|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 10:02 am
Afina found herself in a rock pool, the sides were slightly steep and water sloshed around her rear as she woke from a groggy daze. Her toes covered in tiny crabs and more than a few teeny fish, who had found refuge in the deeper than usual pools. The deep blue adolescent struggled to her paws, falling back in to the rock pool more than once before she managed to get her paws underneath her. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she managed to get out of the pool and flop on the dark stone the bright sun beating heavily down on her damp body. Flopping on to her belly the little lioness cried heavily. She had to get home, she had no idea how she got this far away from the den and her leg hurt, her leg hurt a lot.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 10:31 am
 The rumble had just about registered in the mind of the lone lion as he migrated north. In hot pursuit of the preybeasts, he moved as and when they did, always keeping them within his sights or at the very least, his scents. For years he had been nomadic, cast out like many males by a jealous pride leader and as such, never stayed for long in one place. Alas, what had become a routine part of his life was about to turn upside down - for the rumble he had sensed beneath his paws had caused great devastation up ahead and while he had dodged the bullet (so to speak), it left the lands in which he intended to cross in great need of assistance. Admittedly, the large and decidedly older male had never really been one to interfere in the affairs of others but there were certain things in life that couldn't be ignored.
As the male rounded the small canyon and his line of sight was no longer blocked, he was greeted by such a level of devastation that he couldn't recall anything like it in all the years he had lived. Whatever had struck these lands had torn the trees from their roots and thrown sand far beyond the shore - by the heavy scent of salt water in the air, he could only discern that it had something to do with the ocean. Regardless, at first glance there appeared to be no immediate casualties and the lion cautiously padded his way into the now ravaged lands - one step, and then two, he surveyed the damage more closely and sucked in a breath.
...The place was a wreck.
"Sweet merciful..." he didn't finish his sentence, he had meant to, but in those moments his words were interrupted by the whimpering not far from where he resided. Whoever it was, they were clearly female and more importantly, they were hurt. Rather than call out, the male used his head and with his expression schooled into a grimace, he bridged the immediate gap between himself and the weeping creature - what he was greeted with, was not a pretty sight. Trapped beside the rock pool and clearly in pain, lay a reasonably sized lioness - she wasn't monstrously big or overly petite but in comparison to Xenon she was of a smaller stature.
Pausing, the male kept his distance so as not to spook her and released a sigh, "Are you all right?" he enquired. Well, it was better for him to ask, for all he knew she could simply be suffering from shock and a stranger running in to drag her away from a pool was unlikely to be well received!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:03 am
Her heart hammered in her chest as she tried and failed to get to her paws. Her limbs were all wobbly, but more to the point her left hind leg felt odd, more than odd it hurt, a lot. Staggering to her paws she tentatively puts weight on to her back leg, the pain shot up through her body and she fell once again.
It was at this point that a voice broke through her sorrow filled shock. "Help." She squeaks, "Daddy, daddy is that you? Help!" Looking up with tear filled eyes the young lioness looked around blindly finally finding the big male. It wasn't her father, it wasn't anyone she knew and that made the tears flow even heavier.
"Please the water was so scary..." She shivers and starts to get to her paws once again. "I need to go home, I need to go home." She dithers, slipping on the rocks her own fur had soaked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:42 am
He was fairly certain he was no father, but her words did allow him to conclude that she was not only injured, but in a state of shock and confusion. Evidently, the young lioness was a gitizen of these lands and as such, had been subjected to whatever fury the ocean had unleashed. It was in these moments that a familiar, but unusual sensation crept into his chest - he hadn't felt it in years but he was smart enough to recognise it. A deep rooted sense of honour and duty gave birth to pity and more importantly, an overwhelming desire to help.
Urgh, he thought he'd grown out of that!
Alas, he hadn't and as she struggled in vain his paws moved on their own. Steady and surefooted, the lion swept towards her and very abruptly cupped his jaws around her neck. It was a light grasp, enough to secure his hold and then with surprising strength he hauled her off the rock and half dragged her onto the firmer surface beside the rocks. It had been designed to be a quick movement and was similar to that used on cubs but as far as he was concerned, now was not really the time for pleasantries.
"Calm down," he encouraged her, his voice a low rumble as he circled the lioness and lowered his head to examine her leg. "Take a deep breath and tell me what happened," he continued. She didn't need to know he was looking at her injuries in greater detail just yet, the last thing he needed to do was cause further panic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:00 pm
Feeling like a strand of limp seaweed as the male dragged her to a softer, less slippery surface she mumbles and sobbed in deep hiccuping grumbles until she was once again still, laying on the ground spread out. Taking a deep breath she looks up at the male looking her over. "Hey, hey thats mine." She squeaks twitching a little only to make herself cry out in pain. "It hurts." She mumbles tears rolling down her cheeks.
