Chapter 5

ASHLEY BAOK

One Year Ago

Tuesday

Dear Diary,

We caught our first offender as the SFPU.

I'm still in shock. I think all the adrenaline never really let me fully process what was happening. I don't even remember the guy's name, but we caught him. Charlie made the arrest and put the handcuffs on the guy, and Ferris and Zip delivered him to the Moonfall Precinct.

We're still figuring everything out, but after several failed attempts that just wound up chasing offenders out of Pocket Forest, it's nice to actually catch one. Sure, it's great just telling them to scram, but that won't give the same message as an actual arrest with charges placed. Are you more likely to do it again if you're told to shoo, or if you see someone else formally charged and tried and sent to prison? Yeah, Diary— you're gonna keep on doing it if you're just chased off without any real consequences.

The guy we arrested said he was 'just going after the rabbits' with some snares. I don't think he realized snares don't know what they're supposed to catch. Snares will trap anything that places its limb in the wire. They don't discriminate.

So that's my job tomorrow: I'm going to go track down the snares he set. I'll bring some water and snacks and spend the day searching for those thin little wires hidden amongst the undergrowth. A tad painstaking, but worth it, of course. Those injuries from snares can be horrific, Diary. I've seen a few in the animals we didn't reach in time. It's the stuff of nightmares. Angry red flesh that's been flayed into pieces, the white of bone glinting scarlet from blood, tendons torn from the struggle, the heat of infection as it starts to set in.

Sometimes all we can do is end their suffering— the injuries are just too severe. It's heartbreaking, but there isn't anything that can be done. Even if we could bring them to a specialized wild animal vet who could repair the damage as best they can and they could live at a zoo that could tailor the care to their needs, the animal wouldn't have much in the way of quality of life.

Perhaps that's just me trying to justify what we've done to you, Diary. In those instances, there isn't a right decision. Death is never the right way to go. It's just two bad choices.

We did see one rabbit on our way to arrest the guy. It was still breathing, though barely. One of its hind legs was stuck in a snare. Its eyes were wide, and its body trembled from the shock and fear. You could tell it had been struggling, Diary; the leaves were all messed up and there were scores in the dirt from the rabbit's paws. The wire had dug into the rabbit's leg and was cinched tight. With how deep the snare had cut and the caked blood around the wound, the rabbit had to have been there a while. Who knows how long, but I'm not going to speculate other than it was a long time.

The rabbit was almost dead, and we ended its suffering.

The arrest actually was easier than I thought it would be, Diary. It wasn't that bar-fight brawl and rolling through the bushes knocking over trees wrestling match like in the movies. The biggest injury was a split lip Ren acquired while calling off Somnus and putting the handcuffs on the guy. He got in a nasty punch before they secured him. Charlie threatened to rough him up if he did that again, but she didn't wind up needing to.

The sound of those handcuffs locking around his wrists was like music to my ears, Diary. I can still picture the sound. Don't think I'll ever forget it. Hope I never do.

Everything we had been working for has come true, Diary. I still can't believe it. I know Ferris has had many sleepless nights talking with President Cynthia Corville and trying to get the funding we need. Perhaps this is the boost he will need. I guess, more realistically, the boost we all need.

You know it can get pretty dull always getting so close to the offender. Close enough that you can literally TASTE the capture on your tongue... and then they slip right through your fingers. It really sucks, Diary.

But we caught this one. Ferris and Ferris hand delivered him to the Moonfall Precinct.

I bet he didn't think he'd really get charged with anything. But, lucky for him, that got changed when the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit was created. Now you can get real jail time and sentences that cannot be shortened, no matter what a little angel you're being while rotting in your cell. You gotta pay up in full for slaughtering animals and destroying the natural habitat.

I wish I could've seen his face when he realized he wasn't gonna get just a slap on the wrist.

I know people can change, Diary, but they've also gotta face the consequences for their actions. His sentence won't be the same as if he had killed a member of the Silverlight Pack —wolves are more protected than rabbits, Diary— but he'll still get some jail time to think about what he did and hopefully change for the better.

