[PRP] An uncomfortable encounter. (Gerda x Eppie)

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Gerda was about her rounds, as usual. Fortunately, she had few patients to see that day. Perhaps it was the weather, or perhaps her medicines had been more beneficial than usual. Whatever the reason, she was glad of the break. The dark lioness was trying to conserve her energy and build her strength. Exhausting herself would do her no good, and her patients no good either.

Spotting the cubs of the prides, Gerda ambled over in their direction. She was half-thinking of looking for the orange cub, Haruma. The one that had been so interested in her herbs. A slight smile lit the dark lioness's face. It was the orange cub that had renewed her interest in having a litter of her own. It would be nice to visit her again ... and all of the cubs.

It was even worth the risk of running across Eppie.  

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It wasn't long until Eppie showed up in the picture. There was only two Nannies currently, and her cohort was attending to a little one that got themselves a booboo. Trotting up to the happy little gaggle of unrestricted joy, Eppie spotted Gerda and she could feel her hackles raises almost immediately. What did the dark whore want and why was Gerda around her children? She had no business with them and none were showing sign of serious illness at the moment.

"Children, don't bother the healer, alright? She does very important things, taking care of the sick ones in the pride," Eppie said, speaking up to keep some of the children from running Gerda over. Not that she would particularly mind if they ran Gerda...

It took as much self restrain as she could muster, but Eppie offered Gerda as pleasant a smile as she possibly could before speaking to her again, "I'm sorry if they bothered you Gerda... the other Nanny is tied up right now with comforting someone's boo-boos."

Eppie needed to remind herself constantly not to let the nasty side of her show in front of the pride, especially the children. Regardless of what Gerda had done to her, she would not be known as a horrid person and be lumped into the category only reserved for people like Gerda.  

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Gerda managed to keep her hackles from rising, but she felt a dark twist of anger coil through her gut, her insides twisting. Eppie. Ugh. Well, she had known she might run across the pale lioness. Besides, Jozo had been spending much of his time with Gerda recently. Gerda didn't feel so insecure around Eppie now.

She summoned up a smile to greet Eppie, smothering her own distaste. "I don't mind if they play around me." She knew Eppie was trying to run her off, but she wouldn't allow herself to be pushed around. Gerda could go wherever she damned well pleased in the pridelands, and she would wear a smile as she did so.

Did Eppie know that Jozo had promised Gerda they could try for cubs? Gerda hoped so. No, scratch that. She hoped Eppie didn't know, so that she could tell her and smile as Eppie broke apart. It wasn't like Gerda to feel so vicious and vindictive, but she had been too jealous and hurt for too long. Her hurt had begun to curdle into hate. "Don't you want cubs of your own, Eppie? I surely do," Gerda sighed. A sly smile flickered across her face. She wouldn't tell Eppie yet. No, she would hint at it. And then ... when she actually managed to deliver her cubs, THEN she would gloat.  

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"If you're sure you're strong enough to deal with the rambunctious little ones," Eppie said dismissively. She surely could not outwardly make Gerda leave, not without consequence, but she could pressure her as much as she pleased. After all, Eppie was for the most part very healthy and Gerda was terribly sick and tired easily. If she bore down on her enough, she hoped she could tire her and force her to leave.

As Gerda made the comment about wanting cubs of her own, she went utterly deadpan, especially at the suggestion of Gerda wanting to even try again. She looked over to her, glossy eyed in her expression and monotonous in her response, "Do you really think that's a good idea, Gerda?"

She was utterly serious in her words and though Gerda may not believe so, Eppie did care about all children, even that of a whore's. Eppie did not want to sit through another session of still-born children. She wasn't sure she could take it, or if the pride could take it either. Cubs were needed to keep the pride alive, and constantly giving birth to still-borns, just because you want to keep trying for children hoping that they'll live, killed the pride's spirit.

"I don't need any children of my own, Gerda. I'm more than satisfied with the children you see here," She said quietly, looking away to watch as some of the little ones wrestled energetically.  

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Gerda could tell that she was getting through to Eppie. The bright lioness's smile was gone, her tone blank. Ha. She didn't want to pick a fight with Eppie - Gerda was no fighter, and never had been - but she hadn't been able to resist the temptation to dig at her archrival.

