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 Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:53 pm
I have one face
that has two sides
would you like to meet
my right or left eye~
The young male hyena was dull and sandy shades of brown, blending in with the dunes and scrub rather well. It was probably the reason he was still alive, since he was able to sneak up on small animals to eat them... but he was unsuccessful more often than not. At the moment he was making up nonsensical songs about himself to distract him from the rumbling in his belly. Of course when the unpleasant part of his mind interrupted him to remind him about the fact that he hadn't actually forgotten he lost track of his song and sat down to scold it. Of course after that point he was just arguing with himself because the other part of his mind happened to be a smug jerk. Talking to himself was just so hard sometimes when he wouldn't stop being difficult like this. It didn't occur to him that anyone watching might find it odd that he was grumbling back and forth at himself in two different tones of voice. It was rather normal for him, since he'd been on his own for as long as he could easily recall.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 3:29 pm
Diallo was gone on one of his scouting trips, and Lilah was alone. That was all right. She didn't mind being alone. She lay in the shade of a stunted tree, her twisted leg stretched out before her. The fierce sun beat down on the limb. Its heat melted the pain a little. There was a deep, cold ache in the bones that never truly went away, but for now she was content.
A soft scuttering sound came from the ground beside her. Lilah sighed. Not truly alone, then. That ugly little bug was back to following her. She rolled her eyes in its direction. How long did bugs live? Surely this one would expire soon. The black hyena snorted, raising a puff of dust from her outstretched arms.
Scutter, scutter scutter. Jingle jingle jingle. A thin melody, twisting through the air. Not just a melody in her head this time. Lilah blinked. Another. Not Diallo. Definitely not the horrid bug. Another. She laid her ears back, uncomfortable. She could not outrun a strong hyena, nor could she fight one. Lilah would just have to wait. Silly of her, to drift off like that. Too silly.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 3:44 pm
Axis decided he could continue his argument on the move. He could always shut himself up if he thought there was game nearby.
"Well, if you know we're hungry, why haven't you done anything?"
"There's nothing around to do anything about it with."
"Why don't you try being less lazy?"
"I'm not la-"
He paused, blinking both eyes at slightly different intervals, and dropped to the ground to crawl forward on his belly. He'd just smelled something he hadn't run into for a long time... and it wasn't game. There was another hyena nearby. An adult... female. Females were visciousvisciousviscious. His mum's sister killed his mum and dumped her little ones out in the middle of nowhere, so he knew that for a fact. Still... anything had to be better than being alone with himself. Right? Maybe. The other part of his mind was sing-songing about him getting himself eaten now... Ugh.
He poked his head forward through the scrub he was currently concealed in to see what could be seen, not realizing that the wind had shifted direction while he was trying to sneak forward and he was now facing the wrong direction but probably visible to the one he'd been trying to investigate. Oops. Hopefully he didn't look threatening enough to be dismembered or something...
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:09 pm
The sounds ceased. Lilah let her mind drift. There. A faint, subdued tangle of emotion. Odd, all knotted up. Must be more than one hyena. She slowly moved her head from side to side, eyes closed, hoping for a sightless glimpse of the strangers. Yes. There. Her eyes opened. A small hyena was crouched some distance away, partially concealed by scrub. Its scent was coming to her now. Lilah observed it silently. Although only one hyena was visible, she still had the strangest feeling that there was more than one present. Perhaps its companion was further away.
Running would be useless, but Lilah drew her stiff legs up under her anyways. She didn't want to give the impression of being easy prey if the little one's parents were close by. A jolt of icy pain thudded up through her breast as she put weight on the injured leg. The black hyena leaned to the other side heavily, waiting for it to subside. So much for not appearing a cripple. She opened her mouth, drawing in breath and scent. The wind had brought her no new information. One cub, alone. At least for now. If Lilah had had words, she might have called a greeting to the forlorn little stranger. In the company of her friend Diallo, she was usually able to manage some conversation. Now she cast her thoughts back through her memories, searching for speech. None came. Unfortunate. She watched the cub guardedly, silent.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:25 pm
Axis blinked when he realized he'd gotten turned around somewhere and warily scanned the area before his eyes fell on Lilah. Oh... he'd been spotted, hadn't he?
See what happens when I let you steer?
Oh shut up already! We're going to get in trouble if you keep this up!
I like trouble.
Axis mentally glared at the other side of his mind while it laughed at him and huffed. Well... seems he'd been found out so there wasn't a lot of point staying here, was there?
He krept forward, head low and tail partly tucked between his legs, wary. The other side of his mind said he was being stupid, she was obviously crippled, but... well, the leg was twisted and so he conceded the point partially. However he wasn't willing to bet his life on an assumption. He made a tentative sound of greeting, stopping several paces away so he'd have a little bit of a headstart if she decided to do anything unfriendly.
I want to poke her leg. Get closer.
No! She could bite us then!
Coward.
Maybe so but if I listened to you we'd be dead by now.
At least I make life interesting.
