Bhati, a small Bat-eared fox, watched three lion cubs, the children of her friend Simba, wrestling for a position in front of her "calm down, calm down, if you don't settle down i won't tell the story at all" Bhati said trying to make herself more comfortable on the raised rock in the cave.
the First of the cubs to settle down was Kion, the youngest cub, with a shocking red mane that reminded Bhati of Simba's father and went rather well with his bright yellow fur, sitting dilegently in front of her waiting to hear what she was going to say. "Come on you have to tell us" Simba's oldest Son Kopa, a cub with a darker mane and fur than his brother said stopping what he was doing to lounge next to Kion.
Kiara, the only girl of the bunch and who looked much like Kion did, was the last cub to sit down before she turned to look at Kopa "i'd have thought she'd have told you this story while you were all on your wanderings?" Kiara asked.
"No it was mostly just, this herb is for this, and these animals live here, the whole time" Kopa replied shaking his head while trying to remember if he had heard parts of the story before.
"Guy's she's not going to start till we're all listening" Kion complained nodding impatiantly at the Fox watching them with a half smile on her muzzle.
"Sorry" came the quick reply from the other two cubs.
"oh thats fine, your parents were worse at your age trust me" Bhati said laughing lightly at some old memory.
"anyways, well where best to start hmmmm, maybe my first home, yeah there's a good place" Bhati started "it all started in a hollow rock-"
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Bhati could still smell the smoke, it clung to the small kits tan fur like a cloying darkness. when the fire started she ran, and hadn't stopped running until it she couldn't see the flames anymore. she was lost, alone, hungry, tired and soon she'd be wet, it'd started raining when she reached an unusual rock out in the plains she'd ran too. the rock itself was rather big, resembling an eggshell, it was full of holes, seemingly hollowed out or eroded away inside. all she really saw was shelter from the rain that had come to wash away the ash. she crawled into the rock the inside was almost cavernous she slumped against the cold ground and fell into a dreamless sleep.
When Bhati woke she could still hear the relentless downfall of rain hitting the rock she'd sheltered in, it hadn't stopped, but atleast she couldn't smell smoke anymore. She groggily opened her eyes, it was dark in the cave but she could make out what looked like a branch lying in front of her. a branch that seemed to be absolutely covered in Termites. "oh, you're awake!" an excited voice piped up from her left. Bhati turned to look at who had spoken, what she saw was a rain soaked Hyena with dusty grey fur and dark brown spots the formed up into little triangles, bright blue eyes and a happy expression on his face.
"Who-" Bhati started weakly before the Hyena interrupted pushing the stick closer.
"no, no eat first, time for that later, do you know how hard it is to find termites in a rainstorm" the hyena said softly. Bhati was too tired to say anything so she just crawled forward and began eating.
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"h-how bad was the fire" Kion squeaked out quietly, Kopa placed a comforting paw on Kion's head.
"it was bad, we went up there a while back, it's been years and some of it still hasn't grown back yet" the older lion said softly.
"yeah, it..was bad, the whole thing wasn't terrible, I met Nyota after all, but...i don't want that to happen again" Bhati said a sad smile on her face.
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When Bhati finished eating she fell asleep, too exhausted to think properly despite the hyena sitting next to her. When she finally woke back up the rain had stopped and the sun had come up, the hyena was still in the cave with her, watching her sleep from an elevated ledge above. "it's good to see you're ok, glad someone got out of that fire, whats your name little thing?" the hyena asked a certain softness to his voice, like he was trying hard not to scare her.
"Bhati" the bat eared fox mumbled out "well I'm Nyota, welcome to Hollowstone cave, population three" the hyena, Nyota, said cheerily.
"three?" Bhati asked sitting up and stretching her legs.
"yeah, me, You now, and...Iggy should be here somewhere?" Nyota said beginning to look around for someone Bhati hadn't seen yet.
"Up here Nyota, still trying to get warm" a female voice said from one of the rounded openings to the outside, it came from a small green lizard that began to lean over the ledge, a Savannah monitor, Bhati Thought, that must have been Iggy. Having gotten a good look at these two Bhati thought they couldn't have been too much older than she was, and she was just a child.
"cause ya know, some of us don't like the rain, you great spotted mess" Iggy continued.
"wait Iggy was small back then?" Kiara asked looking up at Bhati inquisitively, Bhati laughed lightly. "we were kids, we were all small back then, except Nyota he was pretty big" Bhati said thinking about how gangly the hyena used to look at that age.
"and someday we'll be bigger than you" kopa stated proudly.
"and i dread that day" Bhati giggled the other cubs joining her.
"Come now Iggy, the rain is wonderful" the hyena began laughing, this long almost akward laugh.
"I'm just glad the fire has stopped" he continued. Iggy nodded in agreement possibly too hard as she proceeded to slip from her postion on the ledge. Without even thinking Bhati jumped forward in an attemp to catch the falling lizard. The fox kit let out a small "uff" as the lizard landed softly on her back.
