《Debacle: A Tale of Tails》


 The Shadows Cover the Sun

    ¡°I swear to you. It¡¯s coming. I¡­I don¡¯t know what it is, but I know it¡¯s bad, and...I know it will bring death. Please, you must believe me.¡±


    The grizzled old hyena stood before his pack, his mangy fur littered with scabs and scars. His snout was still dark red from his attacker, not a minute earlier.


    ¡°Do we need to tell you again Yrsanu?¡± asked the magnificent alpha in front of him. Her glorious name was Aluraki, and she was his sister. She had a name as strong as the iron bite she held her pack together with. Every alpha needed to do so, if they wanted their pack to remain strong. No alpha had as strong a bite as Aluraki, and because of this, her pack was the strongest. No wild-dogs, no leopards and no cheetahs could stand against them. Their sole enemy was Karangoul, the king of a pride of lions, few in number but great in power.


    The unforgiving sun was high in the bright blue sky, plastering the land with a sweltering, unending heat. The ground was so dry and hot that the insects living beneath the surface had died. The plants were so dry that they were brittle and crumbled in one¡¯s mouth. The animals of the savanna were struggling, grasping onto life with the last of their unbroken teeth. Never had the drought lasted so long, nor had it been so intense. Despite all of this, each of them knew that though not all of them would, their species would survive to the rains. Yrsanu however, knew something far worse was coming. It ached in his heard and tortured him during his dreams. He could never see what it was, nor understand when it would come, but it was always there. And it was coming soon.


    ¡°I swear to you. I¡­ I can¡¯t explain it, but I know that if you don¡¯t leave, you will die.¡±


    Aluraki only raised her head higher to Yrsanu. She stepped forwards to his starved, bony form, looking down on him. His head was bowed, and his eyes were darting to his packmates around him, desperately searching for somebody that would speak for him. His eyes met only his sisters, and the sisters of Aluraki. He had been of the litter two years before her. The males had been chased off from the dried Hartebeest carcass. He was surrounded. Cornered by his own packmates.


    ¡°Please,¡± he begged, dipping his snout even further towards the ground. Silently he prayed to Gatharuus, the lord of the earth, that he would help. He didn¡¯t know why he did it. Everybody knew that Gatharus favored the females. They said it was just. In most other species, the males were favored. His mother had told him that it was fair that they deserved a chance to rule.


    ¡°Say that again,¡± Aluraki ordered, her voice clear and crisp. The voice of a leader, her bright golden fur glinting in the sunlight.


    Yrsanu didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°P-please. I know it. I can¡¯t prove it to you but-¡°. Before he could finish speaking, she had attacked him again.


    She threw his frail body to the ground, and clamped her jaw down into his shoulder, making blood trickle out of the wound, and into her mouth. Yrsanu howled in pain, as the other females crowded around him, howling in encouragement. Male hyenas were superfluous, disposable, and expendable. They were smaller, and weaker. None of them were granted the honor of watching a packmate being tortured. Her teeth sank deeper into his wiry flesh, making him force himself not the thrash out in pain. If he did, he might scratch her. If he scratched her, he would surely die.


    ¡°Is that enough for you, Yrsanu? Or should I go for your throat?¡± Aluraki gargled through the blood of her thrall.


    A mere weak whimper escaped the crippled hyena¡¯s mouth.


    Aluraki released him. He didn¡¯t dare move as the others crowded around him. He remained frozen to the ground, blood trickling from his punctured shoulder.


    Aluraki turned and kicked up dust from the parched ground over him, and the others followed suit. He was glad that he was blinded, so he couldn¡¯t see the rumps of those he hated yet was designated to love and serve.


    When they finished, they left him, crushed and nearly buried. A sign that he was no better to them than the dead.


    But Yrsanu wasn¡¯t dead. He may be no use to them, but that didn¡¯t matter to him as he forced himself to his legs, made no more of bone and shaggy mangy fur. The females were still trotting away to feast on the hartebeest. Not even all of them would sleep with a full stomach. He didn¡¯t look at them. There was nothing for him that lay within his eyesight.


    Limping, he picked his way off the mound, through the bones of previous carcasses he hadn¡¯t eaten, and selected a femur. It had been from a buffalo, more than a moon ago. He¡¯d managed to chase it to the trap of his packmates, waiting to slaughter it. A bone already stripped barer than the landscape of was of water. He lay down on the outskirt of where he was allowed to go and began to gnaw. The gnawing brought him no satisfaction to his empty stomach and caused his body to produce saliva from internal water he didn¡¯t have. It didn¡¯t sooth his restless mind, nor did it distract him from the searing, burning pain in his shoulder. He simply did it because it was what he did. It made no sense, but it didn¡¯t have to.


