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Ekundayo had woken himself early this morning in order to gather some much-needed herbs. He had recently run into a small pride of lions, with their ranks littered with wounded members after a devastating war with another pride. Unfortunately for them, they appeared to have no healers, and no real knowledge of the restorative properties of plant poultices. Fortunately for them, he ran into them in time to tend to those he had the supplies to treat. Late in the night he'd run out of morning glories, which, as their name implied, bloom only in the morning, making them much harder to locate in the afternoon. He'd spent the entire morning seeking out these flowers, which he used for making salve to be applied to deep cuts, without any luck. He had yet to even stop for nourishment, because the well-being of these other lions was his top priority at the moment.

Ekundayo eventually found his way to a large rocky overhang and began to search the tall grass there, hoping to find some still-blooming flowers peeking through the green blades.

The male was quite absorbed in his searching. So absorbed, in fact, that he didn't hear the lioness's voice greeting him. He'd just found, curled up within lush young leaves, the bright purple flowers he'd been looking for for so long. He was elated, and immediately began to paw at the ground around where he assumed the plant's roots to start. As he bent his neck to pick up the plant with his teeth, he heard someone calling his name - well, nickname. A nickname very few lions, females in particular, would know...

"A-Amanzi? Is that... you?" His deep voice held obvious tones of shock and joyous excitement, and as he turned his head from the little project at his feet, his eyes danced as they fell upon the now-adult form of his old... acquaintance? Friend? He wasn't sure what to call her, exactly, having only met her once. He was sure about one thing, however - she'd blossomed into the most beautiful flower he'd ever seen.

He smiled at the lioness, returning the greeting in kind. "Yes, it has... months, in fact! I've been well. Mostly I've been traveling without much purpose, gathering herbs and other things I can use to make poultices and salves and the like, which I've been offering to anyone who might need it. In fact, I recently ran into a pride with members wounded from a war, and I'm gathering morning glories right now with the intention of helping them." He did have a bit of a purpose now, he realized, since he enjoyed helping others and making things with his own paws.

"Speaking of which... this is something that really can't wait. I hope you understand, but I don't have time to stay and talk. If you would like to come along and perhaps help me, you're more than welcome to, because I'd love to hear what's been happening in your life." His smile softened as he watched her, hope twinkling in his eyes. He had all the same questions for her and more, and no time to ask them.

"Thank you, Amanzi - I appreciate it." He smiled at the female, and gathered up the flowers in his teeth, gently tugging upward with his neck to attempt to avoid severing the stalks. "If you could just pick some of those flowers, as much as you can carry," he mumbled through the dirt and leaves now in his mouth, "that would be great. The flowers are the most important part, but the leaves, stalks, and roots can be used too." He watched her with a light smile, waiting to see how she did with the task, and ready to help if she required it. While he waited, he spoke through his mouthful of earth, "These will help ease the pain of the lions' open wounds, as well as speed up the healing process, to prevent them from bleeding to death. I'll mix up the salve when we arrive with the pride, since I left my supplies there."

Kunday smiled and nodded, taking her meaning once he saw she was done collecting the flowers he needed. He started heading east, expecting her to follow him at her leisure. "Take your time, and let me know if I'm going too fast for you." As an afterthought he added, "I was hoping to hear you tell me about yourself while we walked, but it seems your mouth is too full for that." He chuckled and smiled at her. "Later, perhaps?"

Ekundayo led the way, easily remembering the general location of the pride's members. With their ranks so scattered and injured it was highly unlikely that they'd have moved too far from the area, and besides, he'd requested that they stay in one spot so he could find them again. They were indeed close already, and it did not take long for them to come across the lions. Most of them had naturally-coloured pelts with unnatural accents such as blue-on-brown or pink-on-gray. There were very few young or old lions, and those that were there looked morose and badly injured. Already, those who Kunday had not been able to tend had rotting wounds.

"Don't worry," he mumbled at Amanzi, "they're a little primitive, perhaps, but not unkind. Follow me." He approached a tall black lioness whose fur was mottled with bright green. She saluted him respectfully, and without a word, showed him to his small zebraskin "bag" where he kept his supplies. There would be time to talk later.

He dropped the purple flowers on the ground, and with his paw, motioned for Amanzi to do the same. He added some small orange flowerheads into his mix of morning glories, and took the entire mess into his mouth, chewing them into a pulp. He spat this onto a flat stone he used as a "palette" of sorts. "If you feel comfortable in doing so, I'd like you to follow suit, Amanzi - just take some orange flowers and chew it until it's sort of thick and watery. If you'd rather not, you could take this poultice and apply it to the wounds of these lions who are lined up."

Kunday smiled softly at his companion. "Thank you," he replied, gently touching his large nose to hers in hopes of giving her some encouragement. Then he took the poultice she spat out and began to apply it to the wounds injured lions who had lined up.

[OOC: Herp derp, gonna skip the repetitive chewing-and-applying that would go here, presumably spanning an hour or so altogether.]

The black lioness, gently smiling, approached the pair. "You two have saved my pride - words cannot express my gratitude, and I know these lions are just as thankful. We do not have much left to offer to you in return, while we recover from the ravages of the war... but if you ever need help, please come to us, and we will do our best to repay our debt to you. You will always be welcome in our lands. We wish the two of you the happiest of lives together - may the gods bless you!" She bowed her head respectfully and turned to rejoin her pride.

Ekundayo's cheeks visibly darkened at the chieftain's words, and he turned to Amanzi with a sheepish grin. "I, uh... I didn't do or say anything to imply that we were... together. I swear!"