Hmm... Well, I suppose one could classify this as a Founders' fic, if so desired; it does deal with Salazar and Godric, after all. The entire set of fics was inspired by a couple lines from our favorite Hat:

For were there such friends anywhere

as Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Such a friendship has to have some interesting history behind it...

Enjoy!

A Day in the Lives of the Lion and Snake
The boy came awake quickly, instinctively reaching for his wand; it was not there. He growled under his breath. Shaking was not his preferred method of being woken, and he informed the other of that fact with a snarl and hiss. All he received in return was a small upturning of the lips and an amused glint in the silver eyes. Undaunted, he continued in his complaint.

"Some of us are rather fond of our sleep, you know."

No response.

He glared, then held out his hand. "Where is my wand?"

It was handed to him and he accepted it. The other boy had learned quickly to take it before attempting to wake him. Prior to learning, he had fallen prey to a wide and varied number of curses and hexes cast immediately upon any disturbance.

"Why did you wake me up in the middle of the night?" Glancing about, he saw the cave empty but for themselves, and no unnatural scents or sounds came from outside; there was no reason readily apparent for his awakening.

His companion shook his head, black hair spilling over his shoulders, and placed a finger to his lips before bending and whispering into his ear. "Come. We need to leave immediately."

He whispered back. "Why?"

A checked sigh. A resigned look, a beckoning gesture, and he rose to follow his friend deeper into the cavern. Increasing heat and a soft glow caught his attention as they crept further, and he sent a questioning look at the other boy. The look was answered with a nod and hint of a smile. His eyes widened with excitement; his pace quickened, heedless of the other's cessation of movement.

Within a few moments, he was peering at a black dragon, sleeping quite soundly on a heap of gold at the end of the long tunnels. Bones littered the ground nearby; a Muggle helmet rolled on its side. He grinned. Then turned and backtracked, rejoining the dark-haired boy. Swiftly, they made their way out of the cave system and Apparated to an agreed upon stream perhaps a mile away.

He let out a whistle under his breath. "Did you see her? She was gorgeous!"

"So she was," came the dry response. "But I doubt she'd have appreciated our presence in her home. We're lucky she was asleep when we entered."

"Probably, but still! Ah, such a splendid creature…" He trailed off, absently kneeling to take a sip of water.

"Has the lion then met his match?"

The appellation was a familiar one, given him by the dark boy for his tawny hair and lazy tendencies. Despite having never actually seen a lion, he took pride in the nickname, claiming for himself the lion's fierceness in the hunt and protection of his pride.

"Of course not."

Laughing silver eyes met his. "Whatever you say."

"What? Are you suggesting that a lizard, however splendid, could be a fitting adversary for me?"

"Of course not," his words were repeated back at him.

"Ha, ha. Honestly, what creature could top that manticore?" he asked, referring to an encounter nine months ago. "We survived that."

The words brought a roll of the eyes. "Operative word in that particular sentence: we." The black-haired boy smirked. "You would have never escaped it had I not been present to aid you."

He admitted the point grudgingly. "But you wouldn't have lived more than a few days afterward if not for me, either."

Both knew the truth to that statement. No humans escaped the death dealt by a manticore's sting, and it was only due to an unusual background that the dark boy had survived the first few minutes, while the venom was strongest. The lion had had to care for his friend

brother

for two months without moving their shelter, and even now he was not quite as strong as he had been before the encounter. And it had been his fault… He'd wanted to get closer to the beast, heedless of the other's warnings, and the other boy had been drawn into the ensuing fight because of it.

The dark boy regarded him with narrowed eyes; predictably, he was berating himself again. "Enough," he told him firmly. "I live. Now cease this, or you most assuredly will not." That provoked the desired grin, and the banter resumed.

"You would kill me? And after all these years together, too. I knew you were cold, but -"

"So I am. If it provides for peace of mind, I shall not hesitate to rid this world of your presence."

The golden-haired laughed. "Liar."

"Be wary or your accusations. I may not be returned to full health, but that will not prevent me from besting you."

