[PRP] Sad Day, Happy Day [Zioto/Deepali]

[ShinosBee]

Zioto was miserable. He'd never been sick a day in his young life. In a pride full of lions that were dead or dying from a plague, that itself was a miracle. He'd thought maybe it'd been because he came from outside the place. Because he was strong, and young, and special. Who didn't think they'd live forever when they were young?

He'd started coughing a few days ago while playing. He'd been running hard, at first he'd thought he'd just overdone it. But the next day the cough hadn't gone away. He felt disgusting, and scared. The adults of course had confirmed his fears. He'd gotten the illness that ran rampant in the pride. Thank goodness, the ysaid, that it was so easy on someone so young. By the look of things he'd just have a mild cough. And who knew, maybe he'd recover.

He'd spent the whole next day lying alone in the tall grass. He didn't want to die. He was so scared. When he was just being still like this, his coughing went almost all away. Maybe he could just pretend he wasn't sick at all, and just sit here the rest of his life. What made it all worse was that he'd always been a little afraid of his pridemates who were sick. He'd refused their offers to play for fear of his own health. Little good that had done. And now he didn't really have any good friends to fall back on with his fears.  

[Feral Mule]

This pride made her sad. Everyone was sick and new lions died every day. The news was whispered, as if everyone didn't know what was happening. More often than not, Deepali retreated to solitary. She thought about how lucky she was to not have the illness. But so many cubs, too, had died. It was a possibility that some of her siblings could die, and more often than not, she started crying when she thought of that.

So she wandered alone again. Coughing could be heard, it seemed, everywhere. Ears lowering, she headed for the tall grasses and rubbed her nose with her paw. Sometimes, things were too much for her young, bleeding heart. Deepali cried over every little thing, but momma told her she had to harden her heart to live in this pride. While it is sad they die, it's very common.

One day, you'll go out and bring new members back. Her mother had told her that. It was a very, very scary thought. Wandering from home? It seemed really... scary. Brown eyes looked about in the grasses when she heard more coughing, but it didn't sound like an older lion. Her chest gave a thump and her brows knitted.

"H-Hello?" If it was a cub, she'd cry hard.  

[ShinosBee]

Zioto startled and curled up tight in a ball. "S-someone there?" He wheezed and felt ashamed. Ugh. Of course someone would come upon him in his misery. The world was already kicking him, why not add another paw to the abuse.

He spotted her--she looked like she was his age. Not coughing, which was both a rarity, and now, an anguish for him. "What do you want?" His fur bristled and he frowned. Ugh. He felt so icky, why'd she have to come by now? He thought he remembered seeing this girl around before...she was lucky, one of the immune. Or so he thought.

He coughed, and then threw himself onto his side. "This is awful...I don't like being sick!" He dragged his paws over his face. "Ugh. I'm sorry. I just...I feel icky. I've never felt icky before..."  

[Feral Mule]

Her own fur started bristling when she found who was coughing. He was so mean! He was her age, too! She was about to say something, but she bit down on her tongue and he happened to apologize right after. So, being the type of girl she was, Deepali forgave him.

"I..It's ok. I'd be... cranky too." He probably wouldn't be a lucky one would die quick. He didn't sound as bad as the others. She didn't think she'd seen him around before, despite being close to the same age. Her ears flattened more as she approached him. "I'm Deepali..."

He hid his face and Deepali's heart went out to him. She shouldn't get attached, but it was cub instinct to be friends with someone. "Do you need some water? I could fetch you some. Uhm... I heard... it helps the throat a little.. A little is better than... nothing?"