Snippet #2706043

Val had fallen asleep in his outdoor section, something he did often now. The setting sun felt good along his long body. A buzz cut its way through the air however announcing all the large animals needed to retire to their indoor habitats to eat and rest for the night. Val's indoor section was connected to the Nocturnal house down a branch that was usually closed off during working hours. The automatic doors swung shut revealing dramatic cave decoration and glow in the dark insects with "staff only" written in fun zoo paint. After hours they were open and at one corner of the window he would have been able to just barely see the edge of the bat exhibit as the hallway turned if Val's vision didn't resemble a blurred mass of color and rough shapes edged in black. Outside his habitat was turned towards the big cat area it was decorated as a sad imitation of his home with a wide open space he could almost have gotten to half speed in if he ran towards the fence from the very back and didn't mind colliding with it nose first.

Val padded back into the foliage laden back end of his outdoor habitat his paws sure in his direction at every dip and tread in the soil. He was a tall powerful creature, and despite the fact tat he didn't have near the bulk and intimidation of the lions he seemed to hold a magestic regal air that categorized the felines. He held his head high, though his eyes were almost closed, it wasn't necessary to fight to desipher shapes that he already knew day in and day out. He shifted into his human form, nude and uncaring and ducked into his indoor prison. The door outside buzzed and shut heavily. It had no handle or anything but he had long since figured out how to trigger it to open. He sat down in fake turf and passed his hand across the raw meat in his bowl. He could hear Lyle getting excited about something but ignored him for the most part. He picked up the meat, crosslegged next to his bowl and bit into it as black fur sprouted down his long bony spine. His skin was pale and seemed tight against his muscles and lower ribs, he had strong legs and firm arms and no excessive stomach fat to speak of. Scars dotted his body though, incisions marking his organs, chest, and in several spots on his back each one nearly stitched back together again.

After finishing his first slab he was finished, and ignored the second slab of meat in his bowl, he licked the juices off of himself meticulously and sighed exasperated at Lyle's constant noise making. "What have I told you about silence, Lyle? Who are you talking to now? I don't have to remind you there are no other hyenas in your habitat do I?"