The Scars On His Heart

Chapter 13 ~ Trials

A/N: So I'm back and have decided to rewrite this chapter. I wasn't happy with it so please ignore the spelling/grammar errors.

*This chapter has been revised

Serena knew she was dreaming. Still that did not stop her from feeling the fear and re-living the pain. She was surrounded by a group of men. She could never decipher the right number or remember much of their features.

They had taken her by surprise and hit her in the back of the head. It wasn't hard enough to knock her out. It still distorted her senses and made her experience that much more nightmarish. Their voices sounded eerily like hyenas as they laughed at her drunken attempts to stop them.

Before they could continue to torment her, she heard a shriek that made her blood run cold. She turned her head as she lay held down to the ground. Her eyes widened as she saw Kovu's body laying in a pool of blood. The big cat that attacked him was relishing the meal before it. His body moved slightly as the cat tore a chunk from his insides, spilling some. Intestines everywhere. She screamed as hot tears poured down her face. She struggled in vain as her tormentors continued their assault. She struggled trying to reach her baby. As she kept struggling she had caught the black cat's attention. It turned to her, its muzzle covered in blood and gore. It yowled angrily and stalked its way over prowling, ready to leap and attack.

"Yes, kill me." She begged. She didn't want to live anymore. Her baby was dead. She had no reason to carry on. As if giving into her request the cat lunged it's large bloody jaws aimed at her neck.

She was startled awake in a semi dark room. (Still the same day, but several hours have passed so its evening.) The only light coming from a torch in the hut wall. She blinked confused for a minute as she got her bearings. A rush of memories waking her up instantly.

"Kovu!" She yelled. Ignoring the pain in her shoulder as she forced herself up to sit. Koba rushes into the room along with Ivy the healer not far behind.

"Koba," she whispered, almost afraid to ask, " My baby? Where is he?" Hot salty tears poured down her face already imagining the worst.

Koba's eyes softened from the startled worried look of before. He approached her sitting next to her as he put a hand on her uninjured shoulder. Their eyes met, sad green meeting pained brown ones.

"Hurt, not sure if he will live through the night." He said softly, squeezing her hands in comfort.

She covered her mouth quickly as a sob tore through her throat. Koba moved his hand to the back of her head and gently moved her forehead and his together. His heart tightened in pain for his female. Serena was startled with his gentleness but couldn't deny the need for comfort as she leaned into his embrace. When she calmed down enough to speak again she looked up to him.

"Where is he? Take me to him." She pleaded. She had to see him.

Koba didn't want her to reopen her wounds but he said nothing as he picked her up gently in his arms. It still surprised him how small she was for his frame. She winced in pain from the movement. Gently he carried her to the room Kovu laid. He placed her down near him. She barely waited to be put down before reaching for her baby. Hot tears stung her already stained face as she gently touched Kovu's hand and grasped it in her own. She tried to sob quietly as she looked at her baby. He looked so pale and broken covered in makeshift bandages.

He needs antibiotics to help with any infection he might get from the cat's claws and teeth. She thought of her own wound as well. I hope I don't get rabies from that damn cat.

Putting that thought on the back burner for now. She stood up startling Koba from his thoughts. Looking at him she said, " I need to go get my med kit so I can give him medicine to prevent infections." Before he could say anything she rushed to the entrance of the hut. Using the wall to steady herself when a wave of dizziness hit her. Koba jumped to his feet, steading her. He moved in front of her before she could leave.
"Wait. Where is medicine? You rest with Kovu." He pleaded with her to stop, He knew she wanted to move to action but he didn't want her to strain herself. At first she wanted to argue but the look of concern and his gentle voice made her heart skip faster. She sighed, reminding herself she needed to let him help since she almost just face planted into the wall just taking a few steps. Her home was on the other side of the colony. She wouldn't make it in her state.

" It's in my bag next to my nest. Please bring my bag." Giving her a small nod he rushed out the door. Serena stood there a few moments giving her heart a chance to calm before making her way back to Kovu. When she entered Ivy had his wounds uncovered,

" The bleeding has stopped." She said, giving Serena a sad smile. Kneeling next to Kovu, she looked at the damage. So far the wounds did not look red or inflamed and not something that could be stitched up even though they were deep. Especially the one across his right eye, that one was not too deep thankfully. Otherwise he would have lost his eye for sure. She hoped he wasn't in too much pain. While watching Ivy prep some bandages and moss to wrap his wounds up again, Koba rushed into the room, panting as if he ran all the way to and back. He probably did, feeling her heart melt a bit. Grabbing her bag she pulled out her med kit and stopped Ivy before she used that putrid green goo again, she explained she would be using an antibiotic ointment to help Kovu's wounds. "This will help prevent infection."

Using a q-tip she applied a thin layer to all his wounds then placed gauze and used medical tape to secure it to his skin. Then grabbing a clean t-shirt she had in her backpack, she used scissors in the kit to cut a piece big enough so she could wrap his chest to keep some pressure on the wounds. And after applying ointment to the cut in his eye she covered it with a strip of fabric as well, giving him a makeshift eye patch. Finally she grabbed a syringe and calculated the right dosage for a human child and halved it. Kovu was the size of a small toddler but she was not sure how much he actually weighed. She didn't want it to accidentally harm him. Grabbing his small arm she was about to inject him after wiping an area with an alcohol swab. Before she could get the needle near him Koba stopped her, grabbing her wrist in a firm grip.

Startled, she looked up at him, "What is medicine? " He asked, looking uneasy. Confused at his reaction she said, " This is another antibiotic but it's an injection. This will also help prevent infection. I'll be taking some as well."

He nodded understanding before letting her go so she could continue. After sterilizing the needle, she gave herself a dose. Placing everything in its proper place and back in her bag. She smiled at Ivy in thanks as she left to give them some privacy and check on other patients. Done cleaning up, she looked at Kovu, feeling a few tears slip seeing him lay there. She felt so helpless, wishing she could do more. She prayed to whatever god out there, that it was enough and he survived. She was startled out of her thoughts when she felt an arm wrap around her waist. She looked up at the sad gaze of Koba as he pulled her gently to rest against his side. He again touched foreheads with her and wiped her tears away before returning his gaze back to watching Kovu. It was then that she noticed how tired Koba looked. She wondered how long he had stayed by Kovu's side. Why he was being so nice and almost affectionate to her in a comforting way. She turned back her attention to her baby watching the steady and slow rise of his chest. She would have to worry about that later she thought, pushing it all aside. Right now she had to focus on Kovu. So getting comfortable against Koba's side she rested her head on his shoulder watching and praying for his recovery. Exhausted, still from the day's events, she drifted off to sleep surrounded by the smell of earth and warmth ...

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Not my best chapter but, I wanted to end it here for now. Thank you everyone for the kind words and encouragement. Lifes been rough but I won't let it drag me down!

DarkSpiritDemon