Nalini

Nalini panted heavily. Her paws burned as the blazing sun scored down on the sand with relentless fury, and her eyelids grew heavy as she continued to wander through the barren plains. As another torturous day passed, the young lioness began to wonder if she'd ever find a home. Exhaustion gripped and tore at her, causing Nalini to stagger every few steps as the moon broke over the horizon - but she refused to lie down and rest.

With night time came cooler temperatures, and she remained determined to find her way out of the empty plains.

Or even better, find water.

The sun rose once again, and Nalini was beginning to feel the full effect of her dehydration and heat exhaustion. Her heart pounded furiously, to the point of which she could feel the veins in her neck and legs pulsating frantically. Her stomach churned angrily, and her mouth felt utterly dry.

She had too find water...and soon.

Still she pressed on, resolved to at least finding a puddle to sip from. But her deteriorating body had other ideas.

Her head suddenly began to pound. The young lioness shook her head vehemently, trying to clear her mind - but this only caused the world around her to spin, and Nalini felt herself beginning to falter as she approached the peak of a slope - unbeknownst to her, the Kopje Hills near the Marshlands. In her confusion, the young lioness had no idea how close her dazed spinning and staggering had brought her to the edge of a rocky outcropping.

Suddenly, she felt the brittle slate give way underneath her paws. Instinct made her twist her body and attempt to reach for the ledge with her outstretched claws, and agony raced through her paws as they scored against the flat faced rock. Before she could properly right herself, Nalini was sent tumbling nose over tail down the slope.

She fought frantically, vainly clawing at the rocks and dried grass - but nothing offered enough purchase to break her fall. Gravity only forced her down faster - hitting several larger rocks along the way. Fiery pain abruptly shot up one of her legs as she fell, and the young lioness shrieked in agony.

Finally, the world stopped spinning, and Nalini's body came to a jolting stop at the base of the slope with a loud thud. Her heart pounded faster than a herd of fleeing zebra, and her eyes were wide with the shock of her fall. She took a deep, ragged breath, wincing as more fiery pain burned in her chest. She tried picking herself back up, but her legs shook like leaves under her weight - and agony unlike any other she'd known coursed up her front right. A painful cry ripped through her teeth, and she dropped painfully back to the dry grass.

Unable to move, and thoroughly exhausted, Nalini could only close her eyes. Unconsciousness took her shortly after.

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Nalini's eyes didn't open until hours later. She opened them slowly. This small effort alone was enough to herald a dry moan - her eyes felt like they were burning. As she stirred, she felt the terrible pain in her leg again, and cried out weakly. The sound was hoarse and raspy, and her throat felt dryer than the plains she'd spent weeks walking in.

"You're awake."

The young lioness' ears perked at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, and she looked up to see an older lioness sitting beside her. Odd white markings lined her legs and stomach, and her green eyes looked down at her sadly. Behind her, Nalini could see a pair of large ravens, black and albino respectively, perched on a ledge. One crowed at them softly, and the young lioness blinked. She looked all around her, and was beyond surprised to find herself in some sort of cavern.

"Wh...where am I?"

"Don't be fearful, young one. You're safe." The older lioness replied. She pushed a broken coconut husk towards her. Nalini felt her heart skip a beat when she saw it was full of water, and she lapped at it thirstily. As she drank, the strange lioness continued. "That was quite a fall you took - your ribs are pretty battered, and from that bruise on the side of your face, it looks like you lost a fight with a boulder during your tumble...you are lucky to be alive."

The young lioness looked up at her, then rolled onto her stomach to keep herself upright. As she did though, the same excruciating pain coursed up her leg, and she bared her teeth with a low hiss. The other lioness pressed a paw against her shoulder, gently pressing down. Nalini silently obeyed, laying down on her side again.

"What...happened to my leg?" She asked shakily.

"Broken. You must have caught it against one of the outcroppings during your fall...it's been wrapped and set to the best of my abilities, but you must refrain from moving it or trying to use it for a good while - otherwise it will become useless entirely."

The young lioness blinked, astounded by the stranger's knowledge. "Who are you?"

She smiled gently. "I'm Jumanah, healer of the Marsh Pride."

Marsh Pride?

Nalini's confusion must have been obivious, as Jumanah spoke again. "The slope you fell down - we call it the Kopje. Very dangerous place to be to begin with, as it's usually where hyenas or leopards reside. You're lucky this drought has driven most of them away."

