Fox and Lion

He sank his teeth into hot, wet flesh, his fangs ripping and shredding, peeling the tender meat from the bone. Those around him looked on, some in horror, others in anticipation. None wanted to disturb his meal. Blood dripped from his lips, staining his muzzle, and he snarled at them when one dared get too close.

Slowly, the group dispersed, sure that the mighty feline was not going to share his bounty with them. They left, one by one, until only one creature remained.

She looked at him with intelligent eyes, her mouth gaping in a silent grin, almost as if she were laughing at him. The tiny vixen remained where she sat, her bushy tail slowly swishing from side to side, creating tiny clouds of dust that puffed and blew away in the breeze.

He stared at her, growling low in his throat, but still she sat, calm as could be. He shifted his attention away from her, returning to his meal, and she inched forward, going still when he looked her way again.

Eventually, warily, he ignored her once again, and once again she inched forward, still grinning.

This repeated several times, until he looked up and was startled to see that she was sitting right beside him, her eyes bright and amused. He snarled at her, trying to make her back off, but she did not flinch. Instead she laid down, slowly, gently, until her nose was just barely touching his paw.

The vixen gave a small yip of amusement, much to the lion's consternation. He backed his paw away, but did not strike at her. Her tail thumped the ground slightly, sending up another puff of dust.

He sat back, growling but unsure. She took that moment to scoot forward again, gingerly taking a bit of loose meat into her mouth. When he made no move to stop her, she swallowed it in just a few bites, then licked her chops, grinning at him again.

He huffed at her, shaking out his mane, but allowed her another bite, then another after that. She didn't eat much, and when she had her fill, she simply laid down and let him continue his meal.

Eventually, when he, too, had eaten all he could, he laid down beside her.