Welcome to Gaia! ::

Yukiko was hot. It was a strange, foreign feeling to the hyena. She had come from the icy north where heat had never been an issue. Actually it was quite the opposite, if you got too cold up there you'd die. But down on the plains she was facing, or like suffering, the other extreme of Africa. The near-unbearable insufferably hot days.

She didn't mind the heat and the constant panting she needed to do to keep cool, she could take it. Or at least that's what she told herself. It was worth it to feel funny grass tickle her nose and chase food without snow buildup on her legs as she ran.

She didn't like the flies though. Stupid little buggers were buzzing around her ears and Yukiko let a whiny moan loose as she slapped at them fruitlessly. "Go away." She told the pests, but they didn't listen to her. They just kept coming back!! Feeling defeated at her failed attempt to get rid of the bugs the hyena headed towards a watering hole.

She noted the large beasts on the other side of the water. Er, what were they called? She forgot. But she knew she didn't want to be smooshed by one. Still, she bravely continued to saunter towards the water. Once at the edge she proceeded to dunk her head under the water, hoping that the flies would give up now. Besides the water felt nice all of her face. It was cooler then the heat of the sun...

Yukiko felt refreshed after taking a good long drink. She lifted her head in surprise as the male next to her stumbled backwards and landed on his behind. Her initial reaction was to grin. How silly! She wondered why he had fallen, the ground here wasn't made of ice, it wasn't difficult to walk over. Maybe she spooked him? That thought made her giggle, Yukiko hardly considered herself threatening in any way.

Oh, except towards bunnies. She was pretty threatening towards bunnies because she wanted to eat them.

She opened her mouth to ask if male was alright after slipping like that but he started talking first. She clamped her mouth shut. Then when he finished talking she thought of what to say to him now.

"Hello." She decided on. "Sorry I spooked you!" She added.

She supposed being skittish wasn't too horrible of a condition. Could be downright paranoid and slowly turning insane but instead the male seemed to just be a bit... um... Careful. Careful was good. Being careful kept people safe. Was always good to be a little bit careful.

"I'm Yukiko!" She replied with a smile. Her eyes drifted over to where the big grey-skinned beasts were standing. Hmm. It bothered her she couldn't remember what they were referred to as... Maybe Inkivaari knew. "Do you know what those are called?" She nodded her head in the direction of the big grey monsters. "I can't remember."

Yukiko frowned. She didn’t want to get trampled by the big grey beasts- elephants. She also didn’t know what this new word, “majestic” meant. Strong? Powerful? Yeah, that’s probably what it meant.

“Let’s just not spook them then.” She told Inkivaari as her smile returned. She briefly dwelled on how elephants were able to move. “Maybe they’re rocks that came to life.” She mused aloud, completely serious about her suggestion on the matter. “Because rocks are sometimes gray, and the Elephant’s skin is gray.”

“What do you think?” She asked her nervous new friend.

“Exactly!” Yukiko nodded with smile. She was glad that she had met someone who understood her way of thinking. Not many did, truth be told. They’d think she was being funny when she was serious, or the other way around. So it made her glad that Inkivaari understood her thought then.

Food? Being offered of food was something Yukiko would always take up. Perhaps because it was always scarce up north where she’d come from. Or it could just be because she really liked food. In any case, she nodded a bit too enthusiastically at her new friend’s offer.

“Yes! Yes, let’s go there. The living rocks can’t hurt us there.” She grinned widely, in an attempt to be reassuring to Inkivaari’s skittish nature. “And, and- it’ll be fun!”