Part 1 - Let the journey begin... [Finished]

[Deleted]

Sanura stood there watching everything that was happening, her head was snapping so fast from one to the other, she could hardly keep up. It seemed that they had to go back to the waterhole again, they weren't getting very far in their travels at all.

Stepping up beside Karensha, the tiger cub looked at her friend
"It's ok Meri, Karensha will look after you and make you better, just don't cry anymore , please ."

Stepping back she heard the snow leopard ask Figgy to look after her, she was about to refuse because she wanted to walk with Sefu and the new lion, but when she looked over at him, she thought he was crying, she could see something on his lashes.
oh poor Figgy, he's sad cause Karenshas mad at him. Walking over, she gave him the biggest smile she could think of and a nudge on his chest.

" Mr Figgy you think we can play 'spot the butterfly' as we walk, cause I have to go slow with my small legs, so you can keep me company , is that ok?"

[Kirsui]

Meri was somewhat calmed down by what Karensha was telling her. Through her pain she couldn't completely understand what she was being told, but hearing Karensha's voice helped her more than anything else they could have done. It stopped her from panicing and hurting herself more and so it made it possible for Sefu to lift her to Karensha's back without her struggling against being moved.

She removed her paws from her face and buried her face into Karensha's hair while clinging tightly to her fur with her paws. She was making a bloody mess on where her face contacted the hair, but she couldn't really be blamed.

---

Rondea watched with slight worry how the tiny lioness was lifted to the leopard's back. His gaze was locked on the two, until he realized the only ones left with him were the striped feline cub and the fat lion.

He looked at the two, then at where the rest had already walked, and chose not to go on ahead and walk with the lead of the group. He was new, knew basically no one and wanted to start getting to know this strange group someway.

And so he walked ahead with a slow pace, matching it so that he could walk with Figgy and Sanura. He didn't know if his company was appreciated, but he could always try.
"Seems my timing wasn't the best one."
He spoke with a calm, friendly voice and turned his head slightly to look at Figgy.
"I'm Rondea, a traveler from the south."

[Dakota]

Karensha stood there patiently while Meri was gently lifted and placed on her back. "Thankyou Sefu for helping me with snowball".
Moving forward the snow leopard started a brisk pace, careful to follow Kigeni that was ahead of her, as she was taking them the most uncluttered way back to the waterhole.

Tilting her head slightly, she kept whispering words of comfort to Meri, she could feel her gripping ahold of her fur tightly, she just hoped moving her wasn't making what was ever wrong with her any worse. Looking back to the front she could see they were nearly at the clearing, which would allow them to walk through and out onto the sandy shore, hope lifted her spirits, they were nearly there.

Turning again to the lion by her side she asked him a favour. "Sefu could you keep an eye out for Figgy and Sanura whe they do get here, I feel a bit guilty about how I spoke to Figgy, I know in the end he was only trying to help, but in this instance I needed more from him and you were there not him...soooo.. if you could."

Breaking through the bushes, her paws struck the warm ground beneath her, and there in front of her was the clear clean water that they needed for Meri.
"Meri we are here, I'm going to keep walking into the water then lift you off my back and hold you, then I'm going to rinse your face and all the fur around as well, I'll try to be gentle, but it might sting a little, please let me help you.".

[epppe]

Sefu didn’t feel like watching out for the others, but he didn’t have a choice in it. He found a spot that he could lay on and watch for the rest of the group. Trying not to go to sleep from being bored, he tried to think of things he thought was funny. First thing that went through his mind was this little “thing” going on with Figgy and the leopard. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of those two being together. His eyes were still getting heavy though he was trying to stay awake and before he knew it, he fell asleep.

[cheezeegriff]

" Mr Figgy you think we can play 'spot the butterfly' as we walk, cause I have to go slow with my small legs, so you can keep me company , is that ok?"

Figgy looked down at the little striped cub, as if only just realising that she was there.
"I think we should go see how your friend is first, no?"
he said, then gave Sanura a nudge on the rump with his messy, still blood-and-guts-drenched snout. About to move himself, he didn't quite manage to lift his broad posterior above the ground before the new male walked towards him: the handsome, tall and good looking one.
Figgy lowered his head and growled softly.

