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He hadn't learned a thing from his past mistakes, and likely never would. The words spoken by his leopon sidekick rang true to this day, even now as he lurked along the pride's outskirts alone and with no eye sight to guide him. He was, as always, just asking for trouble. But he didn't pay it much attention. Mezlijin was sick, whether it was the disease or a simple cold he could not determine yet. But he needed to get medicine for him, and quickly.

He knew not what he was looking for, but rather what he was smelling for. It was an herb he used quite often on lions with flu-like symptoms. It was minty in scent, with a just a dash of spiciness. He liked to call it Frozen Heat, but obviously it had a more proper name, he'd just never cared to learn it. He did things his own way, not the way others expect it to be done.

Raising his nose to the air - he took a wide sniff of the area. He didn't catch any animal scents, apart from his own and the general scent of his pride to the west. Which was comforting, but not very promising. If he needed help, there would be none, at least, none that would be easy to find...

He wasn't getting a single scent of his plant of choice, which was depressing. He knew it would be out of season soon and should have stocked up sooner, but he had waited in hopes of searching with his pal. Something that could possibly not happen if he didn't find these herbs. And soon.

The small snap of a twig was all it took to divert the male's distracted thoughts. The small snap meant he wasn't as alone as he though he was, and that could prove to be a good thing. His thoughts immediately began developing into ways to attract the individual to his direction, no thoughts on the dangers ever crossed his mind. It was all about the help, and surely the visitor couldn't say no to a helpless, blind, pitiful lion right? He didn't think so.

Doing an about face, Mlinzi rose his head to the wind to catch the scent.

Oh! A female! Even better - they seemed to be more sympathetic to his clause than most male lions. And if his nose was working correctly, it was a fellow lion. He could tell their scent apart from the rest easily. Clearing his throat, and putting on his most pitiful look Mlinzi stumbled towards the location of the scent, his head low to the ground and his ears alert for any possible changes to his plan.

Oh he had been paying attention - proper attention. He knew exactly how close he was to bumping into her, and he knew when he was within a step of her reach. But he also knew she would be far less likely to believe his story if he hadn't shown her that he couldn't see her. So really bumping into her, was his sneaky little way of grasping her attention. Only - it seemed to have backfired. She didn't seem worried about him in the least - at least not in the way he would have come to expect.

Seriously taken aback by her stressed voice, and the low growl he picked up from her throat. The male stumbled back, his mouth slightly agape, and his expression just all out confused. "P-Pumbaa'Mlinzi, and I don't want anything. I can't see you!" His voice was wavering, and his body still slack. He of course was lying to her, he needed her assistance. But he didn't dare tell her that she seemed terrified enough already. "The growl - I can hear you growling. I mean you no harm, I am a creature of peace. Please - I request that you not attack me." Bending himself into a low bow, the male dipped his head slightly and then stood upright again. "I would ask your own name, but I don't think this is the time for such niceities."

For the longest time, lions had looked on him and immediately realized he was unable to see them. But now this lioness, seemed to be unable to see it. Was she kidding, pulling a fast one? Or was she truly just that blind for lack of a better word.

Tilting his head in confusion he lifted his head from it's downward position. "I-I'm blind." He mumbled, feeling slightly awkward that he had to explain such an obvious disability. But he had to say, she had him busted on the scent - now he had to think of something. "Truthfully I wasn't paying all that close of attention to my sense of smell. I guess that seems odd though..." Trailing off once more he attempted to pull an answer out of nowhere. "I've been blind my whole life, so I focus my sense of direction upon the steps I take. I feel the earth between my paws and walk where it seems familiar..." Yeah! Perfect, that seemed logical enough right? He hoped so.

"I do apologize for that - if I could see you, I imagine your face is very worried right now? You need not be, unless of course you have a reason - then I guess it's personal and you do have reason!" As awkward as that sentence had been, it was his attempt at breaking the ice. Maybe she would find it funny, or maybe she would see it for what it was. A real point, hidden under bad wording. "Mailuuka you say? My that's a lovely name. May I ask - are you a member of my pride - or perhaps of the pride to our north? The lands with the mucky waters? Your scent, isn't familiar... but i've come across quite a few scents that I should recognize but don't."

