Exhaustion made her body feel like it weighed as much as an elephant. Just lifting her head was almost more effort than she could manage. Hunger had long since ceased to be a nuisance, instead the constant pain in her belly had become normal to her. A dull ache to match the one in her chest. Something nudged at her, had been for a while, she realised slowly. Struggling she opened her eyes, blinking to try and focus them on the golden blob hovering in front of her.
Ilanga…?
Gradually, and in scattered bits and pieces, she remembered what had happened over the past couple of days. Ilanga had found her wandering, dazed and lost. The vulture… there had been a bird, hadn’t there..? Yes.. Idla.. that was it. Idla had taken off to scout for them and Ilanga had forced her to walk, there where they were going she had no idea. Weakened from lack of food and water, Dania had made it only a couple of miles before she had collapsed again. She remembered nothing of what happened after… Until the nudging had finally drawn her out of her troubled sleep.
“Eat. No arguing.” The Cinga demanded, her tone firm and expression determined. With a paw the golden lioness pushed a hunk of fresh, steaming meat almost into her face, making Dania blink in dazed confusion. Finally, with the still-warm blood trickling through the fur of her muzzle she weakly craned her head forward, opened her jaw and caught the waiting flesh between her fangs. The scent of hot, rich blood and succulent flesh made her stomach contract against her spine painfully and she nearly heaved, though there was noting within her to expel.
“Eat!” The Cinga snarled, fangs bared and so very near Dania’s face the smaller lioness reacted only in fright, closing her jaws on the flesh and practically swallowing it whole. For a long moment she feared it was stuck in her throat, dry and swollen from her emaciated condition. But the hot blood soothed her raw insides as it trickled down her throat, and so the meat slowly followed. All of a sudden the dull pain in her body roared to violent, famished life, as if punishing her for refusing to eat for so long.
Mindlessly she lunged her head forwards and closed her fangs on the first thing she found. Luckily Ilanga had stepped out of the way a moment earlier, apparently knowing what would happen for she simply stood looking down at the small huntress with an amused yet relieved grin. Still laying flat on her side Dania tore at the part of the carcass within reach, low growls trickling from around the torn flesh as she ate, swallowing lumps of bloody meat and hide almost whole. Stretching both front paws she snagged the carcass with her claws and pulled it closer, ripping savagely at it as she struggled to feed. Gradually the meal gave her a little strength and she heaved herself upright onto her belly, though she was still sprawled ungracefully. The position at least allowed her to tear bigger lumps of meat free. Blood coated her muzzle and cheeks and splashes of it stained her sandy-hued chest and shoulders. Her paws were slick with it as she trapped the carcass under both paws, ripping strips of flesh free with sharp, almost desperate tugs.
Gradually the violence of her feeding lessened as her starved belly began to bulge, her too-thin body satiated for the first time in weeks. As if coming back to her senses she lifted her head from deep within the belly of the beast before her, glancing up at Ilanga timidly. After all it was her kill. But the Cinga merely grinned at her and waved a paw lazily, motioning for her to continue. Self conscious now she gathered her body into a more suitable pose, tucking her tail about her quarters neatly. Dropping her head back she settled to feed in a more reasonable manner. No longer ripping at the meal like a crazed thing, but gnawing off bite-sized pieces, careful not to splatter the blood any more than she had done so.
Eventually, stomach now painful from too much food rather than not enough, she gingerly shifted herself away from what remained of the buck. After cleaning her paws, chest and muzzle as best as she could she rolled over onto her side with a pained, but relived groan. Too embarrassed to open her eyes again she winced, tail pressed low. “Thank you…” She murmured, voice still thin and whispery but no longer so weak.
“You are welcome.” Ilanga replied, casting an amused glance at what remained of her kill. Though she was glad Dania had eaten at last. From the state of the smaller female she hadn’t eaten recently, not with her ribs so sharp and so generally weak. Moving over to one side where the splatter was less, Ilanga settled down to eat. Though she wasn’t strictly hungry it was a shame to waste what was left. A heavy thud behind her a moment later made her smile and she swallowed her mouthful as she looked over her shoulder at her companion.
The vulture examined the chewed up carcass with hungry eyes. Glancing up at her bonded as Ilanga laughed low and easy. Idla huffed, ruffling her feathers. “So? I’m hungry… and make less mess than that one..” She pointed with a wing tip at the now sleeping Dania. Hopping forwards she unceremoniously stuck her head deep into the mangled body, making happy clicky sounds as she proceeded to fillet the buck, going for the slimy parts first and making Ilanga grimace. But the lioness was well used to her feathery friend’s dinning habits and simply ignored the vulture’s verbal accompaniment as she herself ate, rather more slowly than either Idla or Dania.
Eventually the carcass was stripped clean, the bones crunched open and every scrap of meat scavenged from the blood-soaked grass. Standing Ilanga moved away from the remains, settling down on the other side of the still-sleeping Dania. Looking over her unexpected charge Ilanga chuckled.
“Food coma…” Idla chirped, apparently pleased with herself as she preened her feathers back into their former clean and smooth state. A vulture’s feeding habits not conductive to keeping ones appearance as neat as she liked.
Huffing her agreement Ilanga settled, stretching out comfortably and only grunting with a protest she no longer meant when Idla landed on her. “Oww… heavy bird..” Grumbling, already half asleep, she shifted so the vulture slid off her tender stomach and onto the ground, where she settled with only a brief complaint.
Soon enough all three were asleep, though the Cinga’s ear twitched constantly, her lighter doze easily disturbed should trouble come looking.
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