(JRP) Silent Welcome (Kimya/Priya)

[Painted Moose]

Kimya knew he was getting used to the heat when the weather turned sour, and he hadn't died yet. For a lion who had spent most of his young life in the lush jungles, the sands were enough to test his will to live. His mouth was dry, his eyes burned, but he could still smile and play with his cubs without faltering. So long as it was dark outside, that is.

As it stood, he'd been up the entire day dealing with dehydrated patients who had been foolish enough to mingle in the sands during daylight hours. He just couldn't figure out why. Hadn't they heard the warnings? He only hoped his brother wasn't so foolish.

This isn't enough. Kimya looked down at his herb stash with a grimace. This wouldn't last him through the next hour, let alone the day. Back to the ruins with him.  

[Sabra Knight]

Priya wandered through the pride. It seemed that despite the haven that she had believed to be here protecting them from the desert that this pride suffered as well. The heat was getting unbearable and she watched as several collapsed from the intensity of the heat wave. Many spoke about it in whispers away from the cubs about how the weather was changing and how they feared for the oasis and the pride itself. Would it dry up? Would everything hold through this change? Some laughed off the worry while others delved in it.

She herself was jittery but it was because she had been one of those who had nearly died from dehydration. If they hadn’t stumbled upon this pride when they had…where would she and Vincenzo be right now? Their bodies would be in the desert and would have been food for the vultures. The thought made the lioness shiver. No. Just no. She refused to think about it any longer.

Sniffling she turned away from the crowd and manage to leave the main dens before the tears came down her cheeks. She had to keep moving. There was no way that she would let Vincenzo see her tears! Pausing to wipe her cheeks clear the lioness dropped her gaze to the ground and kept walking until she was further and further into the ruins.
 

[Painted Moose]

It would stand to reason that no matter how many supplies he kept neatly packed away into his den for emergency situations, his sons would always find a way to either run off with them, or maul them into indescribable lumps on the floor. Kimya rolled his eyes with a huff. Seriously? Really? He kept himself calm, though. After all, even in times of hardship, boys would be boys.

It took him a while to navigate through the ruins, drawing on his limited knowledge of their many passages and pitfalls to stay on the right path. The main supply room would be....? He paused, his soft eyes falling upon an unknown lioness as she walked. She looked so...forlorn. If he could see clearly, Kimya might have said she was crying.

With a careful stride, he approached, ready to offer a comforting shoulder for her. Even if he dealt with more physical wounds then emotional, it was still his job and his hope to help others as much as possible.
 

[Sabra Knight]

Priya didn't even realize how far she had walked until the ruins surrounded her. Blinking the lioness pulled back away from a wall until she smacked her back into another one. What? Eyes widening the lioness had to hold back a scream as she felt something touch her leg. But no it was just a weed of some sort. Taking a deep breath Priya turned around. Where was she and how the heck did she get out of here?

And of course given her fragile state at the moment getting lost was not the best option.

By the time the strange male had approached the lioness had burst into another round of tears. Forgetting she was alone in a strange place Priya pushed her head against his shoulder and cried. She didn't even see the stranger or recognize him and even though she thought he was Vincenzo at first she lost any sense of recognition as her tears kept streaming down.  

[Painted Moose]

To say that Kimya was shocked would have been an understatement. To say that he was scared to death because a strange female was apparently having an emotion on his shoulder was a HUGE understatement. Even with the mass amounts of exposure to females within the pride, he'd managed to hang onto his fear, and even now, with the healer in him tentatively patting her back, his inner self was stiff with fear. Would she hurt him? Would she yell? Would she attack him like his mother had?

Thank the Gods he'd only had sons.

What do I do? Kimya knew he had work to get back to, but at the same time, this was work. He moved her to the side of the major walkway, and then just...held her. He felt awful because all he could do was offer a shoulder to her and not the comforting words she was probably seeking.  

