“Aynashi, are you trying to kill yourself?” Nyata groaned, staring at her ward with a terrified expression. The cheetah was, once again, perched high in a branch above the trio below. Even the bird was currently not in a tree, but the cheetah was. Why? Because apparently Aynashi liked to raise Nyata’s blood pressure!
“I’ll be fine, Mtu. Tell her, Ning!” Aynashi cheerfully responded, addressing the newest member of their group – and by the far the easiest to convince of anything, ever.
“She’ll be fine, Nyata’mtu,” Ning’tu responded promptly, as told. Ning liked it with the group, the females were kind and never asked him to attack anybody and they weren’t cruel to him. Plus, Nyata’mtu was amusing with her rather bizarre view on life. Though he strongly believed that she would think his life was strange. It wasn’t really ‘life’, more just survival.
“Yes, I’m going to take his word for it!” Nyata snorted loudly. “He would agree to anything!”
“No he wouldn’t, would you, Ning?” Aynashi prompted.
“I wouldn’t, Nyata’mtu, I wouldn’t.”
Nyata groaned. L’aiime laughed to herself, fluttering up to land on Nyata’s head. “You are outnumbered dear, and at this point, out-stubborned. Just go with it.” She patted her friend on the head before taking flight up to where the cheetah was perched. “You really should get down soon though darling,” she prompted. “We need to get moving before darkness falls. Despite our big strong male addition it’s still very dangerous to be out on our own when darkness falls.”
“I know, it’s just…it’s so pretty out here,” Aynashi said smiling. “I like it up here.”
“It is beautiful, but it’s even more beautiful being alive for it,” L’aiime said with a bright cheerful smile. “Now get down.”
Nyata snorted from below. Well, the bird did have a way with words. “What, you’ll listen to her?” She protested as Aynashi began her delicate descent from the tree top.
“L’aiime was logical, you were just whinging,” Aynashi pointed out cheerfully, jumping the last metre or so onto the ground, almost ramming Ning. “Woops! Sorry!”
“It’s ok, Miss Aynashi!” Ning responded cheerfully in return, helping to steady the slender female. “I’m not easily broken!”
That comment seemed to strike too closely to the female’s hearts, as they had seen his scars and sore bones. What had he gone through before them? How had he survived long enough not to break?
“I know, Ning,” Aynashi said gently. “I know, but we don’t want you hurt remember?” She smiled, and whapped him gently with her tail. Softly, as if afraid he’d shatter.
“I appreciate that,” Ning said softly, and smiled. Nyata hated that smile. It was the smile that said that he was happy, but honestly, he was just waiting for the other branch to drop and for them to turn on him.
It made her angry. Who had thought to hurt him so much that he honestly thought that even sweet and gentle Aynashi would turn?
“We should get going,” Nyata said firmly, perhaps a little too harshly. Her companions looked surprised at the harsh tone, and Aynashi looked panicked for a moment, as if fearing she had annoyed her guard too much. It took only a moment to notice that her guard’s eyes lingered a little too much on the male hyena who was dutifully picking up the bird so she didn’t have to fly alongside them.
“Ready!” Ning announced, having situated L’aiime on his back in the most comfortable position possible. “Sorry I can’t carry you too, Aynashi, you’re getting a bit big now,” he said, regretfully. She was growing quick, and he had only been with his companions for a few moons.
“That’s ok!” Aynashi tore her gaze from her guard, towards the male. “I’m big and strong now, I’ll be fine,” she said happily, but cast a worried gaze back at Nyata.
“I don’t know, you’re still pretty tiny,” L’aiime mused, staring at the slim cheetah. “I think we need to feed you more.”
“She eats enough for a family of Hyenas,” Nyata complained. “And I do all the hunting here!”
“I could – “ Ning started.
“NO!” The three girls called back together.
“After last time,” Aynashi said, trailing off.
“I mean, really dear, if you can’t hunt, you really shouldn’t have offered,” L’aiime continued gently.
“And you cannot hunt,” Nyata finished sharply. The last time he had attempted, he had come back with no food and a very large wound on his side because the gazelle (yes, gazelle) he had tried to take down had gotten a good jab into his rib-cage and drew blood. A hyena had lost against a gazelle.
To be fair, hyenas were supposed to be scavengers, but Aynashi was not used to scavenging and preferred fresh kills. Ning had assured them that he knew how to hunt. Clearly, he did not.
“I could try again,” he attempted to offer.
“NO!” The same response was met again.
“Just…don’t,” Nyata insisted. “I will hunt.”
Ning looked saddened by the insistence, but dropped the subject until the quad had begun moving. It didn’t take long before L’aiime had transferred to Aynashi’s back to gossip about various things. The girls loved a good gossip, and usually L’aiime travelled to see other creatures on the savannah to get the juicy stories to tell the adolescent.
Ning had little interest in that stuff, and instead found himself walking alongside Nyata. “I can learn,” Ning said, going back to their original conversation, not willing to drop it yet.
“No,” Nyata snapped. “Look, we have told you countless times. No.”
“But-“
“No, Ning’tu, and that is the last I want to hear of this,” she said firmly. “I will not, and cannot stand by and watch you put yourself into harms way when I am absolutely capable of doing it instead, and therefore, NOT risking your life. I don’t know what your previous life was like and I don’t think my heart could take knowing, but in this group, with us, you are to be taken care of and treated safe. You are one of us, and we do NOT abandon our own.”
Ning blinked, coming to an abrupt stop. L’aiime and Aynashi came to a stop too. Nyata didn’t realise her voice was rising in her tirade and when she had finished it, she was practically yelling.
“I’m…one of you?” Ning asked, blinking in surprise.
Nyata was forced to stop as well, staring at her surprised group gaping at her. Well Aynashi and L’aiime were, Ning was just confused. “Well…yes….stop making a big deal out of it! You know you are!” She grumped.
Ning continued to stare at her in wonder, and was just continuing to make Nyata extremely uncomfortable. “Quit it!” She snapped.
L’aiime couldn’t hold it back anymore, and began to giggle. Aynashi soon followed.
“Oh Nyata!” L’aiime squawked fondly, unable to hold in the giggles. Did her bone-headed companion even realise that twinkle in her eye when she was around Ning was even because of that boy? She doubted it, but from the way Aynashi was laughing, the young cheetah had noticed.
Ning and Nyata stared at the pair in confusion.
“Oh shut up!” Nyata snapped, uncertain as to what was going on but knowing for certain that she didn’t like it. “Let’s just get going, ok? I still have to hunt and find a place for the night.”
Ning hesitated before nodding. “I agree with Nyata’mtu, we should get going.” He motioned for Aynashi and the bird to follow, and started to move slowly, waiting for his companions to catch up.
Nyata fell into line next to him at the lead.
“Thanks,” he murmured softly, knowing his entire group could hear but meaning it only for Nyata’s ears. L’aiime and Aynashi pretended not to hear.
Nyata hesitated a moment. “You’re welcome,” she whispered back.
