CaspianRecovery was never an easy road to walk. He'd been knocked out of his wits a total of two times prior. Once at the paw of his father during a rough training match, and once at the paws of his instructor. The former had left the late king ridden with guilt. He'd loved his son, and while he always had a firm paw in raising him, he never wanted to knock him out in such a way. Both times had left him dazed for nearly a day afterwards. This was so much worse.
The desert had scorched his throat and burned his eyes. He'd had his wounds treated and the sand cleaned out from his eyes and ears, his belly filled with water, and even a mouthfull of food during a short period of awakening.
The night air was much colder than he'd expected. For two nights he'd shivered in his sleep, riddled with nightmares and bodily aches. His paws, still horribly tender, were just about the only thing kept warm. That night, the cold had shattered his rest and his mind prevented him from returning to sleep. He laid quiet and restless, his eyes straining through the window in his chamber. The stars were brilliant in the desert... it seemed the sky had more here...
Dafina:
It was her favorite time of the evening to practice. Everyone else was usually asleep, there was no danger of overheating and she could move the most freely during the night when there wasn't a big crowd gathered around the lake. It was her favorite place, day or night, but during the sun's presiding hours there were pride members everywhere. Naturally, too, since it was the pride's social gathering point.
This artisan had it to herself at the moment, however.
She wore the quietest jewelry that she had, matching to that of the other youths that had been born into the lands. She liked the way it sparkled in the moon which always shone brightly with no clouds to hinder it's gaze. It also tinkled in a pleasing way, but not loud enough to disturb the sleep of those over in the dens.
She wanted to perfect the dance that she'd been learning so that once Caspian was finally well enough to be shown around the pride lands she would have something complete to show, but also because she had promised Maa that she would be ready to accompany her new song with a complimenting dance.
As soon as she'd reached the edge of the lake the first thing she did was take a moment to look out over it, take in the scent of the flowers and greenery lining it's sides. It always relaxed her into a tranquil state for her rehearsals, even though her heart beat quickened just at the thought of the thrill of her craft.
GaddithGaddith, who had been assigned to keeping watch over the newcomer's den, laid just outside the mouth of the crumbled ruin, his large black form melting into the shadows around him. His silver eyes, perfect for the night time, and his pearly mane were about all that set him apart from the dark ground around him.
A lone figure stepped out into the moonlight, practiced paws carrying her over the sands and the moonlight creeping over her slender shoulders. The guardian lifted his head and rolled his shoulders back. She seemed unaware of his presense there- for the moment.
"A lovely night for a walk." He commented, breaking the relitive silence of the night. His voice, accented slightly though much rougher and snippish than Caspian's, carried a hint of amusement as he addressed the younger female. "The desert is a new world at night."
Dafina:Right, Dafina thought to herself as she turned her head to look towards Gaddith, he had been put in charge of looking after Caspian. He was one that took his duty seriously, something that the young Pridelander had noticed right away upon meeting him thanks to her best friend. Not being what she'd consider boy-crazy, but certainly not above appreciating the opposite sex, Gaddith was definitely a fine specimen of a male. She was too young to marry of course, and honestly Dafina didn't really consider the prospect at her age anyway. Even if she hadn't been an outsider accepted in she believed that youth was for fun, and adulthood was when things got serious. She wouldn't have laid down with or for any male before she was grown because she had more respect for herself than to risk getting pregnant before she'd even reached full maturity-- not that she looked down on others who did, not with her upbringing. In any event, even though Gaddith was older than her she certainly didn't consider him out of her league. She wouldn't be an adolescent forever, and one day she'd find the right male, so she might as well shop around. And yes, she was very well aware that the moonlight did nothing but favors for her and her performance, which was just why she couldn't resist. If Gaddith had noticed she'd be all the more pleased. She, and her art, were supposed to be pleasing to the eye after all. It wasn't a matter of simple vanity at all, just a desire to be the best she could at what she did, whatever she did.
