[PRP] A Place to Rest (Nurrin x Vigo)

[nessiaing]

Nurrin had been travelling for days, for weeks, she was pretty sure she was getting close to her home but now she needed to rest. She took a seat beneath some trees so that her feet no longer had to bear her wait.

She pulled them up to take a look at them. There was no damage to the pads of her feet but they sure were swollen. She had waited too long before taking a break. Next time she wouldn't wait so long her poor feet can take it.

The white and green lioness took a look around her surrounding area. She wasn't sure where she was or if there was anyone in this area calling it home, she hoped it was a safe place to rest.

Talencia

 

[Talencia]

Vigo had been out traveling again. He hated to leave his little ones, but they were getting plenty independent enough to do well without him. He ached to think of them losing their mother, but none of them had gotten the chance to know her, really, and so felt the loss less keenly than he. He still mourned for her, despite the fact that they had not been mates. During his penance, he was learning to value others by who they were and what kind of impact they had upon the world. Cor perhaps had not had quite a massive impact on the world, but her influence had certainly been a unique one. He took a deep breath and turned his thoughts and heart from memories of a dark pelt beneath a swath of wispy gold fabric.

It was this purposeful refocusing that allowed him to notice that the group of trees he was subconsciously aiming for was occupied. He prepared himself to be made unwelcome or even outright chased off, but put on his warmest smile anyway. "Greetings to you! May a traveler share your shelter?" he called in his friendliest voice. His pouch of pretties was nearly hidden in the thick mane around his neck, but he was aware of its weight, and how it could smooth the way for him, or woo a lady to his purpose. In a moment, he would know his standing, and who it was that awaited him in the shadows beneath the trees.

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[nessiaing]

Nurrin glanced up from her swollen paws in time to see the male with the golden markings coming her way. She dropped her paws to the ground careful to not let the pads touch the ground. She didn't want any of her weight to be on feet, not for a little while. She figured if she kept all weight off of the paws the swelling would go down.

"Hello" she greeted him in response. She shuffled over to make room for him under her tree.

"Of course you can join be I would like the company." Nurrin had met the few odd souls along her way but no one had been travelling with her so she looked forward to these random encounters.

"My name is Nurrin." she told the male turning to look at him.

Talencia

 

[Talencia]

Needless to say, Vigo was pleased to discover a lovely lady by herself under the tree. He felt the flare of his old self and sternly squashed it. This was not a female to be wooed and taken advantage of. He had resolved to leave that part of himself behind, and was ashamed to see it flare to life again so suddenly. Consequently, he was an utter gentleman to the lioness when he reached her.

He gave a grave bow. "Thank you for your welcome, madam," he replied, settling himself into the space in the shade she made for him. While his mind turned his personal issues over and over, examining himself and prodding his weaknesses, he bobbed his head at her greeting. "A blessing to meet you, Nurrin. I'm Vigo." He stopped there, trying to mask a frown turned inwards. It truly bothered him that he'd slipped, even in his thoughts, into his old ways. So how to go about stepping forward in the right manner now? His mission was no less present. Could he trust himself to approach this female if his thoughts had already betrayed him?

He noticed then that she was favoring her paws gingerly, and he forgot his own problems. His ears pricked forward, and his whiskers swept forward in concern. "Are you in pain, miss?" he inquired with genuine sympathy.  

[nessiaing]

The white and green offered the male a kind smile, "Its a pleasure to meet you Vigo. It has been awhile since I have had some company it is nice to see another soul."

She shuffled her weight slightly so that she could get a better look at the male. He seemed nice enough, and had a striking colouring. "I'm afraid that my feet are a little sore, I have been travelling a great deal in the search for my home."

He feet weren't throbbing quite as much now but she still knew that she would have to stay in the area for the night.

"Are you from around here?" she asked kindly Perhaps he would know somewhere she could bunk down for the night.

Talencia

 

[Talencia]

He leaned forward, nose quivering, to examine her paws. They did indeed look rather painful and irritated. He'd suffered such himself before when he pressed too hard to travel. "You are searching for your home?" he paused to inquire, looking a little baffled. "You are lost, then?" Some individuals didn't have any sense of direction, and thus could get lost from a place they knew. But somehow, it sounded more as if she was searching for a place she hadn't been yet. "Where is your home?" was his next question, quite logically. Perhaps he could help her find her way.

He shook his head at her question to him though. "No, I'm afraid not. I am wandering, truthfully." He paused, mulling how much to share. Sometimes it wasn't wise to reveal his true purpose immediately. It frightened some females, that he was out looking for a fling. This time though... well, he gave her a sheepish look, ears folded a little and head ducked. "I do belong to a pride, but we have... a unique situation." He twitched his whiskers thoughtfully. "Our pride was blessed, or cursed, by the goddess of Pestilence. Because of that, many of our cubs, as well as anyone of lion heritage, are taken from us by disease." His eyes were distant and sad, and he gave a soft sigh.

