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 Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 8:41 pm
(('Bout time, eh? Feel free to join, anyone, especially whoever has the pups <3333))
The still of the Graveyard had been disturbed by the tired dragging of paws. Slowly, a worn and exhausted creature made its way across the barren wasteland that was this awful place. But, this animal was by no means lost, as many who ventured here were. No, it was Mafa, the alpha of these desolate lands, however, by the way she held herself, she didn't seem like the leader of everything. Her posture was slumped, paws barely picking up off of the ground. Her usually vibrant aqua eyes were glassy and bloodshot, a distant look to them. The most obvious thing, however, was how heavily pregnant the hyena was. Her current state was obviously straining her as far as she could go. Letting out a weary sigh, Mafa halted, wincing as she witheld a groan. Her pups were just about ready, she could feel it. Picking up her trek, Mafa slowly made her way to her centrally located elephant skull den, where once inside, she collapsed.
Breathing heavily, Mafa lay on her side, staring blankly at the wall of her den. This wasn't her first pregnancy, Mabozi and his stillborn sister had come before, but this one had definitely been tougher. Mafa resented the stirring life within her before it even showed its face. She lay still, in pain, waiting for it all to be over.
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 6:16 am
Kailasa was doing her daily rounds, just checking everything out of make sure nothing weird or out of the ordinary had happened. So far, so good.
So, she continued onward, heading towards the center point of the Graveyard, the giant elephant skull. She had never actually been inside it, for fear of Mafa snapping at her when she came back, but she did frequently travel up to the top of it. It made for a good scouting spot, and she was determined to be one of the best scouts here, no matter what it took. Ah yes, ambitions.
As she neared the skull, she got the whiff of a very strange scent. While it was slightly familiar, she had never really smelled it before. So, being the nosy hyena she was, she decided to check it out. Quietly, she softly padded up to the entrance of the giant skull, peering inside, not really able to see anything. So, she decided to pad in a little further, calling out in a slightly worried tone.
"Hello..? Is anyone here..?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:56 am
The male yawned. It was perhaps a week or so after the day he'd spent with Kailasa; he hadn't bothered going to Mafa yet. But now he felt much more up and about, and might as well report the lion of large proportions.
His nose began to twitch soon, however. This scent was odd, yet not unfamiliar. e'd smelled it before, when.. Holy crap. The male's pace picked up. Mafa had been pregnant again? He hadn't sene her in a while, but now he assumed what was happening.
He blinked in surprise when he just barely saw Kailasa, slipping into Mafa's den. Mafa didn't know her yet; perhaps this wasn't wise. Especially since.. Mafa was giving birth. He hurried, and skidded on the bones to thrust his head in at Kailasa's side, perhaps unintentionally scaring her. But right now wasn't time to deal with Kai. He did, however, nod in her direction.
"Mafa! " He said, sounding perhaps breathless from his dash after he'd caught the scent. Mafa had been downwind, so he'd caught it quite further off.
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:40 am
Yaku was doing his daily patrol, though today it was not around the boarders. He was too nervous about leaving Shira and the pups alone, so he stayed fairly close to the den. He scented the air, and was shocked to smell the scent he had smelled only days ago. Someone nearby was giving birth, and it smelled like Mafa.
The blue male rushed toward the source of the smell, and his hunch was proved correct. He saw his leader on the ground, seemingly in pain, her belly swollen from the pups she was carrying. He approached cautiously, keeping a safe and respectful distance. He remembered all too well the bite he had received on his neck for getting too close to Shira as she gave birth, and he intended to avoid risking that happening again.
"Mafa..." He didn't know what to say, he doubted that he would ever get used to the sight of one of his own kind in so much pain. He wanted to comfort her, but he knew better. Mafa rarely wanted help from anyone if she could avoid it.
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Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:08 pm
Mafa's eyes were shut tight as she laid still on the dusty ground. She clenched her teeth together, trying to make no sound as the painful contractions rolled through her body. It was excruciating. Why did she ever agree to have pups again? Right. For the pack. All Mafa ever did was for the pack. The female was content to lay there alone and give birth. Some may have hoped for emotional support. But to Mafa, this was a time of weakness, and she didn't want anyone to see her in such a state.
As if to curse her, a young voice rang out in inquisition. Mafa growled, her eyes snapping open. Looking around, her gaze focused on a female hyena standing very close to her. Who this stranger was, she didn't know, but if she had expected to be greeting with joy, she had been wrong.
Mafa lashed out at the hyena, her teeth just grazing the air before the strange female. Just as she was about to muster her strength for another shot, a muddy brown hyena dashed out, nudging the other from Mafa's range. It was Tibuka, and what he was doing here, she didn't know. But she'd rather have him here than a stranger.
"Tibuka... Who?--"
Before she could finish her question, pain shot through her again. Surpressing a yelp, she breathed deeply, laying her head back down. But before she could recollect her thoughts, a flash of blue appeared in her sights. Only one hyena around here was blue. Yakuti. Mafa fixed her cold gaze on him momentarily before easing up. When she spoke, Mafa's voice seemed tired, but still full of its usual spite,
"I didn't realize this event required an audience..."
