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 Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 3:25 am
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Once again Saoirse found herself sneaking out of the healer den. It had been a task that was getting progressively more difficult, but still she managed it. Waiting until all the healers and apprentices were focused elsewhere, and utilising the little known exits towards the back of the den.
Her progress across the prideland was slow and her deteriorated condition meant she was forced to rest often, but it was a trip she had made many times and she knew every piece of brush and scrub that would afford her adequate cover. A task made simpler by the relatively new ‘gardens’ the pride now cultivated. Their carefully tended plants forming large areas of low cover, just enough for her to rest beneath them unseen.
Finally she made it out of the populated area of the pride and slipped into the deserted outer reaches, a kind of no-man’s-land that resides within the pride’s official boarder but which was rarely visited, except by the guards and the odd scout. In fact, this particular area of dusty landscape was mainly used by her own family. It being her father’s main guard route and the path her elder sister used when she went on her scout missions.
Her destination was the small, secluded oasis she visited frequently, and while her entire family knew about it, she also knew they had taken to keeping an eye on her from afar, as if knowing she needed to escape the confines of the pride and the healer den she now lived within. Her own den now given over by her daughter, Eirinn.
At length, long after she had first set out, she reached the secluded clump of trees and slipped within their sheltering boughs. Each movement brought a red hot pain to her joints. Her once silky coat dulled by the sickness that burned within her. Despite the fever that raged she was constantly cold, and yet her insides were an inferno. With painstaking care she lowered her trembling frame down onto the soft, dry sand at the edge of the spring and dipped her head, letting the sweet, cool water sooth her parched throat.
With little strength left in her emaciated body she turned her head aside and simply let it rest on the sand, eyes closing against the dizziness. The once graceful lioness was skin and bone, so very fragile. Yet the ghost of her beauty was still visible and her eyes had never lost their sparkle, despite the pain.
The pale figure, stretched out alongside the small pool, looked more like a lost spirit than a flesh and blood lioness. Her breathing thankfully quiet, the usual cough that plagued her absent for the time being.
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 9:35 am
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It was not easy to leave Atefeh with others to check on Kipofu and the others, but it was important.
On some level, Primitus understood the need of the pride to isolate and protect themselves, and while entirely immune like Terra, he didn't know if Midori was, or Kipofu, or - whom else. He knew he had his other children however and that helped, the lion-god landing somewhat gracefully at the official borders. He carried with him a bundle of flowers from near the Aegnor'hini and in that respect they might be useful, some small herb he noticed healers use, and the large god made his way in before a fleck of white among trees caught his eye.
It couldn't be a ghost - perhaps a spirit of those deceased, maybe, but he wasn't sure how mortals died - and curiousity drew him to approach, ears pricked as he walked carefully, carrying his bundle and keeping alert before smiling.
He knew this figure and he knew her well - recalling small bundles of fluff and the god smiled, moving over before laying down next to her, and flipping his tail on her forepaws gently.
Saoirse looked sick, and he knew she seemed miserable - the illness was unkind and Primitus felt regret the pride suffered, but he dared not interfere. Instead he offered a smile warmly as he lie calmly, tail switching playfully.
"Hello again." He said, voice soft. He made no mention of her being out, but he did mentally note if needed he could likely carry her back on his own back... Only if she needed it, of course. |
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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 7:07 am
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A soft, happy purr escaped as he returned the affectionate gesture. Listening with obvious interest she smiled. "Eirinn would love to see the plants, I am sure. She's a pretty accomplished healer now." She wasn't sure just when Prim had last visited, time didn;t mean too much to her any more, not with how often she was confined to the healer den or even unconscious.
Tilting her head she smiled, insatiably curious as always. "Which son? Thankfully all of mine have grown out of the question-asking stage now." Chuckling she shifted, trying to ease her painful joints and ended up resting lightly against his strong body.
"The family are doing very well. Father has resumed his patrols outside the pride of late, though I am worried about him. He doesn't seem to be as.. happy as normal." For all the litters he had reared she had never seen him flustered or worried. But lately his gentle smile had been scarse and she had caught him staring off into the distance during his visits to her. It was not normal behaviour for him and since she couldn't do anything to help, she worried.
Pausing she cast her mind about for other news, trying to guess at what he might already know. "Oh! Eirinn seems to have found someone she's intersted in. I haven't met him, but she's been walking about with this grin... " Looking up at the male beside her she smiled, remembering their first meeting and the result of it. To this day that had been one of her happiest moments. Along with each day spent watching their cubs grow.
A brief shadow passed over her expression, remembering the tan and gold lion who had walked away one day and never returned. And now, with her illness reaching its final stage, she doubted she would see him again.
Time was running out for her...
Pushing the old sadness aside she tucked her head against Primitus' shoulder, glad that he was there. "Are you happy?" She asked, looking back up from her place tucked against him. she had never forgot the God who had arrived so simply that day, and thought of him often when he wasn't around. Though his visits were infrequent, she still felt a close friendship with him, and was genuinly worried about his hapiness. Maybe because her life would be so short, she wanted his to be a good one. |
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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 4:38 pm
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Primitus listened carefully, looking concerned at Saoirse's description of her father first.
"Perhaps I should talk to him." Primitus said softly. "Make sure he's alright."
Primitus understood the worry for a father. Some lifetimes Baba Croix seemed incapable or disinterested - an effect of reflecting all fathers, not simply good ones, and the male frowned slightly, sighing. If something was wrong, Primitus wanted to help, and he filed a note away to himself to locate Sliabh later and speak to him.