We're going to party tonight, Diary. Charlie's making cookies, and I'm pretty sure Zip rigged up a disco ball and some speakers.

Don't worry, none of us like alcohol. Besides, we gotta be at the top of our game, since the next offender can strike at any time. We'll be ready, Diary. It feels amazing catching the bad guy. It's like I'm the superhero and they're the supervillain, just minus any superpowers.

I can't wait to catch the next one. Sure, they're not taking any human lives, but plants and animals are still important. What monsters are we if we continue taking and taking and taking? Many plants and animals were here long before there was even the idea of a human. They were here first. Who are we to drive them out of their homes if it's frowned upon to do the same to another human?

I look forward to the next hunt, Diary. It feels good to do my part and keep Pocket Forest safe.

Until next time, Diary

Ashley Baok

Wednesday

Dear Diary,

Stolen novel; please report.

Zip is making what he calls 'Camera Traps.' Says they'll alert to poachers once he gets them right. Also says there's a decent chance they'll take a while.

Charlie wants them to alert at deer and the Silverlight pack. She found the research that had been done on the wildlife of Pocket Forest, and I quote, "Absolutely abysmal" so she took it upon herself to learn everything she could about the creatures and how the ecosystem works.

I've been helping out as much as I can, Diary. I've been doing things around the camp, helping to get things organized and work out a system that works for us. Yesterday I spend a few hours walking through the Forest with Zip to figure out the best locations for the Camera Traps so the highest percentage of the land would be covered by the view of the cameras without placing one on every tree. Zip had his computer run some crazy code to run through different layout options.

Charlie insisted on a camera being placed near the Silverlight Pack's den. She just about burst out of her skin in excitement when she found the den. I swear she was floating for the next week, Diary. That really made her... well, her year, probably, Diary.

I'm curious how these Camera Traps will come together, Diary. I think Zip's got this whole contraption planned out in his head, and it's one of those things that you can't really piece together until it's almost done. Dunno. Guess we'll just see, I suppose.

Goodbye, Diary. I'll see you next time

Ashley Baok

Thursday

Dear Diary,

Wow, three days in a row. That's gotta be a record, right? Maybe I haven't journaled enough yet to really have a record. It's only been a few weeks, you know?

Charlie was burning letters this morning. She built a little fireplace in the middle of the courtyard on the gravel, I'm guessing to prevent the fire from spreading. But she also had a big bucket of water next to her, so not too big of a risk of anything burning that shouldn't.

I asked her why she was burning the letters, but she wouldn't tell me. All she said was that people were trying to talk to her, and they didn't deserve anything she had to say.

True that she doesn't have to talk to anyone she doesn't want to. No one does.

Does make me curious though, you know, Diary? You can't talk though, so maybe you don't. Hate to break it to ya, but you're an inanimate object, Diary. Suppose it's more of a rhetorical thing, I guess.

On that note, toodles, Diary. Ferris is asking for my help on a report for President Cynthia Corville. Still can't believe we're so close to her and she's involved in our group! I don't think I'll ever be able to wrap my head around it.

Toodles again, Diary

Ashley Baok

Thursday

Dear Diary,

Yes, two times in one day. That really oughta be a record, Diary. I'm making it one, and that's final. No stopping me, haha.

Ferris and I wrote up a report on us catching our first offender. I mean, talk about fancy speak. I can't say I've ever seen so many formal sentences strung together before. I mean, books are written with all the bits and pieces of a proper sentence and such, but there's a difference between that and the formality that is the report we sent to President Cynthia Corville. If you spoke like how the report was written, Diary, people would be looking at you like you'd magically grown a head and some arms. Not even the most uptight, educated, and proper person in all of Waverwell would speak like that.

Wish I'd remembered to ask him where the hell he'd learned to write like that. Suppose it was just practice though, Diary.

