The watering hole was a beautiful relaxation spot, a scene of perfect tranquillity… which was well and truly ruined by their arrival. The boisterous young Aynashi squealed as she raced into the water, splashing loudly and flopping about much like a suffocating fish, she was the epitome of ‘childish’. The golden bird fluttered along above the water, fussing.
“Don’t drown yourself!” L’aiime squawked in frustration. Anayshi was a crazy child, but she did love her. She was just certain that the cheetah would be the death of all of them though. She glanced behind her, rolling her eyes at the ‘love birds’ – reluctant as they were to be referred to as such.
“Hurry up, you too,” L’aiime called out.. “You’re supposed to be chaperoning!”
”I thought that was your job, L’aiime,” Nyata’mtu called back, but she did quicken her pace, a bit concerned about her ward being left alone in the water. Her other companion, the male hyena who had taken to following them everywhere also quickened his pace, but that was mostly because she did, and he didn’t want to be left behind. He was unconcerned by Aynashi’s activities, as the cheetah was always doing things like this. What did they all expect of her, really?
“Is it fun, Aynashi?” Ning called out, as he gently touched his paw to the edge of the water, recoiling back at the cold.
“It’s beautiful, Ning!” She called back, but didn’t ask him to join. If she asked, he would, and she knew he didn’t really want to join her. She always felt bad making him do things against his will. He was a nice boy, just a bit weird. He was good for Nyata as well, he lightened her up a bit.
“Do be careful, Aynashi,” Nyata warned. “You don’t know what’s in there. I assume we checked for crocodiles before leaping in?”
Aynashi rolled her eyes dramatically at her guardian. “There were no crocodiles, Nyata. Relax! Have some fun! Why not come in and join me?” She tried to lure, but her guardian stared back with a look of pure disinterest.
“I’ll be here waiting for you when you get out,” Nyata responded calmly, raising a brow at her ward. “It’ll be your job to somehow dry yourself before dark. If you get a cold, then I will not be the one putting up with your snuffling.” She would be though. Every single one of them knew that she would be the one to deal with the snuffling.
Nyata wouldn’t let anyone else take care of her ‘baby’, and her baby was well and truly Aynashi.
She moved away from the watering hole, not far though, and settled underneath the tree, watching the cheetah splash at play. L’aiime was chatting with her as she splashed, hovering above her, to keep her company.
Ning followed Nyata, as usual, and found a spot next to her, but not too close, for fear of disturbing her. They were completely silent, as they usually were. They weren’t big on talking, but Nyata, oddly, found his company…likeable. Not necessarily ‘enjoyable’ but…it was comforting having someone to sit with. Someone to be in silence with. She didn’t have many of those people in her life.
Although, speaking of silence, the little silence that was brought from Aynashi being distracted by the water was well and truly demolished at the arrival of a stranger. The female – a leopard, from what Nyata could gather before she went head first into the watering hole – was a strange sight amongst the wildlife. Not as strange for the hyenas who were reasonably used to the weirdness that was Aynashi.
“What was that?” Ning murmured to Nyata, though he had seen the blur as well.
“I think it was a leopard,” Nyata said, rising to her paws and heading towards the watering hole. L’aiime was squawking in distress, as the leopard had not yet arisen from the depths of the water. It took a few moments before the head of the leopardess bobbed back into view. A joyous laugh came from her mouth as she splashed about, splashing Aynashi.
The young cheetah only gave it a moment of pause before she giggled and began splashing back. No names exchanged, no other words, simply discovering another playmate.
Nyata heaved a weary, worn out sigh. Oh to be young and naïve again! It was…exhausting just to watch. She was glad that she was older and wiser now.
“She seems so happy,” Ning murmured quietly where he stood at Nyata’s shoulder. She glanced over at him with a look of confusion.
“Who, Aynashi?” L’aiime butted in, fluttering over to land on Ning’s head. It was a really awkward position but the male didn’t protest, simply tilted his head so her talons were not quite as close to his eyeballs.
“Both of them,” Ning explained with a look of confusion. He had never been that happy, he realised, a sinking sensation in his stomach. Why had he never been that happy before? Was there something wrong with him? Was he just not made to be happy? It was a horrible thought, but he couldn’t stop them creeping into his head.
“They’re young and innocent,” L’aiime explained patiently, “not old and cynical like you two.”
“You are cynical too, L’aiime, don’t try and deny that,” Nyata protested, and the bird gave a wing shrug.
“Living this life, you kind of have to be,” L’aiime defended, but glanced at the duo splashing and racing in the water. “I hope she never gets cynical though.”
“She will,” Nyata pointed out. “Some day, she will. All that we can do is delay that point.”
“Maybe she’ll stay happy all her life,” Ning protested. “You don’t know that she’ll get cynical.”
Nyata’s eyes were dark as she watched the landscape. “She will.” If she was anything like her mother, Nyata honestly feared for her sanity someday. Hawa, while she adored her daughter, had never gotten over the disappearance of Aynashi’s father, who had never even known he had fathered a cub. Nyata was just thankful that there had not been more cubs in the litter than just Aynashi.
“Nyata, Ning, L’aiime!” Aynashi called out, padding towards them and bounding from the water with a look of pure excitement. “Meet Eva!”
The leopardess also bounced from the water, grinning ear to ear much like the young cheetah. “Hi! Sorry to interrupt! I was lonely and Ashi looked like she was having so much fun!”
Oh god.
Nicknames.
Please, please, please, Nyata begged to herself. Please don’t be what she was feared.
“So Eva was saying that she was travelling on her own now that her and her father have parted ways, and I told her about our little group, and how we are super fun and that we look after each other and stuff, and - and she’s super keen to join us! Isn’t that great, Nyata?” Aynashi exclaimed cheerfully, tail flicking behind her cheerfully.
Nyata’s face fell.
Great.
Another one.
“Greeeeeat,” she said sarcastically, but Aynashi, being Aynashi, didn’t hear the sarcasm and took the words purely at face value. She squealed in excitement.
“Yay, you’re one of us now!” Aynashi announced, and promptly pounced on her new friend. Dolc’eva squealed and began to play wrestle in the dirt rather than the water they had previously been in. They would be filthy in a matter of moments, and Nyata wanted to sob.
“Not two of them,” L’aiime whispered in horror. Even Ning looked a bit concerned. Another stranger? He doubted that the stranger was dangerous, but still.... it was another stranger, and Ning liked things just how they were.
Simple.
He had a strange feeling that life with Aynashi and this new ‘Eva’ was going to be anything but simple.