Sphinx - normal
Kasai - bold
Kaoru groaned.
His days blurred together as he found himself stuck in a den, his head wrapped in large leaves or tattered cloth he was unsure how the pride had acquired it. He no longer bled from his wounds, but the pain was still ever present, especially from his left eye. Or, where his left eye use to be. His sight was torn from him on the fateful day of battle, he was lucky to get out alive even if he was missing a few parts.
The young lion sighed, flipping from one side to another, to try and get comfortable. He wanted to get out. Maybe the fresh air would help his wounds and overall sense to be moving.
His good eye glanced towards the other in the den, a small yawn leaving his maw. "Can we go outside?" The light male pleaded.
"Not yet, you are still healing kid." Akamu huffed as his green eyes ran over the younger male's figure, eyeing his bandaged face as a deep frown cross his lips. "Your mother will kill me when I tell her about this."
It was true, the Firekin felt incredibly guilty for not pulling the youth out sooner, maybe Akamu would always regret his decision to wait. For now the lion found himself repenting by staying close to Kaoru as he helped him recover. "I mean, we can go outside if you promise to stay close and listen to me." Being inside all day must have been driving the younger lion mad, Amaku could never start to understand the pain he felt both inside and out, so while he was able to the red lion would do his best to help, even if that meant going outside for a short walk.
"The second I see you strain yourself we are coming right back here." The large lion gave Kaoru a firm nod, glancing at the entrance of the den.
"Do we have ourselves a deal?"
Kaoru found himself sighing as Akamu said no. "She doesn't need to know," he found himself whispering, looking away from the large male. "I mean...it's best if she doesn't find out." What would she think if she found him? Did she know already? Kaoru's head lay on his paw as he stared at a crack in the wall, his thoughts obviously towards his parent.
His ears perked forward as he seemed to change his mind. "Really?" He said, getting onto his shaky feet. His body injuries were still on the mend, as was his eye.
"Okay yeah sure! Fine! Deal!!" Kaoru said almost too quickly as he hobbled over to Akamu. "Promise! C'mon let's goooo!" He grinned, even that looking pitiful under his bandaged face.
He waited for Akamu to lead the way, so Kaoru could follow. "So...do you think I can still be a Scar...?"
Akamu was not a father, nor had he ever been much of a caretaker, so when this responsibility fall into his lap the lion found himself taking it day by day and in tiny steps, it was truly a new learning experience. "Oh, but she does. She will find out sooner or later." As the red lion spoke his eyes rolled back in discomfort. That was going to be a tough conversation. "-but you just worry about feeling better--" Akamu paused as his eyes met Kaoru's. "Alright. Come on. We can be out until the sunsets."
"Scars aren't anything to be ashamed of." As he spoke the Firekin moved to stand outside of the den, glaring out into the distance. He needed to find Kadaj to check up on him. Akamu had no idea how his friend faired after he left the battle.
"I hope he is okay-" the lion whispered to himself before glancing back at the pale youth.
Kaoru frowned. "I'd rather it be later than sooner," he murmured. He didn't know if he could face his mother. What would she say? Kaoru wished he lost sight in both his eyes at that though, so he wouldn't see a look of disapproval in her eyes.
"Why don't we just stay out all night? Sleep under the stars," Kao said almost dreamily. Not that he could see the stars well. Was the war over? How safe were the pridelands anyways? His ear flickered towards Akamu as he couldn't comprehend the words he said to himself.
"You okay, Aka?" He asked the male. Already Kaoru could feel his strength waning, but he wouldn't let it show. He wanted the fresh air!
"Let's just focus on something else." Akamu chuckled as the pair set out into the evening. "-We will not venture too far off, I am sure violence is still ramped near the border-" the red lion paused and turned to look back at the smaller male. "This war rages on, so we must stay on high alert and head back at first sign of trouble. You need to regain yourself before throwing your life back into a war you have no place in." He felt sorry every time his eyes settled on Kaoru's one, the void beside it a haunting reminder of that terrible day. "Do you think you'll be alright with just the one eye?" It was a harmless question, it was wasn't everyday someone just... lost an eye after all, well, lost was a poor choice of word, technicality his eye was taken from him. Stolen? "I mean, in terms of sight."
The Firekin would find that lioness and make her pay for her crime against this child. He vowed it in the back of his mind as the pair moved deeper into the heart of the lands.
"-It doesn't look bad, you know? So I wouldn't worry too much about scars." He was trying to help cheer his new friend up, no matter how bad he was at it.
Kaoru flinched slightly as Akamu mentioned the violence that could be still at the border. His mind went back to that fateful day, to the image of the lioness who stole his eye and otherwise altered his future. "What eve brought it on..." Kaoru found himself whispering, looking away from Akamu as he asked the next question.
"..." Kaoru was silent. He didn't know how to answer his question, even when Akamu went to clarify his comment the adolescent remained quiet. "...I'll be fine..." he finally said. His voice cracked, terribly hiding the lie he voiced.
"The pride prides itself on battle scars." Kaoru said with a hint of anger in his voice. Akamu probably didn't know that, for he hadn't lived here his entire life. "I should be grateful to have them." And yet, he wasn't.
It was hard to relate to Kaoru, and Akamu wouldn't pretend he could, if anything honesty was the best way around all of this mess, still, guilt followed him in every step the pair took. It was hard playing pretend. "When I was younger my mother caught me telling an awful lie about my sister Aden-" the lion started speaking in a low tone. "-my punishment was a lashing I will never forget, to this day I look at that scar and shutter." A soft chuckle escaped the large lion as his green eyes turned back to younger male. "We do not have to live in our history, we can look at these scars as reminders of what we've overcome and how much we've changed."
Maybe that was a dumb thing to say, but he was alive, albeit without one eye, but alive none the less. That was something to celebrate.
That was something to be thankful for, no matter how fleeting the feeling might have felt. "You will become stronger for this. I promise it."
Kaoru couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow over his good eye, as Akamu mentioned his past and own lashing. He frowned, remaining quiet, and ultimately meeting anything but his gaze when he was looked at.
“Sure…whatever,” the adolescent said quietly. They had just made it outside the long corridors that connected the den to the outside world.
As Akamu said he would be stronger, Kaoru couldn’t see it. He was young, and still had a lot to learn and look forward to for his future, but right now he felt as if he was in a pit of despair. Even with being outside, where he hoped would wash off those feelings, did he find it not as soothing as he expected.
He hummed, glancing away from Akamu, as he turned back towards the inside. “I’m…getting tired…we should head back…” he said quietly, as he moved back towards the den.
"But we haven't even-" The Firekin paused and searched Kaoru over once before nodding in silence. It was hard to know just what this attack had done to him, how deep the emotional scars cut, even if he recovered physically the pain within his beating chest would be another battle all together, one that would rage against him until the younger male was strong enough to face it. The road to recovery was going to be a long one, Akamu could only hope that in time Kaoru would find himself again. "Sure, let's head back. Once you are settled I will go and gather dinner for you."
As the pair turned back Akamu could only frown to himself, he would get revenge for what happened to this boy, he would find that lioness and make her pay, someday.
