want their stomach acid all over you.

In Jack and Fiona’s case, though, I think they might have some emotional messes to clean up as well.

HNTBL 60: Fight for What You Believe In

So… that was a bit of an impulsive decision, wasn’t it? …Place your bets?

HNTBL 61: Stay Unnoticed

It’s a new day for Jack and Fiona. No, literally, it’s a new day, and time stops for no man- or woman- or non-binarily-gendered-person- or voracious anthropomorphic wolf girl. Point is, time’s ticking, and late kids are much more likely to wind up eaten by school staff.

HNTBL 62: Don’t Get Under Someone’s Skin

It’s good advice, whether that someone is your friend you want to keep close, or a vampire you want to keep far, far away. It’s not always easy, though. In either case.

So much happened so quickly in the past week for Jack and Fiona. Nobody else in their lives have really had the chance to catch up. Well, both Sarabeth and Ozzy are about to get some idea. Let’s see how they react. And let’s see how Fiona and Jack react as well; I don’t think they’ve quite caught up with themselves yet either.

HNTBL 63: Care

This is the moment Sarabeth’s been waiting for. Arthur is out of the picture, she has Jack away from Fiona in a crowded hallway full of empty bellies, each of which would be more than happy to melt him down. Surely this is the end for him, right?

HNTBL 64: Control Yourself

Self-control in the face of hormones, emotions and instincts can make all the difference in a human’s survival. Or, if you’re a friendly predator, all the difference in the survival of your human best friend.

With Jack and Fiona finally starting to come back down to Earth (or whatever HNTBL planet this is), they find there’s still a fair bit of mess to deal with. They had to start confronting things sooner or later.

HNTBL 65: Don’t Yell In The Halls

When you’re a walking buffet, the last thing you want to do is draw attention to yourself and everyone around you by causing a scene. Luckily, Jack does know this much, but apparently that can’t be said for all his schoolmates.

HNTBL 66: Be Respectful

Things start to settle down; life goes on (or ends in a belly, for some). But even as the world continues to turn, the consequences of the past don’t disappear. But they can be resolved.

HNTBL 67: Keep Things Quiet

When you’re in the home of a predator with super-sensitive hearing, a loud ruckus usually means someone is about to have a bad time. That, or someone is in the process of being eaten alive, in which case they’d already be having a bad time. Could be both, though.

HNTBL 68: Say Hello

How do other humans even end up in a place like this? Well, Jack, I’m glad you asked. Let’s find out. Time to meet another of Sarabeth’s dinner guests. Whether he’s dinner or guest is yet to be determined.

HNTBL 69: Have Fun

When you’re marked, it’s easy to forget the simple pleasures of life. Usually, a hungry predator hunting you down is not the kind of thing that would help with that. Usually.

HNTBL 70: Celebrate!

Seems like Jack is starting to settle into the party. And look, here comes another game, and this one involves a blindfold. Don’t worry, absolutely nothing will go wrong.

HNTBL 71: Follow the Right Directions

The game of ‘mark the meal’ continues. Jack may have gotten off alright, but not everyone is so lucky…

HNTBL 72: Don’t Blow Your Cover

Harry might be overestimating that panda pred he’s worried about. To be fair, that’s usually a pretty safe move. Usually.

Watch out for spoilers in the tags/comments on this one; I think it’s most enjoyable if you don’t know how it ends.

HNTBL 73: Face Your Fear

What’s more stressful than attending a party where every other person of your species is there explicitly to be a potential meal? Sitting down at the dinner table of that party.

HNTBL 74: Be Brave

Jack and Harry are getting more freaked out. Fiona is getting hungrier. Mr. Belv is getting water. And the door with the red sign is locked for a reason.

HNTBL 75: Spin to Win

Some party games can be kinda stressful on their own. I’m sure adding hungry predators can only help things.

HNTBL 76: Don’t Be The Jackpot

If you’re playing a game with predators, try to avoid being the prize.

Here we go, guys. I know you’ve all been waiting patiently for someone else to get eaten. I actually got multiple complaints about how no one got nommed during spin the bottle. But those people didn’t stop to think that spin the bottle might not be over yet~ Hope you're ready, cause this chapter is double-length and extra-filling.

How Not To Become Lunch - Cover

Poor Jack just can’t seem to stay out of predators’ mouths, good thing his good friend Fiona is there to keep him in one piece.

I am VERY happy and excited to share this excellent, OFFICIAL, cover art for the How Not To Become Lunch series, featuring our MC duo of Jack and Fiona… plus whoever Fiona had for lunch.

HNTBL 77: Dare Truthfully

You read the title. But this time couldn’t possibly be as bad as the last time, right?

HNTBL 78: Truth Daringly

Well, Jack didn't see this one coming (add it to the list). But sometimes being oblivious can actually work in your favor. Not usually though, Jack is just having a really lucky night.

