She couldn't die. Ri still needed her. A cub couldn't get very far without its mother in the world. And so when Moricorm and her siblings had ventured out to see what had become of their overdue mother...Ri felt her plans shattering. Maluuni was lying there, barely breathing, and very bloody. It was quickly decided Ri would go find help...she was smallest and quickest and could be heard easily with her bells and blood-gems clinking together. The little demon-lioness was not about to let such an instrumental key in her early plans die! And so she kept looking for someone, anyone, that might be able to help her mother...
"Nine, ten, a big fat hen!" Uhuru danced a little as he walked, exploring the edges of where his family was settled for the night. Of course...there was still the dying rays of light, so it wasn't all dark. And the sunset looked beautiful against the savanna horizon. "Mabaka! The sun's waving goodbye at us!" He turned to face his white-and-red sister, grin plastered on his face. And then he blinked as a sound caught his ears. Something...clinking? It sounded a little like the noise-anklets his mother wore...But sweeter, higher...And then something red and black burst out of the grass and right into him.
Mabaka's first instinct, upon seeing Ri collide with her brother, was to physically remove the young lioness from her beloved sibling. She resisted the instinct however, trotting over to look down at the black and red lion while her brother regained his bearings on reality.
Ri found herself running right into something white and red and blue in a tangle of limbs. It was NOT a comfortable experience. She shook herself and quickly removed herself from the other fuzzy something, shaking her head to regain her bearings. "Excuse me..." She looked at the two...felines that she'd found. Cubs, judging by the size. And they...didn't quite look like lions. Cubs...cubs meant parents. Parents meant life for her mother. "Ah! Where's your mother or father. I need an adult NOW."
Uhuru blinked at the strange little cub from his place flat on the ground. She looked older than he and Mabaka...but she was SMALL. And covered in metal and leather and what looked like shiny red rocks. And she was RUDE. But being the ever polite boy he was, Uhuru just smiled. "Our Mama and Dad aren't far. Why do you need them?"
"You know, it isn't nice to run into someone and then not apologize," Mabaka said, her eyes narrowing and her tail flicking slightly. She leered at Ri for a long moment, emerald eyesmistrusting... Before her tail swished and she turned towards the place her parents were resting. "But I suppose I can introduce you to my Mom and Dad."
Ri held her tongue about being rude...She could not afford to act like the princess she was right now. "I'm sorry...But I have very little time." She made a bow, something she only did towards adults and equals back in the pride...but now she had to be NICE. "Thank you...My mother is very hurt, and my brothers and sister and I can't do anything for her...except get help. My siblings are warding off carrion birds, though." She really did look distraught, as if she was about to cry.
"Hurt?" Uhuru quickly righted himself and was on his feet. "Then we gotta be quick! I'm sure Mama will know something...She knows LOTS about lots of stuff!"
"Uhuru, you go get Mom. I'll go see what I can do for now. I'll make a trail for you and Mom to follow," Mabaka said quickly, her eyes narrowing as she tried to remember what herbs her mother used when her siblings got scraped up. It wasn't hard for her to find the right ones, and she plucked a few and motioned for Ri to lead the way. Mom would bring more than she could when she came.
Uhuru nodded and took off through the grasses, normally calm voice calling out for his mother. Muli would hear. His Mama ALWAYS heard.
The small cub led the strange almost-lion to her mother and siblings, out of breath from her run. She would not let her mother die...not now, not until the time was right. And that would not be until Father could take her out. Maluuni was Iar's slave, not hers...and therefore Iar's to kill by right. But for now, the dark cub could use her.
Mabaka eagerly ran after the lioness, strong legs carrying her surely and quickly after the small, dark creature. Her ears were perked, taking in all the noises of the savannah and flitering out the sounds that were unimportant.
Once within sight of where she'd found her mother, she pushed herself even faster, glad to see her siblings hadn't met any troubles. In fact...a couple had fallen asleep again, the monotony of watch combined with the strange sleep schedule they'd had lulling them to sleep. Ri led the almost-lion to her mother, gently nudging the lioness. "Mother...Help is coming...."
Mabaka was quick to start patching up the small wounds she knew how to tend, but some of the others made her wince in sympathy. At least she didn't have to worry about blood on her paws... It wouldn't exactly look out of place on her, after all..
Maluuni groaned, then winced as such a simple noise hurt. What ha....HER CUBS! She would have moved if not for the paws on her. Small paws that felt like a cubs, but were bigger than a lion cubs. She felt little Ri's nose and heard the jingle of her bells. "Ev-ry 'un...kay?" Her voice was gravelly and wounded, barely more than a whisper.
"Everyone is fine, except for you Mother. Whatever hurt you, did not find us." She winced at her mother's voice. She had to admit her mother had a beautiful voice...but something about her voice now did not sound right at all. "This one came ahead of her mother and brother...to help. There's an adult coming, Mother."
"Stay still Miss Lion," Mabaka said softly, continuing the soft press of herbs against the smaller wounds to help curb the bleeding. She hoped her mother and brother got here soon. This was a lot worse than she'd thought it would be.
Maluuni sighed in relief. Her cubs were okay. All four of her precious non-demon cubs were fine. Some of whatever the other little one was pressing against her STUNG though. But she didn't dare speak too much...it hurt so much to make the smallest noise...So she just lay there, trying to block the pain out as best she could...
Ri joined her siblings, watching the almost-lion take care of her mother. Her ears perked when she heard a shout.
Muli was running as fast as she could, Uhuru on her back holding on in a rather awkward way. "Mabaka! Oh my!" She stopped and let Uhuru slide from her back. "Oh...this doesn't look good. Shoo bugs!" The red lioness quickly disposed of several bugs that were trying to get at the blood. "Uhuru...I need those plants and the bark in your mouth." She took the plants they'd grabbed, and some tender inner bark...mashing the plants enough that they 'bled' and put them against the worst of the wounds...the one on her throat. The poor thing..."I can't do much, but this wound is the worst...I can get it to heal enough to no longer be dangerous. But that's all I can do..." She'd never seen such a small lioness...
"Mom, I did what I could," Mabaka said softly, easing up the pressure and looking at her mother with worried green eyes. Who would do such a thing to a lioness with cubs? It just didn't make sense to her.
"You did well, sweetheart." Muli took another plant, one she'd been chewing in the back of her mouth where her teeth were flattest, and spread it on the edges of the bark, sealing it to the lioness' fur and keeping the plants on the wound. "Miss...If you could help me a little, I can get you on my back and take you somewhere safe..."
Maluuni groaned, wincing at the pain again and nodded. "Th'nk you..." She rolled a bit putting herself on her stomach, rather than her side, and shakily stood.
Mabaka quickly moved to help Maluuni stand, glancing at Ri, who hadn't said a word since they'd arrived. Something was... Off about her, the leopon thought.
Uhuru did what he could to help his mother and sister, giving a reassuring smile to the cubs. If this lioness was going 'home' with them, then he and his siblings would have more playmates!
Muli managed to get the small lioness onto her back. "Follow me, all. I'm not about to leave you little ones alone in the dark. Especially not after whatever hurt your mother." She trotted forward, headed towards her other cubs and Chuk. Maybe Chuk knew a little more about healing.
Ri made sure to follow in back, nosing on any of her siblings that fell behind. Good...her mother would live, and her plans would come to fruit. Nothing would separate her from her rightful place...Though that strange little white and red almost lion gave her a suspicious look. She would have to watch out for that one.
