The sun was still low in the day, and for that Nakamba was very thankful. He and his clanmate, Rivu, had been traveling the savannah ever since a group of lions invaded their clan's kill, slaughtering the hyenas that stood their ground against them. They had been few in number in the first place, and as far as the emaciated pair knew, they were the only ones left.
So now the two hyenas were struggling across the lands, trying to find something suitable to eat. Twocreatures who normally scavengeddidn't do very well on their own, despite the fact that their hunger had only made crueler and more cunning than they had been before. Rivu began whining before too long, as Nakamba suspected. It had only been four hours and already he was working himself up over something. The two didn't like each other very much, but they both realized their chances of survival were far better for now if they stuck together. Nakamba, though, knew it was only a matter of time before he really followed through with those threats to kill Rivu if he kept mewling and griping.
"Nakamba, are you sure you know where you're going?" he asked in an annoyingly drawn out and simpering tone. Nakamba snorted and nearly nipped his comrade in the ear.
"Of course I do, you idiot! Now shut up! I'm very hungry and don't want to talk."
"I bet I'm hungrier," replied Rivu sulkily. "You always get the best part of any kill we find. You know I wanted the ribs on that half-eaten wildebeest we found a few days ago, but did you let me have it? Noooo."
"Shut up, will you? We're coming up on a buffet soon enough, so keep that slobbering mouth of yours shut so they don't hear us."
"They?" said Rivu, eyes now alight with the possibility for a meal. "They?" he repeated, sounding as foolish as a pup. "Who's they?" he persisted, scooting in closer to Nakamba, who shoved him back with his skinny, but powerful shoulder.
"Meerkats, you dolt! There's a huge colony of them just a ways off from here, and if we're quiet, we'll be able to get a few of them at least. I know your mouth runs a lot quicker than your brain, so we should be able to snag a pretty hefty breakfast." He turned suddenly and shoved his snout against Rivu's.
"So don't screw this one up." Rivu stood with his ears folded down for a few moments as Nakamba started off again, but being as irrepressible as he was, he couldn't stay quiet for long.
"So, buddy, Nakamba, pal, what's the plan?" he said, already beginning to drool.
"We willapproach from the north," snarled Nakamba, the predator's light glaring in his eye. "After we set ourselves up on that hill I saw on the north side, you'll circle around to the east and cut them off when I drive them towards their tunnels. You'll be waiting for them when they try to jump for safety. There's plenty of hills and grass to hide in, so not even an idiot like you could mess this one up. When they're bunched together in front of their tunnels, squirming to get inside… that's when we fall on them." Nakamba knew it would be far more difficult than that. However, the two were desperate for just a sliver of meat right now.
Hunger drove them on to a slim gamble, but one that would pay off nicely if they were careful.
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"OW! That was a dirty hit!" yelled Timon as he and Trip rolled down a hill outside. Trip sat up and laughed from where he had landed nearby.
"Ahh, come on, Timon. It ain't my fault you got those spindly little arms!" he teased, prompting Timon to wrap his none too muscular forelegs around him.
"They're not spindly! I just got… thin bones." Daren laughed as he crested the hill, coming down to rejoin them.
"Ha! Maybe you should have eaten more ants when you were little, Timon. I listened to my mother, and look where it got me."
"Yeah, I can tell your good old mum brought you up right," said Sauda with undisguised bitterness as she came over the small ridge immediately behind. Daren stopped and watched her go down, spreading his arms.
"Sauda, come on… you know I didn't mean it like that!" She didn't answer as she looked down to the other two males. Trip had secured Timon into a head lock.
"I don't know what it is with males and wrestling. What are you morons trying to prove anyway?" Trip easily kept Timon where he was. The small kit struggled to no avail. He wasn't exactly buff for his age, and Trip was just two weeks away from six months.
"Mostly just to secure my place as ego-meister of the group…" replied Trip with a humorous smile as he easily held Timon in place. Timon finally gave up and let his arms hang limp.
"Wow, gee, Trip. You really proved yourself fighting the weakest member of the colony."
"Ohhh, you just need to believe in yourself once in a while, Timon," exclaimed Dinari from where he appeared from behind a rock.
"Yes!" continued Trip happily as he released Timon, who went to work getting a kink out of his neck. "Know you are strong, and you will defeat any foe. I think, therefore I am!"
"Yeah, well, I'd settle for just, 'I eat, therefore I am full,'" snapped Timon as he snapped his neck to the side. There was a loud pop. "Oy! That felt great…"
"Better than this!" shouted Daren as the tackled them both to the ground. They all went down with a laugh. Dinari whooped and jumped into the knot of struggling males. "Meerkit mosh!" he shouted.
Sauda stayed where she was, arms crossed, her eyebrow raised condescendingly as the boys struggled about on the ground in front of her, taunting each other and pulling on each other's ears. Shaking her head, she wondered when they would be done so they could actually do something. Contrary to some females, she didn't think of them as "her boys" so much as "those idiots" when this sort of thing happened.Everyone knew she could plow over them if she wanted anyway. At least, she was certain of that.
"Any idea when they'll be through?" asked another meerkat, approaching from behind, walking like he knew exactly where he was going with every step. He was a fine looking adult of two years, with sandy brown headfur and large green eyes.
"Tinder, they're never through," replied Sauda sorrowfully. "Can't wait till they're old enough to compete in the wrestling tourneys…" she added with heavy sarcasm. Tinder smirked and stepped forward, knowing they wouldn't get the children's attention if something raucous happened. Within eight seconds (during which Sauda was forced to make several surprised faces) the younger kits were laid out on the ground in front of Tinder, who stood over them proudly.
"Well, I hope you all get better than that before you decide to compete," he announced with a smirk, "because I was only a second tier champion and I still whupped ya." Daren stood up, grinning as he dusted himself off.
"Ahh, Tinder, you just caught us unawares is all."
"What're you doing out here anyway?" asked Dinari with curiosity as he helped a dazed Timon to his feet.
"Making sure you kits aren't getting yourselves into trouble," said Tinder, as though the answer was obvious. "I'm on sentry duty all this week. Max's orders."
"Was it his orders that sent you after us?" said Trip in a tone that said he already knew the answer.
"Actually, it was Danso that brought it to Max first, who relayed it to me. You guys know this is almost the limit as far as how far any meerkat can exit the colony unawares. Come on…" he moved forward, beginning to herd them all back towards the colony.
"Awww," complained Dinari. "Where are we goin' now? We were just getting to having fun."
"Not me," said Sauda who was following behind. "Never fun watching a bunch of silly kits who think they can impress me with wrestling. I could beat all of you with my paws tied behind my back!"
"I didn't see you joining in. Are you sure you aren't just trying to intimidate us? I bet I could take you on any day," shot back Trip, who smiled challengingly. Sauda sniffed impertinently and looked daintily at her small claws.
"Please. I just don't want to get my fur dirty rolling around with you all. And as if I'd even consider laying paws on you. Stars know you, Trip, wouldn't be my first choice in a cleanliness contest. Got a little spot on your cheek there, you know."
"I'm not dirty! Just rough-and-tumble…" objected Trip, but he fell behind and tried to wipe off the offending dirt nonetheless. He felt something crunch and 'eww'd quietly to himself, then turned to Timon.
"Was it really that obvious?" he whispered. Timon only sighed.
"So where are we going that's so much safer, Tinder?" asked Daren.
"The north side, guys," replied the older meerkat. "We'll be perfectly visible from there, so I'm not the only one keeping an eye on you."
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A/N: Bad luck, or unnoticed premonition? Find out next week, same 'kat time, same 'kat channel!