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 Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:42 pm
Before the reader jumps to conclusions, it was absolutely not in joy. Let us get this straight right now.
No, Rusha was avoiding a strike of death. He'd found a snake. Now, before you ask: what's a hyena doing with a snake, find yourself with the answer that says: he was hungry. There was nothing else to eat.
The snake tasted good. No, the snake tasted delicious. The only problem was that it was not happy about being eating. Really? The nerve! But, yes, apparently some things didn't want to be Rusha's meal and so he had to leap and yip and bark to keep from being bitten.
Eventually success was his friend and he managed a n** that severed its head. Dragging it by the tail away from the deadly piece, he devoured its bones and all, and then let his legs buckle and flopped into the earth. There was more dust and he sneezed and began to pant. But he was slightly less hungry now.
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:54 pm
How were things going? Funny you should ask. Hari had no idea for the time being. You see, she was in a transaction period where things would either end very good, or very bad.
The prelude-to-death prediction didn't have her in a very good mood. She hadn't found the killer in her vision quite yet. That meant he hadn't found her yet either. If he couldn't find her, he couldn't kill her. But, if she couldn't find him... Well, you know.
So she was in neither a grr or hurrah sort of mood. Which was in itself annoying.
For now things were favoring her side, albeit just barely. Her new cohort was of the insane variety; on the upside, oh-so-easily manipulated. Hari's favorite tool to date, no doubt.
My, it was hot today.
Was that why this hyena was dead?
Hari approached with a disinterested look and gave the creature a nudge to the side. Oh, it was alive? Wonderful.
"Nice weather we're having, hm?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:00 pm
Rusha poked one eye open and quickly closed it again. What was this about the weather?
He wrinkled his brows and growled. Getting to his feet, he moved a yard or two and then settled back onto his stomach again.
"Oh yes, lovely," he answered and rubbed his muzzle on his paws. He spit out the dirt in his mouth before scratching behind his ear.
"Pfft, I need a bath," he muttered to himself. Rusha enjoyed being dirty, but even he had to admit that he was just a bit too filthy.
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:03 pm
Hari canted her head and smirked, clearly amused with the situation. Why, who knew. Maybe she liked seeing things suffer. Maybe it was that same expression she got when another scheme crossed her mind.
Oh yes, it was that look.
"What you need is a mercy kill," she pointed out with a chuckle, circling him. Question of the day: Was it worth it? Her eyes scanned him. Yes, with some meat on his bones, he could be as useful as anyone.
"Or perhaps a home and reliable food source?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:06 pm
Rusha paused in his itching and looked the lioness up and down. At first, she wasn't a threat. Now, she was nothing but a threat.
Getting to his feet again, he backpedaled out of the situation. "I don't feel like being killed today, miss, thanks." If he had to, he'd run. And he didn't care what people said. He could run hella fast. He wasn't afraid to use some nifty tricks to subdue her if she decided she wanted him dead.
But then she kept talking. His tongue licked over his lips. Damn. So dry.
"I don't need a home," he answered and gave her a sidelong look. He preferred to be alone. But his ears were back up again as she mentioned 'reliable food source'.
"I'm sorry, what was that last bit?" In any normal circumstance, he would have asked the terms and considerations, but he was hungry and therefore desperate.
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:10 pm
"I'm not going to kill you, hyena." Hari sighed and shook her head. For once, the motions were sincere, not part of an act. Men. They were the same in every species. "Yes, yes. I understand. You're a male and desperate to die in some stupid way due to some easily repairable problem. Like food."
One hyena was no threat for any lion. Any lion worth the oxygen they breathed, that is. She lay before him, at ease, yawning and shifting her shoulders. "Yes, food. I don't mean one meal before you run off and starve again. I can take you to a place where, if you stay, you'll always have it."
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:15 pm
"Yes, easily repairable," Rusha answered. Inwardly he rolled his eyes, and then he went back to itching at his neck. A few sneezes later and he thought he'd nabbed that little b*****d bug in the bum.
