She was on a search! And when she was on a search she always found who she was looking for, she had a nack for knowing where her paitents were, more so if she thought they were avoiding her. She smiled. She had made the perfect concoction for caesar, the perfect blend, and just to make it all the more wonderful, it tasted nice, which was a hard feat, some of the ingedients she had used, were, well bitter even she found herself gagging with some of the preperations she made.
This special powder, which she would mix with fresh water, was just perfect to relax the body and mind and maybe even the soul, though she never one hundred percent beleived in the soul of a reature, she understood that sometimes the soul ached and it too needed to be given a great big hug on occassion.
Her soft pink eyes smiled as she sopldierd on in search of the king, she wanted to make sure he could take it, having added digitalis to the mixture to slow and calm his heart rate, she had to be just sure he wouldn't have a bad reaction to it. Digitalis was dangerous stuff but she had never had any misshaps.
Maximus was merely wandering at the moment, trotting along the inner borders of their territory. Making sure none intruded. Especially those barbaric wild dogs... He would chase each one he saw off, then return to scouting. It wasn't that bad recently though... It seemed the dogs were understanding more that they weren't welcomed, so they didn't come as often.
He sniffed and paused suddenly, his gaze lifting towards the approaching lioness. He smiled a little, turning to trot towards her. "Good afternoon, Nyao."
She smiled her wonderful, pleasing smile as he came towards her and she paused to bow her dusty blue head. "Good day to you my lord, i have something for you." She puurrs, lifting her gaze to look at the big male that was the lord of these lands. She enjoyed his company greatly and though she would have liked to have spent time simply chatting about the world, the way he saw it, the way the world spun through his eyes, she had to also get down to buisness. It was a very serious proceedure, in her eyes any way, to apply a medecine to maximus of all people.
She let a slight laughing puurr roll off ehr lips as she looked at him and shook her head. "I feel far too buisness like, I should ask how you feel first hmm?" She grins getting straight to the point wasn't her usual way, she rpefarred to chatup her paitents rather than just shove their treatment down their necks so to speak and she did enjoy resting witht he ceasar, he was a wonderful lion in her eyes, he was wonderful in most of the prides eyes, she had no doubt of that, but there was something special in him that she thought maybe only she could see being his doctor, so to speak.
His smile turned a little suspicious when she mentioned having something for him. That always meant some sort of medicine. He paused for a moment, assuring himself that it would probably be for his own good. So he nodded a little, his smile renewed.
"I feel just fine, Nyao." He did feel pretty well, so it wasn't a lie. Perhaps a little tired, but really... He was always tired. There was always too much work to do, and not enough time in the day. And with their dwendled numbers, the Ceasar was forced to do other jobs to fill in the gaps. "Yourself?" He sat then, getting comfortable so they could chat.
The pale blue lioness smiled brightly, "The work of one like me is never done my lord." She whispers, "It's good for the soul, but not so good for the body." She chuckles a little lookinghim over to check him out, she did this in such a subtle manner, that most never noticed her watching them. Her mother had taught her the technique of being inconspicuous, of looking without letting anyone know she was looking. She noted he seemed well, though the tiredness that dwelled in his eyes was obvious.
"I need to listen to your heart." She smiles, removing an odd bag from around her neck with a quick flick of her paws. The bag was made of an entire otters skin, even the head was left on making a flap to cover the contents, it was waterproof though showed some sign of age. This bag was infact an heirloom, it was passed down from medecine woman, to medecine woman through the generations and each of them cared for it like a child. She sometimes wondered if she would ever pass it to a daughter of her own, but that wasn't important right now, what was important, was the contents.
Flipping the otters head back she unfastened a rather complex knot and pulled out a tiny brown leather bag. "This is your helping paw." She chuckled. "To help you get a good nights sleep, but first i need to hear your heart."
"Ah..." He watched her slip the bag out, taking a moment to admire the small otter pouch. It seemed to be another part of her, at times. And it really was wonderfully made.