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:35 am
Kailasa instantly stepped back as the female angrily looked at her, and then snapped. Thankfully, Tibuka had come and pushed her out of the way. Without him, she could of just lost a chunk of fur. Her silver eyes looked at the birthing female, her mind reeling with tons of different reasons as the why she would of snapped at her like that. To her, none of it made sense. She had just been trying to help.
So, she cowered back, now behind the other two hyenas, just watching. Her tail was in between her legs and her ears were flat to her head. Maybe it was just better that she slinked out of here, rather than risk angering this female once more. It wasn't worth having herself or others get hurt.
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:14 pm
((Let's get this done! These babies are so overdue))
A violent contraction rippled through Mafa's body. It surprised her, causing her to let out a howl of pain. She staggered to her feet, looking completely unstable. With derranged eyes, she looked to those before her, they didn't need to see this,
"Out... Just get out!"
She hissed at them before stumbling away, attempting to hide herself in a dark, shadowy corner of her den. There she collapsed onto her side, chest heaving heavily in exhaustion. She lifted her head to the sky, eyes closed, as she strained on pushing these pups out of her.
It only took about ten or so minutes of straining to push the first pup out.
Mafa nosed the pup over in a hurry, cleaning it up and checking it over. Male. She scowled, huffing before leaving the pup be. The next one was on the way.
Over the next half hour or so, Mafa labored on, giving birth to three more pups. After each one, she checked them over, only to have her hopes crumble as she found their gender. All four male. Why her? Such a useless leader, could only mother male pups. None of which were suitable for heir. With a cold glare, she looked down at her new pups, now nursing away in a fury. Mafa growled in contempt. No one wanted them here, what a pointless life. But she would take care of them, at least until they could fend for themselves. As she thought about her plans for the boys, she was interrupted by another twitching of muscles in her abdomen. Mafa winced as more pain shot through her. More? It wasn't long before the last of Mafa's pups was born.
With no enthusiasm, Mafa cleaned the last pups, licking it over without and excitement. But as she checked it over, she froze. One of these pups was not like the others... Not at all. This last pup was a female. Mafa checked again. And again. All her checking came up the same. Female. A little girl! At last! Mafa had to keep all her wits about her to keep from leaping up in excitement. She simply stared in amazement at the little girl inbetween her paws, a light smile on her face. Gently, she picked the little female up by the scruff and stood, placing her carefully in a cleaner spot of the den. She proceeded to move the males too, but nowhere near as delicately as she had with the female.
Once again, she grasped up the girl, who was now squealing away, apparently very hungry. Mafa emerged from the shadows of the inner skull, pup dangling from her mouth. She came to stand before the three hyenas again, placing the squirming pup down at her paws. She looked to everyone, standing tall and proud. While she didn't expect Yakuti or this newcomer to understand, she knew Tibuka would share her joy,
"Say hello the the heir."
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:22 pm
He was tempted to say who Kai was, but decided against it. Instead, he shoved his way out as she told them too, rather intentionally head butting Kai to push her back, however the roughness was perhaps unintentional-- he was just jumpy right now. And that'd become more and more evident as Mafa went into labor inside her den.
Tibuka could tell she was taking longer, and he paced nervously outside. No, he was far from being father to these pups, and he wasn't quite concerned that Mafa would have trouble. He knew she was strong. But he remembered the last time she'd given birth. One male pup, Mabozi, and a female. A dead female.
However, as soon as he saw Mafa move out, he perked up, trotting back to perk his ears in confusion for a moment. She looked.. proud. And what pup was that? It was.. His teal eyes glinted for a moment in excitement, and he could hardly keep his tail from wagging, instead just holding it tall.
"An heir! " It was an effort not to say that too loud, but he was excited, and Mafa was quite right. He shared her joy. He lowered slightly to gaze at the pup, a small female, black tail and mane just like her mothers. "Finally. " He muttered, and ear swishing in relief.
"Whats her name going to be Mafa? " He inquired soon, looking up at Mafa with a smile. He wanted to know what he'd call the heir.
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 3:36 pm
Kailasa had been quickly pushed out by Tibuka, already on her way out in the first place. Mafa yelling was not exactly on her list of things to listen to, and since she was the leader of this beloved pack, she would most definitely be sure to follow her rules, in any case.
Time had passed by and Kai heard faint sounds coming from within the den. She wasn't sure what they were, but she was nervous. Was Mafa alright? Were the pups alright? Who knew... All there was to do was wait.
Suddenly, the shadow of Mafa appeared, as well as the shadow of a smaller one. There, in her mouth, she held a light gray pup, much like her own pelt. The pup looked quite dazed, but was still very beautiful.
"She's beautiful, Mafa...", Kai spoke softly, smiling as she looked at the newborn pup. "The heir. A very beautiful one at that. Congratulations, Mafa."
Kai now backed down again. She didn't want to upset her like she had before. Although, Kai now knew that things around the Graveyard would be a little bit different from now on.
