Strangers in A Strange New Place

[Shani]

Shani had heard Flynn collapse before anyone's voice alerted her to it. A soft, tired sigh escaped her muzzle, and she quickly moved to check on the fallen human, though not before making sure someone was looking after Huela.
"Michi," she called to her friend.

The young cat looked over from where she was helping sort supplies, and quickly jumped down to greet the medic.
"Yeah?"
"I need you to look after Huela, make sure she takes that medicine, and let me know if there are any signs of her condition getting worse."
Michi nodded, "You got it boss."

Once the teen had reached Flynn's side, she assessed the situation, checking on his wound, and making sure his pulse was steady.
"I did hear him right when he said he hasn't taken medicine yet? It's no wonder he collapsed then. His body has been working to try and heal, but due to the extra strain of rushing about to help others, it hasn't been able to do so as well as it should have."
She gave a small head tilt to those gathered around,
"I'm ordering he be put on bed rest until his wound has proper time to heal. I don't care if you have to tie him down. Make sure he doesn't overwork himself like this again."

Shani's ear twitched when she heard Dhall and Mulan agree that Flynn sounded like a true leader, and chuckled,
"You both do too. And we need a good few leaders right now, more than ever."

[The Gourmand]

It was like these dense children didn’t absorb single word he or anyone else said. Not that he wasn’t going in thinking that would be the case anyway, but he was open to meaningful debate. Was. Now the Gourmand was sure that his energy was wasted daring to suggest that there were more worldviews than their own.

The warlord didn’t respond other than leaning back and drumming his fingers, akin to a displeased parent. He didn’t have much commentary to add, but that didn’t mean the gears in his head weren’t turning, taking in everything happening around him. Eyes moved lethargically to each voice in turn. Watching him look around was almost like seeing a gun getting passed around in a game of Russian roulette -- it was impossible to tell who would be the target of rage, if anybody at all.

As he was honed in on Flynn, he lifted a brow once or twice. Fighting, was it? Yes, the Gourmand supposed so. Although he was perfectly content to mind his own business until his trophy became a subject of unrest. He started nothing and he was certain anyone in the room with sense knew that. Flynn was not at the receiving end of his fury; he was behaving as logically as the Gourmand would expect out of him. He got a pass.

Pointed gaze found itself once again firmly resting upon what remained of the displaced royals. And for a time, it remained, cool and analytical. Now he was beginning to catch a pattern;

Pride, pride, pride. Me, me, me. Self, self, self.

It boggled the monster’s mind how any one of these brats expected to get sympathy, understanding or the benefit of the doubt when they themselves so adamantly denied giving any of that to anyone else. The Gourmand wasn’t about to pity royals who, until then, enjoyed a life of privilege and being told they were special. Yes, they were victims, but so was every single other person in the room. It’s not a wonder there’s little patience for sheltered children who cry like they are the real biggest victims here when mauled soldiers sit right in front of their noses, and corpses are buried just outside. The Gourmand might have considered retiring his cloak, had a single one of the lions said, “I know this means something important to you, but”. But no, he was painted with a broad brush and tagged as unreasonable when no reason was attempted to be made in the first place. And in turn, the Gourmand would not yield because these solely self-concerned actions confirmed to him that his symbol of not forgetting the sins of the previous queen was very much needed. Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. The reminder was pertinent indeed. The cape stayed.

Needless to say, their conduct rubbed him the wrong way, but they were children and they were in grieving. The Gourmand would allow them some time to get their act together. They got a pass. For now.

Blinking, he slowly brought his gaze back to the collapsed human. Instead of reacting with fear, he let out a beleaguered sigh. Our "leader" everybody. The back of his head struck the wooden wall behind him. He seemed to have the exact opposite sentiments as everyone else.

“Please. This is bad comedy.”

They didn’t need a collapsed human, they needed a commander. He lifted his head, a glower returning to his face.

“One last thing, since clearly all these lions care about is their own kind,” he stated, “The pride made no attempt to save Kanzi… but I did.”

If none of the kids saw the significance in that, he was sure some of the other soldiers would.

[Huela]

“To her credit, Boss— Hi, Michi — Shani’s been doing a lot for folks. So has Flynn, even if he should be laying down on his own...”

There’s a soft huff from the little creature, body shifting slightly to accommodate taking pain meds.

“I think everyone needs a little bit of rest right now, including you. I think we all just need... like...”

The sentence falls flat, and Huela plops back over. It seems that, due to her tiny body, the medicine takes over rather fast. And with the pain that had been keeping her awake dissipated, she’s left to pass back out.

———

Dhall gives a soft noise at Shani’s order, following with an affirming nod of her own, “We’ll do our best. If he struggles, we’ll strap him down. I’m sure between the Captain and I, we can manage, but... Dear, have you rested, either?”

There’s worry etched on the Elemental’s face as she observes Shani and her movements. She has been one of the ones who had, as the tiny scrapper has put it, ‘won the lottery’. Dhall could understand work to stave away mourning, but rest was still required of most people. Especially the mortal sorts.

[Kiara]

Great Spirits and stars, this was growing past the point of tiring.

Not having the experience or knowledge of human needs and medicine Kiara made no moves towards those gathering around Flynn. Her presence would be neither appreciated nor helpful -- and she had a family to look after. A tail tuft of red and black brushed against Kopa and Afua's shoulders as she turned away, a silent gesture to draw them back to the corner that the pride occupied. Maybe quiet words could be exchanged later to ensure that the lions' assimilation into the rest of the army remained peaceful, but for now the distraction of Flynn's collapse offered opportunity for a tactful retreat.

A parting jab brought the slightest of pause to Kiara's bearing, but aside from a slight hesitation and the breath of a sigh the lioness simply continued to pad back to Kanzi's side.

No earth creature could have been fast enough to stop what had happened, even had the lionesses of the pride known what Nala intended to do on the Pride Rock precipice. Kiara herself had been too slow to do anything but watch her sibling slip past her paws when she tried to seize them from the open air. No, the only creature that Kiara considered worthy of thanking for Kanzi's life was one green-haired giant. If the earthbound sea creature had some desire to rewrite the truth of the matter to suit his own desires... Well, he had already proved willing to destroy 'allies' at the behest of his twisted morality.

So he'd felt some twinge of decency that had prompted an attempt to snatch Kanzi from the air, right before opening fire on everyone standing upon Pride Rock. Was that supposed to win him something? Some kind of brownie point? Something to detract from the fact that the entire army had fallen to madness following his violent eruption?

Oh, you shot into a crowd that had nothing to do with the crimes at hand, but at least you tried a half-hearted attempt to save one of them so it's okay.

Kiara would not risk losing her remaining pride nor her own life by gainsaying him. Not even in the false protection of a crowded room.

Placing herself between Kanzi and the bulk of the room the child queen drew their blankets close around them.

(Kiara's piece in the thread is done)