The black, white, and blue male stalked through the land, the male's massive form moving carefully, occasionally stepping on twigs as he ATTEMPTED to stalk prey.
Attempted, of course; he was new to hunting alone yet, and while in a fight he was a menacing, bitey thing, with hunting, he rather... stood out.
Another form, lithe and long, stalked through the grasses. The female would have stood out, had she not been rather adept at hunting on her own. Everyone in her birth-pride learned to hunt...be it prey or another joka'simba. And prey was what the emerald and peacock blue lioness had her mind on...
Until she heard twigs snap close enough to put her on edge. Blue eyes sought the source and fell on the strange coloring the showed through the grass. Not prey...the wrong shape for prey. Was the other friend or foe? She intended to find out. "You're a bit loud for a hunter."
The male jumped, raising carefully, looking around, a wary growl in his chest.
"And you sound very close."
He didn't deny it, however. He really did fail at quiet. The male looked around, flexing a paw.
She laughed softly, and rustled about a bit, not trying to stalk now. "I mean no harm, so long as you do not." There was a calmness in her voice...She would much rather tend hurts than cause them, so hoped this stranger did mean no harm.
"I am but a wandering priest." No need to tell him she was more than capable of defending herself, too.
"Oh... I see." The male sat amicably, smiling as he bowed his head politely to the female.
"I am Melhor Pax.... Are you alone? It's not safe for ladies alone."
He went silent a moment, remembering how his mother had gone off alone, and returned... Brutalized. His tail switched slowly, quietly.
She nodded back, sitting since the other showed no harmful intent. "I am Na'ima. And for the moment, I am alone." Though in her mind, she was never truly alone...not as long as she walked in Bahamut's pawprints.
"You need not worry for my safety. There are others who are incapable of defending themselves that you should worry for." And she was thankful she was not one of them. She would not have survived her childhood training had she been...
"Ah, are you certain?" His ears pricked forward with concern, but he didn't move. LEt the lady move first-- the male had manners bred in, and sometimes, bludgeoned, leaving the male a calm, polite demeanor. He seemed to smile gently, attentive. He was never harmed learning, but once didn't call BGrandma old and not get swatted.
Na'ima nodded. "Yes. I wouldn't have left my joka'kiota if I had been one who needed defending. Rather...I hope to be the one doing the defending." She had heard tales of the evils of the world...and seen some of the things the Tiamat joka'simba had done. No...Na'ima had left home wanting to help lessen the number of evils in the world.
Melhor smiled a bit, nodding.
"I know how that is. I too have those I wish I could defend much better."
He looked sad a moment, distant.
His ears swivelled to listen a few moments and he regained focus.
"Ah...Sadly, we cannot always be there to defend. And thus we are left to pick up the pieces." She smiled, an almost sad and ironic expression. "It is why I was trained the way I was. A healer must know how to pick up all the pieces...not just physical."
Perhaps she had met a soul kindred to her and her sibs? He sounded like one who would walk Bahamut's path...
"Ah, so your a healer, then...?"
His eyebrows rose, settling some. She didn't seem frightening, simply kind, and he welcomed the company of a stranger. It kept things interesting.
Na'ima nodded. "Yes. My joka'kiota called me a Paladin. Though I heal, I can also fight, so I do not cause my allies worry when I am on the battlefield. Best to heal wounds before they get a chance to fester, yes?" She'd seen wounds fester...the lion afflicted often died, or the limb affected never quite worked right again.
"And I am always striving to do right on Bahamut's path. There is more evil in this world than my joka'kiota wishes to see...they are so caught up in their ancient struggle they forget to look up sometimes..."
"PAladin...." Melhor seemed intrigued, watching the female intently, listening carefully. He didn't miss her next words, and he nodded slowly, rolling the word in his mind. PAladin? He'd never heard of those.
"Those that can't see what is right in front of their noses are blind."
Melhor mused, aloud. He blinked, and sheepishly looked away. He hadn't meant to seem disrespectful.
Na'ima simply laughed...not a cruel or mean laugh, but one of agreement. "Too true. My kind are a proud lot and don't like being proved wrong...but I'm afraid I may end up doing that. My sister and one of my brothers agreed with me. So we left home, and search for wrongs we can right, or a hurt we can heal. We are separated for now...but we shall be together again when Io sees the time is right."
Great Io had not led them astray yet...And Bahamut's own luck still seemed to be with her.
"Heal..."
Melhor thought, then looked to her curiously.
"Are you familiar with wounds that have yet to heal for a long time?"
The cubs' birth had been hard on his mother, who was still injured and, none of them could heal. He was worried, although Kabichi seemed to tend her cubs, he could see her pain.
"Yes. They are a nasty lot...but with the right plants, time, and a little good faith, they can heal. Sometimes...the wounds leave lasting scars or lameness. But they do heal." Na'ima wondered who this other knew that had such wounds. A mother? Or perhaps his mate?
One never knew. Though if asked, she woud certainly not begrudge her skills. The injured would be tended so long as she lived.
Melhor seemed to think, then looked up sadly.
"What do you know of torture wounds?"
He wanted to ask. He was.. Well, desperately worried, despite his mother's insistances she was fine...
Na'ima held back a hiss, her ears going back on her head. "I know of them. I have only cared for one who had such wounds...and I dispatched the one who caused them myself." Whoever this was that needed aid, Na'ima would give them everything she had. She had seen how broken her age-mate had been after one of Tiamat's had gotten a hold of her...
No one, good or evil, deserved such pain and loss of self. "Who is it that needs help?"
Melhor looked sheepish.
"I hate to trouble you, my lady... My mother. She recently returned from.. That and... She said she's not bothered, and she survived birthing my siblings, but..."
He could see the pain, and he went silent, ears pinning back. Was it wrong to ask for help?
"It is no trouble. None at all." Her voice lost the edge, and was soft now. "If you lead the way, I will do what I can. No one deserves the sort of pain that torture causes." Her voice was laced with sadness now.
"It causes not only surface wounds...but wounds in the soul and mind that run much, much deeper than one can see. And it is those wounds that often hold back the healing of the surface wounds. Sometimes, with great trauma, the body forgets it is supposed to heal itself."
Melhor nodded quietly, rising to lead the female home. He hoped she could do something-- And Mioyo might forgive his bringing a stranger. The large male moved, his steps faltering only slightly in concern as he moved for the dens.
Na'ima followed silently, taking note of Melhor's apprehensiveness. He was a brave one...a warrior who let others into his heart. And he was certainly loved back if he cared so much. The warriors of her joka'kiota could have used a lesson or two from him. Na'ima quickly began preparing her mind to not loose itself in horror at what she might see or hear...She would need to be an anchor for the one she was to heal.
