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 Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:35 am
 It seemed like only days ago that the pups had been born. Lots of pups. With the addition of Dikeledi's pups and Manyara's little brood, it seemed like the adults had been overwhelmed with a flood of hairballs. Bahari usually left the child-care duties to the males and Manyara, but she had taken an interest in the girls. And the boys were cute enough when sleepy, although they sadly weren't the brightest bunch. Kele and Kepo were clever, but they were truly vicious little bastards, more like cobras than hyenas. Bahari was proud of them, as proud as she could be of two male pups.
The way the young hyenas - almost truly adults now - were jostling for attention and sniffing around for mates, it seemed as though another set of pups was likely to appear at any moment. Bahari hoped that the adolescents would settle down, but she wasn't about to stifle them. They were bold and aggressive. Bahari liked that.
Idly sauntering towards the father of her batch of monsters, Bahari grinned lazily. "Bekeli," she called, yawning. "Morning." Bekeli was hardly a good conversationalist, but he amused Bahari for some reason. "Our pups are almost ready to take mates of their own," she mused, going to sit beside the eternally scraggly male. "What fun that will be." It was impossible to tell whether she was being sarcastic. Even Bahari herself didn't know.
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:43 am
 Bekeli was 100% convinced that Kepo had given him fleas. How he'd done it without seeming endlessly itchy himself remained a mystery to Bekeli, but the scrawny and scruffy hyena was convinced that the little b*****d had done it. And oh, how they itched. He was too busy scratching at his ear with a hind-paw to even noticed Bahari approach him. It felt so good to dig at the spot behind his ear with his claws, and he couldn't fight the small whine of joy that escaped his muzzle. At Bahari's greeting, he instantly froze in the position he was in which looked ridiculous, hind leg hiked up in the air, legs splayed and tongue lolling in this simple pleasure of scratching at fleas. Comically he straightened and tucked away his tongue, lowered his leg and only then did he dare send Bahari a glance. "Mates of their own...?" Bekeli couldn't wrap his brain around that and he whimpered softly. Mates meant babies or some such, and Bekeli didn't even want to think about his pups creating more hellish spawn. Zalika and he haughty attitude? Kibibi and her endless neediness? Kero and his nonstop blathering? Igola and his ...weirdness? Kepo and his awfulness? "Fun?" Bekeli sent Bahari a look. She had an odd way of having fun, that was for certain.
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:56 am
Bahari was used to seeing Bekeli in a state of disarray, and his ridiculous posture got no more than a chuckle out of her. She was fond of poor terrible Bekeli, she really was. Whenever the grey female was in a dark mood, laughing at Bekeli was sure to lighten it.
The poor fellow seemed, as usual, baffled by her statements. Bahari simply nodded in response to his perplexed look, staring calmly off into the distance. "Yes, mates of their own. They seem to be pretty competitive about it, actually." She laughed. Bahari didn't involve herself too much in inter-pup squabbles, but she had overheard the girls (and the boys) talking. Or arguing, as it were.
"Zalika and Kibibi both want to be the first to have a devoted male admirer. And I think Kepo will have a heart attack if Kero comes back from his trip with a lady." She smiled. "I think Kepo is the smartest of the males. Once he finds a female to keep him in line, he'll be a perfect boy. Don't you think, Bekeli?" Bahari was pretty much oblivious to Bekeli's own opinions on their pups, dismissing anything not in her line of thinking as foolishness.
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 10:08 am
Bekeli had to force a smile when Bahari laughed at the antics of their pups. In his mind, Zalika was a terrifying Bahari-colored version of Dikeledi. Kibibi was so demanding and needy. He saw nothing funny about his daughters. No, they were to be avoided and respected at all costs. He was afraid of them.
As Bahari brought up Kepo, Bekeli tried to stall the horror that threatened to mold his features. He tried, he really did, but it couldn't be helped. His son was a terrible beast, a devilish monster that should be avoided as if his life depended on it. That was because his life DID depend on it. Kepo had tried to kill him! That didn't make him smart, that made him an almost-murderer!