"Seems my timing wasn't the best one."
The male said, in a pleasant, cheerful tone.
"I'm Rondea, a traveler from the south."

"I'm Figgy, the bloodied blob of death from the forest you now occupy. This is Sanura, my bodyguard, and if you get any more cheerful she'll rip off your eyebrows."
Then he nudged Sanura again and waddled off into the forest, after Ayesha.

[mahewarac]

Kigeni stood. Watching them, she was so fascinated by their insistence that this was a huge deal. Back home, this was more of a "Hey Bob, yeah, had a little accident, guess I gotta be more careful, so how was your day?" Was that a bad thing?

She realized someone was talking to her, and wanted her to get water.

"Ok, I guess." She ran back to the waterhole, and looking at it, wondered how the heck they expected her to actually get the water to them. Scanning the shore, she saw a piece of wood that was slanted in the center, able to hold water. Picking it up with her teeth, she scooped it in the hole and tried to spill as little as possible. She was met in the middle of the forest by the group, the little cub in tow. "I guess you don't need this anymore." she said grumpily, setting the water down.

[Kirsui]

Meri whimpered a reply at Karensha, but managed to nod faintly. She wasn't feeling good at all, and the metallic scent and taste of her own blood made things even worse. She wished Karensha would get rid of the blood soon, or she might either faint under both the pain and the sickening metallic scent... or she'd throw up and possibly make things even worse.

---

"I'm Figgy, the bloodied blob of death from the forest you now occupy. This is Sanura, my bodyguard, and if you get any more cheerful she'll rip off your eyebrows."

Rondea blinked, twice, and watched how Figgy stomped - as fast as a lion of Figgy's size could - away from him, clearly on bad mood about... something that the shiny maned male had no idea of.

For a moment Rondea stood where he was, confused of what had caused this reaction from Figgy before he shook his head and followed after the group again. It seemed Figgy wasn't on a mood to speak, and he doubted it was because of the injured cub... He had just tried to be friendly, to start getting to know this group from somewhere...

Apparently Figgy was the wrong choise, and so Rondea settled down slightly away from everyone else when they came to the waterhole. He examined the hyena with slight interest, and she seemed dissapointed that they didn't need the water she had brought for the injured cub. He couldn't help but wonder how such a creature had founds its way into this odd group, but he was too polite to ask, just in case she would turn out to be as grumpy as Figgy had been.

[Dakota]

Karensha breathed a sigh of relief,she had reached the waterhole without mishap and the water was now lapping over her paws. Slowly she lowered herself down till she was lying and steady on the edge. Reaching around she took Meri from off her back.
"It's ok, snowball, I'm going to wash you now, get rid of everything and make you clean again."

Holding her, Karensha used the other paw to scoop water up and let it run down the side of Meri's head and face. Gradually she could see the blood being washed away, bringing her fur back to the lush white that they were all so used to seeing.
"You're doing really well Meri, it's nearly done and all clean."

Looking up and away to the clearing they should have been here by now, even with Figgys slow pace... and where's Sefu gone, he said he would keep an eye out
Slowly her eyes turned and found him whats he doing sleeping...is this a commonplace with all males that just don't want to help, all they want to do is eat and sleep .

Moving her gaze away and back down to the cub held in her paws. For all that she could see, there was only a small gash on the corner of her eye, that was slowly starting to congeal. Rinsing off her paw, karensha bought it back up trickling water onto the cubs lips. "Open your mouth Meri and drink a little, you need it, plus it will refresh your mouth and get rid of any nasty tastes...thats the girl...a litlte more now."

Feeling that she had done all that she could, Karensha picked meri up by her muzzle and rose from the shallow water and moved away, so they could lay in some shade away from the strong sunrays.
"Meri... tell me how you're feeling...open your eyes and look at me.. come on meri..look at me..please ?"

[Kirsui]

Meri felt relieved as the cool water washed over her face, soaking away the blood that dyed her fur red. The cool liquid soothed the pain as well, and when Karensha helped her drink the sickening metallic taste left her mouth. She felt refreshed, and could have remained like this for ages.. Close Karensha, with her eyes closed and a feeling of relaxation taking her over.

