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For the past several days, the young cub Kisikusiku had taken up an unusual activity. It wasn't swimming in the lake, nor exploring the various caves that lined her homeland. This was like nothing else she had done before. She was taking care of someone.

After running away from home to explore the mysterious outside land, Siku had run into great trouble concerning a large beast at the watering hole. Yet this encounter did not leave her twisted and dead upon the dusty ground of the unfamiliar savannah. Instead, it left her with a new found "friend" and a great sense of responsibility. For someone had saved her from being trampled to death, and that someone was Eyal. A large lion who was mighty not only in appearance, but in temper.

Yet even with his constant bad mood, Siku was happy to see him everyday she came out of the hidden cave. He was her hero after all, and how could anyone hate their hero?

Today was no different from the last. When the sun's rays turned to wispy tendrils, falling through the trees like little spirits that only belonged to the day, Siku was just stepping out of the cave. She was as happy as the sun was bright.

"Eyal!" She yelled to him, breaking any kind of tranquil beauty inside the jungle, just before bounding over to the great lion's side. The pelt of a rabbit shook and swayed as she made her way over to him. The bag-like tool had been wrapped around her neck and it was filled to the brim with various herbs. Her mother carried something similar to it, so Siku had decided to make one for herself the first night after meeting Eyal. Of course, the cub believed that if she was going to be a healer and help him, she'd have to not only do things right, but look the part too.

Yet after several mistakes over the past couple of days concerning mixes and the right leaves, it would probably be better for them both if the young cub focused more on how to do things correctly rather than on how she looked.

When Siku reached the lion she flashed him a happy little smile. "How are you today, Eyal? Feeling any better?" Without giving him time to respond the little one drew close to him, her paws resting on his side. After giving her body a shake to draw Eyal's eyes to the bag, she continued. "I brought the right leaves today! So you shouldn't feel itchy this time." Of course she was little miss positive even when she was mentioning the event that occurred yesterday that could have left the lion with bald patches thanks to her messing up the leaves once more and giving him the wrong one.

“Whatever, just get it over with, runt.” Siku repeated, adding a teasing tone to it as Eyal took to ignoring her and preparing for what was next. Bah, the old worry wart. This time the little lass was positive she had gathered the correct herbs. He had nothing to fear this time!

Following seating herself next to Eyal, Siku leaned to her side and dropped to the ground, wriggling and struggling to remove her herb bag. She raised her paws and pressed them against her bag, pulling and tugging at the material until it fell from her head and onto the ground before her. Quickly, Siku got to work loosening the hollow piece of wood with her teeth until it slid off the rabbit skin bag and gave way to reveal a bundle of herbs.

Sorting through the different sorts of leaves, Siku discovered the one she was looking for and set it aside. The cub continued to look through the pile, pulling out a couple of sticks and what looked to be some pieces of fruit.

Today she definitely seemed to be on top of things. The cub that had been guessing on what would work the day before moved swiftly in preparing the remedy this morning. It appeared that for Eyal’s sake, after failing him a handful of days, Siku finally took her mother’s instructions to heart and now knew what she was doing.

“Now…this might sting.” SIku voiced just before she squeezed the mysterious fruit’s juice over the wound. Yet the pain it brought would not last long, for Siku then placed a soothing balm she found inside a plant reed over it. “Okay, I’ll have to go get some water for you and for the wound. How does it feel now though?” She wasn’t done yet, but it didn’t hurt to know her patient’s current status.

Siku made a face at the comment. Why was this guy always so mean? Talk about an ultimate grouch, this guy was the God of that domain. The youth applied pressure to the wound with her small paw as a dark frown laced itself upon her maw when Eyal’s words just became too much of an annoyance. She certainly was not like her quiet brother and sister. When SIku wanted something, for example: Eyal to knock it off with his attitude, she’d get it or else.

“Be nice to me, Eyal. You don’t have anyone else who can help you right now.” She muttered before reaching down and nabbing a few leaves in her teeth. Very quickly, not wanting to loose them to the wind, Siku moved the rather large leaves up and onto the various wounds that decorated his flesh so they covered it. “Leave these on for a bit, they’ll protect the wound.”

The youth then stood up and walked around until she plopped herself down infront of him. If she was sitting infront of him, Siku noticed that it was the best angle to keep eye contact. “So, Eyal. Where are you from again?” This was how their days usually went. It had turned into a trend. Siku would come find him, try to heal his wounds, ask him some questions, and then leave. Yet today would be different, Siku decided that she would do a lot more prying than the other days. This time she was actually going to get some answers from this guy!

