{
  "writing": "Across the savannah, most of the predator tribes uphold their own unique rite of passage for those old enough to prove themselves a worthy member of the tribe. Each rite is different, but most revolve around the same task of retrieving a special item, successfully hunting a rare animal, or going on an intensive journey across the plains. The hyena clans to the south have one such custom for their young male hunters. To prove you can hunt is just the natural way of life, but to prove you can survive, on your own, marks one as a trustworthy mate. Most females would fawn over the strong who would come back home alive.\n\nBut not her.\n\nNemi always considered herself lucky that she wasn’t impressed by this rite when she was younger. Serving under the shaman who took care of their clan had its perks in more so performing the ritual rites than participating in the ritual. Still, she was getting old. Too old to still cling to her childish notion of avoiding her clan's customs and way of life. The shaman questioned if Nemi would feel better facing the rites alone and be independent by her own right than living under clan law. Afterall, no one would want to marry one not even impressed by the rites. And neither would another clan accept her for the same reasons since she was so stubborn. She would have to take on the challenge with courage or risk expulsion from the tribe.\n\n“Ok…..It’s just a week right?” Nemi nervously gulped, hands tightening around the small satchel bag she carried across her chest.\n\nThe tribe was standing round, watching as Nemi was prepped to leave the front entrance with last words of affirmation and final blessings for a safe journey ahead.\n\n“It could take longer.” The older shaman huffed. “Peace man’s rock is almost a four day journey ahead and that’s if you’re well prepared. See to it you make it there and back and you’ll prove yourself worthy of the clan’s mark.”\n\n“She’ll be fine!” A younger hunter yells from the crowd.  “If the last girl could do it in ten days then surely she could do better given her age!” \n\nThe crowd yipped in laughs and cheers, most playfully making fun of Nemi for taking so long to do the rite to begin with.\n\n“And need I remind you that you finished yours in 20 days? Had the entire clan believing you were dead when you only got lost.” The shaman barked back, shaking his head at the young man.\n\nThe crowd's cheers turned into silent snickers.\n\n“I-I wasn’t lost! Honest!”\n\n“Don’t listen to him. Follow your map and you’ll do fine.” The shaman patted Nemi on the back, handing her a spear before stepping away. “May your blessings carry you child.”\n\n“Good luck Nemi!”\n\n“Bye!”\n\n“Don’t get lost!”\n\nEvery member was wishing her goodbye. Nemi’s grip tightened as she took her first few steps outside the village gates. It wasn’t the journey she feared, no. It was the many territories she knew she would have to cross through in order to get to Peace man’s rock, each one a little more challenging than the last. With the sun rising high in the sky, Nemi had to make every step count, feet pushing into a light jog to get going as soon as possible.\n\nThe dry dirt beneath her was starting to get hot, sun now halfway in the sky as she continued to walk forwards. She pulled out a small canister from her bag, supplying just enough water to make it for a few hours before she would need to find a new source. She paced herself, letting the sweat that soaked her skin drip off into the ground. Her first check point was nearing soon, she could tell. The edge of their territory was marked by a wide river, only passable by a small outcropping of rocks one would need to jump over or risk being swept away. The breeze carried the scent of fresh water, but she was still too far away to hear the current. Nemi licked her lips, tongue drying in her mouth as the thought of cool water. Soon she could take a break and at least relax before continuing on her journey.\n\nAfter a half hour more of walking, she could see it in the distance. The comforting river with a cooling current as it swept by the edge of the drylands and the plains. Nemi took a long gulp of water, briefly recovering before jogging off towards the river. When she arrived she soaked her feet in the current, letting the stream cool her body off and wash away the sweat. She stood there for a long while, watching the river past, planning her next steps before refilling her canteen. As she looked up and watched the sun now starting to look past halfway, she shook her head, hands slapping against her cheeks to build up her courage.\n\n“Ok. You can do this. Four days there. Four days back.” She muttered, turning towards the rock-like bridge that was her only way across. “Can’t be that hard.”