"You can't, and you know it."

"You may keep your delusions if you wish." His tone was lofty. "I need none."

The teasing continued for several minutes before switching to a more pressing matter.

"Where shall we stay for the remainder of the night?"

"No idea. That cave was the perfect place to spend the next few days, let alone hours, but…"

"Unfortunately, another creature has taken it," the dark one finished. "We must search for a different one, tonight." He appeared distinctly displeased at the thought.

"It's not as if you would be sleeping, anyway," noted the other.

"True, though I would rather be hunting."

"Spoiled prince. You hunt almost every night."

"I do not catch something every night, however; I did not yestereve, nor before that. I notice you complain when you do not eat. What drives you to think that I do not become fully as uncomfortable?"

"Fine, I get the point." The blonde considered. "Well, there's not really a way around it. Bite your lip if you have to, but we do need to find a shelter."

"Then let us make haste." He began walking. The other followed.

Dawn was nearing ere they found a suitable site: another cave, smaller and more cramped than the first, but no worse than many they had used before, and large enough to give room for a fire as well. The dark boy left swiftly, hoping to catch some animal before the sun had risen, while the other lay against the cave wall hoping for some rest. A few hours later he returned.

"Well?"

With a disgusted look he tossed a fat hare to land at the other's feet. "This was all I could find. Apparently the larger creatures do not frequent this area."

"So you have not fed." It was a statement, borne from several years' familiarity.

"No," came back the answer, and the hunter moved to lean against the wall of the cave.

"You know you can…" The words were tentative. The black-haired one considered them carefully.

"No," he said finally. "I am not yet to that point. If there is nothing the next night, I will Apparate to a different area, and if there is nothing there the second night… then yes." He paused for a moment. "Do you have enough strength?"

"Of course. I am the lion, you know."

He snorted. "And I am a pride-member?" Gracefully he seated himself, still leaning against the stone.

"Of course; what else?"

"I think not. I am quite capable of caring for myself."

"As am I. So?" He sat by his dark friend. "The point is, you don't have to be completely self-reliant. You can, but it's easier when you've got a backup."

The dark one made no reply and the fair didn't press the issue further; he knew quite well his companion desired the notion of independence and would not respond charitably to suggestions otherwise, regardless of the truth. Besides, this was old ground that had been covered multiple times by the two. He himself was just as happy to be able to rely on another, 'independence' be hanged.

Not far from the cave was some dry wood. Gathering it took the fair one's mind off the current dilemma, but the problems returned to light as he moved back to the cave, wood in his arms. The two boys lived in this forest out of necessity, not choice, due to the virulent anti-magic sentiments of most of the nearby population. He himself was shunned by wizard-kind as well, bastard son of an unpopular lord; and the other boy? It would be near impossible for him to find acceptance anywhere. Still, this life of theirs was not a bad one. The most pressing issue was that of food. Feeding himself was not hard. Small animals abounded everywhere and very few of the plants in the area were poisonous. But the other…

He'd meant the offer he'd made. It was not always easy for the dark boy to come by sustenance, and the offer had been made and accepted before. Especially while recovering from the manticore. Caring for his friend had left him little time to hunt for himself, let alone find a way to drag larger, living creatures back to their dwelling. But he was the lion, and there had been no other way.

The hare was quite tasty, and the fair made certain to eat the liver and heart. There was the chance he'd need it. The dark boy watched enviously.

"You do not know how fortunate you are to enjoy that."

"Yes, I think I do, actually."

A brief pause.

"How shall we spend the remainder of the day?"

"Mm… We need not change our location unless a better can be found. The morning let us spend in surveying the nearby area."

"And the evening?"

"The evening I will spend hunting. Et tu?"

"I'll come with you. Perhaps the two of us together will find a deer trace or some such."

The black-haired boy shook his head in mocking disdain. "Do you fancy your skills that highly, then? Higher than mine, born and bred to the night?"

"Better than yours when you're healthy, or better than yours when you're tired, hungry, and still recovering from manticore venom?"

