W20 - Changing Breeds.pdf

through her First Change. As she was being educatedabout the history of the Ajaba — and her role as part ofthe rebuilding and revenge against the Simba — Kisasiconstantly questioned her elders. Why must we takerevenge? How will this make our people stronger? Whoelse has suffered at the claws of Black Tooth? How canwe ensure this never happens again?With the unyielding drive of those who do not knowthey are destined to fail, Kisasi avoided the knee-jerkreactions of survival and revenge that beset the rest ofher Breed. She has begun seeking diplomatic ties withthe other Shifters of Africa, searching for those braveenough to consider uniting against the Simba threat. Sofar, the response has been surprisingly strong, and thereare those who claim this young girl may accomplish theunthinkable: putting an end to the Endless Storm.Kisasi’s success (or failure) lies largely in the supportshe receives from the rest of the Changing Breeds. Withsupport, she could unite the scattered Ajaba packs intothe first true werehyena clan of her generation. Withoutit — or if she is betrayed by those she trusts — her peoplemay well pay the price for her youthful enthusiasm.The DiasporaThe Ajaba diaspora is a recent and brutal upheaval,and the displaced werehyenas are still adjusting to their newhomes. Around the world, the Ajaba are united throughalienation. Throughout history the Ajaba have policed theirlands and chosen the slain, but no longer. Wherever theyare, the displaced Hyenas gravitate towards other expatriateCentral- and East-African populations, in part hoping tofind weak lineages of Kinfolk and in part for the comfortof being around people from similar cultures to their own.The Ajaba who fled the Endless Storm followed otherAfrican refugees and have experienced many of the samedifficulties. The borders of many European countries remainclosed to African migrants. Many Middle-Eastern nations areembroiled in conflicts, with every side willing to conscriptpeople who are obviously capable of fighting. The AsianBeast Courts have their traditions of different Breeds workingtogether, and some Hyenas are starting to explore similarideas, but outside of their ancestral homelands the Ajabadon’t have enough leverage to start such a grand undertaking.West AfricaMany of the surviving Ajaba fled west where theythought they would find familiar surroundings and easyterritory to claim among the chaotic human civilizationsand ongoing famines. Instead they found other entrenchedChanging Breeds who were not particularly welcomingto the refugees.The Ajaba first tried to settle in the wilderness areas,as they were unfamiliar with the larger human settlements.46CHANGING BREEDSThey soon discovered that the Mokolé and Bastet hadlong held territories in these areas, and were not aboutto share them with the broken remnants of a tyrannicalnation. The werehyenas lost yet more of their dwindlingnumbers to running skirmishes, and were forced to seekrefuge in unfamiliar cities. When they arrived they foundthat the Ananasi and Ratkin had a firm hold on the urbanterritories. The rats and spiders were willing to allow thehomeless Ajaba to stay — if they served as cheap muscle,always remembering who was in charge. The Ajaba’s pridewas already broken from their experiences and they reluctantlyaccepted this arrangement in return for a measureof their master’s protection.In some ways these werehyenas experience the mostalienation of any of the refugees. Close enough to theirhomelands that they feel they should be familiar with thepeople around them; the cultures of their new homes haveturned out to be all too alien. The Ajaba have concentratedon finding and drawing together dispersed groups of theirKinfolk, and have managed to regroup and pull togetherloose clans from street gangs and criminals. They workthe chaotic streets of growing West African cities likeAbidjan, Accra, and Conakry — still serving the interestsof other shapeshifters — but their efforts have given Kisasia strong base to draw on in forming her Ahadi.The West African Ajaba walk a dangerous line. BlackTooth offers substantial bounties to any shapeshifter whomurders werehyena Kinfolk — and a far greater reward forkilling an Ajaba. So far, their service to the Ananasi andRatkin has been more valuable than the rewards offeredby the Endless Storm, but the Ajaba refugees fear thatthis may change at any moment.Despite that, the Ajaba are not victims to roll overand expose their throats. They learned valuable lessonsfrom Black Tooth and have infiltrated human groups thattrade with hunters and poachers. They ignore human lawson hunting lions and offer their own bounties for lionpelts, fangs and claws. A few even provide poachers withsupernatural advantages and spirit favors. These deals havebrought many Hyenas perilously close to Wyrm corruptionand more than a few have crossed the line, blindedto their fall by their need for revenge.North Africa and Middle EastThe Ajaba fleeing to Northern Africa and the MiddleEast found more violence, civil wars and unrest. Theyalso found the opportunity to renew their identity andpurpose, joining their fellow Breeds in fighting the risinginfluence of the Weaver and Wyrm. As pack hunters, thewerehyenas have an intuitive understanding of how toorganize small cells that take decisive action amidst surroundingchaos. The matriarchal structures of the Ajabaare more intact here than among any other werehyenas.