    The faint sound of soft, light paws padding through the scorched earth made his ears twitch. An annoyance disturbing him form his gnawing.


    A faint, low growl escaped his throat. He could smell that the hyena approaching him was a male, and though no male outranked a female, Yrsanu wasn¡¯t the lowest ranking male.


    The other hyena took a small step back, before making his way to Yrsanu¡¯s side, ignoring his warning growls. The crippled hound felt a small tongue rasp against his wound. A warming, comforting feeling.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Lions had the feeling of biting into a fresh kill. Wildebeests had the feeling of escaping to the other side of the river. Wild dogs had the feeling of nuzzling against each other in a warm den. Cheetahs had the feeling of the wind flying through their fur and carrying them ever faster. Male hyenas had the feeling of a tongue rasping over their wounds.


    Yrsanu however, was¡­ different. He instantly snapped at the other hyena, who let out a yelp, and leaped backwards.


    He was small and covered with more spots than usual. His legs were black, and his ears were round, the left one tipped gold. His face was too small for his ears, and his beady eyes were too big for his face.


    ¡°Are you deaf, Kkali? I growled for a reason,¡± Yrsanu huffed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said the smaller hyena. His fur was still bright and hadn¡¯t yet been torn up too much to stop its glint. He had only recently been cast from his mother protection, and to the tip of her claws. Slash marks down the side of his snout told the story to Yrsanu. ¡°You¡­I¡­That wound. It looks¡­ bad. I thought I could¡­. Um¡­¡±


    ¡°Well you couldn¡¯t. I was about to fall asleep. I¡¯d forgotten about the pain,¡± the grizzled hyena lied. ¡°You¡¯ve brought it all back. Stherien pup,¡± he cursed.


    Kkali looked hurt. ¡°Well I¡­¡±


    Yrsanu stopped listening, as something caught his eye. Gilinda, the current watch hyena, was dozing atop the Spotting Rock¡¯s irresistible shade. Instantly, an idea formed in his worn, but still quick mind. He turned and took off. Never again would he get an opportunity to escape like this. Only once in his lifetime had the watch hyena fallen asleep, and one of his brothers had attempted to escape, while they were still yearlings. It had been shortly after they¡¯d discovered that the comforting pup life was a mere lie, blanketing that which was ahead of them. Yrsanu¡¯s brother; Diraak, had been caught and killed.


    Yrsanu sprinted faster than if he was chasing a dik-dik, his long, clunky limbs sending him flying through the dry savanna grass. He had too. He must escape. There was no alternative.


    If he was caught now, he would die. There would be no chance to even live the rest of his life until he died of disease, starvation, or blood loss, at account of his sisters.


    On and on he ran, not allowing his cramping haunches to stop him, nor his gasping lungs. He knew that he would leave a trail of blood behind, but there was nothing he could do. His best chance was to make as much distance between him and his back before they realized that he was gone.


    A rock rolled out from under his paws as he scrambled over a snake¡¯s basking spot, sending him tumbling head over heels. The snake hissed but didn¡¯t pursue him. He knocked his head, sending his vision tripping more than his feet were. Before he could take another step, he had sprawled over the ground.


    He lay dazed in the dust for a moment, letting his head still, when he heard the sickly strong howl of Aluraki. He had been discovered.


    Scrambling to his struggling feet, he began running again. His long, loping legs carried him onwards towards freedom. His dizziness didn¡¯t leave, accompanied by his hunger and thirst, nagging at his empty, sagging stomach, but he couldn¡¯t allow himself to stop now. He plowed forwards, running in a shaky line, and crashing through the grass.


    A searing pain shot through his foot, as a thorn tore through his skin between his toes, making his teeth accidentally chomp into his tongue, and sending him tumbling once again. Down a slope, he rolled for a second, before landing in a bed of dust that plumed up around him.


    His head was spinning. His nose was clogged. His eyes were blinded. His body was filled with pain. But he could hear. He could hear the sound of a hyena¡¯s footsteps, sliding down the slope to him. There would be no use in trying to run now. It was futile.


    ¡°Let me flow into greatness as the circle of life goes on,¡± he tried to say through his bleeding tongue.


    The hyena stopped right in front of him, and as he braced himself for the teeth to sink into his neck. Instead, they sunk into his scruff, pulling him to his feet.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, we got to go,¡± urged the young hyena. Kkali had followed him. His soft teeth, gently tugging him up.


    ¡°Get me up,¡± Yrsanu growled through his swollen tongue.


    Kkali pushed Yrsanu to his feet.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Aluraki? Is she almost here?¡± Yrsanu asked, limping forwards. They were in a dried our river bed.


