Nobody really knows what caused there to be a size difference between macros and micros. One thing we know is that it didn’t always used to be like this. There were no over-sized plants and vegetation that destroyed houses with their roots and vines, there were no insects that could grow to the size of a compact car, and there were definitely no macro furries that delighted in hunted down and swallowing their smaller cousins whole. This, however, was all before the rise of the macros.

As you can imagine, there was a great deal of confusion when one day regular furries, animals, and plants rapidly began to grow to many times their original size whereas the anthropomorphic mammals remained at their normal sizes. At first, there seemed to be at least some form of cooperation between the two groups as they tried to repair the damage that had been done. However, the giants soon started to give up on the idea that the two groups could ever be considered equal. This was largely due to the fact that an average adult-sized micro was only about three inches tall when compared to one of the massive giants. Micros were crushed beneath the macro’s feet without a second glance (sometimes intentionally) as the giants trudged about their daily lives.

Some micros gathered together and fled to remote locations away from most of the dangers that they faced. This didn’t protect them from everything however. No matter where they went, there was always something big that had it’s eye on them. Even if there were no macrofurries around, micros found themselves being eaten alive by the animals that had grown on that day as well.

Several years passed after the rise of the macros, and for the micros, things only became worse. Macros on the other hand had used that time to build the beginnings of fully macro-sized towns and cities where they could live normal lives again.
Ash was an anthropomorphic pardinensis cheetah, a very rare species, he was a micro. He was slim and muscular with a long and thin tail and a short grey fur with darker spots, his short sleek fur was letting see the chiseled details of his muscles. He was also quite intelligent, but perhaps not as much as he thought to be. He despised the other micros who chose to live as far possible from the towering macros and their cities. He was living in their gigantic houses, hiding under their building seized pieces of furniture of in the holes in their walls.
But one day he was captured and sold to a macro.
When the box was finally opened and Ash was brought out, he was met with the sight of a towering anthro jaguar. The massively muscular jaguar grinned down at him, his sharp teeth glinting in the light.

“Well, well, well,” the jaguar said with a chuckle. “Looks like I won myself a tasty little snack.”

Ash shuddered in fear as the jaguar lifted him up, examining him closely. The jaguar smirked as he examined the body of the comparatively diminutive cheetah. “Fine, you seem to have endured the travel quite well. I bought that cage for you, I hope you will find it large enough. From the description on the auction site you’re a freshly caught wild micro. I assume you’re not used to restrained space, but you have to get used to it.” He chuckled and put Ash in the cage. He closed the door of the enclosure just after. “I can’t wait to have some fun with you, but it’s better to let you have some rest to chill out a bit.” Then the jaguar moved on his couch to watch TV, time to time he cast a glance at the cage and his tiny occupant from his seat. Some time later he moved to his bedroom to sleep for the night.

The jaguar came back at the end of the day. He brought several grocery sacks and put them in his kitchen. “I thought about eating you first, but you’re so tiny you would not even fill one tenth of my belly.” He said with a chuckle. Some time later he come back with a dinner TV for carnivores adapted to his enormous size. He reached in the cage for the cheetah. Ash tried to avoid to be grabbed and managed to stay out of the reach of the humongous jaguar paw like hand as he was holding his dinner TV with his other hand at the same time, but the giant managed to seize the cheetah diminutive body eventually. “Don’t make your difficult to get !” Said the jaguar with the same chuckle. He then moved to his couch and sat heavily, the couch creaking under the thousands of tons of his weight. He then put the cheetah on the rim of the tray of his dinner TV. “Several kinds of meat. Beef, chicken, fish, and caiman, my favorite !” He said. “You can take some, it’s not your appetite that will make a difference.” He switched his TV on and searched for something interesting with his remote while taking some bit of food time to time. “Ah, by the way, my name is Lance. But you have to call me Master.” He snickered. “Or, if you feel like being a good pet, Daddy.” He laughed.

One day, when Lance was engrossed in a particularly loud show on television, Ash seized his chance. As the jaguar laughed uproariously at the antics on the screen, he quietly slid out of his cage and onto the floor, careful to avoid any creaking or telltale sounds. Using his memory of the house layout and the cacophony of the TV, he stealthily made his way towards the window that he had observed Lance often leaving open.

Ash’s heart pounded as he reached the window, with each passing second a potential for Lance to notice him. With one final act of defiance against his captor, he climbed up the curtain and leapt out into the open air, finally free. As he made his way through the grass that seemed like a jungle, he knew that he had a long journey ahead of him. But no matter where life would take him in this dangerous world, he had now proven to himself that he could face it with courage and determination.

