Chapter 1: Unusual Saviours
Nala came to to find that she wasn't alone, another lioness stood there, "hello there." Still not fully thinking, the young lioness tried to cringe, most prides didn't take well to outsiders in their midsts. Cringing, however, irritated her injury, which flared up, startling a low roar of pain out of her. This didn't have the expected response though, for instead of warning her off the other lioness said, "oh my, I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you like that."
This was an atypical enough response that Nala, once she'd recovered enough to speak, said, "no, it's okay, no need to apologise." She gave the other lioness a look over, quite young she figured, probably no more than one-and-a-half, maybe two years old, and with an indefinable air of friendly naivety, "I'm Nala."
"Haraka," the other lioness replied. there was a moment's silence, then she asked, "Can you get up, can you move much."
"Um, a little I guess," Nala replied, now quite confused, "why?"
"Well, normally I'd try to get Ukarimu out here to see you," Haraka said, "but it's a fair distance, probably further than she'd be willing to travel, so I'm afraid you're going to have to go to her to get that wound looked at."
"And who is this Ukarimu," Nala asked, confused.
"Oh, she's our healer," Haraka replied, "she'd really good."
"But lame," Nala said.
"Oh she's not lame," Haraka said, "well, not as such, but she doesn't like moving about much at this time of year, you'll understand when you see her."
"Okay then," Nala said, confused, this ailment didn't sound like anything she'd ever come across, "is it far?"
"It is a ways away, yes," Haraka said, "but there's spots to rest along the way."
"Good," Nala said, "because I can't move fast," she turned her head to indicate her wound, "not with this."
"That's fine," Haraka said, "we'll go as fast or slow as you want."
"Okay, fine," Nala said. Fine was not how she felt a few minutes later, after attempting to get up though, "this could take a while."
"Let me help," Haraka said, and came around to Nala's side, sliding her head and neck under the injured lioness's own, "now try."
It was still a struggle for Nala, but a more manageable one, and soon she found herself upright, "uh, thanks."
"Don't mention it," Haraka said, "now if you're ready..."
"How much further is it," Nala asked, during their third rest-stop.
"Well we're over half way there, I think," Haraka replied, "but not much over, so it's still going to be a while yet."
"Great," Nala murmured sarcastically. The journey thus far had been long and painful, and knowing she had nearly as far again to go didn't help her mood. Nor did the thought of having Haraka as a companion, the young lioness hadn't been a bad companion so much, her optimism had certainly helped here and there, but for some reason it also annoyed her, though she couldn't figure out why. Still, the sooner they got going again, the sooner they'd arrive at wherever it was this Ukarimu lived, "okay, let's go."
"Are you sure," Haraka asked, "wouldn't you like to rest up a little longer?"
"No, I want to get there and get this injury dealt with as soon as I can," Nala replied. 'Soon' however was still a considerable amount of time, for no matter how quickly she tried to go their pace was still terribly slow. Worse was to come though, for while they were still about a quarter of the way from their destination, she missed a step, her left forepaw slipping out from under her on a patch of mud, bringing her thudding down onto her right flank, "wha-argh!" That was all she had time to say though, as blackness soon overtook her.
Nala awoke to the feeling of someone nuzzling the back of her neck, "Nala, Nala, wake up."
"Leave her alone Haraka," said another, more gruff voice, "she's been through enough already, without you-"
"Jumbe, please," toned in a third voice, this one deeper than that of most males, but still somehow feminine, "there's no need to admonish her so harshly."
"She'd got to learn to control herself," the presumed Jumbe said again.
"There's no need to be harsh about it," the deeper voice said, "however, Jumbe is right Haraka, you do need to learn to better contain your enthusiasm."
"Of course Ukarimu," Haraka said, "sorry."
"Forgiven," the deeper voice, presumably Ukarimu, said, "now come, sit with us, our friend must decide for herself when she is ready."
Fully awake now, Nala was puzzled by the last sentence, when she was ready? Surely if she so much as moved her leg she'd be once again in a world of agony? Why even right now her side was...no, it wasn't hurting at all and nor was it numb, it was like the wound had healed, but that was crazy nor even a tiny cut could heal in that time, let alone one that had nearly lamed her, and yet... After a few moments, she decided to risk moving her right foreleg slightly, and when she did, almost gasped as the expected agony failed to come, with only a slight twinge in her shoulder manifesting itself. Amazed, she decided to test herself further, and worked herself first into an up upright lying position before standing up. Well this was almost beyond belief, her shoulder twinged a little, and the muscle felt a fraction stiff, but compared to what she was expecting-
"Hey Nala, over here," Called out Haraka from her right rear quarter.
Nala turned, not sure what to expect, though out of all the things that she might see, what she was confronted with, what she did in fact see wasn't even close. There were three lionesses and a lion there, two of the lionesses and the lion were about normal size, but the third lioness... The first thing she noticed about this third lioness was her breadth, the prodigious volume of flesh on her body spread out across the ground so that she was half as wide again as her companions, and that while she could see that they were propping themselves upright on their elbows, hers seemed to be positioned to prevent them from taking too much of her weight, which was perhaps wise given what she must weigh. Not that the immense lioness's body seemed to be the only part of her to be incredibly oversized, her forelegs were nearly as narrow as her own at the wrists, but tapered out towards the elbows which were as big around as her neck. And looking closer she would see that the fur around the other lioness's neck seemed rather scruffy-
"you know, it's rude to stare youngster," said the lion, this Shujaa by the sounds of it.
"Calm down Shujaa," the larger lioness said, "I'm sure our young friend means no offence, and you must admit, I an quite a sight."
"But even so-" Shujaa began.
"However," the other, until now silent lioness cut her off, "now that our young friend has recovered her strength, I suggest we get moving, those clouds look heavy."
"A good idea Erevu," the large lioness, who Nala figured must be Ukarimu, said. Then the young lioness was treated to another amazing sight, as the immense lioness, proceeded to force herself into first a sitting position, and then stood up, the speed - slow compared to the others, but much quicker than the young Pridelands lioness would have expected given that her belly hung down to perhaps half way between her knees and her ankles - with which it was done telling her that, immensely fat thought this lioness was, the burden in imposed was far from crippling. Nor was her weight the only large thing about her, for she stood noticeably taller than any of her companions, even the lion, and this even accounting for the blanket of fat covering her back from her neck rolls to her tail-head. "Haraka," she said once she'd stood up, "why don't you take our guest on ahead and introduce her to the rest of the pride, I know you want to."
"I'll do that," Haraka said, approaching Nala, before looking back finally breaking the other lion's view of the incredible Ukarimu, "uh, what shall I tell the others?"
"That our friend here is a guest and that if any of them want to complain, they can come to me."
"I'll tell them that," Haraka replied, then turned back to Nala, "come on, let's go."
"What," Nala said, finally coming back to reality, "oh, yeah right, let's go."