Later that night when all had fallen asleep, Epsei's eyeshot open.

He looked from side to side as best he could. Next to him Nala snored away, her head nestling into the fat beneath it like a pillow.

Satisfied that his friend wouldn't wake up Epsei scanne for his latest room mate.

What he saw didn't surprise him in the least.

Matu was wide awake, staring at the two feline blobs across from him with terrified eyes. Clearly to scared to sleep should Epsei or Nala decide he was a 'midnight snack'.

"You alright?" Epsei whispered. The warthog just pushed back further against the cage.

"Stay away." Said Matu nervously. "I won't be eaten!"

Epsei rolled his eyes. It was time to straighten this mess out.

"Look Matu, we already told you, we can barely move a few steps, heck Nala can't move at all! And I'm gonna be the same way before long."

Matu didn't relax for a second. "Yeah right. My Ma saw my Pa get killed by a Lion. Pa managed to butt it over a cliff, it was almost dead when Pa found it at the bottom but it still break his neck with its one good paw. Cat's aint never helpless."

Epsei stared at the young Warthog for a second before coming to a decision. "You don't believe me? See for yourself." With that Epsei gave a pained grunt and began to rise.

Matu dashed to another corner as he saw the cheetah rise. Shouting all the way. "I KNEW IT! I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU....Eat...me?" His cry's dulled as he got a good look of the now standing Epsei.

The look on the cheetah's face was one of pure concentration, if he had no fur you'd see the skin was red and flushed like a bodybuilder after lifting a bar bell overhead. Matu could see the blubber that despite Epsei standing up still pooled on the floor, Not to mention Epsei's feet (the only barely visible part of his legs left past the overhanging fat) were shaking and buckling under the strain. The weight was simply to much for the young cheetah to bare.

Then he stepped foward.

Matu swore he never saw so much happen at once. Every inch of Epsei's fat jiggled from the slight movement of the step like someone was violently shaking it, it pulled him in every direction possible and actually caused him a little pain as the fat hanging over his face from his back and sides slapped him.

Then he collapsed with a huge thud on the habitat floor, out of breath and sweating like he ran across the savanha and back...twice.

Nala stirred in her sleep but did not awaken.

Epsei, still breathing hard looked up at Matu who now had a stupified exprssion on his face.

"Now do *wheeze* believe *gasp* your safe?"

Matu was still astonished. "Wha...? Wh, what happened to you?"

Epsei smirked. "The same thing that happened to her." He said indicating Nala. He yawned as his eye's drooped.

He mumbled out the last words "And the same thing that's gonna happen to you." With that he was out for the count.

Matu's eyes widened in horrwe. 'Happen to me!?'