[PRP] Survive (Hesper x Strychnos)

[Neon Fly]

Trouble. That was all females brought.
It always started with a simple act of kindness that seemed, at the time, harmless enough.

Strychnos had noticed the signs before his companion did. Saw the lag in her gait, Caught the droop in her carriage. He'd realized she was going to faint well before she actually collapsed and wondered if she herself had been aware of it. Foolish little thing. His instinct had been to catch her. That would have been the heroic thing to do, but a fear of bodily contact turned him coward. Made him stand aside and watch as the starry lioness dropped to the dry flatland, raising a cloud of dust in her wake. The worst part of it was knowing he was being unreasonable and still being unable to change his behavior. She needed help--and he was helping--but his guilty conscience nagged that he could have done more. Should have done more.

It made his shoulders knot with tension as he sat grim as the reaper beside her body, keeping watch for predators who might attempt to take advantage of her vulnerability. All the while feeling the crawling sensation of a scene far too familiar for comfort. Mentally, he had to repeatedly convince himself that he had not caused this event, but it was difficult not to feel as if he were some how responsible. Trying to decide what he should do next helped relieve some of the anxiety, but not enough.

-----

The lioness had not known what was to come of her, unlike her companion. Rather, she was fighting her body with every fiber of her and trying so hard not to fail herself and cause more stress for her companion. Something was wrong, but she had no idea what.

It was nearly dark by the time she stirred, her breath shallow and a bit of foam hanging of the side of her mouth. She needed to vomit and without even thinking further of it, a rush of warmth and liquid left her mouth and all but poured forth into the dust ground. She had only ever done that once before, so the feeling of dispairity was great.

“Uh…. Ugh.” Weakly whimper, Hesper’s clear blue eyes looked up. There he was, standing near her, a protector in the harsh desert.  

[Neon Fly]

However disaffected Strychnos attempted to look, the toxic lion monitored Hesper closely with scrutinizing eyes. It was impossible for him not to strain his ears to listen for each breath and carefully watch her frame for muscle spasms and seizures. Though she had been still for several hours and his muscles were stiff and cramped from the strain of his own alertness, she hadn't produced any more concerning symptoms that might have spurred more immediate action. Stryc had wondered for a while if her breathing might stop entirely, helpless as he was to he accosted by such unpleasant thoughts, they plagued him. Made every massing minute more agonizing by the growing fear that he would meet death again as it claimed another victim.

He was completely unaware of the cutting inhale he drew when she finally woke or even how long he'd been holding his breath waiting for some sign of life to animate the female. Strychnos also seemed oblivious to his own frown as the contents of her stomach were spilled onto the ground. Memories of being sick as a cub made him empathize with her. He had often lost the meals his mother had brought him, unaware in his naivete that they were tainted by her paws. Still, he suspected whatever she lost from her system would give her a better chance of survival. If the body rejected it, then it was never meant to be consumed in the first place and expelling it meant it could do no further harm.

For the moment the dark lion remained silent, mostly out of uncertainty of what to say, though he had already decided that they needed to find the river. Hesper needed to cleanse and soothe her ailing stomach.

-----

Body still twitching from the harshness of her body expelling its contents, Hesper just stared at Strych, almost in a daze as he watched her silently. Had she been feeling a touch better she might have been ashamed for her inability to keep the contents of her stomach down, but she couldn’t care less. Heck, she couldn’t really think to be completely honest.

Slowly her eyes fluttered, her body was still warm from the sun of the day and her body weak from exhaustion and fainting. How in the world would she manage to get to the grasslands in such shitty condition?

Opening her mouth, then closing in, then opening it again, she let her dry mouth suck in whatever air it could. Greedily, she felt her lungs pull in more air than they had in a long while. However, her head was heavy and before she knew it, she was moving away from her vomit, but laying down. Unable to really motivate herself to continue.

“Just… So… tired.”  

