[FIN] The Other Half (Soleil & Geni)

[mouselet]

The young lioness was spending almost every free moment in the deepest, darkest part of the caves she could find. She didn't care how it made her look to the other apprentices or her sibs. Her behavior had driven her mother to distraction, and her father's stories of how he'd left his entire family behind to come here didn't help in the least.

They may not have been identical twins, the way some lions were, but Erle and Geni had been inseparable until that magical, horrible age when they were old enough to fend for themselves. The acceptably colored adolescent had almost thrown everything away to go with her sister, but it was Erle herself who had convinced her to stay.

That didn't mean she had to like it.  

[SilverLutz]

Soleil hummed softly to herself as she poked through the darker, damp parts of the caves. She was looking for a special mushroom that only grew in here that helped with some of her pain potions. They were rare, but important for those serious injuries. Most of the time when she gave them to the lion, it was for a mortal wound, and the mushroom simply helped them pass peacefully. Morbid, but useful, that was for certain.

She didn't find mushrooms when she walked into the next cave, though. She found a young lioness, moping off in the back. She paused for a moment, unsure if she should pry, but the look on her face made something tug at her heartstrings.

"Hello," she said gently, padding in a bit closer. "Funny place to spend the day, isn't it?"  

[mouselet]

The younger lioness barely registered the entrance of another into this section of cave. She certainly wasn't as aware as her teachers would want. But who cared? Whoever it was, they weren't Erle, and that was all that mattered.

Unfortunately, the world tended not to listen to adolescents and the older lioness spoke. Red eyes opened to glare at this unexpected, unasked for and unwelcome intrusion.

"Go away," she muttered, voice hoarse and cracked with long hours of tears. Geni wrapped her tail around her body, using it to shield her eyes from the sight of the adult wanted her to...ugh...be responsible.  

[SilverLutz]

The answer surprised Sol so much that she stopped dead in her tracks. Had it been another Firekin the young female might have gotten a stern or sharp word, but she was not the type to raise her voice. Something was obviously troubling the red lioness if the strain in her voice was anything to go by.

"No, I don't think that would be wise," she said softly, finally moving forward just a bit as the younger female curled in on herself. Sol paused before her and sat down, lowering her head just a bit. She could sense the small lioness was sad...but over what, she wasn't sure.

"I don't like seeing others upset," she murmured, finally laying down. "Must be my medic instincts...although I don't think you're injured physically. Would you like to talk?"  

[mouselet]

"No!" the answer came immediately, muffled by the tuft of fur on the end of Geni's tail. To emphasize her unwillingness, the adolescent shifted herself around until her head faced opposite the adult.

Why was someone even trying to talk to her anyway? It wasn't Erle, and therefore it was nobody she wanted to talk to. And they had no idea how she was feeling, either!

Well, Geni did have to admit, at least to herself, that she was far from the only Firekin to have a sibling forced to leave due to their huria appearance. In fact, Geni herself had two - Erle and Tifa. But it was Erle whose markings were identical to her own, who had been with her all the time, who was her best friend and closest sibling.

But now she was alone. Or she would be, if that stupid grownup would just go away!  

[SilverLutz]

The response made Sol pull back in surprise, her eyes widening just a bit. She knew adolescents could be moody - she had been just a bit herself, but she knew others that had been worse - so once the female settled down again, she let it roll off her shoulders. Something was obviously eating the girl up inside and Sol knew she didn't like to face her problems alone.

"Don't be like that," she said in a gentle voice, crossing her paws in front of her. "What's your name, dear? I'm Soleil. Are you sure you don't want an ear to talk to?"

She wondered if her own cubs would one day be this prickly. Not that she had any, of course...but her and her mate couldn't be blamed for not trying. The stress of running around the pride and taking care of the injuries the soldiers gathered might have had been the issue with her lack of fertility.  

[mouselet]

Ugh, the grownup was still there. Waiting. Thinking. Talking. Trying to get Geni to...to do something. Something she didn't want to do, obviously. Honestly, what was wrong with the lioness that she kept trying? Wasn't it clear that the adolescent wanted to be left alone in the darkness?

