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 Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:35 pm
The female was broken hearted. With Timur having left without a goodbye or one parting word, she hadn't been the same really.. She was sad lately, something quite out of character for the female. The normally bouncy, optimistic hyena just couldn't seem to rid herself of the heartbreak she felt.
She had thought he would be her rock..Her companion.
She snorted a bit, shaking her head. Father would be gravely dissappointed if he knew she had loved and lost so quickly. Her mother and father had been loving partners for so long now, and they loved each other to this day... What had been so different with Timur?
She walked at a steady pace, lookng for the next watering hole. She was thirsty, and the desert did nothing for her thirst.
Her bright eyes were still full of life, though she was so sad. She never lost that youthful glow it seemed.
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Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:01 am
 Love and loss were only family-related concepts to Lesuk. His family started out as a small migrating pack, following the rivers and bodies of water till personal choice, the elements, and even death had separated their pack and had left the brown hyena sitting alone on the river banks one day, the sensation of total abandonment too sudden that it took him weeks to realize. When it did, he had only the waters. The riverbank was where he was born, and his first bark had been muffled by moist mud, and to this day he remained near water. It was his constant, and while he sometimes found it hard to find, he knew it was out there, just like there was something out there for him. He modeled himself from the rivers.
While alone, he still had company. Water brought all kinds, from migrating birds, to hippos, to alligators and lions. He soon became a world traveler just by talking to anyone and anything that wouldn’t soon have him for dinner. Lucky enough for him, he was following a series of watering holes. A small branching river had become smaller and smaller until it was now just a series of watering holes. He was following these watering holes to find the river once more, but was taking a break.
With great joy, he found himself paw deep in mud, and chest deep in water. Yelping, he created glorious splashes that reflected the hot sun, and tasted moisture on his tongue. The merry laugh he had shook in him, and he was now wet from ear tip to tail.
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Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 8:16 am
She wasnt sure that she was nearing the watering hole, until she heard the call of the other. She perked an ear, cocking her head in curiousity.
Within moments, she had located the watering hole and she gave a little shy smile as she watched the hyena that was as brown as the mud he was playing in.
She remembered what it was long to be so carefree. After all, that had only been a few weeks ago. She hadn't been able to feel that way lately, though the pain was edging away every day.
She just didn't understand it, and thats what made it hard to get over.
She walked closer, her blonde mane falling into her brown eyes and she hoped that she wasnt intruding. If she was, she would gladly turn and leave.. She didn't need company if the other didn't need it.
"Hello." She called, stopping before her lily white paws stepped in the mud.
She almost mistook him for her father, but the dark brown pelt didnt match the tan on of Geheim.. Nor was Geheims nose pink.
She smiled. She had thought that a trait to run in her family line. Her mother was albino after all.
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Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 8:38 am
If she hadn’t spoken, he might have been so unfortunate to not have spotted her, as he was absorbed in watching the water ripple at his feet, droplets dancing down into the water to make other ripples that distorted his own murky image. Brown, like mud, but he in no way saw himself as something low and shameful. He enjoyed dirt and pebbles, moisture under his feet. It meant life, and he was full of it.
When he heard a voice, soft on the air, chiming in the hot humidity, he turned and was stunned to see a petal white hyena that in all shape and figure clearly glowed with feminine charm. Her mane was plush, golden in the sun like drying grass, and her expression polite. Stilling, watered droplets collected and dropped from his chin and chest, before he perked. “Hello! What a fine morning it is. ” He called back, his voice light but deep, masculine but youthful. He noticed that he was in the water, and seeing her dainty form settled on the riverbank, noticed she was probably waiting for water. Looking down, he startled. “Pardon me. You must be thirsty, and here I mucked up the water. Here.” He turned and tail dripping, he leaped out of the water, pushing off the river’s edge, and came out of the water. The mud that clung to his paws was the shade of his pelt, which helped with how often he tended to muddy himself. He felt cool and refreshed, and even cheerier in such bright company.