If the last chapter didn’t quite satisfy you after that long hiatus, here’s the climax of truth or dare, and it’s a double-length chapter. It’s got a twist or two, a couple moments of vore-themed tomfoolery, and a heap of emotional trauma! Who doesn’t love emotional trauma? I think Jack in particular might be starting to come to grips with it, though. Good for him.

HNTBL 79: Don’t Oversleep

What’s more dangerous than spending several hours in a vampire’s mansion? Spending several hours in a vampire’s mansion while unconscious. Especially so when said vampire is secretly plotting to get you digested.

How Not To Become Lunch - Timeline (1 - 79)

An official timeline chart for the How Not To Become Lunch series, covering all chapters to date.

(April Fools) HNTBL 80: Don’t Become Lunch

Finally, after all this time, Jack discovers the true unstoppable power that has been at his fingertips all along. A discovery that will change his relationship with predators forever.

HNTBL 80: Avoid a Grizzly Fate

Now, I know by this point you must all be asking: When are we going to see more Sissy!? Well, she’s about to spend the day with her best friend and his big brother! What could possibly go wrong???

HNTBL 81: Keep It Calm

It’s time for Jack to face the most dangerous, difficult challenge of his life. Befriending predators and surviving stomachs? No. Homework. Magic potion homework. Good luck, Jack.

HNTBL 82: Pay Your Bill

After a long day of muffins and potion making, Jack and Fiona can finally- Hey, wait a minute, these people aren’t Jack and Fiona! Well, I’m sure they’re all related somehow…

HNTBL 83: Wake Up On Time

Sleeping in class is usually a very, very, very bad idea. Usually.

We’ve kept you all waiting long enough, time to find out how well Jack’s potion works.

HNTBL 84: Ask For Help

Friends help friends help friends, otherwise friends’ friends become food. Though it does get complicated when friends’ friends eat friends. Gee, no wonder these kids need school, this is confusing…

Hope you guys didn’t forget about Ozzy, cause he sure hasn’t forgotten anything.

HNTBL 85: Keep Up Disappearances

It’s not always safe reaching out to new people; never quite sure if you can trust them. But it’s always dangerous to remain alone. Let’s hope for Jack’s sake that this Arin kid turns out to be alright. Who am I kidding? Arin’s the one who should be worried.

HNTBL 86: Avoid Grudges

Grudges can be a dangerous thing on both sides. You obviously don’t want to be on the wrong side of a pred with a vendetta. But maybe even worse is to hold a grudge between you and someone who actually wants to help.

HNTBL 87: Don’t Linger

Even when it’s hard, it’s important to keep moving forward. Stationary targets are much easier for preds to catch. Oh, emotionally? Yeah, I guess it works that way too.

Time for Ozzy to test his skills in the hunting games; advanced P.E., first he just has to make it to class- Wait, who’s that other kid?

HNTBL 88: Be Thankful

Some things never change, huh? Highschool hallways will always be deathtraps for marked mages. Stomachs never get less squishy. But other things do change; surprising things, even. In both categories, despite everything he has to go through, Jack definitely has a few things he can be thankful for. It’s important not to forget those things. He’s certainly learned by now not to take them for granted. Not when life can end all too easily with a squelch and a burp.

HNTBL 89: Be Open

I get it, as a human, usually you’re more concerned about making sure predators don’t open themselves up too much around you. But in a less literal, less deadly sense, openness can make a real difference, even between predators and humans.

HNTBL 90: Take a Joke

It’s always awkward around the lunch table when everyone there agrees that you would make a much better meal than whatever they’re currently eating. Still, it’s important to make an effort, right? Crack a joke, hope for a laugh, and hope it doesn’t lead to a gulp. With Fiona right there with him, what’s really the worst that could happen to Jack?

Well, what does happen certainly isn’t the worst thing, but it’s not exactly great either…

HNTBL 91: Don’t Zone Out

It’s just a quick walk down the hall, right? What could go wrong? Certainly Jack and Pyre will just use the time to get closer, right? Oh… no, not like that obviously! Come on, guys.

HNTBL 92: Get Stuff Off Your Chest

Being a predator, you naturally accumulate a certain amount of extra weight. But Fiona, living a somewhat unusual life for a huntress, has a different kind of weight she has to deal with. You can’t get rid of it with exercise, but it does still take hard work.

HNTBL 93: Watch Out for Your Friends

Just another day in the life of a marked high school student. Jack’s very lucky he has such good friends who will look out for him and protect him. There are lots of hungry predators around who would love to turn him into a satisfying, squirming belly bulge, and generally, if someone’s willing to watch his back, he’s happy to try and return the favor.

But not all the predators around want to convert Jack into calories. And not everyone watching over Jack has a back that’s… visible.

HNTBL 94: Keep Your Mouth Shut

It’s a busy lunchroom. While Jack and Fiona are busy eating, and Arin is busy spying, others are busy hunting, or being hunted. And Ozzy… I wonder what Ozzy’s lunch breaks have been like recently?