[PRP] Lace & Rain (Nyu'li & N'Seka)

[Uta]

The young adolescent picked his way quietly away from the heart of the pride. He had been given the afternoon off from his training in hopes he might reflect on the great goddess that kept a firm hold over all of their lives. In some cases, she found favor with certain lions by marking them with her disease, a promise that someday soon they would be reunited. . . .

Others weren't so fortunate, but no less cared for by Pestilence.

Those who escaped the mark of plague were for good reason. Death would find them sooner or later, and they too, would be reunited with the great goddess. Perhaps she didn't mark all of the lions because some needed to live to tell the tales and keep on the traditions of the pride. They needed great warriors after all, defenders of the pride lands, and others to keep the good word of the Goddess alive.

Nyu'li himself had been struck with the plague. He had felt its symptoms from an early age, but was lucky that (aside from the occasional bad week or days) it was fairly tame. It was enough to remind him that nothing could be taken for granted, and every day he had breath was something to be cherished. It was a way for him to give thanks to his luck and fortune, a way to drop down in prayer and sing praises for the goddess that kept her eye upon the Kitwana.

Lost in thought, the young adolescent really had no particular destination in mind. He was roaming the lands, allowing his paws to carry him where they might, and his thoughts to contemplate future prayers, and songs of thanks and grace. He was close to becoming a full fledged Priest, though there was always things to learn and faith to discover. Nyu'li hardly acknowledge the thick clouds billing over the lands, or the scent of rain on the wind. There was a distant roll of thunder, but it didn't bother the white and black lion.
 

[Annchen]

N'Seka's life had changed a lot recently. Not too long ago he still thought that he was only a carrier of the disease that ravaged the pride. As his mane started to grow in he had started to get some symptoms again, symptoms that he had ignored at first. But now... There was no denying that the disease was back. The healers kept trying new things, but N'Seka didn't trust the relief they could offer to last.

His friend Mlinzi was a big believer in herbs, but N'Seka had moved his attention and hope to their patron goddess instead. As a youngster he'd had many grand ideas about what he would do when he grew up, and now he had days when he wondered if he would. Friends close to his age had already been called back to Pestilence, so he knew nothing was certain.

Today was a semi-decent day and he was putting as much distance as possible between himself and the healers' quarters. He'd had a medicinal mud bath, and while it was kind of nice he wanted to think about something else for a change. Walking had the added benefit of making the dry mud fall off and his paws were slowly regaining a whiter colour.  

[Uta]

Annchen

((Sooo sorry this took so long to tag. I could have sworn I posted. . . neutral But then I looked and saw I had not. D'oh! ))

Padding slowly through the pride lands, the young male was lost in deep thought. There was much to give thanks for, but his mood was just a touch on the somber side this afternoon. He had watched as the High Priestess had given final rights to an older lion of the pride, one who had lived a life full of suffering. He had lived long, even with the plague, but for months had deteriorated slowly, a piece of him called back to Pestilence every day.

Sometimes, though Nyu'li didn't like to admit it, he had to wonder why she didn't call them all away swiftly. They spent years of their life with her disease, with her blessing, but the end . . . was often frightening. Death was a blessing, of course, but the physical pain and trauma; the blood, the starvation, the sickness. . . It could be horribly unpleasant. Torturous even. But . . . if that was the great Goddesses' wish, than so be it. It was a test, be it physically, be it mentally and emotionally. And most lions in the Kitwana'antara were meant to meet it. Nyu'li could only hope that his soul was strong enough to bear the burden of his mortality, and all the suffering that would come from it. The Goddess had a plan, after all. . . and it was he found comfort in knowing that it was beyond his control.

Glancing up, the pale coated male's thoughts were pulled to the forefront as he saw something covered in mud. It was his brother, though he hardly could have guessed with the wreck that he looked. It was no secret that N'Seka had been tapped, albeit more recently, with the disease. Though Nyu'li himself had been sick since birth, outside of a few lows and bad weeks, he . . did all right.

Trotting closer, to catch up to his black coated sibling, Nyu'li dipped his head formally and gave the smallest of smiles. "N'Seka, I . . almost didn't recognize you." He had appeared to take a medicinal mud bath, and could only hope that it had helped.
 

[Annchen]

Uta

there...

"Why'd you... oh," N'Seka looked down on his matted fur and laughed, "Oh, I see. I don't really look like myself at the moment, do I?"