"It is, and an even better one for a dance. I hope I'm not bothering you, Gaddith. I just came to practice for a bit."
Gaddith
"Oh a dance?" The lion chuckled quietly as he pushed himself up to his paws. He'd been laying around more and more recently. Keeping watch, scouting, resting... it wasn't doing him any favors. He'd been raised on long, rough days. He'd not gone to bed a day in his cubhood free from aching limbs, swollen paws, or stubbed claws. Now, his body teemed with unspent energy.
"So am I to be treated to a dance? Care if I observe?"
Caspian
Voices...
Muttered and quiet as they were, the empty chambers of the strange rock formations sent them echoing endlessly. They practically pounded in his ears, assaulting his already tender head. It was a welcome distraction from thought but yet another hindrence to any kind of rest...
Groaning, the young lion pulled himself up to the window, his eyes blinking the haze of sleep away. The source of the voices were none other than two of the more familar faces of the pride, his 'care taker' and his 'babysitter.'
Dafina:
Dafina's tail flicked, a light tinkle from the tail rings she wore for her practices and dances breaking the brief pause of silence as she cast a smile Gaddith's way, almost mysterious, or maybe coy was the better term.
"Not at all." She purred, moving into what seemed like a graceful, languid stretch, which was actually her opening position. She took the moment that this allowed to relax her body and take a cleansing breath. Muscle memory and well practiced thoughts were what kept her fresh for each of her dances, and as she moved into the steps for this one it was no different.
She took turns, some slow, others fast, tossing a limb or her head just so, angling her body in fluid motions as she had been taught. Her own natural grace just added to her talent for the skill, and the jewelry that she had helped craft herself just added to the display she was putting on.
Gaddith:
The lion tipped his head in a playful bow and waved a paw about in the air. "Oh well then, I'll let the master do her work."
With a flick of his tail, Gaddith took a few long paces away from what he figured must be the 'performance grounds' and came to rest just oppisate of the new-comer's recovery den. It allowed him to keep an eye on the structure while still enjoying the performence.
Caspian
Caspian's eyes rolled forward as the performance began. Graceful movements, easy and free, almost boneless in nature. The moonlight glanced off the multiple decorations gracing her frame, shone bright in her eyes and along the golden coat along her back. It was....strange, but at the same time lovely to watch.
Dafina:
Dafina was unaware that she had an audience of more than one, but all the same she put her best into her practice. There were no visible mistakes as she had learned long ago to simply turn them into seamless movements that complimented the dance and could transition her smoothly into the next steps as she moved and swayed and spun to the song that only she could hear. Sometimes it even helped her discover new ideas. Thankfully when they saw the performance later it would be almost entirely identical to the one tonight. She finished with a sweep of her tail, sending a teasing spray of water over her head as she "fell" into a finishing bow.
Gaddith
"Well now... that's not bad." He took a few steps forward, immitating her opening steps. "The dance you perform, it's much like a fighting style from my homeland. You move, train as if you fight an invisible opponent, move from the paws-" He side-stepped sharply, then turned on one paw to face the invisible foe, "Then turn to strike!"
He came to a swift stop and turned about, snapping his tail behind him. "Look familar?"
Caspian
Of course it looked familar... Caspian's maw twisted into a grimmace, combat was a dance...the most deadly and spectacular dance of all. Movements were fluid, powerful, and calculated. Her moves were evasive, smooth, and strong. She'd make a fantastic huntress...
Dafina:
She rose out of her closing position and saw Gaddith demonstrate. "It does." She had heard the comparison before, of course, but preferred not to compare the two when she was rehersing or performing... Unless of course the dance was supposed to display power, and there were some. They may be similar in appearance, but not in nature. A warrior skilled in "dance" practiced an entirely different kind of art. It wasn't resentment, far from it. Dafina just wanted to have her skills recognized for what they were, what her dances were meant to demonstrate which was an entirely different matter from battle. If she asked if she looked like she was fighting or dancing she'd prefer to hear dancing, so it was a bit concerning that his first thought was to compare it to battle.
