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She had messed up again and had gotten lectured. Pouting, she limped back to the pride, as she had been directed by the Tenzin. She had to find an Abungu to help heal her injury, which was currently a semi-large gash along her back leg.
She had thought she was being quiet while sneaking up on the boar. She was sure of it. But the Tenzin had said she hadn't been and Riu wasn't about to argue. "But I was quiet," she whispered to herself, which ended up being perfectly audible to those within a ten-foot radius.
She approached the area she was instructed to go to, sucked in a large breath, and then bellowed. "HELLO?! IS THERE AN ABUNGU AROUND?"
She had thought she was being quiet while sneaking up on the boar. She was sure of it. But the Tenzin had said she hadn't been and Riu wasn't about to argue. "But I was quiet," she whispered to herself, which ended up being perfectly audible to those within a ten-foot radius.
She approached the area she was instructed to go to, sucked in a large breath, and then bellowed. "HELLO?! IS THERE AN ABUNGU AROUND?"
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Povu had been avidly interested in his mother's craft from the very beginning. He knew Meltem liked the fact and he wanted to make her proud. It was also easily the most clean job that was available. Sure, one could get sticky paws from making salves and the like, but that wasn't the same as the Eir, who had to deal with bloodied patients or the ninjas themselves, who had to deal with all manner of dirty work. Povu took pride in his job, especially once he learned all of it, but he felt like he had yet to earn the respect of all of his pride members. Most importantly, the adolescents of the pride. Just take young Riu, for example. He'd seen her around and thought her to be tiresome and irritating at best. Maybe she'd grow out of it, maybe she wouldn't. Either way, when she came towards his workshop hollering bloody murder, he was ready to get a little dirty himself, if it meant her silence. Striding towards her, he stared with a blank expression at her, before circling her. She was considerably smaller, but somehow had still managed to get a sizeable wound on her leg. He sniffed the wound and then glanced back at her. "Shouldn't you go to an Eir for this. They are the healers of the pride, after all." He remarked coolly.
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Riu gave him a blank look. When the Tenzin said to have her leg looked at, they didn't specify who. Just someone. And since she had gone crying to Povu before over little bumps and scratches that she had obtained as a cub, there had always been a salve to soothe the ache. Couldn't he just do the same this time? "I don't wanna go to the Eir," Riu announced loudly before grinning at the male. "Abungu, your paste works just as well. You should be an Eir," Riu pointed out cheerfully.
Of course, all of this was only half true. In truth, if she had gone to an Eir, they would have probably prohibited her from training until she properly healed. And their definition of properly healed seemed too unnecessarily long. Why not just go to Povu, who she ran to for all her aches? There was a better chance of getting him to slap a salve on it and sweet talk him into letting her continue training. "It really isn't that bad. A flesh wound, I think. I should be good to go with rest, right? Back to training by tomorrow?" Riu asked hopefully.
Of course, all of this was only half true. In truth, if she had gone to an Eir, they would have probably prohibited her from training until she properly healed. And their definition of properly healed seemed too unnecessarily long. Why not just go to Povu, who she ran to for all her aches? There was a better chance of getting him to slap a salve on it and sweet talk him into letting her continue training. "It really isn't that bad. A flesh wound, I think. I should be good to go with rest, right? Back to training by tomorrow?" Riu asked hopefully.
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Povu's ears flattened against the loudness of the young cub. She was training to be a ninja? He pitied the Tenzin that had to train her. With a long sigh, he sniffed at the wound again and then gingerly, tapped at the skin around it with a single claw. It didn't bleed as he thought it may, perhaps a salve would work for this wound after all.
"I still think an Eir would best suit this wound, but if you're so determined to get back to training..." He couldn't help, but reward the desire to be the best one could be. "I can put an herbal salve on it that will keep it from getting infected for the time being, though I do standby the fact that if it starts to sting or hurt during training, you go to an Eir." He huffed. "And while it will be undoubtedly a waste of my time, I will not hesitate to go directly to the Tenzin training you to give them the instructions to personally see you to an Eir, should you not go on your own." He said, looking at her pointedly, before he gave her a half-smile.
