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 Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 4:29 pm
Trusting that Bẹ̀rù would stop her if the water was turning her stomach, Tàpá also took a drink. She knew she would need water to help her get over her injury. Stagnate and foul tasting, it was still water and it would quench her thirst. That is what was important. Next, they just had to get back across the river - and quickly, too.
"Another good plan.We should be back to the river soon, right? I want to get back across."
It was tough, but the injured lioness tried to move as quickly as possible - she knew Bẹ̀rù was just as anxious to get back as she was.
At the bank of the river, Tàpá winced as she tried to make up for the weak back paw, even on a slope as shallow as this one. She didn't relish the thought of going back through the mud either - but at least the crocodile had gone the other way. She didn't expect to see it there, but just to be safe, she gathered a few stones, and with a toss of her head, sent them flicking into the where the muck should be shallowest. No signs of life but the bugs.
"Looks clear to cross here. Ready?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 7:43 pm
Beru hadn't begun to feel sick, but the water was still disgusting. She would have to see if they both got sick drinking it. It didn't taste like the water on their side of the pride did, thank the gods. She wondered briefly if the unpleasant taste might have something to do with what was in the water, and whether it might have some sort of curative effect, since she still didn't feel ill. In her experience, most remedies tasted foul, so it was a possibility, though a very, very faint one.
"Yes, we can cross here," Beru said. "It looks safe enough, but let me cross first, just in case there's anything else in the water. I think I can scramble faster."
She couldn't imagine what sort of pain or discomfort Tapa must be in . She had never in her life felt the jaws of any animal close around any part of her body hard enough to break the flesh and draw blood. Oh, she'd gotten cuts from play-fighting as a cub, but that was nothing, really. She didn't even bear any scars. Her hide was nearly perfect, and a vain portion of her mind wondered if it would stay that way after this crossing.
Beru had been quick enough to leap on top of the crocodile in the heat of the moment with her friend's life at stake, but now to return to the river, even though there really didn't seem to be any evidence of crocodiles or any other kind of creature besides insects, her limbs shivered and her heart began rapid palpitations. She was afraid, and ashamed that most of her fear was for her own well-being.
She offered a quick, silent prayer to the gods that no harm befall her or Tapa - well, no further harm in Tapa's case - and began to slog through the mud and the muck. When she reached the other side it seemed as though the process had taken hours although it had been over in under a minute. Beru turned her violet eyes to Tapa and nodded that it appeared to be safe for her to make her crossing.
Beru watched the riverbed anxiously.
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 4:20 pm
Tàpá followed her friend as quickly as she was able, conscious of the stretching she felt in her muscles as the wound gaped to accommodate her longer and faster strides, and fresh blood started to trickle down. Once Bẹ̀rù reached the other side, Tàpá plunged into the ooze. She could feel her wound stinging as the water and mud and bits of everything else that made up the "river" seemed to attack it. Not having time to waste before the pain caused her to pass out, Tàpá dragged herself up the bank toward her waiting friend.
"Next time someone has the bright idea to send just the two of us off somewhere, let's tell them to shove it. And remind them that draughts make crocodiles cranky, too."
Tàpá gave her friend a weak smile, and began the limp back to her den.
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