Maybe she was using too much force in her movements? "But I hope that I convey a different message with my dance...?" She inquired gently, not admitting to any doubt in her performance or displeasure at his observation, but seeking some confirmation.
Gaddith:
"Do not worry about it." He waved a paw and settled his haunches back down to the sand. "Where I come from, everything is seen through the eyes of a warrior. My family has no use for the arts, performing, songs, or any of that. Everything is about how much blood each of us can spill and how much glory we get from the kill. It's... different. Not an easy mentality to shake I'm afraid."
Caspian
How savage...
Caspian's nose wrinkled up as he listened in, his mind automatically reverting back to the madness in his uncle's eyes. He'd savored the kills on the field, praised the warrior, and drove off any that would bother to teach wisdom rather than tactics. His old teacher had been demoted and forced to shut his maw when it came to the old stories and songs... at least when faced with unfriendly listeners. Caspian himself quite enjoyed such tales.
Dafina:
It seemed so easy to forget that the home that Gaddith came from was so... very different. Maybe because she had grown up the polar opposite, maybe because the ways of the Firekin werereally just that, there may be other prides with similar mindsets, but she had never heard of them. Maybe it was even because pride life with the Dawn Walkers was so peaceful that she couldn't remember that some pride members came from such places. They all got along so well... and then she was still getting to know Gaddith. It made much more sense when he put it that way, so she visibly relaxed, no longer concerned that her dance had been misplaced. Had she known she had another audience member she might have simply wondered what he thought, but that wasn't the case.
"It's only natural to keep the teachings from the place that you spent the most time, or from the ones we care for or respect the most. My mother doesn't really care for the arts either, so little, in fact, that I doubt she'd have even noticed what you had, even though she loves to fight and spar. I think I take more after my father and grandfather in that regard." Anyone in the pride that knew Ezeoha knew that he was built to be a lover and not a fighter, although Dafina had served as a huntress in the Pridelands-- hunting in the desert didn't seem to be her strong point. She longed to touch up on her skills again in an element more familiar, but the feeling was entirely different out here than it was back there.
Gaddith
"Perhaps. Though the teachings were...cruel." He stood himself up and lumbered back over to his post, his silvery eyes throwing an easy look over a broad shoulder. "Perhaps my eyes can learn to see a dance for what it is, and my paws can be put to better use. My pride had no place for me, so I should not be burdened with their ways any longer."
He settled himself down in the mouth of the 'den' and folded his paws in front of him. "Though it won't hurt for you to learn a few moves. Peace is something that needs protecting, it cannot defend itself. Even a flower will grow a defense if need be."
Dafina:
Dafina smiled, no less genuine than the last ones she had treated him to, but maybe a bit more playful. He had a point, and-- "That sounds perfectly poetic to me, maybe you're already off to a better start than you know, making your own path." She reasoned, stretching again quietly. "But don't let my dancing fool you, I picked up more than just my mother's charming sense of wit, growing up."
Unlike Maa-nefer, who preferred not to have to fight, Dafina had learned how to defend around the same time her mother had taught her how to hunt. Having a former head scout and a seer for a teacher was certainly interesting training. She had gotten into a scrap or two on the way to the Dawnwalkers, as well, having made that journey all alone as an adolescent, but it was her head that had gotten her out of a bad situation in the end, when she was otherwise in over her head physically.
"The most beautiful flowers usually do have thorns, after all."
Gaddith
"Exactly." He lifted his chin, his silver eyes narrowing. "I have little respect for a female who cannot take care of herself. To dance and know how to use it to also keep yourself out of trouble is admarable. Of course- this is coming from a brute." He shrugged his large shoulders. "Afterall, you must prove yourself in battle before you are allowed within my home pride."
Caspian:
Caspian flexed his claws and pushed back from the small window. His body screamed in open defiance, his limbs and muscles felt like they could tear at any moment, his joints felt like claws had lodged themselves within them... Still, he'd not just lay there.