    ¡°No. They haven¡¯t noticed us. She¡¯s disciplining Gilinda.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Yrsanu almost smiled, showing his huge, bloody teeth.


    The two of them reached the other side of the river, but the bank was too steep, and to eroded for them to climb. Yrsanu cursed under his breath.


    ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°We follow the river bank,¡± he decided, limping along the edge.


    They had barely gone ten hyena lengths, when they heard a howl. ¡°Stop in the name of Aluraki!¡±


    Yrsanu glanced over his bloody shoulder to see two female hyena¡¯s standing on the edge of the river bank. Girsaan and Dilitha, both of whom were his sister.


    ¡°Come and get us why don¡¯t ye!¡± Yrsanu hollered, finally fed up with them. He was beyond point of submission. Being caught now meant death.


    Dilitha nearly leaped in after them, when Girsaan stopped her. ¡°Sister, there¡¯s no way out of the river. It¡¯s too steep. We should ask Aluraki.¡±


    As Dilitha thought of what she should do, Yrsanu and Kkali started off again, progressing down the river.


    ¡°Call Aluraki, tell her we¡¯ve found him,¡± Girsaan told Dilitha.


    Dilitha nodded and sped off, as Girsaan leaped in after them.


    As Yrsanu and Kkali ran, the river bed became more and more moist, soon turning into mud, and by the time Girsaan was nearly behind them, it was ankle deep water.


    None of them had known that there was this much water anywhere in the savanna, but none of them would risk a stop to drink.


    ¡°Over there!¡± Yrsanu exclaimed. Part of the bank had collapsed, revealing a way to escape.


    Before he could reach it, he heard a yelp of pain. He turned to see Girsaan, pinning Kkali down.


    ¡°Yrsanu!¡± he screamed as Girsaan fought to get a good angle at his neck as he thrashed to keep his head above the water.


    The escape was just ahead of him¡­But Girsaan would catch up to him and kill him after she killed Kkali. He turned back not to save Kkali, but to save himself. He knocked the bigger hyena off the cub, and bit down on her back.


    Girsaan reared up, throwing him off. She leaped onto him, pinning him down instantly, submerging him.


    He thrashed and kicked out, but Girsaan was too heavy, crushing him beneath her weight. He tried to crane his head above the water, but it was met with bone crushing teeth. He desperately kicked out at the ground, and attempted to roll, but Girsaan¡¯s grip was too strong, and his energy was faltering.


    Yrsanu couldn¡¯t see what was happening, but he felt the water push against him, rolling him over, and Girsaan getting ripped off him. He tumbled over in the water, before throwing his head over the surface and gasping for air. Kkali was scrambling for the escape, and Girsaan was being dragged through the water. Massive green scales could be seen above the water, as Girsaan howled for help. She was being hauled to deeper water where the beast could kill her properly.


    Yrsanu stood, frozen in shock as his sister was turned into nothing more than a ripple in the water.


    ¡°We must go!¡± Kkali called from the other side.


    Yrsanu shook his head in shock and followed the smaller hyena.

 The Fleet Footed and the Bloody Toothed

    ¡°Kirisa, Tiruk, Lukarin. My children. You must be brave You must be strong. You must be quick. The springhare is fast but you are faster. Never forget that,¡± the mother cheetah, called Tsiqai, told her pups.


    ¡°We¡¯re not little anymore, mother,¡± Lukarin said, brushing up against her affectionately.


    It was true, the three of them were almost her height. However, they were still lanky, clumsy, and soft. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you grow as big as a lion,¡± their mother said, her sullen chocolate eyes narrowing. ¡°The spring hare doesn¡¯t care. He is wise, and he is tricky. To him, your strength doesn¡¯t matter, but your wits. He only grants you his energy if you deserve it. The weak, the slow, and the dumb will not catch him. You are strong, fast, and smart.¡±


    ¡°We are!¡± beamed Kirisa.


    Their mother nodded. ¡°Now, recite for me.¡±


    ¡°Life is a gift, and through it, we sift. We are no more than the dirt beneath our feet, nor the air which through we leap. The lion, the hyena, the dog. The sun, the moon, and the fog. We thank those from whom we take from, and we welcome those that will one day take from us. From birth to life, to death, we are one with that which surrounds us,¡± they said in unison. Each of them knew it by heart, as they said it every time they went for a hunt. The mantra was part of who they were. Every cheetah knew it, and every cheetah swore by its code.


    ¡°Good,¡± Tsiqai nodded. ¡°No go, and challenge spring hare.


    The pups yipped and yelped with excitement for a first chance to put their skills to the test. All their lives they¡¯d been waiting for the moment they were allowed to hunt the old spring hair. Tsiqai had always had respect for it, but its time was nearing. It was better to fall in battle than from disease. It had lived a good life.