At the moment, the young lioness certainly didn't FEEL lucky. She winced again as another wave of pain ran through her. Jumanah leaned in and nudged her shoulder gently - a gesture of comfort. "Try to keep still. The pain will pass."

"When did you find me?" Nalini asked. Jumanah smiled.

"Not me, young one." She tilted her head to the side, and Nalini's gaze followed. Her eyes widened to the size of saucepans when the found the massive form of a male sitting quietly behind the healer. His fur was as black as night, and a ripple of silver streaked along the length of his body. His eyes were the color of ice, but were warm and kind as they peered down at her. Jumanah cleared her throat.

"This is Isoba, King of the Marsh Pride - and the one who found you. It was him that brought you here."

The dark lion bowed his head. "I could not simply leave you in that heat to die, young one."

Nalini found herself even more surprised. For such a massive and powerful King, Isoba's voice was soft, and gentle. It held the double-timbre that demanded respect, but it also held a calming tone - one that sent an odd sense of reassurance through her. She bowed her head submissively.

"Th-thank you, great King. I owe you my life..."

Isoba shook his head. "You owe me nothing, little one...what is your name?"

She smiled. "I am Nalini, my lord."

"Nalini..." He repeated, nodding approvingly. "An apt name for a lioness as beautiful as you."

He looked to Jumanah. "How is her leg?"

The healer sighed, looking down at Nalini sadly. "I've set it to the best of my abilities, my lord...but it's unlikely it will heal to its former strength again. She must stay off her paws until further notice, or else she will never walk again."

The young lioness bit her lip. Such an injury was a death sentence for any loner. If she couldn't walk, she couldn't hunt. And if she couldn't hunt...she shook her head, and continued to listen.

"But if she can keep herself still as long as possible, and I can keep the wrappings secure...then she will have a limp for the rest of her life, but will be able to function - that's the best case scenario, my lord. There are still other risks - ones that could worsen the situation - but if you allow me to help her, my King, I can make sure she's well enough to walk at the very least."

Isoba considered all of this information carefully, and Nalini could see several things flash in the Marsh King's eyes. She wondered just what he was thinking, and waited with baited breath.

Finally, he looked into her eyes. "Nalini...when I found you, you were alone...do you have a family that would be looking for you? A place to call home?"

She sighed. "No, great King...I have been traveling for several weeks, now. Looking for such a place. My birth pride ousted me to make room for more cubs." She explained sadly. Isoba nodded slowly, and he shared a look with Jumanah. When his gaze returned to her, he stood and offered her a smile - one that made her heart soar.

"Well then, Nasili...it seems you've quite literally stumbled into an opportunity. In your condition, and the poor prospects of your leg, I would never forgive myself if I let you back out there on your own. So here is my offer: would you like to join my Pride? We are strong and happy here in the Marshlands - prosperous even in this drought. We would happily welcome you into the fold if you so chose."

Nalini blinked, taken completely off guard by the Marsh King's offer. But for her, there is only one answer - one she'd been hoping to give for a long time.

"Y-Yes. I would be honored to join the Marsh Pride." She said, tears stinging her eyes.

Isoba grinned, and stepped over to her. He leaned in and gently pressed his head against hers, nuzzling her affectionately. Then he rasped his tongue over her head, and stepped away. "Welcome to your new family, Nalini...now, get plenty of rest. You will remain here with Jumanah - she will take good care of you. Then, when you have healed and regained your strength, we will discuss your placement in the Pride."

"Thank you, my lord," Nalini replies, bowing her head. "And thank you again..."

He bows his head, and leaves the chamber. Jumanah smiles. "Welcome, sister. Now lie down - I need to tighten your leg wrappings."

Nalini huffs and obeys, resting her head down in the soft moss...

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"Gently now, Nalini. Gently..." Jumanah urged.

The young lioness looked over at her, then down at her injured leg. She held it close to her chest as fiery pain shot up from it and into her shoulder, wincing. "I don't know if I can, Jumanah...it hurts so much, still."

Her pride sister stood beside her, offering herself as a pillar of support if the injured lioness lost her footing again. "If you ever want to walk again, little sister, you must try."

Nalini whimpered as the last wave of pain dissipated, and gingerly began stretching her leg out in front of her. The unused muscles strained and trembled as she attempted to extend her paw out, as if to take a step. Baring her teeth, the young lioness allowed her paw to lower, until her pads brushed lightly against the smooth cavern floor. She looked over at Jumanah. The healer nodded.

