The darkly coloured lioness had her head bowed to the ground, nose sniffing along the dirt and hoping to find a familiar scent. She knew most plants via scents these days, as her sight was long gone and she had no other way to identify her medicinal herbs. She needed to keep stocked up, and keep track of where the plants grew, in case someone needed them. She hesitated, and bit down on a familiarly scented herb, pulling a face at the disgustingly bitter taste which filled her mouth. Yes, she thought, poking her tongue out to try to rid herself of the flavour, she knew that herb. It was used to tend cuts, and was a very useful herb. Tasted disgusting though. Which was why people did not eat it, and it was used externally.
She shook her head, and pawed at the plant, testing it size to see if she could pick some without damaging the herb.
Damn it. Xennek cursed silently to himself as the ground once again rose to meet him. Everything was spinning. "Sto-stop it." Growled the rather large lion as he dragged himself across the savannah. If only he could make it to someone. Where was the kid anyway? Sekayi would give him hell when he got back. If he got back. The thought made the lion wince.
What went wrong? Xennek sighed and reached out a paw towards a sturdy looking rock. Gripping it he heaved himself up and managed to lean against it wearily. "Not good." His nose wrinkled, if anyone was after him then they wouldn't have a problem finding him. It wasn't too hard to follow the stream of blood that leaked down his side and back leg after all.
Kibaazi paused as she sliced the plant with her claws, careful not to take too much as to kill the plant, but enough to restock her supplies for when she crashed into things - which she often did. She was rather clumsy sometimes. There was a familiar, yet unfamiliar scent in the air and she glanced up, letting the herb lie in a pile at her paws. It smelled like...blood? She blinked, eyes wide.
"Hello?" She called out, uncertain. It smelled like lions blood, but that might have been from whatever the person ahd been fighting, not the person themselves. Being blind really did have it's disadvantages, she thought to herself, trying to place where the blood was coming from.
And now he was hearing things. The lion blinked and shook his head, desperate to clear his vision. "Hello out there!" He called back with a choked laugh. Of course he expected no reply. Leaning against the rock, Xennek managed to wobble around to the other side. Everything kept spinning. "Stupid waves." He cursed before slipping in his own blood and tumbling down.
Of course he was stopped by something else. But unlike the ground, whatever he landed next to this time was soft...and kinda warm. "Mmm." He cuddled close to it before blinking. Wait...that wasn't. "Oh my." Xennek chuckled weakly as he realized he was latched onto someone's leg. "Sorry." With a weak groan he rolled away.
Kibaazi, though expecting the call back, startled at the sound of the male's voice. Well, at least she knew wher eit had come from now! There was a rather large male nearby, or perhaps he was just large by species, and he was bleeding...or just crazy, as she could have sworn she heard him laugh. She shifted, frowing and trying to place where the sound had come from, only to hear somethign thud down next to her, and something...cuddle her leg.
"Ah!" She squawked, and tried to back away, at the same time the male appologised and rolled away. "What do you think you're doing? Are you crazy? You can't just cuddle up to someone without asking!" She ranted. "That was just rude! Who do you think you are?" She huffed, glancing at the spot she thought the male was, which was in reality, about a foot away from where the male actually was. Glaring was difficult for Kibaazi, unless someone was talking and she could pinpoint where they actually were.
Well she was definitely happy to meet him. The thought made the lion grin before another wave of pain made him curse again. Closing his eyes tightly the lion kept completely still for the longest time before managing to look back up towards the female. Hey, at least if he died it was in the presence of a lovely lady. "Crazy me?" He groaned, "Maybe."
"Hey-I'm sorry alright?" Xennek frowned up at the spinning female. "Calm down, jeesh. Trust me, I would never touch a lady first with out her permission. And I'm Xennek. " Breathing heavily he once again tried to push himself back up, but just as quickly fell down with a thud. This wasn't so good. And why wasn't she even looking over at him? He squinted, but couldn't seem to get a good look at her face. What was her problem? At the thought another wave of pain hit him and the lion let out a loud moan.
Kibaazi was prepared to rant at the male more, but a curse of pain caught her attention. He was injured then, it was not the blood of another creature he had attacked. Her glare melted away into a frown. "You are crazy," she retorted. "Walking and bleeding? You'd only bleed out quicker! Surely, you need a keeper of some sort, if you think to walk so far in such a poor condition." There was a lot of blood, she realised, the scent becoming quite thick and strong in the air.
She turned her bak to him, ignoring both his apologies and his introduction. Sniffing quickly, she grasped the freshly plucked herbs from the ground and turned back to him. She used her paw to poke at his body, taking careful note of how he was lying. Her paw came away stick with blood. She frowned and placed the herbs by her feet. "You are in a bad way," she murmured. "Direct me to where it's worse. These herbs will help the blood clot and stop the bleeding. Do not eat them, they're foul." She told him. She would need to chew them once he showed her when it hurt worst, so that she could make a paste out of the herbs leaves.