"Will she? I'm glad. If nothing else, they're useful for pain. I saw one used recently." The male though, nuzzling Saoirse gently as he chuvckled. "Terra's not used to parenthood or potential parenthood. You might remember his mother and sister and brother and such - they're members." And at least immune and eager to help. Primitus smiled.
"He'll learn. Or I'll send him to his grandfather."
Primitus then thought on her question, taking several moments to think, long and slow and careful as he mulled his answer over.
"I am.... Content." He admitted. "I'm working on happiness."
There werte many old scars and heartaches left untreated, deep, emotional heartbreak - dying with a son and grandcub, watching the previous incarnation of himself's grandcub die; the loss of a mate, and so much more, and a knot formed in his stomach.
With no roaming or distraction to help him, he leaned, just slightly, back trying to ignore it once again as it tried to break his heart. He was content, but at a cost and in pain.
Plenty of it. |
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Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 2:28 am
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The young lioness nodded, once again looking up at the much larger male hopefully. Just as she had that first time. “I would appreciate that.. “ As a daughter she worried for her father, as a diseased pride member she worried what would happen to him after she passed on. Her death would only add to the burden he carried, as Sliabh had already buried a son, now he would bury a daughter.
At least Prim would speak to him, and maybe having another experienced male to talk to would help.. She could only hope so.
Grateful that she had found help for her sire, she smiled back at her companion. “Truly, anything that may help the pride is very gratefully received.” She assured him, once more letting herself settle back against his warmth. Her strength was incredibly fragile these days and even sitting up for long periods of time tired her.
Quietly she listened to him talk, nodding her recognition of the names he spoke. Though she didn’t get out into the pride as much any more, her family kept her up to date on the happenings outside of the healer den. Smiling at the semi-veiled threat she let her eyes close, enjoying the sound of his voice.
When he answered her far more personal question she tipped her head up once more, studying him. Smiling tenderly she nuzzled weakly against his cheek. “Content is good.” She returned softly, her soulful gaze seeing more than perhaps he wished. But being near the end of one’s life tended to make certain things more obvious, like what was really important and what was superficial. Family was the greatest gift of all, in all its flawed and difficult forms. She would never trade her own, even her prankster of a younger half-brother when he was a cub.
“I hope you find your happiness.” She whispered, gently shifting her paw across to rest over his. She longed to help him, to ease that pain she could feel in his body where they lay pressed together.
She only wished to do for him as he had once done for her. He might never know it, but his gift had saved her. Yes it may have made her disease advance faster, but the joy those cubs had brought her, the life they possessed, had been the best medicine. |
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Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 6:03 am
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Primitus smiled, nuzzling once again fondly at her. Saoirse wasn't quite a mate - but a dear trusted friend, the kind he looked after, evben if the female didn't quite know, and after a moment he shifted a wing forward, pluvking a small feather, no larger than a paw but sized well to wear if crafted, and placed it on her paws wordlessly.
It was no proposal but he did want to protect her, to help look after her and make sure she was happy.
"I'm working on happiness." Primitus smiled. "I tend to keep distracted."
The admission was sheepish, the look on his face more like a cub than a full grown lion, and he laughed, shaking his head. He smiled, just a bit to her, however, and let her rest as she needed, unbothered if she needed to lie down.
He could tend to talking to her father certainly.
If nothing else, from grieving father to grieving father, even if it was an incarnation ago. |
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 5:25 am
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The press of his muzzle eased the tension in her body, brought about by the pain that was her constant companion. Letting herself sink a little further into his warmth she took a moment to notice he was fiddling with a wing. Blinking open eyes that had closed without her permission, she gazed down at the feather. For a long moment she remained still, seeming stunned by the gesture, but then she turned and looked up at him, vision misty from more than just her aching body as unshed tears made her gold eyes shimmer.
"Thank you." Her voice was soft, filled with gratitude. She understood the gesture, and knowing that he was still willing to be there for her even as she gradually faded away... It would be a painful time for them both. He was her closest friend outside her family since the loss of her once-love and having fathered her only litter, she felt so very grateful that he would be near by at her end. Even if it was only in thought.
"I am glad. I have always wished that for you, Prim.. " She didn't say it, but once she passed on, if some part of her really did assend up to heaven, she would ask whoever was up there for that one gift for him. It was one of the things that kept her going, her hopes for his wellbeing.
She really only had one wish left... aside from wanting her family to live long and well after her death. And that was for one last litter. She knew the odds her cubs faced. Most would never reach old age, and she wanted something of her to have the chance to survive, to grow strong enough to help her pride, and to support her beloved father as the years wore on. She feared for Sliabh. He endured so much each day and yet was still the shelter each of them ran to. The voice of experience and wisdom. And an unwavering pillar of support for the entire pride. But he could not carry that heavy burden alone...
Ehaustion washed over her, making her lean ever more weakly into the large male. But after a moment the deadful heaviness faded. Though she knew it was only a warning of further episodes. She would be forced to return to the dens soon, or else risk being stranded out here for days. |
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 6:14 am
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Primitus smiled, gently moving her onto his back slowly.
Flight was a consideration, but she was out for a reason, and cold air would do no favors to her, so the god proceeded to move rather slowly once able, adjusting his wings so she could remain on him carefully with a smiler.
"It will be alright." Prim hummed gently. "We'll take a nice long route, see sights."
He paused only to lift his plant bundle, moving towards the pride in the most roundabout way possible. It was difficult, mostly keeping to trying to ensuyre comfort, but he could try his best, at least. |
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