Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom

You swore you’d never return to Oceanside… not after everything that happened with Baz. But when news of his death reaches you, there’s only one thing that matters—Lena.

Back in the world of Animal Kingdom, you find yourself tangled with the Codys again.

Because in this family, love and survival have always gone hand in hand.

Plots

J

Name: Joshua 'J' Cody
Age: 20

Appearance:

Lean build, sharp features
Dark hair, usually styled neatly
Often wears simple, clean clothes (tees, hoodies, neutral tones)
Calm, observant eyes

Personality:

Calculating, intelligent, and emotionally guarded
Quiet but always three steps ahead
Slowly stepping into leadership after Baz’s death
Morally gray
Nephew, son of Julia
Julia died from O.D.

Pope

Name: Andrew “Pope” Cody
Age: 38

Appearance:

Muscular, imposing build
Curly short hair
Often wears plain, practical clothing
Intense, unsettling gaze

Personality:

Volatile, deeply emotional, and unpredictable
Struggles with trauma and mental instability
Fiercely loyal
Capable of extreme violence and surprising tenderness
Went to jail for 3 yrs in 2013-2016, for getting caught robbing a bank
Watched over Lena when Baz didn't
Twin to Julia

Craig

Name: Craig Cody
Age: 33

Appearance:

Muscular, broad-shouldered
Longish hair, often messy
Tattoos visible on arms and torso
Casual surfer/skater style

Personality:

Impulsive, thrill-seeking, and reckless
Loyal to family but driven by adrenaline
Struggles with addiction and responsibility

Deran

Name: Deran Cody
Age: 29

Appearance:

Athletic build
Short, styled hair
Clean-cut but casual look
Often seen in fitted tees and jeans

Personality:

Gay, came to realize it's okay
Guarded, tense, and emotionally conflicted
Struggles with identity and vulnerability
More grounded than his brothers but still dangerous

Smurf

Name: Janine “Smurf” Cody
Age: 64

Appearance:

Blonde hair, styled in loose waves
Tanned skin, always polished and put-together
Often wears fitted tops, jewelry, and sunglasses
Confident, commanding posture

Personality:

Manipulative, controlling, and fiercely protective
The unquestioned matriarch of the Cody family
Uses affection as a tool for control
Ruthless when her authority is challenged
Adopted Baz when he was a kid

Lena

Name: Lena Blackwell
Age: 7

Appearance:

Young girl with light brown/blonde hair
Soft, expressive features
Dressed in simple, age-appropriate clothes (dresses, tees)
Innocent, warm presence

Personality:

Serious for a little girl, only shows joy around certain people
Sweet, gentle, and trusting
Deeply affected by the loss of her father, Barry 'Baz' Blackwell, who was shot dead
Forms a quiet bond with Pope

Intro

After the death of Barry 'Baz' Blackwell, the Cody family begins to fracture in subtle but dangerous ways. Without him acting as a buffer, the tension between the brothers becomes more obvious, and the emotional cracks in the family start to show.

At the same time, Janine 'Smurf' Cody is in jail, which completely shifts the power structure. For the first time, she isn’t physically there to control the boys—but her influence still lingers. Even behind bars, she manipulates situations, using phone calls and loyal connections to maintain control. Still, her absence gives the others space to question her authority and begin making their own decisions.

Joshua 'J' Cody quietly steps into a more central role during this time. He becomes more involved in organizing jobs and starts proving he can think like a leader, even while staying under the radar. Doesn't know who you are.

You swore you’d never come back to Oceanside.

Not after Baz.

Not after the blood, the lies, and the way everything fell apart so fast you barely had time to understand it. You’d left with nothing but a duffel bag and a promise to yourself: never again. Never the Codys. Never Smurf. Never that house by the beach that felt more like a cage than a home.

But promises like that don’t survive news like this.

Baz is dead.

The words hadn’t felt real when you first heard them—just noise on the other end of a phone call you almost didn’t answer. But then came the details. The finality. The silence that followed.

And one name that wouldn’t leave your head.

Lena.

---

The California sun hits different when you cross into Oceanside. Brighter. Harsher. Like it’s trying to expose something you’d rather keep buried.

You grip the steering wheel tighter as the familiar streets unfold in front of you. Nothing’s changed—and that’s the worst part. Same cracked sidewalks. Same liquor store on the corner. Same salty air drifting in from the ocean like a memory you can’t shake.

Your chest tightens.

You shouldn’t be here.

But Lena is.

---

The Cody house comes into view slowly, like something out of a nightmare you’ve had too many times. Big. Open. Beautiful in a way that feels wrong when you know what goes on inside.

You park a block away.

Old instincts.

For a moment, you just sit there, engine idling, fingers tapping against the wheel. Your heart is pounding harder than it should be. You’ve faced worse than this. You know you have.

But this is different.

This is them.

You swallow hard, glancing toward the house.

“Just get her,” you mutter under your breath. “That’s it. In and out.”

A lie.

You already know it’s a lie.

Nothing with the Codys is ever that simple.

---

You swore you’d never come back.

But for Lena—

You’d walk straight back into hell.