[OVR] Modern Problems Require Modern Solutions!

All they’d heard for days was constant skittering. The rocks and pebbles had scratch marks all along them, they’d clattered down the crags and cliffs all night and into the morning…

Junk had had enough. 

“So you want me to do… what, exactly?” The hyena next to him murmured, barely keeping pace with him. Her thick fur was hot, no doubt from the afternoon sun, and he heard her panting quietly, trying to hide it from him. Not that he ever asked her too, but Scrap was odd about her personal image sometimes. He never remarked on it; they were partners in crime, but he wasn’t in charge of her life and how she held herself. 

“Them rats are drivin’ me crazy, sounds like they’ve multiplied or somethin’!” The hyaenodon snaps his teeth in annoyance, but it’s not directed at her; Scrap doesn’t bat an eye, huffing in amusement at his irritation. “Oi, don’t laugh – this is serious! I needs my sleep, ‘n so do you, frankly!”

“I get plenty of beauty rest, Junk,” The brown hyena laughed a little, like the tinkling of bells, sweetly. “But yes, your concern is warranted… they’ve been quite loud lately. You’ve always been a little more sensitive to noises though, my friend.”

“Callin’ it a sensitivity is a bit much, don’tcha think?” Junk leveled her with a look, but Scrap was smiling knowingly at him, and he didn’t have the heart to bite at her ankles for it. “Fine, Junkwhatever, I gots sensitive ears for stupid little rats multiplyin’ at stupid rates.”

“I meant no disrespect by it,” She laughed again, her shoulder brushing against his. “Yes, though, I agree. They’re an issue; we should be rid of them quickly… so. You spoke of an idea of sorts?”

“Right!” Junk scampered ahead, to claw under some rocks and grab a bushel of acorns from a tree in the woods he’d grabbed early. “Behold! My master plan.”

Scrap looked a bit unsure at first, almost unimpressed; the hyaenodon huffed through the branch between his teeth. “Look!!! I worked hard t’ get this –”

“I don’t doubt that,” Scrap fondly remarked before he could assume otherwise as he continued.

“- ‘N I’ve seen squirrels and mice eat ‘em too!” Junk fluffed himself up a bit, puffing his chest. “Obviously rats’ll like ‘em too, y’know?”

“If you’re certain,” Scrap definitely didn’t think it’d work as well as he hoped, yet here she was, ready to jump into action with him. “Alright then. Did you have a place in mind to set up at?”

“You bet!” Junk grinned, leading her into a little alcove with little to no crevices for the rats to slip into. Just deep enough that they’d presume they were safe, but with a wide enough opening for them to reach paws in to scoop them out. “I’m gonna bait some of ‘em here with the acorns. Then I’ll chase ‘em inta this ‘ere spot. Once they’re in here, you scoop ‘em out and snap ‘em!”

“Simple enough,” Scrap agreed, smiling more now. “Shall we, then?”

Without answering, Junk threw the bushel of acorns down in front of the opening before instructing her up above the small ledge so she could perch overhead, hidden by some nearby brush and brambles. 

And if Scrap already knew the bushel wasn’t really going to work out? So what? She didn’t mind so much as long as Junk felt like he was tackling a problem in his own special way…

It also probably helped that Scrap was also getting sick of the rats, but she didn’t want to make this about her really. Not when she knew that, regardless of how they did it, they’d be chasing down every rat through the crags that they could. Anything to stop their damnable squeaking.