\n\nThe bridge had a large gap in the middle, mostly caused by the rushing water that plowed its way through. Nemi took a running start, leaping high in the air and landing safely across the path with a softened thud. She hopped up with a huff, hands adjusting her upper top and loincloth before continuing to walk on in the grassy plains.\n\nThe dirt below started to erupt long blades of green grass, most tickling her calves as she cautiously walked through. She was thankful this side of the river had many shaded trees and softer ground, it was easier to walk in the shade than under the direct sun. Many hours passed until the sun was on the horizon making every shadow look the same until a glint of something in the distance caught her eye. Nemi was unsure as to what it was, body quickly scaling the closest tree in order to get off the ground. Amongst the thickened branches she watched in the direction where she thought something was and waited. She caught it again after a few minutes, this time briefly outlined the silhouette of a man that was walking in her direction. He was tall, hoofed judging by the heavy footsteps approaching.\n\nAs the man got closer, she could finally see the familiar stripes of a zebra walking her way, metal spear in hand as he surveyed the area. Nemi’s hand tightened against her own weapon. Zebras weren’t exactly notorious for being aggressive to predators, but most didn’t have a tolerance for them either. The few she had seen were more likely to attack first and ask questions later. This one was strong, covered in scars, taller than most she’d seen, and a definite threat since she was alone. At any chance to prevent a fight, she was better off waiting on him to leave the area.\n\nHe eventually stopped, not too far away, taking in the shade of the same tree as he looked around. Nemi held her breath, anxious in accidentally letting the man know of her presence. She moved her body to slowly fit into the trunk of the tree, hoping that it was enough to keep her hidden. The man started to mutter something as he scratched his head, words low as it picked up in her ears.\n\n“I thought I saw……” he muttered looking around himself again. “Maybe not.”\n\nNemi stared down from her perch, eyes honing in on the man as she waited for him to move on. When he didn't, she started to get concerned. He just continued to stand there, occasionally pacing around the tree's shade while he surveyed his surroundings. What was he looking for?\n\nRight as the man looked as though ready to give up, he started to walk back in the direction he came from, only getting so far before he quickly turned around and looked up. Right at her staring eyes. \n\nNemi squeaked.\n\n“So you were hiding there afterall!” The zebra huffs, raising his spear towards the tree. “Come back down here and fight me, coward!”\n\nNemi backed away, hands scrambling to hold her spear as she panicked. “Why??? I haven't even done anything to you?!”\n\nThe man's head tilted, eyes squinting up at the tree as he took a few steps forwards. “Wait….you're no lion. Who are you and what are you doing this far in the plains?”\n\n“Of course I'm not a lion, are you blind? I'm just passing through.”\n\nThe man squints again, taking a few steps closer to eye the woman above him. He grunts “Still a predator all the same. Why's a hyena this far inside lion territory? And by herself?” \n\n“I could ask you the same thing.”\n\nThe man huffs, lowering his spear to point to a bandaged wound on his left side. I am looking for the lion brothers who did this to me. Thought it was funny to cheat their way out of a fight when they trespassed on our home grounds. I’ve been tracking them for three days. Have you seen either of them?”\n\n“Lions?” Nemi shudders, the thought of passing through here scaring her more and more. “No, I have not. I came from the south on a quest for my clan. I am heading towards Peace man's rock.” \n\n“That's still a few days away. And you'll still be traveling through their territory no doubt. I suggest you keep your wits about you at night, lest you get jumped by those two.” \n\n“I'll keep that in mind.”\n\nThe sun basks the ground in gentle orange rays, basking the area one final time as it sets on the horizon. The zebra man sighs, but doesn't leave, eyeing the young hyena further. “My name's Ravu, and yours?”\n\nShe hesitates, uneasiness settling over her as she wasn't expecting a zebra to ask her that. “...Nemi.”\n\n“Nice to meet you then. Care to come down from the tree? The sun's setting and I highly doubt you'll make it far with those brothers stalking about.”\n\n“I can take care of myself.” She growls. “I’m not some child needing to be guided.”