In case you have forgotten: Kuru is Safia's runt of a brother and Hatari is a jackal who is also a part of Reirei's pack. The two are friends of Tau who observes the group they are a part of.
[Safia's Den]
Morning was starting to come to the Outlands, as the sun rises over the volcano that homes to Ushari, Safia, and her pack. In a small crevasse that is roughly big enough to house Kuru, he was woken by the sun piercing in through a small hole leading to the outside.
He let out a yawn, stretching his legs as far out as his room would let him. He used to have a struggle getting in or out of his little hole, but after spending a long time living inside it, he had come to find an easy method in dealing with it. Though it did result in a countless of sleepless nights and back pain.
He made his way to the large open cavern that is illuminated by the lava's glow and the air was rough to breath from the steam in the vents polluting it, sitting in her own spot was his sister Safia, "Morning sis." Kuru said to her with a cheerful smile hoping for a greeting back but was only greeted with a groan as she looked away to work on grooming herself.
Kuru's ears dropped at the cold reception from his sister, even though he was used to her not caring about him; he hope that there might be a chance that she would treat him like a family. "I'll go clean myself, call me if you need anything." He said, his voice was low and nervous but kept an optimistic cheer to his sister.
Safia looked over at him with annoyance as he headed to a far-off corner of the cavern, she returned back to cleaning herself but was quickly interrupted again by another voice, "Anyone home?!" Safia let out another grunt, looking at where the voice came from to find who was the dead fool who disturbed her moment of herself, but a fear soon came over her when she saw who interrupted her moment; a figure standing at the entrance of the volcano with a wicked grin on her face.
"KAMA!" Safia said jumping to her feet in a fright, "Ah, Safia! I thought someone would be here." Kama said coming in through despite not being invited in. Coming closer to the female hyena; and with each four steps closer Kama got, Safia took a step back trying to act tough when she felt anything but that at this very moment.
Kama looked at Safia with a satisfying smile at her fear, "What do you want?!" Safia asked Kama, the serval saw the hyena try to act tough and this scene looked no different from an infant trying to stand up to a predator that could eat them whole and would. "If you've come for a fight, then ~" Safia said but was quickly cut off by Kama.
"Fight? No, though I would love too if you're inviting." She said licking at her lips like she was starving for a meal. A moment of silence between the two as Safia was frighten at this before Kama broke it, "I came here for Kuru." She said looking at the said hyena in the corner away from the two. The two were surprised by this; what could she want with Kuru?
"Why do you want him?" Safia asked Kama, both curiously and annoyed that she dared to come here and demand of him like she owned him. Her attention came from Kuru back to Safia, "These are the wishes of Kulua! Do you dare challenge his request?" Kama threatened.
She took a moment to think of this, "Do what you want." She gave in to Kama's demand, allowing her to approach to the cornered hyena who looked in fright at the approaching serval with bloody red eyes and a wicked smile across her face.
He knew of Kama, a monster of the Elephant Graveyard that serves under Kulua; anyone who were captured by them would never see the light of day again, they were the bringer of death in the Outlands. And he feared that her being here was the calling of his time to meet his own.
"Follow me." Kama said to the scared Kuru, who curled in the corner hoping that she would give up and leave him. Though this was something she was glad to see, she had no time to waist, "Don't worry, if you do as told. I promise you'll be able to return unharmed." She said to the scared hyena.
Kuru doubted her words, with her grin not even slightly diminishing from her face, but he knew not to try and challenge her. He allowed her to lead him towards the exit of the volcano, passing by his sister who he hoped would try at any moment to call out and try to save him from Kama. But he watched as she did not even look at him as he left with Kama.
"Were you hoping that your sister would save you?" Kama asked Kuru who was still behind her, a pain in his chest that he was ignored by his sister when his life could be in danger. But he knew that she never would risk her own life to save him. "Not like she ever cared about me." Kuru answered to her depressed.
"You can relax, I really mean what I said. I only want to ask you and someone else a question, then you can go back to spying on your sister for Tau." Kama said which got the hyena surprised by what she just said, 'someone else' who was this someone she also want to ask a question of?
[Reirei's Den]
The pack of jackals were enjoying their morning meal, ripping at the carcass of a buffalo, "This is some good stuff!" Goigoi said excitingly to be eating his share of the food. The pups were chowing down and snagging any parts they could, and Reirei was currently eating a piece she got for herself.