He nodded in return and then stopped to stretch and to try to rub some of the dry mud off against a tree. It always started getting itchy when the mud dried and hardened and he didn't want it to reach that point. It was probably good for him to leave it in, or some such nonsense, but he wasn't sure the healers understood exactly how annoying itching fur could be. At least not the healthy ones who might not even have tried their own remedies.

"Do I smell funny," he asked his brother, "I swear they must put something odd in that mud because I never smell right afterwards."  

[Uta]

Annchen

The striped lion gave the smallest of smiles as his sibling looked down at his matter coat. Honestly, while he could tell it was N'Seka, there was still much of him coated in the herbal mud, and he really looked terribly disheveled. Not that many of the sick sported clean coats, but today, N'Seka really looked bad. Like some earth spirit, risen from mud, and trying to pass off as a lion really. . . .

"I hate to say it, brother, but I don't think mud is your color." He gave a little grin before dipping his head, reaching over to gently nuzzle his shoulder in a display of affection. Nyu'li wasn't shy about such things, and though he wasn't perhaps as close to some of his brothers and half-brothers as his mother would like, that didn't mean he felt a loss of love of affection for them. Nyu'li had always been a bit quiet and serious. . . . but though he kept his distance, he could still love his family from afar.

"You don't smell at all as you should. It's more of a . . . " He sniffed the air a bit and gave a little shake of his head. "strange concoction of herbs and earth. It's not unpleasant, but . . . I don't think anyone would guess it was you." Setting down slowly, the blue eyed male gave a small cough, cleared his throat non-chalantly, before continuing. "How long do they expect you to sport that coat of mud? Need any help washing it off?"

Nyu'li might have encouraged his brother to stop at the lake, to dredge himself through the water. But the water was cold, and it might exacerbate his condition. The day was warm, but it wasn't hot yet, and the breezes that gusted through the lands were cool. Summer wasn't yet upon the land entirely, so perhaps a bath wasn't the best choice.
 

[Annchen]

Uta

N'Seka laughed at that observation. Mud had been more fun when he was a cub and getting dirty was either a happy accident or hard work. Sometimes he really had to go out of his way to get completely covered in dirt and mud. Mom never seemed to appreciate his efforts... This mud wasn't even half as fun, and he couldn't wait to get it off. Rubbing against the tree seemed to work fairly well at least.

"I suppose few people can pull off that particular colour," he said, "And it doesn't go well with pink..."

N'Seka responded to his brother's show of affection with a friendly head butt. In such a large family it was only natural to be closer to some siblings than others, but no matter how much or little they talked N'Seka loved his large family. When he was younger he had been certain that Yejide was his mother, but knowing that she wasn't made no real difference to him. They were all family.

"I knew it," he said and wrinkled his nose, "I don't feel like myself when I smell like that so I don't plan on keeping this look for long. Augh, I might need help with some of the harder to reach places."

He studied his side where he had rubbed against the tree. He had managed to remove a large patch of dried up mud and his fur looked like it should, if a bit disheveled. The healers hadn't told him how long he should stay like this, and he didn't plan to ask. They might tell him to keep it on, and he'd rather claim ignorance and get rid of it before it got too itchy.  

[Uta]

Annchen

Nyu'li had never been subjected to such a great mud bath before, but looking at his brother, he wasn't sure he'd ever take the healers up on such a thing. N'Seka looked more miserable than he did healthy, and the drying mud had to pull at his fur. Honestly. . . . what the pride did to keep its kin healthy. Sometimes the treatments seemed worse than the symptoms!

Ah well, thankfully he wasn't the only lion that had been forced in to such a bath. Some of the older ones, desparate for relief, tried just about anything. Whether or not the mud actually helped, Ny'li didn't know but . . . . well. . .it was an option. And just having options was almost a placebo in itself. No one in the pride wanted to just roll over and die, after all, even if that their eventual fate. Death didn't scare Nyu'li, but he wasn't exactly keen on going through with it . . .

"Get yourself settled somewhere then. A little grooming certainly could do you some good, and get you back to feeling and looking like your old self." He offered a small smile, not at all object to helping his brother out. They were family, after all, and he'd hope if the situation were reversed, N'Seka would give him a paw to help.