The lion forced himself to his aching paws, his features tightening as he applied pressure to the burnt flesh.
Dafina:(9:33:19 PM):
"There'd be no need to fight for peace if everyone could take care of themselves. Sometimes protecting peace means protecting the ones we care about from having to experience such things. We'd all just be warriors otherwise."
Perhaps the core reason Pridelanders and the Firekin were on such opposite ends of the spectrum had little to do with color and everything to do with perspective. In a land where trouble rarely found it's way to their borders there was no such sense of importance and emphasis on learning to fight. Those that patrolled did so to protect those that could not. Of course, any lion that could hunt, in theory could also fight, but her best friend and several others were not so inclined. Dafina was entirely certain that she didn't like the idea of anyone holding them in low regard simply for choosing to live a peaceful, happy life. Protecting that was enough, wasn't it?
But she wasn't there to debate with Gaddith and certainly not to argue the merrits of peace over strength. His comment had set her a bit on edge, though it certainly didn't show.
Her attention was stolen when she heard the shuffle of Caspian moving in his den, attributed mainly to the fact that as natural hunters they did have a heightened sense of hearing and smell. She left the water's edge to move closer to Gaddith's spot, but kept going to peek in on Caspian. Sure enough he was trying to move around, and surely his pads hadn't healed yet. "And just what do you think you're doing?" She asked, playfully suggesting that he had just been caught red-pawed.
Gaddith
It was a strange concept. Cubs were helpless. The elderly were helpless, but young, fit lions? That was unheard of. Even the water-seekers knew how to fend for themselves. Why else were they born with claws and fangs?
He took a deep breath, clearly trying to digest the forgien notion. Perhaps in a kinder, gentler pride such weakness was tolerated, even celebrated, but it would never quite sit right with him. It was...strange. Where survival itself was a battle, how could any lion depend on another to see to their needs. Even when they had slaves, which to him was no more than a history lesson, the firekin had challanged their strength. The slaves did the petty work. Weakness to them was for the lesser-beings.
Of course- that was his to keep to himself.
A noise from behind him sent the lion up to his paws, ears drawing back in the blink of an eye. A grunt... struggling, and a hissed curse. He glanced over to his companion, raising a brow and stepping back to let her pass.
Caspian
Caspian stood still as a boulder, his legs trembling as he panted over his aching paws. It hurt. More than he was willing to admit even to himself, it hurt. As a soft voice called over to him he only slowly rolled an ear back as if the simple action of turning his head would send him back to the ground in a disgraceful pile of pain.
"Standing."
Dafina: 10:14 pm
Dafina:(10:14:49 PM):
"I can see that... WHY are you standing? It's late, and your paws can't be healed yet." She inquired, coming into the den so that she could face him without his having to turn his head, maybe see him to where he was trying to get to.
Caspian
"I...", well that was a good question. He knew that he was hurt- badly. Just dragging himself to the window had been a chore. The logical half of his mind scolded him for even trying...but then again, the black male's words ground at him. Strength...he had to be strong. If he'd been a little stronger he might have been able to avenge his father's death. If he'd been a little stonger, maybe he could have walked into these lands rather than being dragged into them.
With a short glance up to the female, finding no approval in her eyes, he slowly lowered himself back down to the ground. "Apologies."
Dafina:
She seemed satisfied when he settled back down, though she felt a bit bad for him, only in the fact that it couldn't be easy for any male's ego to have to lie around and basically do nothing while he healed.
It occured to her then that maybe he had overheard the conversation she had with Gaddith, but it was of no consequence and certainly not his fault if he did.
"Maybe dipping your paws in the lake would help. It's nice and cool out and I'm sure you're tired of staring at these same four stone walls." She offered, having no idea that he'd pulled himself all the way to the window, or that he had been looking outside not long ago.
Caspian
He rolled his ears forward, eyed narrowing thoughtfully. The lake would be a nice place to rest... it certainly wasn't doing him any good laying here. At least not while the sun was absent from the sky...and to dip his aching paws into the water and drink as much as his greedy throat would have was certainly tempting.