Taking his advice, the deep blue lioness takes a couple of breaths. She closes her eyes for a moment, trying to put together what had happened.
"A..A really big wave. Wet..and scary and..And..." She starts to cry again snuffling unhappily. "I wanna go home." licking her dark lips the little lioness hiccoughs and looks at the big male. "My leg hurts.." She mumbles looking at her leg. "I don't think it wants to go any more." She looks at Xanoc pleadingly. "Please. I'm frightened." The little blue lioness had never been so frightened her heart, twitched in her chest and she had to rely on someone she didn't know, she didn't know him at all. He was the only one here though so she had to ask him for help even though it made her feel even more terrified that she had to rely on a stranger to get her home.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:26 pm
What was her's, her leg? He paused in momentary confusion, flicking his gaze back towards the lioness before shaking his head. She was certainly skittish and a touch incoherent, but he could excuse that in the given circumstances. Nevertheless, he was aware of her discomfort and after a few moments he lifted his head and turned his attention towards her - suffice to say that he didn't really excel at the whole 'emotional counsel' thing, but he did sweep his tail around to rub a few tears from her cheeks.
"If you're talking about your leg, I am well aware that it's yours, it is attached to you," he pointed out in as light a manner as he could manage, a surprising feat for the gruff male. "Given that I'm not particularly hungry, that's not likely to change either," he continued in a reassuring manner. It was at this point that he released a small sigh and shook his head, his ears flicking lightly as she explained, vaguely, exactly what had happened.
Perhaps the tremor had something to do with that wave?
Something was angry, that much he knew.
"All right," he sucked in a breath and grimaced, "First and foremost, you're safe, you have no reason to be frightened in my company," he murmured, though he conceded that she was most likely frightened for other reasons too. "But the only way I can help you get home is if you let me figure out what's wrong with your leg, once I've done that..." he trailed off for a moment.
"Well, once I've done that you can tell me where you live and we can see about getting you home, does that sound good?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:48 pm
She blinks owlishly at the big male. She appreciated his joke and a little twinge of a smile made her lips quirk at one side, though the smile quickly faded as she remembered that he was saying her leg was hurt enough to eat?
She gulps, unsure just how injured her hind leg was, she couldn't feel it properly and it didn't want to move even though she was willing it to. "Okay..Please.." She nods and closes her eyes.
"Wh..Whwhats your name?" She stumbles over the simple phrase, feeling cold all over, shivers running down her spine despite the warm sun on her dark fur.
"I'm Afina, daughter of Poseidon and Iara..I live in the bahari'mtoto.." she trails off scrunching her eyes shut as tight as possible, grinding her teeth hoping when the big lion touched her leg it wouldn't hurt too much. She just knew it was broken, she just knew it. "Are you a healer?" She whispers taking deep breaths, her fur standing on end in anticipation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 1:00 pm
"Xenon," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone. He lacked a longer title, he had no home or position in society and as a consequence his reply might have seemed a touch curt. It wasn't his intention to be abrupt, but there was only so much a nomadic creature could say in these situations! "It's a pleasure to meet you Afina," he added after a few moments and offered a smile. Gruff as his voice might have been, there was a warmth that did reach his eyes that clarified that he was genuine in his intentions.
"As to your other question," he paused briefly and shook his head, his mane puffing up slightly as though the sea air had finally given it a little static. "No, I've never received official training as a healer," he flicked his tail round to draw it along her leg, assessing the various bumps and bruises. "But as a warrior and as one who travels from place to place on his own," he trailed off and sighed, detecting a rather nasty break beanth the surface of her skin.
"Let's just say that it is important to know how to take care of injuries," he murmured and withdrew his tail, it was at this point that he regarded her once more. "There are very few others in the world that will hear you or help you when you scream for assistance in the middle of nowhere," he explained. It was perhaps a little bit of a grim tiding but that was simply how the world worked beyond the pridal lands, especially whenever an individual roamed as far and wide as he did.
He paused again.
"So tell me, Afina," he took a seat and lifted a paw to wave it a touch. "How brave are you, hm?" he enquired. It was perhaps a strange question, but there was method to his madness...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 1:12 pm
"Xenon." She repeated his name quietly letting it roll over her lips so she could remember it, even if, which she was starting to think, this was a dream, or maybe even that she was dead. "You're not a god are you? I think the gods are mad." She whispers, her voice a quiet murr, her wide dark eyes still washy with tears.