"You call what I'm doin' walking?" Xennek replied weakly, his stubborn nature showing itself once again as he refused to lie still. "Pfft, I've been in worse conditions than this." His gaze narrowed at her. What did she know of him needing a keeper? Though the thought made him think again of his younger companion and the lion frowned. Where was Sekayi? Wincing he tried to push himself up, "Normally I'd stay an' chat. But sorry, gotta find someone."
"Ouch!" The lion growled at her touch, "Are you crazy?" He managed to look in her face and was startled at what he saw. Clear eyes...was she blind? "You have to be kiddin' me." Xennek cursed softly under his breath, "I'll be fine. Don't worry 'bout it." He wobbled to his paws and took another step before falling again. Great. Just great.
Kibaazi snorted at the male. "Worse then this? Clearly you get into far too many fights. You should learn to walk away. Not everything much be solved with violence." Her former pride had never condoned violence of any sort, and Kibaazi had to be the one to lecture the youth on not being violent, which was rather irritating after a while, since cubs naturally wanted to play and sometimes play ended up badly. "You're not going anywhere with those wounds," she grumped at him, when he attempted to stand.
She stepped back, as he wobbled, calling her crazy and that he was 'fine'. She huffed. reaching out a paw and whapping him lightly on the shoulder, far from his wounds. "Stay still!" She instructed, dragging her paw down his back and feeling the worst of the blood coming from a spot on his side. She frowned and reached for the herbs, taking them in her mouth so that she could chew them.
Xennek just rolled his eyes at her. Crazy, blind lioness trying to help him? "And clearly you talk too much." He muttered quietly. What was it with those who knew the healing arts and preaching pacifism to him? The lion frowned. Nothing was more important to him than the thrill of battle. Nothing.
"Oh? I'm not?" Xennek growled before trying to drag himself forward. Though he easily fell back at just the lightest of touches from her. "Just leave me be." He muttered, but by now the lion could barely move his paw if he wanted. And why didn't those black spots go away by now? Aggravating things.
Kibaazi ignored his grumping, focusing instead on healing him. She was careful to mash up as much of the herbs as she could, ignoring the disgusting flavour. When it was a smooth paste, she pushed it from her mouth and onto her paw, not caring if he thoght it disgusting or not. Without asking for permission, she smeered the paste onto his side where she could feel the wound. The herbs would sting a little, but she smeered it quickly so that he had little time to move away. It would stop the blood flow and allow him a little relief from the pain, but not a lot. She could still smell blood over the herbs, and frowned.
"Are you bleeding elsewhere?" She demanded firmly, as if he was an errant child with a cut that he was trying to hide from her.
Wincing the lion dug his claws into the dirt. Why did it always hurt to be helped? Xennek frowned before giving up. If she was so determined to help him then fine. But if she screwed something up...Xennek sighed. Like it mattered at this point. It would have probably been better to have been killed during the fight.
"I dunno. You're the healer." He muttered before pausing thoughtfully. "My back leg. Just down from where you're at." Already he went to the distant, informative attitude that he gave to healers. "No muscles are torn, I pulled back right before they got that deep. It just needs something to stop the bleeding."
Kibaazi was pleased when the male finally saw sense and allowed her to help him. He didn't even flinch too badly with the sting! So he was a brave male, at least. The cubs had hated the paste. She nodded as he directed her to where the rest of the wounds were. She began to chew more herbs as he spoke, glad that he was able to direct her to what it needed, since she could not see to inspect the wound herself.
As she began to move the past across the wound on his back leg, she nodded. "It doesn't seem bad, you may need to rest a few moments, just to allow the blood to fully clot, else you'll tear it and start to bleed all over again." She cast him a warning look, again, the look did not hit the target as it should, and therefore lost some of it's effect. She pulled back, having covered the cuts he had directed her too and nodded. "And I am Kibaazi," she added, realising she had never introduced herself.
"Great." Xennek laughed weakly, "Best news ever." Resting his head on his paws, the lion listened to her. "I've been told that a few times as well." He sighed, "But I guess if you ask nicely, I'll behave." He watched her from the corner of his eye with interest. Who would have guessed that a blind lioness would be able to do such things? It was a first for him, that was for sure.
"Kibaazi." He repeated before adding as an after thought, "Thank you."
Kibaazi was amused by this male's attitude, seeming to find amusement in little things, and actually not caring about the serious damage he may have inflicted upon himself during the battle. "I don't ask nicely," Kibaazi simpered jokingly, "I tell you, and you listen, because you know I'm right." She smiled. She had always had to be firm as a healer, as the cubs were usually afraid and reluctant to have her help them. She was careful to remove the reminants of the herbs from near him, quickly scenting out a sweet plant. She plucked a few leaves from the sweet plant, chewing them in hopes of ridding the other herbs flavour from her mouth.
