|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:30 pm
It was morning again and this time it really was the sunlight filtering into the den that woke Na-Be. He blinked his golden eyes once before yawning and smiling contentedly. For some reason he felt more happy this morning than he had in days, weeks, months. Some restlessness bubbling beneath the surface was nowhere to be found.
And he was in the den.
Most nights he got booted, didn't he? He could only smile and say in a singsong voice.
"Good-morning-sleepyhead!" in case Palesa was nearbly.
But then he froze and looked around, scents that made him blush reaching his nose, tainted as well with blood. He blinked.
Things seemed too too dark for him all of a sudden, even with the brilliant sunlight and a million nightmare futures and past filled his mind.
"Pale?"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:39 pm
The light failed to touch the form of the lioness who slept, her exaustion too much to awaken from both Na's snoring as well as his callings. Shivering lightly to herself, the scent of blood was the strongest from her hind leg. The right one was curled close to her body, though the pool of blood was still clear as it lacked any sort of cleaning from the night before. Resting on her left, the claw markings that trailed up towards her tail were something grotest, though obviously a sick work of art as well.
Shifting suddenly, a sharp gasp revealed where her location was followed by a deep moan. Flashes of the day before crossed her eyes, though as she opened them her gaze only focused on the illuminated form of the blue lion before her. A smile crossing her maw, she pushed herself up to a seated position, and purred lightly.
"Na...you're back...thank the gods..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:50 pm
As Na was able to make out the form of Palesa where she lay on the floor, his eyes went wide, the bottom seeming to drop out of his world. He looked on in horror at the marks, scars and cuts that marred her beautiful pelt, obviously causing her pain.
He whimpered. "Pale, pale pale what happened!" he looked both terrified and shocked, shaken to the core by the similarity of this morning to all too many that had gone before. He rushed over to gently nuzzle her in a distinctly cub like manner befre leaping back, panicky "Are you okay? Can I do anything to help?!"
Sweet blood under his claws, sheer euphoria.
His golden eyes went wide and filled with tears and he fretted and shifted from foot to foot, clearly frantic now.
"Ohgodohgod. It was red. It was red, wasn't it?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:56 pm
She watched all of his reaction on his face, unable to move much from the soar feeling that wrenched through her body. As he moved close, she almost flinched, though caught herself at the last moment. Had Na seen, he might have been torn right there. Holding her breath, she was left with a soft purring once more as he only nuzzled her again. When he pulled away, she forced herself to focus on his words and not on her pain.
"Red?" She murmbered, before slowly nodded, "Yes...he was here all day yesturday...though you don't have to worry about him any longer, I made a deal with him so that he won't come out with surprises ever again." She pushed to her feet now and slowly limped towards him, "Everything will be alright now, Na..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:10 pm
Na felt the tears overflow unbidden, more visions of the previous night appearing like daggers in his mind. He couldn't believe what he was hearing and seeing. He couldn't even speak at first, simply opening and closing his mouth in an attempt to find the words. He was more grateful than anything else that she would make such a sacrifice for him and could only say in a sad voice.
"Pale. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you had to meet him. I thought he was gone, that being here in these wonderful lands had chased him away. I'm sorry." He couldn't say it enough to make it true though he wished he could.
He shook his head "You shouldn't have had to do that for me." he sobbed. No one had ever really cared enough to do anything for him "Thank you."
"I'll....I'll never let him or ANYONE hurt you again!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:14 pm
She just looked at him sadly as he went on, and at his last words she forced herself to look away. Softly, she spoke up words that she didn't mean to say, though there was no anger in the tone.
"Can you stop him next time Na? I made a deal with him, he will only come when you need him..." She figured he already saw the vision, so instead of going on, her soft voice trailed off and she moved to hobble out into the open air and away from the scents, the memories.
"I am going to go to the watering hole and hope no one is there when I clean myself..." She told him softly as she moved past him, not sure what to say otherwise.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:27 pm
Na nodded, despite having no clue if he could stop red when the time came. "I'll try more than my hardest." he sniffed. "You'll never see him again, I swear."
