Halus didn't come to quickly. The slow rise out of the vaguely foggy darkness that was unconsciousness was neither pleasant or easy. She'd been knocked soundly unconscious, and dragged quite a ways though she did not yet realize it as she had yet to open her eyes. All around her was bustling activity, but the sounds of it were somewhat more subdued, on edge than would be typical. Her brain was still too rattled to process that either though. All her energy and slight focus was set on rousing herself.
Her eyelids fluttered, and with the bright burst of light came a swift stab of aching pain. It felt like she'd been cracked on the head by a stone! She pinched her eyes tight shut again, warding off the light though it did not at all help the ache in her noggin now that she'd wakened to it. What on earth had happened? She could hardly remember a thing... Anything.
That would set her heart to racing but for the throb of her skull, and she instead chose to whimper and drape a tawny paw over her face to try to rub away the pain. Some of the hubbub around her died out, but was swiftly replaced. She supposed she couldn't be too badly injured, if no one was looking after her. Probably a small accident. Or maybe she'd just woken up with a headache. Sure didn't feel like it though. There was a lump there, just over her eye. Yeowch!
A long while of laying still didn't seem to do much for the ache in her head, but it wouldn't do to lay about all day. She had to...she had to... It was like an imagine swimming behind her mind's eye, out of focus and half washed away. She had to do something...had a job...but what was it? Something with stones... The pain flared higher and she let the fragmented memories drift away. That wasn't a good sign. She really must have been knocked for a loop. Still, the rest of her felt okay. Maybe a little sore here or there but nothing telling. A wiggle of the toes, a thump of the tail. No, it really was just her poor head that'd taken whatever abuse that had befallen her.
A little bit more of laying about and she couldn't stand it any more. Her head still felt like a wildebeest had kicked it in, but just laying there wasn't making it any better, nor could she get back to sleep. Maybe if she got up she could find someone who knew of a plant or something to ease the pain.
Of course, forcing her eyes open and her feet under her didn't mean she was ready to face the reality of what was going on around her. The stony, rough looking scrape that she found herself atop along with several other creatures. Most were other lions, but here and there other things crept or slunk. Almost to a one they had their eyes lowered, daring not look up as they hurried hither and yon; this one had a stack of pelts, that one was hastily dragging a bit of meat. What...what was this? Not a one of them took note of the recently awakened female. None spoke to her or looked at her in more than passing. It was very strange, and somehow frightening. None of the faces she picked out of the crowd looked at all familiar. She tried to think back again, to conjure the image of those she'd known day to day...again the pain intensified and the visions swam away before she could make them out.
...Damn. Damn it. She felt near to tears, surrounded by strangers in a strange place. She couldn't remember. Not who they were or where she was or what she was meant to do. It was terribly frightening, and she felt the urge to slink into some den to cower until the world made sense again. But...which way WERE the dens? Even the terrain seemed strange, and she'd been lying in the open, nowhere near that looked like it even might host a hiding place aside from the craggy rocks. Perhaps there...!
She managed two or three wobbly steps before a barking voice stilled her, demanding she halt. Already frightened, the poor lioness hunkered down on the spot, ears flat against her skull as she stared around for the source of the commanding voice. There...! She tried to tuck herself in even smaller as the massive male approached her, glaring daggers at her. Wordlessly he shoved a shank of meant towards her, grunting and tossing his head over his shoulder.
Was...was this for her? Her ears slowly raised and she gingerly took the offering. Her tail uncoiled from about herself as she pulled it to her. Perhaps this wasn't so bad. Someone had come for her, in the end, and she WAS hungry...
A huge paw slapped out, clapping her on the head just below where the swollen lump still puled painfully. The blow sent the lioness sprawling with a startled cry, the meat she'd barely begun to nibble at flopping from her claws.
"Stupid thrall! You think that's for you? You think you deserve to eat that? Clearly you've not been taught your place yet!" The yelling was humiliating and made her now blindingly pained head ring. Her claws dug uselessly into the ground; she felt as if she might be thrown off into space, or be ill, or both. Apparently her whimpering silence was not the response the male had wanted though, and another strike came, a kick aimed at her side that left her curled and breathless in a tight ball.
Dimly she wondered why no one was stopping him. Why she was subject to his continued aggression, his demands and threats. She winced as she cracked one eye open... All around the others who had been milling about kept at their work. Eyes were firmly turned down or away, and it was as if she was invisible, her tormenter silent and not spewing insults. She felt tears coming hot and wet as he finished his assault with a snarl, slapping the meat back towards her.
"Now you take that that to the third den along the cliff side, thrall, and if I catch you nibbling again it'll be your pelt I'm sending along next time!" She cringed, nodding meekly and taking the meat in her mouth, darting to her feet and scampering away as quickly as she could despite barely being able to stand with her head so out of sorts. Behind her she heard the harsh male's laughter, but she didn't stop to weep or worry. She didn't want to be hit again.
[Words: 1135]
