Beware The Savanna (In The Herd) (Patreon)

(Rajini's POV)

Sita and I were alone while Alani was holding the human with the others so we could talk privately. I was not saying I didn't support her choice, I just wondered how he would act without the guidance the other humans are receiving from the Serpent Sisters. I suggested he spend some time with them, but she did not want to separate from the cub. He was with a hyena and was probably exhausted from fear since he did not wake up easily and was most likely going to be their breakfast if she didn't save them. I doubt the hyena fed him and he might be hungry when he wakes up.

Sita-Rajini, he can't hurt us even if he tried and cubs can still learn. Can we at least try?

Rajini-Well... As long as he doesn't become a danger to himself. He just needs rest now. If he didn't wake up during your trip he must have been through a lot. 

Sita-I'm sure he will be much better when he sees he is no longer with the hyenas.

(Timeskip)

The sun was just coming up and all of us heard screaming and crying coming from the poor human cub. We were all around him but made sure to give him some room even if it didn't calm him down at all. He wasn't attacking at first, but then I felt him biting my finger which felt like a little nibble. I was looking down at him desperately trying to escape but they would make him fall out of our hands and hurt himself.

This is what I feared. We were too big and new to him and he sees this as a threat to him. After a while, he tired himself out and Alani was holding him after she caught him from my hands and then put him in her chest cupping things to hold against her. She bounced him and since he was tired and it would be harder for him to escape now he finally settled down.

Alani-There we go... ~ I wonder if mothers used this tactic. It also feels different.

???-Whimper.

Alani-Oh, no, no, noooo. You're Ok... Do you have a name? ~

(Anusha's POV)

These solid tents make it really easy to trap the fumes and treatments in a room as well as humans who might try to run away. You can even trap them inside. I was tending to the 5th group and some of the males yelled at me in a way I did not understand, but I just lit some more treatments and they should be out of it sooner or later. Most of the other humans are already submitting and Catori is already with a whole group to speak to them. They just need to spend enough time around us to be addicted to our smell and then we well have all the humans we need to capture more and hunt down our cub to bring him back. I looked at the males who yelled at me and one tried to grab me. He was a big male too... I let him grab me, but he was too weak now to do anything.

Anusha-You're ssstrong for a human, aren't you... But would it just feel ssso good to melt in my touch and lisssten to what I sssay?... I have a cub I want you to help bring back when you are ready. ~

He tried to hit me, but I grabbed his fist gently before I cupped his cheek and guided him to kneel before sitting down.

Anusha-You will love lissstening to me and my sssister, won't you?... The thought of pleasssing usss makesss you happy, right? ~

I saw the look in his eyes and it was working. I heard his stomach growl and then held out food to help him be obedient since giving food to his weakened mind would form a lot of trust. 

(Rajini's POV)

We were trying milk at first, but he didn't want it, and that made Roya try fruit. He took the fruit, but it was not going to be very filling for him and I know any cub needs milk to get stronger. When he finally had enough fruit, we found another use for these things called bras that human mothers must use them for. It holds him still and makes feeding him easier, but he still fights it.

Rajini-Please, little cub. I know you need more than just fruit.

Alani-Rajini, if I may. A mother and cub relationship needs trust and we don't have any with you, yet.

Roja-Then stop! You'll make it worse!

Roja and Sita rushed to me and Sita took the the cub back as well as the bra I had him in. Roja worked to get him out and give me the bra back, but I only tossed it aside. I felt a little ashamed for doing that to a cub without understanding.

(Sita's POV)

I can't believe we all tried to force a cub to nurse and we don't even know his name. Then again we just wanted to make sure he was fed, but he was just scared. When he calmed down enough to only look at me with pleading eyes I that hurt me, I just made sure to keep him on his back in my hands.

Sita-It's Ok... My name is Sita. Can you tell us your name? ~

He didn't want to talk at first until he looked around and saw he had a bit more space, but my size still seemed to scare him.

???-(Y-Y/N).

Sita-My herd and I just wanted to take care of you. You must've been so scared being with that scary and mean hyena pack. ~

Zoya came over and gave him some more fruit to silently eat, but he still looked warey of us.

Zoya-You are so adorable and can fit tight in our palms. I bet there are lots of human males who would love to be in your place... I even have a place fluffy and squishy you can nap in. ~

Sita-Zoya, don't tease him. I'm sure he misses that from his mother and Rajini already tried holding him the same way she would.

(Y/N)-... M-Mommy never did that. whisper

Sita-Hmm? She didn't?... Then what are these for?

