The tsunami. Everything that had been in the wake of the vengeful ocean had been torn to shreds or bashed around so much that she didn’t even recognize it anymore. They were fortunate that so many of their pride had survived…that so many of her family was still alive. Blinking back the water in her own eyes Iara turned away from the ocean to look back towards her home. They were rebuilding and new lions were in charge where the old had given up or disappeared. And though it hurt her heart to hear that the cubs would be held back from the freedom of the ocean she realized it was for the best. Not that she would hold her own back. The lioness smiled at the thought. Should she ever…well that was another day’s thoughts. But she would always share the ocean with her family.
Talking of family, Talise her daughter who had dragged her battered body back into the pride was racing –well rather lightly limping- towards their mother. “Mother!” Her similar brown gaze flashed with worry. “We have another one. I just found him while I was trying to find the herbs for you…” She trailed off panting.
But if her daughter had just run towards her…
Oh. Iara laughed softly under her breath as she saw the form that had been mostly drug by Talise from the ocean. “Was the tide coming in already?”
Talise gave her mother a sheepish expression. “I was afraid it would wash him away again. I didn’t see any serious injuries that would threaten him if I moved him…so well I did. Just a little though.” The sweetheart of the family blinked and looked away her voice shaking, “Was…was that a bad decision?”
“No dear. It was fine.” Nuzzling her daughter the mwana turned and with Talise behind her started her strange walk towards the stranger. For the tsunami had taken away the lioness’s perfect walk giving a permanent limp to the graceful movements she had. It was strange how even little things had been changed by such a catastrophe. Shaking her head Talise just sighed as she followed her mother to the stranger.
Zaid hadn’t thought about where he was going, just that he had to find his brother no matter the cost. The river had only taken him so far when he felt himself giving in. What if Ramiz was dead? What if he couldn’t be found? What if this pride he was headed for was a lie that that old codger had told him and he was just- At that point, the young male had seen the great wall of water a second before it slammed into him. Ever since, he’d been dreaming. Dreaming of his mother bringing him fat hares to eat when he was sick, and of his father teaching him the ins and outs of being a Pad. Dreams of his sisters and brothers, of Namir, the one who returned. Mostly of Ramiz. Just as he was about to reach out for his brother he felt his body moving. Zaid moaned and shook his head, too weak to do much else as he was drug away from his brother. ‘Come back!’ His mind screamed. ‘Brother!’ Little did he know that in reality he was thrashing as much as a weak lion could, murmuring words like “Brother” and “No” as he tried toopen his eyes. It was too bright! Did that mean that Ramiz had gone into the light? Wasn’t that a bad thing?! …..Was he going into the light? ‘Oh Gods, I’m dead.’
Talise leaned over the strange male and tilted her head. Brother? Oh no! Had he lost a brother in the tsunami as well? The young lioness blinked back tears as she looked up to her mother. “What do we do?” Her gaze searched her mother’s for help.
“Easy. You try to calm him down and while I check his body we’ll see if he can walk. And if he can’t calm down then…” That special glint was back in Iara’s eyes, “We’ll just make him calm down another way.” More like a hard hit to the head. Most trauma patients were better to deal with when out cold sometimes…
Talise just shook her head at her mother’s teasing. “Really?” But as Iara moved to look closely at the male the small lioness moved as well and poked her nose into the male’s shoulder, “Hey. Hey wake up. It’s over now. You’re safe here.” Frowning as he thrashed the lioness placed both paws on his shoulders to try to pin him, “Hey. Hey!”
Looking over Iara just shook her head at Talise’s antics. It seemed that while the lion was worse for wear he was just exhausted from his journey and not really on the edge of death. Some sleep and good poultice for any cuts and bruises would do him good. And probably a good meal.
Zaid opened his eyes with a harsh growl, ready to attack the beast that separated him from his brother and found himself staring at a female. He couldn’t look away from her eyes. For a moment, all he was able to do was drift in from sleep and those beautiful orbs, but when he was able to shake his head with a groan he noticed that it was two females instead of one. “….Forgive me, Banu. I…” He exhaled shakily, then coughed, a bi product of having sea water down his throat. And then it hit him. Zaid stopped dead still. Sea water. There was no sea near his home. There was just sand and the lake, which meant that….Slowly, he turned his head up to look at the female again. A sudden wave of disappointment and sorrow came over him, and it showed on his face. Zaid let go and allowed himself to thump back onto the sand, closing his eyes as he went.
Talise blinked in surprise as he growled at her, but a look towards Iara reassured her. He was just surprised and disoriented from the tsunami. Though her heart skipped a beat as he looked at her the lioness pushed that off as an effect from the fact that he actually growled at her. No one had really ever done that before. Not even while she was a cub. None of her siblings would play harshly with her like they did with each other sometimes. Talise shook her head. No! This was not the time for daydreaming. She had a patient here. And then he apologized. “Banu?” She repeated looking over at her mother, “I’ve never heard that name before.”
