Nuru
Kimya'mwimbaji


Kimya was only an adolescent, but, as of right now, she'd heard from one of her other pride members that Nuru wasn't feeling to well. The young leopardess had taken off like a rocket, and was currently nearing his location, tracking him by scent, her heart pounding heavily, "Nuru~" Worry wracked her heart, and she called out again, "Nuru~"

Nuru heard her coming, but was too tired to do more than twitch his ears slightly in the direction of Kimya's voice. His frame was occasionally wracked with shivers, and he coughed now and then. Perhaps this wouldn't have gotten so bad if he had rested now and then when he first began to feel ill, but he had pushed on and on, and earlier in the day he had lost consciousness for a while. Now he lay sprawled on the ground, trying to get up the strength to stand again and failing miserably. Kimya couldn't see him like this! She would worry too much.

Her ears twitched worriedly, trotting forwards as fast as she could. The leopardess moved as fast as she could towards the coughing, and when she finally spotted her Nuru, her heart broke, "Nuru...." Sadness tinted her song, and she moved close, licking one ear. "Brother.....You're sick..." He'd pushed on too hard....Far too hard...."Rest. brother~"

He jumped, and fueled by panic, managed to get halfway to his paws before collapsing again, panting and coughing as he struggled to breathe. No! He had to be strong - for Kimya. He couldn't be weak; he couldn't be sick - he had to protect her, to keep her safe!

She sighed, nipping the scruff of his neck, with a reprimanding look from her crimson eyes, "Wait here." She ordered, her fur fluffing. He was so SILLY sometimes! Within about five minutes, she'd found a hare, caught it, and snapped its neck, carrying back to Nuru. Dropping it in front of him, her eyes narrowed, "....You're silly~" She cooed, "How long has it been since you've eaten~?" Her eyes were soft and worried, "Eat for me~?"

Nuru laid his ears back and rested his chin on his paws, his expression grumpy. He didn't appreciate being scolded by a misbehaving cub... even if he was acting like one. And how did she know that he hadn't been eating much... or at all, since he'd started feeling ill. He wasn't that hungry now, come to think of it. "I'm not sure," he said, deciding that it was better to be honest, then started coughing again.

She sighed softly and gently nuzzled him, "....You need to, to get better. Should I chew it first~?" She asked, kindly, her eyes soft and loving, "I can do that for you~" She was loving, "You do need to eat." Nuzzling his side, her heart was gentle and her smile was full of everything...

He shook his head. "No... I can do it." He wasn't a cub and no matter how ill he was, he could and would chew his own food. In a few minutes, anyway. "Besides, I'm not that sick," Nuru said, grumbling slightly. He wasn't meaning to be short with Kimya, not when he saw her so rarely, but his temper was frayed with frustration and exhaustion. Most of that was really directed at himself, but it still added a grumpy rumble to his voice and a bit of harshness to his words.

Those pretty crimsons glanced down, a bit sad and hurt, "...Oh....." Her words betrayed the pain in her heart, and she ran a paw through the dirt, gently pawing at the ground, "....Sorry.." She was only triyng to be a good sister....and after all, she was in love with him....And very much so. Sighing softly, she turned, "If you want, Nuru, I'll go~"

"No!" Nuru said quickly, using up most of his breath and half-rising again in his panic, his eyes going wide. "I'm sorry, Kimya... please don't... don't go." He trailed off into coughs again and sank back, half-closing his eyes. "I'm sorry... don't go..."

The request not to leave made her happy, and she moved back to his side, curling against him, purring low in her chest. She nudged the hare closer to him, her tail flicking back and forth in the dirt, as she purred, "Nuru~....I won't leave you~....Ever...~"

Nuru sighed, then coughed again and nuzzled Kimya. "I'm supposed to protect you," he murmured, expression discontent. "I couldn't stop training, not if I wanted to keep you safe..."

She purred and laughed softly, "You're going to be perfectly able to protect me~" She cooed, nuzzling him gently, "I trust you with my life, and I love you~" She murmured. Curling around her brother, she licked under his throat, tucking her head there, and sighing. Little did they know of things to come in the near future, but as she lay there, with him above her, and the rabbit before him, she felt...utterly perfect.

Nuru shook his head and sighed, his breath rasping slightly as he rested his head on his paws again, gazing at the hare with mild disinterest. "But I'm not strong enough yet," he said, his ears going back. "I have to get stronger, and keep you safe." His blue eyes were serious, even with the feverish glaze they held. "I can't lose you, Kimya..."

She smiled and purred softly, "Then sleep. Get yourself ready to deal with more training, dear Nuru. You will be okay, and I will be here to make sure you know I'm okay~" Her voice was a mere coo, as she seemed to be drifting off into a lovely slumber. She adored the idea of being able to have cubs with Nuru,and for the rest of the world to just fade to the two of them, but....For now...this was perfection.

For a moment, it looked as though the lion would protest, but then he nodded and settled down, nuzzling close to the sweet leopardess that he had grown to love. He wasn't strong enough yet, but he couldn't protect her if he died, either. So for now he would rest, and get better, and he would just enjoy this moment with her until the moments stretched into forever.

Word count - 1047