"Ow, nice catch Bhati" Iggy began as she attempted to balance herself on the fox's back "oh wow you're super soft".
"Easy with her Iggy, she inhaled a lot of smoke last night" Nyota, who had jumped up to help Iggy as well, said before he slowly began to move towards the mouth of the cave the hyena paused to look over his shoulder back at Bhati and Iggy.
"make yourself comfortable Bhati, you're welcome here, I need to check on the other animals nearby, I just hope everyone is alright" he said, concern evident in his voice, before he stepped out and vanished from view.
"Annnnnd he's gone, always on the move that one" Iggy mumbled before nesting even further down into Bhati's fur.
"Where's he going" the fox said while attempting to tilt her head backwards to look at iggy and failing.
"There's a couple other animals that live nearby, like he said he went to check on them, he's a worrier" the small lizard started "you wanna head outside, warm up a bit?" she asked crawling her way onto the bat-eared fox's head.
"Think I might stay here I feel...I don't feel up to that" Bhati mumbled as he circled the spot she'd slept in the night before, she promptly sat down in it her eyes drooping slightly, still tired from the night before.
"Well then its back to my warm ledge for me" Iggy commented as she climbed down off of Bhati and made her way back to her ledge.
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"Mkuki?" Nyota asked, he had found his way to a small grove nearby that contained a decent sized watering hole that had a miniscule waterfall leading into it on the far said and a petrified tree sitting nearer that over looked the spot of plains that had been ablaze the night before. Sitting in the tree was a much older grass owl, speckled with brown spots dotting his dishelved feathers an unblinking gaze on his pure white face , who was staring of into the distance.
"I'm still here Cub, fire didn't get me if that's what you're worried about" Mkuki called down from his perch not movig an inch.
"I suppose not, glad to hear you're okay then" the hyena said as he made his way under the tree walking towards the watering hole.
"I don't think the fire was natural" the owl said, causing Nyota to stop in his tracks.
"what?" the hyena asked quietly.
"could be nothing, just a bad feeloing in my gizzard" Mkuki started and spun his head upside down to look at the hyena underneath him.
"But I thought i saw something moving out there last night, before the fire, like a single red eye glowing in the moonlight" the owl continued.
Nyota looked straight up at the owl and said "I hope you imagined that" the hyena's voice carrying a concerned note.
"Me too Cub, me too" the owl uttered returning his gaze to the plains "now go check on the others, that honeyguide's heart probably stopped after last night" Mkuki mumbled under his breath before silently ruffling his wings.
"You're probably right" Nyota sighed as he resumed walking towards the edge of the water. As he drew closer he could hear a pair of voices coming from the otherside of a small mound of dirt.
"alright, now breath, calm deep breaths Hamu, the fire is already over" the first voice said as Nyota crested the hill catching sight of the exasperated dark grey furred honey badger as she attemped to calm down a small fluttering mass of light brown feathers that could be vaugly recognised as a honeyguide.
"But we coud have been caught in it Kweli!" Hamu shouted zipping about like an insect before the honey badger reached out and grasped him in both paws pulling him into her chest.
"shh, shh, we weren't though calm down buddy" Kweli whispered soothingly to the honeyguide as he began to calm down resting in her arms.
"Hey Nyota, everythings calm here now" Kweli started as she turned to look at the hyena and began to laugh, a deep full laugh, "you look like you got caught in the rain" the honey badger continued to laugh as she sat Hamu ontop of a nearby rock.
The honeyguide flitted about on the rock before tacking off and flying in a circle around Nyota "you're gonna get sick doing that" the Hamu fretted.
"Had too, had a starving smoke choked fox kit wander into my den" Nyota said puffing out his chest.
"Oh dear, I hope the poor things ok" Kweli said finding a shaded spot by the hill to lay down in.
"Yeah, she woke up a little bit ago before I came to see about everyone, she seemed well enough though" Nyota answered glancing out over the water.
"well that's something good out of this fire buisness atleast, well I don't think we'll keep you, now that Hamu is relaxed maybe we'll see about getting some food" Kweli yawned curling into a ball and turning away from the hyena "in a few hours" she finished.
"Go on Nyota I'll handle this" Hamu sighed landing on Kweli's shoulder shaking his head the whole time.
The hyena just chuckled and walked away heading for the waterfall where he knew he'd find Nuru, the meerkat liked to float at the top of the miniture waterfall. He reached the spot quickly enough and just as he thought there she was, a small tan meerkat absolutly covered in brown spots, lazily foating in short semi-circles in the water "Nyota" the meerkat callee out, eyes still closed. "wha-" Nyota started a suprised look on the hyena's face before its replaced by a toothy grin "it still suprises me how you can do that" the hyena said.
Nuru just shrugged dipping slightly under before righting herself "you should join me, the waters fine, and awfully lonely" the meerkat said.
"Can't busy today" Nyota said turning to leave now that he knew the meerkat was fine.
"Busy with the Fox kit?" Nuru asked Nyota before he had managed to wander to far away.
