Today was a not-so-good day.. her cough was thick and moist, making it hard to breathe properly and leaving her short of breath when she could. Her joints ached though it was worse in her hind legs which kept cramping like she's just overdone a sprint out hunting. Sighing softly she rolled onto her side in the thick grass and stretched out, hoping the position would relieve the tightness in her chest. She had been up at Beo's bench since dawn, having escaped the healer dens when her adopted mother's back was turned dealing with another patient. Saoirse always felt like a fake when ever Eva'raja made her stay with the other ill lions. Maybe it was because she could remember helping in the dens as a youngster, seeing the later stages of the disease as it wasted away those lions strong enough to cling to life. Or maybe because she refused to believe that she was truly ill, that she was well into the second stage of the sickness and she would never return to the happy, healthy cub she had been. Oh, she wasn't bitter about it, it was a fact of life for the entire pride, but she just didn't feel as in-need as those others who lay gasping and wheezing in Eva's care.
So she had escaped, come up on top of the hill she had so loved as a cub, to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the cool dew on the grass before it faded away with the morning light. The peace and quiet and the cooler air seemed to help her relax a little. Letting her eyes close she drifted in a half-doze, content.
Lochlan knew exactly where his older sister was. One of many, for his siblings were beyond numerous, they still never the less each had their own personality and habits, and Lochlan knew every single one of them for every single sibling. Having been a boisterous and nosy cub he had made himself the bane of many of his sibling's lives but as he had grown his natural curiosity sharped into an instinct for gathering information. Not that he ever really employed that knowledge very often, except like now when someone had gone missing or a culprit was required to answer for his or her deeds. But when Eva'raja, the mother of the massive family, and the pride's Master Healer, had found him wandering about and begged for his aid in no small amount of flustered panic that he had given her a loving lick and assured her he would find his errant sibling and return her tot he healer dens for treatment.
So he had turned round and come straight here... where, sure enough, Saoirse lay flat out on her side apparently fast asleep.
A low, deep chuckle sounded from somewhere over her shoulder, but so comfortable was she and with her cough finally leaving her in peace for a while, she was less than inclined to acknowledge who ever it was that was disturbing her. But after a moment she let out a deep moan of irritation and opened one eye to peer up at the elder of a set of twins, and one of her youngest brothers. "Go away...." She whimpered softly, pinning her ears yet knowing it was futile, for Lochlan was a hunter, and he never let his quarry escaped once he had tracked it down. It was just her bad luck that today, she was his target.
"Ahhh my dear sister... how did I know I would find you here?" He chuckled again as she pulled a face at him without bothering to open her eyes. Theirs was a well rehearsed routine of sibling affection. Slumping down beside her, though he remained propped up on his elbows, muscular body stretched out across the warm grass. He had grown into a large male, almost as big as their Liger-sized father who was a giant among the pride. His white mane was thick and full and he was one of the pride's most successful hunters. Having no desire to aim for a more distinguished role as it would have kept him from his various hobbies, he never the less took pride in his skills and loved to test them out on more challenging prey, like his siblings. But today was not one of those days, for he was genuinely concerned for his sister's health, though knew better than to hurry her back to the healer dens.
For a long time the two siblings just lay in companionable silence, enjoying the calm, clear day and the sun's warmth on their fur. But finally Lochlan yawned and started to groom an already clean paw. Saoirse knew that was her cue to talk or he’d make her go back and she wasn’t quite ready just yet. Finally she heaved herself up onto her belly, pausing to wait for the tickle that threatened her throat to subside before speaking. “When are you going to find a lady to settle down with brother?” She asked, looking over at him with her amber gaze, a playful smile curling her maw. Lochlan gave his customary snort of distaste. “Will you stop bugging me about marriage sister... I will find someone when I am ready, I barely just grew to adulthood you know. I know your own clock it ticking but mine has plenty of time left.” He huffed and she gave a soft little smile. It was an old argument between them but these days his words were getting closer to the truth that she would like to admit. She knew her time on this world would be shorter than many of her siblings, and her father had already lost one son to the sickness, she had no wish to force him to bury her so soon as well. The loss of Ruko, a gentle, kind hearted young male, had wounded the huge guard deeply and for days he had kept silent vigil on the border where he had sat with his son while the younger lion silently slipped away. Oh, he had refused to tell them what happened, but she had guessed parts and had the rest confirmed by their mother, Eva. It hurt her heart to have lost a full-blooded brother so soon but it had been no surprise, and he had managed to pass on his blood to a younger generation, ironically with the very goddess who’s curse they lived with daily. Yet he had loved his cubs and in turn, the rest of the family had doted on them as well. Saoirse thought of Netravati and Samishai and two brothers who were all so young, and hoped that before she passed on, she too would be able to leave her own legacy for the future.
Sighing softly she pushed herself up onto her rump stiffly, then leaned gratefully into her brother when he came over to help her stand. She was ready to go back now and swallow more of the foul paste the healers always gave her. Lochlan smiled gently as he helped support her for the long trip back. His family were amazing, no matter what anyone else thought.
(words = 1,203)