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 Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:49 am
A dusty black female hyena stood her back straight, muscles taunt, ready to take her kill. It wasn't large, a small ground critter perfect for a one creature meal, it knew nothing of it's fate sitting their buggy eyes focused on something intently.
1...2...3... and we are off!
She allowed it to flail in her mouth snapping the young creatures neck. For one who preaches respect for others she was not above killing and taking her own prey, after all one has to eat. Gracelessly she sat down on her haunches and was just about to start enjoying her dinner.
The night was warmer than usual, a sign of rain to come, at least that's what she had been taught...by the voice. The stars were barely visible through thick thunder clouds, and the air was heavy and sticky.
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:04 am
Mafa had been off on a hunt of her own, though she hadn't zeroed out any prey yet. She was feeling terribly lethargic, she hated the times when the air got muggy and hot. In the center of the graveyard, the place of her reign, the air was rarely muggy, for it barely ever rained there. To sustain themselves, they hyenas had to travel out beyond the borders of their home in order to survive. But that was just fine with Mafa.
Nearby, Mafa heard a rush of motion. Her dusty ears perked, nose raising to the air to test it for scents. A hyena, it seemed, was around. After a bit of looking around, Mafa pinpointed the source of this scent and noise. A black female was just about to tuck into a small meal. Mafa's narrowed her eyes, another addition to her pack perhaps?
"Well well, nice catch. Who're you?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:12 am
Lamyae shifted looking around for the source of the voice, she was very self involved at the moment leading to unperceptiveness. glancing down at her catch she picked it up and trotted over to the large female gracefully. The way she put it today was her day off for preaching, she only ate once a week and this was it. Droping the kill at the other females feet she glanced up smiling, an offer for friendship.
"Thank you, I've been practicing, " her voice was smooth and husky. She scented the air trying to get a feeling off of this female. The voice in her head was silent, odd...
"I am Lamyae," voice of the goddess, "Who are you?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:27 am
Mafa looked the black female over critically as she approached. From her movements and posture, she could tell this wasn't an agressive creature. The offering of her kill did not register in Mafa's mind, what kind of strange custom was this? In the graveyard, food was hard to come by, so any kind of meal was eaten immediately and no one even thought to share... Unless it was with her that is. Slowly, she nudged the dead critter back towards the black hyena,
"Thank you, but, every hyena needs to eat, don't let me stop you"
Though her words seemed kind, for Mafa was usually quite civil with those of her own kind, but there was no kindness in her tone. Her voice was sharp, but monotonous as usual. Her cold gaze rose back as the female introduced herself. Mafa nodded,
"I am Mafa, alpha of the graveyard pack"
She always felt that was an important fact to add, no matter who she was speaking with.
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:36 am
Instantly the black hyena's posture went rigid, this was the alpha that she had been warning a fellow lion about? This was the cruel person who hated lions? Why hadn't Anga'fisi told her of this meeting. Her doubts started to rise about the voice, the thing inside that told her of the future and of the past.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," she forced out, "The kill was an offering of friendship, I can always go into the Pridelands and take what I need."
She was terrified she didn't know what to do, it was one thing to speak of cruelties of others, but to see that person first hand and they look normal? She expected Mafa to be a terrible unfriendly creature from the stories...but she wasn't?
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:43 pm
As soon as Mafa asserted her position as the leader of the pack, she felt the whole tone of the conversation. Every thing about this stranger rather shrank back, despite her facade, Mafa saw through her. Mafa usually was a good judge of character... If she gave the creature a chance to be judged that is. Raising her head higher Mafa looked down on the female,
"It is quite alright, there can be... friendship without an offering of any kind. Consume your sustenence while it's still fresh."
Mafa wasn't keen on being 'friends' with anyone. Perhaps allies, she was ok with. Companions, maybe. But she wasn't about to be quick to venture farther. Besides, an offer of something so small would not win Mafa over. If the female had laid a lion at her paws, she would've been quite pleased. But alas, this one didn't seem like the murderous type, which disheartened Mafa largely. Good warriors never came from softies. Taking a few calcuated steps around Lamyae, staring her down,
"Got a pack? We're always looking for new recruits"
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:39 pm
Lamyae wanted to assert herself as a strong hyena, she was not afraid just extremely cautious. This was a new creature and from stories she's heard of other hyenas she thought them to be much crueler than herself. Ignoring Mafa's statement of giving the ground creature back she stepped forward awkwardly, the grace of a preacher wasn't with her at this meeting.
"I am actually leading a pack, I wouldn't say I am an alpha persay, I rule it though," her words usually eloquent were more blunt, "I'm actually recruiting myself." She held back the laughter that swelled inside of her.
Her voice had deserted her at this incounter, whether Anga'fisi, the hyena goddess that she worshiped, was there and keeping silent she did not know, but she did know that there was no answer to her pleading.
What now? Mother, what now?
She tried her best to hide behind a visage of courage at meeting such a great leader, but it quickly faltered.
