Maximus Ceasar walked long the edge of the lake, his eyes heavy lidded. It was morning, the sun having just finished peeking over Lake Victoria... It was beautiful and enchanting. The citizen knew when he first set eyes on the divine waters that this would be their new home. It'd served them well enough over the past couple weeks. He grunted as he hopped up onto a large rock, glancing over his shoulder at his new territory. It was mostly large areas of grass, slooping up and down into large hills, boulders dotting the landscape here and there. The climate was moderate, if a bit wet and rainy since they lived so close to the water.He settled down, his thick mane shaking as he lowered it, eyes flickering around. Maximus' thoughts were heavy... The pride was so small now. He wondered how long he'd be able to protect them and their new land...
She could not be classed as old, but she could not be classed as young either, she was some where between the two ages and so she had learnt enough in her time upon the land to know when a medecine was needed or when it was just a cold, when a bone was broken or a mucle simply pulled. She was a healer through and through and she had been trained to heal by the best from a very young age. her mother before her had been a medicine woman and she had followed in her footsteps.
when the tradgedies had happened she had helped to heal the injured and treated those whom suffered from illness but not everyone had walked away alive and each soul that had passed to the next world laid heavy upon her heart.
Her soft pink eyes fell upon the large lion as she padded around the edge of the lake lowering her head to take a drink before she approached the ceasar. "Good day to you my lord." She whispers, her voice calming and sweet, her head bowed in respect.
His eyes drifted over to the other lioness, his head bobbing back in a nod, showing equal respect for her. Someone of her age was treated with great respect as well, especially since she had proven to be one of the best healers in their pride... And now the only one. She had saved quite a few of their survivors, or... tried, at least. "Nyao." He said softly in greeting. His voice was deep, but kind, the sound of a proud grandfather... Even though they were probably around the same age, maybe a bit younger than her.
"Come... sit with me, if you have the time. I would appreciate an ear as kind as yours to speak to."
The pale blue lioness smiled gently, she was happy to be an ear, leaping up in an agile manner she sat next to the ceasar resting herself and making ehrself comfortable. "What ails you my lord?" She coos, her voice always the most tender and kind, her bedside manner so to speak was unparralelled and when needed she could be silent as a lamb.
Her eyes flickered over his body as he sat there though she wasn't admireing, she was a healer, she was checking he was in good shape, making sure that his fur looked shiney and that his eyes wern't foggy, and that no fur was missing taht no cuts were visable or taht any blood was rpesent upon his person. It was odd how she could do this in a very descreet manner never letting nayone know that she was looking for signs of illness before they were there. It was all a part of who she was, she had to keep the pride healthy after all it had dwindled to a mere shadow of it's former self she had to care for all of them with all her ability.
He lets out a slow breath, his mane heaving as he did. "I fear for our people..." He said softly, sounding older than he really was for a moment. He looked out over the lands again. It was depressing... Months before he could have looked out over the horizon and seen lions and leopards as far as the eyes could see. Why had the gods decided to punish their empire so...?
"I fear of what will become of us." He finished off, his massive front paws slowly crossing in front of him. Even though he laid comfortably, he somehow managed to do it with perfect posture, looking noble and confident. Even if his tone suggested otherwise. There were no scrapes or other injures... perhaps he looked a tad thin, but that was expected. Their whole pride had thinned slightly, the weeks of traveling wearing them all down.
The pale lioness listened, a stoic look upon her face, she knew he worried, it was a kings place to worry, an unfortunate thing but somthing she could do nothing about really. A light smile traced her maw as she replied to him "Courage in the face of adversity is a noble thing my lord, but one should always stop and smell the roses for a moment." She licked her pale lips and gazed out over the lands, yes their ranks had thinned considerably, but they would grow once again,s he knew that. "The pride will thrive again it just takes time to heal such a wound."
She reached a paw out then, and touched his mane with the lightest of brushes, feeling his fur and smiling, "I know your worry lies heavy in your chest but if you worry too much you will only see the pride fall further. have faith, the gods will return to us and bring us back to our former glory." She tilts her head, a determined look in those blush coloured eyes. "Have you been sleeping?" she raises both brows looking deeply in to the eyes of the king, she could be short occasionally but her healers heart won through and she had to ask those all important questions that even she could not see.