...Sigh.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:36 pm
Greeting. Lilah cocked her head to one side thoughtfully. The cub seemed wary and inoffensive enough, but something... something put her on edge. She was by no means a mind reader, but normally she could get a feel for the shape and texture of others' minds. The little one's thoughts oscillated wildly, skating up and down across her perception. It was giving her a headache. She wrinkled her nose and huffed as if trying to clear an offensive scent from her nostrils.
Anxious now, Lilah shifted her weight uneasily from one side to the other. She pushed off the ground, rising to all fours, ready to run. Of course, the most she could manage would be a kind of ungainly half-sprint, but Lilah would be prepared to make the effort. She forced herself to focus and let out a little yip. The bug shimmied up over her uninjured forepaw, clittering its claws at the strange cub. Lilah felt a surge of unexpected gratitude for its presence. If the weirdling cub decided to attack her, maybe the bug would give it pause.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:26 pm
Axis wasn't sure what to make of the situation. She seemed as wary as he... but he was just a lone little cub. One snap of her powerful jaws and he'd be finished if he got too close. His thoughts trailed off at the sight of the bug and he involuntarily took a step back. Was it... serving her?
Isn't that one of those poison bugs that killed sis?
Well... it's similar. It's not the same though.
Like us?
Axis briefly glared off to the side, the external sign of his internal reaction. I'm not sure what we are, but no, not like us.
He looked back to Lilah, posture returning to one of wary submission. What was he supposed to do? She looked more likely to leave than to attack him, and he supposed if it had to be one of the two options that was preferable. It would be nice, though, if he could make some semblance of alliance with whatever other hyenas wandered this turf. She might be alone here, she might not, but either way if he were to run into her again after this it would be nice to know he stood on non-threatening terms.
Go over there so I can bite the bug.
Axis looked back to the side he'd previously glared at, a look of slack shock crossing his features. "Are you insane? You said yourself that looks like one of the poison bugs that killed sis!"
"And who was it exactly that said our talking might get us in trouble?"
"I also told you to shut up, you certainly didn't listen to that! And I said you talking would get us in trouble! You're the one that likes trouble!"
"It's not my fault you're boring."
"Yeah, but it's my fault we're not dead, so lay off!"
"But it's so much fun to rile you up!"
"You're a jerk."
"You're a coward."
"Why am I still talking to you?"
"Because I'm you and you can't get rid of me?"
"If you weren't me I'd bite you."
For the moment it appeared that Lilah had been forgotten as the alternating tones of voice continued to argue back and forth from the dual-faced cub's mouth.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:08 pm
Lilah stared at the cub, bewildered. She had argued with herself at times, but this was something else entirely. Her fascination overcame her caution. Lilah took a step forward. The scorpion fell from her paw and sat still, its tail twitching indignantly. Lilah ignored it, intent on the cub. Did it ail? Could it be helped? She had seen hyenas run mad, but never like this. Weirdlings come raging out of the poisoned zone, slavering and screaming. Sick ones frothing and thirsting and finally wasting away. Not like this. Strange, strange, strange.
"What do you do, little two-face?" The words slipped easily from her mouth, surprised out of her. Lilah's ears twitched back and forth. She was intrigued but not entirely distracted. She wouldn't allow anyone else to sneak up on her.
The bug, the cub had asked about the bug. Lilah lifted a hind paw and set it firmly down upon the bug's armored back. It would not harm the cub. Her tongue awkward once more, Lilah struggled for a moment. Finally she settled for tossing her head in the direction of the irritated scorpion. "Ugly," she said.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:21 pm
The movement in his peripheral vision caused Axis to jump slightly and he turned to face Lilah again. Her posture was entirely different... but not threatening. His other self was laughing at him again.
Her question caused him to scrunch up his face thoughtfully. "He talks to me... but he likes to make trouble. I was here first so he has to listen to me. Except when I tell him to shut up." His tail drifted a bit more firmly beneath his belly when she settled her paw on the bug's back. And she called it ugly! It seemed irritated but it didn't try to sting... he stared in fascination for a moment until his other self butted in again.
Can I go bite the bug now?
"No you may not go bite the bug or go poke her leg! Now stop asking!" He gnashed his teeth to side at his other self threateningly, which only got him laughed at again, because he knew very well he wasn't going to bite himself. He looked back toward Lilah, posture sulking slightly. "He showed up after mum was killed and sis and I got dumped, but he didn't talk much until after sis died. It's not really so bad most of the time, and he's someone to talk to, but any time we find something that might be dangerous he always wants to go mess with it." Another idle glare to the side followed that statement.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:34 pm
Poke her leg? Lilah's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Was the beast threatening her? Not good, not good at all. A flash of her old temper overrode her alarm. She would bite the cub good if he attacked her. The cub's posture was still meek, submissive. Lilah calmed.
She pondered the cub's words for a moment. It didn't sound like he had a family, but he certainly seemed to be talking about some kind of companion. Maybe even talking to that companion. Lilah couldn't hear anything, though. A sudden spark of insight. Perhaps the cub had its own nasty, scabby little pest! Lilah's ugly bug had never spoken, but who knew what others might do? The black hyena squinted at the cub, wondering if a scorpion lay hidden in its scruffy fur.
