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 Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 12:34 pm
Makani limped along, barely covering a few feet every hour that the sun moved across the sky. He'd come this far on sheer will alone and the fact that he was able to think his way through most things.
Those first few days in the dry, scorched earth of the bones lands it had been shear anger that had kept him moving, keeping him alive enough to move north east toward where his eyes told him the jungle forest lay when he had been scouting for shelter, water and food for his small pack, before that b***h of a female had betrayed him and To'hla, leaving maimed as he was now by that lioness, and he was sure To'hla dead in a ditch some where.
His mind shed away from the thought as he crawled a few inches more. If he could, if he pushed himself, he would make that small strand of umbrella trees and be able to shelter there for awhile, rest. Maybe there were some grubs he could dig out, keeping him alive that much longer.
The once powerful build of a male in his prime was a shadow now and his back leg was useless. He'd treated it a week ago with the last of the nasty tasting claw root, but now the infection was spreading down his hip and thigh to his hock. Already he could barely put any weight on it, and once the wound soured more..his fever would rise and he would die.
Odd how at peace he was with it.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 12:53 pm
 It was unusual for the black leopard to be out in the open plains of the savannah, but every so often his paws itched and the tunnels of his home began to press down on him. For all that he had tried to shed his past life, it was still within him, and on occasion, it demanded he leave the sanctuary of his new home and took to the wide open spaces with the endless sky. He had left his mate that morning, safe in their den. Arathien understood this need that lived within, for they both shared it. They had not been born in the darkness of the caves and the space of the outside would call.
Often they ran together, but of late the pride had been troubled by weak tunnels and with one of the elite guards injured, the pride was working short-handed. Thus his mate had been called to yet another meeting with the king, but since Arancion had not been needed, he had taken the opportunity to slip outside for a breath of fresh air and to stretch his legs.
Padding along in the bright light of the outside world, he felt his spirits life a little. The nightmares had been bad of late and he had slept little, but just walking in the peace and quiet and emptiness of the savannah allowed him to relax.
As he walked, he caught sight of something in the distance though at first he ignored it. Yet slowly he worked out that it was actually moving, if slowly, and was no tree or rock or ant hill.. but a living creature. Altering his direction slightly he headed towards the figure, pale blue eyes concerned but wary.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 1:54 pm
He was almost there, a few more inches and he would be under the relative safety of the Umbrella Tree's large leaves. He could wait out the day, maybe eat something if he could dig it up, rest..gods above, just rest. There would be no escaping the pain of the shattered bone in his femur, but he could rest his front paws and good back leg.
Makani knew he was leaving a trail behind him, front imprint of paws, then elbows, sliding belly, good paw pushing, bad limb dragging, soon a predator would track that, and now with him as week as he was, He'd not be able to fine them off like he had the last two.
Reaching the shelter of the Umbrela tree, Makani settled on his belly, deciding he was to worn out to look for water in the folds of its large leaves, or dig for grubs at its base. He just wanted to sleep.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 2:03 pm
Sooner that he would have thought he came across the stranger's trail. The unusual marks left behind puzzled him, for it looked as if the one that made it was dragging himself along rather than walking. Concerned and more than a little confused, he followed the wide trail easily, soon enough tracking it to the the stand of trees.
Pausing he peered into the shade, blue eyes narrowing as he sought out the shape of the one within. recognizing the figure of a hyena he frowned. There was the scent of sickness and death around this one.... he wondered what on earth had happened to him.
Stepping forwards he slipped round the base of the tree so as to not scare the injured male and approached from the stranger's front.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 2:14 pm
So, this is it , Makani thought to himself as the smell of leopard came to him, and as he opened his eyes, he caught a glimpse of the darker shadow among the shadow of the tree's leaves, Wearily he pushed himself up to his front paws and faced the feline with a low growl.
" Wait an hour or two leopard, at least give me the dignity of dying quietly and not having to fight my last few hours. I find I'd rather not be in anymore pain then I am now. After that, help yourself to as much meat as you like. Just watch the hind end, I doubt it is worth eating." The hyena sounded tired, soul tired.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 2:19 pm
Arancion lifted his head as the other suddenly moved and spoke, pale eyes unchanging at the words given. Only once the hyena fell silent again did he reply and his tone was quiet and soft, calm yet slightly detached.