Unknown of Ash, Lance was well aware about his position, as by security the giant jaguar put a microchip and GPS device in the collar he put around the neck of his expensive micro anthro cheetah.
Lance followed the moving of his pet on his car sized smartphone as an app what giving him the position of Ash on a map. And some hours later the jaguar resounding steps come close of the hideout of Ash.
“Ash ? I know you’re here. Move out of your hiding place.” The giant waited some seconds. “You know it’s dangerous for you to be in the streets. Critters are big here, they will eat you. And there are other macros too, all of them won’t try to catch you to keep you as a pet. So come with me. You will be safe in my home. I won’t punish you very hard for this time.”
Ash’s heart sank as he heard Lance’s intimidating voice. He knew that there was no denying the giant’s presence, but he was determined to make a final attempt to escape. From his hiding place, he quickly formed a plan.

Taking advantage of the giant’s momentary distraction, he bolted from his hiding place, running as fast as his legs could carry him, away from Lance. The jaguar gave an annoyed grunt and pursued Ash, his massive strides closing the distance between them frighteningly quickly.

In the midst of their chase, Ash recalled a large sewer drain he had discovered earlier during his exploration. Deftly, the micro cheetah made a sudden turn, darting into the drain and disappearing from Lance’s sight.

The giant jaguar cursed under his breath, realizing that he couldn’t fit into the small space. He knelt down, attempting to reach into the drain with his massive paw, but Ash was too fast and had already scrambled further into the darkness.

Lance growled lowly, frustrated at losing his prized pet. But he was also impressed by the cunning and determination of the small creature. He briefly considered calling off the chase and letting Ash make his own way in this harsh world, but the investment in the micro cheetah and his curiosity about whether Ash’s resourcefulness could be put to better use got the better of him.

The giant jaguar decided his next move - he’d take a different tactic. Anticipating the path of the sewers, Lance hurried towards another exit, where he would attempt to recapture Ash quietly and seemingly without effort. In a strange sense, the thrilling game of cat-and-mouse was starting to become intriguing and even somewhat enjoyable to Lance.

A macro centipede was hiding in the sewer. It was easily four time longer than Ash and about the length of Lance’s forearm. The cheetah inadvertently knocked one of the long antennas of the invertebrate. The centipede became active and started to run after the cheetah. Ash, as a former wild micro before being captured, was used to cross the way of some macro critters, but the place where he lived before being sold to Lance was more in the north of the country in a cooler climate and insects were not as big even the macro ones. That centipede was looking like a monster for the cheetah and he ran with terror while the invertebrate was chasing him.
Ash burst out of the sewer and didn’t even noticed Lance waiting for him. The centipede hurtled out of the sewer pursuing his tiny prey.
Lance quickly realized the danger posed to his tiny prize and jumped into action. With an impressive display of strength and agility, he caught the large centipede just as it was about to sink its venomous pincers into the panicked cheetah. He crushed the giant invertebrate without hesitation, its many legs twitching one last time before going completely limp.
Ash, still in a state of panic, finally noticed Lance standing above him. The skyscraper jaguar had saved him, and though Ash was desperate to escape captivity, he couldn’t help but feel a strange, begrudging gratitude toward Lance.

The jaguar offered a massive paw to Ash, smirking. “Now do you see why I told you it’s a dangerous world out there? You can stay with me, and I can keep you safe from creatures like that. Or you can go back out there alone, and take your chances with the countless other predators lurking in the shadows.”

Ash hesitated, torn between his desire for freedom and his newfound understanding of the true dangers faced by someone in his situation. He glanced back at the sewer entrance, shuddering at the memory of the terrifying macro centipede.

