{"id":198,"date":"2023-04-27T01:00:06","date_gmt":"2023-04-27T06:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/threewerewolves.com\/?p=198"},"modified":"2024-02-10T10:23:15","modified_gmt":"2024-02-10T16:23:15","slug":"stay-feral-des-moines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/threewerewolves.com\/tourblog\/stay-feral-des-moines\/","title":{"rendered":"Stay Feral, Des Moines"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Same afternoon, merch table near the venue\u2019s main concourse<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The venue\u2019s merch coordinator\u2014a teenager named Kyle who looked like he got this gig because he once dated the assistant manager\u2019s niece\u2014stood proudly behind a folding table piled with freshly unpacked boxes. A banner above the booth read: <strong>FERAL ECLIPSE\u2014WILD. RAW. HOWLIN\u2019.<\/strong> (Yes, with an apostrophe.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gabriel was the first to wander over, lured by the smell of popcorn and curiosity. He stopped cold at the sight of the merch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThane is gonna <em>lose his entire mind<\/em>,\u201d he whispered, awestruck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The T-shirts were\u2026 something. Bright neon pink and lime green tie-dye with \u201cStay Feral, Des Moines!\u201d printed in Comic Sans across the chest. The \u201cwolf\u201d silhouette was clearly a clip art German Shepherd with sunglasses. One hoodie had a full moon with sparkles around it and the slogan <strong>\u201cBITE ME, I\u2019M LOCAL\u201d<\/strong> in glittery puff paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There were also:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Foam claws (all five-fingered, because of course),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cFeral Eclipse\u201d slap bracelets with paw prints,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stick-on glow-in-the-dark \u201cfangs,\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A limited edition tote bag with an anime-style werewolf in a crop top.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Gabriel picked one up and turned to Kyle. \u201cHey, man\u2026 where did you <em>get<\/em> these?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kyle beamed. \u201cI designed them myself. I used AI, like\u2026 four whole times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOh,\u201d Gabriel said, as if Kyle had just admitted to building a spaceship with hot glue and hope. \u201cOh, buddy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thane arrived seconds later, Mark right behind him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thane\u2019s ears immediately flattened. \u201cWhat. The actual. <em>Hell<\/em> is this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kyle, still beaming. \u201cCustom merch for tonight! Wanna autograph some for the fans?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark pointed at the foam claws. \u201cThese have five digits. We have four.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kyle blinked. \u201cI mean, artist interpretation?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIs this glitter?\u201d Thane asked, holding up the hoodie with two claws like it was contagious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gabriel whispered, \u201cPlease wear it. Please.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPlease just once.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGabriel\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll buy you coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026Fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gabriel let out an unholy squeal of victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark wandered over to the tote bag. He held it up with two clawed fingers, deadpan. \u201cI think this is fan art of us, but\u2026 anime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jonah and Rico finally walked up, both with tacos. Jonah stopped mid-bite. \u201cOkay. What the hell are we looking at?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rico raised a brow. \u201cWe get a cut of this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kyle replied, \u201cThe venue keeps all merch proceeds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark: \u201cI <em>knew<\/em> I hated this place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thane looked ready to rip a foam claw in half, when Maya appeared behind them and loudly announced, \u201cHEY! Who gave our drummer a Hello Kitty shirt with fangs?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All heads turned. Jonah froze. He looked down. Sure enough, someone had slipped a <em>\u201cFeral Kawaii\u201d<\/em> tee over his regular one. It had a chibi werewolf licking a moon like an ice cream cone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rico just gave him a thumbs-up. \u201cHonestly, bro? You pull it off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jonah groaned and walked into the nearest wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thane turned back to the table and growled, \u201cThis is not <em>us.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gabriel grinned and held up one of the pink glittery shirts. \u201cMaybe not\u2026 but imagine the <em>tour photo.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark muttered, \u201cI\u2019m starting to think <em>I\u2019m<\/em> the sane one.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Same afternoon, merch table near the venue\u2019s main concourse The venue\u2019s merch coordinator\u2014a teenager named Kyle who looked like he got this gig because he once dated the assistant manager\u2019s niece\u2014stood proudly behind a folding table piled with freshly unpacked boxes. A banner above the booth read: FERAL ECLIPSE\u2014WILD. RAW. HOWLIN\u2019. (Yes, with an apostrophe.) 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