[JRP] Carrying On [ Pumbaa'Mlinzi & N'Seka ]

[Depawsit]

Mlinzi nodded to the elder lion as he resisted the temptation to just fall to his belly and scratch til he couldn't scratch anymore. But he knew better, he wouldn't waste the Apothecary's valuable time or the pride's limited resources like that. The uncontrollable itching was just something he had to live with, even if it drove him mad in the process.

As the young cub exited the Apothecary he looked around with a new twinkle in his eyes. He could see colors again, something that he hadn't been able to do in quite some time! But there weren't just colors, there were shapes, and depth to the world once again. Mlinzi let out a quick bout of the giggles before he began to count off the many things he had to be thankful for on this day. His sight had never been this great, and the plague had only deteriorated him further. But he had perservered, ensured by the adults in the pride that the apothecary would help him when the time came. He had smiled a wide smile and thanked the lions for their support, but deep down had few expectations for his first visit. But now, now he was simply in awe of their talent, it was amazing how much this itchy medicine had done for him and in such a quick time! The question now was how long would his new found vision last him?

In a split second the cub found himself turned around and padding back towards the area he had just left his intentions were to ask how long the salve would protect him. But something else caught his eye as he walked. It was color, a very vibrant but small in quantity color, but it had still managed to catch his eye none the less. Curious of his eye-catching discovery Mlini slowly trotted over, his belly low to the ground, and his tail wrapped around his hind legs. "Excuse me..." His voice was slightly shaky, but he hoped it didn't show signs of anything one might find questionable. "I'm sorry to bother you, I just noticed your colors, and well I wanted to say Hi..."

 

[Annchen]

N'Seka had been sent to the healers for some treatment today, and he was chewing listlessly on some bitter herbs that were supposed to be good for him. The healer had talked about a mud bath for his paws, but it sounded a lot less fun to be encouraged to take one than to do it and then get told off by mom for being dirty... Being allowed to splash around in mud took all the fun out of it. But until the mud bath was being arranged he sat her and plotted his escape, tail wagging to and fro in annoyance. And as it happened the pink and constantly moving tail tuft attracted some attention.

He turned to find a very pale cub and since it clearly wasn't a healer he grinned at the other little boy. He could see that there were gooey stuff around the others eyes and he wondered if the healers had done that or if the runny stuff was why he was here.

"Hi!" he said with a grin, "I'm N'Seka! What's your name?"

He decided against asking about the eye-goo. If it was anything like the herbs he had just swallowed the pale cub might not want to be reminded about it.  

[Depawsit]

Mlinzi heaved a sigh of relief inwardly as the other cub greeted him as warmly as he did. He noticed, now that he had a much better view that the cub's eyes were the same color as the small tuft on his tail. It was quite an interesting color, and it fascinated him to no end to finally be able to see it.

"I'm Pumbaa'Mlinzi! But you can call me Mlinzi if you'd like!"

Mlinzi smiled his wide eyed smile, as he unwound his tightly wrapped tail from around his leg. It was a bad habit for him, to wrap his tail around his leg. But it made him feel safer, and so he had continued the bad habit.

"I just came from the healers, it was my first time meeting them..."

With a bit of a lower tone, Mlinzi trailed off not exactly sure where he was headed with this; but then it hit him. With his old sight, Mlinzi never would have been able to tell this cub from any of the others, even with his oddly intricate markings. So perhaps he had run into N'Seka inside, and hadn't even noticed. Which was a real shame if so, it would have been nice to have a friend with him.

"Have you ever been? I was kinda scared, but it wasn't all that bad. Except for this itchy stuff they put on my eyes! They told me not to scratch it, but man is it itchy."

Mlinzi curled his paws into the dirt in an attempt to hide his claws from the itchy salve on his face.

 

[Annchen]

"I've been to the healers many times," N'Seka said, "Because I'm sick. But they've never put stuff in my eyes. I didn't know eyes could itch."

N'Seka didn't know eyes could feel much. The only time his eyes were feeling like anything was when he was super tired and it felt as if someone had dumped sand in them. But that wasn't really itching, was it? But itching was no fun when it happened somewhere else, so he figured having itchy eyes was not fun either.

"I don't like the icky herbs," he whispered to his new friend, just in case a healer would be close enough to hear him, "They're icky to eat."  

[Depawsit]

It took a second for N'Seka's word to sink in. He'd never really been around anyone who was sick with the plague but he knew enough to not pester him about it. He knew how it was to be sick, and being sick all the time probably wasn't much fun. So instead of accidentally hurting the cub's feelings he chose to look over his comment, thinking that if N'Seka chose to speak of it he would do so.

"Oh yeah, they itch like crazy! But they didn't itch before I went in, only after they put that stuff on them. I guess I can't complain though, if it weren't for this stuff I never would have met you!" Mlinzi gave off a bit of a toothy grin, which stretched so wide it cracked a bit of the drying salve across his eyes. "Eww herbs. You're right those don't sound all that great either..."

Mlinzi lowered his voice a bit to match the other cub's tone, "What exactly do they look like? Y'know so i'm prepared next time." He giggled a bit as he finished, half joking with his new friend; but also a bit serious although this trip hadn't been to bad, he hadn't seen these herbs yet. Maybe he was in for more than he bargained for afterall..

 

[Annchen]

"Um..." N'Seka hesitated as he tried to remember exactly how the herbs looked. He was not apothecary material, that was certain, "Green... and gross?"