    The three of them were so excited that their feet shivered as they stepped up and down, eager to release their bottled up energy.


    The springhare was sleeping, atop a rock. A casual observer would think it was an easy meal, but Tsiqai could see his ears twitching, ever so slightly. He knew that the cheetahs were near.


    ¡°Ok, how¡¯re we doing this?¡± whispered Kirisa.


    ¡°We stalk,¡± Lukarin suggested. ¡°If I go left, and Kirisa, you go right, and Tiruk stays here then we can surround him.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± Kirisa exclaimed, slightly raising her voice.


    ¡°No. Wait,¡± Lukarin stopped himself. ¡°He¡¯ll hear us, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Kirisa¡¯s shoulders slumped, and she sat back on her haunches. ¡°Well, what do we do then?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ we could try with a full attack. We try to outflank him? What do you think Tiruk?¡±


    Tiruk looked up from the ant she¡¯d been playing with. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°How can you be focused on an ant when we¡¯re about to hunt spring hare!¡± Kirisa asked, exasperated.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Tiruk said timidly, pulling her feet together and standing up higher.


    ¡°Ok,¡± Lukarin broadened his shoulders and ruffled his pelt. ¡°We need to seriously plan out how we¡¯re going to do this.¡± He extended a claw and drew out their positions. ¡°If Kirisa goes left but directs towards him, and Tiruk flanks around with a head start, and then I stalk up behind him¡­¡±


    Tiruk leaned in to get a better view, trying to understand what her bigger brother was saying.


    It was too late when Lukarin noticed Kirisa¡¯s haunches raised high into the air, ready to spring forward.


    ¡°Stop!¡± he exclaimed, but she had already begun, flying forwards with the acceleration of a fish eagle.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to catch up!¡± Lukarin shouted, taking off after his sister. Tiruk followed, hard on her brother¡¯s heels.


    Kirisa knew she was the fastest, which is why she was leading the assault. She sped towards the spring hair, saliva flying out of her mouth as her lean, aerodynamic body covered the ground between them.


    She closed in on her prey, opened her jaws and sprung at the sleepy hare. As she flew, she brought her jaws together, only for her teeth to knock against each other as she crashed into the dust.


    Instantly she rolled to her feet, a furious growl scrunched her face.


    Lukarin flew past her, pursuing their prey, with Tiruk struggling to keep up. Kirisa shook the dust off her pelt and took off after them.


    Lukarin sped after the hare, keeping up with its twists and turns as it tried to best them. Lukarin wouldn¡¯t be bested. Kirisa was faster, and the hare was more agile, but Lukarin was smarter.


    ¡°It¡¯s headed to the river,¡± Tiruk panted.


    Lukarin couldn¡¯t waste any breath on speaking. He only charged forwards. He was faster and closing in. The hare glanced over its shoulder and its eyes went wide as it saw Lukarin just behind it.


    Unfortunately for the cheetahs, the old hare had escaped many times and knew how to best the smartest of cheetahs. He dove to the left, making Lukarin skid past him.


    Tiruk leaped at it, and before it could recover, she bowled it over. ¡°I got it!¡± she exclaimed.


    Before Lukarin could even get to his feet, the hare had kicked his small sister so hard in the chest that she was knocked off if him.


    Cheetahs usually hunted alone, or rarely in twos. The hare never expected Kirisa to come smashing into him from the side, clamping down on one of its ears. Lukarin joined the tussle, receiving an onslaught of battering from the hare¡¯s hind legs.


    The hare wiggled and wormed and twisted its body, biting Kirisa in the shoulder.


    She hissed in pain, recoiling from the fight. Tiruk smashed into the hare from the side, trying to bite it in the stomach, but she was kicked so many times in the nose that she backed off.


    Lukarin was no match alone, as his long lanky limbs struggled to hold the squirming hare. Not a moment later, he was thrown off, and the hare took off again.


    ¡°No way is this happening,¡± Kirisa grumbled, instantly at full speed. Her light hearted mood replaced by a striving hunger to succeed. Tiruk was by her side but quickly fell behind. Lukarin didn¡¯t waste any time, forcing his panting lungs to work harder, his lean muscles powering him forwards.


    The three of them followed the hare, amazed at its speed in spite of its age.


    Tiruk fell further and further behind, as her siblings pursued the hare further. Eventually, she was chasing them by scent, and soon enough, she¡¯d lost them completely.


    Broken, she slowed to a halt.


    ¡°No child of mine is that slow.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep up. I¡¯m too small,¡± Tiruk said, her voice barely louder than the grass in the wind.