Lilah released the scorpion, turned around and prodded at it with a cautious toe. "Who speaks. Another?" she ventured, her tail waving from side to side. Her fear had faded now that she was confronted with an interesting puzzle. Lilah felt energetic, even cheerful. The female bounced lightly on her uninjured feet in a playful dance.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:39 pm
Axis grew alarmed for a moment as Lilah's posture grew more aggressive, but it slowly turned non-aggressive... even... playful. He relaxed, just slightly, and considered her question. "He's... sort of another. He's me. But not me. He talks in my head when I won't let him use my mouth. I don't... really know what he is." He frowned slightly.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:16 pm
The silver and black adult male had slipped away in search of water. But his short-planned scouting objective had quickly turned into an ordeal when he'd managed to get turned around near some of the bad-smelling water. It had washed over his own scent trail and he'd doubled-back over the same area far too many times before the wind finally shifted and gave him the all-clear to sprint back towards where he had left Lilah. Whenever Diallo was out of her sight, he constantly worried that he would return to find her long gone or wounded in some manner. Not only was he bringing no news of good water, he had worked himself up to a near-frenzy.
His state of worry did nothing as he leaped over the very top crest of a dune to catch a glimpse of Lilah and another hyena. He didn't need to think to react, redoubling his effort into an all out sprint that he tried to aim between the other one and his Lilah. He was growling by the time he came crashing to a halt, buried past his front ankles in the sand he'd thrown himself into to stop him. If Lilah and the other hyena hadn't moved in his approach, Diallo was directly between them, leaning in towards Lilah. His momentum and his stance had him low to the ground, his side and flank inexpertly exposed as he tried more to cover Lilah's wounded front legs than his own body. His growls, which were more pants than anything else, slowly tapered off as he realized that they were faced with a pup.
He had over-reacted. And that was an understatement. Diallo gave a small whine of apology, though it was hard to determine whether he was directing it towards the pup or Lilah for embarassing her or leaving her.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:30 pm
The cub's peculiar response dampened Lilah's enthusiasm somewhat. A voice in his head? That sounded ugly. She knew of a hyena that heard voices. A bad-news beast, it was. Lilah twitched her lips back over her teeth. As she wavered uncertainly, trying to decide whether the cub was a threat after all, Diallo made his spectacular entrance. Lilah yipped with relief.
Lilah's good mood was restored. No matter how dangerous the cub might be, it would stand no chance against two adults. It was a silly little thing, anyways. Nice enough. Could be a bit crazy, but nice enough. She resumed her dance, nudging playfully at Diallo's shoulder with her nose. Her emotions were usually vague and disconnected, but she had begun to feel affection for Diallo. She felt nervous when he was gone. Missed him, even. Unable to put this into words, she settled for another nudge.
The dark female hopped in an awkward circle, coming around to face Diallo. Her whisk of a tail swished in the cub's direction as she gestured towards it with her snout. Frustrated, finding herself once more at a loss for words, Lilah hoped to convey with her cheerful posture that things were all right. At least for now.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:24 pm
As low to the ground and tail-tucked as Axis had been to try and keep Lilah at ease enough not to snap at him, when Diallo showed up he uttered a surprised alarm and tried to retreat but only managed to trip all over himself. By the time things had settled again he was trying to figure out how he'd wound up folded in half with his shoulders and neck on the ground and his hindquarters dangling above his head.
Well, you've definitely made a fool of yourself now.
Like you're any help.
I keep telling you to let me steer, but no...
You'd steer the body right over to getting bitten by that poison bug!
They don't bite, they stab you with their tails.
So what? Sis said it felt like she got bitten. And we'd be dead either way!
It might not kill us. You never know.
You're right, I don't know. And I don't want to find out!
I just wanna have a little fun, mister stick up the hindquarters.
If I've got a stick up my hindquarters, so do you, so shut it.
...I was speaking metaphorically!
And I was speaking seriously. Shut. Up.
Finally Axis got his other self to quiet down and decided to just topple himself over on his side and roll to his feet, shaking his head to try and clear the rush of blood from being upside down out of his ears. That only succeeded in making him feel dizzy, so he sat down and stared devoutly at bit of scrub near his paws until everything stopped spinning. After that was taken care of he made sure his tail was tucked back under is belly and glanced nervously over at the two adults, though they seemed preoccupied with being happy to see one another.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:40 pm
The cub's ridiculous fall distracted Lilah from her friend. She cackled a laugh. Something about the little beast was disquieting, but she found its clumsiness charming. Maybe it wasn't a normal cub, but it wasn't a bad one either. Lilah decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and trust it for now. She walked slowly over to it and gently pressed her nose against its cheek. Poor thing. The black hyena felt empathy for it. She did, after all, have some experience with being clumsy.
Who are you? Where do you come from? What clan is yours? What do you do here? Good questions, but not ones she could ask. And sister and a mama dead, that she knew. That would be enough. Lilah felt serene. Presently things would become clear, and that was good enough for her. She stared contentedly into the distance, frozen in mid-dance for a moment. And then,
She felt playful. Cheerful. Good. Lilah shook herself as she came to life once more. "What do you do, little two-face?" she asked again, smiling benignly at the little cub.
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