That earned him a glare from the other, and he grinned. Not often did he win a point in their verbal sparring matches.

"Touché."

Another pause.

"I think I will stay here with you for the afternoon and sleep. Walking for half of last night, I somehow didn't get much."

A roll of the eyes. "Trust the lion to state the obvious." The golden boy could tell, though, that his friend was quite pleased to have the company. He finished with the hare and stood. Immediately, the other boy stood as well, and the two set up the magical barriers around the cave preventing anything without from coming within.

"Unfortunate that these don't alert us of something already inside, isn't it?" the fair one queried absently.

"Indeed. Perhaps it is time to add to them."

An irked sigh. "But that means I've got to spend more time learning them."

"Lazy cat."

"Annoyingly studious prince."

"Had I not been curious, you would have ended a meal for that dragon."

"So?"

This was met with another eye roll and muttered words that the gold one couldn't quite catch.

"Repeat that, please?"

There was an evil glint in silver eyes. "Oh, I merely noted that it is no wonder that lions, being so prone to laziness, require the aid of the rest of the pride to survive."

The tawny-haired boy growled.

"Oh, come, come, now. Surely you can be more expressive than that? Though," he mused, eyes dancing, "it is distinctly possible that the laziness carries over into the realm of speech as well…"

Ducking nimbly out of the cave, the dark one eluded the attempted throttling easily. "Oh, now, is that the best you can do?"

"You'll see the best!" He sprang after his friend.

"I'm sure." Dodging a swing, he smirked. "I am also sure that it will not be nearly enough to prove any kind of challenge."

"Why you…!"

"Yes?"

An inarticulate growl, and the golden leapt for the dark, colliding with him and knocking both to the ground. After a few moments of tussling, it was the dark one that pinned his opponent to the ground with a smug expression covering his face.

"Do you yield?"

The other, flat on his back and immobilized rather effectively, glared up and snarled angrily. "No."

A pair of black eyebrows rose incredulously. "No? My friend, I have you beaten and pinned to the ground. Is it so hard to acknowledge?"

"Yes."

"Yes, what? Yes, you yield, or yes, it is hard to acknowledge?"

"Yes, I yield. Happy?"

"But of course." He extended a hand to help the other up. It was swatted aside. Waiting a few second, he murmured deliberately loud enough for the other to hear. "So much for the vaunted superiority of the lion." Laughing at the other's infuriated expression, he darted off lightly into the trees, certain of being followed.

The morning's search produced nothing in the manner of a different shelter, though the two did find another stream feeding into a lake. The dark, especially, was pleased with this discovery.

"Look!" He pointed at a well-worn trail leading to the water's edge.

"What?" The other looked, but could not see what the source of the excitement was. It was a bit of packed earth; so?

An impatient roll of the eyes. "Some large, hoofed animals have come this way. Regularly, I would say, judging from the traces."

"Now let's hope that they aren't centaurs," the other quipped. "Do you remember that one herd that was so eager to eliminate us after we strayed into their territory? I never could quite figure out what had them so riled."

"Yes, of course I remember. And they were raving about their constellations showing signs of evil to come - from me, I believe, and then some nonsense about we two being the worst of enemies. I believe they also claimed that I had killed a unicorn and thus deserved to die…"

The lion raised a bushy eyebrow. "Did you?"

"Certainly not!" Scandalized tones. "No self-respecting creature would ever hurt a unicorn. If he dared, he'd be ripped to pieces by the next being to find him."

"Really? I didn't know that…"

A muttered comment about laziness again. This time he chose to ignore it, and in a few moments the dark boy resumed speaking.

"These do not look large or heavy enough for centaurs, in any case. No, these belong to something smaller - now if I only knew what."

"Not a unicorn?"

He was favored with a sarcastic smile. "No. Unicorn tracks are unmistakable; they've a different scent, among other things, and they leave light."

"Another thing I didn't know."

"You would not be able to tell the difference by those two things, unfortunately. The light isn't visible to your eyes, and your sense of smell in regards to hunting leaves much to be desired."