“I have not seen another of my kind in some time. Are you traveling?” She did not seem aggressive or hostile, as she at least gave him a greeting. Not one to shun company, he sat down, looking tousled, as he waited for the water to settle and allow her to drink.
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Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 8:55 am
She chuckled, her eyes lighting up and the smile reappearing upon her muzzle. She watched his dark form swimming in the water. She giggled, and shook her head.
"It is a fine morning!" She called out, and waited for him as it seemed he was going to move from the water. When he jumped out, dripping wet he walked over to her, and sat. She smiled again, unable to help it as the sight of the male having so much fun made her wish she was having as much fun.
"No worries, I can wait for the water to settle." She nodded kindly, and her blonde mane bobbed with the movement of her head.
"Im traveling, yes. More like.. Wandering." She said, looking up at him and looking him over. Out of the water, she could see the dark chocolate stripes that danced around his legs. Much different than her fathers dappled paws.
"My name is Esperanza." She said with a soft smile.
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Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 9:19 am
He wondered why such a lovely creature was not in a pack. Surely anyone would accept her, and would delight in strengthing their pack with the best features and forms. It also worried him a female was wandering, as they often got attacked by rogue males, and he had seen too many pregnant females dead in the sands, or their orphans roaming the world, the mother died from the exhaustion of childbirth and labor of living on her own. Still, Esper looked to be in good health, and even glowed in the radiate heat of the day.
“Esperanza. It’s a lovely name. Very powerful and mesmerizing. Does it have a meaning? My name is Lesukuhledi. Lesuk for short. It means ‘river sand’. ” He was proud of such a name, even if it didn’t seem alluring or powerful. No one took any mind to river sand. They overlooked it as they stood upon it, looking to the rivers, the waters, and all it’s wildlife. River sand meant he was home and was at a place he liked to be. River sand meant the river was nearby, and so was life cycle around it.
“Wandering can be a good and bad thing. Wandering without direction can take you down the roughest and most unwanted currents of life by any force that is not your own, and not every current is a good one. To be manipulated by bad waters – You can get pulled under. Then again, wandering to find your own course – that is a different story. Which are you doing, if I may be so bold to ask? ”
“For me, I am following the rivers. My home travels often, and I must move with it. It’s lead me here to this small piece of river.” He indicated the watering hole that was a patchy network of the river that was left. He noticed he was dripping, collecting a puddle around himself that might travel to her. “Excuse me a moment.” he said, walking off a bit of a ways before shaking the water and dirt off before he walked back to sit next to her. His mane was a even bigger mess than it had been before, but he took a paw to pat it down.
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Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 9:33 am
She was trying to find herself, though she wasnt sure what he meant by the words he spoke. She was simpleminded, never really putting any great thought into anything, but she had never really needed to.
"Im trying to find...me." She said, blushing a bit, but she looked up at him with a little smile. She did not like always feeling sad, she was rarely seen without a smile.
This would not be an exception.
"Thank you, I really like your name. My name means 'Hope'. "
She nodded and thought back to how much she had really loved her name all her life. Her fathers name meant Secret, but her name, her name seemed to carry a better feeling behind it.
She was her mothers little ray of hope.
"Ive been deserted by the companion I was traveling with a few weeks ago." She replied, thinking about how she hadnt been happy to be alone once more. She liked company, and traveling alone, well she was perfectly aware of the risks.
"You travel too?" She asked, cocking her head and looking at him in surprise.
She sat quietly as he left to shake himself off, and giggled. When he walked back, she looked at his mane and shook her head.
"I like the Do." She teased playfully.
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Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 2:12 pm
Lesuk frowned at the idea of loosing a companion, and shook his head. “I lost my family long ago. It is a sad thing to suddenly be on your own, but your name is inspiring. Hope. Even I hope the best for you, and that you find yourself. ” he smiled at that, hoping to pull her away if she had any sad thoughts. To be deserted by a companion, he could only wonder if it had been a life mate or a friend, but either way, it meant heartache that Lesuk did not want to poke at and bring out. He was only a stranger after all, and like all things, things would come and drift up to the surface in time. Even the sharpest, hardest rock smoothed with tender currents.
