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 Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 6:16 pm
The darkly coloured female lioness was sprawled beneath a tree, careful to hide her body away in the shadows so as to protect herself from the heat. She had stumbled, quite literally, across the tree and had cuddled up beneath it so she could be cool for the moment. Finding shade and food and things like that were often left up to chance for her, since she could not see to hunt, or search out shelter. Of course, there were often times when people felt sorry for her and gave her prey, or caught her things so that she wouldn't waste away, but still, it was tiring being so dependent on others.
She was getting used to being blind though, even if she feared her nerves would never settle completely. She sighed loudly, and rested her chin down onto her paws, careful to only flick her tail to dispel bugs, unwilling to draw attention to herself even though her dark form was rather blatantly visible beneath the tree.
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Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 6:57 pm
Alasari huffed between clenched jaws, the dead honey badger between them swinging with the male's limping pace. He growled, the sound filled with anger. He'd been stupid, going after a mammal with a reputation as violent as the honey badger's was certainly on the ' that was a really, really dumb idea' list.
In his defense however, he'd not intended to actually be hunting the damn thing. He'd actually been going after a savanna hare, which the badger had decided to steal from him, which had pissed him off because he'd been damn hungry, which resulted in him and the badger tussling.
Now, half an hour later he was dragging the twenty odd plus pound carcass in the mid-day sun, sporting a nasty gash across his hind end, and a few minor ones one his muzzle and paws, curtsy of the six inch razor sharp claws the thing had.
Lucky for him, one of his favorite tress was close by. It would provide shade, cover, and place to eat, and then see just how much damage his meal had done to him.
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Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 9:57 pm
Kibaazi was careful not to allow herself to drift of to sleep, despite how tempting it was to sleep the day away. Being blind made things dangerous, being blind and asleep allowed people too many chances to sneak up on her and too many things could go wrong with that scenario. It was hard. When darkness was all you saw, it was hard to figure out what was day, night, or whether you were dreaming or actually awake.
She sighed, and shifted, but paused when she heard a noise in the distance. Her body fell still, as she carefully listened to hear it again. It had sounded like paw-steps and for a moment, she feared it was someone come to chase her out of her shade. Which was far enough, she was taking up quite a lot of it, she thought, but she soon scented blood and not of that of a prey beast, but a more familiar scent. A medic in her old pride, she knew the scent of blood that needed tending and raised her head, frowning as the sun hit her blind eyes, making her squint even though it would not help her see.
She hesitated, but knew it better to ask then to wait and be surprised. "Hello?" She called out softly, her voice tinged with anxiety as she wasn't sure if this blood she scented was from the creature nearby, or from whatever it had killed. Perhaps it had killed a lion, which was why it smelt of blood.
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Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:25 pm
Alasiri stopped dead in his pawsteps, violet eyes blinking a few times, " Murph..?" He made the sound a question around the caucus in his mouth, looking at the lioness who was under 'his' tree.
She was stunning, just stunning and he couldn't help put let his gaze wander over the sleek dark fur, or the delicate tuff of her ears, but as he moved closer, he could see there was something different about her eyes. They were filmy, almost white in the mid-day sun.
Carefully he set the honey badger down, and swallowing a few times to clear away the irony taste of blood from his mouth, he cleared his throat.
" I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you." His speaking voice had a warm quality to it, calm and steady. " I usually come here to have lunch."
He took in her slightly to thin appearance, and added gently, " There is enough for two...if you'd like to share."
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Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 11:34 pm
She turned her face towards where the voice had come from, her unseeing eyes looking towards him even if she would never be able to see him. He didn't seem threatening, she realised, her tense posture relaxing slightly. “Oh,” she spoke, her voice quiet, feeling a little sad that she had taken up his spot without even realising it. “I'm sorry to have intruded, however unintentionally.”She sent him a small smile, hoping that he would not be mad her for taking his spot.
“That's very sweet of you,” she responded to his offer of food, her stomach hollow from a lack of food. She had managed to convince a few hyenas to let her have some of their kill a day - or was it two? - ago, but that wasn't enough for someone that walked often.
A faint scent of blood caught her attention and pulled it away from the idea of food. It wasn't the scent of his prey, which was quite different then the blood of lions. “You've hurt yourself,” she said, before pushing herself to her feet. Her paws were a little wobbly, but she refused to stay sitting. She tripped a little over one of the trees roots which were poking from the ground. “Is it bad? I know of some herbs that will stop the bleeding and help you heal.” In her mind, she was already trying to remember the last place she had felt them – having stumbled across plants more often then not, she had learnt a little about recognizing them without sight. It was easier if she had someone else to seek them out, but if he was badly hurt and couldn't move around, then she would need to find it herself.
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:03 pm
Alasairi's breath caught in his throat at that shy smile, and he suddenly wanted to see her really smile see if it lite those pale eyes of hers. The lionesses voice was soft and sweet, and the concern in it that she may have offended him made him want to instantly reassure her.
" You didn't offend, its just a tree." He rumbled at her in his warm, calm voice, " and this honey badger is more then enough for two. Here, let me divide it."