"Good. Now try putting some weight on it."

"O-Okay."

She shifted her weight off and away from Jumanah, and gradually transferred it into her injured leg. It began to tremble in protest, and more electrifying pain shot up from her paw, causing her to hiss. She felt Jumanah press herself against her body reassuringly. "Halfway there, young one." Her voice echoed in the medicine den softly. Nearby, the pair of ravens who assisted the healer shifted and crowed quietly, as if to voice their own support for the young lioness.

Nalini offered them a grateful smile, and looked to Jumanah. The healer nodded.

"Alright, now try taking a step or two..."

With a pained nod, the young lioness takes a deep breath and takes a cautious step forward. But as she applies more weight to her injured leg, agony courses through her, hot and unbearable. Almost immediately, her leg gives out from under her, and Nalini begins to fall. Just before her head hits the ground, she feels strong jaws grip her by the scruff, and a low grunt of effort. Jumanah had caught her in the nick of time, and gently lowered the young lioness's head to the ground. The cool stone was a welcome feeling for Nalini as she fought through the pain, and she looked up at the healer apologetically.

Before she could say anything, Jumanah shook her head. "It's alright. I think we've done enough for today...Let's get you back to your bed." She said softly, grabbing Nalini by the scruff again. The young lioness staggered up onto her good paws, holding her injured leg close to her body. Jumanah released her once she was sure she had her footing, and let her pride sister lean against her as they made their way back to the small chamber in the medicine den - where multiple beds of moss lay ready for occupants.

Nalini hobbled shakily beside the healer, her eyes solemn and her ears tilted back - betraying her worry. It'd been almost a month since the Marsh Pride had taken her in. Since then, the only progress she'd seemed to make was a single painful step, before collapsing like she had moments ago. If she couldn't at least walk a few steps on her own soon...would her new King oust her?

Or worse?

As if hearing her thoughts, Jumanah spoke again. "You really shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Nalini. I've seen lions with similar injuries take nearly three times as long to make the progress you are. Be proud of yourself - you're growing stronger every day."

Nalini smiled half-heartedly, then sighed. "But Jumanah...what if it doesn't get better after this? What if I can't walk again?"

Jumanah thought for a moment. "That is for our King to decide - but if that is to be the case, I wouldn't worry too much. He would most likely name you a broodmother - ancients know we have more cubs than we can handle!" She laughs lightly, earning a more hopeful smile from her pride sister.

Finally, they make it to Nalini's nest, and the healer helps her injured young charge lie down comfortably. Nalini looks up at her gratefully. "Thank you, Jumanah...for everything." She said quietly.

The healer bowed her head. "Of course. Now let's reset your leg. Perhaps another night of support will give it some more strength."

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"There you go, easy now."

Nalini's legs trembled as she stood. She held her injured leg close to her body as she rose up from her nest. Just a few paces away, Jumanah watched with silent anticipation. Another month had passed, and the young lioness had made more definite progress. But she still harbored anxiety when it came to her walking attempts. The healer smiled hopefully as her younger pride sister managed to lower her paw to the ground.

"Good. Now try to walk to me."

The younger lioness took a long, deep breath, and then brought a tentative paw forward. Pain raced up her leg, but it was bearable, and she glanced over in Jumanah's direction with a similar smile. She put more weight on her healing leg, and took another step towards her. A light wince betrayed more notable pain, but she pressed forward. As she brought the injured paw up again, she reared up a a slight angle to relieve some of the pressure, and took another successful step forward.

Jumanah grinned. "That's it, Nalini! Keep going!"

Nalini obeyed, and grew more confident in her strides, her limp was very pronounced, and it was obvious that she was still in pain, but the young lioness managed to step all the way to where the healer sat, and dropped into a seated position with a low huff. Jumanah rubbed her head against hers, purring loudly. "Well done, sister. You did it! How is it feeling?"

"...Painful, still. But I think I can manage it." Nalini replied softly, smiling. She rose to her paws again, and Jumanah's eyes widened.

"Carefully, now. Need some help back to your nest?"

Nalin shook her head. "No, no...I want to try." With another deep breath, she began limping towards her bed of moss. Every other step she paused, wincing as the pain in her leg made itself more present. She staggered only once, but caught herself quickly. Jumanah swelled with pride as the young lioness hobbled into her nest and lied down on her own. Nalini looked up at her happily.

"I...I think I can do this!"

