Two whelps stared at the native, probing her with questions about her way of life, her cheetah-striped pelt, anything they could think of. Polly, a bright green tark'ee, quite looked lik a parrot out in the desert. While Crushclaw, a deep-red belemoid with crackling claws, may have well been a fire elemental straight from a voclano. Both of their colors contrasted highly against the soft, tan sand surrounding them. Kukiemba eyed them nervously, realizing consciously that there was no harm in speaking to the pups–but something still had her eyeing the dunes for a mode of escape.

Shenzi, a hyena-like tsabhua that was missing her arms due to a birth defect, and Akira, a giant draconic tark'ee, were out searching for the pups. "Chasing after a native! What were they thinking?" Shenzi pointed out coldly, almost as if they were her own children–they weren't. They'd found Polly wandering in Mireh, and Crushclaw, well, that was an even longer story. Ever since the tribe had spotted Kukiemba in the desert, the more playful kids couldn't get the idea out of their head to hunt her down and harass her all they could. "I think it's great that they have a knack for anthropological field work so young," Akira pointed out timidly, which earned him a harsh look. That was right–this colony didn't value academics as much as he did.

"So I mean, do you want to be wild? Like, you don't want to have any friends?" Squeaked Polly, the bard-to-be. She was simply shocked that someone could live like that–why, she'd explode if she went ten minutes without talking, or even seeing another person. "You say that like it's hard!" Crushclaw yelled over Kukiemba before he could even reply. "It's not so bad," she replied, gulping.

The whelps had cornered her while she was out on a hunt–far away from shelter. The sun was intense this season of mid-Shamesh, and having a fur coat felt like wearing a blanket on top of it. In the far-distance past the dunes, a canyon may have offered welcome relief–and water–but it was awkward at best to lead pups away, and kidnapping at worst. One faint white bird, flying high above, suggested that there was some oasis nearby, or at least a patch of water-bearing cactus, which provided some hope.

"Crushclaw! Polly!" Called out Shenzi. As large as she was a tsabhua already, it was the thirty-foot long monster snake following her that was even more alarming. "That's my cue to go!" Kukiemba blurted out, and was on her toes in seconds. "No, don't leave!" Polly cried, desperate. Crushclaw gave a stubborn grunt and leapt before the native, bearing her extra-large paw. "Akira isn't dangerous! If anything, he's a nerdy looser!" She complained. But Kukimbia wouldn't hear of it–she shook her head and darted past, flicking off into the desert like a grain on the wind. "Ugh!" Polly complained as Shenzi and Akira arrived, "You scared Kukiemba off!" Akira frowned a little, feeling bad–the hyena did not, and scowled at them.

"We're going home. Now."