The coppery scent of blood in the air had Libi’s interest, but more so because the scent was so heavy in the air, it couldn’t be a simple hunt..Maybe a birthing gone wrong? She picked up her pace a little, she had spent a cold winter learning the ways of a healing paw two winters in a row and though she didn’t like to flaunt it, she had a light touch with a good gift.
She could see the claw marks in the grass, the trail of blood leading away from what looked to be a fight of some sort. She followed the trail of blood and paw prints..
Chanda had stopped moving long before she even noticed anything, her eyes closed and her breathing was labored. That male had definitely shown her a thing or two, but for what, she was still confused by. She tried to stand once more, but found that now her legs didn’t even try and hold her any longer, she simply laid sunk into the grass, a stream of water not to far from her spot.
It wasn’t long before Libi came upon what looked to be the pelt of a giraffe, all bloody and mangled. She sniffed at it, deeming it wasn’t dead yet. She lifted a paw and nudged the animals shoulder lightly. “Still some life in you?” She asked carefully, she didn’t want to spook the poor beast.
“Hmm?!” Chanda was surprised by the sudden voice and nudging, her head lifted and her dual colored eyes flashed in fear and surprise before closing for a second time and she laid her head back down, what did it really matter? But since she’d seen what looked to be another lioness, she didn’t find herself needed to run for her life, she simply laid there.
For a minute, she was surprised. This wasn’t some giraffe, it was another lioness! One who seemed to have taken quiet the beating, tsking her tongue for a second she grabbed the other lioness by the scruff of her neck, and dragged Chanda over towards the stream. “Don’t you worry now suga, Momma Libi will have you all cleaned up soon.” She said with a smile.
“I don’t know who did this, but they deserve a good whoopin’.” She said as she started to use the cool water to bath some of the more nasty looking wounds. Once she’d finished that, she looked over and took a deep breath, she had a bit of work ahead of her to get done. “I’ll be back, I need to collect a couple herbs that should go around this stream here.”
Chanda didn’t know what to say, or even do. Her body ached so badly, and she felt so weak that she simply accepted the lioness’s help, this Momma Libi, the kindness was unexpected but completely welcome. Closing her eyes, she simply focused on resting and storing energy that might be needed later on. Upon hearing the sound of the other lioness drawing near once again, Chanda opened her eyes and looked upon her for a moment. “Thank you, I am Chanda..and I am in your debt.” She said with a gentle bow of her head before she closed her eyes once more and laid her head down.
Libi sat down, and began to pack some of the bigger wounds with a wet mushed mixture of healing herbs and water, to help draw out any sort of infection that might had started to set in. “Chanda, that’s a lovely name. Sounds mystical..” She said in a calm tone as she hummed a little. “Im Libi, and I hate to ask, but what happened to you?” She spoke as she worked, her paws were nimble and small and she knew what she was doing, this was a side of the saucy minx that many didn’t see.
“A rogue male..I don’t even know his name.” Chanda said with a hiss, the mixture stung a bit but the memory of the male made her bristle with a low growl. “I accidentally walked into him, we took a spill and he…snapped.” She said with a shudder as she tried to keep the sound of his voice from filling her ears. “He seemed crazyed with something..Grief I don’t know.” Chanda shook her head. “But he was much bigger than I was, and he was stronger and…” she just fell silent as she didn’t know what else to say. “He nor I expected to live from the attack..So thank you.” She closed her eyes and rested them against the cool earth.
Libi tsked once more, “Some males are just crazy and brutal..But don’t worry, you’ll be alright. And your lovely coat will come back over the scars and no one will see them but you.” She said with a nod of her head, before she finished her work. With a yawn, she glanced around. “Goodness, I don’t know about you sug, but I am starving..I think I’ll try my paw at some fishing and see what I can catch for us. You just rest..” She glanced around to make sure that her patient Chanda would be safe while she fished not to far away, you never know about some of these males. Who knows, he could come back to finish the job and maybe even her, if she weren’t careful.
Chanda nodded her head, shifting slightly. Her body was sore, and ached but her wounds felt..better in a sense that she wasn’t sure if Libi was magic or just very gifted. With a yawn, she shifted herself up right feeling better at the moment. “Fishing? Now that’s something I do see a lot of lions do these days.” She said with a soft smile.
“It takes time, not a lot of them are willing to give time for a meal.” She rolled her shoulders as she padded towards the stream, a few larger trout hovered in the clear liquid, with a quick smack of her paw. She snatched two of them with ease. “These should be good for a nice light meal.” She said with a wink, “A girls got to keep her figure..and the fattiness of them will be good for your healin’.” She said as she carried them over in an awkward fashion, the fish flopping and fighting for their last few seconds of life.
“Libi, I am in your debt a great deal…” Chanda said as she took the offered fish, taking the first bite it was like taking a taste of heaven, she could only purr her delight as she swallowed. “I will return the favor whenever you call upon it.” She said with a deep bow of her head once more, “I will always honor the request.” She had deep traditions running in her veins, and this was one of them.
“Think nothing of it, its been a great learning experience and I didn’t know lions came in giraffe pelts, thought it shouldn’t surprise me at all.” She said with a soft laugh. “Now eat your fish and rest.” she said with a firmer tone than she had used all day, the underlying edge of motherly steal rang in her tones.
Chanda nodded, and finished the fish with a lusty hunger that she didn’t even know she’d had until now. Laying her head upon her paws after grooming them from the remains of her meal, her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep, with a low purr.
Libi eyed the slumbering lioness, she checked her wounds and changed the mush once and then once more before she glanced around and set off in the night. That Chanda would be right as rain once the morning came again, she wouldn’t need any further help, and Libi felt that itch of moving on once more, her heart seemed to be hunting for something out there.