"The pride can always use new cubs. I'm ill, but hopefully Jozo's immunity will pass on." Heh, heh. That was right, remind this mate-thieving b***h that Jozo was hers. "Jozo can help me."

"You seem like you'd make a wonderful mother," Gerda added mildly, nodding towards the cubs playing around the pair. "It's a pity you haven't a mate of your own." Very slight emphasis on the last words. Eppie should go get a mate of her own and stop sniffing around Jozo. Of course, Gerda wouldn't say such a thing outright, but she could hint at it.  

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"I am a wonderful mother, Gerda. None of the babies have had any harm come to them in my care, have you little ones?" Eppie commented, scooping up one of the small cubs and giving it a nice big cuddle, something she was certain Gerda couldn't do constantly without straining or tiring herself.

"I don't need a mate. Not when the little ones need taken care of. Some of the parents around here can't be quite as healthy as I am, after all." Eppie commented, a small smile creeping across her face. After all, it was true. What was Gerda going to do on her truly ill days? She wouldn't be able to care for her future children when she was terrible ill, and with Jozo's position he couldn't care for them either. They'd be brought to Eppie. She would take care of them; maybe even beside their half-siblings.

Gerda may have been able to grind in the fact that Jozo had pledged himself to her, but the simple fact that he came looking for her almost every night was enough for Eppie to dismiss it. He wasn't as dedicated as Gerda thought and he never would be; and while Eppie cared for her children, who would be fathered by Jozo happily, she'll look after Gerda's brats right next to them, flaunting in her face the happy family she couldn't be apart of because she was too sick, too weak, to even get up.  

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Gerda was aware that Eppie was trying to get on her nerves - when wasn't she? - but she didn't care. Jozo had pledged himself to her, and he would never break that bond to stay with Eppie. That spotty slut could try and seduce him all she liked, but in the end he would go home to Gerda. She would make sure of that.

"I'll conserve my strength," Gerda said dismissively. She was sick, yes, but not quite as sick as Eppie (and Jozo) believed. Many of her frequent bouts of illness were feigned or exaggerated in order to keep Jozo at home. She didn't want to claim a sudden return to health, of course ... that would make Jozo suspicious.  

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"I would hope so," Eppie commented, keeping her eyes on the children and never on Gerda. Eppie would never give her the full attention Gerda probably wanted in order to get under her skin. She was a stronger woman than Gerda and didn't have to underhandedly get someone to be her mate. The fact she was kind hearted and loved life despite its twists and turns was enough to make her stand out to anyone. She didn't need to deceive or put on a self pity party.

"The cubs seem like they want to move on to other places, so we'll have to part ways here," Eppie said curtly to Gerda. She could feel the bile rising in her throat from even the slightest hint to the fact that she wanted to try for cubs again with the man who was supposed to be hers. He didn't love her, he didn't want to be with her, but sorrow and infidelity caused him to make a pledge that never should have been made and now he had to live with that.  

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Have to part ways? Huh. Gerda could have stuck with the group for as long as she wished, but she really hadn't come here to trade snarky remarks with the lioness she loathed. The lioness who couldn't let the past lie and continued to try and steal Gerda's mate.

Gerda wanted to snarl, but she was no fighter, and she wasn't as nasty as Eppie. She wouldn't let her pleasant mask slip.

Forcing a smile, Gerda nodded slightly at the spotted lioness. "Yes, they need their play. Perhaps my own will join them. Soon," She added, pointedly. Oh, she hadn't meant to say anything so obvious, but she hadn't been able to resist!  

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Eppie tried her best not to show that Gerda had gotten to her. Her hackles had raised slightly on her back and she wanted to turn around and yell at her until the dark whore was a sobbing mess on the floor, but she refrained. This wasn't Gerda's doing, after all. This big mishap, this way of finding out was Jozo's now. He did not tell her and he would be the one who was shunned and punished, one way or another.

"Congrats," Eppie said quietly as she began to walk away from Gerda to join the moving group of children, "I hope they are as happy and healthy has their mother."