He was snapped out of his thoughts by her statement. Listen to his heart? He cleared his throat a little, staring at her awkwardly for a moment. It didn't seem... decent. If anything, the Ceasar was traditional. He prided himself on the fact, though... it backfired, sometimes. It made him a little awkward around females. He didn't want to come off as scandulous!
But... it was her job, right? So he tried his best to clear the thoughts away, and only nodded. "If you insist..."
She stiffled a laugh at his moment of awquardness, it made her smile how, completely traditional he was and yet how relaxed he was. "It wont hurt, I promise" She whispers moving towards him and laying her paws on his shoulders pushing him so gently, and subtlely, her paws were actually massaging his shoulders moving him in to a laying possition so she could get to his heart without having to struggle under his legs.
"And I do insist." She puurrs her voice ever so gentle and calming, she was always, first and foremost a medecine woman, she knew what to listen for, she knew what to do and she knew what was best for her paitents in the long run and even maximus at times came under her purview and was subject to her calming influence.
His anxiety quickly melted away when she touched him, a soft sigh escaping his mouth as he flopped gently down onto the ground. His eyes focused on her for a few moments, then slowly closed. Ah, he was just too relaxed. All of the restless nights seemed to catch up with him in just a few moments.
His mouth opened wide for a moment, a loud roar-like yawn making his mane rumble against her paws. "Ah, Nyao.." he muttered, shaking his head to clear the sleepiness away. "You really are a wonder." The lion settled down then, resting his cheek on the cool ground.
The pale lioness smiled. "It's my job." Whe whispers lowering herself to the ground and gently brushing away the base of his mane, she turned ehr head to the side and resting her cheek upon his chest her bowl like ear settled on his ribs and she too closed her eyes to listen. It only took her a moment and two deep calming breaths but she soon lifted her head and nodded. "Good, it isn't broken."
She sat slowly and looked at the lord of the lands, her soft pink eyes smiling happily. He was healthy, which she was glad of, he was just tired, she knew a good nights sleep would solve that problem. She wished she could help to solve his other problem but matters of the heart couldn't be solved with herbs and plant extracts.
"Do you wish to go to your den? I can prepare this there and you can sleep in comfort."
Maximus laid there contently, only shifting a little when he felt her pressed against him. A soft pur started to rumble out of his chest, but he stiffled it quickly. When she spoke, his eyes opened and he blinked in suprise.
He lingered on the ground at first, a slight frown spreading across his maw. So that was what this was about... She was worried about him. He slowly pushed himself up, looking at her with mixed emotions. For a moment he was almost annoyed for her prying, but... She was only trying to take care of him. So he nods and forces the frown away. "I'm fine, Nyao... Really."
He sighed then, glancing away. "I really should get back to scouting..."
The medacine woman shook her head gently. "I promise you the borders arn't going any where and if you wish I will watch them 'til you waken tomorrow. Theres only you left for me today and you my lord are the most important." She whispers, her voice a soothing lull, she wished to see him relaxed, to see him sleep and to see him waken to a new day refreshed.
"All I ask is one good nights sleep Maximus." She croons, using his name rather than addressing him more formally, she was concerned for him, she just wanted him to be fit and healthy, she wanted to see the pride strong again, but if he wasn't strong, if he wasn't well rested, she worried his health would only deteriorate and the pride would suffer for it, plus she cared about him really, he was her paitent, ehr friend, her lord, he was a big part of her world and without him, well, she couldn't imagine what would happen.
He sighs softly, eyes shifting up towards the sky. It was still fairly early in the evening... But... perhaps he could get more done if he woke up early and was well rested. The borders could wait, as she said... So he finally nodded reluctantly and stood, shaking himself off quickly before looking towards her.
"You do not have to do that... You need to keep to your own duties. I'll start again tomorrow... Anyway, let's go then." He smiles to her gently, then turns and starts to walk back towards his den.
Nyao nods bowing her head, her eyes smiling beneath her lengthy bangs. "Don't be mad at me my lord I just want you to be well, everyone does." She puurrs following after him with a skip in her step, her otter skin back once again thrown around her neck. She would make sure he had a good nights sleep, at least one good nights sleep any way. It was the least she could do for him.
