{PRP}Time to Face Freedom {Kyriaka x Iphi}

[magnadearel]

Kyriaka had woken up that morning at the first peak of light full of eager anticipation. Today was the day she was supposed to have her cast finally removed for good! She shifted awkwardly to her three good feet with her casted foreleg stretched out in front of her. The leopardess felt the past few months had been an eternity.

She was very much looking forward to some freedom at last. And a good long grooming! Her leg itched so badly! The leopardess wasn’t use to close quarters confinement as one needed to heal a broken leg. She stumbled through her den trying to be quiet as possible so as not to wake her familiar.


Her partner had been on edge for days. Iphigeneia knew her friend well; she knew the leopardess was eager to get out and get moving. Which she was absolutely sure was the last thing the Eir would tell her to do. She’d gone to sleep knowing it was to be an early morning and a very long day tomorrow.

The maned wolf was not disappointed. Just as the sunlight started to peek in, she could hear shifting and the scrapping of the cast on the ground. Iphi could tell Kyriaka was trying to be quiet. Unfortunately, or was that fortunately?, walking with a cast was anything but silent. She rose to her feet and went out.

“Settle down or the healer might give you another month.”
 

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She had almost made it to the door when a voice spoke up from the opposite end. Kyriaka sighed. She should have known better. There was no getting anything past Iphi. The maned wolf was too damn canny. Well at least she’d tried.

“I was just looking to see if the healer was coming!” She whined plaintively. There was nothing she wanted more than getting this cast off and being able to run again. However, she obediently turned back and settled onto her ‘daybed’. It was thickly padded to support her. Once the cast was off this would be the second thing to go, the leopardess promised herself.


The maned wolf shook her head and sighed. “I doubt the esteemed Eir is hardly out of bed yet, or perhaps she’s just getting there.” Thankfully, she didn’t have to physically force the leopard back from the door. There had been a few times she’d had to sit, carefully, but sit nonetheless upon the body of her friend to keep her still. The corner of her mouth twitched at the memory.

“Remember the last time you got impatient? You almost re-broke that leg and you were the cause of your own extension in the cast.” She fixed a stern eye on the leopardess.
 

[magnadearel]

Kyriaka sunk sheepishly down to her bed. She was unable to do anything but recall the horrible day and events. The Eir had said a couple more weeks and left. She’d been convinced her leg was completely fine and that Thais was just trying to restrict her. Well no one was holding this cat down!

The leopardess had managed to slip out while Iphi was away. The cast had come off as quick as she could get it unwound. Kyriaka sighed in relief and went bounding down a path. Her leg had felt a little sore and stiff, but a good stretch and run would surely fix it. She hadn’t gotten far when her leg buckled and pain had flared up. She’d barely been able to limp home. The pain had been nothing compared to the scolding she got.


Iphi went over and with practiced ease, made the leopardess as comfortable as she could be. Waiting was never easy. She nodded as she caught the look on Kyriaka’s face. Good she did remember then. “You will follow the Eir’s express instructions to the letter. Or you’ll find yourself another nurse. Maybe that nice lion would put up with you.”

As long as she could keep her friend from doing anything else stupid, they should be back up and running in a short time. Iphi guessed the Eir would have a reconditioning schedule to get the muscles toned up again for work.
 

[magnadearel]

Drat. The maned wolf was right. Kyriaka wiggled her shoulders to ensure the proper placement of the bedding as Iphi nosed it around her. “I’m sorry. I’ve been a wretched patient. I’ll try to do better.” It was so so hard to admit she had been less than her best. Kyriaka knew the loyal friendship she had in Iphi was worth it though.

She nodded meekly at the orders to follow the healer’s instructions to the letter. “Yes ma’am. Everything will be by the books,” whatever those might be, she sighed. “I just wish Thais would hurry up and get here!”


Her work quickly accomplished, Iphi grabbed a rabbit from storage and brought it to Kyriaka. She placed it beside her patient and smiled. “Yes, but you wouldn’t be you without it. That I wouldn’t change for the world. It makes me very happy to hear that. I’d much rather be hunting out there with you, than caring for you in here.”

“Now eat. You’ll need your strength for today.” Iphi gave a laugh at the anxious comment. “You should know by now that healers and healing cannot be rushed!” With witty humor, the maned wolf managed to distract her friend long enough for her to eat. Time passed quickly until it was near noon.
 

[magnadearel]

With the pleasant company provided by her friend, and many funny stories, she managed to eat her breakfast. The more distracted she was the faster the morning seemed to pass without her fretting herself over how long it was taking. She even managed to make it all the way to noon before she thought about it again.

Her ears perked. “I hear footsteps on the path!” Kyriaka couldn’t keep the excitement and hope out of her voice. With any luck, that would be Thais coming to set her free. She started to struggle to her paw until a glare from Iphi settled her back down.


Time was much friendlier when they weren’t trying to rush it. She did everything she could to distract Kyriaka. Iphi felt it had been a pretty good success. The leopardess wasn’t the only one to hear the paw steps upon the path. While it could be anyone, there was only one they were looking for.

“Stay put!” She growled firmly. Kyriaka would not mess this up a second time. After a guilty look the leopardess settled back down to her bed. “Stay there and I will go see who it is.” Iphi got to her paws and padded out the entrance to meet their guest.


Fin