He went to his workshop, retrieved a small salve that lay upon a broad leaf and dragged it out. He stopped to wash his paws in a small pool nearby and then as he sat in front of her leg, he flicked an ear in amusement. "Like I said earlier, this salve will not heal the wound, so much as prevent it from getting worse. If that's all it needs to heal on its own, excellent, if not, I will know about it whether or whether not you tell me." He sniffed as he said. "I can smell infection the way most can smell prey beasts nearby." A proud smile as he slowly began to tap the sticky salve onto her leg. "This may sting, but it shall wear off in time. It just means the salve is working."
"Now, since we'll be here for a bit, why don't you tell me how you got this most impressive flesh wound?" He asked, curious to see how it came about.
"I still think an Eir would best suit this wound, but if you're so determined to get back to training..." He couldn't help, but reward the desire to be the best one could be. "I can put an herbal salve on it that will keep it from getting infected for the time being, though I do standby the fact that if it starts to sting or hurt during training, you go to an Eir." He huffed. "And while it will be undoubtedly a waste of my time, I will not hesitate to go directly to the Tenzin training you to give them the instructions to personally see you to an Eir, should you not go on your own." He said, looking at her pointedly, before he gave her a half-smile.
He went to his workshop, retrieved a small salve that lay upon a broad leaf and dragged it out. He stopped to wash his paws in a small pool nearby and then as he sat in front of her leg, he flicked an ear in amusement. "Like I said earlier, this salve will not heal the wound, so much as prevent it from getting worse. If that's all it needs to heal on its own, excellent, if not, I will know about it whether or whether not you tell me." He sniffed as he said. "I can smell infection the way most can smell prey beasts nearby." A proud smile as he slowly began to tap the sticky salve onto her leg. "This may sting, but it shall wear off in time. It just means the salve is working."
"Now, since we'll be here for a bit, why don't you tell me how you got this most impressive flesh wound?" He asked, curious to see how it came about.
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Riu sucked in a deep breath as the sting began. "Smokes, that hurts!" she yelped, leg flinching away on reflex. "Didn't you have anything a bit... gentler?" Riu asked in a near whine, before settling her foot firmly back on the ground, tensed against the upcoming stinging that was sure to come.
It only meant it was working. Povu had said this. And she had no reason to doubt Povu. He was always rather blunt with her. It's why she liked him so much. Of course, only as one would admire a mentor... maybe. Glancing at him, she considered him. He was rather handsome, in a liony way. But too old. He had to be too old.
"A boar," she replied with a roll of her shoulders before narrowing her eyes. "You wouldn't really rat me out to the Tenzin, would you?" she asked in a hushed tone, almost accusingly.
It only meant it was working. Povu had said this. And she had no reason to doubt Povu. He was always rather blunt with her. It's why she liked him so much. Of course, only as one would admire a mentor... maybe. Glancing at him, she considered him. He was rather handsome, in a liony way. But too old. He had to be too old.
"A boar," she replied with a roll of her shoulders before narrowing her eyes. "You wouldn't really rat me out to the Tenzin, would you?" she asked in a hushed tone, almost accusingly.
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Povu didn't so much as blink when Riu flinched away, merely holding his paw in midair until she had moved back for him to continue. He had seen finicky patients before, had dealt with them accordingly and he had to admit that Riu wasn't the worst he had seen. He'd had to help an Eir with one of their cases before, had to make a lion swallow one of his herbal pellets that knocked them out. They were meant to be used as smoke bombs that caused others to collapse, but swallowing them was considerably more effective. It wouldn't have done if the leopon was awake and thrashing through the entire treatment of their wound. They had been gored in a hunt with a wilderbeast. It was not a pretty sight. Riu wouldn't be old enough to recall this, of course. Still he remarked, "You're doing rather well for someone who is not used to this salve." He gave her a lazy half-smile. "I thought you'd be able to handle this, but if you'd rather me baby you, I can take you straight to an Eir and they can see you off of training to properly heal." He teased.