"Aww… And here I was hoping to be as good as you someday…"

That provoked a laugh. "Oh, really?" The words held little sarcasm, just a light teasing tone.

"What do you think?"

Another laugh. "That you are attempting - and succeeding - to distract me from my tracking. Probably so that you can learn more yourself in an attempt to prove me wrong about lions."

"I plead guilty," he admitted cheerfully. "So?"

"Incorrigible human…"

It was a more than familiar complaint, heard by him many, many times over the past four years for one reason or another. The causes ranged from laziness to his voracious appetite to his unshakable curiosity regarding large predators. Often he'd heard it after getting pulled out of an increasingly dangerous situation by his friend - and usually, the situation had been a direct result of former actions.

"Most likely. Did you just now figure that out?"

Silence. The fair boy glanced in surprise at his friend, now gazing upwards. Looking up as well, he learned the reason. Abruptly, the dark spoke.

"We will need to move swiftly to return ere noon."

No more was said, and the two began walking in long, hurried steps towards the cave and the safety of shadowed darkness there. By the time they had reached it, the sun was almost directly over head, and the dark boy was stumbling as if blind, supported and guided by the hands of the other. Upon entering, he sank gratefully against the cold stone. Several moments passed before either breached the silence.

"I am sorry," the light-haired apologized. "I was careless; I should've been watching the time more closely."

In exchange for the words he earned a half-hearted scowl. "Idiot. Why should you? You're not even the one who suffers the sun so." A pause. "And if you even think of attempting to take guilt upon yourself, I shall severely injure you."

"But…"

He was cut off. "No. I will be fine in a few moments in any case." As if to prove the point, he stood, and dared the other silently to point out the slight unsteadiness with which he rose. The golden one sighed and did not. "Now, then, I will need to sleep for a few hours. You will keep watch?"

An indignant expression. "Of course!"

Dry tones. "Pardon. I felt it was necessary to check to ensure that whatever shreds of guilt you persist in keeping would not drive you to leave the cave in pursuit of some stupidity or other."

He bristled at the words. "I will remain here. You may be sure of it."

"I would also appreciate it if no pranks were played on me while sleeping."

A face that was innocence personified. "Would I ever do such a thing?"

The dark one snorted. "Past experience says yea." He gathered his cloak around him and lay against the cave wall, eyes closing easily. A soft sigh issued from his lips and he sank into sleep.

-

Watching, the golden boy fell into a relatively rare moment of introspection, caught up in memories. How long had it been since they'd met? Six, seven years now? Arrogant pale-faced boy being attacked for daring to say 'no' to the local bully-band - and then defending himself shockingly well. Intrigued, and his sense of fair play peaked, he'd stepped in beside the other to hurl hexes and fists at the group. And then adults had arrived, and the strange person seemed to melt away into the surroundings, disappearing within moments. Later, when he was alone again, he'd reappeared and introduced himself quite calmly, though leaving out his heritage. He'd thought he understood, as he was none too proud of his, either. A friendship had developed - and when the town had fixated on the two as scapegoats for the incident with the fire, they had simply left.

Five years, then, that they'd lived as wild creatures, sometimes managing to escape briefly to civilized areas to learn from books and talk with other humans. Centaurs too often were absorbed in the stars to be of much use in a conversation, and giants nowhere near intelligent enough. The dark ones did not live in this area… So much of the time, they were alone. Brothers trying to carve out a life from the wilderness, learning each other's habits and needs until the knowledge was routine, growing closer to work as a single unit. The professed independence of the dark boy he would not contest aloud; but he knew that, should either die, the other would be devastated.

Suspicion of the heritage had begun shortly after the abandonment of civilized life, as he'd observed the strange habits of his friend. Refusing to be anywhere but a cave during the few hours around noon. Disappearing every night and rarely returning before morning. The polite avoidance of actually eating any food he had offered. Still, there had been nothing clear for a year, and then the other had had the misfortune to be caught in the noon sun, and he'd guessed. His reaction to it… He smiled wryly. His response had left much to be desired.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was more prudent not to."

