Like Animals

~ Chapter Three ~

The sun was setting over the rockpile, bathing the stone in a crimson light. Kalyk and Shanti were inside the makeshift den, eating and talking. 

Suddenly Kalyk looked up at the leopard. "Do you think we're doing this right..?" she asks with a nervous wag of her tail.

Her friend blinked thoughtfully, pulling off another strip of meat with her teeth. "I guess. They didn't tell us what we're supposed to be doing out here other than wait, so..." She shook her head. "This is dumb."

Kalyk sat up. "What's dumb?"

"This whole assignment, don't you think?" Shanti flicked her tail in a vague gesture. "I mean, why can't they just tell us what we're supposed to do? Why all the cryptic nonsense? And telling the guards to kill us if we returned before sunrise? Seriously, that's a bit too much. If they want us to camp out for the night they should have just told us to do that."

"but-"

"-If you ask me, they're just using us for something."

A whine sounded in Kalyk's throat. "They wouldn't do that though, would they? I trust Ryven, and you do too, right?" She scratched an ear thoughtfully. "I mean sure, he's mean, but it's not like he would actually betray us, or think we'd betray him!"

"What about me?"

They hyena paused. "What?"

"Do you trust me as much as you trust them?" A new intensity had entered Shanti's eyes.

She paused. She remembered when she had gotten lost on the first day, and Shanti helped her stay out of trouble. She remembered all the times the two of them had gotten in trouble. They had done that together. Received every punishment together. Explored new places together. Made up jokes, pushed each other to train harder, came up with games to pass the time. Something she never had shared with any of her superiors.

Kalyk nodded. "I trust you Shanti," she responded finally, her eyes shining with adoration. "You make everything..." She searched for the right word. "Everything is fun!"

To Kalyk's surprise, Shanti's gaze darkened. "Fun?" she rumbled. "You realize we're in the middle of a war, don't you?"

"I know but-"

"No, you don't. You think everything is a game. Animals are dying out there. Our allies. Our enemies. Who's to say we're even fighting for the right side?"

"But Ryven says-"

"Ryven could be wrong!" Shanti growled. "All of this could be wrong, can't you see that? What kind of 'Good Guys' hide everything they're planning from their own warriors?! Or even supports a war that's cause is unknown??!?" 

Kalyk's ears flattened. "I'm sure Ryven and Queen Vyriain know what they're doing-"

"Oh sure, THEY know what they're doing, but we sure don't!" Shanti was bristeling. "Think about it for a second Kalyk, they're using you. They're using us! Is that really what you want?"

"The Queen has a plan for us, it will be revealed when the time comes." Kalyk recited. She remembered every time Ryven had told her that when she complained about being kept in the dark.

I have to believe that now, or everything I've learned and done will be pointless.

Shanti just scoffed, staring down at the young hyena with contempt. "Do you even hear yourself? That's exactly what they want you to think! You have to get away from them before they've completely brainwashed you."

Kalyk couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her mind raced as Shanti went on.

"We could run away together. I know it seems impossible but they don't expect us to come back until sunrise, right? We'd have a complete headstart. Or, better yet, Ryven would just think we got lost, or died or something. This could be our perfect way out! I know just the place where we could-"

"No!" Her growl was shaky. "I don't want to leave! They haven't done anything to hurt us, they've just made us stronger! Shanti, I have no clue where this is coming from, but I want it to stop." A pleading edge crept into her voice. "Can't we just... go back to the way things used to be? You... you're scaring me."

Shanti's eyes grew cold. "Suit yourself."

Kalyk immediately regretted disagreeing, but she held as strong as she could. "Come on, Shanti, what's gotten into you? You're acting all weird. What happened?"

"I'm fine."

"No, no you're not. You wouldn't be all angry if you were fine. C'mon Shanti, we tell each other everything! There's got to be something wrong, I know there is! You're just afraid to tell me. But you don't have to be! Shanti, I lo-"

"I said, I'm FINE." The leopard stood up, tail lashing as she cut Kalyk off. 

Kalyk lowered her head. But her friend wasn't done.

"You think you know everything! That you can trust everyone, and do anything, and nothing bad is going to come of it because everyone's just as perfect as you are! But let me tell you, they aren't. They aren't always going to tell the truth like you expect them to. Like you wish they would. Sometimes you need to look through all the lies and see that you're wrong. But you're too naive to do that.  You blindly go along with the first thing anyone says without asking questions or taking a second of your time to decide something for yourself. That's why Ryven likes you so much. You're an idiot, and you don't question his orders, and it's easy for him to push you around. I tried to protect you, but it's a hell of a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'm just tired of it! That's what's really wrong!"

Kalyk was frozen where she sat. Her eyes glistened. Time seemed to stop. "You..." Her voice was wrought with hurt. "You really think that...?"

Shanti's blood ran cold when she realized all of that had just come tumbling out of her mouth. "No," she whispered. "Kalyk I... I'm so sorry..." 

She crept forward, wrapping herself around the trembling hyena. "I didn't mean a word of it."

The two of them lay like that, cuddling, hurting, for a long time. When Shanti spoke again, her voice was warm. 

"I love you Kalyk."

Kalyk just closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into Shanti's spotted fur.

I love you too, Shanti...

-AUTHOR'S NOTE-

I struggled to write this. Emotionally, and actually, coming up with a way that these two would actually fight. But it needed to happen, and I mean, some solid points from Shanti. Hey, they seem to have made up.

I know at least ONE person is going to ship them and I offer that person a hug. I hope you've seen she-ra. Following that up, I'm sure you want to know if it's canon. I am definitely not answering that. Do they love each other? Yes. Does Kalyk have a crush on Shanti? Absolutely. But the plot is starting to heat up and anything is possible. 

This is my longest chapter yet and I think it's my favorite one so far. Don't you just love emotional baggage? Anyways, this is an example of my most recent writing or whatever, so I hope you like it because it's going to improve much more slowly from now on. 

If you're getting bored, or maybe are just starting to feel interested, I promise things begin picking up more quickly and trust me, you won't want to miss out. 

As usual, let me know if you have any critiques or comments about this scene, I love to hear feedback!