Yawning widely she stretched out on her side, belly bloated from the meal she had just indulged in.
It was not often one wandered across a kill that had been brought down and then.. simply left untouched! At first she had been horribly nervous, sniffing all around and then sitting in a near by grassy patch and waiting to see if anyone came to claim the carcass. But after a while when no one turned up to eat, Kamaria had finally given into her own hunger and slipped forwards, intending to grab a few mouthfuls and then run for it. But as the rich meat parted under her fangs she had fell on the body with a mindless hunger, stuffing her belly and staining her pristine white fur a bright red until she finally fell back, sated and really rather bloated...
If the real owner came back now, she could be in serious trouble... she was too full to run away and she could certainly not a fight a lion on her own. Part of no pack she had no support to call on and worriedly she lifted her head, only to blink up into a pair of vermillion eyes. For a long moment hyena and leopard stared at each other, him over her, before she let out a terrified scream and scrambled away, clawing herself to her paws and scrambling backwards without turning around, too scared to give the huge male .. ‘thing’ her back, having not even registered the species, just that he was here for his meal and more likely as not, angry at her for stealing most of it.
For his part, Brier had been surprised to find a bright white hyena female passed out beside his kill, her fur stained with blood and her belly bulging. He hadn’t meant to awaken her and certainly had not intended on nearly giving the poor thing a heart attack in doing so. But now he was left blinking over at the spitting, hissing female who was clearly in no fit state to fight him despite her bravado display. Taking a slow, calm step backwards he gave the shaking hyena a reassuring smile, careful to keep his fangs behind his lips.
“Hi there. Calm down, I’m not going to hurt you...” Settling himself on his rump, fairly certain he could move faster than her right now if she decided to attack anyway. He waited for her to stop hissing at him and settle. Though he fully understood her reaction.. hyenas were generally considered dangerous pests by other feline and canine species.
Kamaria could barely hear him over her own petrified growls and the thudding of her panicked heartbeat in her ears. Yet when he backed up and sat down, she slowly realised that not only wasn’t he going to attack, but he didn’t seem overly angry at her either, despite her having effectively stolen his kill. Still shaking but letting her growls fade away, she kept her tail tucked tightly between her legs, ears flattened against her skull in warning.
Brier waited patiently, not moving as she slowly quieted, even waiting as silence descended, giving her time to come to her own conclusions about him and his intentions. He could not force her trust, nor did he want to. He only wished to avoid a fight over nothing, as while she had eaten his meal, he was the one who had left it unattended.. mainly because his sister had suddenly decided to run off and he had been forced to chase after her quite some distance while she attempted to hunt a spooked herd. Eventually they ad caught her a meal and he had left her eating to return to his own, only to discover it already claimed. He was not angry, rather he was amused and wanted to make sure this female did not scare herself into something reckless when he was happy to simply hunt again if what had been left from her gorging didn’t satisfy him. But first he had to get his kill back...
Tilting his head when the white hyena had finally quit freaking out and was instead standing stiff-legged and staring at him, he offered another close-mouthed smile. “My name is Brier... “
She could hardly believe when he simply remained sat there, watching her with this kind of amused half-smile and a patient expression, as if she were an errant pup that needed a calm paw to control her. Dismally she realised he was right.. she was freaking out even though he had provoked her aside from waking her up in such a startling manner. Forcing herself to take a deep breath and for her coat to smooth back down along her spine, she shifted, easing the stiffness from her legs. “... Kamaria.... “ She finally replied, tone awkward and a little shy now her fear had faded and embarrassment was taking its place.
“Umm.. I’m sorry about your kill. I didn’t think anyone wanted it anymore, what with it just laying there and all.. and...” Snapping her jaw shut, aware she had started rambling, she stared up at the crimson and black leopard. Yet when he smiled once again, expression not changing from that patient, knowing look, she dropped her head and heaved a deep breath, feeling her cheeks burning.
“It’s ok.. I know I left it there. That was my fault.. well...” Pausing he thought of his sister, Daliah, and gave a rueful smile and shake of his head. No need to bore the hyena with that kind of family history.. it only mattered that she was calm enough not to attack him if he moved. “But there is still plenty left and I am hungry.... will you attack me if I eat?” He didn’t think she was the evil of conniving sort, her reactions were too honest, too raw for that, so he felt that asking wasn’t quite the folly it may otherwise have been. When she slowly, cautiously nodded, he smiled again and slowly stood, padding over to the carcass and settling own opposite her.
For a while she watched him, still not truthfully trusting that this wasn’t all some kind of elaborate set-up to get her to lower her guard before he attacked.. but as he continued to feast slowly, taking his time, she found herself relaxing, even sitting back down and giving a jaw-cracking yawn. When he glanced over she blushed and stood, shuffling the sand at her paws this way and that. “Well.. thank you for not being angry.... and I am sorry about your meal... “ Brier just smiled and shook his head. “Umm.. well.. I think I best go... have a good day.... Brier..” She blushed as his smile remained, making guilt burn in her chest.
“Be safe Kamaria...” He watched as she turned and loped away, an amused and slightly bemused smile on his muzzle. Well... life in the rogue lands was never dull at least.... Shaking his head once again he bent to his meal, satisfied there was enough left to fill his belly at least for today. He could hunt with Daliah again on the morrow.
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