Moving upon silent paws the healer padded pas the dens and out towards the lake, her slender head lifted high and a slight smile upon her maw. She had finished her work for the day, at least unless someone else came to her with a cut or sprain and she felt a weight lift from ehr shoulders. Her step was a little lighter as she padded towards the cool clear water and dipped her head to drink.Lifting her head she chuckled and blew at her gently curled bangs pushing them from her gaze, taking a moment to admire her surroundings she let out a heavy, relaxed sigh and flumpped to the ground allowing her palw toes to dabble in the lapping waters of the edge.
Risasi was more than pleased with his new rank in the pride. He had known he was destined to become more than a slave, and had never doubted it for a moment. So his time in service hadn’t been bad at all. He had learned a lot, and enjoyed it. His positive attitude helped, and he was a pleasure to have around. Still being youthful and optimistic, he often had hilarious, albeit slightly misguided, things to say. There rarely seemed a day when he wasn’t soldiering on, focused on his goal, and content in his endeavors.
He was sitting near the lake, just watching the serene waters, when a lioness approached. He beamed at her in greeting, whether she saw him or not, then padded genially toward her.
“Hello!” he called.
Nyao lifted her head and smiled at the youngster. She didn't recognise him, at least by name, from afar she had seen him for she was always about checking things were okay, medically that is."Good day to you young sir." She puurrs, her tone gentle and soft, she always spoke with a sort of bedside manner, no matter who she was speaking to. that was her way.
She paused for a moment and in her unobtrusive manner she checked the young male out, she lookefcd for cute and bruises for limps, he seemed in top shape. "I am Nyao my young fried and you are?"
The hybrid puffed out his chest a bit, his blue fur picking up the reflection of the water. He grinned, flicking his tail.
“I’m Risasi!” He said, laughing, “it’s nice to meet you! It’s nice to meet anyone!” he laughed, purring a bit. He heard her purring voice and subconsciously picked up on it returning the sound on his own. It was very soft, though. He blinked and looked at her, tilted his head.
“I like what you’re wearing! I’ve never seen anything like it before. Does it mean anything? Or… does it just look nice?” He smiled.
Nyao chuckled a little at the over eagre youngster. He was barely out of cub hood, and it made her smile. Young ones entering the pride again, it made her feel good."It's a pleasure to meet you Risasi, and yes I am a healer for the pride I carry my garments to show my place." She smiled lifting her head slightly, she was proud of her possition and always had been.
"And where is your possiton young one? I know you have not been here for too long."
The adolescent smiled at her, glad she asked. He wasn’t boastful, per se. He didn’t want to tell her because he thought it made him awesome. He wanted to tell her because he was proud of himself, and it was what he wanted. That gave him the right to share it, didn’t it?
“I’m a gladiator!” he pronounced, looking as proud as he sounded, “I’m really new to it though. I’m trying to become a warrior, so I can serve everyone who lives here. What do you do?”
The lioness looked the young one over and puurred softly, yes he was suitable for a gladiator young and strong and proud. She remembered them from times of old, how they worked and strove to become the best. "A warrior, that is a very proud possition to be in." She cooed, she liked to see youngones so eagre to fullfull their duties.
"I'm a healer my sweet, the only medicine woman int he pride and when you battle you will see much of me afterwards, I heal wounds and breaks calm fevers and illness, that is my job I make sure everyone is well."
Risasi’s ears perked forward. He tilted his head, never having met a healer before. His experience had been limited to those within his field, or those who could teach him something that he could use within it.
“A healer? That sounds cool. I don’t think I have that kind of stuff in me. I mean, well. I want to help people, in any way I can, but I don’t think I could heal people. I’ve always been rough and tumble… I don’t know if my paws are soft enough for it.” He frowned, thoughtful.
“I think it would be cool to learn though, I mean. What if the healers got sick?”
Nyao chuckled at him and shook her head. "healers don't get sick we prey to our god and he keeps us alive and healthy for long enought o make sure everyone else is fit, that is our place just as yours is to protect and serve those around you, mine is to protect the health of the pride."
She smiled at him and gave a little wink "it is a difficult practice and you have to start from very young to learn all you need to know, I decend from generations of medecine women and I was taught to heal from the day I was born, it's not somthing you can undertake lightly. Just know if you're ever injured you can come to me and I will make it better." She purred looking him over "Though by the look of you, you will never need my assistance." She knew this wasn't true, but there was nothign wrong with encouraging the young to be all that they could be.
Risasi looked thoughtful, a bit confused.
“I guess that makes sense. Your God would keep you safe, as mine does guide me. But I can’t imagine you don’t get sick like the others do. I mean, because, you’re just like us. Except you’re around sickness all the time. So what if you caught it?”
He smiled, “I think when I can find the time I’ll learn a little about medicine and healing, just in case. Then I’ll be able to help you! I’m sure you’ll probably have to heal me, since I’m still learning to be a fighter and I’ll probably… get hurt… in the process. But I’ll pay you back if I can!”
The older lioness smiled at the young male, he was smarter than she thought, she supposed some fighters had to have brains or there would never be commanders. "You needen't worry young one, one day I will have an apprentice and they will learn everyhing and if I get ill they will care for me." She didn't know when this would happen and it saddened her really, she was the last healer in the pride she did need someone to teach ehr skills to. casting away the thought she returned to the conversation.
"Well i can teach you simple medicine if you like, how to heal a wound so it leaves no scar, how to dress a septic cut, things that you will find useful in your profession."
“That would be awesome!” Risasi said, a bit too eagerly. He tried to reign himself in, keeping his paws firmly on the floor instead of bouncing around like a cub. He smiled up at his new friend, nodding. “When you have the time, of course, if your duties aren’t pressing and only if you don’t get an apprentice,” he nodded. That sounded like a fair deal, “I can come and find you some time? I’m a fast learner and I’ll ask a lot of questions, but I won’t disappoint you!” He grinned. He knew any little bit of knowledge would help him become a better gladiator, a better warrior and, ultimately, a better Citizen.
“But I’ve probably kept you too long already… but I look forward learning from you!”
Nyao smiled at the eagre youth. She had not seen such happiness at the thought of learning for such a long time, it brought a little flicker of joy to her heart.
"Of course young one, come to me in the morn after your training I will be at my den, just ask anyone where it is, they all know, and if you can't find anyone to ask, just follow your nose, my den smells of various, unusual things." she purs stretching out her paws and raising to her feet. "Yes I should get going, my day is hardly ever truly finished, I need to find some soap root before the light fades."
Rolling her shoulders lightly she tips her head in a small bowing nod. "Good day and good night to you young warrior, may apollo keep you safe in the darkness."
He nodded, taking not of her instructions. He would remember to find her den’s location as soon as possible, just so he would know it. He knew it wouldn’t be too hard to find, considering how many knew and used the healers. It was a surprise that he didn’t already know, though he hadn’t been hurt or sick enough to seek it out just yet. He was glad that he would be going to find it without either of those as his reason.
Smiling reverently, he nodded as she excused herself.
“I’ll see you soon!” He called, before bounding off toward his den.
She smiled as she watched the young male bound away, shaking her dusky blue head she chuckled. It would certainly be nice to teach someone even the bare basics of medicine. She missed having other healers about, she missed not having an aprentice. Sighing softly she padded off around the lake. Soap root, she needed to find some soap root if she was going to teach the young male about hygiene. A smile rose on ehr maw as she trotted away, this was going to be alot of fun.
