[PRP] I Burn (Meinir/Kamau)

[Painted Moose]

Meinir shrieked as a thick paw hit the tree bark at her back. She slid awkwardly away from the attacker, into the sparse jungle around her. The faster she ran the more distance she put between the two of them, but her injuries made movement difficult. She had left a trail of blood behind her that wouldn't be hard to follow by any means.

The dark cheetah had open wounds all over her body, and most noticeably was her left hind leg, that she kept tucked up to her body as she ran. She couldn't put pressure on it all. If she was lucky, she might be able to walk on it again, but Meinir didn't think she would survive the encounter, much less be able to use it.

The angry roar of a red lion had her moving faster. Her vision blurred as she tried to run between the trees. Meinir's paws caught a root, and when she fell she hit another tree, putting an end to her escape path. Dammit, this can't be the end! She wouldn't die like this...she couldn't!  

[Sabra Knight]

Kamau had been on his own for weeks now. Ever since he had last visited home the leopard had found himself wandering further and further away. But even as he passed jungle he hadn’t cared. Honestly he was perfectly fine with exploring even more area before having to return home. He just wanted to keep moving, to find something to interest him. Ever since the cubs had grown up the leopard hadn’t felt needed anymore and was looking for more challenges.

However he wasn’t expecting the challenge that he did stumble into.

Growling in his throat the leopard threw himself against the lion. Most would have called it an insane move, but for a leopard raised in a family of warriors mixed with lions as well Kamau knew what he was doing. Having a leopard stand equally to him threw the lion off and soon he was the one moving away in the trees. What the hell was he attacking so violently anyway? The thought made the dark leopard look towards the trees and he grimaced when he spotted the cheetah.

“You still alive there?” Pressing his face close the leopard inspected all of her wounds with a grimace. He was no healer but she would definitely need some sort of help if she wanted to live. Welp. I guess I was raised to be somewhat caring. Kamau’s nose crinkled but he looked back at the cheetah, “Can you walk or should I carry you?”
 

[Painted Moose]

Sabra Knight

Frostbite wasn't sure what to think when the spotted leopard came to her aide. Where the hell was he? And why wasn't he here sooner? She really was glad he had come when he did, or else she might have been inside that things stomach.

"I'm not that easy to kill," Frostbite murmured, her thick accent making her common tongue rather slurred. She was constantly shifting between the two, since she was only now beginning to use the common tongue as her everyday language. If only she could return home. Then this day would never have happened, her brother wouldn't be with another male, and she would be pampered instead of beaten.

"Where do you expect me to go? With you?" Frostbite curled her nose, and attempted to stand, only to fall back against the tree. Her cheeks felt a little warmer out of embarrassment, but she pushed herself into standing. "Thank you for your assistance, but I no longer require you. So...leave. I intend to."
 

[Sabra Knight]

Kamau just snorted at her protest, "Obviously he was having so much trouble killing you." The leopard just rolled his eyes. She was fortunate that he had been in the area else that tree would have been the last thing she remembered. She was so dazed that her speech even sounded off...or was that an accent? Not that it mattered to the leopard since the open wounds were of more importance than history currently.

"Where else? Unless you like to visit the afterlife permanently?" Retorted Kamau sharply as she tried to stand. Would that leg even be usable anymore? At her refusal of his help the leopard actually laughed, "Really? What do you plan to do? Hobble towards some prey and just become a three legged cheetah? I'm certain that lion is still around too. You wanna run into him again in this state?"

He sighed, "Unfortunately for you I was raised to help even stubborn fools. So come on." The leopard moved to her side with a stern gaze, "You might still be able to speak, but I highly doubt you can run from me right now. Either you let me help you to a place where the wounds can be tended to or I'm throwing you on my back like a dead antelope. Your call, cheetah."  

[Painted Moose]

Sabra Knight

Frostbite snorted right back at him. "If you think that started recently you're a fool." She had been running from that lion for close to a few days now, without any chance to rest. It was her fault entirely, but she wasn't likely to admit that to this impetuous commoner.

She held her leg off the ground, even as it twitched to be let down. It took so much energy just to stand that she would flex out of response to sit it down only to wince and retract the injured limb. "I am not dying, nor am I close." Frostbite snapped, infuriated beyond belief at her own lack of stability and his incessant chattering. The world was spinning around her, and his voice was a buzzing that wouldn't stop. "How do I know that this isn't a ploy? You could be in league with that lion for all I know. He seemed to give up easily after just one attack."

She pushed away from him, and swayed on her feet, slipping a little in her own blood. "You wouldn't dare."  