Her mother, who had been a rogue just shook her head. “It’s probably something that came from a pride. Though I wonder what a lion who has a home would have been doing out in the rogue lands?” She didn’t seem concerned that her patient just let go again. “Shock.” She explained to Talise who had started to move towards him again. “Just let him be. All we need to do is move him closer towards the mwana’s dens so we can actually get him some medicines. Poor boy is going to have a headache after all of this.”
She sent an amused look towards Talise who immediately had to cover a soft laugh.
This lion was definitely going to be an amusing patient for the both of them. Though Talise was more sympathetic towards the male because she remembered what it was like to be carried away from your home by the ocean waves. Still she would never hate the ocean. It was her home after all and it did help her to find her way back here to home, to family.
“…Banu is what you would be called in my pride.” Zaid murmured, rolling himself over onto his stomach before either one of the ladies could touch him. Despite having no ounce of manliness in him at that moment, Zaid was determined not to be drug back to any den like a Banu from a quest. Even if he wasn’t back home, it would still be humiliating. He got up on his legs uneasily, wobbling before he caught himself. He’d never been balanced. More often than not, Zaid would trip over imaginary roots, so he wasn’t so sure of his footing after everything, and the fact that the damn ground kept shifting under his paws. “I’m fine….really, I’m fine….I just….” He felt like crying, honestly. He sniffled, and tried to keep himself up right. “Where are we going? To Mwana’s den? What’s she going to do to me?” He shook his head. “I can’t stay here. I have to find Ramiz.” And then, there they were. He was as frustrated as ever when tears came down from his eyes, and hurriedly, so the women wouldn’t see, he turned his head. Some hero he was turning out to be.
Talise literally jumped when the male spook. He was still conscious? So what…oh. The lioness just shook her head. “Banu is not what we’re called here. We all have different roles.” She smiled warmly at him as if explaining to a smaller cub. “I don’t know how other prides work, but we all have names here.”
Iara let out a soft laugh, “I think he might understand that Talise, dear.” She looked back over at the lion with a small sigh. A prideful one eh? “I’ll take your word then. Just be careful and if you need we’re here to help you across the sands. Once we get further in the ground won’t move on you so much.” She eyed him noticing how close to falling down he was. Oh well. Talise could pick him back up if needed. But since the male didn’t want help walking she didn’t give it.
Talise let out a laugh at his question. “Mwana is a title here.” She shook her head at him, “They’re the pride’s healers. That’s what my mother is.” She nodded towards Iara, “So she’s called Mwana Iara by most or just Iara.” Her ears pricked up at the sound of a name. Ramiz? Who was that? Could it be his brother from earlier? “Hey.” Talise’s voice was soft as she gently turned around to look at him. Tears or no the lioness’s heart went out to this strange male. “It’ll be okay. But you can’t go out and find someone in your condition. You…well you’re hurt.” She wanted to reach out to touch him, but held back. “And plus since mother already found you she’ll have to help you recover.” The lioness gave a soft nervous laugh. “Trust me if you don’t go willingly then she’ll find a way to take you to her den. So just go willingly, kay?”
“…okay.” Zaid squeaked. He hadn’t sounded that young since he had been Pesar. Not that he cared. He really was just trying to make it from point A to point B at this point in his life, and with his little burst of manliness taken care of, he didn’t much care what happened afterwards. Still, he didn’t pick up on the way that this Talise was talking to him; he just went with what she said and accepted it.
Zaid nodded and attempted to brush his tears back, but found himself dangerously close to doing a face plant. So, he left them where the world could see. Everything hurt. It hurt to stand, it hurt to see, and it hurt to breath. Logically, he knew it was from the wave, but in his heart he wondered if it was what Ramiz felt when he….when he… Zaid took a deep breath to steady himself. “I can’t go.” Why didn’t she understand? He shook his head, unwavering in that resolve. “I have to find him. He could still be alive, and I have to find him now. I can come back once I’ve found him, but right now I-” THUMP! When Zaid tried to make his big exit, he felt his legs give out from under him, and sure enough, he face planted into the sand with his rump still in the air.
Talise frowned at his answer. But couldn’t he see that it was best if he went with them? Looking back at her mother the lioness made a pained expression. She just didn’t want this male to leave yet. He was hurt. That thought overrided the rest. She wanted to comfort him, to ease his pain both emotional and physical. To understand the strange patterns on his coat that reminded her of the cliffs that she had once seen from far away. They were so different from the blues of the ocean.
“And that is why you are coming with us.” Iara’s comment interrupted Talise’s train of thought and the lioness jumped to see the male in the sand. Oh! “Talise.” The command was from a mwana not the gentle mother, “Grab his other leg.” Both managed to get him on their shoulders and with heavy steps started to drag him back to the dens.
Iara would make sure that this newcomer was in prime health before he even dared to try walking to their pride’s borders.
Zaid didn't even bother moving. He didn't have it in him to fight, so for once in his life, he allowed the females do all the hard work. If only his brother could see him now. What would he say? In all actuality, maybe it was better that Ramiz wasn't around. At least they didn't know him. So, as calm as the dead, he he hung on and hoped that whatever concoction that Iara could whip up would save him from more than his physical wounds.
(WC: 2292)