Jumanah stood and walked over to her side. "Of course you can. You're growing so much stronger." She replied. "But now, rest. I'll tighten the bracer, and get you some more Iboga root for the pain...but I have a feeling you won't be needing that much longer."

Nalini grinned upon hearing this, feeling her heart skip a beat as she realized that her place within the Marsh Pride may yet remain permanent after all. She'd done nothing but dream of this day.

"Will you tell the King the news?" She asked as Jumanah dropped the roots next to her.

The healer nodded. "Absolutely. He will be elated to hear you're on the mend. I'll be telling him tonight when he returns from patrol. For now though," She scooted the roots towards the younger lioness, "eat up."

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Another month passes, and news spreads through the Marsh Pride - Nalini would survive. The young lioness was now fully capable of walking - albeit with a very pronounced limp. Isoba felt an unfathomable sense of relief when Jumanah had brought him the news. He'd done nothing but worry over her recovery in the past months.

But one piece of good news brought with it the looming sense of foreboding that Nalini's condition meant.

She could walk, but with her limp, hunting was out of the question. Prey would be quick to notice the bobbing movement her injury had brought upon her. She couldn't scout, either - for the same reason. And since she was incapable of running for very long, becoming a broodmother would do more harm than good. Trying to keep up with rambunctious cubs could very well make her injury worse.

The Marsh King sighed, pacing back and forth in his chamber as he thought harder. He couldn't send Nalini back out to he nomadic life. He might as well sign her death sentence.

Then suddenly, an idea flashed in his mind, and Isoba strode towards the medicine den.

He was elated to find both Jumanah and Nalini inside the smaller chamber. The healer was preparing a concoction of herbs for Nalini - likely to help the young lioness with her pain. Both of them looked up as their King entered, and Isoba greeted them affectionately before settling next to them.

"I believe I may have found a place for you in our Pride, Nalini," He began.

Her ears perked, and she waited with a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

"Jumanah, since our Pride continues to grow so quickly, it's come to my attention that you're spread quite thin in your duties."

The healer bowed her head. "Yes, my lord. I admit it's become difficult...especially since I no longer have an apprentice." She said quietly, her gaze hardening. The loss of Thelma had been hard on her - as the young cub had been chosen to take her place as healer one day.

"Well, my love, I have good news for you. Both of you."

Jumanah's eyes widened. "My King...?"

"Nalini, I can see you have an eye for herbs, and you harbor a kind and caring spirit." Isoba said gently. "So, in my opinion, there is no better lioness to become Jumanah's apprentice - and one day, her successor."

The young lioness's jaw would have hit the floor if it could have. "M-Me? A healer?" She asked. But there wasn't worry or apprehension in her voice. She almost seemed excited as she looked at Jumanah. "I would be honored."

"Then it shall be so. Jumanah, I leave Nalini in your care and guidance - teach her everything you know, so that our Pride may remain strong and healthy."

"Yes, my King." Jumanah replied, bowing her head. Nalini did the same, a wide grin plastered on her muzzle.

Isoba smiled affectionately. "Good luck, Nalini. I look forward to seeing you become the great healer I know you can be." He rasped his tongue over her head, then turned away and left the medicine den...

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Nalini stared at her swollen belly, and smiled softly. She'd entered her heat shortly after Qeren bore Orfeo's first litter. Though she worried he might not want to mate with a lioness who had a disability such as hers, the young healer still entered her King's chamber. She was overjoyed when Orfeo accepted her advances - he knew Isoba had placed a verdict that the Pride's healers shouldn't have cubs, out of worry that they'd interfere with the healer's duties - but the former King's verdict had been a light one...he'd never fully enforced it, as he deeply loved Jumanah and Nalini.

So, Orfeo had happily obliged Nalini's wish to bear his cubs - he'd always held a soft spot for the crippled lioness.

Now here she was, due to have her little ones any day now. With Jumanah's assistance, she fed on nutritional herbs to boost her health and the immune systems of her unborn cubs. Orfeo visited her in the medicine den regularly to check up on her, and the young lioness could feel her grief over the loss of Isoba begin to grow more bearable. Life in the Marsh Pride was gradually returning to normal - and the births of new cubs, if nothing else, provided a much needed morale boost for her pride sisters.

Suddenly, she felt a light kick, and looked back down at her belly in time to see a small lump move up and down as a cub turned. A content grin lit up her muzzle, and she carefully laid back down in her bed of moss.

Soon, the Marsh Pride would grow again...

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