He arched his back, locked his jaw and gave a tremendous tug. His jaws, though young and small, were surprisingly powerful. The sound of snapping bone gave way to a terrible tearing sound and the carcass he had been dragging shifted a few centimetres along the ground.

A growl, the tightening of teeth, and the youngster gave another almighty tug. The carcass moved again; heavy and slow as a boulder.

The carcass belonged to a half-eaten antelope. The majority of its good meat was gone; eaten by lions or picked off by vultures that had been waiting for the scraps. But there were other treats there, marrow in the bones, the last of the stringy flesh clinging between the exposed rib cage.

Lions, the youngster thought, it’s a good job they’re so wasteful.

The little creature – a juvenile hyena – gave another sharp tug and followed the motion with slow, steady steps. Now the carcass dragged across the floor, hindered only by the uneven surface of the ground.

Just where he was going with this dead animal was anyone’s guess. Hyenas did not hide their prey, did not store it away. Yet, this hyena belonged to a pack and as odd a pack as it was, he wanted to show that he was willing to play his part. Yes there wasn’t much meat left but there were bones a plenty! Good for dental hygiene and good for wasting time. He could spend days chewing on the same old bone.

So the hyena continued moving backwards…

…Until, of course, his rump knocked into something blocking his path.

With a growl he released his hold on the bone and turned his head, ears pinned back. “This is my food, go get your own.” He blinked, paused and lifted both ears hesitantly. “What’s wrong with you? You deaf or some-ink?”

Standing in his path was a lean wild dog.

She had a narrow chest, tapered hips and a slender, kindly muzzle. Her eyes, though sparkling, looked a little dazed. He turned his head to try and see what she was looking at, but there was only a stretch of wasteland. Nothing beautiful. Nothing worth gawping at.

He wrinkled his muzzle and gave a small yip.

The wild dog jerked from her ‘dream-state’ and turned her head to look down at the little hyena who was startled to see the resemblance between this stranger and his Marzi.

“Oh, hello puppy!” She chirped merrily, wagging her tail.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

“Sorry? Pardon me.” She seemed sheepish. “Were you saying something?”

The hyena stomped a little paw. “Yes. I said, ‘are you deaf or some-ink?’”

“Oh, no. I was…just…wondering what that was over there.” She lifted her snout and pointed it in the direction of the mysterious object.

The hyena let his gaze follow the line of her nose…right to a twisted little tree. He arched a brow questioningly at her and drew up his answer with much consideration. “That.” He spoke with some authority. “Is a tree.”

She giggled. “No, no, I mean…why is it all…twisty like that?”

“I dunno. It’s the way it grew.” He took a small step away and turned back to his carcass, grabbing it by a leg bone. This dog seemed a little mad. Maybe she had rabies. Either way, he didn’t want to stay around long enough to catch something.

“Ooo, where are you taking that? It smells bad!”

He dropped it again. “That ain’t none of your business. Ain’t you got anything better to do, lady?”

“I could help you.” She peeped, bouncing up beside him, wagging her tail furiously. “I’m Kalpana. What are you anyway, puppy? You’re nose is too big to be one of me.”

“I’m a hyena. And don’t call me a puppy. I’m Marakl. Got that?”

“Okay pipsqueak!”

Marakl gave a little huff, puffing out his cheeks with annoyance. What was wrong with this girl? She was a complete idiot! An airhead! A dozy dog!

He grabbed the leg again and began to drag it, growling as the wild dog slipped up beside him to help. However, between the two of them they managed quite easily and soon the scents of his pack companions wafted to his nose.

“Hm. Familiar.” Kalpana said, dropping her part of the carcass to sniff the wind gently.

“Hey, don’t let go.” Marakl scolded between clenched teeth. “We’re…almost there.”