Nyota stopped and looked back at the still floating meerkat questioningly "yea- sort of, How'd you even know about that?" the Hyena questioned his eyes narrowing.
"Aoko and Shani mentioned it" came the meerkat's half-hearted response. Nyota nodded his head, that made perfect sense the pair of aardwolves couldn't keep a secret and he had asked for Aoko's help finding food for Bhati during the night. "Ah, well in anycase, id better go check up on her, so, later then Nuru" Nyota said as he began the short trip back to his home.
"See ya" Nuru shouted at the Hyena's retreating form.
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Nyota arived home to the sight of a fox kit and lizard curled up on the ledge of one of the holes that doted the rock he had made his home. "Your're right this is a good spot" Bhati murmered stretching out her paws in an attemp to catch more sun.
"I know, so warm" the lizard resting on the fox kits stoming said mirroring the fox's actions.
"Well glad to see you're doing better" Nyota chuckled at the pair. Bhati upon hearing him was startled and jumped in suprise sending the lizard tumbling off of her and herself coliding with the roof of the hole she had curled into.
"Why do I keep falling off of things" Iggy complained as she scrambled back to a safer perch on the ledge.
"Cause you're growing and not used to your new size yet" came Nyota's off handed answer as he went about helping Bhati out of the hole.
"Thanks" the fox kit started as she shook off the dust before being interupted.
"so is everything good with everyone" Iggy interupted jumping from her perch onto Nyota's head landing none to gently.
"Everyone is still here if that's what you ment, Old Bird said some worrying things but its probably nothing" the Hyena mentioned off handedly rocking his head so the lizard would slide onto his back in what seemed to be a practiced stunt.
"What kinda worrying stuff?" Iggy asked making herself comfortable.
"That someone might have started the fire intintionaly" Nyota answered.
"Hah and how would anyone have even pulled that off" the lizard laughed.
"He might not be wrong" Bhati whispered frowining slightly.
"What do you mean?" Nyota asked quickly.
"no its nothing I just, gah, I dont remember much from last night" Bhati started, the fox sounded genuinly frustrated with her lapse in memory.
"Its fine, best not to dwell on itright now" Iggy said looking at the tiny fox from between Nyota's earsand trying to force a smile.
"Yeah, I guess" Bhati mumbled her shoulders sagging in defeat.
"How about" Nyota begam, thinking of a quick distraction "I take you to the wateringhole and you can get a drink" the hyena finished.
"Sure, I was getting kinda thirsty" Bhati admitted perking up slightly at the prospect of going somewhere new.
"Then I'll lead the way" Nyota said as he began the short walk back to the wateringhole
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"Wait a minute" Kiara spoke up, her brothers glancing over at her in annoyance. "how did you know about the parts you weren't there for?" the lioness questioned, the looks an Kopa and Kion's faces changhig fro that of annoyance to curiosity as they turned back to Bhati.
"Simple really, Nyota told me later" the fox answered easily "now hush, no more interupting" Bhati chuckled.
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The small group arrived at the wateringhole rather quickly passing under Mkuki's Tree, the owl had appearntly left, possibly to find a place to sleep, Nyota never could find where the owl actually slept. Nyota pointed at the tree and began to tell Bhati about Mkuki.
"He's this really old grass owl that's lived here longer than pretty much anyone, we don't really know all that much about Mkuki actually, Iggy thinks he used to be a teacher or something" Nyota finished jokingly only for the lizard to clamber atop his head.
"He just has that air about him, like he's disapointed in all your life choices" Iggy proclaimed laughing from aher perch atop the hyena's head.
Bhati began laughing as well "He sounds intense" the fox got out in between her laughter.
During their conversation they had reached the water and Bhati stopped to take a drink. The water seemed amazing to her scratchy throat and the fox became so distracted she didn't notice the pair of aardwolves,a male and a female, that came up to the trio until they were practicly on top of them.
"Well good to know she's doing ok" one of the aardwolves, the male, said teasingly as he lightly bumped into Nyota knocking the smaller hyena off balance.
"Oh Aoko, play nice now" the other aardwolf spoke up, her voice sounding as sweet as honey. While Nyota regained his balance Bhati had finished drinking and had finally noticed the pair.
"Nyota knows I'm just treasing him Shani, anytime the cub needs my help id be glad to give it" Aoka said jovialy before mumbling under his breath "even if it is the middle of the night". Aoko looked Bhati up and down examining the fox kit closely walking a circle around the small fox before flashing her a large smile " well, you seem like a good sort, Nyota, aren't you going to introduce us?" The aardwolf asked glancing over at the hyena that had just recovered from the shock.
"O-oh right, Bhati this is Aoko and his mate Shani, Shani, Aoko, this is Bhati" the hyena said introducing the pair and realizing he'd have to do this a lot more in the coming days.
"It's nice to meet you" Bhati said looking from the aardwolves, to Nyota and Iggy, and thought to her self maybe, just maybe everything would turn out okay.