His look was skeptical. Right. Some lioness was just jumping in here to offer him a place to stay and have food. She didn't look nicey-nice. No, she looked to smart for that. So what was the deal?
He chewed on his front claws and trimmed them down. They were too long and gnarled at this point. Yeah, he looked like a mess and he knew it.
"So . . ." he started, eyeing her and sizing her up. "I want food and you want. . . ?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:19 pm
Yes, Hari was smart. Because she was smart she had to bitterly admit playing games and sweet talks wouldn't work to her advantage here. Xi viewed these lousy mutts as partners. Treating them badly? Not an option if this was going to work out.
If she brought her one through trickery and deceit, it would be the same as playing one of her current lackeys--sorry, "friends"--should he opt to join her willingly later.
So...
"I'll be honest with you, hyena." Sort of. He didn't need to know everything. She just wouldn't lie. "I have a dear friend--" Okay, maybe she'd lie a little. "--who loves the company of your kind. Another lioness, but she has... Oh, I don't know, maybe five or six of you following her around at all times. They're on an ever-recruiting basis, and I'm sure she'd just love to have you."
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:25 pm
A pet? He was going to be a lion pet?
Hell no, absolutely no-- food. His mouth watered at the thought. Really, it turned muddy and he coughed and wheezed.
"You tell your dear friend that I'll run errands for her, do whatever she wants with the exception of toting around with a bunch of other hyenas following at her heels like some sort of slave." There was a dastardly flee at his neck and he ran that off with his other foot.
"If I can sleep alone and come and go as I please, then we have a deal." And by come and go as he pleased, he meant without a little spy running around after him. He'd done that one once before when the idiot got his neck torn out by his pissy, crazy girlfriend.
That had ended that food-contract. Which was why he was starving right now. He added that wish for good measure.
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:29 pm
This... was so bothersome.
Hari breathed out loudly. Maybe Ohahira was rubbing off on her more than she'd like to admit, since her impulse now was to strike this annoying thing until it stopped twitching.
"Listen, you're misunderstanding me. She likes all of you more than the rest of us lions. The hyenas with her eat like royalty. They walk at her side, not behind her. I promise you, you won't want to be away from them, because there couldn't possibly be a better life one of you could live than in her company. Do you understand?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:32 pm
It was easy to misunderstand when the lion-girl wasn't being very clear.
Like royalty, huh? Another crazy? Probably. He didn't mind 'taking advantage' of another crazy, especially if that crazy fed him like he was royalty.
Full belly. It was the kind of things dreams were made of.
"Yeah, okay. Why not?" He'd give it a shot. "I hope she doesn't live too far away. I'm famished."
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:38 pm
Oh, right. It needed to eat.
This had better be worth it or she'd kill the thing later, no matter what Xi had to say about. She may have more numbers (for now), but Hari remained convinced she was smarter.
"It's a fair distance. I'll bring you a meal before we go."
It took nearly an hour, but Hari returned dragging a young zebra by the neck. At least, part of it.
"Here. Eat this."
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:43 pm
Rusha got the feeling that this particular lioness didn't like him. It was the way she talked, mostly. So nice. Too nice.
Maybe a little too sincere? He didn't know what it was, but that was okay. It was just fine in his mind. He didn't like her much either. He liked what she brought him, though; definitely.
It was a weird feeling to be brought something by a lion. Something free and big and delicious. He almost ate himself sick, and his maw was certainly bloody when he finished. It tasted so sweet and his throat was a little less parched from the liquid content in the blood.
He looked over at the lioness when he finished and licked his chops. Dear friend? Why would she go through that much effort for a dear friend and one gift? Must have been lovers. Definitely.
Creepy-a** lions and their same-gender relations. Oh well. They give him food. What did he care?
Taking a bone in his mouth because he could, he got to his feet and stretched. With his belly full, he was ready to go. "Lead the way," he managed with the bone in his mouth and waited for the adventure to begin.
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