Her body tensed as she was pushed, muscles showing through her thin fur as she fought to remain on her feet. Instincts told her that once she was on the ground again, she’d be done for- especially with the presence of this new lioness. Though it tore at her vocal chords, her own roar rumbled from her jaws, pupils dilated as she tried to fight against the healer. Each kick of her legs was weaker than the one before it before her body grew weak again, eyes half closed and breathing becoming a little more labored. She braced for the sharp pain of claws… However she felt nothing other than the sting of her wounds, wounds she hadn’t noticed she bore until now, being treated. She would never know, but this was the first act of genuine kindness she would have received in quite a long time.
The lioness’s words were muffled at first, the only sound she heard being her own heartbeat as she tried to calm herself. Only some words made it to her, ears twitching as she strained to listen. Her large paws lifted and rested over her eyes, wincing against the warmth of the sunlight. After a long pause of silence she let her paws touch the sand. She sat up, however her hind legs remained against the sand. The sternness in her gaze did little to mask the underlying confusion and mild fear, bristled whiskers twitching as she continued to shift her eyes between the healer and the fighter. “....What?” She managed to rumble out. Her voice surprised herself, causing her to flinch. The tone was still rumbling, though it certainly matched the description of a lionesses’ voice. “I can’t…” she rubbed her head, forehead wrinkling as she shut her eyes, “focus..”

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@wubwubbub

Sirona blinked, surprised by the voice, but tried to talk slower this time. wouldn't want to overwhelm the poor dear. "I'm Sirona, and this is lioness island. The, um, name is a work in progress..." She shuffled her feet a bit. What to say to a lioness who had just been cast into a new life? "If you'd like, i can, um, show you around." Yes, that was a good idea. Oh, wait... "When you feel okay to walk, of course."

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The introduction did little to settle her confusion. In fact it brought up more questions than it answered. Lioness Island? Why were there, at least she could only assume based on the title, only lionesses on this island? Who was the genius that came up with that name? Who was this angelic lioness that tended to her wounds with wings made of feathers? What was happening..?

She shook her head, mane ruffling with both the motion and the wind that carressed their fur. “I… I need to get out of this godforsaken light.” She managed to growl out. She never knew that eyes could ache until now, a throbbing pain radiating from her sockets. “Do you have shelter?” She swiveled her hind legs so the pads of her paws pressed against the sand, muscles rippling under her pelt as she got to her feet. She was still unsteady and trembling at the legs, but she could manage a short walk now.

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Gamma woke sleepily from her nap, eyes half-closed. She stood and stretched, yawning, before shaking her head to wake up. Next door, she heard Sirona's gentle murmuring, and thought she was treating some injured cubs. They were clumsy, paws small and fat, and tripped over practically everything. The voice she heard in response, however, was alarmingly growl-like, with the sweet tone of a lioness. What on earth could be in our den? she thought sleepily, but decided to patrol instead. Bounding out of the den, she snuck behind the older lionesses for a peek at the outer edge of the island.

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(@Samoa, my thing with Glory and Hella was meant to be a private area that could be encroached upon by outsiders rather than having someone suddenly appear as always having been part of the narrative, just invisible. ^^;)

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@130317 (Gamma king spoopy) EDITED

Hella raises an eyebrow and lays back down. "Uh-huh. You know..." she begins, but pauses for a moment to regard her cubs with concern. She knew of her charges to collectively have a wild imagination -the broodmother had had enough pretend deaths by "Apedemak's" wrath to know. Her cubs trying to playful bite and pounce on mere air as if something was there was... something else. She has a sinking feeling they were seeing someone she could not.

The elder lioness shudders then continues, "You know, you don't have to apologize. Ever heard of a joke?"

"Hella, don't be rude, " Glory whispers admonishingly, her eyes never leaving Sinoa. The young huntress-in-training has been standing stockstill behind Hella's larger frame until that point.

The brown lioness scowls down at her dumbfounded friend. "Why don't you do the talking then?" she snaps, shoving Glory forward with a paw. Glory is able to take a few steps running before falling flat on her muzzle in front of the healer.

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@wubwubbub

Sirona smiled and led the way to the healer's den. She could make this new lioness a bed right next to hers! Gosh, they could tell stories, and organize herbs together, and be friends - no, no, Sirona, you're getting ahead of yourself. Help her figure this place out first. She went and grabbed some herbs for pain, helping the lioness know what to do with which, and applying all the ones that she could.

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Mentions: Glory[briefly], Sirona

The darker lioness followed behind the healer, her paws leaving large indents in the sand. Though she tried to walk steadily, she swayed with each step, the deep scowl on her face showing the frustration she felt. It was difficult to feel vulnerable.

As they approached the den, she took a quick glance at the lions around them. All fairly young, even a few were taking care of cubs. Cubs... why did it hurt to look at them? She turned her attention away, nearly stumbling over the one that had flopped in front of the healer. She shifted her gaze from the rusty colored adolescent with an awkward grunt to apologize,

The stench of herbs stung her nose as she entered, muzzle twitching as she looked around. This was much nicer. The darkness didn’t hurt her eyes, and the coolness already started to help her relax. She flopped down on the ground, cautiously taking the herbs that were given to her. She was still breathing heavily, but once her body didn’t hurt so much, it wouldn’t take as much effort to move. “... Thank you.” The words, though she knew them, felt.. strangly foreign on her tongue.

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@wubwubbub

"You're very welcome!" Sirona could barely contain her excitement. A new buddy! Gosh, how long had it been since she had a friend? Too long, she decided. "hey, are you getting hungry? I can go get you some food, if you'd like." She could see her whisper friends settling in already, some of the cubs trying to get this newcomer's attention. Poor dears, they thought that since the cubs could see them, all lions could.

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Zemora's gaze shifted from the floor to the lioness and, despite having no frown present on her features, had a hardened stare, as if she were sizing her up, trying to figure out her motives. She shifted her weight to get more comfortable on the cold ground (having chosen that instead of the comfortable moss nest), however it was hard to get settled in against the flooring.

"I feel too sick to really eat anything.." Her voice had started to return to her, though crackled and rugged due to the dryness of her throat. Though power and strength seemed to radiate from her very being, the lioness' expression was uncertain, almost anxious in her current situation. She couldn't wait any longer. "...Do all of you forget your memory when you wash up on the shore?" She locked her gaze with the healers. Reflected in her own eyes was fear.

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