"If we're lucky, the sun will stay out and dry this stuff quick so it'll fall away, but until then . . . you'll either need to douse yourself in the lake, which I don't suggest, or get some of it groomed."
 

[Annchen]

Uta

N'Seka gave the tree one more go, scraping off another large chunk of mud from his other side. He decided that this would have to be enough for now. Now for finding somewhere to rest and get the remaining mud out of his coat. Grooming sounded lovely,

"I agree," he said, "I don't think a dip in the lake would be a good idea. Do you think you could help me reach when I groom?"

He had some trouble grooming on his bad days, and he was a bit embarrassed to ask for help. But some days the fur on his back and neck might as well be growing on the moon. He could just leave it, but he had a feeling he'd regret it if he allowed the mud to mat his fur. Nyu'li was his brother so it felt less strange to ask him.

He left the shadow of the tree and looked around for a nice spot that would stay sunny for as long as possible. When he was satisfied he'd get the most of the afternoon sun he settled and started grooming his front legs.  

[Uta]

Annchen

"You know you needn't even ask. Go make yourself comfortable, I'll get the hard-to-reach spots," he assured warmly. The white, black, and grey lion watched as his brother gave the tree one more scratch, before turning to find a spot in the sun. His blue eyes dimmed ever so slightly; his dark, pink, and white coated sibling had taken to the illness far worse than he had . . . . and he did worry for the time left between one another.

Though the lion was quiet, perhaps a bit more serious than some his age, and wholly devoted to his duties as priest. . . he did worry and fret about his siblings. All fourteen of them. He loved his family, quiet and reserved a lion that he might be, and the poor boy was especially worried over those in his family that were sick. Sure, he was devoted towards the great goddess, and he believed she granted each and every one gifts. . . . but. . . . Deep down, he did fear the suffering they would each go through. He wasn't blind, nor stupid, and they all knew the burden of bearing the disease.

His joints ached, he coughed, he had worse days. . . but N'Seka seemed to far more affected than himself. And that was . . .unfortunate. For as devoted as he was to Pestilence, the poor, pale lion did not wish to be separated from his family so soon. But, these were not thoughts to dwell upon now.

Following his brother in to the sunshine, he settled against his back. "May the great goddess grant you peace and comfort," he murmured a short prayer, mostly out of habit as he waited for N'Seka to settle and begin to work on his paws. Leaning forward, he began grooming his brothers shoulders and the back of his mane. ". . . I do hope this mixture might ease some of your pain," he added thoughtfully, pausing to observe the mess that it made of his brother. "With the amount of work it's going to take to get you clean, it would be a shame to put you through it without results."
 

[Annchen]

Uta

N'Seka closed his eyes in a long blink as Nyu'li said a short prayer to the Great Lady. The two brothers were the only apprentice priests in the family, and that made him feel a spiritual kinship with Nyu'li. The largest part of their big family had followed Yejide's footsteps and were either full-fledged healers or in the process of learning the art. In fact, he had family in many useful professions, should he ever need it. He knew his family would always watch his back, or wash it, as it were. He closed his eyes again, this time because it felt really nice to be able to get groomed properly.

"It feels really nice while I'm in the mud actually," he said, "And that feeling usually stays for a while. I don't know what they put in it, but whatever it is it makes me feel more relaxed."

He finished with his front legs and started to get the parts of his face, chest and head he could reach. No matter how careful he was he always seemed to get at least a little bit of mud in his face or mane. The combination of the mud bath, the heat from the sun, and the grooming was starting to make him feel sleepy.

"You know," he said, "I hope you don't get all woozy from helping me clean."  

[Uta]

Annchen

Nyu'li was only too happy to aid his sibling. His darker coated twin was plagued, just as he was, though he seemed to be suffering more for it. No, he wasn't going to think about that right now. Cuddled up against him, the paler of the brothers continued his quiet, solemn grooming. He did not mind the mud, the grit, the dirt on his tongue; he was only too happy to share this quiet moment with his brother.

"Well, I'm glad that it helps ease the pain. Perhaps, when the aches of my own joints get the best of me, I shall consider trying their mud concoction as well." He gave a small churr and nuzzled his head against the back of his brothers mane for a moment, before resuming his dutiful grooming. Slow, repetitive, it was relaxing really. . . . He was glad that his brother was beginning to relax.