He padded after her a ways before faltering. He wasn't sure if she'd like to see him with the memories of the previous night so painfully fresh. He flicked his ears back and hung his head. "I'll give you some peace at the moment but I'll be here when you come back, if you can still face me."
He lay down in the dark and the quiet, scared and anxious.
What if someone was there at the waterhole? Would he be driven out of these lands too?
It was no more than he deserved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:56 pm
She paused a moment as she looked down the path she needed to take, a deep breath moving through her system before she glanced over her shoulder to the lion behind her. His words brushed her ears and she seemed to falter lightly, now fully paused. Letting out a sigh this time, she turned around as much as it pained her, and nodded for him to follow.
"Come on Na..." She whispered, "At least help me get down there..." Sure it was harsh to drag him along for that, but even she knew she wouldn't be able to hobble down all of the stone steps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 3:48 pm
He perked his ears towards her as she spoke, sitting up, hopefully. It seemed that for now at least, Pale would tolerate him. And there was no way he'd say no to helping her deal with something he'd inflicted on her.
He padded out of the den hastily, willing to help her in any way possible. "Just tell me what tah do and I will."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 5:29 pm
She let out a shaky breath at the first step down, and looked to him as he made it to her side.
"Just be at my side incase anything happens..." Sending him another one of her half-hidden smiles, she continued on with him by her side, silent as she focused on her movements so she could go through the least pain possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 5:40 pm
Na stuck by her side concernedly. Despite his frivlous nature he could pay attention when the situation called for it. He winced at her every falter, ready to move forward and lend a paw, shamed to the core that he could have been responsible for such atrocity.
He couldn't even look at her injured back leg, he didn't want to see what Red had done there.
The memories were shocking enough.
"I'm right here then." he said
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 5:57 pm
Finally making it down to the dirt, Palesa paused to catch her breath, surprised at how much work it took. Somehow, at that moment she felt old, older than the ages with how hard it was. Shaking her head at the thought, she stretched out each of her legs including the injured one. Though it hurt to move it, when she was done it felt better for the cracked wounds to be opened, because she than cleaned off the blood that leaked.
Pausing, she seepishly looked to Na, "I guess I couldn't make it all the way...though I am sure it is better if I clean it instead of wash it in the soiled waters..." Dispite it all, she tried to make it easier for the lion before her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:04 pm
Na concernedly paced around Pale as she moved, worried that she might trip or fall. As she stretched he relaxed slightly, at least nothing was broken it seemed, other than possibly her trust in him.
He plopped himself down alongside her like a big blue beanbag, his expression still more worried than carfree, like a dog who had done wrong and isn't quite sure exactly what it did.
He nodded and smiled reassuringly "Don't push yourself too hard." It sounded so feeble but would have to do. "I mean, I could help you clean up but.." he didn't know if she wanted him so close.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:14 pm
Her eyes snapped sharply to him as he offered the last statement, and a hopeful look crossed the earthy depths, "Could you?" She questioned softly, her head moving back as the muscles relaxed. There was just too much of a strain now, and it hurt more to try and clean it the way she was than just walking.
"I just can't reach my leg that well...but Na...you dont have to if you dont want to...I know how hard this is for the both of us..." She just looked to him, wondering how she could show him that what she did was worth it. He now would be happy, and not distroy everything as he said he did.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:20 pm
Na wasn't really perceptive enough to dig up more objections and would never turn down an oppertunity to help out someone who had helped him so much. He nodded, trying to forget for now that it was him who did the damage, after all, the more he thought on it, the more visions he got.
"Can do." he smiled, padding over to examine her leg. He didn't let himself think on the injury or how it got there, simply nodded. "I'll do anything to put things right."
He lay down so as to get better access to the injury and with his deep blue tongue very very gently groomed around the cuts and tears on Pale's leg, using his whiskers to tell if she tensed at all so he could stop if he hurt her.
After a moment or two he started humming a contented little tune, not a lion to crash mood wise for too long. However he did take the time to pause and say "If it hurts at all, just clobber me with something. Or say. Whatever works."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