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Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:50 pm
For the first time in Mafa's adult life, a genuine smile spread across her gruff face. She looked down pleasantly at the squirming pup, allowing her to be admired by the others. Yes, she was something special. No doubt. Within a few seconds though, the smile faded, and Mafa's grim exterior returned. She looked back to the others, eyes narrowing slightly, as if she wasn't pleased with the fact that they'd seen her in such a happy state.
Mafa's ears swiveled, the other pups were squealing away, eager for warmth and milk, but Mafa denied them. She sat, gathering her daughter close to her, rather content with herself. Blocking the other pups out, she looked to Tibuka blankly for a second. A name. Her memory flashed back to her previous litter. This one was no Maiti, no dead body. No, she would be strong, she would be fierce. She'd take over when Mafa breathed her last breath. Mafa looked to Tibuka with a stern gaze,
"Tawala. She will dominate."
Feeling the pup wiggle next to her, Mafa looked down again. Tawala. It fit. Mafa ran a dusty paw over the pup's soft fur. She was quite the proud mother hen. But, Mafa didn't have the luxury of sitting around just being motherly, at least, not for the moment. Mafa tossed her head in the new femaile's direction,
"So who's this, then?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 5:05 pm
He smiled at the name, obviously agreeing with it. Tawala. So this would be the heir to the graveyard, she would someday lead it. However, for a moment, he couldn't help but ponder over this. How would life be if Mafa didn't run the graveyard? The whole concept was.. odd.However, he managed to shoot these thoughts down.
"Thats Kailasa, a new scout. " He shrugged, as if unsure who had roped her in. He couldn't quite remember who it was, or even if she had mentioned it. "We chased off a lion. Thats what I came here to say. " Best get straight to the point, then let Mafa be with her new heir. Oh.. maybe the other ones too. But Tawala was who really mattered right now, wasn't she? "Big one, but I don't think it reeked of Maziko. Just normal lion. " He said dully, as if that didn't matter much right now. He was still trying to face this whole heir thing again-- after all, he hadn't known Mafa'd been expecting again. And imagine him pop up on just the right day-- again!
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:37 pm
Some where in the distance, a dry, black nose twitched. Blood. It smelled blood. Slowly, but surely, this smell triggered a reaction in this slow creature's brain. Ear's perked, tail wiggled, and the dull, dusty body sprang up from a leisurely position.
Mabozi hadn't exactly been up to anything productive the last few months. Mooching off of everyone here and there, playing with the bones, running around here and there, basically summed up his activity. But now, alas, it seemed someone had brought in a meal! Good, he was hungry! He was always hungry.
With a quick trot, Mabozi sped toward where his nose was leading him, the smell of blood stronger as he went onwards. He recognized where he was going, his Mom's den! At that point, he got pretty excited. Despite being a total Momma's boy, Mabozi had barely seen hide nor hair of the female in months. It saddened him, but the prospect of seeing her again filled him with jubilation. As her den came into sight, a strange smell was mixed with the blood. He wasn't sure what to make of it. His nose wrinkled, and his pace slowed. Nearing the entrance, he saw a familiar rear end,
"AUN'IE!"
Mabozi's voice had deepened with age, but, it was still the same childish, playful tone that he would never grow out of.
"MaMa catch dinner?"
From within the den, Mafa nodded to Tibuka's comment. She listened to him describe the incident with the lion. Good, she thought. Very good. She gave a nod of approval to the two. She cold gaze turned to Kai,
"In that case, welcome. I'll speak with you late--"
Mafa abruptly cut off. That scent, it was familiar. Dreadfully familiar. Just as she caught the scent, she heaard the voice. Gods help her, Mabozi, her screw up son. There was a part of her that did care for him, but it was a very tiny part, if she was to be honest with herself. Mafa sighed heavily, boy was he in for a surprise.
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Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:48 am
Kai had watched and smiled when she felt she needed to for Mafa and her newborn pup. She could of sworn though, that no matter how much she adored and swooned over this little girl, that there were other pups who both wanted, and needed, their mother's attention. Unfortunately, that really bothered Kai, but she chose to say nothing about it.
"Tawala... Yes.. Beautiful name, Mafa. I think it fits her quite well. I'm sure she'll make a very fine pack leader." She watched the pup squirm around with her silver eyes. She was indeed pampered, and that's just what Mafa had intended to happen. She took very obvious, great pride in this little one, and for a reason that Kai still did not understand. Hopefully though, someone would tell her sometime soon.
She briefly looked over to Tibuka, listening to him explain the situation with the lion. What he had said was all true, and she still had the fierce bite marks to prove it. However, one thing Kai didn't seem to expect was that Mafa seemed rather impressed. She had even gone so far as to say welcome, and then something about talking with her... At some time.
"Thank you, Maf--"
Kai's nose suddenly prodded the air as she smelled an odd stench. It was one that she had never smelled before, but it did have faint traces of Mafa within in it. Could it of been Mafa's mate? Or maybe... An offspring..?
"What is that...?", she inquired, looking around slightly confused.
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:13 pm
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