"No worries about me, 'Seka," he assured with a small smile. "I'm only too happy to help. Let me know if I pull too hard at any of these tangles though," he added quietly, pausing a moment to work at one in particular with his teeth. The hard-to-reach-places were even more tangled due to the curling of the fur and the mud that had reached its way near his shoulders. ". . . other than mud baths and sickness, how have you been?" He questioned quietly, wanting to catch up with his brother on a more personal level.

Though they were both devout priests, there wasn't always time to talk outside of daily devotions. Though he had a terribly large family, sometimes it was hard to keep up with news.
 

[Annchen]

Uta

"Well," N'Seka said, "It took some getting used to. Being chosen by our Lady."

He had thought he was a carrier, even the healers said so for a while. With that in mind he'd made grand plans for the future, trying to decide if it would be more awesome to be a guard or a warrior or a scout. When the time came to become an apprentice he had been too sick for any of that. And while he was surrounded by healers, family and others, he couldn't quite trust them anymore. It took some thinking and a lot of talking to realise that this wasn't the end. He'd started to apprentice as a priest because he thought that it was the only thing he could do, but he was starting to understand and appreciate his task more and more. He had done a great deal of growing up lately.

"But I think I'm where I need to be now," he said, trying to put words on what he was feeling, "Lady Pestilence knew more about me than I did..."  

[Uta]

Annchen

((So sorry for the delay! Fickle muses have been fickle this holiday season. . . ))

Nyu'li dutifully continued his grooming, not minding the work or the taste of mud on his tongue. He was trying to cherish this moment with his beloved brother, and the only other priest in the family; he knew far too well that either of them could be called away to pay homage to the goddess in her own lands. That was what they were all waiting for, was it not? To finally be called home, to have suffered in her name and finally be called to truly rest.

"She does have an unusual way of guiding our paws. Though we sometimes travel where we did not plan to walk, she is with us always, leading us where we need to be." He preached, knowing that the ears who would hear it would (hopefully) be understanding and accepting. Nyu'li couldn't help it, really, he had always been called toward the spiritual. Faith was his specialty, or so he liked to believe.

Quietly, the paler lion worked on his dark brothers coat. A small patch of sunshine had parted through the clouds, leaving the two of them in quiet repose. "I'm glad that you seem to have accepted your lot. You've come a long way from our cubhood shenanigans; I'm glad to have you as a fellow priest, and a brother." He waxed sentimental, but it didn't bother the lion; he was an extremely affectionate creature when his guard was down, when he was relaxed. The problem with Nyu'li was that very few had the ability to pull out his true heart -- the poor cub had always kept it quiet and guarded.
 

[Annchen]

Uta

N'Seka was feeling calm, warm and at peace. The grooming calmed his body and talking about the Great Lady calmed his soul. He felt more connected than ever to his brother now when they were both entering the same field. They had been called to serve, and while the healer apprentices also talked about a "calling" sometimes he imagined that their call had been different. It was nothing he had ever tried to put words on, just a feeling that they had found something special. Or perhaps that they had been found by something special, he wasn't sure.

"What if all our worst days were like this, huh?" he said. "I could deal with that."

He wasn't wishing his life and his disease away, it was just a roundabout way to say that he really enjoyed the moment.  

[Uta]

Annchen

((And . . I fail. ._. *kicks her muses* I . . think we might be coming to a wrap?))

The striped lion continued his grooming, enjoying the presence of his sibling, and glad he could offer him some form of comfort. If he could not make him well, he could at least make him comfortable without having to sit in crusting mud. Besides, the touch of a loved family member, the peace of knowing that his brother still lived, that they both still lived, was reassuring.

"If this was the worst of it," he replied, taking a moment to nuzzle the back of his brothers mane, "I dare say I'd almost yearn for it to never end." It was no slight to the Great Lady's challenges, to her hardships that she sent to test their faith, to prove their worthiness. . . but sometimes it was hard. And to have these quiet, peaceful moments -- to share in the love with family, without agonizing pain, without grief -- it would be a refreshing change.

One Nyu'li would certainly enjoy repeating.

Quietly, steadfastly, the black and grey lion resumed his grooming. Words weren't needed, especially when he was preoccupied with tending to his brothers matted coat. They were together, sharing this moment, making a memory; that was all that was mattered. Any words that needed spoken could be said through body language, the touch of a paw, or a light churr of contentment.