Waste Not Want

[Hikaru]

"Mmm," Hikaru hummed quietly in acknowledgement, then stood up from her couched position. She was about to retreat back to Silver and ask for her next assignment when- THUD- Marahute landed. It almost felt like the land it's self had trembled. She took a moment to steady herself, then glanced back at the tent entrance and the dark silhouette outside it.

Hikaru pushed open the tent flap and looked up at the largest bird she had ever seen in the entirety of her life. She wondered if all the pigeons in new york even added up to make up Marahute's bulk... Hikaru cocked her head and then called up softly, "Hungry?"

Then with out waiting for a response Hikaru turned and began to tie the tent flaps open. It made it more accessible for the bird. The opening was still too small for the entirety of Marahute's bulk to fit through, but at least she could look in. It made it easier for Silver and Hikaru to address her as well with out having to go in and out of the tent.

[Kion]

And then instinct kicked in completely. A giant bird was approaching his meal and Kion acted mostly without thinking. He gabbed his tiny canines into the hunk of meat he'd been given and scurried away a few feet before setting it down again, this time forgetting himself and trying to choke down the meat as quickly as possible. It wasn't that the cub meant to be rude; but a fellow potential predator was here and he was eating and his first thought was to hoard what he had to himself. Some feral part of him hoped the bird wouldn't try to take his meal. The thought just made him try to wolf it down even faster.

[John Silver]

"Thanks Silver. That's really nice of you."

"No problem laddie" Silver replied to the cub, watching as Hikaru gives the cub a slice of steak, Kion digging into it a moment later. The ursid beams with pride at such a little act. The ursid turned as his cybernetic ear hears something outside he turns to watch Hikaru pull back the tent flap to allow a giant eagle to enter if she so chose to do so.

"Blimey, gonna have to get another water buffalo just to feed you" Silver remarks, smirking at the huge eagle. "C'mon in birdy. There's surely something i can fetch you" he assured, giving a quick glance to Kion who was now woofing down his steak.

[Marahute]

Large crimson hues blinked down at Hikaru as she pushed open one of the flaps of the tent and inquired whether she was hungry or not. Marahute's large curved beak opened to reply but the young woman didn't wait for a response as she began to tie open the flaps of the tent to grant Marahute at least some access to the inside of the tent.



Marahute immediately noticed a young lion scurry to the opposite side of the large tent with a large chunk of meat dangling from his jaws which he proceeded to quickly begin wolfing down. Marahute fluffed her feathers slightly in amusement before settling herself against the dusty ground - she made a mental note that she would have to preen her beautiful golden and white feathers thoroughly later on - and turned her attention to the cyborg.

"Blimey, gonna have to get another water buffalo just to feed you"

Silver's remark had the giant eagle tilting her head in confusion. What on earth was a water buffalo?
She didn't ask though, not yet at least, and quietly got herself settled comfortably as Silver invited her to join the meal. 

[Hikaru]

The kitchen assistant slipped back inside, giving Marahute a polite nod, and the same to Kion. She retreated to Silver's side and waited for his next order. Another water buffalo? Would she have to butcher more meat? She mentally went over their stocks in their head. Did they have an extra buffalo to slaughter?

While the majority of their army were full of hunters, livestock was easier kept for on hand meals. Sometimes prey was struck down, but kept alive to be brought back to their pens. This allowed for slaughtering at leisure, rather than relying on the predator's hunting skills to catch the beasts on a case-by-case basis.

Hikaru believed they might have a buffalo in the pen, but she wasn't sure. She knew they had a few antelope though. Hm, she'd just have to wait and see what Silver decided to do about feeding the massive eagle.

[John Silver]

"Let's go with a gnus now eh?" Silver chuckled watching the giant bird get settled before turning to Hikaru. "Can you fetch our new friend the back half of a wildebeest, if you so please luv" Silver smirks at his young kitchen helper. "Now then, i take it you like it raw?" he turns back to Marahute before reaching up to gently touch the bird's beak and head in greeting. "What do ya think of her Kion?" he turns to the lion cub with a smirk "Any birds out here that are as big as 'er?" he questions 

[Hikaru]

"Yes sir," Hikaru nodded at Silver's order than slipped through the back area where they kept their meat as cool and preserved as possible. They did have the haunches of a wildebeest butchered, so Hikaru wouldn't need to cut down more meat. So she was free to just pile the meat in a very small cart. The cadet-on-probation was strong but there was no need to lug hundreds of pounds of meat by hand. Why waste effort?

She wheeled the cart out from their stockpiles into the main area of the tent, pulling up besides Silver and Marahute. She let go off the cart handle and then dusted off her hands in an idle gesture. While Hikaru waited for Silver's next order she took the time to look over Marahute's large frame. She was a vision of bright white and tawny feathers. Her size was impressive to say the least. Her hooked beak was wickedly curved, perfect for striking down prey and tear into meat. However, her gaze and posture was easy and non-confrontational. Her feathers rustled slightly and a part of Hikaru wanted to step forward and touch them in spite of herself.

Hikaru turned away slightly and smiled inwardly at herself, an expression that wasn't on her face. She kept her stoic countenance out of habit. Never show your feelings to others lest they take advantage of them had been a hard drilled lesson. A lesson that she had mastered and now practiced to a fault. It left her seeming cold, uncaring, and aloof. Which was the point.