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:46 pm
Mafa's eyes narrowed further, this hyena didn't exactly seem to carry herself like a leader, but then again, Mafa hadn't been born the way she was now, it had taken years for her to perfect her ways. Seemingly, this female was just starting out. Mafa nodded, it was almost... Refreshing to have another pack around, though the competition for new recruits would no doubt be the cause of tension eventually. But with another pack came the possibility of an alliance against the lions. The more hyenas they had to face, the less of a chance those scummy felines had.
"If you rule it, you are alpha. Have faith in your own strength, your power over those you lead. Telling everyone you're not alpha will get you no where; will get you no respect."
Mafa tilted her head upwards slightly. Assertion was key. One needed to show others that one was fit to lead and denying yourself of rights that belongs to you wouldn't take you too far. Knowing that this female was an alpha as well brought her up a few notches in Mafa's eyes. She wasn't just a common hyena, wandering about all lost and alone. No, others followed beind her and that was a respectable sign.
"So, your own pack, eh?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:33 am
Lamyae's posture was more laxed, her muscles easing from their tauntness, and the preacher within her soon returned. She had forgotten about her kill, it lay at her feet in a haphazard lump, and probably went cold.
"I am used to being a speaker, not a leader. I was once told that I had the god's way about me. I...well I wanted to spread my views and the easiest way is to get many hyenas in one place and to preach to them," her voice was unweavering and 'flurishy'; she was in her element.
At Mafa's reiteration she nodded, "Yes, my own pack."
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:18 pm
Mafa's eyes opened a bit, almost as if she found the fact that Lam was a speaker of some sort rather entertaining. She had never come across a speaker before, especially one with a God's way? Mafa didn't even believe in Gods. That blue lion she had seen surely didn't count as one, even though he said he had been. All lions were full enough of themselves to consider themselves Gods. Mafa flicked an ear as the female spoke. She didn't seem to be affected by this hyena's way of preaching. It was most possibly because words never did have an affect on Mafa, it was actions that drove her.
"So, where is this pack of yours assituated, Lamyae? And just what is it that you preach? If you think about it, I suppose my pack preaches something too: the extermination of lions. It's a brilliant thing to preach, those disgusting felines need to rot."
Her voice grew passionate as she spoke, spiteful and malicious really. One could tell that she completely detested lions and was not messing around.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:30 pm
Words were the essence of the dark canine's soul, words were the truth, they were promises said to one another, and to her they were never lies. Her heart pounded as the other female spoke of lion extermination; her soul ached. She wasn't sure if it was possible to explain to this other that lions were her friends and that she spoke and always gave love.
"For the moment we are wanderers until we have found a spot to settle. What do I preach? Love and the exceptance of others, of course," her words tumbled forward but inside she was slowly taking a step back.
One alpha to another Lamyae knew for sure that Mafa was by far the more intimidating, and Lamyae hid her fear well, but could not hide her discomfort.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:36 pm
As the dark female spoke, Mafa's hackles rose, her icy eyes flared open with a surprised rage,
"Acceptance? Accepting the lions? Please, don't be ridiculous. Be proud of what you are, a hyena. You should have nothing to do with those damned vermin."
Spittle fell from Mafa's maw as she spoke, shaking her head every few words to underline her dislike of this idea. It was unfathomable to her that a hyena, one of her own kind, would preach love to such animals. Of course, Mafa didn't believe in love, but she believed in respect. And she respected her own kind, respected them enough to not be a traitor and root for the lions. She took a few deep breaths, calming down with each one, feeling the momentary fury seeping down out of her paws and into the ground. She looked up at Lamyae, no longer seething, but still apparently angry,
"You will still remain on our side, correct?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:46 pm
Lamyae had to use all the strenghth within her not to coware in fear as Mafa grew angry. She was not used to confrontation, she ahd never run into it any other time so this was a new experience, one she was most certianly not prepared for.
"Acceptance is the way of Anga'fisi, the mother of all hyenas. You should understand that by accepting another species there will be peace within all lands, and violence will cure nothing. Violence is for the ignorant and slow at heart," she huffed if she were a bird her feathers would surely be ruffled. "We will join no side, but play a neutral part in everything."
She was not enraged but slightly scared and confused.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:54 pm
Anga'fisi? Whatever that was? She surely wasn't Mafa's mother. Mafa still remembered her mother, even though she had been young when her family had been killed by a stray pride of lions, which, happened to be the source of her hatred for the creatures. But, Mafa wasn't violent, was she? Only sometimes, but did that mean...
"HA! Are you, you, calling me ignorant? Do tell me that I misunderstood"
The female stood up tall, glaring down at the younger alpha. There was no way that anyone would go around insulting her, not while she was alive and able to listen to it, no way.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:03 pm
I feel it is time to retreat, my child. The voice inside of Lamyae's head seemed to burn with anger and the dark hyena coundn't help but wince at the pain it caused within her.
Not yet, she answered cooly to the voice.
"I am saying that you are uneducated in the ways of love and compassion. This is no time to be acting out agaisnt the lions but embracing them, they are amazingly beautiful creatures. In the past many of them have wronged us, but have we not wronged them?"
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