[PRP-BL] Lost, but home (Jabez, Deepali)

[Annchen]

Jabez should really be training, but instead he limped around without much purpose in a desolate part of the pride territory. He would soon be considered an adult in the pride, and he had never been more uncertain about the future. Before... that... Before, it had been so easy. He was going to be a guard or warrior and protect the pride. He had even considered leaving in search of excitement somewhere else. But now... He didn't really feel like leaving anymore. The lands outside were strange and hostile, and apparently out to get him. And if he couldn't even handle that... how was he supposed to be able to protect anyone?

His body was healed, or so they said, but the healers couldn't explain his lameness. They had tried stretching and all kinds of treatments, but he still limped. He'd just be a useless cripple...

The world wasn't the same... No one was invincible.  

[Feral Mule]

Deepali was going about the pride, seeing if there were any children that could play. Sometimes the children were too sick, so Deepali stayed with them and told them stories and just tried her hardest to make their lives more comfortable. Yes, she was a huntress, but she couldn't just go and hunt and not have any communication with the members of her pride. They might depend on her for food, her and the other hunters, anyway, but she wanted to make real connections with them.

It wasn't like she was trying to make her life harder, but she just found her heart going out to those who were suffering from the illness, or dealing with death. She didn't like anyone being sad about anything. But, she knew she couldn't make everything suddenly better with a few hugs and stories. It was all she could do, though, so she did it as often as she could.

That's what she was doing now. She was going to visit some more cubs and families that needed cheering up. That is, until she came across a limping creature who had a sour look on his face. Frowning, the lioness moved over to him and put a paw on his head without warning. "Don't look so down. The sun in shining, isn't it?"  

[Annchen]

Peppermint Coffee

Jabez had been too busy throwing a pity party for himself to really pay attention to his surroundings, and he was not prepared to be touched. All the warning he got was some movement out of the corner of his eye. He saw someone approach without really noticing it.

"Ahhhh," he shouted, and leapt away a good distance before spinning around, "You shouldn't just sneak up on people like that."

There was nothing wrong with Jabez reflexes, apparently. And while (bravely) running away the limp wasn't even noticeable. The sour look was replaced by anger at being startled, and his fur was sticking up at odd angles from the fright.  

[Bronze Coffee]

Sneaking up on people? She hadn't done that. She'd given him plenty of warning. Shrugging, the lioness looked to the little leopard and just beamed at him. "I didn't mean to startle you. What are you doing here by yourself?" Sure, he wasn't a cub, but he was no adult either. He looked about the size to start training for whatever rank he was going to be. Flicking her tail from side to side, Deepali move closer to hi and just smiled.

At least he didn't look sick. The limp was something she was worried about, but he wasn't coughing or wheezing that she could tell. "I'm Deepali. I haven't seen you about before. Were you born here?" She'd feel really sheepish and stupid if he said yes. She thought she knew everyone!

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

Peppermint Coffee

"I'm…" he started, "I don't know... Nothing, really. Sorry."

He wasn’t sure why he was apologizing, but she was so damn nice it was hard not to. Had she growled at him, it would have been easier to stay sulky and storm off. But Deepali hadn’t done anything to merit him storming off, and some of the manners Auntie Bird had tried to teach him and his siblings had actually managed to stick. Drat.

"I'm Jabez," he said, "my mother is Elera the scout."

He didn't know if Deepali knew who Elera was, but if she did she would know that the scout was a private creature. Most of her friends (if you could call it that) in the pride were scouts, as far as he knew. He didn't even look a lot like Elera, and his father was a rogue, so it wasn't surprising that the lioness didn't know who Jabez was.

"What do you do," he asked, but he didn't look very enthusiastic. Talking about professions was like biting at a thorn stuck in the paw. It stung, but he couldn't help himself. He didn't think she was a warrior, since he had tried to keep track of the warriors and guards in the pride before his accident. But if she was... Oh, man. He might as well just die. Girl, lion, warrior… While he was just an useless weakling.

((sorry about the emo little leopard... he'll come around eventually))  

[Bronze Coffee]

"Me? I'm a huntress," she said, smiling at the leopard brightly. She wanted to cheer him up, so she would try her hardest to do just that. He looked really depressed, like he was thinking about what would happen if the illness got him even worse rather than what could be if the illness was kind and stayed at bay long enough. Maybe she could tell him a tale of when she actually left the pride to help him cheer up.

"Jabez? I like that name. I don't know Elera, but I don't honestly remember a lot of names. Busy hunting down food for everyone, you know?" She said, giving him a wink, grinning at him again. "I might not be as good as some, but I fancy myself alright. "

Deepali got comfortable and watched the leopard. "Do you need some water? I can get you a leaf of it, if you need it."  

[Annchen]

Saint Sergio

Extremely late tag... Sorry!

When the lioness settled, Jabez found a comfortable spot and sat down too. His ears moved forward as she complimented his name, but he didn't say anything.

"I know most names of those my age," he said, and fidgeted a little before finding a comfortable position. "Hunting must be hard, I don't think I could do it."

His ears sank a notch when she offered to get him some water. He must really look like a cripple. He sure felt like one.

"M' fine," he said, and then after a pause he added, "Thanks."

He placed his head on his paws, watching the older lioness. She was nice, but he wasn't sure what to say.

"I'm not sure what to apprentice as," he said, blurting out the first thing he thought about, "I wanted to be a warrior, but I don't think I could do it. The rogue lions..."

He didn't finish the sentence. The one he met had been violent,, and scary.