However...

"Meri... tell me how you're feeling...open your eyes and look at me.. come on meri..look at me..please ?"

The small lioness knew they had moved away from the water, with the pain now gone she could tell as much even with her eyes closed. And so she lazily opened her eyes.

Meri gasped, blinking.
"I-i-i...."
She blinked again, a faint feeling of panic rising somewhere inside her. To anyone looking at her her left eye looked only slightly red-ish and otherwise normal...
"I-i I can't...! Karensha I can't see!"
She sobbed, but tears wouldn't come even when she cried. Both her eyes were now damaged and she was unable to both see and shed tears.

This was what she had feared after becoming half blind. She knew that in time the same white layer that was in her left eye would take over the right one too, and that she would never see any of her friends, nor would she be able to recognize her enemies or learn to hunt. She realized she would from now on always have to depend on someone else, and knowing that made her close both her eyes bury her face on her paws as she sobbed.

[Dakota]

"I-i I can't...! Karensha I can't see!"

Karensha watched Meri as she collapsed down on both her front paws, and dry sobbed her heart out. She didn't know what to do to help her, and instead the only thing that seemed right to the snow leopard, she pulled Meri in close to her chest and wrapped her paws around her and just held her gently. Resting her own cheek against the top of Meri's head, Karensha just lay there, letting her own tears drop and fall, quietly soaking her white lioness fur.

Realising she had to give Meri hope to go on, and for all they knew, it was only temporary due to her accident, her eye might just need a few weeks of rest and no sunlight, and it could be fine. Lifting her cheek from Meri's fur, Karensha gave a little sniff to compose herself and then quietly began to speak.

"Meri, turn your head and look at me.. yes follow my voice and look at me.."
Karensha waited until she had lifted her head from off her paws and her small head was tilted up facing her own. Reaching out she stroked her cheek, hoping to calm her.
" We don't know if this blindness will last, your eye took the brunt of whatever you ran into, it needs to heal, swelling needs to go down , your eye needs to rest Meri, that could take a couple of days or a few months, I can't tell you for certain...but what I do know is that you wont be alone, Sanura and I will never leave you, I think you told me those same words not so long ago... Remember, we will always be with each other helping and caring."

The snow leopard looked around to see if the others had appeared, she truly needed someones guidance about what to do next, as far as she was concerned, now wasn't a good time to go travelling, maybe they should just stay put, they had the waterhole and by the looks of figgy, plenty to eat whenever they felt hungry.
Ooh Figgy where are you, please don't do this to me again.. I need you

[cheezeegriff]

Figgy entered the clearing with the waterhole and spotted Meri and Karensha sitting nearby. He lowered his head and looked at them out of the corner of his eye, inspecting her, lest she still be in a bad mood.

Meri was wrapped in Karensha's arms - nothing normal there, and she looked a lot better, though Karensha herself looked close to panic, and her eyes were pleading with him.
"What's wrong?"
he said, then wandered over, head a little lowered.

[mahewarac]

Kigeni stayed behind as the rest of the group went to the waterhole. Why was she there, anyway? Was she just a third wheel? Did she just tag along and take up food?



"I-i I can't...! Karensha I can't see!"

Her ears perked up. It was the cub. Running back to the waterhole, she found the snow leopard hunched over the little thing.

"I take it she lost her eyesight?" Kigeni said. "Don't worry, kid, if it doesn't heal, people will do nothing but dote on you for the rest of your life. I knew this blind hyena, and he was treated like a pup all his life." She sat down, and started to wonder if her comment did more bad then good. "Just....just if the worse thing happens. Which there is a good chance of it not."

[Dakota]

At last, he's made it . Karensha watched with relief as Figgy hurried over to where she lay with Meri.

"Figgy.. I don't know what to do...she's....she's blind." The snow leopard looked up at him, hoping against all hope that he somehow had a miracle to fix all this, that he could take away the anguish spread all over the small white lioness face.