He listened, ears twitching towards her, though his eyes remained focused out where the land met the sky. She was right... he knew it. He had to be courageous and strong. But... It seemed harder each day. Especially with... her.
Everyone in the pride knew that Maximus was soon going to ask the lioness to be his. Everyone looked forward to it, and the possiblitiy of finally getting a new heir. He'd waited too long though, his attention too focused on the pride. Now he cursed himself for it. She was gone, and things seemed so hard now.
He shook his head a little, brushing away those thoughts. He smiled a little, looking over at the other lioness. "You are right. Forgive me for worrying... The gods will bless us again, I am sure of it. Perhaps I'll make a sacrifice to Jupiter soon..." He mused, glancing out over the lake for a moment. Then he blinked, brow rising as he looked to her as she asked him the last question. "...Well enough...."
The healer nodded gently, she knew how things where and yes, it was unfortunate the way the pride had been cast from it's lands by disaster but she had faith in him and in the future.
"A small celebration would be welcomed by the pride my lord and I am sure it would ease your own worry if we saw int he new moon with a sacrifice." Rolling her shoulders lightly her ears twitched and for a long moment she simply watched him wondering if she should press something upon him.
"Perhaps my lord I could make a small poultice to help you sleep, sometimes a good nights rest is all a body needs to find the new day brighter than the last." She wondered if it was ehr place to enquire about other things beside the pride, the pride was her medical responsability and he was the king but he was also her paitent his well being was everything to her.
His head tilted slightly, listening again. He stared at her for a moment, then smiled gently. "You're wise to suggest so, Nyao. Mmm... That is a good idea..." He nods a little, looking up again, now pensive. "We'll have a little festival to the gods, thanking them for our new home... It's about time we bless it, anyway." He nods sagely to himself, looking more content. "It'll left everyone's spirits, I think..."
He snorted softly in amusement, smiling wider. He was used to her though, and knew she was only doing her job. He was thankful she did it so well. "It's alright... I think my mind will settle on it's own soon enough."
Nyao let a soft puurr roll over her lips as she watched the large male feeling an almost instant lift in him, it would be good to see a celebration, it would make evryone feel better sometimes the biggest cause of illness was simply sadness, it opened the mind and body to sicknesses that couldn't be cured by herbs.
"It wil be nice to see the pride all together enjoying one another for a change, the doldrums are nothing to turn ones nose up at my lord and laughter is somtimes the greatest and most powerful medecine in the world."
"As you wish my lord, though you know if you need it it will be there for you.." She let a little chuckle fall from her lips and her bright eyes smiled. She liked that he let her get away with her little foibles, she could be a very pushy healer, she knew that, but she wasn't the best for no reason, she knew how to keep a paitent still so she could work and she knew just how much to push to get the right results.
He chuckles softly, watching her in amusement out of the corner of his eyes. He seemed to mule it over for a moment, before letting out a light-hearted sigh. "Alright, alright... I suppose you would know best, Nyao." He laughed again, his worries slipping away slightly as he raised his chin a little more.
"And knowing you... You'd probably make it and slip it into my next meal anyway, wouldn't you?"
Nyao looked astonished, though her astonishment was clearly fake and it was quickly followed by one of her lovely, cheery smiles. "Who me my lord? I would never do that." She grins playfully, she had done it plenty of times, sometimes males could be very stubborn when it came to taking their medecine.
Bowing her head gently she rose to her paws. "I have some herbs to gather, perhaps a little hibiscus would do you good and just a touch of digitalis to calm your heart, yes.." She mused licking her pale lips, half lost in her thoughts of what exactly she would put in to the concoction that she would give the king for a good nights sleep.
A light smile played on her face as she took a step away, though she paused and looked back at the king. "The world seems a little brighter already does it not?" she gave another nodding bow and hopped down from his vantage point, she could spend more time with the king she knew but theer were others she must see before the day was out and they all needed as much of her attention as he did.
He chuckled again, watching her hop down from the rock in amusement, though still with that noble air. "I am no cub that needs to be coddled, Nyao..." He said lightly, his tone not really chastising. "But... I appreciate your concern. You are a good healer." He adds, nodding with a smile.
He didn't ask her to stay, even though her company would have been welcomed. He too had work to do, after all... he had to partrol the borders, and also check up on anything that needed him. "I agree, Citizen." He nods his approval, watching her leave with a much lighter heart.
