It felt like moons talking and meeting all of the pups, I felt cornered and confused with the pups circling my paws and brushing their dirty pelts into my fur.
But thankfully, their reactions to meeting sang out their kind and energetic personality.
"Hello, pleased to meet you. I'm Malice" the wrongfully named male hyena I had pounced upon before chirped, his pelt was littered by old cuts and scratches.
I wonder were he got those from?
"A tiger?....well you sure do look like a lion" Buzz, a stocky female hyena who looked strong and mighty but alas, had a crooked back foot that sealed her fate as a poor hunter.
I smiled and nodded in response.
Fierce, the largest pup called all to a huge cliff-like rock or what they called
"Telling stone"
The hyena pups stopped their chatter and stood before the dusty stone with their ears pinned up, their body began to tremble with anticipation.
"As you all know, there is a prophecy that states a lion will either save the clan and lead it or destroy
the clan itself " Fierce barked boldly sitting at the top of the slope.
I stood beside her nervously, Sarar is probably worried sick I thought randomly.
"If you think I'm going to listen to a lion then your a fool" Shred sneered, menacingly dipped her head
"Don't defy what is right. What are the chances a lion would save us. Let alone speak sand-tongues" Bare challenged back.
"Sounds like a curse to me, I mean....crocodiles.
Those are enemies to all except themselves." Strand added siting close to his sister Gleam who seemed to not care by watching termites scurry around the ground.
The air was thick with tension, the hyenas had began to separate themselves into groups silently.
They look like they have completely forgotten about the deaths of their comrades.
I will discuss this with Fierce later, but first I will get these matters straightened.
"Who said I would lead you!" I called out making all lower their dark tails.
"Because you saved us......" Cracked-tooth barked meekly pinning his ears to his broad head.
I snarled my frustration and faced Fierce who had stayed silent the entire time
"You say a lion was would save you.
Well I'm no lion, I'm a Tiger" I retorted.
Shred smiled and sauntered toward the Telling stone and faced her clanmates
"See! an impostor to the great prophecy. Well I'm sorry to waste your time...Tiger, but...."
Fierce gave a sharp bark to silence her
"Prophecys aren't all clear Shred, she was seen as a lion, and the circumstances lead me to believe that this Tiger is prophesied to lead the clan and bring bring back the clans glory"
I noticed her stare at Shred was filled with defiance.
Shred bared her teeth stepped forward with a few hyenas behind her,
"Now who made you leader little Burnpup. Last that I checked Torn was beta, and who was her
daughter again?" Shred scowled lifting her head proudly.
Fierce too had her head raised and looked down to Shred and narrowed her eyes yet did not bare her teeth
"And who was kin to your Slaughter, her son may be dead but his blood still runs deep in my vains.
You must be the fool if you think I will let you lead this clan"
I tried to bring my own voice into view but the pups seemed to be arguing about their own issues.
I stretched and watched on for my own amusement, they did not seem to be paying attention to me.
A argument then ensued leading to the clans division.
"I say Shred should lead. She has the strength and will to bring this clan to glory" a small female named Scratch proverbed leaning closely to Shreds entourage consisting of Killer, Sturdy, Strand, Sturn, and Scratch's own sister Taunt.
"She also has the brutality and arrogance to bring it down. We need a bright mind as well as strength to lead the clan.
I'm sure if the tiger is made leader, she will have Fierce as well as our thoughts by her side" Darkrun objected, he advanced to to the bottom of the telling stone were many of my unwanted followers stood.
Mmhh, he seem to have a bright mind, what am I thinking.
Why am I getting involved in this.
Taunt sneered "And who said that a bone eaters male cub can speak upon this discussion, you skinny bone crusher can only watch and do.
You have no birthright to speak about the future of this clan.
So Stay BACK" Taunt snapped at Darkrun with bared teeth.
"Watch it Taunt" Slither spat, she was a huge battle-scarred female hyena with bright amber fur over her neck.
I stood up from my laid back position as Slither advanced toward Taunt with her lips drawn back in a deadly snarl.
"Ooooh is Slither protecting her love. What a waste for the kin of a leader, how can you waste your bloodline on a Filthy BONE EATER" Taunt placed her muzzle whiskers away from Slithers drawn back lips.
In a instint, they grabbed each other and tussled in the dirt.
Their laughing barks echoed through the air as they bite at each other's hides
Fierce jumped from the rock and growled in irritation
"Stop it you two, NOW" her snarls were inaudible in the crazed snarls of the two fighting hyenas, as well as Shreds supporters.