"I would like that." He said after a moment's silence. Now...to get there was the problem. Allowing her to assist him would only confirm his weakness. When he was able, it was best he moved along. If Mirez was in the right mood, he could have half the pride combing the desert for his corpse.
The young lion forced his paws back under him and pushed himself up to a shaky stand. Panting, he turned to her and gave a short nod.
Dafina:
Being an entertainer, or at least fancying herself one, and having seen her father in action dozens of times she knew that male pride could be a sensitive thing, so she didn't fuss when Caspian indicated that he was ready to go and made no inclination that he wanted her help getting there. His determination was endearing, besides, and at least he wasn't afraid to admit when he needed to stop-- from what she had seen. She cast a glance towards the door to see that the way was clear and to meet Gaddith's eye if he was still watching them. She would escort Caspian to the lake so it should be alright for him to be up and about in this case.
She made sure to give him some room, taking a few steps to guage his pace first. No point rushing, they had all night.
Caspian
The young lion paced himself carefully, one paw at a time. He settled his weight down as gently as possible, wincing with every impact. His body adjusted, the pain numbed somewhat, and the next paw stepped forward. The door seemed to be a world away, the lake even further. By the time they reached the doorway, the lion was already panting hard, his paws trembling.
Gaddith watched like a phantom in the distance, a hulking shadow with haunting silver eyes that caught the moonlight almost as well as the lake itself. It wasn't the most comforting sight, certainly not after the gruff confession of his own outlook on weakness.
Caspian settled his shoulder against the mouth of the cave, allowing his body a short respite. After a series of long breaths, he pushed himself on, one horrible step followed by another.
Dafina::
Dafina stepped back, making sure that he had room while not moving horribly far off, should it look like he needed extra support. Mostly though, she wanted to let him try on his own. That had been important to her. Usually females were supposed to be more willing to accept help when they needed it, but Dafina had gotten her mother's pride if nothing else, and absolutely did not want anyone coddling her when her own paws had been healing from the horrible scorching they'd received in her journey, and she rather doubted if she'd been as badly hurt as Caspian had.
One step at a time, it might seem a world away, but he was doing well so far. Words seemed heavy and clumsy at the moment, so she didn't use them, offering silent encouragement instead.
Slowly, very slowly, they finally seemed about to reach the lake.
Really, getting used to walking on them again was probably good in small doses, but had it been anyone else she'd have insisted they wait till they were at least a bit better healed. He seemed to need this though.
She would lead him to the long, wide three or four steps that led into the shallows where he could dip his paws comfortably while still resting dry.
Caspian:
Caspian collapsed as he came to the edge of the lake, his mouth agape as he panted off the short and unessicarily difficult workout. His trembling, now swollen paws stretched out and slowly dipped into the gentle waters of the lake. The young lion flopped against the ground and groaned as the water cooled and caressed his inflamed flesh.
"By the mane....thank you."
Dafina:
Like she'd guessed, it seemed like it felt much better than simply having his paws treated in the confines of the den. Dafina moved next to him on the steps, beginning to remove her jewelry piece by piece. "You're welcome." She said in between careful mouth fulls of bracelets. Once done she felt a bit lighter, not that her jewelry was heavy, but she felt less constrained when it wasn't on if she wasn't dancing like now.
And it wasn't very practical for swimming. She eased into the water quietly, shivering a little at the cold, but it was hardly unbearable. The water was usually heated during the day because of the intense sun, and took a long time to cool down. Compared to her body heat is what caused her to react, but it was warmer than the air at least.
Caspian:
Caspian was perhaps moments from simply allowing himself to slip into sleep for the night when a series of soft jingles persisted, hammering against his temples once more. He peeked an eye open and lifted his head.
What...was she doing?
"...are...you....", he frowned. No, he really didn't even have a good guess. "What ...are you doing?"