    ¡°Am I big? Lukarin is taller than me, and Kirisa is longer than me, but I am faster than both of them,¡± Tsiqai told her cub. She¡¯d been following them and watching their progress. ¡°Get up. They¡¯ve stopped.¡±


    Tiruk let out a weak whine, but stood, and began loping after her mother. Faster than she thought, they picked up the scent of the others.


    By now, the sun was hanging low in the sky, painting it with an array of brilliant oranges and purples, making the savanna around them glow.


    Tsiqai¡¯s pace quickened, as they neared.


    The two of them broke through the grass, and into a small, barren clearing, just off from the river where the last crocodile lived.


    Kirisa and Lukarin both stood with their feet splayed, and their chests heaving, glaring at the other form.


    Tiruk had to squint in the fading light to see what it was. She thought she could see, but it seemed impossible, yet sure enough, it was true.


    Standing before them, were two hyenae, the bigger of them holding the springhare in its jaws.

 The Black Tipped King

    ¡°Behind me Kkali,¡± Yrsanu murmured. He¡¯d never seen a cheetah that wasn¡¯t speeding away from him, let alone four of them that were standing their ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s our kill,¡± one of them shouted. He was young, as were the other two, but he was taller and lankier, with a crinkle in his brow that radiated intelligence.


    ¡°Yeah! We chased that thing from the edge of the Lion territory!¡± another one yelled. This one was long, sleek, and lean. A runner.


    A third stepped between the two of them. Shorter, but stockier. The fourth and the smallest shied behind them. ¡°My pups have fought long and hard to catch this hare. They deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Too bad they didn¡¯t catch it then,¡± Yrsanu growled, setting the kill down and stepping in front of it.


    The mother cheetah widened her stance, putting as much of herself between Yrsanu and her cubs. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to fight you for it. We are simply asking you for a share.¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Yrsanu asked. ¡°Cheetah¡¯s can¡¯t catch their own kills?¡±


    ¡°Stop it,¡± Kkali breathed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a fair catch.¡±


    ¡°When has fair ever played a factor in our lives?¡± he snapped back.


    ¡°Your friend has a point,¡± the mother said. ¡°It will be better if we share it. Allow us to part ways afterwards. I am Tsiqai, and these are my cubs, Lukarin, Kirisa and Tiruk.¡±


    Yrsanu¡¯s head dipped lower, and he curled his lips back revealing huge yellow teeth. A low growl escaped from his throat.


    Then, all of them turned their heads to the left, as the grass parted and a magnificent female lioness showed herself.


    ¡°Who¡¯re you growling at, scavenger?¡± she said, with a voice like silk.


    Another lion emerged from the grass as well, this one was an oversized male. ¡°What have we here?¡±


    ¡°We were just passing through,¡± Tsiqai assured. ¡°We¡¯ve been in a bit of a holdup.¡±


    The huge male lion, with a black-tipped mane, noticed the hare. ¡°Passing through? And taking our prey I presume.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your territory! These are free lands!¡± Kirisa piped up. Her mother hissed at her to be quiet.


    ¡°Not anymore,¡± the lion declared. ¡°The land to the west is crowded with black rivers and rolling creatures. It smells of smoke, and the buffalo are always alert. Two of our pride were killed last moon by a killer that cannot be seen. We need this land. And if this is our territory, then that is our kill.¡± He lazily walked over to Yrsanu.


    The hyena snarled and lunged forwards, only to be batted aside.


    Kkali shrank into the grass as the huge lion picked up the hare in his mouth and walked over to Tsiqai.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be on our way, I assure you,¡± she told him, her feet almost vibrating with the urge to run.


    ¡°Predators mean competition. Competition is something we cannot afford to have.¡± His head sank in his shoulders as he walked towards her.


    She stood her ground, blocking the path to her pups. A fatal mistake.


    The lion swatted her in the neck, with his claws fully extended, tearing through her veins and flinging the lighter carnivore to the ground.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Instantly, Kirisa, Lukarin, and Tiruk attacked but his roar made them halt in their tracks.


    ¡°Let this be an example to you. No other predator will set foot in our land!¡±


    Yrsanu, still lying on the ground and feigning death, recognized the lion at last. This was Karangoul, the king of the savanna. The only creature that Aluraki feared was Karangoul, and the only creature Karangoul feared was Aluraki.


    As the great king and his mate disappeared back into the grass, the pups swarmed to their mother. Kkali leaped out of the grass and stood beside them.


    Yrsanu could see the situation as he stood up, glancing at the claw marks on her neck.


    She was lighter and frailer than he was. Built for speed, not brawn. The claw had punctured her jugular, and she lay in a pool of her own blood, painting her fur red. Her breaths were rasped, and short.