Next thing she knew Kigeni had come running up, looking over her shoulder briefly she saw that Sefu was still sleeping soundly if I was closer to him, he would be moving real fast by now, once my claw connected to a soft spot of his , turning back she caught the hyenas words and just stared at her.
"Don't worry, kid, if it doesn't heal, people will do nothing but dote on you for the rest of your life. I knew this blind hyena, and he was treated like a pup all his life."

Karensha's muzzle opened and she bit back a nasty reply that was on the tip of her tongue, instead she only just managed to not snarl.
"Well thankyou Kigeni for your words of encouragement... do you think you could go over and wake up Sefu, and don't make it too gentle, pretend that he's really annoyed you for some reason please."

" Figgy.. what can we do.".. Karensha lay there staring up at the lion her violet eyes opened wide.

[cheezeegriff]

Figgy looked into Karensha's violet eyes, and his heart nearly leapt in his chest. She was relying on him... he couldn't let her down. Sitting on his belly he wriggled closer to Meri and, taking her face in his paws, said,
"Meri... can you open your eye? Let ole Figgy see what's wrong."

[Kirsui]

"Don't worry, kid, if it doesn't heal, people will do nothing but dote on you for the rest of your life. I knew this blind hyena, and he was treated like a pup all his life."

Meri whimpered when Kigeni's word reached her ears. She flattened them down against her skull and curled up into a tight ball with her paws still on her face. She didn't want to be treated like a cub all her life! She wanted to learn to hunt, to show everyone that even a half-blind lioness could do what the normal lionesses could... She wanted to seenher friends' smile, cry, laugh or show other emotions, she wanted to see the stars and the sun...

And here she was, in complete darkness with only her senses of smell, touch and hearing to guide her.

"Meri... can you open your eye? Let ole Figgy see what's wrong."

The small white lioness sniffled before she un-curled herself and lowered her paws from her face. She remained like that for a moment, laying on her belly with both her eyes closed. Then she took a deep breath and opened her eyes, tilting her head upwards to where she though Figgy's voice had come from, though she couldn't be sure if it was the right direction at all. Her lower lip trembled faintly when everything remained dark to her even with her eyes open, and she had to bite down on her lip to somewhat give out the impression she was being brave... even though she wasn't.

---

Rondea examined the events taking place in front of him from where he was laying. Indeed, this had been a bad moment to come to the group.

Or had it after all?

The fact that all attention was on the injured lioness pulled all attention away from him, and that gave the graceful lion a perfect opportunity to examine how the group behaved and how they interacted with eachother.

And so Rondea remained where he was, his chin resting lightly on his paws as his light cyan eyes watched the group from behind his white mane. It would be only a matter of time when someone remembered his precence, and he though to as well use the time he had to continue examining the group.

[Deleted]

Sanura was still behind the big lion as they came back to the waterhole, so didn't see straight away that Meri was hurt, it wasn't until she saw Figgy move faster towards the snow leopard, that the tiger cub looked closer and saw her friend was hurt.

Forgetting about the hyena and white maned lion, Sanura rushed over and pushed her way past Figgys tummy so she was looking at Meri's face..As far as she could see she looked ok and then she heard one of them say that she was blind.

"Meri it's me Sanura, I'm here in front of you, look at me." The tiger cub kept staring ,waiting for her eyes to move and look at her, but nothing happened. Looking back up at Figgy with a sad expression on her small muzzle "Why can't she see us ?"

[cheezeegriff]

"I don't know,"
Figgy said, looking closer at Meri's good eye. It was bloodshot, but not in the whites of the eyes. Rather, the iris had gone red, as if the eyeball was full of blood. There was a small gash in it too, but it didn't look too bad in itself, but by the looks of things, may have done some damage on the inside.
"Are you sure you can't see anything, Meri? What if I do this?"
He covered up Meri's eye.
"Does it look blurry but darker?"

[Kirsui]

"Meri it's me Sanura --"

The tiger cub's voice came so suddenly so close to her that it startled Meri, and her head snapped quickly to where Sanura's voice had come from. She blinked her eyes, unable to see anything else than the darkness.

"Are you sure you can't see anything, Meri? What if I do this?"