She paused, surprised to hear a 'thank you' come from the male. "You're welcome, Xennek," she said, giving him another gentle smile, using his name as he had introduced himself earlier. She hesitated, before bringing some of the sweet herb over. "It is like a treat," she explained, "just somethign sweet to nibble on while you wait for the other herbs to work. Digesting it can make your stomach rather upset, but it is good to chew on."
"Oh. I get you." Xennek chuckled before adding jokingly, "Such a sweet and gentle one, you are." Sniffing the herb, the lion boldy decided to try it. "It's good." He managed while chewing it. Like he had to worry about his stomach in his state, though the lion was careful to make sure not to swallow. "You...can't see yet you can do this? How do you do it?" He finally asked looking over at her, "That's what I wanna know."
Kibaazi settled not far from him, as if to keep a watch on him to make sure he did not strain himself. She could do little if he decided to get up and walk away though, so it would do her lttle good. "Of course, I'm as sweet as the herb," she said, not specificing which herb. The foul tasted one, or the sweet one they both chewed on currently. Her smile was a little crooked now, as she chewed on the sweet flavour in her mouth. She paused as he asked his question, her gaze slipping away from him, even if she could not technically see him.
"I was not always blind," Kibaazi explained simply. "I learnt my herbs before I lost my sight, and since then, I have catalogued familiar ones by scent. I do not need my eyes to be a healer. I will be a healer no matter what sense I lose." She shrugged, unconcerned. "It is in my blood now, I can not turn away from it."
Xennek just laughed at her comment. Though honestly he would say the sweet one, though with the bitter aftertaste. The lion looked at her with confusion before realization dawned on him. "I'm sorry." The lion whispered before giving the faintest of smiles, "Though it seems you are doing fine as it is." Pausing he sighed, "I knew a lion a lot like you, Kibaazi. He would continue his life as a healer no matter what." He chuckled, "He's so dedicated that he even suffered enough to put up with me and several threats to his life that came with me."
Kibaazi shrugged off his appology. There was nothing he could have done, nor any way he could have know. Her sight had been taken so skillfully, ironicaly with her own brew, to rob her of her sight with no physical marks other then the whitening on her eyes. To most, it appeared she had been born blind. She looked curious as he spoke of another healer, and nodded her head. "Yes, that seems to be the case with most. It is not just a job, for most healers. It is what we are. Stopping is quite hard at times." She gave another half smile now, and gave a short laugh. "So you do have a keeper?" She teased. "That's good to know!" Though she paused, curious over the 'threats to his life' comment, though she did not think it polite to actually ask.
"I can tell." Xennek gave a short laugh before growing somber again, "I guess we all have our callings. Yours is such a lighter one, though mine just causes pain. Not that I mind of course!" He quickly added, "I'm a warrior an' always will be. Plants and herbs just don't do it for me." He closed his eyes, "I did. Though now it's rare for us to meet."
Kibaazi paused, and tilted her head to the side. A warrior. As equal and as important as a healer sometimes. "Do you hale from a pride?" She asked, rather curious. Most warriors tended to be from prides, or so she'd noted. Though she supposed rogue warriors were quite common too.
"I am sorry to hear that, but if you keep getting yourself into these scrapes - which now I think you will - then I am sure you will stumble upon your healer friend again, just in time for him to save you again." She chuckled, her voice light, but hopeful for the male. She really did wish that he might find his friend again, especially since he so obviously needed an on-hand healer with him.
"No." Xennek paused thoughtfully, "But my friend and I, we're traveling to a place that is supposed to be full of warriors like us. Somewhere out in the desert. We were hoping to prove ourselves worthy of such a pride." If they could make it there alive. The thought made him chuckle softly to himself.
"Probably." Xennek laughed, "It would figure. Or so he would say." Yawning the lion almost stretched before a small twinge of pain reminded him of his current position. It was hard to look up at her, his head was feeling oddly heavy. Xennek's vision swarmed; he was probably going to lose consciousness soon.
Kibaazi had not heard of that pride, so she simply nodded her head, listening to him speek. He seemed rather tired, so she said nothing to engage him further in conversation. Instead, she simply shifted into a more comfortable position and flicked her tail behind her, resting the edge of it against his paw, so that he could not get up and leave without her noticing. Most found it easy to sneak away from her anyway though, and she stayed silent, allowing him the rest and the quest that he needed to recover, keeping watch over him, despite her lack of sight.
Laying his head on his paws, the lion allowed his eyes to close. Maybe it would be okay to rest just a bit longer. Xennek decided, though his body was already making the decision for him. Pretty soon his eyes closed and the lion fell quietly asleep.