\n\n“I didn’t say you were. Just figured traveling together would be safer than not at all. From one traveler to the next. But if you think you can handle not one, but two felines on your own, be my guess.”\n\nRavu starts to walk away, last remnants of light glistening against his back before cooler tones wash over him. The area grew quiet save for the insects that began to chirp and sing around her. Nemi watched the man walk off into the distance, the cooling night air quickly reminding her of how low far the temperatures could get. Without the right tools and equipment for a fire attained, Nemi would have to risk sleeping out in the cold air. Alone. Exposed when there are supposedly lion brothers about. Or worse.\n\nShe hops down from the tree, spotting the still swaying image of Ravu in the distance before she begins to follow. As best as she could, she kept her distance, bugs and small animals scaring her into believing she was being stalked. She cradled her spear closer to her chest, footsteps trudging on to follow the man in the distance.\n\nWith the moon now rising, Nemi eventually followed Ravu to a tent of sorts. She thought it was a rock at first, only noticing the fabric once a fire was lit within. As she stalked closer she could spot out the elaborate designs of his clan. A colorful tale being displayed on the fabric. She didn’t dare get too close, scared that the man would attempt to chase her away as she sat herself on the ground. Ravu came bursting forward from the tent, eyeing her in the distance as he stood out front.\n\n“Well? You coming in or what?”\n\nNemi was just getting settled on the ground as she watched the man enter his tent again. A small blush crept across her features before she slowly stalked over. Her hand pushed the drapes away, catching sight of the man lounging across a mat with a pillow in the back. There was a low ember closer to the front, fire flickering softly and providing enough warmth to supply the inner most section of the tent. She took a few steps forward, wanting nothing more than to warm her body up against the cold air outside.\n\n“Here.” Ravu starts, pushing a small wooden cup filled with liquid her way. “To drink. Warm yourself.”\n\n“Thank you…..” she says, taking the cup in hand, but she doesn't drink. Her eyes only stare into the cup. Thoughts curious about the man. “Why are you being so nice to me?”\n\n“Should I not be?”\n\n“No, I mean, most zebras my clan has come across have been nothing but assholes. Picking fights and disrupting the peace whenever the dry season rolls around.”\n\n“Funny. Most predators I ever met either attack first or steal our things when our back is turned.” He turns to his injured side again before taking a sip from his drink. “You had plenty of chances to attack me from that tree, but you didn't. Figured not all predators are cheats and liars.”\n\n“You don't know me though? I'm a complete stranger to you!”\n\n“A stranger that, even if u wanted to steal from me, I promise you'll just end up getting yourself hurt.” He grunts, head nodding off to the side to showcase the spear he had nearby.\n\nNemi wanted to rebuttal but settled on focusing on her cup again. She gently swirled the red liquid around, sniffing at it a few times as if unsure of it.\n\n“It's not poison. It's wine.”\n\n“How do I know you didn't put poison in the wine?”\n\n“I wouldn't be drinking it with you if that were true.”\n\n“You could've just poisoned my cup.”\n\n“Fine. Don't drink then. I suppose predators are just naturally untrusting then.”\n\nNemi pouted at that, going to sniff at her cup again before taking a small sip. It was good. More sweet than bitter. It almost tasted like some of the wild berries she scavenged for back home. She took a longer sip, letting the sting of alcohol hit the back of her throat.\n\n“It's good, right? Made some of it myself back home.” The man laughs, belly rolling as he sits back against his mat.\n\nNemi gives a small smile, but quickly turns away. “It is….good. We make it a bit better at home.” She lies.\n\n“Oh? Hyenas make better wine than those that live in the plains? What kind of berries do you use out in the drylands? Everything seems dead and rotten out there.”\n\n“We have farms, you know? Scavenge? We make do with what we have.”\n\n“Doesn’t seem like much.”\n\n“It’s better than being harassed by the others. We only live in the drylands because too many tribes live and fight for space here.”\n\n“That is true. Can’t tell ya how many times I have to listen to the gazelles complain about the lack of fruits by which we pick. That or the buffalo complaining that we’re taking too much water from their rivers. The hippos chasing the buffalos away for the same reason. Every dry season it's a fight for water with everyone.”\n\n“That’s why we only enter when it’s time to hunt or uphold our ritual rites.”