As his tail touches her leg she bites her bottom lip with her teeth holding in the sigh of pain that rolled up her spine, she wanted to be the adult she was supposed to be instead of this weeping, frightened cub who wanted nothing more than her parents.
"I'm not as brave as my sister Tarni or nearly as strong as my brother Beyler but I went in to the sea and won my rights to be an adult." She takes a deep breath and stifles a sob. "I'v never seen it be so scary before. Th sea has never been so..so..frightening." spluttering out one more sob she looks up at Xenon "I can be brave..I can be brave."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 2:39 pm
"N-no!" Xenon stuttered in a most bizarre manner at her query and shook his head abruptly. If there was one thing the lion would never do, it would be to feign the role of a higher power. He had met others who had done such a thing and it hadn't been pretty - it may not have been her intention to startle him in that respect or naturally assume, but he needed to make it abundantly clear that he was no deity. Fortunately, he was of an age where experience ensured he was able to calm his own concerns and remind himself that she was shocked, frightened and confused... Her question had been an innocent one, a mere attempt to try and figure out what had happened.
"I'm definitely mortal, very, very mortal," he murmured and hazarded a wry smile. It was at this point that he set his paw down again, permitting her the opportunity to chatter in a fashion that seemed to distract her momentarily from her situation. "You know, sometimes the gods you love aren't angry or mad," he mused and closed his eyes briefly. "Sometimes, there are more malicious or jealous deities that wish to make their presence known - regardless, there's no guarantee that what happened is the fault of you or any other in this region..."
Alas, as a nomad Xenon was not aware of all the Bahari'mtoto customs and as a consequence his attunement to the gods that may have lurked within the pride's cultures and traditions was a naive understanding at best. What he spoke of, was simply observations, experiences and hearsay of his own. "Regardless, I will not disagree that what has happened has been an appalling thing," he concluded softly.
Nevertheless, the lion didn't allow Afina or himself to dwell on the issue much long and he motioned towards her leg briskly with his own, large paw. "I am not going to lie to you, you have broken your leg and I need to move it back into place again - after that, I'll need to splint it," he cleared his throat and heaved a sigh, no matter which way he looked at it, this wasn't going to be a pleasant experience for her.
"If you think you can be brave then I'll do this for you, it should give you enough support to stand at least - if you need to bite down on something well..." he trailed off and then examiend his own tail. "You can always bite this?" he concluded and waved it in front of her nose.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 11:38 am
The young blue lioness smiled as best she could. She knew that the ain in her leg meant she was hurt, hurt badly enough that she wasn't able to stand. She was feeling tired and confused still, and she wasn't one hundred percent sure that she was definitely awake. It would be nice if this were all a horrible nightmare and she was still curled up in the den with her family.
She knew she could never invent such a horrible happening though, so she knew, though she hated to confirm it, that this wasn't a dream, this was reality and she was really hurt but she was being rescued.
"I'll be brave Xenon." She stutters closing her eyes and touching his tail with her nose. "I might bite your tail off though." She hiccups a little stuttering shivery laugh, trying to look on the bright side, see the funny idea that he wanted ehr to bite his tail if it hurt.
"I'll be okay, please, just do what you can. I need to go home." She bunches her eyes tightly shut, tears rolling down her cheeks, she hoped her family was okay. She hoped she would walk back on to the beach and they would all be there and all would be well again. Though she knew deep down that nothing would ever be the same again. "Thank you.." she snuffles trying to stem the flow of tears, acceptance that this had in fact happened and nothing would be the same ever again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 3:22 pm
"I've had worse injuries," Xenon replied smoothly and shook his head, wiggling his tail against her nose gently before chuckling. He was lying of course, if he had been subject to worse then he'd be missing a limb or two, alas, he had been lucky in many respects. Despite faint scarring beneath his skin, the gods had graced him with fantastic health and prowess upon the battlefield, it had ensured he had lived to a ripe old age. Alas, he might have been an older male but he was by no means passed his prime and still had enough spark to keep going for years to come!
Nevertheless, jesting aside he was required to turn his attention back to her leg and when she had provided her permission he nudged her gently against the tummy as if to test her weight. She was by no means a light lioness, but she wasn't a heavy one either - she was obviously of a larger bloodline and despite her injuries, she was healthy. Still, with an awareness of her weight he was able to finally thrust at her side and roll her over so that her injured leg lay against the ground and the healthy one draped down across it. He could apologise later for the lack of warning in terms of that move, but for now, he continued with his work.