She followed him diligently back towards his den, considering how long the draft would take to sink in to his system, how long he would sleep for and how much better he would feel for a decent nights rest. It was all she could ask for.
He walked along with her, occasionally glancing sideways towards her, but mostly remaining quiet. It wasn't an awkward silence though... He actually enjoyed it.
After a bit of walking they came upon the dens. The ones closes to the lake were the ones he had claimed, so he could be closer to the gods. The cool, dark caves were welcoming, and already he could feel himself growing more groggy. Even without the potion! He let her walk into them a little, then he sat, waiting for her to do her thing.
She padded up to him and touched his shoulder with her nose nudging him without any real insistance towards his sleeping place, resting her paws upon his shoulders once again she massaged at his thick, tightly bunched mucles, urging him to relax, her eyes shone in the dim light which seeped in from the open cave mouth and she smiled. This was what she was good at.
"Have you ever wondered my lord what tomorrow will bring?" She whispers her paws lifting from his frame for barely a moment as she lifted her otter skin puch from her neck once again, lifting the smaller pocket of herbs she had procured for him she quickly poured them in to a small, hollowed out wooden bowl, this, oddly enough, was also something that ahd been in her family for generations, a thing which she used for all her preperations, it was a sacred item of her family.
Padding away for the breifest of moment she returned with cool waters from the lake side and quickly poured the concoction in to the small finely crafted wooden bowl. Allowing it to stew for a long silent moment she held it with both paws, balancing her whole frame on her back legs and rump she offered it to the king with her head bowed, though her gaze was firmly upon her lord, she did not wish to spill a drop, it was most important he drank it all.
He chuckled softly and nodded, moving to lay himself down in his little 'nest.' It was a small bed made of dry grass and furs. He settled down, yawning softly while she went about preparing her potions.
When she spoke, he paused, looking pensive for a moment... Then he nodded, watching her. "Every moment of the day, Nyao." He did think about it, really... He constantly worried about the state of his people.
When she offered him the bowl he sat up a bit, dipping his head down to drink from the small bowl. He was suprised to find that it tasted sweet... He smiled, finishing it down to the last drop before he laid back down. "Thank you."
She puurres softly nudging him back in to his sleeping possiton once the potion was downed. She had been very careful to hide the contents of the bowl, to make it seem less like medicine and more like a treat, males could be more fussy than most when it came to taking their medicine. It made her smile more often than not how stubborn males were.
"For tonight my lord there is only now, tomorrow will bring what it brings to us, but for now only rest and dreams of today." She smiled, it was strange to ask such a thing, she knew it would be difficult and she also knew that his sleep would be deep this eve and probably dreamless. A calm dreamless sleep was the best thing for the minds worries.
"When you waken tomorrow my lord, forget the past, it's gone now and your heart is still healthy, the future is bright before us, you should know that as well as I do, for we are fortunate people, the gods will smile on us all once again soon enough."
Her voice was already starting to get a little muffled, feeling further and further away from him. Another yawn, larger and longer than before. His chin slowly moved down to rest on his front paws, eyes slowly blinking sleepily.
Still, he wished to continue their conversation, even just a little. "I will... try..." He mutters softly, staring up at her with an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Nyao... You are very kind.."
"Hush now." She croons sitting and watching the big male become dozey under the influence of the drug. She knew she wouldn't move this night, she had to make sure he was okay through the night. She would never truely accept a thankyou from him, it was her duety to make sure he was well, it was her job to be sure they were all well.
Smiling gently she settled beside the large male though she didn't close her eyes, she would remain alert through the darkness, that was her duety as medecine woman of the pride, to care to watch, to cure.
He let out a long, soft sigh... Content to just lay there. If he was less tired, he might have objected to laying so close to an unmated lioness... But.. right now he didn't really care. His eyes closed, and his breathing became more steady and rythmed.
Quickly his sleep claimed him, a soft smile on his maw. He was happy.