He placed one paw on his kill, and was about to grab the animal's head in his mouth so he could rip it in half when she stood weakly. The male had to stop himself from moving forward to steady her as she stumbled over the roots toward him.
She's blind...
Instantly he was beside her, his body keeping her from coming out from under the shade of the tea tree. " It is only a few scratchs. The badger put up a fight. They will keep till we eat, " Alasairi kept his tone gentle, relaxed, so as not to frighten her or have her think he was angered.
"Please, sit back down."
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Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 5:55 pm
Kibaazi was pleased when he didn't seem offended by her taking his tree, and rewarded him with another small smile. After stumbling, she was surprised to feel him beside her, preventing her from leaving the shade. “Oh, but even scratches can get infected,” she explained firmly, but it was only lightly that she brushed passed him, out of the shade. “I won't be a moment!” she told him, moving slowly out. She could remember feeling the herb not far away, and although it wasn't the best herb for scratches, it was a good one.
She was lucky enough to stumble across it quickly, likely not even out of view of the other male. She lowered her head, sniffing the plant to make sure it was what she thought – yes, that was the slightly sharp but smooth scent she was used to – and gently took part of the leaves in her mouth. She tugged, careful not to puncture them as they tasted horrible. She turned carefully and set off back towards the tree, retracing her steps. Feeling the shade hit her fur, she slowed and lowered the plants to the ground.
“If you put those on your scratches, it will prevent them from being infected, or leaving marks,” she said, her voice soft. For a moment, she was afraid that he had left, like many other companions had done before.
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Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 6:16 pm
The male had kept an eye on her, in case she needed help, but he had not interfered. He was impressed by her ability to find what she needed without her sight, more impressed by how she must have managed to travel to come to the Rogue Lands. However, he did not think she had as much success with hunting. She was far to thin, and she seemed shaky.
As she gathered the plant she had sought out, he divided the badger, giving her the bigger portion. He could hunt, was fairly decent at it, if he was still hungry, he would scare up a hare or two.
" Thank you, I will after we've eaten. I should clean the wounds first, and I'd rather eat my lunch before I have to taste my own blood." His tone was softly jesting. " Come over here, a little to your left, you'll be in the shade completely and have the trunk and rock to protect your back."
He waited till she arranged herself, and then carefully dropped her portion of badger in front of her, " My name is Alasiri."
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Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 1:45 am
Kibaazi was pleased -and not mildly surprised – when he spoke and revealed that he was in fact still there. She had hoped that he hadn't left, of course, but she hadn't held much hope that he wouldn't. She supposed that it was his tree after all.
She nodded at his words, smiling slightly. “Most understandable,” she said softly. She was surprised at his instructions though, before realising that he must have realised that she could not see. She obeyed his instructions, moving over carefully until she could feel the trunk of the tree on her back paw, before gently lowering herself, her paw moments wobbly still but more confident lowering herself then trying to raise herself. “Thank you.”
She reached out a paw, and felt her paw collide with the remains of his prey, and she carefully used her paw to map out how much was in front of her. He had given her quite large serve, but she supposed he must have had quite a large kill. Glancing up, even though she couldn't see him, she smiled. “Nice to meet you, Alasiri. My name's Kibaazi. Thank you again for the food, I'm...a poor hunter these days, unfortunately.” She used to be quite good at it, but her lack of sight had changed her life and not necessarily for the better.
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Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 5:53 pm
Alasiri resisted the urge to reach out and push back a lock of her fur that had fallen forward as she bowed her head to feel along the meal he had set in front of her.
" It is my pleasure lady," he made sure that the gentle smile he offered her could be heard in the earth rich tone of his voice, " A kill shared tastes far better. In all truth, I have missed company with my meals, and the tree is not very talkative." The last was said with a amused chuckle at the end.
He settled down so that he was facing her, but kept his body between her and the open part of the little shelter the tea tree and boulders made. If anything came on them, it would have to go through him first before reaching her. The male waited for her to begin eating, deciding he would see her finish her meal first, and fed her more if she was still hungry afterward.
Alasiri studied her for a moment, thinking she looked far to young for age to have blinded her, and there was no scaring that he could see across the sable of her pelt, she spoke of hunting, so she had not been born blind, yet she was.
His gaze drifted down to her paws, looking for wear and blisters, wondering if she had come far to end up under his tree, " Have you walked far Lady Kibaazi?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 3:56 pm
Kibaazi gave him another smile, his warm tone of voice softening her nerves. “Well, I'm happy to give you some company with your food then, thank you. It has been a while since I was gifted with nice company as well,” she remarked carefully. In truth, she hadn't spoken to people nicely in a long while. Most tended to leave, or be distressed by her blindness.
She moved carefully, mapping out the kill before her before lowering her face towards it, biting into the food quickly and hungrily. Small prey and what she could scavenge could easily support her, but it didn't help her to live, or anything of that sort. It allowed her to survive, but it still made her stomach thin and bones weak. She was getting by, but not well. She was careful as she ate, the etiquette lessons her mother had drummed into her head as a youth paying off as she was careful not to let too much blood stain her mouth, keeping her fur clean.