When she went on to tell him that it was a boar that had done so, he was going to inquire further when she narrowed her eyes at him and asked something that held more importance. "I absolutely would." He said without hesitating. "If it means that you would heal and get well again, I would do whatever I could to make that happen." He swung his tail around and tapped his tail tip against her nose. "You will always have more time to train, but if you get hurt beyond anyone's repair and push yourself too hard, you could put yourself in a spot that you could never train or better yourself from there. I suspect we both do not wish for that to happen." He explained, before applying the last of the salve, rubbing the rest back onto the leaf. "There, all patched up. Stay here a moment longer for it to settle in and dry and then you're free to go. Alright?" He informed her.
When she went on to tell him that it was a boar that had done so, he was going to inquire further when she narrowed her eyes at him and asked something that held more importance. "I absolutely would." He said without hesitating. "If it means that you would heal and get well again, I would do whatever I could to make that happen." He swung his tail around and tapped his tail tip against her nose. "You will always have more time to train, but if you get hurt beyond anyone's repair and push yourself too hard, you could put yourself in a spot that you could never train or better yourself from there. I suspect we both do not wish for that to happen." He explained, before applying the last of the salve, rubbing the rest back onto the leaf. "There, all patched up. Stay here a moment longer for it to settle in and dry and then you're free to go. Alright?" He informed her.
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Riu stayed still at the teasing threat. She did not want to go to an Eir and be required to sit out of training. How was she supposed to become a proper ninja if that happened? Everyone would get ahead of her!
Riu sighed when Povu responded to her outrage in his responsible, adult logic. It was annoying. She was ready to roll her eyes when he tapped his tail against his nose. A giggle escaped her. "I guess not," Riu agreed wihth a long sigh, before settling down onto the ground once he was finished. "Abungu, why didn't you want to become a ninja?" she asked the older man, not liking silence for even a second. She always needed to fill the quiet with noise.
Riu sighed when Povu responded to her outrage in his responsible, adult logic. It was annoying. She was ready to roll her eyes when he tapped his tail against his nose. A giggle escaped her. "I guess not," Riu agreed wihth a long sigh, before settling down onto the ground once he was finished. "Abungu, why didn't you want to become a ninja?" she asked the older man, not liking silence for even a second. She always needed to fill the quiet with noise.
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Povu smiled at her question. She reminded him of the serval kit that was bonded to his mother. Now she was grown, just as he was, but at the time she had been a proper chatterbox. At the very least, this question had an easy answer and he had no problem revealing it. “I didn’t want to get my fur dirty.” He replied smoothly. “Being an Abungu, despite the occasional slime, is easily the cleanest job of all of them.” He looked wistful as he added. “And I wanted to be closer to Meltem. I knew that with her other cubs being ninjas to be and what happened with my father... she needed someone with her.” He blinked, cleared his throat and looked up to the youth. “And what about you, then? Why did you choose to become a ninja?”
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Riu brightened at his answer. Didn't want to get his fur dirty, hm? That gave her some mischevious thoughts. Grinning, she rolled onto her back, mindful of her leg as she let out a laugh. "Are you a germaphobe, Abungu?" Riu asked in a snicker.
His own question to her made her plop back on her belly and she beamed at him. "Because they're the pride of the society, of course! Who wouldn't want to be a ninja?!" she exclaimed loudly and proudly. Before giving him a dubious look. "You're strange for not wanting to be one," Riu announced.
His own question to her made her plop back on her belly and she beamed at him. "Because they're the pride of the society, of course! Who wouldn't want to be a ninja?!" she exclaimed loudly and proudly. Before giving him a dubious look. "You're strange for not wanting to be one," Riu announced.
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“I may be strange, but who would provide you with healing salves and smoke bombs if the pride only had ninjas and no one to look after them?” He replied, swatting her with his tail. “There, it should have dried by now. Get plenty of rest today and check back in with me if it starts to hurt again, alright?” He watched her for a moment to make sure she got the message. Getting to his paws, he began to walk into his workshop once again when he glanced over his shoulder at Riu and added. “Oh, and Riu? You needn’t call me Abungu all the time. My name is Povu.” And with that he swished his tail and was out of sight.
”Belloblossom”
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