[PRP] New Life in the Graveyard ( Neus X Bluu )

[Ronove]

Neus wasn't sure how he'd gotten lost. Mafa had been right there, and then he'd looked away and seen what he'd -thought- was prey off in the bones, and he's stumbled over there to catch it but it turned out that it wasn't really anything --

... Alright, so maybe he did know how he'd gotten there. But he certainly had no idea how to get back to the graveyard and to Mafa.

The young Hyena trotted disconsolatly through the bones, hopping nimbly over the ones that he could, and scrambling up over ones that he couldn't. It strengthened his legs, even if the pain was sometimes piercing. Neus scowled and huffed. He wouldn't let a lion bring him down.

Not now. His leg, healing but still slightly wasted and bent, moved stiffly at best. Sometimes he was forced to swing it over obstacles and risk it hammering on the sides of rocks and bones and other hard, uncomfortable things.

As much as he would like to say he was fit, he knew better. He needed the pack, needed Mafa. Without them he wouldn't stand a chance.

Grimly, the pup sniffed the air and started off in the direction he thought was right.  

[Whimsical Blue]

A figure skirted the white bones that marked the edge of what others called the 'elephant graveyard'. What an apt name, Bluu thought. It rather pleased her that she stood out so much in this place. Not as much as something pink or green would have, but enough to make her obvious. Her blue pelt was a little dusty down her legs, slightly blurring the phantom flames, but she hardly cared how dirty she was. It wasn't in this female's make up to care for anything but things she enjoyed.

Lowering her nose, she sniffed at the dusty ground, following the scent on a meandering path that led her in and out and around a large skeleton. Mmm... something had been here. Curious, the blue hyena followed it, trotting lightly.  

[Ronove]

... there was definatly something -or someone- else out there. Neus scowled and limped faster. His sides heaved with exertion and his breath came in sharp, quick pants. Pain shot up his twisted limb and he grimaced.

It would make him stronger. He put his head down and focused intently on where he was putting his feet. Stepstepstep... step by step the male continued towards where he percieved the pack to be, concentrating solely on keeping moving.

"I'll be stronger... I'll be stronger..."

He repeated the mantra aloud and timed his footfalls to it. But still, one ear remained fixed on his surroundings, listening. What he lacked due to his injury he would make up for in caution and wariness. Fear ate at his heart despite his best efforts to quell it.

"Stongerstrongerstronger..."  

[Whimsical Blue]

Bluu trotted faster, the scent trail getting stronger the farther she went. Oh, yes, she was getting closer.

Ubruptly, she brust from the forrest of bones, her path crossing the young one's a bit farther ahead. Her feet padded the soil, raising little puffs of dust as her short white tail flirting eagerly back and forth. So intent on what she was hunting down, the female had little time to do more than register the male before she was past him and among the bones again. A cackle of satisfaction cut the air as she found the source of the delectable scent... a newly slain rabbit, hidden her by some predator. Most likely it had run when it caught sight of Bluu coming. Few animals could stand against a hyena's jaws.

Her cackles of joy rolled out, the sound only stopping when she bent to snap up bits of meat to rip apart and swallow.  

[Ronove]

Whoa! Ear pinned and hackles up, the small juvenile put on the brakes and came to an abrupt halt. What was that? Fear shot up his spine, sending adrenaline tingling down through his body. He forced himself to calm down, but it was a while before he managed to at least appear calm.

With as much grace as he could muster, the pup crept forwards and sniffed the air. The wind blew favorably and he caught the scent of another hyena. For a moment relief swept through his small form, but it was quickly replaced by a new fear.

And, suprisingly enough, he found enough courage to act upon it.

With hackles still up and ears pricked and swiviling, Neus approached the blue hyena slowly, making certian his presence was known. Her yipping and laughing gratted on his nerves; she would attract anything for miles, and scare everything edible away.

"You're not part of the pack." His tone was blunt and no-nonsense. Green-grey eyes stared apathetically at the blue hyena, waiting for an answer. Or a fight.  

[Whimsical Blue]

Ears perked as the young voice came from behind her, Bluu's head rising on its short, thick neck. Tongue lolling from her blood soaked mouth, the female turned to look back over shoulder's heavy with muscle. A traveler, she was no slouch. Even an adult female her own age might think twice about getting into a tussle with this one, the pup that met her eyes was no threat to her.

"Eh? Wahs that?" She half-turned to look at him, her tail wagging against her flanks. "No... 'M not. Not me. Too much trouble, being tied down like that." Her heavy heat tilted to the side, the white of her 'mane' falling away from ice-blue eyes. "Take it you are, youngn'?"

He made quite the picture, all bluff and fluff. It brought a cackle of laughter from her, shaking her shoulders with it.  

[Ronove]

Grey-green eyes narrowed. Did Mafa know this female was skulking around the graveyard borders? Tss. If you weren't part of the pack, you were a trespasser. Neus eyed the large shoulders and strong jaws, but youth overtook common sense.

"Yes, I am." A low growl rumbled in his throat. "And since you're not, you shouldn't be here."

He took a step forward, painfully aware of his trailing right leg. If this female wanted to, she could rip him apart. But at least then he wouldn't have backed down, wouldn't have given in to her and let her run all over him. Like that stupid lion.

"Take your meal and go."

His fur was so puffed that he was little more than a moving piece of fluff. Neus didn't seem to realize this, though. He continued to growl, fully expecting the female to attack without a moment's notice. Maybe Mafa was close by... ?  

[Whimsical Blue]

Bluu laughed to herself as she watched Neus, her ears flicking gently forward. "I can be wh'ever I want t' be, youngn'." The female chuckled, sitting back on her haunches. Her little white tail wagged, brushing her flanks.

