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 Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:56 am
She was cranky and irritable despite the fact that she had more than enough reasoning to feel relaxed and happy. But that was Zimwi and none could say they had ever seen her smile or looking relaxed. She was a twitchy, mumbling, mad old thing with eyes that seemed to dart from one thing to the next.
Even now she was sitting amongst a cradle of rocks with her head hunched low, mumbling to herself.
"...never know....always know...I don't know." And then something inaudible before; "All a test. Just a test. Need to see something that is not there. See something that is evading the eye..."
Another pause and then: "Mind's eye."
The sound of a rock rattling across the ground startled her from her thoughts. Her head jerked up, eyes bulging. "Who's there?!"
And then she growled; long and low in her throat.
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 11:28 am
"It's me," came a clear voice. "Mafuu."
Her eyes rested on a hunched figure amidst rocks. The wildness of the old hyena's gaze made Mafuu second-guess herself, but she stood her ground regardless.
She'd never had the opportunity to talk with Zimwi about her visions. Whether she was crazy or gifted, Mafuu didn't know. Yet.
But she had gone there to find out. She needed something more to reassure her in her revenge.
"You said something about...mind's eye?" Mafuu asked, hoping her conversation-opener wouldn't set the grumpy female off on a tangent. She had heard the consequences of interrupting Zimwi were less than fun.
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 11:44 am
"Oh." Zimwi quickly tried to look unfazed and settled herself back into her brooding, hunching posture. It was likely that she would have said nothing more, allowing Mafuu to pass by - if that had been her intention, of course. Unfortunately, it seemed that this female wanted to chat. Zimwi really wasn't in the mood to explain herself to this hyena.
Her heavy brow drew lower over her blue eyes and finally they seemed to settle onto the other's dark face. "Eavesdropping." She growled. "Is not a good trait, Mafuu. You'd do well to remember that." And then, just to have some fun, perhaps, she draped her forepaws off of the rocks and leaned forwards on her elbows.
"The last hyena who was curious about my visions had his face torn off." Or...at least, she thought he did. Or was it a she? Or...was it a hyena? Ah well, never mind. The details of the story hardly mattered. "What do you want? If you want me to try and see something in your future then you'll be sadly disappointed. I don't take requests."
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 12:10 pm
Eyes narrowing in concentration, Mafuu listened to the old female speak. She did her best to look more comfortable than she actually was. Holding a conversation with someone like Zimwi was an extremely strange experience, and she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to have it again.
Her first mistake had been letting Zimwi know she had been listening. She hadn't originally intended to eavesdrop. It just sort of happened. But the less she said about the subject, Mafuu figured, the better. The last thing she wanted was to flip any of the old girl's switches.
"Yes, I heard about that," Mafuu said easily after the other hyena had finished speaking. "I didn't come here to request anything. I just wanted to know more about..." she paused for several moments, trying to formulate exactly what she wanted to say.
"I wanted to know more about what you see, and what it means."
It was an honest enough reply, even if she was hiding her full intentions.
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 12:28 pm
She gave a gruff nod, pleased that the story had gotten around the little group. At least that way she knew she wouldn't be bothered again...well, unless she happened to be lounging around in the sun. Then all sorts of nobodies would come to bother her.
She crossed her forepaws and drew her head up. "A doubter, are you?" She wasn't offended, but she was...disdainful. "Even now?" There was a moment of silence and then she scoffed and laughed; though it was not a pleasant sound. "I see many things, Mafuu. Good things. Bad things. Simple things. Complicated things. I do not choose what I see but I do control when I see them." She lifted a heavy brow and paused a moment, wondering what was bothering the female.
"Most are important. Some are not. I trust in my own experience to tell the difference." And finally she rose onto her paws and slinked down the rocks towards her.
"I am a trustworthy sort. Would you not agree?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 12:57 pm
Mafuu's maw twitched when Zimwi laughed. She tried to understand her explanation, but the topic was a difficult one to comprehend. It was hard to believe in something so abstract, and even harder to talk about it. But the strange leader spoke so confidently about her visions. Did that mean they were real?
Looking back to the older female when she began to approach, Mafuu lowered her head a bit, perhaps out of a subconscious desire to show respect.
