New Angles

Episode Thirteen: Little Old Ginterbong

~Episode fourteen: Little Old Ginterbong~

(Kion's mud mask)

"Ugh! What exactly is this for again?" Kion wondered, as Nirmala continued to smear mud on his face, starting with his scar.

"Don't worry Kion,.. This'll only last a short while." Nirmala chuckled, withdrawing her paw for a moment to view her progress, then continued.

"The venom in your scar needs to be treated directly." She went on as she finished covering the last few spots. "It is essential to complete your healing. The remedy that has been carefully mixed into this mud will soon take care of that."

"Nirmala.." the healer turned and left at her queen's beckoning, and Kion, out of curiosity, followed her.

"Makini and I are ready for Ono." Queen Janna told her. "You may fetch him now, if you like."

"That's right, we are all ready!" Makini smiled. "All we need now.. is Ono." She finished, catching Janna's smiling glance so they could both shift it back to Nirmala.

"Of course, your majesty, we'll go right away." Nirmala replied, bowing her head to her queen. "I saw them at the lake.. I'll take Kion there with me now."

"But,.. what about.." Kion merely raised his head slightly to remind her of his face.

"It's ok, Kion.." Nirmala chuckled again. "You may look silly,.. but by the time we reach the watering hole it'll have fully set. Now, come on." and with that Kion reluctantly followed.

XXXX

(After Nirmala and Ono leave, Bunga and Baliyo too)

"So how do you really feel about your healing so far?" Fuli asked Kion, when coming up beside him.

"Honestly.. it-feels like it's going kinda slow.." Kion sighed. "But,.. at least my scar is starting to hurt less.. So I guess it's working."

"I'm glad to hear that." Rani smiled, as she stepped up next to Fuli. "Really, I do. I'm sure whatever you went through to get that scar wasn't very fun."

"About as easy as the trip to get here." Kion sighed again, his gaze hitting the floor. "And I'm faced with it every day." He looked down at his reflection for only a second before having to turn away.

"Kinda wishing they could erase my memory.. as well as my scar." He continued lightly. "Then it'd really be like it never happened."

"Didn't you learn anything from your experience?" Rani asked cautiously.

"What?" Kion wondered, perking up a little before turning his confused glance on her.

"You know.. every scar has a story.." Rani explained further. "Grandmother Janna always says, a picture's worth a thousand words,..and..she believes that scars can do the same. What's your scar's story?"

And even though Kion didn't show it, the sting of the initial bite came back to him in a flashing memory that he wished he could forget.

"I..I was.. battling a great enemy of the Pridelands, when..I was bitten by a poisonous snake.." He answered hesitantly. "Right in the face." He added, placing a paw below his eye where his scar stretched down from it.

"That must've been horrible." Rani mentioned, becoming distracted as her foreleg curled around the other, concealing the scar she knew was there.

"Yeah.. and if it's ok with you.. I..I'd rather not talk about it. 'Least.. not yet." Kion requested, his eyes wandering as his tone wavered, hoping he wouldn't come off as rude in asking this.