He moved slowly, every step hurt, not physical but emotionally. She was gone, in a land where no one would hurt her anymore, the other klipspringer had made sure of that, but he still couldn’t help but feel wary, not that he could protect her anyways! The adult sighed, flumping onto the ground, basically being an open target for any predators wanting a meal.
The grey lioness with a rugged appearance stalked through the tall grasses, licking her lips hungrily as she searched for a meal. It had been a few days since her last hunt, and she was running on empty. She didn’t know how much energy she would have left to take down a full grown prey beast, but perhaps a little jackrabbit would give her the fuel she needed.
Golden eyes gazed carefully across the savannah, noticing a large white flop of fur huddled on the ground. She raised a brow, what the hell? Why would someone sleep out here in the mid-open, especially this time a day? Plus, the white fur could only mean a wicked burn was on the way.
“Hello?”
At the voice, the male shifted on the ground, turning his sightless eyes to the sound of the voice. “…” he didn’t speak, far too worried if the voice that actually came would be his or not. He just hoped the female would see his disability, and leave it at that. He didn’t want help, not now, all was lost.
When the male turned his eyes to the female, she let out an involuntary gasp, noticing the horizontal line that shifted across each eye, causing a nice white film to be covering the once what looked like blue eyes. She moved closer to the male, “are you okay?” It was a stupid question, he didn’t look okay. It was the truth actually he looked worst than her, and she was use to the rogue life. This male, however, looked to be fairly new to it; or at least, been with someone. A blind rogue was almost impossible to live in the roguelands by themselves.
”…Is…is someone here with you?”
”..No..” it was a short reply, almost as if he was expecting the question before thinking of an answer. After all, how many grown lions did you see in the middle of nowhere, in the hot sun just moping about. “Not anymore.”
Not anymore? “What happened?” Ruya was nosey.
The ex-pridelander shifted onto his feet, not bothering to turn his eyes towards the female, “I can’t protect her,” he sneered almost bitterly, his body physically shaking. “She was hurt, she almost died.” Kipofu wasn’t bitter toward the lioness, but rather the memory. “My own blood did this to me, a gift of no one would want to receive.” At this, he looked up, but didn’t focus his eyes on the lioness. He couldn’t see exactly where she was. “Do you know what it’s like…? To live a life where you know you are helpless and tired of receiving help that is uncalled for?”
At the little snap, the lioness backed slightly, ears flickering. She shook her head, listening to the blind male speak, almost talking gibberish to her. Couldn’t protect who? Who almost died? A family member? But if they male didn’t want to speak about it, then Ru wouldn’t push it. “Is she okay now?” She guessed the gender by just the male’s words.
And a family member did that to him? How horrible! Ruya never knew her father, but he never left scars on her body. As for her mother, the same goes for her. “I..I’m sorry, I can’t say that I have…” She felt so helpless, how was she suppose to help a lion that was blind, who didn’t seem to want help?
But she had to help. “Come on, there’s a den not to far from here, let’s get you out of the sun.”
Kipofu huffed. He didn’t need to get out of the sun, he could take it. And this was just more unwanted help he didn’t want. “No…” he groaned slightly, slinking towards the ground once more.
“Oh know you don’t.” The female said quickly, hurrying to the male’s side to stop him from drooping. “You are coming with me.” It was a matter of fact tone the female spoke in that would probably get the male agitated, but Ruya didn’t want to him to get sunstroke or anything, not when the rainy season had yet to hit!
She nipped at his shoulder, “come on you.”
Kipofu growled, but reluctantly got up, raising a lip towards Ru. “Fine, fine,” he huffed, not wanting to fight, especially with a female. “Show…er…guide me to this /den/, if you will.”
“It’s a few paces away, but at least it will get you out of the sun. When it’s night fall you can leave,” she nodded, almost hitting herself for saying that. “I mean… I will tell you when you can leave again.” That was slightly better…
Ru should just shut up and lead. Her tail rushed against his body, guiding him by sense of touch instead of voice. She feared if she said anything else, she would just sound quite stupid.
Kipofu couldn’t help but smirk at the female’s slip up about the night. “Don’t worry,” he started, “it gets cold when it’s night, hence, I’ll know when that is. Gee, you act just like my mother.” That was an overstatement, as Kipofu actually hadn’t know his own mother, for she died when he was a young age.
When the den was in sight, the female spoke, “It’s just up ahead, not very big but it will suffice for just a day’s rest.”
”I’ll go get something to eat, are you hungry? I think I could smell a few rabbit holes around here somewhere, I don’t mind getting some for you too...?” She asked, giving him a questioning look he couldn’t see.
”You don’t have too…” He mumbled quietly, noting the ground was significantly cooler here then a few steps away. Assuming he was inside, he laid on the ground, the sun no longer hitting his white fur.
“I’ll take that as a yes then,” Ru giggled, bounded out of the cave, before calling back rather loudly to the male. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon!” And she was gone, hunting for the male whom she had just met, as well as herself. Hunger seemed to have left her then, but now it was back and rearing as ever.
It was just too bad when she returned with three hares in her maw, the white blind lion would be nowhere in sight to be found.
