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"You had me jump... a bush," Shibasa said, licking at the thorns that lanced his flesh. Once he had one pulled out enough he delicately closed his teeth around it and pulled it out, hissing a curse as he did so.

"I swear there was a bunny in here," Nobo said, sitting on the flattened bush and searching for the invisible hare.

"I told you there wasn't," Shibasa said, pulling out another thorn. Not only had it been a waste of time, the damn thing came with nettles. He was so busy cleaning them from his fur that he didn't even realize he wasn't alone--er, other than Nobo, who he didn't count.

Shibasa jerked, looking at the cheetah a bit blankly for a long moment before venturing, "Out of where?" He looked around, seeing only open territory as far as the eye could see. "Death's one option, but hell, I wouldn't suggest it. Sounds a bit final--"

"She meant this area, moron," Nobo said, snorting and looking up from the bush.

"Oh," Shibasa said, looking around. "Nope. Think we got lost from the pride again." He didn't really seem bothered by that fact, by the way he went back to picking out thorns.

He looked at her, this large, dangerously muscular and well fed lion, and sniffed the air, just once. "You smell terrified of me, but you're offering to help?" he teased her. "Wait, think I've heard this story, someone helps a lion with a thorn in his paw and he helps them in return, right?"

It was a cub's tale from his pride so long ago. He barely could remember it. "Yeah, if you could help, I'd appreciate it." His eyes fell on the prints behind her, seeing the unevenness of her stride. "Aren't you a cheetah?" he asked.

His body was sleek and muscular, showing that he ate regularly, if not moreso. His fur was healthy and gleamed slightly in the sunlight, his eyes were bright and clear. He gave her a dry look. "Honey, we might have been looking for food for a pride for the past two days, but we aren't starving. Hell, even my BIRD is fat. Why would I choose to eat another cat, even if they aren't a lion?"

Nobo gave him an affronted look. "I ain't fat, I'm just right," he told him. "This is all muscles! Pure muscles! See?" he said to Slausale, raising his wings to show off his physique.

Shibasa started laughing at that statement, earning a disgusted look from his familiar. "That tub of lard? He hardly even flies anymore, he's always riding on my head," he drawled, letting her work. "You look hungry," he said after a moment. "When was the last time you ate?"

There he went again, Nobo thought with reluctant amusement. Shibasa seemed intent on feeding the world, especially pretty females. Could lions even flirt with cheetahs? Wasn't that--weird?

"Then why don't I pay you back?" Shibasa asked, getting to his feet now that the thorns were gone. He stretched, then looked at Nobo. "This time don't lie," he told the vulture.

"Yeah, yeah," Nobo said, flapping hard to take to the air again. "We've got some Impala in the distance, about a hundred feet from here, give or take. Small herd, a few young ones, one very tasty old lady--"

"Which direction?" Shibasa called up to him.

"This way!" Nobo said, leading the way.

"No thorns," Shibasa said simply. "You've done what you have to do," he added more quietly as he saw the prey in the distance. "Stay quiet and out of sight," he added simply, his stride changing as he got to where he would stop and wait for them to forget he was there. he laid down watching the herd.

Nobo had been right about the old one. She wouldn't hurt the herd if she was gone, and she was still young enough to not be stringy.

Slowly they calmed, their instincts being overcome by the grass they had managed to find. And he pounced, rushing forward in a blur of red and taking down the older impala with a well practiced move.