Meri lifted her head higher, towards Figgy's voice. She didn't know what the large male was going to do, not until she felt something on her face. She flinched and pulled her head back, until she realized it must have been Figgy's paw.
"N-no..." she said, closing her eyes and shaking her head furiously.
"I don't... it's... just dark, everything's just dark, all the time..."

[mahewarac]

"Well thankyou Kigeni for your words of encouragement... do you think you could go over and wake up Sefu, and don't make it too gentle, pretend that he's really annoyed you for some reason please."

"Well sooorry. If you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly experienced in these areas."

She walked over to Sefu and, kicking him a few times, pondered HOW "not to gentle" she wanted her to do it. She was sure the girl knew how "not to gentle" Kigeni could be, so did she want her to go all out? Sure, whatever. If he got mad at her, it wasn't her fault.

"WAKE UP!" She shouted, and fiercely nipped his back.

[epppe]

Feeling a sharp pain go down his back, Sefu did nothing but stay still. He was able to hear what the rest of the group already said about the cub. Not wanting to move, Sefu laid there for a couple more seconds until the pain went away. Letting out a sigh, he looked over at the hyena with a blank stare.

"Why do you kids have to be so troublesome? It's not like a can help the cub at all. Whatever I guess."

Getting up, he stretched a bit before walking next to the group. He laid back down not really paying attention to the rest of the group now, but the new lion observing the group. Looking back over to the leopard.

"So, what was the point of waking me up?" he asked Karensha with slight annoyance in his voice.

[cheezeegriff]

"I don't... it's... just dark, everything's just dark, all the time..."

Figgy looked to Karensha and shook his head gently, his expression grave, then he took a deep breath and, with much mental effort, made his voice joyful again.
"All black eh? Hmm well that's odd. There's not ALL that much wrong with your eye so I reckon in a week or so you'll be back to normal. Well... no pro-mises... you understand."
At the last his voice failed him, breaking and belaying a hint of his trepidation, and to avoid bursting into tears in front of anyone he wandered back to the zebra carcass and stuck his head in the hole he had made earlier.

[Dakota]

Karensha lay there listening to Figgy, for some reason she thought he would help her and stay there beside her, wasn't that what you did when you cared about someone, maybe she had misread his actions as nothing more than being friendly towards her, but her eyes widened when he turned and walked off.

Next thing she knew Sefu was stannding there with Kigeni not far behind, and it appeared he was slightly annoyed with her, which was good because it matched her own.
"So, what was the point of waking me up?" she heard come her way.
The snow leopard pushed her self up and away from Meri and took a few paces till she was standing nearly touching the lion.
"Do you remember me asking you to look out for Sanura, or is it you being a male have that tropical disease called selective hearing..hmmm...no wait..maybe its that other disease called looking after number one...so which one do you think Sefu can I place you in. I thought you said you would like to be part of our group, to me being 'part' means you want to help those with you, or am I wrong?. Why is it those I like one wants to eat all day and the other wants to sleep"

Turning away, she saw the newcomer just lying peacefully taking all in that was happening around him, looking him over she gave a small smile and turned towards Kigeni. Karensha couldn't quite make her out yet, she seemed to be lacking certain diplomacy skills or tact, but she was caring towards Meri and Sanura.
Looking in the direction she saw Figgy hurry off to, she knew he was upset but his reaction wasn't what they needed. Looking at Kigeni, Karensha was about to trust her, she hoped she didn't fail.
"Kigeni, could you go sit with Meri and Sanuri and just watch them while I talk with Figgy, I would appreciate it and maybe you could calm Sanura while you there."

Not waiting for an answer Karensha hoped by doing this, it would help kigeni feel more part of them. Walking past Rondea, she meet his eyes as they watched, but just lowered her long lashes and hurried to where she knew she would find Figgy.

[Kirsui]

"All black eh? Hmm well that's odd. There's not ALL that much wrong with your eye so I reckon in a week or so you'll be back to normal. Well... no pro-mises... you understand."

Meri flattened her ears when she heard heavy paw steps and realized Figgy must have left. She knew he had tried to re-assure her that everything would be all right, but... It would have worked a whole lot better if he had stayed where he was!