Reluctantly, he climbed into Lance’s outstretched palm, knowing that, for the moment, his best chance at survival was to accept the giant’s “protection”. As they walked back to Lance’s home, Ash wondered if he could ever change the dynamic of their relationship, and perhaps one day regain his freedom without sacrificing his safety.
Lance washed Ash meticulously as his escapade made the micro ran through a sewer. And the giant checked the diminutive anthro feline body to see if he had been hurt. Then he put him back in his cage and took care to close the door of the enclosure.
Later in that same day, Lance gently seized Ash in his massive hand and moved to his couch. He had another of these enormous dinner TV for macro carnivores and he offered some bits of meat to Ash.
Ash was about to eat one of them when he noticed something different. Lance didn’t switch the TV on yet. He put the morsel on the rim of the gigantic tray and looked up at Lance. The giant anthropomorphic jaguar was looking down at him, his face was looking more serious than his usual jovial appearance. “Well, Ash. I said I won’t punish you hard too much for your escape. But, you made me search for you for hours and you might have been killed by that bug by a narrow margin.” He approached his humongous hand from the cheetah and stretched his forefinger out and gently petted the comparatively tiny body of the micro. “I know you’re a former wild micro with some age and you are not used to be captive. I wanted a pet who had some life before, I was thinking it would be more interesting. But I’m wondering if I should not have bought a micro from farming and already tamed and domesticated.” He moved his hand away. “Well, about that punishment, I wonder what you’re thinking of it ? And how I should punish you for your escapade ?”

Ash hesitated for a moment, considering his response carefully. He knew that Lance held all the power in this situation, and that any defiance could be met with disastrous consequences. However, he couldn’t deny the fact that he was grateful for the giant’s intervention with the centipede.

“Master,” Ash began hesitantly, “I understand that I caused you concern and trouble with my escape attempt, and I understand the need for a punishment in this situation. I know that the world is dangerous for a micro like me, and you saved my life today. I appreciate that, and I will do my best to be a good pet and companion to you.”

Lance raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by the sincerity in Ash’s words. It seemed that their previous encounter had affected him more than he had thought.

“As for my punishment, I leave that decision in your capable hands, Master. However, I ask that you consider the fact that, despite everything, part of me still yearns for the wilds as it is where I spent most of my life. Maybe you can take that into account when deciding an appropriate punishment,” Ash finished, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lance looked down at Ash pensively, genuinely considering the cheetah’s words. After a few moments, he nodded slowly. “Very well, Ash. I appreciate your honesty and understanding of the situation. As for your punishment, I will think on it and find something that is both fair and takes into consideration your wild instincts.”

With that, Lance finally switched on the TV, and the remainder of the evening was spent with the giant and the tiny cheetah sharing a meal together. And although the weight of the impending punishment loomed over Ash, there was an undeniable sense of camaraderie between the two that had been strengthened by the day’s events. In a way, their unique relationship was evolving, forming a new bond that neither Ash nor Lance could have anticipated.
Lance seized the cheetah between his massive fingers. “By the way Ash, I’m wondering, how old are you exactly ?”
Ash hesitated, it was obvious Lance was a yound adult, but the cheetah was certain to be older. “So, how old ?” Insisted Lance.
“44.” Replied the cheetah with embarrassement. Lance smirked and chuckled. “Well I’m 25. But I like the idea to have a pet older than me a lot, it’s also for that reason I chose you on that auction site. But you still have to call me Master, or what you already know.”
Ash bristled slightly at the jaguar’s amusement at their age difference, but he knew better than to provoke Lance any further. With a reluctant sigh, he nodded in acceptance. “Yes, Master,” he replied, doing his best to swallow his pride.

The colossal jaguar barely looked at Ash when he left the next morning. The cheetah passed the day locked in his cage till the jaguar came back. The giant opened the door of the cage. “You can go out of your cage if you wish to stretch your legs, but remember : no escape and you come if I call you, Ash.“
He was going to move in an other room when he stopped abruptly. He moved a small cardboard box from his pocket. He opened it, it contained a tinny ball, a futon scaled for a micro with some pillows and blankets. He put them in the cage. “For you, I guess you would like it. As a wild micro you should not be used to use a bed like that, but I think you need a more comfortable enclosure. Consider your cage as your own house.” His massive and muscular form towered above the cage again as he stood up and groped for another thing in his pocket. “I bought that too.” He said while showing a device looking like a metallic pen scaled to the immense size of the jaguar, so easily twice the length of the cheetah and probably weighing more than one ton. He pressed a switch and a bright spot of green colored light appeared on the floor in the direction the jaguar pointed it. “A laser pointer,” he said with an amused smile, "I’m sure you would enjoy playing this way. But not right now, I have some chores to finish.” He put the pointer on a shelf several hundreds feet above the floor. “By the way, I have not forgotten about your punishment. So don’t do anything that would worsen your situation.” He added with a chuckle before he moved out of the room.
Ash couldn’t help but feel grateful for the kindness Lance had shown, despite his earlier transgressions. The items provided for his comfort and potential playing marked a significant change in the giant’s attitude towards him, and perhaps even a softening of his heart.