"I agree..." Mafuu said carefully. That was the truth, and it showed. She had trusted Zimwi so far and hadn't yet been betrayed. No, the hyenas didn't deserve her distrust or anger. It wasn't them...
Her mind filled with images of her sister's corpse and she quickly shifted her gaze.
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:42 pm
"It pleases me to hear you say that." She replied, her eyes darting across the landscape.
It would take time to get used to these new surroundings but she was glad of a home at last. Only time would tell whether it would be a good home for them. For her.
And then, distractedly, she continued. "My visions brought us here, after all. A place where hyenas live and flourish and where we might find peace from that which torments us. A place untainted by lion paws. A place to call our own." Her eyes flashed. "Hyenas should stick together...not...turn against their own. A group of this size is rare amongst our kind - or as far as I am aware - so let us not fight now." She sat carefully again, close to Mafuu now. "I shall seek more answers in my visions, friend. Do not fret. My work is not done now that we have arrived. Now we must ensure that our haven remains as such."
A hint, perhaps, at her feeling of disquiet. "Somehow...I feel that not all has yet come to pass."
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 5:05 pm
Eyes igniting at the word "lion", Mafuu turned sharply and listened even more closely than before. Yes, it was a place "untainted", and Mafuu sorely hoped it would remain that way. Unless...the hyenas decided to stain it with those filthy creatures' blood. Something in her itched at the thought.
The hyenas had to band together. She knew that much. And those that wanted to stifle her need--her goal for revenge...they were on the wrong side.
Mafuu's ears shifted to detect what she thought was an opening into more conversation--something dark. She, too, moved closer, and was beginning to seem more comfortable around Zimwi's presence.
She wanted to believe in her. And she was starting to, more easily than she had first thought.
"What do you mean?" she ventured, eyes wavering over the scarred face before her.
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 3:08 pm
"What do I mean?" Zimwi echoed, her eyes flashing with some strange amusement. She knew the hate that festered in this female's heart. Knew it and, in a way, admired her for it. After all, to lose one that you loved at the paws of those...those vermin. Yes, they deserved hate and pain. But, revenge would not be sweet if it was easy, now, would it?
"You will see soon enough, dear Mafuu. Patience, child, and you shall be rewarded. I am certain you will have your chance to spill lion blood."
A cruel smirk scrawled its way across her face and, with a low growl - a sort of dismissal - the old girl shook her scarred pelt and let her eyes dither. "Now, if that is all, I think I may go seek company with my visions again."
She didn't move off, however, until she was certain that Mafuu wouldn't try to chase after her, drawing back an ear to listen for a response.
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 5:24 pm
Spill lion blood...
Mafuu listened, ears hungry for more. Each word was feeding her desire to kill. The reassurance fueled her ambitions. It was okay to feel this hate. It was okay to burn. She would get her chance...
Zimwi was an enigma.
And over the course of their conversation, Mafuu had come to believe in her.
So there would be blood spilled...lions would be killed. Zimwi had Seen it. If she had just said she was certain, then it must be true.
Kosi.....
Although she had more questions, Mafuu got the hint well enough that her confrontation had come to an end. At least here was a hyena who understood her hatred for lions. If Mafuu decided to believe in anyone, Zimwi was the best choice. Her time with the group leader had been more fruitful than she had ever anticipated.
"Thank you," she murmured.
She had always had her doubts, but now she found those doubts dissolved.
Filled with renewed confidence, Mafuu gave a respectful nod, then left the old hyena to her visions.
Her wish for vengeance burned stronger than ever.
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Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:10 am
Happy with this little meeting of there's, Zimwi was confident - for the time-being at least - that Mafuu's trust had been strengthened. Certainly, it would be unbreakable once a lion wandered close and she had a chance to feast on his bones and ease the need for vengeance within her. Whether one lion would be enough to sate the hatred, the old female didn't know. Nor did she much care. She held no love for the lions and each one that was brought down was a good thing indeed. Little by little, the lions would learn their place again.
They would learn to fear.
With a short nod and a sharp exhale of breath, the scruffy, scarred hyena loped off again. Her form, even in age, a powerful thing to behold. There was much hate and anger and stirring it was not a difficult thing.
/fin.
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