This is between Nyamana and Hukonjoole'tari. Poor Nya...
Nyamana was bored. She'd been away from the pack for longer than she could remember, and was starting to get homesick. And she still hadn't recruited any other canines. She was failing on this mission, clearly. Yawing widely, jaws snapping shut again, she slowly pushed herself up, exitting the den she'd been sleeping in for the night, blinking at the sudden light as she stepped outside. Wow, it was midday already. She had some work to do - she'd recruit a canine today!
And so, she set off in a random direction, at a quick pace.
Random directions are all the rage with these rogues, aren't they! This particular rogue, of a tiny cheetah variety, was wandering in a random direction too, though not so haphazardly. He knew where his Mumma was, and so, Hukon was safe to wander off for a bit. He hoped his sisters hadn't seen him slinking off into the distance; the last thing he needed was stupid Kuvunja mauling him when he couldn't scream for Mama. Stupid Kuvunja...
"Dum dum dum dum...." He muttered, walking with a little beat in his step. The drums in his head were getting louder and louder and he was practically dancing by the time they'd capped out at their loudest, drowning out all sound around him. And then he stepped in a meerkat hole. And tripped. And screamed most indignantly as he tumbled face-first into the dirt.
A scream?
Nya's head flashed around, the female instantly alert and awake from her daydream. There, in the distance. A small, dark shape. Wailing. Screaming...yes, it was definitely a pained scream. There was slightly surprise, but mostly pain. Nyamana had learnt the different, and pain was an emotion she knew extremely well. The Wild Dog turned, quickening her pace gradually until she was actually running, full-pelt towards the small, distressed shape.
She soon realized it wasn't a canine, but that was no reason to leave an injured child. An adult, perhaps she might've left, yes. She'd heard the big cats could get quite hostile, especially to the canines. But a child surely couldn't harbour such feelings? And besides, it seemed he was in need, and Nya was the only one here able to help. Lowering her head a little in a concerned manner, although keeping her distance, she glanced at the cheetah cub curiously.
"Are you alright there?"
Stupid hole what do you think you're doing just lying on the ground like that?!" Hukon seethed as he freed his foot, and shook himself off, getting up a little gingerly on said paw. And then there was SOMEONE THERE WHERE DID THEY COME FROM!?!
With yet another indignant scream, he stepped back away from the Wild Dog. And into the hole. And we have a repeat of the previous Trip-And-Flail-Accompanied-By-Screaming. Hukon screams a lot. I'm sorry.
"Where did you come from what are you tryingtodokillme?!" He scrambled out of the hole and away from the dog, staring at her. Who did she think she waaaaaaas? Perhaps wandering off in a random direction on his own wasn't the smartest idea. He whined a little, ears flattening against his head and curling up in a little ball. He wanted his Momma to come and scare this dog awaaaaay.
Nyamana remained where she was, straightening up and watching the small cheetah as he turned around, stumbling backwards and into the same hole again before screaming some more, Nya wincing as her ears flattened against her head, slightly sore from the sharp scream. Geez, were all cheetahs crazy or something? What was wrong with this child? ...But it needed her help. Yes, she was sure of that. Now more than ever, if anything.
"I most certainly am not," Nya huffed, snorting softly. Why would he think she was trying to kill him!? Oh, and now he was in a ball, whining. That certainly wouldn't do. Nudging him with her paw before quickly pulling it back, suddenly aware he might bite, Nya huffed once more, "Now come on, stop being such a baby. Are you hurt? I'm a healer, I can help."
"Eeeeeeehdon'ttouchme!" He came out of his ball to flail at her, and flopped over on his side, huffing and puffing like that took a great deal of effort out of him. He eyed her, frowning. "Why would I be hurt?" He blinked owlishly. He hadn't done anything ridiculously dangerous lately, not since scaring that herd into almost TRAMPLING him to death... He peered at the hole. "Stupid hole." Hissssss. He got up, and stoped over to it, sitting down on the hole. "There." Hmph. Now whatever was in there could never get out ever again.
Unless it had another hole somewhere, but even if it did, this one was blocked forever! ...or until his Momma came to get him. "I'm not a baby, either." Hukon said after a minute, huffing indignantly. "I'm the oldest in a whole litter." That was an absolute lie, but Zini and Kuvunja weren't there to say otherwise, so there!
Nyamana rolled her eyes, taking a step back from the child in the hope it might calm him down if she wasn't as close. She hadn't really touched him - a gently shove, that was all. Children needed to be shoved about occasionally - treating them delicately just wouldn't do. They had to learn that the world wasn't a happy place all the time, and death was a pretty common occurance. Mostly at their mouths, when catching their prey.
"You fell into a hole. You screamed," Nya stated when he asked why he'd be hurt, watching as he sat on the hole instead. She chuckled slightly, shaking her head. "What're you planning to do, sit on that hole your whole life? That isn't going to work, sunshine."
Not a baby? Nya rolled her eyes again, sighing loudly, "You look like a baby to me. You're small, and you were whining. Only babies whine."
"Pfft, why not?" He grinned. "Now it's stuck in there forever and ever and--" HEY THAT WAS A BUTTERFLY. He hopped off the hole and jumped at it, taking it down with one fell swoop. ... Okay, maybe two. But he got it, and chomped on the butterfly. Mmmmbutterflies. "I didn't scream." He frowned. "I yelled very manly-y. Girls scream." He grumped, looking over at her.
"I'm not small!" He gasped loudly, looking down at himself. "I'm... I'm... I'm travel-sized!" How DARE she call him smaaaaaall.