She grinned at him as he moved stifly towards her, a cackle slipping from her again. "An' you're going to make me?" She laughed, rising to her paws once more. Her pose was threatening as she stalked towards him, tightening her muscles to make them stand out more under fur when she finally came to loom over him. "A lil' scrap of a thing like you?"

He might be expecting her agression, but it only made her grin wider, infinitely amused by the pup.  

[Ronove]

Neus flicked his ears back and growled as the huge female stalked towards him. She would break him like the brittle bones he stepped on in this graveyard. But that didn't mean he had to back down! Common sense wasn't something he took too much stock in.

Besides, if he couldn't defend Mafa and her home (or at least resign himself to try) what good was he? He had to prove that it had been worth it to rescue him from that lion-thing.

"I can try!" Neus was proud that his voice didn't shake as he stared defiantly into the female's bright blue eyes. Even if his tail was tucked firmly between his legs, which were shaking like leaves. "Is it really worth it to you?"

So what if he died? At least then he wouldn't be a burden on Mafa and the pack. And maybe he could give this female a scar to remember before she took him out. He bared his teeth in a grin and waited for her to attack.  

[Whimsical Blue]

A bright, cackling laugh lept from Bluu's mouth and she swung her paw at Nues, giving him a playful knock on the shoulder. She pulled back and turned to go and retrieve what was left of her kill.

"Yer not bad, pup." She called back to him. "Ya got spine, if'n not much brains to go with it." The blue female chuckled as she picked up the carcass in her mouth and brought it back to where he still stood, dropping it into the dirt and sitting back on her tucked haunches. Her white tail wagged happily in the dust, and she tossed her heavy head to bare one icey eye to watch him.

"Ya hungry? Ya look like ya need some fattin' up. Ya can have sum, ifn' ya want." She offered, grinning at him. As far as she was concerned, the confrontation was over. She'd proved she was the dominant one, there was no more reason to face him down.  

[Ronove]

Neus frowned, opened his mouth to spit out a retaliation to her laughing, and had the breath knocked out of him as her paw collided with his shoulder. Sucking in air, the pup glared at the female's back as she retrieved her meal - not bothering to hide his angry glance as she turned back and stared at him.

But she was offering food... and it had been SO long since he'd last eaten! Hunting with a crippled leg was less than easy. He eyed the meat, then her, then the meat.

In a motion that seemed almost painful, he leaned forwards and snatched a bite. Charity - god, he hated being weak. Hate hate hate hate hated! The pup scowled as he tore at the carcass. He WOULD be strong one day. One day, he would pay Mafa back for saving him, and would pay back the lions for maiming him.

One day... but for now...

"... thanks." The reply was muttered, but sincere. He wagged his tail once, then settled down to the meal.  

[Whimsical Blue]

Bluu grinned as she rolled her heavy shoulders in a shrug. She's barely eaten even half the rabbit... and it wouldn't have made a very filling meal for her anyway. The female never lacked for food, was one could see by her healthy size and shiny coat.

"No worries, youngin'." She chuckled, her head tilting as she perked long ears. "Ya need it more'n me." Content for the moment, she sat quietly and watched him eat, getting a sort of second-hand satisfaction from watching him gobble it down so eagerly. Almost better than having eaten it herself.

After a moment, the thought came to her mind to wonder why the young one was so starved for a mouthful of meat. He's said he was part of a pack. What pack let a child go hungry? A pack was a family, and a family took care of each other... Even Bluu, homeless, alone, and wandering, knew that. She'd had a family once... or so one had to assume.  

[Ronove]

Although he was nearly completey absorbed in the meal, he wasn't so distracted that he didn't notice Bluu's curious glances at him. Neus licked his lips and dragged his dark gaze up to the female in front of him.

"I know what you're thinking, and it isn't true. It's MY choice, not their neglect."

Which was true. He would accept some food from his 'family', but not too much. Not until he could prvide for them too! It wasn't fair to be a burden on anyone, especially the ones who had saved you from a horrible death. The grey male ripped another piece of rabbit and chewed on it almost angrily. He'd be considered an adolescent soon, right? He should be able to hunt by himself!

"I have to learn sometime." He shrugged. "And hunger is the best teacher out there, right?"

Hunger taught him to sneak silently, even with his crippled leg. Hunger would mold him into a better hunter, one that would be an asset - and NOT a burden - on the graveyard pack.  

[Whimsical Blue]

Bluu snorted, letting out a huff of laughter as she eyed the pup.

"You can't hunt when your growling stomach scares away the game." She chuckled, a flip of her head shaking her white mane of hair. "You can't hunt if you don't have the energy. Besides, you're just a pup, its the pack's job to take care of you."

Eh, it wasn't worth the effort to argue with him, and the female rose to her paws and circled Neus at a slow trot. If he'd hurry up and finish, she could walk him back to his pack. That sounded amusing, and Bluu was always up for amusing things. Made life worth living, really. No need to take life as seriously as other's did.  

[Ronove]

Neus scowled but didn't reply. She could believe what she wanted - it wouldn't affect him. The "just a pup" comment sent his hackles flaring, but out of diplomacy (and maybe fear) he forced himself to calm down. She was just stating her opinion.

Neus growled softly in his throat and finished off the rabbit. He had to admit, it felt good to have a full stomach for once. He couldn't remember the last time he'd actually had a real meal.

How satisfying would it be to catch his own though!

"It's only their job to try. If I refuse, it's not on their shoulders." He shrugged, licking his lips and eyeing the bones dolefully. "It's on mine."