"At first, I guess. But recently?"

"What would it matter? You've learned on your own, in any case… and the knowledge hasn't terrified you, as it probably would have before now."

The dark one was wrong. He had been petrified indeed before realizing that they'd lived together for a year and friends two years before that. And after, the fear was easy to banish. More, he gained a better understanding of the necessity for habits formerly thought odd at best, such as remaining in the shade for a few hours in the afternoon, or disappearing to hunt every night.

Coming out of his thoughts and yawning, he set the wards to alert him if anything came within ten yards of the cave entrance. Though the barriers about the cave were strong, he felt it still better to be alerted should something decide to test them; and it would not be well to break his promise, after all. Finished, he yawned again. The tawny boy stretched out opposite his friend and slept.

-

Village. Small houses everywhere, large manor further off. Tracks in the dust. Bend over to look at glitter in footprint. Gold band. Woman shrieks furiously. "Thief!" No, no, not thief, just found it… Runs. Mother. Hides behind. Looks out, skittish colt terrified. Woman not there. Looks at mother. Mother changes. Hair falls out. Dying. No, don't go. Stern looks from healer. Tears. Gravestone in dust.

Beds in stable. Sweet horse scent. Bay nuzzles shoulder. Sweet mare, foal-heavy. Little colt blinking up, birth fluids dark on coat. Joy. Lord's son, half-brother/ arrogant/ cold/ spiteful sneers and leaves.

Tall man seen from distance, gold circle shining on tawny hair. Falcon leaps from wrist. Watches bird.

Village streets again. Unknown boy, dark hair/silver eyes/closed face. Boy sits under oak. Gang comes lordlet-led. "Move! Our tree!" "No." "No!" "No." Fight, hexes/curses flying. Not fair! Comes. Fights with new against half-brother. Bullies change. Manticore! No, can't win, run, prince, run! Tail strikes. Crooning. No! Apparate away. Cave. Boy changes. Mother? Dead. No!

Flying. Ground disappears. Wings beat again, again, again. Bright sun…

The fair boy jerked awake before relaxing, not bothering to move or open his eyes. He was greeted nonetheless with a low voice in soft tones.

"What this time?"

He stretched, still refusing to open his eyes, and answered. "My mother - her death. An incident with a bracelet I thought I'd forgotten. The stables; my father." The last was bitter. "Flying."

"That was all?" The voice was still soft, the words gentle.

"Yes." There was no point to mentioning the manticore.

A sigh. "Why do you lie? You were moving as if fighting something before you settled just now, and it was none of those; I know you too well. What was it?"

He didn't answer.

"The manticore?" He gave a slight nod. Tired tones. "You know I have nearly recovered from that particular incident. Why do you still dream of it?"

"Because…" He hesitated, considering, and answered. "Because it's the only time I've gotten you into trouble and you almost died because of it."

Another sigh. He could just picture the semi-annoyed, semi-concerned expression decorating the other's face. Deft fingers caressed his hair, comforting, reassuring, and he opened his eyes to stare at his friend sitting beside him.

"Perhaps. But it was my choice to aid you, remember. And after, you kept me alive at a cost to your own health and strength. The remembrance harms you. You learned the lesson against foolhardiness; now you need to fight this guilt."

"I'll try," he promised. He meant the promise, though it would be hard.

"You must," came the words, and then silence. He closed his eyes again and relaxed, trying to forget, enjoying the fingers stroking his hair, soothing him. Always, the physical contact helped after an unpleasant one, and the other, aloof some times and sarcastic at all, knew. The two remained motionless for some time before the dark boy withdrew his hand and stood.

"Is the sun setting already?" asked the golden boy, opening his eyes and stretching. Hunting time… For the next few hours, he would be the lion.

"Would I be preparing to leave the shelter were it not?" came the answer.

"Good point," he admitted.