A piercing screech masked anything else the little hyena had to say. The air above them was filled with dark, terrible wings and, twirling from the sky like falling leaves, came the vultures. The vultures had been feeding on the carcass when the hyena had arrived. Marakl had harassed them until they’d given up and taken to the air, but now it seemed they were back – with friends – and wanting to reclaim the carcass.

“Oi! Get lost! This is mine, yah hear?!” Marakl leapt up onto the carcass and yapped angrily as the birds swooped low over their stolen meal. Twice they snatched at him with their talons but he drove them back with his powerful, snapping jaws.

“Oi, dozy! Don’t just stand there. Yah gonna let the little guy do all the work?”

Kalpana whined. “But it smells bad, puppy. Why don’t we just let them have it?”

A vulture swooped at her and she squealed in fright, ducking away from its claws in case it tore at her eyes. She didn’t like vultures! She didn’t really like birds in general. The way they flapped around. It wasn’t natural!

Marakl leapt into the air and caught a vulture mid-flight. Its anguished cry alerted its friends who turned from their meal to come to its aid. They swept down towards Marakl, talons unleashed, hooked beaks open. Marakl gave a yelp of fright and leapt from the carcass in an attempt to get away.

With squawks of victory the vultures landed on the carcass, disguising it with their hideous, dark bodies.

Marakl stood panting and growling, stalking back and forth. “They’re eating my dinner!” He snapped. “Look at them! Greedy buggers!”

“Now, now, puppy. It’s okay. You can find something else to eat.” Kalpana moved over and patted him on the head.

“Shut up! Shut up! It’s your fault. They’re noth-ink but stupid birdbrains! You’re a dog with teeth and stuff. You should fight.”

“But why? I don’t want to cause trouble.”

“It’s the mangy VULTURES that are causing trouble!” Marakl cried, exasperated.

A vulture, who had been trying to get to the last scraps of meat, turned his head to look at the hyena and wild dog. He also heard the insult. A pride swelled in him and with it came an anger born from the rudeness of those disgusting four-leggers. With an angry squawk he leapt from his place on the dead animal and lashed out at the dog.

Kalpana released a terrible shriek and leapt to hide behind the hyena, nudging him forwards with her nose. “Help, help! Don’t let it touch me!”

Marakl dug his claws into the ground to try and stop himself from being pushed into danger. The vulture crashed ungracefully into him and they rolled together across the floor in a mound of feathers and fur. After a moment of squawking and growling the vulture burst free and hopped back across the ground towards the carcass. The hyena pulled himself up into a sit and shook his dazed head.

“What do you think you’re playing at!” Then mid-yell, an idea came to mind. “Oh my gosh! Kalpana! Look at that!”

“What?”

“In there!”

“Where?”

“A shiny thing. A shiny thing on that antelope.”

“Shiny? But. But the flappy things are there!”

“We can chase them away! Chase them for the sake of the shiny thing!”

“We…can?”

The hyena growled. “Come on!” And with that he bounded back into the fray. Some of the vultures took flight whilst others just screeched and tightened their hold. But the hyena snapped and struck out at them and when Kalpana finally found the courage, the air was full of vulture wings.

“Get away!” Marakl growled. “Or else!”

When enough of the vultures had released their old on the carcass, Kalpana stuck her nose between the bones in an attempt to retrieve the ‘shiny thing’.

“Puppy! Puppy I can’t find it?”

“Find what?”

“The shiny!”

“Don’t worry. When I get it back to Mar, she’ll help get it.”

“Mar?”

“Yeah. She’s the alpha.”

“Marzi!!” Kalpana squealed. “I knew I recognised that scent! Sissy!” And with another squeal she zipped off.

“Hey wait! You gotta help me carry this!”

She froze mid-stride and turned her head back apologetically. “Oopsie, sorry puppy!”

The hyena stomped a paw. “Don’t call me—“

“—Ooo, puppy! You have purple eyes. Purple is in the rainbow, you know?”

Marakl stared at her in disbelief. He’d found himself a nutter…