[PRP] Sisters (Itikio x Jana)

[Kimaria]

Itikio was a small cub. Thin, too, with large, hungry looking eyes that blazed with a feverish heat in her head. It hadn't taken her long to get sick, showing the signs of the plague that had taken - and would continue to take - so many of their pride. Currently, though, it seemed to be progressing slowly in her, giving her the fighting chance to make it through to adulthood, or at the very least, to adolescence. But, for such a sad start in life, she seemed to be making the most of things.

For the last half hour she had been tracking the progress of a beetle across the earth and in amongst the vines that grew close to the den. And only now, when it had entered into more tricky terrain for one of her size, did she have to stop and admit defeat and catch her breath.

Her coughing would certainly alert anyone close by to her whereabouts and it would only take a few swift strides from the entrance of her home to come across where she was.  

[mouselet]

Jani had already been on her way to Moto'nafsi's den to visit her younger siblings when she heard the distinctive coughing, as only a cub with the disease could cough. The green lioness' heart twisted inside her at the thought - her own sister had sounded that way, as did her nephew. And their mother, peace be upon her memory, had been the only one of her litter to survive to adulthood.

It seemed plague was the family's only destiny, sometimes. Which was why Jani refused to let the heartbreak show. She pushed it aside with a force of will, determinedly cheerful as she came up to the den.

"Good morning, little sister!" she called out to the cub sitting just outside the home in question.  

[Kimaria]

Her head whipped around; expression brightening. She knew that voice anywhere. "Jani! Jani!"

And, with a restrained pace (though it was clear she would have very much loved to have broken into a full sprint) she moved towards the pale green female and stopped only when she bumped her forehead against the adult's front leg. "Have you come to play? You missed the beetle, Jani. It was so big! Well...for a bug." She'd always thought bugs were squish-able, but with the shell that one had had it wasn't likely that she'd have been able to stomp on it - even if she had used all of her weight.

For a cub with disease she certainly seemed to have accepted it easily enough, or perhaps it was just that she didn't quite understand what it was. After all, she knew little enough about life at the moment. She certainly didn't know anything about death - though she knew that it had taken mother away.  

[mouselet]

The older lioness smiled. "Itikio, Itikio!" she teased, calling the cub as she herself had been called. It was always good to see children so excited...though still somewhat strange to find herself the adult, watching the child. Jani had resisted growing up in every way she could, until one day she realized she was, in fact, a grownup. A rather annoying discovery, as it came with responsibilities and such.

But sometimes she could throw caution to the wind and pretend she was just a very, very big youth and play with her siblings and nephews.

"That sounds like a big beetle indeed! Do you think we could find it again if we looked together?" the green lioness asked.  

[Kimaria]

The cub smiled and then looked thoughtful, her tail curling in the air as she glanced over a shoulder in the direction the beetle had gone. "I don't know..." She wondered out loud. "It went in there, where all the plants are. I couldn't get through." Her face turned upwards to glance at her big sister once again, looking a little hopeful now. "But...maybe you can? You have big paws to bash the plants out of the way. Like this--" And she batted the air with her forepaws, pausing once again to catch her breath and give a small wheezing cough.

With her stamina as poor as it was, she'd never make a good huntress.

"Maybe we can try? If we go slowly? I lose my breath." She explained - though it really wasn't necessary.  

[mouselet]

"Maybe," Jani agreed, waving one paw experimentally. "But with all the plants there, it might be best if I just...lift some to the side so that you, with your small pows, can get inside." Not to mention that way she wouldn't have some angry Apothecary asking what the poor plants had ever done to them.

Suiting action to words, the green lioness reached over and gently pushed vines and leaves and other plants out of the way to clear a hole large enough for Itikio to stick her front half into.  

[Kimaria]

A part of the cub had wanted to see her big sister sending those pesky plants flying. Still, perhaps this way was quicker as, no sooner had Jani spoken, had she reached over to move them aside to make room for her. "Oh!" And, a moment later, she shifted carefully forwards and peered in beyond the foliage.

"What if there are lots, Jani?" She asked, taking another step onto the bare earth that the plants had concealed. No sooner had she did than something scuttled over her paw and she let out a squeak of surprise and staggered backwards, falling on her rump.

"There was something in there!" She gasped, battling to keep away a cough that threatened to make itself known. "What if it bites?" Could a beetle bite? Would it hurt if it did? She pulled a paw up against her chest as if afraid something might come flying out at her.  

[mouselet]

"We'll worry about there being lots if we find them," Jani reassured here little sister. Oh, to be that young again. And to be able to find fun behind every rock and under every vine! Though as the green lioness recalled, her fun had consisted more of sneaking out of the den behind Mittere's back. Which was no mean accomplishment, all things considered.

Though the spankings she'd received upon many returns still stung the memories.

"If it bites," she replied, bringing herself back to the present, "then we'll go find a Healer or an Apothecary to treat it. That's what they're for," she explained to the younger lion.  

[Kimaria]

But, but, but, but...she didn't want tog et bitten! What if it was big 'owies'? That would be bad. Still, if it was dangerous, her sister wouldn't let her go in there, would she? No. Of course not. She pulled herself back up onto her paws, shook herself and then moved back in. This time she disappeared completely, moving in the heavy shadows cast by the thick foliage.

It was like stepping into another world for a cub with a big imagination. The vines and flowers all amassing to create some sort of secret place for all the tiny creatures. And she was invading! Ants crawled along a thin, whip of a branch on some important looking task and...and...AH, there! Her beetle was dangling precariously from a blade of grass too flimsy to properly hold its weight.

"I found it!" She yelled out to her sister, coughing as she crawled forwards to fetch the insect.And, as delicately as she could, she plucked it off of the grass with her mouth and began to back up. The insect - who clearly believed it was about to meet its end, wriggled its legs fiercely and when at last she emerged, her eyes were big and afraid.

She spat it out onto the ground and watched the thing flail around on its back, unable to right itself.

"There's the beetle! Seeee! I told you it was big!"  

[mouselet]

Jani waited patiently while Itikio bustled around in the greenery. She seriously doubted there was anyting living in the small space that could injure her sister, but it was true that accidents happened. Still, she would wait-

"Wonderful!" she replied as the younger lioness announced her victory before bringing out her prize. It was certainly a large beetle and the green lioness couldn't remember if she'd seen a larger one or not.

"You certainly did! Maybe we should take it and show it to your father, hmmm?" And maybe between her exertions and excitement, Itikio would have tired herself out enough for a nap. Oh, what wonderful things those were. Jani appreciated them much more from her vantage point as an adult relieved of entertaining a cub than she ever had as a child.  

[Kimaria]

She beamed with pride, lifting her head higher and puffing out her chest. She had found her beetle again and her sister sounded very impressed. Her flame-orange eyes burst open again at the suggestion of taking it to show her father and she nodded eagerly. "Okay!" She hoped he wasn't too far, though. The beetle wasn't the nicest thing to carry in your mouth for long, especially when it wouldn't stay still.

"Do you know where he is? I'll follow you, 'kay?" And, very gently, she leaned down and picked up the beetle (who was still turning on its back) and took a step forwards. This gentleness would, more than certainly, be a trait that stayed with the cub, even as she grew and times grew tougher.

It would help keep her smiling even when things were so sad.