Hunting was a part of her daily life. Tayny went almost every day to help with a hunt or to do a little hunting by herself, depending on what the pride needed and how hungry she was. Yesterday had been no different and yet had turned out completely different. The hunting party was one she was familiar with and the prey wasn't new, but something had gone wrong yesterday that had led to Tayny being on the wrong end of the herd trying to flee. She'd tried to escape but hadn't been fast enough and was clipped by the hooves of an antelope trying its best to run from her hunting mates. She'd tumbled, hit a rock, and been stepped on a few times by a few more retreating prey animals. Battered and bruised but well enough to walk back to her den, Tayny was feeling the aches and pains of her ordeal now that she'd had some time to sleep on it.

With a groan she got to her feet and made her slow way to the watering hole to get a drink, knowing that her body would need water and food at some point if she wanted to heal. Thankfully nothing felt broken so it was just a matter of letting the stamped and bruised bits heal up.

Lowering her head to drink, she heard a familiar voice approach. Oh dear...Shida.

"Good evening, Tayny," he said as he approached, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. "I didn't see you yesterday, is everything all right?"

"Oh, hey Shida," she said with a little grin, lifting her head slightly and trying not to grimace. Her lack of exuberance was clue enough for Shida, though, who narrowed his eyes and approached his friend. Nothing looked wrong on the outside, but by her subtle movements and how she was holding herself he could tell she was hurt.

"What happened?" he asked, trying to pinpoint any one spot that might clue him in. Her fur hid her bruises and bumps, though, so it was impossible to see. Tayny knew better than to lie to Shida - she'd tried a few times and he'd sniffed her out immediately. She really didn't have the face to lie - and sighed quietly as she sat with a grimace.

"Had a little accident on the hunting trip last night. Misunderstood our plan and ended up on the wrong side of the herd when it ran. Just got a few bruises, a few aches and pains, nothing that a few weeks won't heal up."

"What?!" Shida circled Tayny frantically, trying to ensure she wasn't lying and that it really was just superficial wounds. "That's impossible! You hunt almost every day with that group. How did you misunderstand? That's not right...someone else must've screwed something up. Was it one of those high class hunters that are new to the game? Maybe they shouldn't join well-established groups, they-"

"Shida," Tayny said with a little laugh that hurt her ribs, but not enough to make her stop. "It's fine. It really was my mistake. There were no new lions, I just was off my game. No one's fault but my own." She reached out a paw gingerly to rest it atop his, making him stop in front of her. Shida looked like he wanted to argue but only sighed as Tayny raised her brows at him.

"Fine...but you shouldn't be alone while you're healing. How are you supposed to walk all the way to the feeding area?" The water wasn't far from her den, that much was true, but walking for food would take much longer than it usually did. "Why don't you go back to your den and I'll bring you something?"

"That's nice to offer, Shida, but really, it's fine," Tayny tried to insist, but the look from her friend quickly cowed her. Shida stood again and nodded in the direction of Tayny's den, having been there enough times now to know where it was.

"This is what I'm here to do," he said firmly with no shame in his voice. "I'm supposed to help in any way I can. Let me help you, Tayny. You've helped me so much and I...I want to be useful. I want to earn your respect so the Great Lion will see me."

"Shida...you've had my respect since the moment I met you. You don't need to earn it. Not from me," Tayny said softly, gazing up at her friend with a soft gaze. "I know your worth, and it's as much as mine or the queen's or anyone else's here. You don't need to do me favors...we're friends."

"Then think of it as from one friend to another," Shida asserted even though his throat felt a bit tight with emotion. No one had ever said they thought he had worth aside from his family, of course. Tayny was a friend but she was still a higher class than him, even if it was just one. "If our positions were switched you'd be doing the same for me."

Well...Tayny couldn't argue that. She finally got to her feet with a little smile and a soft chuckle and turned to head to her den, her pace slow and with a slight limp.

"Fine, fine...twist my paw, why don't you? I'll be waiting, then." Off she went and Shida waited to make sure she was out of sight and doing fine before heading off to see what he could either catch or get from the feeding area. He'd rather catch her something fresh but if he could manage the leg of a zebra or something like that he'd do it, too. He wasn't joking when he'd said Tayny had done so much for him since forcing her way into his life. He was less withdrawn, a bit more confident, and he didn't mind being out and about during the full moon quite as much. New moons were still hard for him but Tayny was always there to spend the evening with him, laughing and joking and playing games to keep his mind off his own sadness. She was quite literally the best thing that had happened to him.

Thoughts of Tayny in his mind, Shida disappeared into the foliage. He had a job to do now, and it was to ensure his best friend was taken care of as she recovered.

FIN
WC: 1066