Satisfied that she was now in the right position the lion then moved to her other side, gently nudged her healthy leg out of the way and then, unceremoniously leapt on to her injured on with almost all of his bodyweight. There was a rather painful 'crack' but the lion elected not to stop until his paws had carefully kneaded the leg back into position. If she didn't scream and rip his tail off at that he'd be surprised! Fortunately, that was all that needed to be done to put the leg back into position and rather than delay any longer, he darted off quickly to retrieve his materials.
Seaweed, driftwood...
He returned quickly and still silent, set about using the driftwood as the splint and the seaweed to tying it all together. Surprisingly, he was rather adept with his mouth and paws despite how big he appeared to be. In no time at all, he had the leg splinted though he wouldn't ask her to stand up just yet, she'd need a moment to regather her composure after he'd pretty much stood on her!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 3:41 pm
She cried out in pain as he rolled her over and she tried with all her might to scratch at him only to realise he was putting her in to a better position. She chastised herself silently, biting her bottom lip until it bled a little, taking in deep calming breaths she closed her eyes tightly and gripped the ground.
The roll was hardly any pain at all compared to the ache she felt as he pushed and jostled her bones back in to place. A cry of agony echoed from her maw and for a moment she lost consciousness, her mond shut off to the world she dreamt for a moment that she was still nestled deep in her family den with all of her siblings piled around her, their soft bodies tightly packed against her.
She was jostled back in to the world of reality and the living by his gentle paws upon her leg as he fastened the binding around her injured apendage. She breathed in heavily and batted at his tail trying to put on a braver front. "I'm sorry I..You surprised me." She whispers holding back the little squeaks of pain as he fixed her leg in to a steady position, taking deep, calming breaths so she wouldn't pass out again.
"Can we go home now?" She whispers tears flooding down her cheeks. "Please?" She whispers her voice so much weaker than it usually was, for though she was one of the quieter lions in her litter she had a loud enough to be heard amongst the ruckus of her family. "You'll come won't you? Home? Please?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 3:52 pm
Truth be told, the lion was rather proud of her - young as she might have been she had shown considerable restraint in those moments. She might have wanted to claw his eyes out at one moment and then fainted the second, but at both points she had kept herself reasonably still. It had made his work so much easier and as a consequence, it was much sturdier and tidier than normal - suffice to say that when he usually did this sort of thing, the patient ended up struggling and squirming so much that the splint looked more like a dog's dinner than a strong support.
"We can go," he replied at last, a small sigh escaping his lips as he padded towards her and crouched a little. The intention was to supply his mane, if she needed something to grab hold of she could bite down on it and drag herself up that way. "Let's get you on your paws and take you home," he continued, his smile a touch wry at this. He was under no illusions that this wasn't going to be difficult and slow progress - she would need to adjust to the splint and even when she had, her pace would be a slow one.
"Rest assured I will accompany you, methinks you might need someone to hold onto for balance, it would be rude of me to leave you unattended," he added and released a small chuckle. He might not have been a doctor, healer or otherwise, but even then, he still wouldn't have left someone alone in this condition. That, and Xenon had a sneaking suspicion that she wouldn't be the only one who could make use of his skills. Suffice to say that if the lion was going to use these pridelines as a path beyond, then the least he could do was help them recover before he moved on...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 4:15 pm
The young blue lioness took a deep breath and pulled herself up on her fore legs, holding herself steady she looked down at her wobbling fore limbs. She was tired and felt ill at the slightest change in her distance from the ground, almost like the vertigo she felt when looking off a cliff though she was only raising up p her normal hight.
Laying back down again she frowned frustrated with herself, here she was whinging like a cub who got her fur wet when she was supposed to be ab adult, strong, with all an adults responsibility. She looked at the big male, he was ofering her his had, his shoulder, for her to lean on to get her home. She didn't want to stay here at the tide pools any longer. She just had to get up.
Gulping she once again struggled in to a half sitting position growling a she managed to get her good hind leg in to position before pushing off and standing stil. The world whizzed around her and she stumbled, her shoulder connected with the soft fuzzy wall of Xenon and she felt glad, oh so glad that he was there, like a crutch, a very large fuzzy crutch, she realised suddenly as she leaned against him. She had to look up even standing to meet his eyes and she was certainly not a small lioness.
Afina smiled weakly, her deep bronze eyes meeting his. "Thank you." She clears her throat, slowly placing her injured leg to the ground only to wince and lift it back to a more comfortable position. Closing her eyes she takes a tentative step forwards leaning on the big male as an extra four legs in compensation for missing one at the moment. She felt shaky and weak but she knew she could make it home with Xenon's help. "Thank you so much." she whispers tears rolling down her cheeks,s he just hoped the rest of her family had made it out of the den and were safe some where on the familiar beach of home.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