Suddenly she felt Karensha move away from her, and in an instant panic begun to rise inside her. Both her unseeing eyes were wide as she blinked them, her ears twiching as she tried to keep track on wether or not she was alone now. Karensha moved further away as her soft steps faded... And Meri felt completely lost.

She swallowed, resisting the urge to curl up on a tight ball and whimper, the small lioness closed her eyes - not that it would have mattered since she couldn't see - and tried to calm down.
"Who ever is close enough..." she begun quietly, trying to keep her voice calm and void of fear.
"Could you keep some noise so I know where you are...? Or touch me? Or.. something.. anything.."
Her ears flattened and she tilted her head down so that her hair covered her face, not wanting them to see the sad expression.

---

Rondea wasn't impressed. At all. He nodded slightly at Karensha when she walked past him, a silent greeting, and then watched how she approached Figgy. Resisting the urge to snort the large male turned his gaze at Sefu, Kigeni and the two young felines.

Really, had Karensha and Figgy no sense of what they just did to Meri? He could see even from this distance that the small lioness was upset of being left alone. Well, not alone, but she couldn't see those around her so basically it was the same thing.

Sighing, Rondea closed his eyes briefly before opening them again to continue examining the group.

[Deleted]

Sanura was surprised when she saw Figgy run away, something was wrong with him he had that sad look on his face again. Paying careful attention to what Karensha was saying to everyone, the cub tried not to miss anything, she was trying to be all grown up now. She heard her say she was going after Figgy, they all needed to stay together.

Looking down at her friend, the tiger club, crawled in closer to her and licked her cheek
"Don't be scared Meri I'm here with you, Karensha is just a little bit away talking with Figgy, please don't cry, I'm going to look after you, cause we're really sisters now."
Sanura snuggled in closer, and with her paw started rubbing on top of Meri's front paws.
"You know Meri, seeing you can't see anything for a little while, you need to smell and taste things more, so sniff me and lick me, so you'll know whenever I come near you, who it is."

The tiger cub gave the small lioness a few more licks "See Meri, just like what I'm doing to you".
Sanura sat there and waited for her to lift her head and repeat what she had done, and with a smile on her muzzle whispered
" but Meri, don't tickle me though, cause it will make me giggle too much."

[Dakota]

As she walked past Rondea she felt his eyes on her, she knew if she turned and looked back at him, she would see disaproval written all over his face, as much as she didn't want to leave Meri, she had to get Figgy to come back to them, it was now or never, if she didn't take a stand, he would be doing it every time something went wrong and they needed his support, she needed him..

As she turned back to follow the trail she could see Figgy standing by the carcass. Tilting her head a little she was puzzled, he was there with what looked like his head stuck inside the zebra, but he wasn't moving, which means he wasn't eating...what on earth was he doing.
Placing her paws carefully in front of her she quietly came up behind him and stopped. Chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully, she knew if she spoke he wouldn't be able to hear her seeing as his ears were covered, she had to touch him, and she was sure he wasn't expecting anyone to come looking for him. Oh well they needed to speak and she needed his attention.

Stepping up behind him she finally decided to pull sharply on his tail. Taking hold and giving two hard tugs, she saw his body shake a little, so Karensha moved back waiting for him to emerge. Just when she thought she was going to have to move the zebra away from him instead, she saw Figgy pull back and turn to her, just standing there with a sad expression on his face.

" Figgy...why did you run away from Meri and from me..well from all of us. I know her situation is dire at the moment and we don't know how things will work out, but she needs us all, and thats you too, especially you."
Karensha moved closer to him, trying to ignore little bits and pieces clinging to his mane and eyebrows, and carried on talking in a calm voice.
" Figgy... Sanura, Meri and myself, we don't have family like you do, heck I don't even know anything from beyond the last few months... you are our family now. All I know from my heart is that families stick together in good times and bad..... I need you to be strong for me Figgy and help me, I don't know if I can do this by myself, it was Baraz that was looking after us all, and he's gone and now it seems to be me."