Dafina:
A good thing she removed them, though she didn't realize he had the headache when she'd thought to take them off. Dafina got into the water until she was tredding and couldn't feel the ground any longer, looking back towards Caspian and quirking an eyebrow playfully.
"What's it look like? Swimming."
In case he still couldn't guess, though the way her tone was put it was clear she wasn't being maliciously sarcastic.
"You should try it. You won't have to put any weight on your paws but you'd still be able to put your body to work." She knew he had to be anxious to move around if he'd been willing to risk the wrath of protest his paws were putting up.
Caspian:
Swimming... that involved getting wet. And not just... a little soggy. He could easily lick his paws clean once they were done soaking up the water's glorious cool but his whole body would take hours to groom again. Not that he was a shining picture of health at the moment, but that was beside the point.
...though, she made a lot of sense. He wasn't getting any better just laying there. No doubt his paws would burn and ache just as they did the moment he got up and took his leave from the water.
But...there was another problem.
"What of the crocodiles?"
Dafina:
"No crocodiles here. The river, maybe, but not here." She replied, her voice almost a purr as she circled around smoothly to face him without leaving the water. "I don't think they'd survive the trip from the river to the heart of the pride lands." She could be wrong, but they'd certainly never seen any.
Caspian:
...that made sense. It was a very long walk and the creatures were stuck dragging their bellies along the ground. He'd never seen one wander very far from the waters...
"Very well. Though..." He rolled to his belly and pushed up to all fours. "It...is a little colder here at night."
Dafina:
"Don't worry, I'll help you warm up after." She reassured, beconing with a paw while sounding just a touch amused at his reluctance. "Now come on, I don't bite." Dafina teased, eyes grinning though it seemed she was trying (admittedly not very hard) not to show her mirth with her smiling.
Caspian:
He sighed. It wasn't her that he was worried about. There was a much bigger, much colder foe out there.
The water.
He could swim, sure. Any animal could on instinct alone, but that very same instinct had him leery of the dark pool. Too many times he'd seen the crocodiles tearing their prey apart. A bold zebra, a slow wildebeast, even a giraffe at one point. Ironic.
Regardless, he wasn't about to be seen cowering on the shore. Aching or not. Caspian inched his way forward, sucking in a sharp breath as the water pooled around his elbows and soaked into his mane.
Dafina:
Patiently she waited after that, backing further into the pool a bit so he had plenty of space when he made his way down the steps. "During the day, when everyone is up, this is where the pride usually gathers to socialize. It's usually very lively when the sun is high." She watched him discreetly for any signs of pain or discomfort other than the cold and his paws and found her thoughts wandering to the future a bit.
Would he stay once he had healed and recovered, been shown how to survive the desert? Or would he be gone the first chance he was able, moving on to look for a way to recover his home or escape his pursuer's?
Caspian:
"It makes sense... this place is much warmer than any other I have been to or have heard of." He took a few more steps forward, freezing up once more as the water lapped uncomfortably at his belly. It didn't hurt, in fact many of his aching muscles were screaming their gratitude with every painful inch forward. The cold water, however, seeped into his fur. Far too slowly, he allowed himself to adjust before inching forward a little more. Why couldn't it be a little warmer? Just a little?
"What is your role here?"
Dafina:
Indeed it was, if her mother and grandfather ever stopped complaining of the heat on their black fur she'd be amazed. Her grandmother and father had fit in just fine after some adjustment on her father's part. Dafina swam closer. Of all the days to come across a random stranger being hauled into the pride needing looking after, she'd picked a good one. It wasn't that she was trying to play favorites with pride members, but she'd be lying to say she didn't find Caspian attractive and endearing. He seemed very much a gentleman in the few days she'd known him, though she wondered if she'd get a chance to see if he had other fascets and what quirks he had, if he stayed long enough.
Well, only thing to do was make sure he had a good reason to decide to stay, right? So, all she could do was show him the best of what they had to offer.
"I'm an artisan. I craft jewelry for the pride. As an artisan I'm also a dancer." She answered.