At the joke, he gave a nervous smile as he patted his mane once more. “Ah, yes. I can’t say I’m a darling beauty as yourself, but I don’t usually have company of the lovely sort. I’m sorry if I get any mud on you. I really am a mess, aren’t I?” he looked at himself, and looked back at her. In comparison, he was murky water sitting beside a blossoming flower.
Patting his mane down more, he looked himself over. "Better?" The mane was now flat in the enter and shooting out on either side. There was a leaf stuck in his hair, poking out.
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:53 pm
She gave him a nudge at his statement about losing his family. She had not lost hers, that would be the ultimate loss for her.
She smiled, giving a little blush at his words. Her white cheeks were stained pink for and she couldnt help but chuckle.
"Well I thank you, I hope so too." she smiled, before speaking again.
"And I think you have a gorgeous pelt."
She nodded a bit. It was made even better by the fact that he was easily familiar to her by his brown pelt. It reminded her so much of home, and it was something she quickly liked about the male.
"I dont mind getting dirty. Im a girl, but Im still young at heart."
She said, giggling, and flicking her mane from her eyes.
To prove she didnt mind, she leaned her shoulder over to tough him, leaving her muddy as she pulled away.
"See?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:57 am
He caught her flicking her mane, and he saw a golden flash of eyes. It reminded him of the sun on sandy shores or fields of dried grass rolling to a breeze. Golden, bright, and lovely. Lesuk had spent his days traveling and took a great joy in being surrounded by the world around him. The river offered all kinds of animals, plants, and moving life, and he had seen some of the most beautiful scenes. A small white pebble resting on the river on a nest of brown stones were simply and elegant to him, and trees dipping into deep waters where a multitude of colored birds watched also was a keepsake that he dedicated to memory. There had also been the sad images. Drying, cracked ponds with thirsting animals bowing their head, worried and concerned for their weakening offspring. He had seen rotting caresses of animals who had been stuck in the mud and unable to mood, had been attacked, no help coming to their aid. There was much he had seen, and he took in the world through his eyes.
At this, he watched Esperanza as the light caught her mane, and the different undertones of color around her face. A pretty thing like her, he wondered who had her companion been. Probably a strapping man, no doubt cruel for leaving her, but had been handsome to have won her over and keep her company.
He startled out of thought as she brushed him, and he watched as the mud and muck transferred to her body. The imperfection, the mistake in ruining her white color, seemed better now. “Ah, I see. It is good to be young in heart. I find I am very much a child too.” He said, leaning in to say the last part as if it was a secret he kept from the world. Smiling, he looked at the spot of mud. “It works well on you. A white lily blooms best in the muck. It shows they are strong and proud.”
Looking out, he smiled. “The water has settled.” he pointed out, knowing she must be thirsty.
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Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:09 pm
She knew too well that where water was, life was. And she followed life religiously, knowing she could never venture too far and loose track. It was far too easy to get lost once you strayed too far.
She had learned that the hard way, and water had taken forever to find until the female was completely parched.
She liked how easy it was to talk to him. His resemblence to her father made it easy to trust him, though she kept in mind the caution of what could happen when trusting the wrong creature.
Sometimes it meant death.
"Well good, then we shall play in the mud sometime." She said with a chuckle, and nodded at his statement. She had never lost the youthful appeal that she had as a pup. She had never been forced to grow up, this having been the only tragedy her young heart had had to take.
"I am strong." She smiled, sitting a little straighter as if to prove it. Though a strand of her mane fell into her eyes again, and she was forced to shake her head to put it back in place.
"I love lillies! They are my favorite flower if I was ever to have one." She said cheerfully as he mentioned them. It was quite the compliment to the girl.
She perked at the thought of water, and stood, her little tail wagging. The mud dried against her fur, chipping a bit, but clinging as best it could.
"Come join me for a drink." She barked, darting towards the water, slowing as she reached the shoreline.
Leaning over, she took a gulp, throwing her head back and smiling.
"Ah, that hit the spot."