He didn't really pay attention to the look of what he was given by the healers. As far as he was concerned every green and growing thing had the potential of being some kind of icky medicine he might be subjected to. The animals brought home by the hunters were much better food, and he usually felt better after a nice meal. No, plants were evil and meat was good as far as he was concerned. But sometimes the healers did stuff that made him feel better, so it wasn't all bad. However, he didn't have to like what they did just because it worked sometimes.

"I think they should have more bones here with the healers," he mused, "Because they're much tastier to gnaw on, and then it would be nicer to go here."  

[Depawsit]

"Oh....."

The wind quickly deflated from Mlinzi's sails, at N'Seka's description of the herbs he seemed to dread so much. Though it wasn't for fear that he would one day get them unexpectedly;once he lost his sight again. But more because, he yearned to join the ranks of the pride's Apothecary one day. But if he couldn't see the colors, how on Earth would that be possible?

"I guess I won't have the upper hand there, since normally I can't see very well...." As the words trailed off into the distance, Mlinzi tried to pull himself together and back to his strong, happy self. He didn't like to dwell on the things he couldn't help, but at the same time he didn't like the way he felt now....

But ignoring his own heartbreak, he managed to pull his smile out once more; and actually listen to N'Seka finish. He had a good point, bones were really tasty, just thinking about them made his tummy growl a bit. Which gave him a bit of a shock, as he glanced around looking for it's source.

"Yeah, if they had bones i'd come here everyday!"

It was towards the end of the sentence that he realized something, he had no idea when he did need to come back. "Umm, N'Seka, do you know how often we're supposed to come here? I've heard some lions are here all of the time, but i'm not sick right now, and well... you don't seem sick right now. So, if you don't mind me asking, how often do you have to come?"

The question seemed a little silly coming from him, and quite possibly a little rude but Mlinzi hoped N'Seka didn't take it that way. He was only being naturally curious, but not only because he was a cub and N'Seka seemed more experienced. But also because if his goal in life was to become an Apothecary, he might as well start leaning the simple stuff now.

 

[Annchen]

N'Seka tilted his head to one side at his new friend's confession. He had never encountered anyone with bad eyesight as far as he knew. And since he hardly knew any old people he hadn't encountered elders with cataracts or other age related eye issues. But then... living to an old age was a rare privilege in Kitwana'antara. N'Seka was still young, and to him it was far more normal to die as a young adult. The lucky ones reached middle age and the unlucky ones never left the den they were born in.

"Why don't you see very good," he asked, "Is it that stuff they put on? Sometimes they do these weird things that make you feel worse... And then the next day you're better! I hope those herbs were one of those things that make you feel better the next day..."

He stuck his tongue out and tried to get the taste out by licking his paw. Dust and bitter herbs were not a great combination. Ick! His mouth was dry and still tasted like the icky medicine. He wondered if licking your paw could do that or if the green ickyness had somehow dried up his mouth. He decided it was the herbs fault.

"I don't know," he said, and scratched behind his ear, "I go when I'm sick, and sometimes when I don't feel sick, and sometimes just to check. But after my paws started to hurt I got to go here a lot. Do you want to go get some water or something? My tongue is all dry and weird. I don't like it when herbs do that..."  

[Depawsit]

Mlinzi nodded solemnly to his new found friend. "They said it's supposed to help me see, but that didn't tell me how long it's supposed to last. But i'm not worried about that right now, i'm just glad I can see again." With a wide toothy grin, he finished his comment, quite ready to explain his ailment, but choosing to hold back. N'Seka seemed to know the way things worked, so maybe this was one explanation he wouldn't have to provide.

Giggling at N'Seka's face, Mlinzi quickly covered his guilt with his left paw and listened as his friend continued."I hope your herbs work as well as my goopy medicine, N'Seka, and that your paws get better.." He paused, momentarily contemplating their next move. N'Seka had made the comment that his paws were bothering him, was it really worth the trouble for him to tread further on them? His first instinct was no, but the cub did seem to be thirsty, and afterall, it had been his idea...

Nodding his head in agreement, he quickly found the words to add in it's place. "Yeah sounds like a good idea. Maybe we can find something tasty to nibble on along the way."" Of course, this usually wasn't a good idea, to just nibble on random unknown objects, but when you lived the life of the Kitwana'Antara there wasn't much left to lose.

 

[Annchen]

"Yeah," N'Seka said, "But it's not bad all the time, and it's better than the coughing and fever-ickiness I get sometimes. And I hope your goop works forever."

Luckily N'Seka was very good at forgetting he was sore, or in pain. And when he wasn't, he could almost forget what it felt like. As long as no one talked about it or asked how he was feeling he stayed happy and hardly noticed any aches and pains. He was usually a happy kid, as long as his nose wasn't blocked by mucus, since that could make him incredibly cranky. Well, no one could be happy at all times...

"Oh, I know," N'Seka said, remembering something really cool, "Let's go take a drink and then I can show you Mama's secret place for treats. I found it by accident."

With a multitude of siblings around treats didn't last long if left in the open. N'Seka tried to hide goodies sometimes, but his brothers were good at finding them unfortunately... But the other day he had stumbled upon a stash that must have been hidden by Yejide and with a bit of luck it would still be there for him and his new friend to sneak a snack from. Or they could ask mom for a little something if he couldn't find the place... It would be fun!