Ruggie is trying to court you like a hyena would, saying that he's a hyena beastman. He'll give you food and take steps back because male hyenas are very submissive by nature, and so he takes steps back to try not to upset you because female hyenas are aggressive. He buys you food because hyenas share with people in their cackle or people they are attempting to court, regardless of if they're in their cackle or not.