Meeting his green eyes with her violet ones, Karensha held his gaze with just the occasional blink of her long eyelashes.
"Figgy...will you be my rock to lean on, if I promise to be yours as well... will you be there for me so we can look after Meri and Sanura,... so we can laugh and play together.. so we can spend our nights together..."

Pausing she stepped back from the chocolate coloured lion, and waited.

[cheezeegriff]

Figgy felt someone tug on his tail and listened to what Karensha had to say, but then a sob started to well up inside of him again, and to smother it, he stuck it back in the carcass.
"She can't even see!"
he wailed, and though from inside of the zebra, it he knew it was still loud enough to hear through the gap around his neck.
"She can't even see light and shade! That means it's not the eye but something behind the eye... what are the chances of her recovering from that??"
He pulled his head out and looked at Karensha.
"She's so young... look around us. Can you imagine not being able to see all of this? I wouldn't want to live,"
he said, and slumped down onto the leaf litter in misery.
"What are we going to do? I don't know how to fix this problem... my mind races with ideas but they're all... so... Stupid!"
He thumped himself three times in the head, to punctuate the last three words of what he just said.

[epppe]

Seeing Karensha nag annoyed Sefu, she didn't even answer the question he asked. He never understood why others have to get emotional about everything. Seeing the leapord finally leave, Sefu let out a sigh of relief once she was out of hearing distance and turned over to the rest of the group.

"Is it just me or did the kid get alot more annoying?" Sefu said with a sligh grin to his face.

He walked over to where the blind cub was and tried to look at the cut on top of the head. Seeing it made him how so much blood came out of such a tiny cut.

"Looks like the cut is healing fine. Might leave a small scar, but hey, atleast you won't be able to see it."

Looking at the other cub, he let out a small chuckle at how she wanted her other to recognize her taste.

"Kid, I don't think tasting you is going to help her out in finding her way, so theres no point in having her lick you."

He finally looked at the new lion who joined, wondering why he just sat there and observed the rest of them. Why not at least give a helping hand or something

"New guy, do you know anyway to help or are you about as useless as me right now?"

[Dakota]

As she stood there watching and waiting that little voice in her head kept repeating 'please Figgy, don't let me down'.. As he spoke, her heart plummeted, and her head lowered as she stared at the ground, blinking rapidly. pull youself together girl, looks like you're the one going to have to take charge. Meri and Sanura were relying on her and she wasn't going to let them down, no matter who let her down.

Focusing again on the lion, she grew angry at his words
"She can't even see, what are the chances of her recovering from that, I wouldn't want to live,"
Moving in closer to him while he lay on the ground, she reached down with her paws and grabbed hold of one of his ears and pulled it sharply, once then twice.
"Figgy you listen to me and listen to me well. So it looks like Meri has lost her eyesight, we don't know that it is permanant, its just a setback for now, one that no one should have to deal with especially so young. I don't want to ever hear again that you wouldn't want to live, that is stupid, so what if you can't see, you use your other senses alot better, you learn with the help from your friends... and we are Meri's friends..and we are going to be there for her."
Taking a breath she let his ear fall back down onto his body and stepped back, Karensha's expression was one of sadness as she looked at him, Figgy couldnt see her as he was still lying on the leaves, but she had another comment for him before she turned away.

" What if Meri was our cub, would you just give up and carry on crying its hopeless, its hopeless, or would you try everything you could think of that wasn't dangerous, just to give her hope and to know in your heart you had done everything possible...well I know what I would choose, and if I have to do that alone without you by my side, I guess thats how its going to be. I'm going back to the others now, I hope you will find the courage to be there with us too."

Moving away with out a backwards glance, the snow leopard came back out in the opening to where Kigeni, Sefu and Rondea were standing close together.

About to move past, she instead paused in front of them, looking at each one in turn.
"things seem to have changed since you all wanted to come with us on a journey to the mountains, I'm not sure what Meri would like to do now, but please don't feel you have to stay with us if you wish not to be burdened with what has happened, I understand, but if any of you have any ideas how to help Meri please speak out."
About to walk on, Karensha looked at Sefu and gave a small smile " and I am sorry Sefu that I am annoying you and seeing to be a nag, it's just when someone promises me that they will do something for me, I tend to take that as a given."