You know, everyone's so nice here. I think we're getting out of the 'honeymoon' phase of the group. I forgot to tell you earlier, but there was a fight between Charlie and Zip yesterday. Turns out, it was a misunderstanding over what Zip had been asking for from Charlie about the Camera Trap by the Silverlight Pack den. Zip was asking *where* she wanted the camera so he could rig it with the best angle of the den, but Charlie thought he was asking if she *wanted* a camera. I didn't hear the beginning of it, but I'm pretty sure Charlie started it. She has a bit of a temper, but I think she's also got an off switch and will just shut off her emotions. The fight died down before it truly got started since neither Zip nor Charlie really wanted to fight. I'm glad about that, Diary. Course there's gonna be disagreements and misunderstandings. We're all people and no one's perfect (not even me, sorry, Diary. Hate to have ruined that for you). But that doesn't make fights good.

Everything got worked out, thankfully, and Charlie apologized.

I don't think that fight would've happened a week or two ago— someone would've probably just agreed and given in to keep the peace. At least we're at the point where we feel comfortable enough to fight.

Now, back to your place beneath my bed, Diary

Ashley Baok

Saturday

Dear Diary,

Maybe I'm going to become that person everyone turns to for help but who doesn't do much on their own.

Like, that person who will have their name on many projects alongside other people, but who will never have their name and their name alone on a project. Someone who's destined to share the spotlight but never stand on their own beneath its light.

That sounds sad. But poetic. Poetic sad, I suppose. As long as it sounds cool.

Everyone has their own job, but I don't really have mine. I can do a lot of stuff, but I can't do anything at the expert level. More just I can do it well enough to get by but never any further.

Ferris does all the paperwork-type stuff, Charlie's learning everything about Pocket Forest, Zip knows computers and coding, Ren is training Somnus and is looking into potential other dogs, and Kristin is our medic for anything non-life-threatening or serious.

But I don't know what my 'thing' is. Everyone else has theirs, but I don't have mine. I can do a lot of random things, and if you need someone to learn something new at least somewhat well quickly, I'm your guy, but that doesn't translate into knowledge at the level that everyone else has for their 'thing.'

Maybe I'll find it eventually.

Ashley Baok

Thursday

Dear Diary,

I found it.

I found it!

Took almost two weeks, but I found my 'thing,' ok, Diary?

I think it's just learning about everything. I love books, I love reading. Research is something I can do. I guess kinda like Charlie's hyperfocus. It's just something I can get absorbed in. Not to the extent that she does— I won't forget to eat, drink, or use the restroom, but I just want to know eeeeeeverything. Some stuff is just so fascinating.

Like, did you know that there's a game that was created at the Night Owl nightclub and gambling den called Striker? I'd heard of it while in Cat's Cradle, but I've never played it. Sounds like fun though. Perhaps I'll have to teach it to myself and then show the rest of the SFPU. Might be a fun way to decompress in our down time. I think we could use a game to get some friendly competition going.

Zip's got a knack for numbers. I bet he'll be able to pick it up really quickly. Counting cards, even though that isn't allowed at the Night Owl. Or really any of the gambling dens in Cat's Cradle. I'd say 50/50 for Charlie. If she's interested in it, she'll learn Striker. If she doesn't, she probably won't. As she's said: Hyperfocus cannot be controlled— it's got a mind of its own.

Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better by saying research is my 'thing,' but it does make me feel better. I feel a bit more like I belong in the SFPU, like I'm not just there because Kristin is.

I guess this just means I'll get to research anything and everything that piques my interest, and that's not a bad thing at all, Diary.

You know, sometimes it just feels like I'm rambling here, Diary. Like I'm just writing to you because I'm trying to fill up the space. Like I'm searching for something I don't yet know and I'll somehow find it if I write to you for long enough. Maybe you know what I'm looking for, Diary. Maybe you know.

Anyway, if I'm going to be the one who researches everything in my free time, I suppose I'll have to find a project of some sort, Diary. You got any ideas? Rhetorical question, since you cannot talk, obviously.

Maybe I'll look at past offenders? Some of the big names in hunting, if that's a thing? There might be a pattern of some sort in how different wildlife get poached and which plants get targeted the heaviest. I suppose that's another thing I'm good at: Patterns. They're so satisfying to look at. But if I can find any sort of trend or repeating strategy, perhaps we'd be able to get ahead of the offenders, rather than always playing catch-up.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we, Diary?

We'll just have to wait and see,

Ashley Baok