"Go away!" she repeated, something snapping inside. Geni bounded to her feet in a jerky, but swift, motion. Her red eyes blazed and her claws extended to scratch the stone floor.

"What is wrong with you, that you can't just leave me be!" she demanded, fur standing on end and fangs bared. They were teaching her how to fight, even if she wasn't destined to be a soldier. It seemed fitting that she should be willing to attack this total stranger and elder pridemember.  

[SilverLutz]

When the smaller female snapped, Sol drew her head back and stood, her ears forward and eyes intent on the adolescent. Her tail was held straight out behind her and she didn't move, startled out of her comforting state of mind. After a moment she narrowed her eyes and flicked her tail back and forth in irritation. She wasn't a soldier, but all Firekin knew how to fight to protect themselves, and while she didn't have the precise training as the majority of the pride, she did have her size and experience behind her.

"Now, that's enough of that," she said, her voice calm but serious. "Attacking one of the very few medics in this pride would not put you in anyone's good graces. Calm down, use your head. Why don't you want to talk? You're obviously upset, if you're ready to pounce on someone who's offering to help."

She didn't move from her place, keeping her body between the exit and the lioness. She wasn't about to let her get away with this threatening display.

mouselet

 

[mouselet]

Geni was through talking. She was also through with being nice and polite (or at least, not attacking) to the grownup. Who cared if the older lioness was a medic? That didn't mean she could help Geni! That didn't mean Geni wanted or needed whatever help she thought the adolescent should have!

A part of the younger female was pleased that she'd managed to prove the adult into taking a fighting stance. At least that meant the grownup wasn't being some stupid happy go lucky invasive idiot.

That was probably her last coherent thought before Geni launched herself, claws first, at the medic.  

[SilverLutz]

Soleil dug her claws into the dirt beneath her paws as she watched the young lioness before her. Something was obviously very wrong with her, otherwise she'd have backed down immediately. There were those of her age that were cocky, but she had never heard of an apprentice challenging an adult. Was that even allowed in the pride?

Her thoughts were cut short as the female suddenly jumped at her, claws out, ready to attack. Soleil was quick to move, ducking to the side and swiping with her paw, careful to retract her claws to merely knock the adolescent off balance. She was a medic, after all. She was supposed to help, not hurt.

"What are you doing?" she snarled out of surprise and irritation. It took a lot to get under her skin, but this girl was doing it very, very well. "I don't want to hurt you!" And she really didn't, but she wasn't about to let the girl hurt her, either. She could always heal her up if she needed to after the fact...surely there was an easier way than this, though. Fighting wasn't something she enjoyed.  

[mouselet]

There wasn't a lot of pain from the older lioness' blow. Or maybe Geni just wasn't feeling it. The adolescent was past rational thought, perhaps because she knew if she allowed it back in, it would bring back all her loneliness and sorrow. Geni simply couldn't bear it anymore.

The apprentice charged the adult once more, tears dripping from her eyes even as she snarled her frustration to the world.  

[SilverLutz]

The little blow did nothing to stop the young lioness. Soleil found herself under attack again, and she was glad it wasn't an adult. With this girl she could hold her ground, but a few months from now and she'd probably best her in a fight. Sol had to think quickly as the adolescent charged again, and she decided the only thing to do was hit harder.

She made sure her claws were retracted to avoid any cuts when she hit the young female again, this time catching her right on her temple. The blow not only sent the red body flying, but when she hit the ground, she was still. Soleil felt her heart jump into her throat and she was by her side in an instant, medic mode taking over.

"Strong heartbeat...if erratic," she murmured before leaning over her head. "...breathing evenly. Tears?" She sat back in surprise at that. She wouldn't be crying from the hit now, she had to have been crying before. Gods above...what was wrong with this poor girl? Sol bit her lip as she glanced out of the cave. She couldn't just leave her here...she needed her family.

With a bit of difficulty Sol managed to tug the girl onto her back, her packs helping her stay on. She made her wobbly way out of the cave, hoping that she could make it to the bulk of the pride to ask if anyone knew who she was or who her parents were.

FIN