Like a fish Bekeli opened and closed his mouth, eyes boggling and blatant horror on his face. "That boy needs more than a female to keep him in line, my Queen," Bekeli gasped, "unless the female beats him!" He looked a bit taken aback by his own words and offered an apologetic whine, looking concerned. "What has you thinking about the dem- ehh, pups... in such detail, my Queen?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 10:20 am
Instead of replying to Bekeli's outburst with an explosion of rage, as Dikeledi surely would have, Bahari only laughed. Oh, that Bekeli. He was such a card. The poor little feeble-minded hyena thought he was being so serious, too. It was almost sweet. Bahari would have patted him if he wasn't so itchy. She really would have to get him to take a bath.
"Oh, I'm surely a female will be able to take care of him," Bahari said mildly, a vague, almost dreamy look on her face. "He's respectful to females." Males could of course sort out their own business. She didn't much care if they bickered.
Bahari shrugged in response to Bekeli's question, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. That dreamy look was still on her face. "Oh, you know. I was a bit attached to them when they were small. They've grown up better than I thought they would." A smile spread slowly across her muzzle. "Overall I think I liked having them. I wouldn't mind having another batch."
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 10:30 am
Another batch?! She wanted more?! The idea sent a shiver of terror down his spine. He could deal with the indignities of the whole making pups thing -- that wasn't so bad, after all, Bahari was such a beautiful and gracious Queen -- but the thought of raising another herd of demons really made the bile rise up in the back of Bekeli's throat. Even with the "help" of his sons, Bekeli didn't even want to think about another pack of spawn running around.
Desperate to stall, Bekeli grasped for something, anything that would make Bahari change her mind. "They aren't grown up yet, my Queen," he whined pathetically, "and it ... well, what about poor Manyara." He didn't know what he was getting at, bringing Manyara into the fray, but she had her own three cubs to look after and they were growing up and she'd be looking to have more slave-cubs if Dikeledi and Bahari told her to.
Frowning, Bekeli watched Bahari carefully.
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 10:41 am
Bahari was feeling a little misty-eyed over the pups, which was unusual for her. Still, what mother wouldn't? Only two of the three pups were utter idiots. She figured that was a pretty good ratio. Kepo was a little monster, but he would wise up under someone's firm paw. The girls were bold, beautiful, and clever. What more could a hyena mother expect, really?
Bekeli hadn't outright sassed her, which would have irritated even the relatively laid-back female, but he hadn't immediately agreed with her plan, either. Bahari returned the frown, a bit disappointed in her favorite buffoon. "All the more reason to try for more now," she said briskly. "It'll take them some time to figure out what goes where. They can get some experience helping with our cubs." The comment about Manyara was so ridiculous that it didn't even really register with Bahari. She had never heard Bekeli say something nice about the lioness.
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 10:57 am
Bekeli wasn't even slightly convinced that their pups would help with any future pups that might arise, but he didn't like the little disapproving frown that masked Bahari's face. Shifting on his feet he idly scratched behind an ear once more just like he had been when she'd approached him. He used the time to mull over how he wanted to respond to Bahari.
She did seem rather pleased with Zalika and Kibibi. That made him rather happy, he supposed, at least as happy he could feel when it came to his daughters. It would be disrespectful to her if he tried to sway her, so really he was at a loss as to what he should do.
And why was he even assuming that she wanted to have more pups with him?! The thought that she might be debating having pups with another hyena irked him, and the frown on his face turned to a scowl.
"Mmmmf," he harrumphed aloud, not at her but in general. "Suppose you're right," he mumbled.
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 11:11 am
Bahari didn't know what Bekeli had to be so grumpy about. Wasn't she just praising their pups? Bekeli had made a modest contribution to the creation of them, although he was probably responsible for the general ineptitude of the male pups. She thought he should be flattered that she was discussing the creation of more pups with him. Bekeli's moods were often inexplicable and usually ignorable, but the hyena's surliness at this sensitive moment was annoying.
"You should be flattered I'm even talking about this with you," Bahari said, in her irritation sounding much more like Dikeledi than she usually did. "The girls at least turned out well, much better than I thought they would." She sniffed. "Your boys aren't so great. Baby-making probably works like lakes. All the muck sinks to the bottom." That had come out much nastier than she'd meant it to, but Bahari was really feeling put out. She was laying her heart on the line here! It was difficult to believe that spineless Bekeli was rejecting her, but that was what it felt like!
