A flash of silver in the underbrush and then a small squeak followed by silence, the reptile had found it's mark. The kangaroo mouse was no more and the snake was quite pleased with himself and slithered back through the jungle floor back towards his bonded and his mother. He was quite fond of the lion pair though Einions mother could be a little on the touchy side but she was like-able once you got past her bristly exterior.

"Ferro, there you are. I was wondering where you'd gotten off to." Einion said with a smile upon his face as the large reptile came into view from the nearby bushes. "Hunting again?" The snake often went off on his own, which didn't concern the lion too much as Ferro wasn't exactly tiny.

Forked tongue flicked in and out of the grey mouth and he slithered into a tight coil . near the male, "Yessss." Stomach full with warm food he just wanted to find a spot in the sun, but this spot would do for now.

Hesper stood up and gave an elongated stretch, they were traveling towards the Ithambo'hlabathi lands so that her son could challenge into the pride as one of the breeding males there. It would be good for him to learn how to be a body guard to a group of lionesses with few males present. She had grown up in a pride that was a typical lion pride type and wanted her son to experience what it took to live in a place such as that.

Though, Ferro wouldn't be able to come but it would be for a few months at the most at least for her son. She still hadn't made up her mind on whether or not she'd continue to stay after he was beaten out, whenever that might occur. Looking her son over as he sat in the shade of a nearby tree she was quite pleased how he turned out.

Feeling his mother's eyes on him Einion glanced over towards her with one of those 'what now' expressions but didn't say anything, she just seemed to be rummaging through her usual thoughts most likely, not saying anything to him. Leaving it be he stood up and waved a paw. "You really want me to do this then?" It wasn't that he didn't think he could do it, it just wasn't often that his mother requested such things from him.

"Yes. Holding a position like that is not only honorable but it will teach you things I am unable to." She would say nothing more on the matter, she knew he'd do it without fail just because she had asked it of him, though he was getting to that age where he would eventually break off from her, though she knew he stuck around because she liked having the company. Not only that but hunting was much better with two.

Still, she knew she couldn't keep him at her beck and call forever. It was just a temporary luxury that she was exploiting for as long as she could.

Nodding his head there was no arguing the matter, besides it wouldn't be all that bad right? He'd be there as nothing more than a body guard for the most part with the occasional night with a wanting lioness, really he should be jumping at the chance to have such a position. There wasn't any obligation to 'love' someone so what could be better than this?

Making a small circle where he stood, the large male laid back down with a small umpfh as he met the ground a little harder than he had expected to. "When should we continue on?" Hesper was the one setting the pace, not him. Though, that meant soon they'd have to ditch Ferro somewhere, which the snake wouldn't mind.

"Soon, we're a day or two from there so really there isn't a huge rush to get some miles behind us. I just want to relax in the shade a while longer, once we hit the plains there won't be much of it anymore." It was the only downside to the pride they were heading into, little to no shade. BUT, they'd have great numbers so hunting would be plentiful and she'd have a great deal of company which is what she wanted most of all.

"I could just stay here, the hunting is quite nice and there are plenty of trees for me to hang in." Ferro said looking at his companion with a flick of his forked tongue. They had gotten the run down of what to expect from the pride once they arrived and it was no surprise that the reptile wouldn't be welcome. "You can come find me once you're term there is up." He was also certain there was another snake or two in the area that he had scented out so he might have some news of his own in the next year, whenever they decided to come back through this way.

Einion was going to miss his friend dearly but because of his mother's wishes this was how it must go. "If you like it here that would be alright, not that I have much say in what you do." Giving a hearty chuckle he gave a warm look back towards the snake and stretched his jaws in a mighty lawn.

"Once the sun starts to set we should head out again, we'll be hitting open terrain after this so it would bode well for us to travel at night while it's cool." Hesper just wanted to get there already and the idea of being around more than just her son was what was spurring her to hasten their movements. She just really missed having females to gossip to, not that gossip was one of her forte's. Idle banter was more like it.

"Sounds like a plan mother." He wanted to nap and closed his eyes and began to drift off to sleep. Ferro was doing the same, the mouse in his stomach making him warm and content.

Hesper would stand watch, she wasn't tired. Moving to lean against a nearby tree she looked out into the vast jungle before them and lost herself to her thoughts.

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