Njeve had been skulking around the Kitwana’antara lands once again. Timur was out doing whatever his duties happened to be for the pride, which he never really conversed about with Njeve, and had left her by herself to find something to do. The adolescent hyena was becoming more and more aware of the fact she would soon be a contributing member to the pridal society and had no idea what role she wished to take up within the pride.
She figured a good walk would clear her mind, but it didn’t last as her walk became a sulk and she found herself moping about the joint, wanting for Timur to be by her side. She wanted to converse with him on this subject and felt that he would probably have a suggestion of what she should do with herself. If she couldn’t pry a suggestion from him, she figured she could ask Nawiri what she thought fit Njeve best, but at the same time she didn’t want to continuously rely on others for help. It was not how her mother had raised her (for the short time she did raise her) and it definitely wasn’t what helped her to survive in the first place.
Njeve had managed to get herself lost in through when she stumbled upon the pridal crush of itty bitty baby lions that made up the new generations of the Kitwana’antara. It was an odd feeling for her, seeing the little ones play about when it wasn’t so long ago that she was a little one, a pride of the pride for being new life, free from disease. She had found out only shortly afterward that she would forever be free of disease, because unlike the pridal kin she lived with, Njeve was a hyena; hyena were not afflicted by the pride’s plague.
Eppie had noticed Njeve walk into the little crush of cubs unknowingly and found it amusing. She had seen the female hyena many times since she was brought to the pride as a small pup, which was back when Eppie herself was still a budding adult. She had seemed so scared of being around others, or sometimes just very aloof. Eppie often wondered if whether or not the poor girl had been through some sort of trauma before she had been brought to their pride by another hyena, named Timur, but she never found any indication of abuse. She spoke to people when approached, though it was obviously hard for her to do.
Noticing how the little cubs were swarming themselves around the adolescent hyena, Eppie smiled. She seemed so very lost amongst the little ones, looking at them as if they were little foreign bodies instead of lions. She quickly made her way over to free the adolescent hyena from the happy swarming babies with a chuckle, “I apologize for their enthusiasm Njeve. They love seeing something other than a lion.”
It bothered Njeve that this lioness happened to know her name and she didn’t know the lioness’s, but it was to be expected in a pride that was actually rather small in comparison to most in existence. After all, most of these lions ended up dying quickly, so it was considered imperative to know each other and create bonds. Njeve never had done so, up until recently anyway. She felt that she would eventually be abandoned by the pride like her family had abandoned her, but to her surprise she hadn’t been and felt that the guard she had kept around herself needed to be lowered, if only a little.
Njeve averted her eyes out of habit as she spoke to Eppie quietly, “It’s…alright. Babies are supposed to be curious… aren’t they?”
As the little ones managed to be distracted by something else new, a bird of some type, Njeve looked up at Eppie and than away once again. She wasn’t sure if asking for her name would make her look rude and stupid for not knowing her pride members, but she wasn’t sure how to address her.
“I…I’m afraid I don’t remember your name,” She state, quietly and coldly.
Eppie smiled to Njeve, sensing her caution in her words. She seemed so guarded and it only made the lioness want to reach out to her more. She had heard of Njeve’s past and couldn’t imagine living through it. She grew up loved by everyone and held in high regards because of her assumed immunity. Growing up without a family is what drove Eppie to becoming a nanny when she found out she truly was afflicted with the pride’s plague. She only wish she had found out sooner. She would have taken care of Njeve if it was needed.
“It’s alright, I’m Eppie,” She said, her voice filled with love and unhindered affection. “Do you know what you’re going to do with yourself now that you’re an adolescent, Njeve?”
“I…No,” Njeve replied, still amazed by how much the rest of the pride knew about each other. Word traveled so fast that when she finally did decide on her path in life, everyone would probably know by the end of the day.
“I’m not sure what I want to do,” She murmured, staring off into space for several moments, “I was thinking a Nanny… or a Scout.”
Eppie’s eyes lit up quickly at the possibility of another Nanny within the pride, especially one who would never become ill. Njeve would always have the energy to keep up with the little ones, especially when Eppie didn’t, not that she wanted to admit that eventually she would be as ill as Gerda. She hoped by the time that happens, Gerda would already be dead and that her love, Jozo, would spend all his time caring for her the way it should be.
“Scouts and Nannies are great choices for your, Njeve. Especially since you are so healthy you’d be able to travel the long distances and keep up with the little ones,” Eppie smiled, unaware of the fact that Njeve didn’t find the fact that she would never be afflicted by the pride’s plague a blessing. “I know that whatever you choose you will do well in.”
Njeve appreciated the encouragement and sentiments Eppie was showing her, but it still didn’t make her feel any better about the fact that at anytime the Queen, Nawiri, would fall prey to her disease and die. Njeve only hoped it wouldn’t be before she had a chance to repay her for allowing her to stay on Kitwana’antara lands and to make them her home.
The adolescent hyena looked over the cubs that were playing and felt a small twinge in her gut as well as a tiny smile creep across her face. For some reason the little babies at play gave her a rush and she wanted to reach out and hug them. Perhaps it was because her own childhood had never been so happy or love filled, or maybe she wanted some of her own. She wasn’t sure what she wanted anymore. She should talk to Timur.
“I hope so,” Njeve said, looking around and seeing that the cubs were wondering away from Eppie and that she would soon need to follow, “Thank you for your words, Eppie. I should be going now…”
Eppie smiled to the hyena and gave her a nod, “You have a good day, Njeve. Stay safe!”
As Njeve slinked off, Eppie turned her attention back to the cubs who had wandered off from her a little ways and scurried towards them quickly, “Little ones come back here! Auntie Eppie can’t lose you or she’ll cry!”
This is a SRP/JRP & is 1273 words.