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 11:20 am
Well, now she was acting like her harsh sister, and Zalika. Bekeli's frown deepened - she blamed the mental incapacity of their sons on him?! That hurt his feelings! Bekeli bit back a small whine-sob, turning his face away from her so that she couldn't see his expression. He did sniff, just slightly, but no, he wouldn't cry. He wouldn't cry in front of his Queen. He wouldn't --
"They're so mean to me!" He wailed, dropping his head. "Kepo tried to kill me, and Zalika calls me stupid and stinky, and Kibibi says I have to find her a mate!!" Oh, the indignities! Oh, the unfairness! "Why are they so mean to me, my Queen?! I bring them food if they want it, I clean the den, I look after them but they are so mean to me! They don't like me!"
Sniffing again, but louder this time, Bekeli looked pleadingly towards Bahari. "I mean no disrespect, my Queen! I know you are proud of the pups!" Bekeli choked down another sob and fought tears as he watched Bahari. Now she was being mean to him too! Life just wasn't FAIR!
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 11:28 am
Bahari hadn't expected Bekeli to suddenly start bawling, but she supposed she should have. He wasn't ... well ... he wasn't the strongest fellow. Bahari felt her hurt feelings fade a bit under the onslaught of Bekeli's wailing. It had been silly of her to be hurt by simple-minded Bekeli.
Ignoring the risk of fleas, Bahari patted Bekeli's paw kindly. It was tempting to point out that a new bunch of cubs might like Bekeli more, but that would sound too much like she was trying to convince Bekeli. Bahari wasn't going to convince Bekeli of anything. If she wanted something, she would just tell him so. "They wouldn't be mean to you if they didn't like you, Bekeli," she said soothingly. "They don't appear to care much about Sudaj one way or the other."
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 11:57 am
Bekeli sniffled softly, hiccuping pathetically when Bahari patted his paw. She was just so sweet and gentle and understanding even if her words didn't make sense. Why would they be so foul to him if they DID like him? Bahari was just trying to be nice, and Bekeli appreciated that. He really did.
"Sudaj," Bekeli spat, wiping his nose on the back of a paw. "I don't think anyone really likes him," Bekeli sniffed, turning his dark eyes to her. "Bahari... my Queen," Bekeli didn't know what to say. He didn't want to have pups, ever again, never, but he didn't want to make Bahari feel as if he was turning her down.
"If you desire more pups, my Queen, you will have more pups," he said gallantly, his nasally voice shrill with a slight whine.
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:08 pm
Bahari didn't much care if Bekeli hated Sudaj, although she privately agreed with him on the matter. Males could sort out their own issues amongst themselves. She was above all that, and although she found Sudaj rather unpleasant she wasn't interested enough to join Bekeli in trashing the sleazy hyena. She was a female, after all, and if she didn't like Sudaj she should just take matters into her own paws and drive him away. It would be counterproductive to drive off Dikeledi's babysitter, though, so she chose not to reply to Bekeli's comment.
The grey female really was feeling rather bad about hurting Bekeli's feelings. He couldn't help being so dense and fearful. He really hadn't meant to upset her. She patted his paw again, smiling pleasantly at him. "Don't worry about it, Bekeli. I'm sure I can find someone else if I want to have more pups. Right now I'm going to find something to eat." She stood and stretched a bit before turning and trotting away.
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:36 pm
Bekeli didn't reply to Bahari before she took off, but he watched after her thoughtfully. It took a few moments for him to finally realize what she'd said. If he didn't want to give her pups, she would find someone else.
If he didn't want to give her pups...
...she would find someone else.
He should be thrilled. He should be ecstatic. He should be relieved. He wouldn't have to be another chew toy for another litter of pups.
Bekeli was none of these things.
"No," he whispered to himself, staving off the fear that welled in his heart. He would not tolerate another male blindly groping his Queen, grunting with pleasure over her delicate body. He would not tolerate another male providing his Queen with pups.
Perhaps she'd already found another. Perhaps she had someone in mind. Was it Sudaj? He doubted that. It must be someone she'd been sneaking off to see. Bekeli knew there was only one thing that he could do.
He would follow her. He would find the unknown male that dared lay eyes upon his lovely and delicate Queen. He would not let this happen. Bekeli would (try to) kill whoever even dared to think about approaching his Queen. Whether he would admit it to himself or not, Bahari was his and he would not share.
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