Nodding her head at them, she moved back to where Sanura was keeping Meri company and lowered herself down and pulled them both in closer to her.
" I'm sorry Meri I had to leave you for a moment, but I knew I could trust Sanura to stay with you, but I'm back now".

[Kirsui]

((OOC: Epppe, Meri doesn't have a cut on top of her head... The cut is around the eye and in the eye itself.))


Meri smiled at Sanura's words, leaning closer to the tiger cub and feeling content that someone was near her like this. She did take in Sanura's scent, memorizing it somewhere so that she would recognize it in the future - when she got used to recognizing different scents without her sight that is.

"Kid, I don't think tasting you is going to help her out in finding her way, so theres no point in having her lick you."

Meri's ears twiched and she frowned.
"Haven't you ever heard of bonding?" she snapped at the older lion annoyedly.
"It's not just memorizing scents and tastes, it also builds friendship."
She snorted.
"No wonder you wandered alone before you joined our little group if you can't even figure that out."

She shook her head before carefully turning her head so that it was resting on the back of Sanura's neck. She was still frowning when Karensha returned and pulled both her and Sanura close.

"I'm sorry Meri I had to leave you for a moment, but I knew I could trust Sanura to stay with you, but I'm back now".

The small lioness smiled faintly.
"Sanura kept me company very nicely."
'Unlike some others...' she added in her mind, trying to keep the frown away from her face.
"So.. Karensha..."
Had she been able to see she would have turned her head to look at the snow leopard... But... now she simply kept it the way it was.
"Where did Figgy go?"

---

"New guy, do you know anyway to help or are you about as useless as me right now?"

Rondea turned his gaze at Sefu with that friendly smile of his on his face.
"And what help, do tell, would I be? The girl is blinded, temorarily or permanently, and I was not aware an instant cure to that existed... The only cure that could help her now is time."

Gracefully the large male pushed himself up from his laying position, streching slightly before walking a bit closer to Sefu and Kigeni when Karensha returned from the discussion with Figgy.

"things seem to have changed since you all wanted to come with us on a journey to the mountains, I'm not sure what Meri would like to do now, but please don't feel you have to stay with us if you wish not to be burdened with what has happened --"

Rondea shrugged.
"I only just came", he replied. "I don't mind staying at one place if that's what young Meri wishes to do."
He was catching up nicely with the names of this group, even though he hadn't even done a proper introduction yet.. Oh well, it would have to wait until they wanted to have one.

[cheezeegriff]

Figgy's mind was still racing when Karensha grabbed his ear and pulled him from the ground.
"Ow, AW! HEY HEY HEY!"

He only stopped when she started to speak, listening well to all she had to say. She thinks I'm a coward. I am a coward, a coward and an idiot. There's always a solution to every problem. I'm the one who sees them when everyone else looks straight over them, but why can't I see away out of this?

Finally Karensha let him go and he flopped back down to the leaf litter. He'd heard every word he'd said... but his bravery wasn't really the problem. Karensha wouldn't be upset if he fixed the little white cub. Then he'd be her hero again, and the cub could see... the cub could see.

Still... there was one set of words that Karensha said that stood out for Figgy: "What if she was OUR cub?" Does that mean that she... did that mean that she was actually considdering...

He straightened up, clearing his throat. Sparing a moment and a few breaths to compose himself, he pulled himself from the leaf litter and lumbered back towards where Karensha had gone back to Meri, mind racing fifty-to-the-dozen, wracking his mind for solutions.

He was brought out of his reverie when Meri asked where he was, and he said,
"Err... I'm right here. I just went back for some... food, yes..."
he grimaced, glancing at Karensha then around at the group. He didn't want to tell them what he was really doing but he didn't want to appear like a glutton - as Karensha may as well have called him earlier - either. Hiking a thumb over his shoulder he said,
"It's back there, if anyone wants it."
The new lion, Roneda, was just standing there staring at everyone. Was he looking at Karensha? With a huff Figgy picked himself up and sat with his back to the new lion, making sure he put himself between him, and Karensha with Meri.