[Neon Fly]

Stand up. His words were clear cut and hard. He wanted Hesper to hear them and understand. How ever weak, he felt satisfied that she could comply with his demands if he gave her no other choice. She had managed to worm away from her own bile and that was proof enough that her body was able. It was her spirit that worried him. The wan sound of her voice. Her pitiful words slowly drowning in what seemed like a desire to surrender, but Strychnos wouldn't let her. He wouldn't watch her give up before his eyes. Even if she hated him forever, he would see her survive.

Impatient with waiting and fearing that giving her more time would only cement her desire to refuse him, the dark male spoke again, voice still as harsh as the first time. You will stand. Now!


-----

Celestite colored eyes glared up at Strychnos, had she the strength she would have went after him, but she didn’t. Instead she just growled and looked away. Maybe it was best to die. He couldn’t get to her then.

“Maybe this is for the best, Stry.” She felt water sting her eyes as the possibility of death became more personal. “He can’t kill me if I am already dead.”  

[Neon Fly]

Why wouldn't she move? Why wouldn't she at least try? Strychnos knew she was stronger than this. His own body, having raised onto all fours, paced relentlessly up and down the length of her prone frame from forepaws to tail tip and back again though whether he was aware of his anxious repetitive motion was beyond anyone's guess. No. No. No! No!! Damn you Hesper!

Pinning his ears Strychnos felt the tightness in his chest, the suffocating discomfort that threatened to strangle him. How could anyone ever survive feeling so powerless? The Poison King was certain the agony of it would kill him this time. I won't do this again! STAND UP!

----

Looking up at the pacing lion she gave him a soft, powerless look. “There is nothing left. How can I keep living like this? Running away from him, running from the past.” Breathing a couple shaky breaths she started mulled over her possibilities. Obviously this was hurting him as well, furrowing her brows, Hesper decided to pull her will together. Perhaps she had to die alone, doing it here with this lion watching wasn’t the correct action to take.

“Stry, let me lean on you.” Hesper knew she could get up, but staying up? Probably not going to happen. No, she needed him. At least for a little longer. She could die afterword. When he was long gone. “Maybe you can help me find a new path and future.”

Her mind wandered back to the little babes she slaughtered in her rage. It wasn’t fair to them at all. Her living this hell was her burden to bear and her way to repent. She had to. Even if they were born from evil, they themselves were not. Not yet anyway.

“They didn’t deserve death.” She spoke softly, not to Stry, but to herself. It was her way of reaffirming the truth.  

[Neon Fly]

Pausing in mid stride, one paw raised, his entire body quivered with stillness as he waited for the star-studded lioness to find her footing. How long had it been since he'd had physical contact with anyone? The thought of causing anyone else harm after the accidental death of his first love had been an ever present shadow. With the weight of it looming over him he had created a barrier between himself and others. An unspoken pact to live in solitude and until today Strychnos had lived to his oath.

As soon as Hesper had managed to straighten her legs, his powerful body ducked low beneath her belly and between her forepaws, lifting her in an ungainly, but effective fashion along the length of his back. It was strange to feel the fur of another slick against his own, though for the moment Strychnos focused only on carrying his precious cargo the rest of the way to the river. Running was out of the question, but if she sunk her claws into his shoulders to steady herself, he could manage a jog without worry of her sliding off.

Hesper's sorrowful epilogue was acknowledged as little more than ramblings inspired by her unpleasant condition. Strychnos wasn't about to put much stock in it as his mouth set into a hard line of determination, Hold on tight. We're going to the river.

-----

Feeling the warmth of his body beneath her, Hesper couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. This was what it was like to once again have someone supporting her. An ally, a friend…

“Thank you…” It was barely a whisper as she wrapped herself tightly against the larger lion, feeling the vibration of his paws beating the earth as they propelled forward. This was the beginning of something, although she wasn’t exactly sure what at the moment.

Continuing to hold as tightly as possible, her eyelids slowly grew heavier. Within minutes she was asleep, dreaming of a riving taking away her pain and fear.

[ End ]