The sun was low in the sky - the perfect time of day for prey to be coming out of hiding and for the dark long shadows of the savannah to be properly hiding the form of Artemis in the grass. Namir made eye contact with the lioness across the way, waiting until she looked back at him, and then they both nodded. There was never so lovely a partner in crime than his mate, and Artemis felt very much the same. As Artemis carefully moved upwind, Namir tracked her movement, then gazed at the gazelle out in the grass, so assured of their safety in the growing dark.

It was a healthy sized little herd - a few young bodies the two would leave be, then a few older beasts. One of the older looking ones seemed to walk with a slight limp and from the way it carried weight, it had already birthed many a child. Old enough to need to leave the bloodpool. He knew what his target would be. He looked from it to gaze out into the grass to see if he could spot his mate. Artemis was hidden amongst the grass, but from where she was, she could already guess which of these beasts they would be bringing along with them.

She didn’t need him to confirm he was ready for her to pounce, her lithe, muscled body leaping out from hiding and immediately startling her prey in every direction. Gazelles tripped over themselves in their sudden attempts to scatter and one of the young ones immediately toppled onto its side. Artemis bounded past it, her target already settled for a larger, more satisfying meal. Certainly, it wouldn’t be a tender child, but Artemis - as a mother - would have perhaps found it odd to eat a child.

Who was she kidding, it was a natural cycle. But there was no good in eating children.

The gimp-legged gazelle scattered as the indigo lioness went tumbling after it, letting out a bleat of distress. It split in a direction opposite of the rest of the herd, and Artemis followed. Namir moved in mirror of his mate, catching the limping beast before it could flee far from either of their paws. His jaws clamped tightly around it’s neck, squeezing the windpipe as the beast thrashed in a battle for it’s life.

It was futile, but natural and after nearly two minutes, the beast’s protests stilled. Namir released the catch, nudging it over to Artemis before settling. Artemis raised both of her brows at him, smiling knowingly as she moved to settle in at his side. She nudged her snout in the soft belly of the creature before carefully tearing through it, allowing organs to spill and the feast to begin. Artemis was not a delicate eater, and Namir would never have pretended that she was. It was enchanting, in it’s own way, and he pulled one of the kidneys over to him to start eating.

Artemis herself took the liver and for a quiet moment, the two just ate. It was more food than two lions alone should have been able to eat - though Namir was certain that upon their return home, Artemis would make sure their children had their fill as well. A mother thru and thru - it was something endearing.

“Did you see the visitors?” he asked her suddenly and Artemis looked to him with a calm expression. “The Firekin?” she asked, more familiar with the name that was whispered across the plains of the pride than the formal one the pride took. Namir nodded. “Our neighbors, yes. What did you think of them?” he asked and Artemis shrugged her shoulders, stretching out her entire body. “I don’t know yet. Time will tell and I will watch them,” the way she said it, Namir could so easily imagine her planting herself outside of the pride of fire-y lions, eyeing them with suspicion and fighting them like a mongoose would angrily scream at any who drew too close to their burrow.

Or at least their family.

“What do you think of them?” she inquired in turn and Namir thrummed thoughtfully at the notion. “I….will also be keeping an eye on them. They’ll be double-watched.” he laughed at the notion of their newcomers being eyed warily. Would they all suffer such a fate? Certainly, Namir knew they wouldn’t be the only lions keeping an eye on their newcomers, and he wasn’t necessarily disappointed by this.

They were a diligent people and that they were still well within their chosen pride now, even after everything.

Artemis wasn’t nearly as full of thought as her mate was, having quickly returned to her meal now that the apparent topic of conversation was over. Namir took a moment to admire her profile - the same way he did any time he laid there looking at her. Was she not a most lovely lioness? She paused in her eating to look at him, lifting her chin slightly. “You’re giving me that look again,” she teased, bumping her bloody nose against his. “Do you blame me? I’m still the luckiest lion in the world,” he answered smoothly.

His expression was so serious and honest that she couldn’t help but laugh, throwing her head back as the noise burst from her chest.

“I swear, I know you mean it every time, but you always look so silly when you do!” she taunted, bumping her head against his before she made a lunge at the kidney still between his paws. Clearly he wasn’t eating it.. Yet the second his meal was threatened, he huffed and knocked her back with his shoulder, snorting. “Hey! I’ll only let you have that when I’m actually full!” he protested, bumping his head against hers before he turned back to the organ and resumed tearing the sinew for his meal.

He was a funny boy - if at their age she was allowed to simply casually call him a ‘boy’. Well, he’d always be playful and young at heart to her at least.

“Well finish up soon. I want to make sure our kids get a bite too before the night Scavengers come out,” she warned and Namir chuckled. Yes, he could do that, at least.