"Now this is the true challenge for superiority" Shred laughed leaning close to my supporter with a mocking sneer.
I rose to my full height and prepared to defend my supporters, here I go again with getting involved.
"Only blood will decide the fate of this clan, and I'm willing to spare some" Shred snapped facing Fierce.
The laughing barks of the two fighting hyenas mixed with the growling threats of the two groups made the whole clearing erupt with total utter chaos......but a low voice spoke with calmness and my heaving chest slowed
"A leader is respected by all" it was Prickly spirt's gruff voice.
My chest tightened and skin felt as if thorns were tightening against it.
A stone formed in my throat and I huffed, my stubbornness and pride has blinded me from my true fortune and destiny.
I was not meant to "Survive" I was meant to "Live".
I shot my gaze to the unorganized hyenas who were more immature and foolish then I thought.
I drew back my lips in disgust and jumped from the stone, to the ground were all eyes meet me.
"Who do you think you are Tiger? You may have saved us but that does not make us up for grabs. This is a discussion between us hyenas not a dirty stinking..."
I smiled and chuckled before she could say more.
Shreds gaping mouth hung open in alarm.
The other hyenas looked at me as if I were crazy.
Fierce and Shred drew in closer and tilted their heads, Shred snarled.
I looked up and faced Taunt with fury, what a irritable hyena I thought while striding toward her.
I leaped onto her and held her snapping jaws down with my paw that nearly covered her entire head.
I roared to silence both Taunt and the uneasy hyenas.
"What a bunch of pathetic little cubs!
How dare you think fighting your clanmates will make you stronger, you are as organized as a litter of blind pups" I looked to Taunt and tightened my grip, she shuddered her jaws with half barks that sounded like whimpers, her eyes were wide in fear revealing the whites.
All of the pups began to tremble
"Please" Scratch whimpered, she forwarded to the floor and jerked forward as if she wanted to attack me but had the senses not to.
I sneered and slashed at Taunts ear as she slipped from under my grasp and joined her sister.
"What fools" I added to my insults, Shred pricked up her ears and bared her teeth
"See how she treats us, she insults us and threatens to Kill"
I flashed my fangs, she's trying to get the respect of her clanmate by blaming me.
My blood boiled and my claws unhinged from my paws, how it would feel to give her a nice bloody scar over her face.
The pups faced me with fear, Fierce had lowered her hackles and twitched with fear.
My eyes grew soft, I looked away to hide my sympathy for the pitiful hyenas.
I huffed, their only pups I thought.
How can I blame them for being unorganized after all, they had lost all of their parents and older kin.
I faced them again and bellowed
"Look! All lions see hyenas as dirty filth that have no need for a life. They see you as VERMIN in need of extermination, will you all except your fates as the lower species of snag tooth pest that can be entirely killed on a whim".
They all pricked their ears to my words, they lowered their head in self-pity, Fierce winced and snarled to herself.
I have got their attention now, now for a show of will.
"And as for you Shred, you say you are willing to lose blood. Well how about you and me see who is stronger"
I strolled to the shocked Shred and sauntered around her, curling my tail around her broud body.
"What do you say, winner takes all?" I questioned silkily.
She opened her jaw to say something, she quickly closed it and turned away in a scowl.
I grinned mockingly and slipped away from her
"I will make a promise to you all!" I roared out.
I began to climb the Telling stone, I heaved myself to the top and stood at the edge.
Somehow
"You said you did not want to lead us"
An unfamiliar male chirped meekly, his friends narrowed their eyes to me and scrapped the dirt.
"That was then, this is now" I retorted, Fierce nooded and appeared in front of the hoard of hyenas
"I promise you this, I will defend this clan with my life as you me. If anything dares challenge me or this Clan..."
I slashed my claws into the air and landed them on a pile of rumble, it flew through the air making a loud bang, a gasp came from the crowd.
"I WILL MAKE THEM PAY WITH THEIR LIVES" I roared gloriously, my chest panged strangely.
My head felt fuzzy and my pelt shook with excitement, was this.......pride.
I lashed my tail as the hyenas began to bark and howl in support.
I noticed Shred and her allies had too joined in the barks coldly, Shred however still had a hint of resentment in her stone-like face, I wonder if that's just how she look.
Their barks were no longer filled with fear or spite, their crys were filled with honor and praise.
They except and need me as their Alpha, their Protector, their Leader.
"But..." I interrupted, they calmed and looked to me.
I noticed from the corner of my gaze, a distant slithering serpent raising from the ground and looking around, it must be Sarar.
I smiled and looked to the hyenas who had their heads raised with anticipation.
"I will need some help"