Despite their newfound bond, Ash couldn’t ignore the lingering dread regarding the punishment he was still yet to face. He occupied himself within his enclosure, making a cozy nest for himself with the small futon, pillows, and blankets, and contemplated Lance’s motivations for the newfound generosity.
Finally, the day Ash had been dreading arrived. Lance entered the room with a solemn expression. “Ash,” he began, his voice carrying a seriousness that had not been present before. “It’s time for your punishment.”
The giant looked down at Ash. “To start with : Heel !” He waited. “You have to come to me each time I call you this way, without any discussion.” He waited watching down the hesitant grey furred cheetah. “Heel !” His deep voice rumbled again. Ash moved with hesitation but came toward Lance. The colossus bent down and reached for the cheetah. “Good. But next time, you’d better don’t make me wait.” Lance checked the collar of his pet and his app on his smart phone. “Perfect, it’s working. Well, how do you have to call me ?”
Ash looked back at the young giant and even though he was wondering why he acted this way he replied : “Master.”
“Fine,” replied Lance, “I expect you to only call me this way tonight. Remember it well !” The massive musclebound jaguar looked down at his cheetah he was holding in his hand. “I register for a competition. It will be a race of micro cheetahs. You’ll have to run for me. I expect you to behave properly and to obey every command I give you without question.”
“I’m not trained enough Master, I won’t win.” Replied Ash.
“I don’t expect you to have the same result a properly trained cheetah, but you have a chance to show me what you can do.” Lance saw his pet was looking stressed. “Don’t worry and relax. You’ll make me proud if you behave properly. If you do, consider your punishment lifted.”
“There will be other macros ?” Asked Ash.
“Yes, we will be several dozens, probably. But don’t panic, only me will handle you.”
“Please Master, find another punishment !” Pleaded the cheetah.
“Nope, it’s too late now. I registered, and you will go.” Replied Lance. The giant jaguar brought Ash in his bedroom and put him down on the top of his desk. He seized a small box in a drawer and opened it in front of the micro. “You’ll wear this.” He said while presenting race clothes at his pet. “Cheetahs usually don’t wear shoes during the race and as you’re a wild one I thought it would be better to let you bare feet.” Lance saw Ash’s face crumpling. “Don’t worry, everything will be alright, I’m here with you.” He put the outfits in front of Ash. “Well, put them on. I will make you run after the laser pointer in my room as a quick training. We have to go in one hour.”
Ash reluctantly put on the racing clothes provided by Lance. The idea of being showcased in front of several dozens of other macros unnerved him, but he had no choice. He focused on the fact that if he behaved well and obeyed Lance’s commands, his punishment would be gone.

As promised, Lance spent the remaining hour letting Ash chase the laser pointer around the room. Despite Ash’s initial reluctance, the practice session ended up being surprisingly enjoyable for both of them. Ash’s natural instincts and agility as a cheetah kicked in as he hunted the elusive dot, while Lance found amusement watching his tiny pet dart around the room.

With the hour over, it was time to head to the competition. Lance, mindful of Ash’s unease, reassured him once more. “Remember, little friend, just do your best and obey my commands. I don’t expect you to place first, but I do expect you to perform well.”

Ash hesitated, then nodded in agreement, trying to tamp down his growing anxiety.

At the racing grounds, the sight of so many giant macros and their respective micro cheetahs was overwhelming for Ash. He clung to Lance, his tiny body shaking, but the jaguar remained a reassuring presence.

As the race began, Ash found himself driven by a fierce determination to make Lance proud. He put all his energy into running, his heart pounding as he kept up with the other racers. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lance watching him intently, cheering him on.

As the racers approached the finish line, Ash pushed himself even harder. He knew he wouldn’t be able to secure a winning position, but he needed to prove himself to Lance. As he crossed the finish line, he realized he had placed in the top ten – a significant accomplishment, considering his lack of formal training.

Breathing heavily, Ash looked up at Lance, who wore an expression of genuine pride and approval.