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Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 11:48 am
Lesuk smiled, glad that he had predicted the flower she liked. He wondered if it was because she saw the similarities between herself and t he flower too, or, with a bit of envy, if the mate she was with had said the same thing. He wouldn’t have been surprised, and so he watched her puff with pride at the compliments. It was just what she probably needed, but he had to wonder if she was this accepting to all compliments. A kind word could even come from a serpent, and he wondered if that was how she was lead to be with the mate. He knew so very little about her, and so he could only wonder. She seemed young to him.
At the invitation, he broke from his throats and smiled. “Yes, I’m getting thirst too.” He moved after her, with less of a bounce to his step, and brushing to her side, dipped his head low to drink. The water of course was refreshing and he drank his fill before rising up, licking the water off his muzzle. “It is so nice to have water.” He moved away, gesturing for her to do the same. “Give some distance for the other animals to drink. Maybe if we are lucky, we can find a meal. ” He was always hopeful. While he felt empathetic to the thirsty animals who came here, he was still a predator. He would take a weak meal as much as the next hyena, and he knew where water was, thirsty animals who were on their last breath were too. It’s why animals were hesitant to lower their heads.
Moving to a side bush, he settled in the shade. It was at the end of evening and he did not want to be stuck in the hot sun until night came. “How long do you plan to travel?” He asked, watching her. "Just until your quest is done or for a season?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:58 pm
He had no idea just how right he was. She loved kind words, they were what made her feel better during a bad day. Though she had found out the hard way that even kind words come from some bad people.
She had been trying to push Timur from her mind, and slowly but surely it was happening. She was not as attached to him as she would have liked, they hadnt been together long enough for that. But he had been her first love, even if it had all been false and untrue. It had been real for her.
She warmed inside when he brushed against her to lower his muzzle to the water. She smiled, and blushed a bit, though she hoped he hadnt realized..
She was used to doing exactly what she was told, so she moved away obediently and followed him to the bush in the shade. She sat beside him, wagging her little tail, and watching the waters edge.
Her belly was growling, so she approved of the meal idea. She looked at him as he spoke, her eyes meeting his and the spark between them was just..there.
"Ill travel till I find something to keep me.."
Though she didnt add that he had done a good job of making her want to stay around, at least a little longer than she normally stayed in one place.
"I dont travel just to travel. I travel due to having no one to be around or keep me company. So I just..meet others."
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:42 pm
“That sounds like you have a plan then. I hope you find the company and other you are looking for.” He said with a nod before looking out at the water. His expression grew more somber as he thought, and his tail wagged less.
“My family, we traveled ever since my legs to go and take me. We only ever stopped to have litters even eve then, if we could move you, we were moving. We use to meet any people. The watering hole, in brings people together. You meet all kinds and see all sorts of things. I like to think my siblings went off to find watering holes of their own and are meeting those they can find company in.” It was a depressing thought, but this was his watering hole, this river where his mother gave birth to him in, and he could not see himself away from it. It was the only reliable force in his life.
“The water is a very reliable thing. I like to think that when I wake, it will be there. Even if it dries, I know it’s just further down the way before I find it again. You can always find company by the water.” He smiled and looked at her. “You won’t find yourself lonely, that’s for sure.” His tail wagged again at his own words and the hope for the future. That's how he worked. Always looking forward. Bad waters were past him and new waters ahead.
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:24 pm
She perked her ears listening to his story, and cocked her head with a surprised look.
"Oh, so you love the water too?" Esperanza had always felt the same way. Water meant life, and way be away from it if there was no garauntee you'd find more?
She had been living with Timur next to a running river, and she had been reluctant to leave such plentiful lands. But she could not see herself staying with such bad memories.
"I.. I love the water. It's such a strong source of life, that I wish there was just more of it. Life, pretty much revolves around water."
She replied, her paw dancing in the waters from the shores edge.
She smiled up at him, her eyes bright.
"I doubt that I would actually leave for awhile.. Thats unless you want me to go. Because I am quite happy with the size of this wateringhole."
She smiled.
"That, and the company isnt that bad either."
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