    ¡°My pups. Death isn¡¯t a tragedy. It is a celebration,¡± she wheezed. ¡°I have lived long enough to herald you three, and you must carry on my legacy. Fight, only when fought. Treat others with the respect that you would want from them, even if they don¡¯t give it to you,¡± she coughed, making more blood spurt from the wound. ¡°Remember your promise to your children, and to your ancestors. Let me pass now and live long enough to raise children of your own. Our species¡­ must survive.¡±


    Kirisa was frozen in shock. Tiruk was rubbing her face along her mothers back. Lukarin stood as still as a stone, muttering prayers. Kkali looked horrified and pressed to Yrsanu¡¯s side. All five of them remained with Tsiqai, unable to provide any help besides their presence, waiting for her soul to leave. The five of them were grim-faced, but Tsiqai was smiling.


    ¡°Do not be sad. I¡¯ve been gifted the chance to live. As have you.¡± Her voice became weaker and fainter, and her face became wan. ¡°Follow your honor, as well as your hearts.¡±


    Kkali buried his face into Yrsanu¡¯s coat, wouldn¡¯t stop shivering, even after Tsiqai had stilled.


    Her three cubs remained, standing vigil with blood collecting at their feet. None of them had thought that it would come so soon. None of them were ready to brace the savanna alone. They didn¡¯t have to. They weren¡¯t alone. They had each other.


    Yrsanu was the first to speak. ¡°Death among Hyenas¡­ it¡¯s different. With cheetah¡¯s, it¡¯s so fluid. So¡­ proper. When a hyena dies, they are buried, or even eaten, and the others move on. Some even celebrate that they are allowed to move up their ranks¡­¡±


    The cubs didn¡¯t reply, but huddled together, snuggling against each other as the last rays of sunlight dispersed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that life outside of the pack was this bad,¡± Kkali breathed into Yrsanu¡¯s pelt.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t. At least, it won¡¯t be,¡± he replied, shaking the smaller hyena off him. ¡°We just need to get out of here before¡­ it comes.¡±


    Kkali nodded, his big eyes looking impossibly larger in the moonlight.


    ¡°Leave?¡± squeaked one of the cheetahs. Yrsanu recognized her as Tiruk.


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re leaving as fast as we can.¡±


    ¡°Are you the only ones left in your family?¡± she whispered, crawling towards them, unable to bear the sight of her mother any longer.


    Kkali shook his head. ¡°We ran away.¡±


    ¡°Why would you ever do that?¡±


    ¡°Hyena¡¯s aren¡¯t like cheetahs,¡± Yrsanu glowered.


    ¡°Most of these scars aren¡¯t from outsiders, but from my own.¡±


    Tiruk recoiled in shock, but before she said anything, Lukarin spoke.


    ¡°We¡­ we¡¯ve got to get out of here. We need to move.¡±


    Yrsanu glanced at Kkali. ¡°Can you not feel it?¡± he asked. ¡°The danger that¡¯s coming?¡±


    Lukarin shook his head.


    Kirisa crept forwards, a guilty hang on her shoulders for leaving the vigil. ¡°I¡­ I felt it. Like an overhanging rain cloud of dread. I told Tsiqai, and she said she felt it too and that she¡¯d move us when we were ready. I didn¡¯t think that it would be the lions, but there¡¯s no doubt that it is.¡±


    ¡°It was the lions? Really?¡± Kkali asked, his small scared form finally leaving Yrsanu¡¯s side.


    Kirisa nodded. ¡°It must¡¯ve been.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± the bigger hyena snapped. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the lions.¡±


    ¡°It was!¡± Kirisa protested. ¡°What could¡¯ve been more terrible?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ this thing¡­ this thing that¡¯s coming it¡¯s¡­ beyond any of us¡­ bigger than the lions¡­ bigger than the savanna,¡± Yrsanu muttered, the words tumbling out of his mouth like he was mad.


    ¡°Are you proposing that we leave the savanna?¡± Lukarin asked, incredulously. ¡°That¡¯s ludicrous.¡±


    Yrsanu wavered on his feet, his mind was a flood of thoughts and shadows. ¡°I can¡¯t tell. I think so. I just know that we need to get away from here.¡±


    ¡°Well then we agree on that,¡± Kirisa declared.


    ¡°We¡¯re in accord. We will stand vigil for our mother tonight, and leave first thing in the morning,¡± Lukarin decided.


    The two bigger cheetahs, accompanied by kkali, went and stood by Tsiqai.


    Tiruk crept to Yrsanu. ¡°Which direction?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow¡­Where do we go?¡±


    Yrsanu looked to the navy-blue horizon, and to the twinkling stars above. The half-moon covered partially by a grey cloud. He felt the dusty earth beneath his feet and the dried mud beneath his claws. He sought to understand the horrid, aching, yearn that was throbbing behind his ribs. But no answer came to him.


