High Matriarch (discontinued)

8

"Mbali!?" I heard a familiar voice. My eyes shot open, to be blinded by the sunlight in the clear sky. I looked up and saw a blurry Ellone. I blinked a few times as my vision cleared. For a second I forgot where I was. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here now." I replied flatly.

"Really?" She wrinkled her muzzle in disgust. I growled lowly. "But weren't you first matriarch?"

"I was until I moved up. I earned to live here unlike you. You were born in third matriarch." I snarled at her.

She barked sharply. "My parents weren't low lifes like yours."

I growled louder and others started to glance at us. "Well now we're the same rank and you can leave me alone."

"Actually no. I'm second matriarch." She snapped and trotted off with her tail high.

I wanted to tear her to pieces. I knew I can't. I had to be strong and resist the urge. I caught sight of Jenue on the far side of the canyon and I made my way over.

"Hey, Mbali! We're patrolling, want to come?" She asked, looking at two other hyenas.

I nodded.

"Let's introduce ourselves first!" A small hyena squealed, excitement shown in her face. "I'm Bee, second matriarch."

"B?" I asked.

"Well, Yeah, like the stupid annoying insect that sting you." She laughed. "Don't worry, it's not my real name. But I'd like to beeeee called that."

I gave a small laugh and wondered if she was still a cub. Her size was tiny but her eyes were filled with knowledge like an adult.

"I'm Iyo, second matriarch." Iyo was quiet. I could tell by his posture he didn't talk much.

...

The sun was hot today. The day seemed to drag on but Bee and Jenue were talking nonstop while Iyo and I hung in the back.

"It's so hot!" He complained out loud.

I snorted an agreement.

He looked and glanced at me a few times. "You're from Lesedi right?" I nodded. "Did you know a hyena named Abena?"

My tail went up. The thought of Abena made my tail wag. "Yes! She is a great hyena. Shes beta now—if you didn't know." Abena was like a second mother to me.

"Really?!" His tail shot up and his ears pricked. I now could see his eyes were a beautiful purple.

"Yeah, why?" I asked curiously.

"She's my mother." He mumbled so low I could hardly hear him.

My eyes were wide with shock. "Were you originally from Lesedi?"

"No!" He said quickly. "I was born second matriarch in Nakato. Abena mated in second and moved up to third before she had her cubs. Nakato moved her down to first,because it's illegal. She got mad and argued with Nakato and that got her sent to Lesedi." He explained. "Obviously she didn't have a hard time if she's beta now."

"So you can't move up until you had cubs?"

"Yes."

I took this into serious consideration and thought hard— if I ever wanted to have a mate and cubs. I knew it would be hard as I constantly tried to move up in ranks, but deep inside, I wanted to settle with my mate and raise cubs if my own.