[Sabra Knight]

She needed to stop crying. This was horrible of her being such a cry baby over something as simple as getting lost in this new place. It was only natural that she would feel so lost here right? So natural that she would still be shivering despite the desert’s heat due to the memory of walking through all that endless sand. She had felt like death was grasping her by the tail the whole time, but now she was better. She had hope. But then things started changing here as well…

Hiccupping the lioness tried to sniff back her tears. It was only then that she had to pause. Why wasn’t he saying anything? Surely by now there would be some smart comment….blinking rapidly the lioness shook her head to clear her vision. This was pitiful. She needed to stop. But the warmth offered from the other lion was slowly comforting her and after several moments Priya finally pulled back and looked up.

“Oh.” Startled she took a step back. This was not Vincenzo who she had been bawling in front of. “I’m – I’m so sorry!” Sniffing she averted her gaze to the ground and idly dug a claw through the sand in a swirling motion, “I didn’t mean to…I thought you were someone else…” Her cheeks felt warm, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.” Sighing softly she peeked back up at the stranger. What a horrible impression she must have made on him already.
 

[Painted Moose]

Kimya knew at least that part of her stress was the venture through the desert. He knew all too well how easily the sand could tear through your spirit, and leave you to die in the heat. It had happened to him when he thought he'd lost Zana. She was his world, no, his life, and if he hadn't known that she would be in this pride he wouldn't have made it. Finding his brother had been an unexpected gift, but love had pulled him through.

He could only wonder if she had someone like that.

His light blue cheeks flushed dark, and for a moment, Kimya tured his gaze down to the floor with a scuffle of paws before he realized that she was doing the same thing and hurriedly turned to look at her. He gave her a soft smile, and shook his head with a soundless chuckle. In a very exagerated movement, he made his lips say "You okay?" even as no words came out.  

[Sabra Knight]

Priya blinked up at him with a small smile. Somehow even though he didn’t make the sound the lioness was certain that a chuckle had come from the lion. Normally she wasn’t so shy around males, but since he had her bawling on his shoulder the lioness felt a bit shy. Then again who was to hold back now that she already pushed herself on him? The thought amused her just a little and Priya had to turn her glittering gaze away from the stranger so she could wipe her eyes free of tears and to hold back the slight flush of her cheeks. Well at least it wasn’t Vincenzo who had caught her out here.

Tilting her head the lioness watched as he mouthed the words. “Oh!” She realized that she was staring, “I’m fine thank you. But why are you not talking out loud?” Another pause as realization hit her. Either he was sick or…oh! She wasn’t innocent of the world and knew that such things as lions who could not speak or hear or even see existed. But she had never actually talked to a mute before. What a weird thought.
 

[Painted Moose]

Kimya's smile instantly shut down.

Despite having come to terms with it a long time ago, he still felt his heart sink into his chest. The blue lion lifted his paw to rub his throat, a melancholy smile on his maw. He shrugged, and dropped his paw. The best he could hope for would be for her to assume, like everyone else, that it was something he'd been born with. Only two others knew the truth, and he wante to keep it that way.  

[Sabra Knight]

Priya instantly regretted her question, “I’m so sorry.” She whispered blinking up at the male with sorrowful eyes. Looking away the lioness felt worse for pointing out something that probably troubled the male. Most might suggest that he was used to it since he was probably born that way, but still – it was not like her to do something so stupid. She was doing so much wrong lately!

Shaking her head Priya smiled up at the male, “Thank you. I know you probably didn’t come out here to be soaked in tears, but I was glad to have someone.” Since it seemed that he wouldn’t be out here But that was okay. He didn’t need to see her tears anyway. Blinking back another round of tears the lioness smiled up at the stranger, “Care to escort me back, sir?” Nudging him gently the lioness took a step forward before pausing to look back at him.
 

[Painted Moose]

Kimya wasn’t sure where she wanted him to escort her, but he welcomed the walk never the less. He needed to get back to work, and the sooner he could pawn her off on another the better. The female wasn’t even particularly aggressive or crude; she just flat out made him uncomfortable. Besides, he knew better than anyone when someone was trying not to cry. He nodded and followed after her.

(WC: 1780)