Boy, this one certainly had a small concentration span. It only took a butterfly and it was gone, the hole reappearing as he chased after the innocent insect.And...eew, he ate it! Wrinkling her nose in mild disgust, more at the idea of eating a butterfly than killing it, she shook the feeling off, watching him with a raised eyebrow and an expression that said 'Oh really now?'. "Okay then. But only babies yell manly-y."
Travel-sized? Okay, now she couldn't help it as she burst into laughter, laughing a good few times before finally managing to calm them, instead just chuckling as she watched him. "Alright then, travel-sized. I'll give you that. What's your name, kid?"
"Babies do not yell manly-y." He scoffed. "Big strong manly-y cheetahs yell manly-y! Babies scream like little babies." He nodded solemnly, and blinked when she started laughing. Was she crazy? He had enough crazy in his life! He scoffed a little. Crazy females seemed to be attracted to him, it was very disconcerting. He started scratching at his neck while she had her little giggly fit, and paused mid-scratch, blinking.
"Hukonjooooooole'tari." He beamed. "My Momma named me that. It's better then my stupid sisters' names. Kuvunja and Siwezinia." SCOFF. "My name is aaaaawesome." Really, it was just a nod to the poor boy's imaginary drums, but he didn't know that and Zito wasn't really going to share it with him. Let the poor boy think what he wanted to. "What's your name?" He asked, tilting his head. Then he eyed her, blinking slowly.
"Oh hey! You're like Uncle 'Maa! You're a, a, uh..." He frowned. "Are you a hyena?" She looked like one!
Well, the kid had a point. She'd never actually heard a baby yell manly-y (was that even a word?), only yell. Although she hadn't really heard babies at all. It suddenly occured to Nyamana that she'd never really been near or around children, be they wild dog or otherwise. She frowned a little, as the stark realization hit her. Maybe...maybe she should have children. As soon as the thought came to her she shook it away. No no no, she was searching for new members, not children. Children were far too much effort.
Wow...that was certainly a mouthful. "Hukuojo....I'm gonna call you Huk." Nya eventually spoke, struggling with his full name so deciding to shorten it to something more managable. She didn't mention that she quite liked his sisters' names, instead choosing to remain silent. She dind't want to get him anymore stroppy than he already was. "Nyamana," she replied when he asked, frowning as he suddenly decided to name her species. Incorrectly.
"No," she scoffed, somewhat offended, "I'm a Wild Dog."
"Okay." He nodded, beaming. "That's what everyone calls me anyway. Or Hukon. Or Stupid. Or--" He blinked. "Nya's a preeeetty name..." Perhaps he'd rename his sister Nyamana. He wondered if Kuvunja would eat him if he decided to rename her. That'd be counterproductive... Hmmmm.
"Whassa Wild Dog?" He frowned. She looked like Uncle 'Maa, but Uncle 'Maa wasn't a 'Wild Dog'. He was definitely 100% hyena. Maybe with a lil coward in him, but Hukon was sure Siwezinia was just pulling his tail when she said he was part Coward. "Is it like a hyena? 'Cause you look like Uncle 'Maa, and that's what he is." He was SO CONFUSED. There wasn't enough physical difference for him to distinguish like there was between cheetahs and lions. He was too young to notice the subtle differences.
"I'm just going to stick with Huk," Nya stated firmly, effectively ending the conversation. She blinked in mild surprise as he complimented her name - no-one had said her name was pretty before. Could you call names pretty? Surely you couldn't, since you couldn't see them and pretty was a word to comment on how something looked. How...odd. But anyway. She shook off her dawdling mind, realizing she was getting bored. Maybe she should leave. ...But that'd be rude, right?
"A Wild Dog is..." she started, wondering what to say, "Well...it's like a hyena, yes." she admitted, as he asked. "We're both canines. But Wild Dogs are bigger, faster. Hyenas have stronger jaws." What other differences were there?
"Ohhhh." Hukon nodded, frowning. "Well that's weird." What was the point of having two creatures who were so similar but totally different? Why not just smush them into one breed! "You should start a new species." He said after a minute, blinking. "Like... Like smush with Uncle 'Maa and make a super canine!" That'd be wicked! He grinned stupidly and flopped down on his side, watching her. "That'd be really really cool..."
Weird? Nya rolled her eyes. Yes, she was certainly tiring quickly. She should continue on her quest, she could've met a good number of canines in the time she'd been taking to this child. She was wasting ehr time here - she couldn't even recruit him! "Well, you're weird too, okay?" End of conversation, once again. She was good at that. Maybe if she continued, he'd get the hint and leave.
"That's not going to happen," Nya growled softly, a look of disgust on her face. Ugh, there was no way she was mating with a hyena! Sure, they were alright...but just no! "Shouldn't you be returning home? Your mother will be worried."
He blinked, and scoffed. "Am not. You're the weird one." He started scratching again, yawning loudly. She was a boring crazy dog, wasn't she? Yes, yes she was. Couldn't even hold a conversation like a normal canine. Maybe he could chew on her ears. No... Momma said that was rude if you didn't know the canine very well... Hmph.
"No she won't." He snorted. "She told me to run off and explore. I think she was getting one of her head-y aches." Poor Momma, always suffering from those stupid heady aches that made her snappy and then pass out and flail around like a crazy. Poor Momma...
Nya rolled her eyes. Yes, she was bored. She was leaving. She regarded Huk carefully, watching him for several more moments without speaking a word, before turning and beginning to walk away. It was with a final "Bye, Huk," that she left, breaking into a run to get a head start. She had time to needed to catch up on.
Hukon blinked when she started walking away, and grinned, waving a paw. "Byeeeeeeee Nya!" Well, that went pretty swell. She didn't even hit him! He'd have to tell Momma aaall about his new friend. Rising off his butt and shaking off dust, he started walking back to where the group had settled for the day. Maybe Momma's headache would be gone.
