[BL-PRP] Ouch [Arita & Tulen]

[Quaji]

Each step hurt, each one taken more gingerly than the last as she marched her way passed off-duty guards whose glances she chose to ignore and cubs who questioned a little too loudly about where her fire was. Arita knew where her fire was, she didn't need to prove it to some snot-nosed cub. Still, with the thorns sticking out of her rump, she did give something to snicker at.

By the time she made it to the medical wards, Arita had damn well enough of the whispers. The huria simply wanted these cursed thorns removed, the small wounds treated and her fur smoothed back over. Then she could be on her way and back to her studies of...of whatever the historians saw fit to cram into her head in these last few weeks before she left.  

[Ritikine]

The hushed voices of the younger medics caught Tulen's attention long before the little huria made her way into his sights. The male turned from his current work, watching her for a moment before turning his attention to the young medics. "If you've time enough for idle gossip then you surely have plenty of time to find work to busy yourselves." He growled before stepping away to await the arrival of the huria. The hurriedly receding steps told him the gossiping medics had taken their leave, and if nothing else he would be glad to be rid of the extra noise.

"What ails you?" Tulen called to the pale lioness as she neared.  

[Quaji]

At least he wasn't so bad, not like those brats who shuffled away with their tails tucked. There was a smug sense of pride that enveloped Arita, but never did make it onto her face before the residing medic's voice chimed.

"What ails you?" he had asked.

With a frown, the huria maneuvered herself to show her right hip to him. It was littered in thorns, small prickly things that had dug into her skin. There were probably two dozen of the damn things scattered all around. It was obvious that she had fallen into a spiny bush. There were always a few scattered around here and there, but never really so close to the pride. Of course no one really cared it she went wandering thanks to her position in the pride.  

[Ritikine]

Tulen inspected the little thorns carefully. It certainly wasn't the first time someone had come in here, a few more thorns in their hide than when they had left. They were an unpleasant little pest to deal with. "Alright, drag yourself over here." Tulen spoke, nodding towards a little alcove not far off. The male turned and stalked towards the area without another word, a few soft mumbled words trailing behind him as he moved to gather the necessary herbs and items he'd need.

"So." Tulen spoke up suddenly, his back still turned from the pale lioness. "How did you find yourself in a spiny bush?"  

[Quaji]

Arita grumped heavily at his question. She already ached every time she moved in an effort to follow him. And now he wanted her to recall the events that lead to her laying down in the medical ward with thorns in her side.

"I fell," she stated flatly, sizing him up. That wouldn't do and Arita knew that full-well. Those markings that adorned his legs were notorious enough that she already knew who he was. "There was a snake. It startled me. I fell." That was better at least, but would it pass off as a suitable explanation was a different story entirely.  

[Ritikine]

He turned a scrutinizing eye towards the female at her answer, a silent gaze before he turned his attention back to his herbs. "A snake." He repeated. Well it was an answer at least, but whether or not it was the truth was a different matter.

Slowly, carefully, Tulen made his way over to her with a folded leaf held carefully between his teeth. With slight tilt of his head it's contents poured out over her fur around the thorns, the watery substance seeping down to her skin. He let the leaf fall aside once it's contents were emptied. "This will sting in a moment, quite a lot. The pain will dull rather quickly though and it'll lessen the pain of removing these thorns."  

[Quaji]

"Wha-" The word died in her throat, the question forgotten as Arita's jaw clenched, her teeth bearing down on one another in an effort to somehow lessen the sharp stinging that radiated around her thigh. True to his word, the fire died down leaving only a slight numb feeling, the extent of which the huria tested by shifting ever so slightly.

"What the hell was that?" she questioned, genuinely curious. It was her job, her rank's duty, to learn, to survive and maybe having the knowledge of something like that could save her skin later on. Thinking about it, she hadn't spent nearly as much time in the medical ward than she had elsewhere.

"Hey," her voice was cautious, meant to only get his attention. "You wanna teach me? I'm sure I'll pay more attention than those 'apprentices' from earlier." She was a huria. She had to pay attention. Her life depending on that.  

[Ritikine]

Tulen waited patiently for the medicine to do it's work, a faint shadow of a smile shifting across his maw as the sudden sting cut off her words. No one ever quite expecting it to sting that bad, but despite that he found it was far more beneficial to use with the sting, than to deal with injuries without it.

Her curiosity at what it was was a refreshing change from the usual curses and growls that followed. "It is a mixture that took much trial and error to get right." He replied simply, though her follow up request took him by surprise. He regarded her silently for a moment before plucking the first thorn from her side.

"I will consider it." Tulen responded before continuing his work silently, the request mulling about his thoughts as he worked. Once the last thorn was removed he brushed the tiny nuisances aside before once more regarding her with intense scrutiny.

"I will teach you what I can in the time you have." Tulen finally spoke. "You will get no special treatment from me, and my duties will come first, but if you are as willing to learn as you imply then I will do it."  

[Quaji]

Each spine was removed with care, one by one until none remained. While that concoction still numbed the muscles in her leg, it had done its job to the point that Arita had scarcely noticed when he was finished with the task until he knocked them away and began speaking again.

To some extent Arita had expected him to turn her request down even though he had mentioned that he "will consider it". That typically meant no as far as she was concerned, but the words that came in the stillness that followed made her eyes light up. He didn't seem to care about the fact that she was a huria, or that his training would further benefit the pride as readily as it would be taught to someone younger, someone who was going to stay.

"Of course!"

In her haste to showcase her enthusiasm she rose much too fast and quickly stumbled awkwardly only to recover just as swiftly. "Would tomorrow be good? I have studies the rest of the day and..." A quick glance to the placement of the sun was all it to took to put a fire under her. Awkward paws tore at the sand. "T-thank you! I'm Arita by the way!"  

[Ritikine]

The rush of enthusiasm she showed was a welcome response. "Tomorrow shall be fine." Tulen responded before following her gaze to the sky. It seemed she was late for the studies she had just spoken of as she was off in a rush, her final thanks called back in a rush, along with her name. Arita. "Tulen!" he called back, having time for little more than that as she disappeared around the rocks in her hurry.