"Yes. We are going to the mountains," the man repeated. Mapplethorpe drew his feet underneath him, taking up every syllable and every word. "If you are lying." The tawny man flinched and blinked a couple of times, his own brows lifting. "I shall throw..."Another flinch. "...you off them after I beat the shit..." He gave jerk, but his smile never wavered. "...out of you. If you are telling me the truth, I shall ensure you're fed..." This drew the rogue forward a couple of steps. "...and if what you're telling me is true, Naira will also be glad to see you."

Mapplethorpe nodded once. His tail waving from side to side only a couple of times before the next command was issued. It wasn't like him to be so obedient, but the facade would give way in time. For now, all this starved being wanted was something more than that old hare to fill his belly. Speaking of which, the remnants of his meal had been long forgotten. "Finish your meal," the king instructed. "We are not going to rest until we find her." The lines under Mapplethorpe's eyes seemed to emphasize the sudden excitement upon remembering what he had been doing before the sovereign crawled over and disturbed him. He turned to address the mess of spattered crimson and guts. Nosing it over, he took the remaining ear and swallowed it whole, picking at entrails that were left. In haste, he crushed the leporid's brittle, now frozen ribcage, picking amongst the fragments two lungs and its still, elderly heart.

Gulping down the metallic taste in his throat, he rounded on the dark man again, stepping to his side and staring through the trees to where he believed they could run into a side of the mountain. Fooood, his mind moaned. Looking back at Naira's equal, he met his eyes only briefly before taking up a hasty stride. The energy the hare had bestowed to him would not last long, but he hoped it would hold until they reached a considerable height. They would find Naira in due time; he would make certain that they did.

(EXIGO.)