Hatari was sitting a bit further away from the group, at her feet was a piece she grabbed for herself. She had not enjoyed being around others very much, especially feeling a bit guilty that she was not a true part of Reirei's group, but she did what had to be done to protect those she cared about. She would enjoy watching the pups enjoy fighting over the food, it was a reminder to a time when she had a real family.
She was about to start eating her fill when a voice as chilling as ice pierced her bones, "Something smells good." It was someone she remembered all too well, looking to where the voice was; her memory of it was not playing trick as approaching Reirei's clan was Kama.
Everyone saw her coming, and the pups and Goigoi quickly darted behind Reirei, everyone besides Hatari who kept a stern glare on the serval coming over towards where Reirei was growling at Kama.
"What is one of Kulua's lacky doing in our territory?!" Reirei asked of Kama threateningly, she proceeded to look behind Reirei towards Hatari, but because the pups and Goigoi were in the middle of the line of sight, they would think that she was looking at one of them.
"I came here for Hatari." She said returning her attention back to Reirei. "Hatari?! What do you want with her?" Reirei asked surprised at this, "It is Kulua's wish, do you dare question what he asks of?!" She said to the leader jackal. Reirei was about to say something when Hatari came up in the discussion, "It's okay, I'll gladly comply to Kulua's wishes." She said standing next to Reirei at a close distance from Kama.
"But if I do, you got to promise that nothing will happen to the others here." Hatari said determined to get her to agree to these terms. Kama had no trouble giving a chuckle, "I promise, if none of them try anything. They'll be left unharmed." Kama said, and to Hatari; this was good enough to make her feel at ease.
"I only wish to speak with you alone from the rest." Kama said looking back at the other Jackals. Hatari understood and gave a bow to let Kama know to lead the way to wherever they would go and talk. Kama turned to lead and Hatari quickly went to grab her meal before ready to head off towards where Kama was going to lead her only to quickly be stopped by Reirei when she raised a paw to block her from advancing.
"Whatever you two talk about, you had best report back to me." Reirei said to her, Hatari gave a nod to her and she let the jackal follow the serval. Watching as the two leave, "Stop hiding you coward!" Reirei shouted out at Goigoi who was still hiding and giving him a kick.
Hatari followed close behind Kama, questioning what she could want to talk about with her. Hatari couldn't think of any reasons why she would want to speak with her, but if it would mean to protect the Reirei's family, she would risk her own life to doing so.
The two came to an open area where standing on a rock was another figure that Hatari remembered all too well, but unlike for the same reason for Kama, the one standing there made her heart filled with joy, 'Kuru!' she thought seeing the hyena.
Forgetting Kama who was beside her, she raced over to meet up with Kuru.
Kuru heard the sound of sand kicking from the ground quickly and looked to see a jackal racing towards him, "Hatari?!" He said meeting up with her halfway and the two embraced each other. Happily meeting each other again after the times they've spent apart.
Hatari placed the food down so she can speak, "What are you doing here Kuru?!" She asked him. He explained how Kama came and requested him to come and that he had to wait till she returned with someone else, who Kuru now figured must be Hatari.
"It's good to see you again, I missed you." She said.
"I'm glad to see you too." Kuru responded with a chuckle.
Out of all his friends, he felt that Hatari was the one most prepared and always there for him when he would feel distressed, Tau was also there to help; but Hatari was like an emotional support for him.
"I think I'm about to lose my breakfast!" The voice of one the two quickly forgot was there when they reunited, Kama.
Hatari quickly got in between Kuru and her, 'Why did she bring Kuru as well? What is she after?' Hatari wonder to herself. "What do you want with us?!" Hatari asked.
Author Note:
Well, look like someone is on the move. I wonder what she could want with these two.
Next chapter will be out tomorrow, see you all then. But first I guess I got a message from my editor; don't ask me what he is doing, I honestly was surprised when he gave me this and told me to post it word for word.
"Tau will come to know xip ijt gsjfoet bsf boe xip bsf ijt gpft when he loses uif pof if mpwft nptu. He'll come to lose himself and pvu pg sbhf usz up ljmm uiptf bspvoe ijn; and his family and friends will come to his aid up nblf ijn sfbmjaf if jt opu bmpof."
He wouldn't tell me what he was saying here. Don't ask me what or why, he likes to play his own games.