Nessi
Tabt was lounging under a tree. Though in all honesty that was about all the seafoam green lioness did these days. After Lorne had found her after the attack he had brought her deeper into the forrest where they actually managed to find the rest of the pride, her mother and siblings included.
Tabt was happy that she had reconnected with her family, though she was a little upset to be in the forrest again. Tabt had had nightmares about the forrest ever since she was found in them small and dirty as a cub. Tabt never knew how she ended up alone in the forrest but she had always been thankful to the bright blue lioness that found her and adopted her.
Moose
A young white lion picked his way around the trees with all the speed of an aging tortoise. He was shaky and unsure on his paws, cursing every so often when his shin would connect with a raised root. Kafele's eyes were covered with a thick bandage, with some of the healing poultice slipping around it's edges to mix with the smaller wounds on his face.
He had always been the jet setter. Kafele was a boundless source of energy, and loved being the center of attention. The young lion had no problem in the past being independent, and now that he was practically an invalid the near constant dotage was beginning to wear on him. So when he had his first chance to get some air...he did. Kafele wasn't sure if he could branch out very far on his own, but so far it had worked out.
Nessi
Tabt lifted her head at the noise of someone coming towards her. She had settled herself away from everyone today but not too far because frankly she didn't like being alone in the forest. When she saw her bother coming her way she considered getting up and going to him but decided that she probably wouldn't be all that helpful.
"Kafele." she purred lightly at him, "A little to your right." she said kindly watching as her brother was heading directly for a high root. "Come lay with me I promise not to bother you too much." she told him. She knew that their mother had been fawning over all of them despite her own injuries. It was a lot to handle.
Moose
Frowning, the young male turned toward the voice. For the smallest of moments he thought about walking in another direction to get the alone time he wanted, but he didn't really want to be that alone. These were dark times; even darker when your sight had been robbed from you.
Kafele padded carefully towards his sister. "How are you..." He held his paw out hesitantly before him, waving it a little before reaching out to touch her. It seemed to surprise him because he jerked back a bit before settling near her. "...healing? Mother says you were cut?" It bothered him that he couldn't see the wounds for himself. If he could then maybe he could help, or at least he could go fight again.
Nessi
Tabt managed to keep her snickers down when her brother jumped back at touching her. She knew he didn't want sympathy but she was pretty sure that he didn't want to be laughed at either. She placed her head back down on her paws once he had settled.
"Yes I have gouges down my side. They are fairly long and unfortunately deep. Mom's been taking care of them. Though I really wish that she would take it easy the gashes she has in her back are pretty much just as bad as the ones in my side. Your dad faired a bit better though. From what I heard he was knocked out by the intruder in your den, but since then has been pretty good."
"Must suck for you in the forest, I mean there is a lot of trees and you don't know it. Getting use to it at all yet?" she asked. "If you ask me its a terrible place." she said in a whine.
Moose
"...They sound painful." He wouldn't say he was sorry, because it would only prompt her to say the same to him. It had happened before. Kafele tried to imagine it in his mind, but it only served to make his head ache more than it already was. "It's hard for her to sit by when her cubs are hurt. Or that's what the healers told me when I said I was going to talk to her."
Kafele resisted the urge to scratch at the corner of his eye. Something was already beginning to heal, and even with the pain it itched like crazy. His dad...My family's alive, and mostly whole, so shouldn't I be happy for that? He was scared, but who wasn't? Kafele just couldn't get over the ache in his chest.
Bristling at Tabt's question, Kafele snapped, "No, I haven't gotten used to it yet." His nerves were fried, and he was letting off steam the only way he knew how. "We haven't been here long enough to get used to it, and I sure as hell hope we don't stay. This place is hell...I want to go home."
Nessi
"This place is hell." she agreed with out skipping a beat. "Do you know since I have been back here my nightmares had come back." she said with a sigh.
"I never imagined that I would come back into this damn forest. From the dad mom saved me I never ever came back here. I hate it hear." There were tears collecting in her eyes now. It was too much for her. Tabt was usually a happy girl, even growing related to the royal family with nothing but nobles as family and yet not a speck of purple on her, she never let it bother her. Plus before all this happened she had met Lorne... she had fallen in love.
"THank god for Lorne. I don't know what I would do without him. Have you met Lorne yet?" she asked.
Moose
Why did this have to happen to them? Did those jerks have no one better to pester? His sister's nightmares may have returned, but at least they were familiar to her. Day or night, sleep or awake the only vision that Kafele could pull up in his mind's eye was of that purple b***h's claws.
Kafele tapped along the ground for a moment before finally finding Tabt. "We're not going to be here forever. Somehow they'll get us out of here." If he couldn't be part of the solution then he could at least support them. He had to be strong; Kafele didn't have time to be weak. His family needed him.
"Yeah, I know him, he's a Player too....what do you mean you don't know what you'd do without him?" Kafele was more than a little suspicious and extra critical. He'd seen Lorne more than a few times in passing; sometimes on the stage even but had never really sat down with the guy. Just what was he doing around Tabt, anyway?
Nessi
Tabt felt the flush come up into her face and for just a moment she was actually happy her brother couldn't see her. Tabt knew that their Mom had talked to Lorne and met him she had assumed that she may have told the rest of the family too.
"Well Lorne was the one that saved me after the attacks, he came looking for me. And well before that... we had sort of started seeing each other." she admitted bashfully. She wasn't sure what her brother would think of this.
Moose
"Yeah, uh huh, so you-" Kafele scrunched his brows and would have narrowed his gaze if he could. His ears flicked back into his mane while his pose took on an almost stern approach. Even as exhausted, frightened and injured as he was he could still puff up.
"How long have you been seeing each other? Is it exclusive?" His tail flicked behind him. "I don't like the idea of you seeing a Player because they're...well, they're players, but in the other sense of the word." Ignoring the fact that he too was an actor, Kafele ruminated on the situation. If Lorne was as nice to her as he seemed then it might be alright.
Nessi
Tabt found herself laughing a little in unease. "I suppose its been a little while, it started before the announcement of the new king. He is a good male Kafele, you don't have to worry. He is more of a singer songwriter than a player. He is all about romance." she said giggling like a little girl.
Tabt moved to stand up. "I have to head back and get my bandages changed. Are you going to stay here for awhile? Its a good quiet place, not many come out here." she said assuming her brother was out her for some peace and quiet.
Moose
Kafele let out a huff, and left it at that. A singer who was all about romance? And she said he shouldn't worry, bah! Any brother would under these circumstances.
However, if this Lorne could bring joy to her voice in these dark times then he would let it be; for now. When he regained his energy and fervor then he would check this male out for himself. "Yeah, I'm probably going to take a nap out here. If I don't come back after a while send someone to get me." There was no point in lying and saying he would come back on his own; how could he have memorized the way?
Nessi
She smied warmly glad that her brother hadn't decided to pursue the crusade of Lorne at least for now. "Okay if you aren't back by the time I am done getting my self all cleaned up I'll come back out here and collect you myself." she told him.
She bent painfully and kissed the top of his head. It was sisterly love, not sympathy, though she wasn't sure he would see it that way.
"See you soon." she told him as she walked away.