Zimwi’s wild eyes were lit with unbridled fervour; dancing from face to face, clearly unable to settle. They lingered, perhaps, a little longer on the face of her sister, Bilisi, but then they were off again, seeking believer and non-believer alike.
The day had come. The day for blood and battle.
She had seen this and she thirsted for it. Craved it as a starving predator craves the taste of fresh meat in its jaws.
The click of blunt claws on rock and bone was interrupted by a shrill bark as she crested the dais that had her elevated above the others. The sun at her back threw her shadow across the group gathered and she smiled – the expression all teeth and gleaming eyes. Her head, tail and ears drew up, a slow intake filling her chest. For a moment, the haggard old hyena looked powerful and wise; her very image demanding authority. Another bark flexed the muscles sharply in her sides; her teeth snapping sharply, spittle on her jowls.
She would relish in this moment.
“Today, my disciples, we will teach the lions their place.” She enjoyed how her voice echoed and distorted around the domain; filling the hollows with her own thirst for war. The lands seemed to tremble with it—emanate with it. Her heart was pounding so loud she fancied that it quaked through the ground; stirring the dust and grit lying strewn around her paws.
In her memory, the visions played out behind her eyes and the blue orbs flickered again. “We will no longer endure their impudence. We will not stand by and wait for them to kill another of our own! We have all suffered at the claws and fangs of those filthy felines. We bear the wounds and carry them still: the scars on our hides – both old and new.” Her eyes went to Mafuu. “But perhaps the worst wounds are the ones no one can see. The ones we carry on our hearts and souls. Wounds that will not heal until we find the peace that we deserve! The lions heed not our subtle warnings.” Had there been any subtle warnings? She could not recall and nor did she likely care. “And so we must speak in a language that they understand. They enjoy bringing violence upon us - attacking and killing our loved ones; leaving their bodies to the vultures - and so it is time we bring it upon them.”
Her eyes snapped across to Ubongo. “Some of you will wish to argue against this course. Some of you wish to fight the tide.” Her eyes were fixed on the male now, unwavering for the first time since her ‘speech’ had begun. “Those that do will die. The lions will show no mercy. Hesitate for but a single moment and their teeth will find your throat – or the throats of your family.” She teetered there on the very edge of the precipice, a strange mania lighting her eyes as they once more roved across the faces of the gathered ones.
She paused, nostrils flaring. Her eyes sought and found the two pups amongst their group. Little Kisukuku and her brother, Kombe. “There is no level they will not stoop to. Remember that, my friends. Even our pups are not safe from their evil. Their cruelty allows no room for sympathy. To show them such would be to roll over and submit. Give them a weakness and they will take advantage of it.” She looked to Kotokono, curious, perhaps, to see if her message had affected him. “Show weakness and you will die, of that you can be certain.” She cared not about making friends or enemies. Zimwi was a mad old thing, but she did love her kin. She might have been going about it the wrong way, but all her actions were done in order to preserve their lives. She was proud of who she was and she wanted the hyenas to fight. For their lives. For each other. But mainly for their pride. Too long had they been resented and looked on as snivelling, drooling dogs.
If she could not have the respect of the lions, she would have their fear. Fear would be enough to sate her hunger. More than enough, in fact.
Her eyes moved silently, then, to address Ubavu. He was a wretched thing; as grubby and useless as his pathetic bird ‘companions’. But still, he had teeth which could be put to work. Could she win him over with her words? Probably not, but it couldn’t hurt to try. “Run and they will catch you. Hide and they will find you. Cower away and they shall crush your neck in their jaws.” The corners of her maw curled upwards and she trembled – though more in excited anticipation than fear. “Avoid this fight and you shall become another victim of their brutality. That I promise you.”
With a growl, she hunkered down on her ‘stage’ and leapt forwards into the fray, walking slowly amongst them, turning her head this way and that. Her eyes were lit with battle-lust and the fur along her shoulders – covered in a dusting of grey – was bristled up in silent warning.
“Mtulinga and Muundi have already prevented one of our pups from being harmed by the paws of young lions. One of those lions now lies dead. They are not invincible.” She shivered with delight at that and wished she had been there to witness it. A lion falling to a hyena! The first of many, if things went according to her vision. She sought the pair amongst the crowd. “You have both proved yourselves already and the lions will fear you. But keep in mind your success may draw their anger to you.”
Her eyes snapped back ahead and with a few more steps she had walked through the gathering and paused to glare back at them; her blue eyes like burning ice in her skull. This time she pointedly ignored the ones she knew would want to disagree with her. Perhaps to shun them so publicly would be to rile them up into a fight—though hopefully not with her.
“I have foreseen this battle. I have foreseen our victory. The time for talking and peace is done. The shadow of war is upon us! We can either rise up to meet it with teeth bared or cower and let it take us. Either way, it does not matter. War is coming and there is nothing we can do to stop it.”
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((If anyone would like to do a follow-up RP with Zimwi, feel free to send me a PM))