\n\n“Oh? What ritual then?”\n\n“In my clan, the men make the journey to Peace man's rock alone to prove that they can survive out in the plains. If they return, they get branded with the clan's mark.”\n\n“Sounds like one of the yearling rites we do for young hunters. But you seem…..older? And definitely not a male.”\n\nNemi grunts. “I didn’t want to marry anyone. The women of our clan get to pick survivors of the rites, but that never impressed me. So what, they survived 8 days in the wilds, most of us can. My shaman recommended I do the rite to prove myself as…..independent. So it was either try or get outed to the wilds. Permanently.”\n\n“That seems unfair?”\n\n“It is tradition.”\n\nThe zebra sighs, taking a sip of his wine and Nemi follows suit, chugging down her drink and sliding closer to the fire. Ravu shakes a jug at her, “More?”\n\nShe accepts it, pouring more wine for herself as the man starts to relax beside her.\n\nNemi doesn't know how many hours passed into the night, but they both sat and continued to drink, eat, and talk for awhile. She speaks on her tribe's weirder customs and trials and Ravu speaks on his adventures around the plains. Apparently he's in one of few tribes that willingly travel alone. A nomad. So whatever trouble he comes across he has to face it alone.\n\nRavu was telling the story of how he saved a gazelle in a great flood, a giant scar ripped across his arms as proof of his survival on the incident. Between their drunken laughter, Nemi gets curious, crawling over to the man to touch and rub at the scar. She starts to touch different ones, asking for brief histories on several before she takes in just how close she had gotten. Up close, Ravu still somewhat towered above her, body broadened with muscles that could easily best her in a fight. Or gently hold her as she took notice when he placed a hand against her hip. She looked down, a small tent was forming under the man's cloth, hardly hiding how turned on he was getting from the woman.\n\nRavu stared back, not exactly asking a question but looked down to where Nemi had placed her hands against his chest, claws delicately soothing against the fur. A part of her should've taken her hands back, but she was curious. A man from the zebra tribe was a rare find and a fun story to tell in secret. She wouldn't get another chance like this if she didn't take it.\n\nNemi's hands reached up to grab onto Ravu's shoulders, leaning in to gently kiss the man who held onto her. He rolled them over, allowing the hyena to straddle him as he got comfortable laying down on the mat. The fire up front was starting to fall into a small ember, providing a low light for the two that deepened their kiss. Ravu’s hands were quick to remove her loincloth off to the side, exposing Nemi's ass to his fingers which rubbed against her moistened folds.\n\nShe moaned, hips grinding against the fabric that separated his cock from her underside. Ravus breath hitches.\n\n“You sure you want this, little one? I'm not exactly small.”\n\n“I'll be the judge of that. I'm curious to know whether a prey man can keep up with a predator.”\n\nRavu grins. “You'll be surprised to know just how much I can handle.”\n\nHis cock twitches, fabric below no longer hiding a small tent, but a bigger erection, begging to be freed. Nemi reaches down to tug at the fabric, loosening the knots to free his cock from its restraints. Of all the small tales she’d heard about zebra men, this one, in fact, was true. His cock was long. Longer than even the biggest men in her tribe. This was the first time she had seen a zebra’s cock up close, but most of the gossip about them was pretty accurate. Dark veins pulsed against his shaft, making his cock twitch the moment her hands ghosted against his member. She had to wrap both of her hands around him which earned a deep groan from the man below her.\n\nNemi began to stroke Ravu’s cock, slowly working him to a standing erection beneath her. Between his groans his fingers only continued to tease and circle around Nemi’s pussy, his large hand now teasing around the rim of her puckered ass. Her back arched, feeling a pressing finger enter the second hole. While she was distracted, Ravu lifted up her top, tongue latching onto the closest nipple he could reach while they both explored each other's bodies. There was a push and pull to their efforts, neither letting the other get too far in their pleasure, before there was a change to their pacing. Nemi was eventually turned to face the man’s cock, the bottom half being licked out by Ravu from below. Her own tongue swirled around his cock, maw barely capable of taking him all in, but he was happy with the attempt all the same. He jerked upwards a few times, startling the hyena who thought he was trying to choke her.