"So I am out here in the hopes of...," he flicked her a worried glance before continuing, "finding females willing to bear cubs for me to take back home." There, it was said. He held his tongue in his teeth for a few moments, eyes averted. At least now he knew his mind was in the right place again, rather than on his old habits. To break the awkward moment, he gestured to her paws. "We have a lot of herblore in the pride, as you can imagine, so I might be able to find some plant that could help your paws, though." He glanced around, orienting to the nearest water source. "If you don't mind walking a little?"

nessiaing

 

[nessiaing]

"I am not sure I know where my home is, I was taken from it as a cub and its only recently that I remembered even bits and pieces of it. SO I am on the search for it, I have been walking all over the place in search of the place I use to call home." It came out sounding rather pathetic but really Nurrin didn't mean for it to, she wasn't sad about it, it was just how life was.

Nurrin wrinkled her nose a little when she heard the description of his home. Her story certainly wasn't sad but his pride did sound a little sad, she couldn't imagine living in a home where others were constantly getting ill. "Do you have the sickness?' she asked him. She wanted to know more, but at the same time wasn't sure that she did.

Nurrin did find his desire to have cubs appealing though, not many males would want to have cubs of his own to take back to his pride and raise them all on his lonesome. "Have you had cubs before?" she asked him, she may be able to help him with his quest but she wanted to make sure the cubs would be well cared for.

"You really could help my feet?" she asked perking up, "I could walk a little as long as it isn't too too far."

Talencia

 

[Talencia]

Vigo tipped his head to the side, listening to her brief story. How amazing to have been searching for one's home for so long! Or rather, been apart from it for that length of time. "Have you been looking very long for your birthpride?" he asked with interest. "And how will you know it when you find it? I've been many places.. perhaps I could be of some help?" Whether she helped him or not, he would be quite happy to assist her in her search, insofar as he was able.

In response to her quite valid question, he shook his head. He really ought to have specified that right away. He knew better than that! Now he needed to reassure her. "No, I was proven to be immune. I never got sick, not even a little. Anyone who can give the disease to another gets at least a little sick. Needless to say, those are not allowed to leave except under strict supervision. We have no desire to spread the blessing of Pestilence, I can assure you." His tone was fervent and sincere. Anyone who had witnessed life in Kitwana'antara could imagine the horrors that would ensue if the plague reached beyond the pride's borders. It was a terrifying thought.

At her second question, he nodded soberly once more. "Yes, I have a half-grown litter of cubs at home right now. A very dear and aging friend looks after them for me when I am gone. She.. is like a grandmother to them," he explained with a half smile. "It gives me peace of mind to know they are cared for lovingly when I am away."

At her eager response to her offer, he rose to his paws. "With just a little walking, we can get to that small spring I can smell, and somewhere along the way we should be able to find that plant." He nosed her solicitously. "If you are certain you can walk, that is. Don't hurt yourself! We can take it nice and slow." There was no real hurry, after all. The water would be there in an hour or in three. The plants would grow whether they walked by or not. Her paws, however, needed to be treated gingerly. "We should be able to rest once we reach the spring. No one would bother us there." At least, not with him around. There were definitely perks to being male and a lion. Little in the savannah messed with you!

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[nessiaing]

"I haven't been looking long, its only recently that I have began to remember things about it, dreams of mountains. I am hoping that when I get there that there will still be some of my family there still. I had a sister, she was my litter mate we were very close I would know her anywhere." she said with a nod, she wasn't sure why she thought it but she just knew that she would know it when she made it home.

"Okay lead the way to this magical spring of yours." she said with a smile. She winced a little when she got to her feat, it had been worse than this before though, she knew that she would be able to make it to the springs no problem. She kept a smile on her face, even with the pain in her feat she was happy to have the company, and if he was even going to make her feet feel better than that was an added bonus.

"You know I could help you with the cubs situation.... I am a female after all." she said as they walked towards the area he had indicated. "You would have to promise to take very very good care of them though." Nurrin was a little nervous about her offer. She had never had a litter of cubs before but she didn't think it could be too hard.

Talencia

 

[Talencia]

He had been snatching at plants as they passed and putting them into the pouch hidden under his mane as they walked. The closer they got to the spring, the more he saw of what he wanted. It was to be expected, as they liked to grow near water. He made satisfied noises as he pulled a last pawful of leaves from a plant just as the spring came into sight, mostly distinguishable by the riot of green growth around it.

With his mind on the herbs, the spring, and tending to her paws, he was caught completely by surprise at her unexpected subject sift. He was so startled he walked right through a bush instead of around it, emerging with twigs and leaves in his fur and looking rather abashed. He did his best to brush off the debris, using it as a cover for regaining his composure.

"That's very generous of you," he began slowly, feeling his way through it. He wasn't much used to having a lioness offer so openly to bear him cubs. "I would make certain they were well be not just cared for but loved dearly." He paused at the water's edge and looked earnestly into her eyes. "It would help my pride, it would bring myself and others much joy, and they would be treasured beyond any price." After a pause to ensure she could read his sincerity, he turned back to the water. "If you want to dabble your paws in the water, I'll make up something to put on your paws." He patted the pouch that now sprouted leaves and stems. He was no apothecary, but hopefully he could manage this.