“Well done, Ash,” Lance rumbled.
“It’s not common to see a pardinensis cheetah.” Rumbled a deep voice at the side of Lance. The jaguar stood up and turned on his side and saw an imposing lion approaching. “Yes, I found him in a auction site. Someone captured him as he was scavenging in his home and proposed him. I was surprised to see a rare species on such site.” Replied Lance.
“You’ve been lucky.” Replied the lion. “Even on specialized sites they are rarely proposed. By the way, my name is Bassari Arouk.”
“I’m Lance, Lance Mahogan.”
Ash was looking up at his master and that lion. He didn’t like that other macro coming so close. He saw a micro cheetah passing and moving toward the lion, a jubatus cheetah with the usual yellowish tawny fur an black spots. Ash recognized him as being in the top ten, and even in the top five possibly.
Bassari bent down and reached his massive hand down. Ash moved away but saw the lion was simply scooping the cheetah. “Good job Ran !” Said the lion. “You’ll have a good reward !” The lion was keeping his hand at the level of the track. Ash was moving away but he heard Lance murmuring : “Keep heel, Ash.” The grey furred cheetah struggled to remain close of both giants. Another cheetah, a female jubatus came, trotting toward the cupped hand of the humongous lion and climbed into, then the lion stood up holing both cheetahs in his massive hand. Ash was not sure, but he thought she was also above him in the ranking.
“Wow, you own two champions !” Exclaimed Lance. The lion chuckled before calling out a third cheetah, another male jubatus. “I might have a third one if he was not so unruly.” That cheetah cast a strange look at Ash before being seized by the enormous lion fingers. “Come here you !” Rumbled the lion before putting him with the two other cheetahs.
“I never saw you here before.” Said the lion while examining his three cheetahs. He carefully seized their legs between his huge fingers and stretched them out delicately as to check their state. “And you come with a pardinensis and he finish among the first ten.” Said Bassari with a smile.
“It was not the most difficult race.” Replied Lance, "I wanted something easy for him for the first time. " Ash started when he heard Lance said “for the first time” doe he intended to make him run again ?
“Indeed replied the lion. I usually use this one as a warm-up for mines.”
“Yes, I heard it was the reason most cheetah doesn’t have their best performances at this one, they save themselves for the next and more serious races. Your’s must be great when they put all their strengths into !”
Ash was proud to have been in the top ten, but he put all hi strength in this race, and hearing most of the other competitors were in fact saving themselves made him feel downcast.
“I hope they will be.” Said the lion with a smirk. “But your cheetah makes quite an impression. I didn’t see a pardinensis on this track for years, if ever you wish to sell him, feel free to contact me, I’m ready to put the price to have him, or if you want a skilled champion I would be happy to trade one of mines with your pardinensis.” Bassari looked down at Ash with a smile. Ash started to move backward but he saw Lance lifted the heel of one of his huge feet and tapped it on the ground.
Ash hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly moved back towards Lance’s tapping foot. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, not knowing what his fate would be if Lance truly decided to sell or trade him.

Lance raised an eyebrow at Bassari’s offer, contemplating the possibilities for a brief moment. He glanced down at Ash, who looked back up at him with wide, pleading eyes.

“Your offer is generous, Bassari,” Lance finally replied, “but I think I’ll hold onto my little pardinensis for now. He’s still got a lot to learn and grow, and I believe he has the potential to become a skilled champion in his own right.”

Ash released a small sigh of relief, grateful for his master’s decision. As they left the race track, Lance looked down at Ash with a slight smile. “Well done today, Ash. I believe you have served your punishment well, and I look forward to seeing what you can achieve in the future.”

With those words, Ash felt a renewed sense of determination and pride in what he had accomplished today. And although he was still uncertain about his place in this dangerous world, he knew that as long as he had Lance’s support, he could face whatever challenges came his way.
The lion, jaguar and hyena chatted a moments and well after the race of the canines ended. And it seemed to Ash the three macros befriended.
The lion also showed to Lance how to check the state of a micro cheetah after a race by looking at his legs and feet, the three jubatus cheetahs of the lion were cooperative and even let Lance handling them, but Ash was not, and he hissed at Bassari when he offered to check the pardinensis. Lance felt a bit embarrassed but both him and the lion eventually laughed at the reaction of Ash.
As the day came to an end, Lance and Ash bid farewell to their new friends, Bassari and his three cheetahs. Lance couldn’t help but tease Ash a little over his protective behavior earlier. “Well, it seems you’ve got a bit of a wild streak, don’t you?” he chuckled. Ash simply huffed and tried to hide his embarrassment.

On their way back home, Ash couldn’t help but think about the lessons he had learned that day. Not only had he undergone a sense of accomplishment and growth as a racer, but he had witnessed the development of new bonds and friendships between Lance and other macros.

Although being a pet still had its challenges and restrictions, he realized that his situation was not as bleak as it had initially seemed. With Lance by his side, supporting and believing in his potential, Ash felt encouraged to face whatever obstacles the future may hold.