\n\n“Careful with those teeth.” Ravu muttered, a wet trail stringing from his mouth before he went back to licking the woman up and down.\n\nNemi smirked, taking the chance to briefly nibble on the man. She raked her teeth down his cock, earning several more sudden jerks and groans before her ass was firmly smacked.\n\n“Mischievous little thing…” He teased, rolling them over so he could sit up.\n\nShe looked at him with a devious smile, a hand going to tease at her soaked folds as she spread her legs for him. His aching cock twitched to the sight, marbles of white leaking from his tip as he crawled over to her. Ravu leaned in, body crawling over her with wet kisses until he made it up to her mouth. The two exchanged one last sloppy kiss right before Ravu positioned himself to enter her. It was hard at first, the pressure intense as Nemi squirmed beneath him.\n\n“Breathe.” He tutted, hips moving with precision as he tried countless times to breach her.\n\nAfter a few more slow pushes in, he eventually worked himself inside, tip catching on her rim and spreading her wide open. Nemi finally gave a heavy groan as she breathed out.\n\n“F-Fuuck-!” She bit back. \n\nThe hard part was mostly over. Now she just needed to take in the rest of him. Ravu stilled his hips, allowing Nemi to adjust to the size. He kissed his way around her face, trying to distract her enough to relax around him.\n\n“You’re so tight.” He grunts.\n\n“You’re big!”\n\n“I tried to warn you.”\n\n“How do your women handle this?”\n\n“They are also…..big?”\n\n“What??”\n\n“I guess you could say they’re built to take the size. Not many hyena males are as large as me then, no?”\n\n“Not nearly, no.”\n\nHe smiles, feeling the vice grip around him loosen a bit. With another grunt, he starts to push forward. Nemi grips the pillows surrounding her, forcing herself to relax as more of him stretches her out and sinks in. Just when she thinks there isn’t more, he keeps pressing in, body twitching in pleasure as he goes. There’s a moment where she starts to feel it push against her stomach, too much for her to take in all at once as she tenses up. Thankfully, Ravu stops with a heavy breath, hands going to hold her at her hips.\n\n“Guess that’s as far as I can go.”\n\nNemi looks down, fully expecting him to be mostly inside, yet she’s surprised when she’s barely taken him to his ring, a few more inches still a ways to go before he’s fully inside.\n\n“Fuck, but you’re so deep already?” Nemi groans with a whine, mostly disappointed that she couldn’t take him all.\n\n“I wouldn’t want you getting hurt. You’ve taken plenty.”\n\n“And what if I wanted more?”\n\n“More?? That would take time and probably more than once to stretch-” His ears perk up, searching the hyenas face for a sign. When she only grins back at him, he gives a smile of his own. “Already addicted then? Perhaps predators and prey can find a way to get along.”\n\nRavu pulls back, easing his cock almost out before moving it back in with gentle thrusts. They both moan with each other as Ravu rocked them both, each time Nemi swears she can feel him sinking in deeper, but she’s unsure. For now she just rocks to the rhythm, hands playing with the pillows as Ravu continues to move.\n\n \tAfter a while of gentle love making, Ravu stops, lips going to kiss and lick across her body again before he’s moving her legs further apart. Her knees are bent upwards so that Ravu could adjust his stance, positioning himself for a deeper angle. There’s a moment of pause before Ravu snaps his hips forwards, the force moving Nemi up against the mat below him. She moans out in pleasure not expecting the force to be so great and it’s exactly what Ravu wanted to hear from her.\n\nHer legs bounced in the air, toes curling as Ravu started to fuck into her. With every deep thrust in, her belly stretched, pleasure teetering with pain as his cock crashed against her walls. It was something she would want to get used to for sure. The feeling was so intense it was quickly sending her into an orgasm. Heat enveloped them both as they moaned into each other for a few more quick thrusts.\n\nNemi cums first, body tensing around the man as she loses herself in the aftershocks. Ravu grunts a few good times before pushing himself as deep as he could go and spills inside of her. The volume of it shoots out of Nemi's pussy all the same with little room to capture most of his seed. He's drained once he settles her legs down, cock still twitching inside of her moist heat.\n\nThey both just lay there and breathe, heavily panting against the other. The fire up front slows to a low ember. For once in the grassy plains, there’s a silence and peace that follows between predator and prey.\n"
}