|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 8:06 am
Kifo's narrowed, gold gaze drifted through the darkness of the cave to land upon the brown pelted lioness that lay just meters away. She had been mostly unresponsive at first; he didn't even know what her name was. She'd collapsed and he figured she'd been too weary and tired to even gather up the strength to talk to him.
This fit his needs just fine though. All he needed to do was get her food and drink; the food posed a bit of an inconvenience since he was expected to hunt it himself, which proved difficult at times, given the fact prey animals were harder to take down when one was alone, and not in a hunt group. The water was easier though, for the Usher caves were formed by labyrinths of tunnels, and he'd settled them both within a cave that had access to fresh water and light which shined through small window like holes at the ceiling.
He'd been assigned to take care of her, and figured that's exactly what he'd do. As soon as she woke up, or called for him anyhow (he wasn't even sure if she was asleep or merely resting, and quite honestly, he didn't really give a damn). A silent guardian, it must have felt like having a statue looking over you as you died, for he was a cold, uninviting presence for the lioness.
Still, he was the only thing she had.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:23 am
Through the course of her life she'd had plenty of time to reflect back on her behavior after a while. She became acutely aware of how she tended to behave towards others. After depending on the kindness of strangers for a while she finally came to realize that she couldn't keep blaming others for her misfortunes...
Her mother, her siblings, how were they? Where were they now? She wished she could give them at least a goodbye, but there was no way in her condition now.
I really overdid it this time...
She hadn't had much choice, it was hunt and risk this or starve to death, but maybe if she had planned better she wouldn't have exerted herself so hard the last few days. She'd stumbled into this pride's territory with the pain in her chest only slowly beginning to fade, and upon being met by the black and fiery one had been escorted to these caves. It only made sense, after all. She was dying, after all.
Nyemelewa directed her gaze towards the solemn figure that had been so kind as to take care of her, and offered a small, tired smile. Personally she wasn't entirely sure she understood the logic of giving valuable resources to the dying, but the kindliness of such an act was not lost upon her.
"I'm sorry to trouble you like this..."
The first words since coming, the first days were a blur, so weak from hunger and pain that everything was blurring sharply at the edges of her vision. Now though...
"Might I ask what your name is?" She inquired, shifting, turning to rest with her head facing him instead. She was curious about him, hoped that maybe she could make at least one friend before she passed away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:51 am
His eyes slid through the darkness to land on her form, just a small way away; they were cold and uninviting as the darkness of the cave, and even as he watched her, they narrowed down a notch, as if he were angry with her. In reality, he wasn't angry; merely confused as to why she was talking to him. Usually, those he guarded rarely talked to him, and thus he wasn't entirely sure what to do with her or how to answer her.
Was he even supposed to answer her? Couldn't he just nod to her?
Regardless of what he was thinking, all the girl saw was the large, dark figure laying beside her, watching her back in turn in the darkness. It might have intimidated some people, or perhaps upset them, but at the end of the day, he was a guard; a statue watching over the dying. As such, his social skills were... awkwardly lacking. After a moment, he merely nodded to her, "It is my job," when his voice finally came, it was deep and rumbling.
He'd been expecting her to quiet down after that, but was surprised to hear her talk once more, his brows furrowing deeply, and this time... the hint of confusion shined through his eyes, "Kifo," he said, though it sounded almost uncertain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:04 pm
He seemed almost inquisitive in answering. Hmm.... why was that? "Kifo... I'm Nyemelewa. It's nice meeting you, though I suppose the situation isn't entirely ideal."
She chuckled a little, but didn't seem to mind the strangeness of it at all, and if there was awkwardness or tension she wasn't even aware, or paid it no mind either. If lions that were usually dying were normally called only a "shadow" of their former selves, then what was she? A total one-eighty had taken place in her over time, until she felt so regretful over taking life for granted and brooding all the time that her revelation came one day in a fit of tears over a scavenged meal. Here she was now, months later, much happier, though not without some sorrow. She had squandered her life away already, and now there was nothing to be done for it but to wait until the day that death came, but she'd squeeze every drop of enjoyment out of it that she could before then. Maybe she could still die happy, with no thoughts of how much she had "missed out on" dying before even reaching her prime, and instead focus on how much she "had to be grateful for".
"I didn't think I'd manage to make it back to the sea. I used to hate the way the waves sounded when they crashed up on the shore at night, but it's actually pretty soothing, not as nerve wracking as I remember it to be. Is that strange? What about you, Kifo...? You seem like the kind of lion that maybe likes the quieter things?" Like un-talkative dying "guests", but someho she didn't seem to catch this at all despite her own observation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
