Shi grimaced just a bit as she moved, her leg throbbing painfully. Gods above, that was the last time she'd wander into a giant herd of zebras! Little birds and mammals were much better. Even if they did bite or kick it didn't hurt as much as this. That and they didn't travel in large groups usually. She was much better at one on one type scenarios.

A voice caught her attention and she looked up, ears twitching in interest. "Hello," she said with a tiny smile, trying not to get the pain in her leg in her voice as well. "Ah...sort of." The bag the other lioness worse spoke of a medic, which was a relief. She felt like it would be a good idea if her leg was looked at. "A zebra got me in the leg a few minutes ago. I don't think it's broken, but it hurts. A lot." She wiggled her toes to show that it wasn't badly injured, but she couldn't help the grimace that went along with it.

Sol bit her lip as the young female told her what was wrong. Zebras were pretty powerful when they were agitated, and if it were a big male, it was very capable of doing serious damage. She could tell the other lioness was in a lot of pain, so she'd have to work quickly to get her some relief.

"If you don't mind, I could probably help," she offered, moving a little closer. "I'm Soleil and a medic here, and I promise I can at least alleviate the pain for you."

Shi gave a little sigh of relief. "Oh, yes, that would be very much appreciated. I could walk on it," she added, wanting to give Sol as much information as she could. "I think it'll just be a bruise. But man that zebra was big...it must have been the leader or something, it was craaazy big."

Sol had to smile just a bit as the lioness went on and on about the zebra. She moved closer and lowered her head to the injured leg, sniffing softly. There was no blood, which was good. Cuts could get infected very easily and had been known to end the lives of some lions. That took one worry off her shoulders.

"I'm going to put some pressure on your leg," she warned the grey lioness. "It will hurt, but only for a little. I just need to see where the injury is the worst at."

Shi gave a little huff but nodded, pressing her head to the ground. "Okay. Oh! My name is Shi, by the way," she added, realizing the other lioness had given her name but she hadn't given her own. "That's my nickname, but everyone calls me that," she added, not wanting her to think her name didn't have to do with fire. She was a proud firekin, if not a traditional one.

"That's a lovely name," Soleil said with a smile before sitting down, pressing her paws lightly up Shi's leg. When she reached the femur near her hip she felt the other lioness recoil and hiss in pain, but she kept going. It was fairly localized, thankfully, and nothing felt out of place. "Well, Shi, the good news is you're right. No broken bones. I'd say you've got some bad bruising and it'll probably ache for a few weeks, but you'll be right as rain soon."

"Oh good," Shi said with a sigh of relief, smiling at Sol gratefully. "Thanks. Hearing that gives me a huge weight off my mind. You said you had something for the pain?"

"Oh yes," Sol said with a nod, ears perked in delight. She loved when injuries weren't too serious. When it was just pain, it was an easy fix. "I've actually whipped up some potions just now, all measured out in gourds and everything." They were for the soldiers...but she could go on a hunt for that plant she needed and whip up some more when she was done. This was a pressing issue after all!

"Thank you," Shi said with a sigh, stretching out her leg carefully to ease the throbbing Sol's paws had left behind. "It's good you were right there...I don't know if I could have found a medic otherwise."

"Well, should you ever need one, just asking someone passing by to find one," Sol offered as she watched Shi stretch out. "I'll go get those pain potions now." She trotted off back to the little work site she had left behind to tend to the lioness and began to divide the newest batch into the gourds she had created for carrying potions. They had a sticky sap around the rim that she could put a flat, stiff leaf over to keep it from spilling. Then a quick claw through the leaf would open it up for drinking.

Once she scraped the elixer into the gourds and sealed them up, she reached into her bag to pull out a woven bag that would be for Shi to carry them back to her den in. She'd need it back, but that was hardly a pressing issue. Packing up the potions, she carried the woven bag back to the injured lioness. Placing it down before her, she pulled one of the gourds out and pushed it forward.

"You're to take one of these a day, whenever you happen to remember is fine. Usually other liones will take it when they start to feel the pain. The day that you don't feel pain, you can stop taking them. Or, if you run out, come back and see me and I'll make some more for you.'

Shi looked up from the gourd with a grateful smile on her face. "Wow...Sol, thanks so much! You're so nice."

"Just doing my job," the black and red lioness returned, bobbing her head in recognition. "Here, let me help you with that." She sliced open the leaf for Shi and laid down with her as she drank, hanging around to talk with her until the painkiller kicked in.

FIN
WC 1022