    ¡°North. We go north.¡±

 The Brethren of the Wild

    Lukarin snapped at Kkali. ¡°I¡¯m trying to think!¡± he hissed, the fur on his back standing. ¡°Stop damn asking questions.¡±


    Kkali shrank away, scampering to Kirisa. It had now been four days since Tsiqai¡¯s death, and the truce between the cheetahs and the hyenas was an uneasy one. Since they¡¯d left, the only meal had been two ground squirrels, both caught by Kirisa. They were starving.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so prickly,¡± Kirisa told her brother.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to damn think of what we should do,¡± Lukarin snapped. ¡°Because this clearly isn¡¯t working.¡± He slid his paw along the dusty ground and flicked his tail to the barren landscape. The shrubland was only reducing as they progressed.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you hunt instead of damn thinking. Your thinking isn¡¯t getting any food in our stomachs.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t fight,¡± Kkali whimpered.


    Lukarin stepped closer, glaring down at his shorter sister. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be in this damn situation if it wasn¡¯t for you and Yrsanu. Your faith in him is going to get us killed.¡±


    ¡°You must trust him!¡± Kirisa shouted. ¡°I trust him because I feel it as much as he does. You¡¯ve got no reason to trust him, but you¡¯ve got every reason to trust me. Tiruk trusts him, so why can¡¯t you?¡±


    Before Lukarin could respond, Yrsanu was beside him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay with us,¡± he said, his voice like gravel.


    The waft of rot from Yrsanu¡¯s mouth made Lukarin snicker.


    ¡°You can stay in the savanna and die. I don¡¯t give a damn,¡± Yrsanu continued. ¡°I¡¯m saving my own rump, and whoever wants to join me is invited to.¡±


    Lukarin turned and faced Yrsanu head on. The young cheetah was taller by a quarter head, but much lighter. Yrsanu had ten times more experience, and could take ten times the hits, despite his injuries. A confrontation would have an obvious winner.


    The sickening look in Yrsanu¡¯s eyes told the others that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate.


    Lukarin showed no signs of backing down.


    The confrontation was inevitable.


    ~


    ¡°Can you see? Can you see it in the stars?¡± Yrsanu asked Kirisa. The night sky bore down upon them like an empty maw. The horizon line were the jaws of the unfathomably massive creature falling towards them, waiting to swallow them whole. The creature that only Yrsanu and Kirisa could feel. A mere ache within them that told them a sole word: Run.


    ¡°The danger?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Yrsanu¡¯s large tongue slid over his teeth. ¡°The ones before us.¡±


    Kirisa craned her neck upwards. The lithe figure of Tsiqai, leaping and prancing with Silukithn, the night.


    ¡°They¡¯re mocking us,¡± Yrsanu rumbled. ¡°Taunting us. Daring us to try and survive.¡±


    Kirisa shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re watching for us. They see the dangers ahead, but they cannot do anything to help us. Only if we seek and accept their wisdom, can we make it out of this.¡±


    A short, gruff laugh came from the hyena, that sounded more like a cough. ¡°I pity you for thinking that.¡±


    Kirisa looked at him, distraught. Then she turned and looked to the others. Tiruk and Kkali were snuggled together, an intertwined, tangled heap of soft fur and warmth. Lukarin lay apart from them. His breath quick and his pelt dusty from tossing and turning. His mind plagued with hidden darkness, lunging for him, but dancing just out of the way as he tried to fight back. It was a war he couldn¡¯t win. A war against himself.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    A soft, nearly inaudible ruffle in the grass made the two predator¡¯s ears twitch, but neither of them had the energy to go and investigate.


    ¡°It¡¯s been three sun downs since I ate,¡± Kirisa complained, lying down and putting her head on her paws.


    Yrsanu collapsed onto his side. A wave of relief flooded through him as the pain he hadn¡¯t even noticed was there in his knees subsided. ¡°Last meal I had was a vulture forsaken buffalo hoof, seven sun downs ago. Since then I¡¯ve only been drinking my own blood.¡±


    His tongue wound was healing quickly. He had nothing to eat, so he couldn¡¯t complain that it was stopping him from feeding. The wound in his foot was clogged with dirt, so he grabbed it in his mouth, and ripped it off. It would be fully scabbed by sun rise and healed in two sun downs afterwards. His neck and ear however, were his biggest concerns. Injuries usually didn¡¯t worry Yrsanu. He always healed, and he rarely licked. Hyena bites however, were deadly. The old rotten food stuck between their teeth carried diseases. Any bite they inflicted would be infected, and Yrsanu could already feel the effects on him.


    ¡°That looks bad,¡± Kirisa pointed out, noticing his torn ear.