I showed him this bra thing underneath that I was sure was supposed to hold the cub still for feeding. When he told us, he told us it was just to cover up something humans see as private. I can't really understand since I'm sure all females have a chest and genitals, so it's no secret. Rajini came over with Alani and had her bra back on and Roja got closer for us to form a circle around him. Not too close though.

Roja-So all humans hide parts about them?... Weird.

(Y/N)-B-But... um.

He pointed at Alani's clothes and she only smiled.

Alani-Oh, I just got these pretty jewels and someone told me this would complete the look. Does it look nice? ~

Rajini-Please forgive me for what I forced earlier, but maybe you could tell us what human parents do for their cubs. We would love to know to make you feel more welcome.

(Timeskip 3 Hours)

We all asked questions about human parenting and his old life after he told us about the lioness pride, the hyena pack, and even the Serpent Sisters. I thought the hyenas were cruel and irresponsible, but human parents... How could they live with themselves?! They entrust their cubs to complete strangers and even his own parents put him in a separate room to sleep! What if their cub wants to cuddle at night and they are cuddling without him?! I remember when my herd was full, even adult families would still cuddle like we do still! They even make the cubs bathe separately! All of the other things he told us about made us see that humans are just bad parents even if some may be loving enough to do half of the correct methods.

Rajini-Sita... Give him to me.

I gently put (Y/N) in Rajini's hands when I was holding him against my shoulder to scratch his back. Rajini just put him against her chest to cuddle him.

Rajini-Little (Y/N), I don't know how to say this gently, so I must be bluntly honest... What you said is no way to be raised.

(Y/N)-What?

Alani-Rajini, there is no need to say that. He won't even understand. It is best to show him.

(Zoya's POV)

As we talked about how to go forward from this, (Y/N) tried to defend his parent's actions. I might be the fighter of our heard, but I would feel hurt and betrayed if my mom and dad never cuddled me every night... It made me think about Dad and miss him when he got sick. If he heard this he would shake his head and so am I. If I am to ever see his parents I would make sure to punish them by giving them to the hyenas myself if I have to. I snapped out of my thoughts when (Y/N) was getting fussy and loud about wanting to defend his race which is understandable that he just doesn't understand, but Rajini only put him in her boobs to muffle him.

Rajini-Everyone, it's clear this is going to be hard-.

Sita-I'm not giving him up!

Rajini-I am not saying that, but it's clear that aside from raising him correctly, he needs to stay away from the Serpent Sisters. It's clear they are looking for him and we don't want him near the humans even more than he doesn't want to be with them.

Roja-I don't think he's ready for milk or is strong enough to get it from you on his own. 

Roya-So he's gonna need some help. Not like it should be a surprise.

Alani-The lionesses may have called him a slave and were rough in treatment and fairness, but it sounds like he saw what parenting is supposed to be... Let's start with a bath and then later go to the sisters and ask for supplies for a cub. Just say we want to be ready.

Rajini-Oh... He's nibbling me some more.

Sita-Well he did make himself tired... Let's make it a quick bath and put him down for another nap with me.

(Alani's POV)

We wasted no time heading to a waterfall we knew about for a bath and (Y/N) was too small and weak to even be put down in the water alone. He would just get carried away by the current. He just didn't find comfort in being held while bathed because of the way neglectful human parents raised him. We all took turns holding him and washing him and those clothes of his. When we got out he was shivering in much need of warmth. It made me think about what humans did at this part if their cub was to bathe alone... If I saw his mother I would give her a piece of my mind and his father would get more than that. We all blow-dried each other and him before I got him and put him in my chest for body warmth.

(Y/N)-Stop it! I thought you were going to listen!

Alani-Awwwww. We are. This is just for your own good, Sweetie. ~

He tried to yell some more, but I tucked him in deeper on the walk back and gave him back to Sita to go down for a nap with her. He was still fussy, but while Sita deals with him we need to get supplies from the Serpent Sisters without them finding out that we have the human they are looking for.

(Catori's POV)

The first group of the humans I was tending too were mostly cubs and this method actually worked faster than expected even if it wasn't as through as we did it with our last human cub slave. I was giving them commands. Basic ones like telling them to sit with hand gestures to help, but later on I taught them to take down a resistant human adult together which will be very useful for when more humans come. I just couldn't make the few grown males and females breed, yet.

Catori-We will get there... You there, ssstrong looking male. You will be given a job when you can be trussted. ~