"For that you are a lucky one. Being blind is a curse all it's own. But I suppose I shouldn't call myself completely blind. Because there are times when I can see - mostly shadows and nothing of color, but those times are rare and today is not one of those days. I apologize again for the intrusion, I was trying to find my way to a location, so that I could pick some herbs for my friend. He - He has a cold or something and i'd rather it not escalate much more..." Well he'd just spilled his guts, and he wasn't entirely sure why, possibly because she seemed to slowly be spilling her own? It only seemed logical he should do the same. The tension between them was thick, and anything he could do to ease that would greatly help the situation.

Mlinzi grimaced as she mentioned her pride - he'd never imagined there could be an entire pride dedicated to mean lions. But he supposed, they had to go somewhere. "I'm sorry to hear that you have lost them. But fear not - unless you have reason to doubt their existence, they are likely well. Perhaps if you would like you could leave a description with me? I have a helper of sorts - he's my pair of eyes, I could relay their looks onto him and he could keep an eye out? He's constantly journeying into the rogue lands, a second pair of eyes really couldn't -" The winds changed paths once more, and with it came a new scent. It was the scent of infection, crusted blood, and other not so good things. Keeping his distance, but trying his best to see if it was her pain. He lurched his head forward and spoke up once more. "A-Are you hurt? I could possibly help you with that. I'm an herbalist and an alchemist among my pride."

Hearing her growl in warning once more, Mlinzi took yet another stop backwards, wobbling a bit as he did so. He wasn't out to hurt her, but he assumed some weren't as trusting as he was. She must have had a pretty rough start in life to come out so scared of others. He felt saddened for her, saddened that she might always feel this way around strangers. In his view that was no way to live, but then he did live a pretty strange life. So who was he to judge hers?

"Yes, I could do more than help it. I could give you the exact remedy to cure it. That is - given you are willing to follow the steps needed for it to properly heal..." He need not worry about just how bad the wound was, he could smell it, it was pretty bad. He was more worried about the particulars. "Does it cause you pain? If so what time of type?" Well OK another stupid question, but he had to ask. Depending on her needs a certain herb would be needed to dull the pain so that he could clean and apply the medicine to the wound.

Another problem. He would have to get close to her - and she didn't seem all that willing to make contact. "I-I have to warn you though - I will need to come closer to actually care for it. You must trust me, I mean you no harm only good." He smiled wearily. "What if I promised you my life? If I harm you in anyway, you may do with me what you so choose." He dangled the idea in front of her face hoping she would take the bait.

Mlinzi laughed at her half taken aback answer. It was to be expected, she had no idea how much he had to badger his patients to take their medicines so why wouldn't she be offended? "Heh - I imagine you would be my ideal patient then wouldn't you? My pridemates back home, they prefer to give me a hard time when it comes to taking their medicines." He smiled fondly back on his cubhood, remembering how much he absolutely hated his monthly salve treatments. He remembered N'Seka and the disgusting he roots he had to gnaw on, and he remembered finally getting to the point where it was his turn to make cubs take nasty medicine. He'd come full circle, and while his cubself wouldn't be too happy - his present self couldn't be happier.

"I may not be able to see your wound, but I can smell it. And as I have mentioned I have very delicate paws. I do this on a normal basis you have no need to worry." Nodding, he quickly spoke up - finding it the perfect time to crack a joke on the rather nervous female. "But I suppose being a blind lion - there could be a mistake...." Of course, knowing she would freak out on him, he quickly began shaking his head no. "That was a joke of course." Taking a step closer, slowly he sat down before the lioness. Close enough to feel her presence, but far enough to provide her free space. "Now it sounds like you may have some damaged muscle. But don't alarm yourself it's nothing a proper bandaging can't fix."

Listening intently to her final words, the male nodded his head once more. This time more solemnly.

"It's a deal then.

Let's get to work."

~FIN