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[nessiaing]

Nurrin couldn't help but giggle when the male came out of of the bushes covered in leaves and twigs. She supposed that her rather bold way of announcing that she would mother cubs for him could through him off. Nurrin wasn't the best in social situations she had never learned the right way to interact with others when she was younger.

She listened as the male spoke about how treasured the cubs would be in the pride, she pictured her young growing up surrounded by love, even if she wasn't the one loving them. She tried to push the thoughts out of her head about the disease that was in the pride, perhaps her young would be lucky.

Reaching the waters edge she dipped her paws into the water happy to feel the cool southing tough of the water. "So ummm I guess we should find somewhere to spend the night?" she asked him, the awkwardness of the situation now coming out. Really Nurrin should get more comfortable with the male they were about to spend a great deal of time together.

Talencia

 

[Talencia]

He was chewing the plants together when she awkwardly brought up their arrangements. He hadn't a chance to expound on that yet, and regretted beginning the paste for her paws before doing so. Gamely he kept chewing the leaves together into a paste. He snatched a broad leaf from a large plant growing beside the pool. He spat the mixture onto the broad leaf and used a small, cupped leaf to gingerly dribble water in small amounts onto the mixture. After he was done, he slurped a mouthful of water, swished it around, and spat it out onto the dirt.

"This stuff isn't good for us to eat," he explained apologetically, "but it's good for our injuries on the outside." He tugged the broad leaf over to her and took one of her paws gently in his own, using a couple toes to gingerly spread the paste onto the pads of that paw. His touch was steady but caring. "Concerning this agreement we are coming to," he began quietly as he tended to each of her paws in turn, "I have some suggestions." This at least was easier for him than the initial request.

"If you are alright with it," he glanced up at her with a smile before returning his gaze to her paws, "we can simply continue your journey together. I'll help you search for the pride in the mountains that you are seeking. When hunting becomes too strenuous for you, I'll do the hunting for us both, and also while the cubs are too tiny to leave you." He finished applying the paste to her pads and turned to wipe his toes off carefully on the grass before rinsing that paw off in the water. "It's possible you'll find your family before the cubs are ready to leave." He took a breath and turned back to catch her eyes. "If that happens, and you decide you want to keep all the cubs, I would understand." They were her cubs, after all, and her word came first once they were born. "Regardless of what happens, it'll always be your choice about where the cubs go. Always." His expression was serious and sober. Should she opt to keep all the cubs, he would respect her wishes. Though it would sadden him, he would not regret the trip, not ever.

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[nessiaing]

Nurrin listened to him thoughtfully. His plan was solid and very thoughtful. "I like the idea of having a travel companion, it would make the looking so much easier." there were days when Nurrin became depressed with her inability to find her home, to have a friend along the way would make it easier, if nothing else she would have someone to talk to while she walked instead of chatting away to herself.

When he suggested that she may choose to keep the cubs Nurrin swallowed hard. Despite her age Nurrin was no where near ready to be an actual mother. She was happy go birth a litter, she felt confident her body would handle it just fine. "Thank you for that consideration, it is nice to know I will continue to have a say but I can not seem wanting to keep any with me. I don't know what condition my home will be in or who will be there. It sounds like with you they will be well cared for and supported." she said with a kind smile.

"Tomorrow we should head out but tonight we will have to rest. My paws are feeling much better, but it would be good to give them a little longer I think." she said to him wiggling her toes a little, surprised by how much better they were already feeling.

Talencia

 

[Talencia]

Vigo nodded slowly, somewhat saddened, contradictarily, to hear that she couldn't imagine keeping any cubs with her. However, he was not one to judge her life circumstances. She was doing him a favor by bearing him cubs, and he could hardly point accusations in the face of that! Still, he resolved to offer it to her again once the cubs were born. It was possible she'd change her mind in the end. Perhaps one cub in particular would touch her heart, make her realize she couldn't imagine life without that little life beside her. Who knew? For now, he let the topic drop.

He nodded once more, this time in agreement about staying the night. "This should be quite safe for the night. The worst we might expect is a herd of elephant, but I think we'd hear them coming soon enough to get out of the way." He cast her a crooked smile, eyes twinkling. Who wouldn't hear an entire herd of elephants coming? Those could be a loud bunch! "For now, rest. I'll go hunt for some dinner, and we'll worry about tomorrow when it comes." With that he gave her a light nosing, not quite a nuzzle but still something affectionate and familiar. Though this might not be love, Vigo had no issues with being affectionate with any lioness willing to birth cubs for him. They would be very good friends indeed, hopefully, by the time he left her side, cubs in tow. With these thoughts, he turned to lope off into the darkening evening, intent on the coming hunt and the coming months both.

nessiaing