[Sabra Knight]

Kamau just scoffed at her. Days or not if she thought she was going to survive what he just saw then she was the fool. Females...were they always so crazy? He hadn't many encounters with cheetahs, but this strange accented girl certainly took the prize. Is a simple thank you that hard? Sheesh. Maybe he shouldn't have gone out of his way to save her life. Probably would have allowed the world more rest from useless noise.

"Really?" Kamau laughed softly, "If that were the case I think I would have already slit your throat by now." Tail lashing out he stared her down, his emerald gaze burning, "Though at this rate the temptation is strong." It did bother him that the lion had given up so easily, but from what she said about days then that would make more sense. The poor guy was probably tired from chasing the stubborn cheetah and didn't want a fresh fight.

"As it is I don't think anyone would want something so scrawny in their lives." Kamau smirked mischievously, "But oh yes...I would." With that the leopard ducked under her bad leg and suddenly stood tall so that she was free from the ground leaving her good legs to hang over his side, "Just...shut up and pass out already." With that stated the leopard began to move away from the tree and back towards a path familiar to him.
 

[Painted Moose]

"Then just do it if you think you can." Frostbite sneered. Her words were as feeble as she was. The cheetah coughed, a side effect of blood loss, no doubt. Her throat was so dry. If she could just find some water she would be just fine...

"I am not-" She cut herself off with a surprised shriek. Her icy blue eyes brightened, then narrowed into a frown that cut to him sharply. It felt so nice to be off her paws that for a moment she didn't have a smartass retort. She felt her body give into a relieved exhale. "You are going to stain your pelt." And it was such a nice shade of black, with such bright markings. He would have been a Noble as well, had he been a cheetah. Pity.

"If you are not with the lion, then why help me?" Ze lion. It was funny how much her accent thickened when she slurred.
 

[Sabra Knight]

The leopard just chuckled. Even with serious injuries there was a spark in the cheetah. Though he wanted to just knock her about for being so stubborn there was a part of him that respected her. Another in her position may have just given up days ago to the attack. But here she was being stubborn as hell...yet surviving.

Kamau's smile just grew at her shriek and as he felt her settle on his back, "A pelt can easily be cleaned." He commented climbing over a fallen tree with ease. Years of training and living a life in the rogue lands had made the leopard tough and strong with lithe muscles that carried the both of them now. Still he was glad she was a cheetah rather than a lion because he didn't even know how quickly or how far he could move with that much extra weight.

His ears twitched at the sound of the accent, but Kamau listened closely, "Why? Cause I wasn't raised to ignore those in need I guess. That such a rare thing?" He growled quietly, "Though if I knew how much hell you were going to give me for it I might have changed my mind. But as it is you're welcome by the way." For the next bit the leopard focused on moving forward and making certain that the tall grasses started covering up any blood trail they would leave behind.

Soon enough a familiar stream that cut through the tall grasses came into view and Kamau slowed. Surely this was far out enough that they could rest and he could get the cheetah some water.

 

[Painted Moose]

Had Frostbite's brother been in the area she would have defected to him for the fight almost immediately. He had been a trained Knight, even after his fall from grace, and she wouldn't have been bleeding out ontop of a strange leopard if he had been around. It hurt her, in more ways than one, not to have him there.

"Your group will not worry over a stranger?" She was edging, that much was obvious. If he was a lone rogue then she would worry about being ravished as much as being killed by the lion. Delicate forepaws held on as he maneuvered around the nature that surrounded them. Were all leopards this strong? He was certainly the first that had treated her so nicely. If he were not a burr in her backside she might have thanked him.

"Yes, I suppose it is." She responded calmly, in a matter of fact tone. "I was raised to watch others in your station, and only assist when it would benefit you. Is this not the way?" She clucked her tongue again. "Hmmpf. With this attitude of yours a little hell is what you need. You stand too tall for your spots."

The feel of the tall grass on her wounds burned when it touched certain areas, and she wasn't shy about letting him know. Though she knew it was necessary. Her mangled leg hung tight to him, sticking to his fur slightly in the heat. When she saw the stream Frostbite gave a loud, happy sigh. "Blessed are the Gods. Now, you...you male, carry me to the water, yes?"
 

[Sabra Knight]

Painted Moose

"Shouldn't you be the one worried?" Kamau replied evenly, "Whether I have a group or not and their opinions currently doesn't matter. Your injuries, however, do." He carefully walked around a sunken spot in the ground, "All I care about right now is finding a place for you to recover. Any spot I would call home is still too far out for now." Even he wasn't that open to immediately bringing a stranger to his home.


