Summary: She cannot help but be emotionally attached to this creature.
Character Dynamics: Vikki Grimm, Leonardo "Leo" the Lion
Game: Portal Runner
She pinches the rough texture of her loincloth between her fingers and rips a portion off, unknowing that this instinctive gesture creates a lifelong bondage for her and the wounded feline. Despite her arduous venture into the wild for a sustainable source of nutrition, smoke continues to peel from a patch of fur on his paw. His golden hide is horribly disfigured by the scorched strip, matted with dirt and blood. Tenderly, she applies a slight pressure to his deep laceration, comforting words slipping past her gentle smile. The fabric instantly absorbs the vital fluid and is dyed scarlet. The feline flinches at the contact against his open wound, but immediately relaxes at her soothing ministrations. A guttural purr from the back of the lion's throat escapes past his fangs as a wet tongue pokes out to lick her in appreciation.
She cannot help but smile even wider.
Forced into a primordial world that is dominated by bloodthirsty, massive predators, it's nice to make a friend. Especially one whom she can depend on for a little protection. She may be strong in willpower and stamina, but she is not stupid. Monolithic reptiles with gnashing teeth and a craving for flesh were not something she had been trained to kill. When scavenging for food, it had definitely taken more than a few arrows from her bow to pierce her attacker's scabrous skin.
For now, she remains with the ferocious civet, learning over time that he is actually quite devoted to her. If this had been any other day, she might have relinquished her firm grip on sanity. One can only guess how insane a person could be driven when being warped to a prehistoric time period, fending for oneself against ballistic robots and dinosaurs, and befriending a lion all within the same day. Reminding herself of yesterday's experience eases the absurdity of her current predicament. Her boyfriend had been imprisoned by giant cookies, after all.
So, she accepts her fate. Fingers curling around her makeshift weapon, she rises to her feet and the lion follows suit. It is a majestic creature; with deep, alerted eyes and thick, golden fur, his stance gives off a palpability of courage. The green pigment of her vision collides with his, and they acknowledge something that ties them down forever.
True, they may differ in species. His capacity for knowledge may contrast greatly from her superior range. While she is capable of speech, a rapacious roar rips from his snout. But no words are needed to understand what has just taken place.
Somehow, this feline fills a place in her heart, and she cannot help but be emotionally attached.
A/N: I was unsure as to where to post this story. I realize that "Portal Runner" is a spin-off from the Army Men series and decided to post this under the category, given that there is not one dedicated to "Portal Runner" itself. So, if I am mistaken, please correct me. Thank you for reading! I adore this game. As a child, I really enjoyed it. A review would be greatly appreciated!