"The sun has not quite vanished, no. However, the shadows are lengthening and it is no longer bearing down with so much force. We may go." The gold could feel the eyes on him in the semi-dark, and a dusky hand reached down to him. He grinned fiercely back, taking it, and was pulled easily to his feet. "Don't tell me you are hungry again so soon? Or do you simply delight in the company of an expert?"

"Oh, both, of course. What else?" Concentrating briefly, his form seemed to melt into that of another. A long tail switched whiplike behind him, and gold orbs glinted in the darkness. Silver eyes gleamed in return.

"Come, then." He gestured dramatically with a slender hand. "The prey awaits."

Moving to the entrance, they paused momentarily, slim human and great cat silhouetted in the last red rays. The moon was new, but the brightest stars were beginning to show. In a sudden leap, the lion bounded ahead, and the other laughed, racing to catch up. Within seconds, they had passed beneath the forest. Leaves rustled fitfully in their wake.

Soon enough they had reached the stream and located the tracks, hesitating before the dark decided to trace them rather than wait in ambush. The lion circled the other, tail lashing impatiently, as he made the decision. His friend smirked.

"Now if only you would replace some of your usual laziness with this energy."

The lion yawned, displaying long and sharp canines, and ignored the comment. Silver eyes gleamed, amused.

"I am quite serious. Think of the improvement to your spell-work, let alone the benefits to your tracking."

A more than slightly disbelieving gaze was turned upon him and his mouth twitched slightly as the lion turned in a slow circle, clearly preening.

"The form allows you to kill something if it leaps out from under your nose. It does not improve the quality of your trailing skills. That has to be worked at."

Ears were laid flat against tawny head, and the cat's lips drew back in a decidedly disgruntled snarl. He only laughed.

"Well, since you have made that decision, best go and find something so that you can have your fun with it. Just remember to leave it alive, please; neither of us would rather I be forced to take your offer, I think." The beast hesitated at that last before heading for the other, easily knocking him down and plopping itself beside him, with a large front leg over his chest so that he couldn't move. "Yes, believe me, I know quite well that you are the lion. It would be rather difficult to miss." He rubbed the cat's head; it rumbled a purr and stood, allowing him up. Promptly he began to move along the game path, merely glancing as the lion came up beside him.

Unfortunately, the clear-cut trail disappeared after a short time, and the dark one began to trace in earnest. The moon would be rising soon, and the lion would not remain the entire night. For his efforts, however, it was the cat that nudged his arm, directing him silently to the opposite of wherever he'd been heading. Looking out, his breath caught in his throat. Two stags, with antlers just come in, mock battling in a very small clearing. On one side, thick bushes would make it hard to escape into the trees. The two circled wordlessly to the opposite and drifted apart to catch them from two points.

Earlier, the golden boy had become a lion. Now the dark began to change more subtly. Long claws grew from his fingers and his eyes seemed to glow of their own light. Watching closely, the moment he'd finished the lion readied himself. The black-haired boy stepped out of the trees into sight of the prey.

Said prey panicked. One darted off near the bushes - and the other pounded towards the crouching lion. Tensed muscles in the cat's legs uncoiled, and he sprang at the deer. Though he fell short, the creature turned to go back into the clearing, and then paused, caught between the two predators.

The hesitation lasted only a few seconds before it seemed to decide that the smaller figure was the lesser evil, and it bore down on him swiftly, head lowered, velveted antlers poised to strike. Sidestepping easily, the boy caught at a front leg as the animal went by and held with inhuman strength. With no expectation of such a thing, the beast tumbled down. The lion was atop it in seconds, immobilizing the hapless creature as his friend took his fill.

When he finished, stepping back, the lion released the stag. It wavered on its feet for a moment, then escaped into the trees. Neither bothered watching the white flag disappear from sight.

Golden eyes shot a plaintive glance at the other and were ignored, though a hint of a smile danced in silver. Growling softly, the cat batted easily at the legs, not hard enough to actually knock him down, but enough of a blow to make him stumble. Finally he looked at the lion, appearing much more contented than a few minutes earlier. The plaintive gaze reappeared.