Kamau shook his head, "That is a sad life then." He smirked, "You sound like a high class lady then. How did you lose your way out here?" His tail twitched at her comment. Too tall for his spots? "At least I can stand, but I guess the hell has been delivered to me." The leopard taunted as he veered off towards the water side.


Oh, but she would praise the gods? Not the one carrying her...of course. Kamau just laughed though, "Suddenly so demanding of me. Come on then." Walking carefully the leopard lowered his body on the wet stream bank, "Can you hobble closer or do you need me to do more, princess?"
 

[Painted Moose]

Sabra Knight

"You say this as if I will stay with you. I just need a drink and a nights rest, then I will be well enough to leave." She would find a healer on her own time. Frostbite closed her eyes, laying her head against him. "I am, but I will not answer your question. That is not for you to know." In truth it was too painful for her to talk about at the moment, and maybe someday she would feel comfortable enough with her plight to speak on it.

Frostbite swayed with him, moving just a little to keep herself balanced. "You offered." She reminded him with a smart nod. Frostbite frowned. "This is close enough. I can manage." Princess indeed. If only she were a Princess, then she could have called upon their allies and taken refuge.

Pulling herself off him she winced with every sharp movement, careful to keep herself as gentle on her body as possible. Frostbite drug herself near the waters edge, her left hindleg barely moving at all, and lay in the cool mud. Her wounds had stopped bleeding for the most part, but her fur had a certain sheen to it now from the blood that had been spilt. She brought her head closer to the water for a drink, and sighed. This is the spot.
 

[Sabra Knight]

Painted Moose

Kamau scoffed at her protest, "You'll just keep wasting your breath until the last minute won't you?" The leopard shook his head. Such a stubborn cheetah for one who nearly died. He gazed towards her wounds and frowned. What if they did get infected? He was far from any healer...but then again he did have plenty of experience with patching up his own body.

Not for him to know? She definitely was high class towards him then! "Forgive a peasant for askin'." Murmured Kamau quietly to himself though the sarcasm was real. Not like he needed to know anyways. If the lady didn't want to explain herself then he was fine without listening. After all what was her life to him? All he knew was that she was injured and he had for some reason decided to help her. Foolish he knew, but for some reason the leopard just couldn't imagine leaving her to die like that. Too much heart I suppose...bah.

Watching as she made it to the water's edge Kamau sighed, "Drink up you'll need it." Without another word the leopard disappeared back into the tall grasses. While it may have seemed like he was leaving her permanently by the riverbank the leopard was instead searching for some of the bitter plants that he had used many times in his own life. He highly doubted she would flee after all. Shortly enough he came back with them in his mouth and spitting them near her he winced. So nasty.

But they would help. Sitting them down he began to claw through them and catching them in his paws started to look at her slender body to see where the worst wounds were, "I might need more though..." Commented Kamau before harshly patting a wad of the herbs against a wound, "Don't squirm I'm stopping the bleeding."
 

[Painted Moose]

Sabra Knight

Wasting was a personal phrase, one she didn't care to associate with herself. Meinir pulled her lip back in a scoff, but didn't offer much else in rebuttal as she sank into the mud.

She tried to drink as much as she could, but Frostbite found herself losing the energy to do so. The adrenaline rush that had turned her body into a fighting spirit with legs had died out, and she was left exhausted. Frostbite wasn't even sure when he had left, let alone when he returned and it was with no small amount of surprise that she saw the herbs beside of her. Was she...was he honestly expected her to eat that slop?! Why he- She let out a yowl, and hissed openly at him through a pained glare. "Y-you..."

Feeling herself slipping, Frostbite tried to claw her way back to consciousness, but it wasn't meant to be. Shortly after her flare up of anger, she blacked out.  

[Sabra Knight]

Painted Moose

She really was looking pitiful. Kamau could only shake his head at the thought of the cheetah's fiery spirit. So silly trying to fight off help even when severely injured. Honestly he was still irked that this situation was even bothering him. He should have just dropped her body off and then just went on his way.

"Hiss all you want." Either way he was going to make sure that she got through this. Still the leopard had to sigh under his breath. What a frustrating situation this one was. Yet as she passed out Kamau made certain to push her body gently into a more comfortable and safe position. He would give her space to rest, but his gaze wouldn't be far from where she slept.

After all he couldn't just leave someone injured out alone like this...

Then she would be easy prey for someone else.

Gah, what a hassle. Still he settled in the branches of a nearby tree to keep guard. One thing for certain he knew... this was going to be a long night.