Siku rolled her eyes and nudged the large lion with one of her front paws, "When the sun passes the big rock right there," She pointed her nose up to the rock that was visible from in-between the tree's foliage. "You're allowed to get up and hunt. I think you're well enough to go after something small" Siku answered, "But you know, I thought you liked what I was bringing to you! It's been filling you up this entire time...right?" Now the smart thing to do for Eyal was to say yes as his answer. After all, Siku had told him from the beginning that she wanted him to remain in the little hideaway they created. It was a safe area and she would bring everything to him so he could stay there and not run the risk of opening up his wounds.

His reply made the youth cringe. "Four?" Never before had she traveled away from home, and to think that his pride was located that far away made her stomach rock uncomfortably. "So why are you all the way out here? Why aren't you with your pride? Aren't you lonely?"

Siku saw the look in Eual's eyes that ached for a reunion with the ones he missed. It just didn't fit his normal stern expression, and after spending time with her always concerned brother, Usiku, the young lass had gotten good at reading another's eyes.

She shifted before him so her belly met the ground in a similar lying position as he. Now it looked like she was just mimicking him. "Well, if you say so. But you know I'm always here to keep you company." Siku responded as her tail flicked from side to side. "So are you just out finding different lions? And is that your job in your pride? To look for others?"

The young cub cast a glance at the bigger male before her blue orbs were set onto a new target, his salmon colored mane. As Eyal spoke, his words drawling and slow in Siku's ears, the little one busied herself with batting at the long tufts of hair. Sure she had asked him the question but just like any other cub her attention was limited.

"Mm....And other than this lioness did you find anyone else?" She asked. "Or do you still need to find more to return?" It was still strange to Siku to hear that he was seeking out others. Why didn't they just remain a nice small pride? Let the others come to them. Although...when she thought about it...Siku was glad that Eyal had taken this duty upon himself to look for potential pride members. If he hadn't, they never would have met.

Siku grunted and growled as her patient moved his bushy mane in various directions. Left, right, up, and down. Of course it was becoming much more difficult to keep her paw connected to it. Yet the youth remained persistent in ensnaring the pretty colored hair.

The little lass didn't pause in her mission to capture and hold the end of his mane to continue asking the male questions. Although this time she wore a perplexed look, not exactly understanding what he meant. Spent the evening? So they snuggled or something? Like her parents did? Certainly she wouldn't know what he was trying to say.

Once her small claws became entangled with the great males salmon colored hair Kisikusiku turned her eyes on him. With a innocent tilt of the head, she asked every parents most feared question. "What does that mean? Spending an evening together? How does that make cubs?" Yet another question followed to give the idea that Siku wasn't only focused on where babies come from.

"Won't they miss their mama? If you're taking them away from her? Won't she miss them too?" Siku asked with concern. Her ears drooped as her brows knitted together. Her lower lip quivered as the youth's big blue eyes stared up at Eyal. She was actually pouting at him. It just didn't seem right to separate a mother form her cubs. She had a mama and she very much loved her mama. If she didn't have her, her world would be at a loss. So didn't that mean that the same stood for Eyal's babies too?

Siku stared up into Eyal’s brilliant and expressive eyes as her stomach took a ride full of lengthy ups and downs. For a moment, as he answered her one of many questions he seemed happy and amused. Yet the next question sent those pretty eyes of his on her with such a sad sparkle in them. At such a sight, the little cub didn’t know what to do. Was she to console him? Would his pride even allow it?

Before Kisikusiku could curl up against him or say something sweet a great warmth rested upon her head. The warmth, like rain, trickled over her and in its wake it left a feeling she could only describe as butterflies. It was nice. Was this really the grumpy old lion she had come to known?

His words stung her heart as Eyal opened up about his past to the young one. It must have been terrible to loose his mother. Siku didn’t know what she would do with herself if she lost her own. “Eyal…” Siku tried to say how sorry she was but before she could get another word out of her mouth Eyal was up and leaving.

The little lass gawked at him and quickly her pity was transfigured to anger. What was he doing?! He wasn’t supposed to stand. But the male’s reassurance made her shut her mouth. “Fine…but not too far.” Siku grumbled as she followed after him.