    ¡°If you touch me, I¡¯ll rip your throat out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get infected,¡± Kirisa said stubbornly. She crawled over to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve killed more cheetahs than dik-diks in my life.¡±


    ¡°None of them were your friends though,¡± she leaned forwards and let her soft tongue slide gently over his ear. It tasted foul, and sickly sweet with disease, but she didn¡¯t care. She knew Yrsanu was good, and she would do what she could to bring it out of him. She couldn¡¯t do that if he was dead.


    ~


    ¡°Can we rest? We¡¯ve been walking since sun up!¡± Kkali bawled. He hadn¡¯t yet been exposed to the full length of the Savanna. The lengthy stretches of buffalo trampled grass seemed endless to him.


    ¡°We could cover a lot more distance if we ran,¡± Kirisa suggested.


    ¡°Run if you want to,¡± Yrsanu murmured, plowing on ahead. He knew that him and Kkali would never be able to keep up, but he couldn¡¯t care less. Their lanky front legs and shortened back legs could never match the cheetah¡¯s lithe, lean form.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to stay together,¡± Tiruk said, her slight voice was barely louder than the wind. ¡°We¡¯re stronger together.¡±


    The sea of buffalo to their right stretched on and on, as far as the eye could see.


    ¡°The lion¡¯s prey,¡± Lukarin stated. ¡°Reserved only for them.¡±


    Yrsanu snorted.


    ¡°Hyena¡¯s hunt buffaloes too!¡± Kkali cried. ¡°Aluraki once let me eat part of a buffalo liver.¡±


    ¡°The hyena, the only ones of the Savanna that can rival the lion,¡± Lukarin continued. ¡°You know, if us cheetahs worked together, we¡¯d stand a chance as well.¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t enough of us left,¡± Kirisa said, wistfully.


    A small pack of wild dogs -maybe seven- were visible, lounging across a stretch of dirt, unwary of a giraffe that was headed towards them. To their left, was a small pond, barely bigger than a puddle.


    ¡°Call me a jackal if there¡¯s a crocodile in there,¡± Yrsanu yelped.


    ¡°Is it right to take water from them?¡± Tiruk asked, but she got no response as the others sped towards the wild dogs.


    ¡°Get out of here, flea carcasses!¡± Yrsanu hollered, barreling towards them. Lukarin and Kirisa moved to his flanks.


    The wild dogs were instantly on their feet, ears and tails pointed to the sky.


    ¡°Mange hound!¡± one of them cried, as they formed a defensive circle.


    Yrsanu took no notice of the insult as he charged, jaws snapping, into their ranks.


    Instantly, the rigid, shoulder to shoulder wild dogs scattered, running in every direction. None of them individually stood a chance against the hyena, but collectively, they were more than a match.


    Yrsanu swiveled, now with his back to the pond. He unleashed a flurry of aggressive barks. He easily weighed double that of each wild dog, but they had numbers.


    Lukarin and Kirisa were standing at his side, unsure of what they could really do. Tiruk and Kkali were nowhere to be seen.


    The wild dogs fanned out, advancing slowly towards them. Each of them unsure of what to do. Their leader prowled forwards, glancing at the others to make sure they were doing the same. Suddenly, one of them broke the ranks and turned to face the others, with it¡¯s back to Yrsanu.


    ¡°We are honorable creatures. Thiriden, we¡¯ve had the water for twelve sunrises now. We can let them have a share,¡± it said.


    Both Kirisa and Lukarin were stunned, losing their aggressive stances, but Yrsanu curled his lips back even further.


    Another wild dog, presumably Thiriden, stepped forwards, with its chin raised high. It paused before speaking. ¡°Does Qassan speak for the pack?¡±


    The wild dogs nodded vigorously. Most of them looked as if it was Yrsanu¡¯s size and growl that had persuaded them, not their moral compass.


    Thirden nodded. ¡°We will leave the pond but will return at sun down. If you haven¡¯t left by then, there will be bloodshed.¡±


    ¡°Why does there always have to be bloodshed?¡± Tiruk asked, suddenly at Lukarin¡¯s side. ¡°Why can¡¯t we just share it?¡±


    Lukarin didn¡¯t respond. He was too intrigued by the wild dogs, staring at them with his analytical eyes as they loped away.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Yrsanu muttered, shoving his snout in and gulping down the murky, dirty water.


    Kkali let out a squeal of delight, and bounded forwards with big clumsy steps.


    The cheetahs were more delicate, keeping their feet from being wet, and lapping up the water with their small pink tongues.


    The warm water felt like a river of cooling ice, running down Yrsanu¡¯s desert dry throat. The dirt particles stung the open wound on his tongue, but he couldn¡¯t care less.


    ¡°