She blinked, and glanced towards him, even if she couldn't see, when he spoke. She self-consciously shifted her paws at the thought of walking. She had been walking for a while, so while there were no blisters or sores, her paws had grown rough with use. “I'm not sure how far I walked, but I can say I have been walking for a while,” she said, nodding. “And you, Sir Alasiri? Are you a wanderer?”
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Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:39 pm
Alasiri gave another unseen smile to her as he watched her eat delicately. She was well and truly a lady. Kibaazi He thought to himself, She has a beautiful and graceful name, it reflects her..
The male chuckled at her question,it was a pleasant, rich and warm, like honey, you could almost wrap yourself up in the sound. His tail curled over his back legs, his amusement coloring his speaking voice, " I am for now. The Pride I was born into, and served once, is several weeks journey to the west. I was..tracking someone and the trail went cold near here."
Alasiri nosed some more of the badger toward her, moving it beside the portion she was currently eating, " Until I pick it up again, this tea tree and the boulders that half ring it are 'home', in so much as a rogue may call any place home."
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Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:10 pm
She paused to clean around her mouth, only about a quarter way through her own portion. Her stomach was aching at the sudden influx of food that it was simply not used to having. She smiled again at the sound of his laughter, her eyes half closed in relaxation. It was a pleasant, warm sound and it made her stance relax further.
“Oh,” she said quietly. “I am sorry the trail went cold, but if it had not, then we may have not met, so perhaps the momentary loss was worth a momentary gain?” She said diplomatically, a funny smile on her face. She had been raised side by side with a prince and to be honest, had snuck into his lessons more often then not, though she had grown bored with them easily.
She lowered her head, taking another bite of the kill, chewing it slowly. “Will you be able to find the trail again easily?” She asked, sounding curious. She had not really been following a trail, more like blindly wandering in hopes of stumbling across someone who might know of Majaliwa, and lead her towards where he was. It was odd to think of actually tracking someone. Perhaps he would give her tips on tracking. “I'm looking for someone myself, but I have no trail to follow. It's more...walking in hopes I might find him some day,” she said with a small laugh. “A daunting idea sometimes.”
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Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 12:41 pm
Alasiri's ears laid back when she mentioned a 'he', his stomach suddenly falling to his paws. Swallowing, slightly embarrassed at himself for feeling such about a lioness he had only just met, he managed to keep his voice steady as he crossed his paws in front of him, " He is a very lucky lion Lady, to have someone searching for him as you are, and yes, you are right, it was a loss worth a gain."
I wish it were not momentary Alasiri thought silently to himself, his violet eyes drinking in the sight of her as she lay in the dappled shade of the tree. The sun and shadow played with her dark coat, showing the subtle highlights of blue and green within the sable fur, much like a raven's wing. For a second, he thought about reaching out and touching it, to see if it was as soft as it seemed. He only barely managed to stop himself, his paw hovering just above her shoulder. Pulling back the errant limb, Alasiri folded it up under his chest. Why did he feel a sudden need to protect the blind lioness who had invaded his world?
The young male looked away, out toward the savanna past 'his' tea tree, trying to regroup himself as he answered her in his warm, earth colored voice, " I do not know if I will find the trail again, I will continue to head East, toward the mountain jungles. All I know is that is where he came from, and if my sister is still alive, that will be where he takes her."
The male looked down at the uneaten portion of her meal, his voice gentling again, " Would you like me to save the rest for you? You are more then welcome to spend the night sheltering here. I can sleep on the boulders, and bring some sweet grass in for you to lay on."
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Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 7:29 pm
Kibaazi didn't notice his change in expression when she mentioned 'he', and smiled a little at his words. “Oh, not so lucky. When I find him-” she shook her head, an affectionately amused look on her face, “-he'll get an earful for not coming back like he should have!” Majaliwa should have, in her opinion, returned to their pride and demanded the elders let him back in, not wander the rogue lands like he had been. The elders were ruining their pride and it was all because he was too afraid to come back.
She refocused her attention on him as he spoke again. “I hope you do find the trail again,” she said, sounding sympathetic. She couldn't imagine how hard it might be looking for a sibling, and not knowing if they were alive, but she supposed it was similar to how she felt about Maja, having grown up with him since they were both very young. “I'm sure your sister is doing fine though. If she's anything like you, she would be perfectly capable of surviving out here.” She smiled at him again.
She glanced down at the meet, even if she couldn't see it, and gently moved her paw across it, looking embaressed. “I've barley made a dent in it, I'm sorry. My stomach isn't used to food, I'm afraid. If you're hungry, please eat it. I can find something for myself later.” The 'something' would be a left behind carcass, but having lived off them for a while, she was okay with doing exactly that. “I wouldn't want to kick you out of your own shelter! I will be fine, I'm sure, but thank you,” she gave him another warm smile, “you have been so kind to me.” She should have gotten up and moved on at that point, but shifting, she could find no strength in her legs to force her upwards. She laid there, feeling embarrassed by her own weakness. She was like a newborn cub!
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