As they settled in for the night, Ash nestled into his cozy bed within the cage, his body feeling sore but accomplished from the day’s events. And as he closed his eyes, he knew that while challenges and uncertainties undoubtedly lay ahead, he was not alone - and perhaps, in this dangerous world, that was enough.
“Well, Ash, you behaved rather well yesterday. Some small blunders with Bassari, but nothing serious.” Said Lance with enthusiasm. “And you made me feel very proud of you. You ran well for an untrained cheetah, even Bassari noticed it. Did You like this night ? We could come back again, perhaps once a week, or every two weeks ?”
Ash hesitated for a moment, considering Lance’s proposal. On one hand, participating in the races had been exhilarating and had given him a sense of purpose. On the other hand, the idea of being exposed to other macros and the stress of competition was still intimidating.

“Master,” Ash began, tentatively, “I appreciate your faith in my abilities, and I did enjoy the sense of accomplishment from the race. I am willing to participate in more races, but perhaps we can start with once every two weeks? That would give me time to mentally and physically prepare for each event, and slowly adapt to the environment and other macros.”

Lance nodded, understanding Ash’s concerns. “That sounds like a fair compromise, little one. We will try once every two weeks to begin with, and we can adjust the schedule as needed. Your wellbeing is important to me, and I’ll ensure that you always feel comfortable and ready for these events.”

With that agreement in place, both Lance and Ash felt a renewed sense of partnership and understanding. The races would provide an opportunity for personal growth and challenges, while also fostering the unique bond they shared in this unpredictable and dangerous world.
Bassari invited Lance and the hyena to visit him to show them his room dedicated to his cheetahs. The giant lion proposed that Lance bring his pardinenis cheetah to show him how his jubatus cheetahs were housed and trained. The male hyena they saw at the races event was also present, as it was for him an opportunity to see the young cheetahs Bassari will offer for adoption some months later.
Bassari owned more than a dozen of adult cheetahs and about five cubs.
Lance and Ash were quite surprised by the sight of the vast room, with several cages larger than the one of Ash and particularly comfortably equipped. Most of the cages were unlocked and the cheetahs could move out of them as they pleased. They were two race tracks in the room, although they were shorter the one at the venue where Ash ran. But Bassari said them he had a longer one in his garden. There were also several plants and tiny trees planted in large pots that gave the impression the cheetahs could walk in a garden scaled to their micro sizes in one of them there were a pond with a waterfall and colorful tiny fishes.
With the permission of the massive lion, the hyena approached the cubs to see if he could make the beginning of a bond with one of them. The cubs were wary but some were curious enough to approach the large hyena.
“Wow, I’m far to have all of this. Any regret I didn’t sell you to Bassari, Ash ?” Said Lance jokingly.
Ash looked around the expansive room, taking in the luxurious accommodations and ample space provided for the cheetahs. In comparison to his own small cage, it was like a paradise for micro cheetahs. As he watched the hyena interacting with the curious cubs, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy.

However, he considered the bond he had formed with Lance, and the genuine care and attention the giant had shown him despite his initial reluctance. While the amenities at Bassari’s place were undeniably impressive, Ash began to realize that the companionship and trust he shared with Lance held a value that could not be easily replaced.

“Well, Master,” Ash replied with a slight smile, “while I can’t deny the luxurious setups here, I believe I have come to appreciate our relationship, and I wouldn’t trade that for any amount of comfort.”

Lance looked down at his tiny cheetah companion, feeling a warmth in his heart. He knew he couldn’t provide the same living conditions as Bassari, but he was proud to have earned Ash’s loyalty and trust.

“I’m glad to hear that, Ash. We’ll work together to improve your living conditions and training, but never at the expense of our bond,” Lance said with a reassuring tone, his massive paw gently petting Ash, being especially careful due to their size difference.

As the group continued their visit, Ash felt a renewed sense of gratitude and confidence in his relationship with Lance. It was true that material comforts were appealing, but the bond they shared was far more valuable in the dangerous world they inhabited.
Lance, the hyena and Bassari were sitting in the living room of the lion. Ash was perched on the muscular shoulder of the jaguar and listened the conversation of the three colossi. Bassari knew a lot about cheetahs and races and was not aware about advices. Even if he could not help but be wary about the enormous lion and his interest for the cheetahs, Ash had to admit this giant was loving and respecting micros cheetahs in his own way.
“So, Ash, have you liked the visit ? Will you hiss at me again ?” Said Bassari with an amused smile on his densely maned face.