"Very well, then. And what would you prefer this evening, your highness?"

The lion tilted its head as if considering, and crinkled its nose. It was not terribly picky. Anything moving smaller than a deer would do.

"I see. And are you planning to actually locate this, or should I?"

The cat's ears twitched.

"Leaving it to me again? My, I must have been right about the needed improvement in your skills, or should I say lack thereof."

Snarling at him, the big cat crouched as if to spring.

"And such a dreadful temper you have," the dark boy teased. "Royalty should be more refined, I will have you know."

To all appearances, the cat gave up, rising and stalking back into the woods. The dark boy grinned and began walking the opposite direction. Shortly, the beast realized his friend was not following and gave an annoyed growl, turning and sprinting after him on soundless paws. And then… the tracks disappeared. The animal gave a frustrated roar, and swiftly its form melted into that of the tawny-haired boy. He glanced about. "Fine, I get the point. Now come out already!"

A tap landed on his shoulder. He resisted the urge to jump and whirl about, instead twitching and then turning slowly. The dark boy was wearing a smug expression. "What, couldn't find me?"

"Ve-e-e-e-ry funny."

"I thought it was," the other agreed peacefully. "And it served to illustrate my argument quite well, don't you think?"

He gave him a disgruntled look and gave up, transforming back into the lion.

A small laugh. "And I understand your point as well." He began walking; the cat padded along beside him. "Though I must confess to not understanding why you must eat twice a day…"

Conversation in this vein continued as the moon slowly appeared in the sky. The lion yawned, catching the attention of the other.

"Tired already? Lazy cat, to need so much sleep. But here! Unless I am mistaken, there are wild pigs ahead."

Immediately the cat's interest perked.

"Now hssshhhh….." the dark one warned. "We'll need to separate one of the young from the rest: tricky." He paused, moving forward silently. "There are two females and five small ones, and one boar. If you can lure away the boar, I should be able to grab one of the piglets without pursuit."

Eyeing his companion in alarm, the golden cat nudged questioningly against his leg. Was he fit to try? A deer was one thing, a group of pigs quite another.

A sigh. "Yes, I can. It's been nine months, and I am quite capable of taking a single young pig, adults or not. Now, do you really want to go hungry tonight, or are you going to distract that boar?"

Slowly, and with more than one glance backward, he padded away. At a far enough distance, he doubled back, circling to bring himself nearer the pigs. Deliberately crack a twig, and then another… The pig came cautiously, trotting out to investigate the disturbance. Success. The lion moved further off, drawing it away from its females. A shrill squeal rang out, and the beast growled. Why could his friend not be more stealthy? As the boar wheeled about and began running back to its family, the cat chased after, knocked it down, and interposed itself between the boar and the rest of the pigs.

Angry now, the boar charged the attacker, attempting to gouge with its tusks. The lion met it from the side, slashing red lines across its flanks. Turning, the pig charged again, and again the tawny predator left marks on it. This could not go on forever, and a distinct feeling of relief coursed through the cat as he glimpsed a shadowed figure moving through the trees, lopsided from the piglet beneath an arm. Breaking away from the boar, he allowed it to go back to its family, himself heading towards his friend.

Silver eyes scanned him quickly for injury, finding none. "I see you managed to avoid injuring yourself this time. Astonishing." The dark boy dropped the pig, a red line across the throat leaking blood at a prodigious rate. "And before you ask, I am fine. The females never came close. Your dinner made the noise before I silenced it."

Satisfied, the lion picked up the carcass and began trotting back to the cave. The pig would provide meat for perhaps a week; a good kill. The other boy had found food as well, and the shelter would serve for a time. Yes; life was good. And then he grimaced at the next words.

"Tomorrow we will work on improving the wards."

Well. There were always the exceptions, after all.

Well? Come on, I'm a fledgling writer, insecure, needing to hear how I've done, yadda yadda yadda. -grins- Seriously, I'd love it if you'd review...