"I am not going to eat you, stranger. But if you let me, I may be able to aid you. What befell you to bring you here in this state?" he could see where the problem laid, for the twisted and ungainly limb was hard to miss... but he wasn't sure what the injury was until he got closer, but this one seemed like he would put up a decent fight and that was not Arancion's intention. For he was certain that the hyena had spoken true in the fact that given an hour or so, he would indeed pass away.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 2:36 pm
Makani' answering bark of laughter was bitter, odd considering a hyena's usual laugh. " I misjudged someone and this is the result. More the fool I. I should have known better, but death comes to us all. At least I might see To'hla, if such things happen."
THe Hyena gave what amounted to a shrug, " Your claws seem sharp enough," he bared his neck for the leopard, " don't miss. A fast bleed, a slow one and it would be as torturous as my leg."
Oddly enough the younger hyena was very calm about the whole thing, as if he knew his time here on this earth was done and he just wanted it to end now, away from the pain.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 2:40 pm
He simply regarded the youth with those pale, icy blue eyes of his as the younger male told his brief but bitter tale, such as it was. Yet once done and with neck bared and waiting, Arancion could only sigh deeply and shake his head. "Not that kind of aid, you are not that far gone, at least if you got to a healer in time. Would you like to live, hyena?" He asked, voice calm, almost monotone, those eerie blue eyes gazing right into the young male.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 2:50 pm
Makani''s green eyes looked into those blue ones, meeting them without flinching, " I do, but for the wrong reason. If I live I would hunt down the female the lead me to this state, and kill her. For maiming me, and for..what I believe she did to my...my friend. I think she killed him."
He grit his teeth, " He was..my cub hood friend, and..I was blind to what he meant to me, to what I meant to him. The SHE entered the picture and everything became hell. He left one night, was gone...never came back. She betrayed me to a Pride of lions, stealing one of their cubs, leaving me to take the blame. The lioness gave me this...the female, she escaped, not a fur on her evil body so much as ruffled. NO if I live, I will kill her...and that is no reason to live. Revenge consumes you, makes you hate. Already I feel it burning to hot in my heart."
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 2:55 pm
Arancion could feel the hyena's pain and could sympathize. His own past was darkly coloured and covered in blood. Yet hadn't he found relief and sanctuary in his new home? Shaking his head he moved closer, though was still watchful, the hyena was, after all, a stranger to him.
"Do not expect me to be your Judgment, hyena. I have lived through and seen the darkness of which you speak. None of us have the right to decide another's fate." Folding his forelimbs underneath him he carefully settled down alongside the hyena male.
"I will take you back to the Mazunguko. There you can heal and rest. If you still seek revenge once you are well again, that is your choice." He would not say the words the hyena possibly expected to hear, that time would heal all and he would think differently after he recovered, but there was the chance that he would choose life over death, and if not, there were plenty of pits in the pride suitable for a self-made grave.
"If I lift you to my back, will you fight me?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 3:01 pm
Makani narrowed his eyes at the leopard, his mind working through what the dark feline just said, " Why? Why would you help me and what is the Mazunguko?"
He wasn't about to jump into another situation just because this leopard hadn been friendly and hadn't eaten him, for all the hyena knew he could be taking him back to more of his kind for a nice helping of hyena stew.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 3:06 pm
He hadn't really expected any less, already coming to understand this one was short of temper and suspicious, at least while injured, and Arancion certainly didn't blame him on either account. But every moment they delayed worsened the hyena's chance at a good recovery.
"It is a pride hidden away underground. A sanctuary for those who are persecuted, injured or just need somewhere to be safe. We permit no females unless they are screened by the council. Aside form that, we live peacefully with each other, all races welcome. Myself and my mate found the pride while we were escaping our own, many others come in times of need and decide to stay. Once healed you are free to leave if you wish to. But it is the only place I know that is safe where you can recover."
Pausing he gave the hyena a steady look. "Will you let me help you."
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 3:22 pm
The hyena sighed, and figured the leopard showed up at this time, at this moment for a reason, maybe it was To'hla looking down on him," for truthfully he could not stand the idea of To'hla being with her, if he was, them Makani's heart would shatter and he may as well die.
But for now, it seemed as if he would not. With a grunt of pain that turned into a scream, Makani somehow managed to get onto the leopard's back, draping over him like a dead prey, head hanging over one side, legs over the other, the wounded one right by the leopard's sensitive nose.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 3:26 pm
Arancion stayed silent as the hyena made his decision and painfully climbed up onto his back. The reek from his wound almost made the black leopard gag, but he managed to keep his expression blank and eyes forwards. Once the male was reasonably settled he carefully stood up. "I will be as careful as I can, but its a fair ways and I wish not to linger or you will suffer further."
With that he turned and set off back across the open plains, his stride smooth and long, a ground eating trot that would get them back to the pride long before night fell, and before the hyena's condition truly became critical.
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