𝒞𝒶𝑒𝓈𝒶𝓇

The ground under your paws is warmer than it probably should be, and throughout the sky small wisps of flame rain down. You push on despite the slight fear that pokes at your pelt. After a bit of walking you find that ground before you is becoming to hot to stand on so you pause. A few feet in front of you a surprisingly perfectly round patch has been charred down to black ground. In the center of that patch lays a ball of rustic brown scales curled over itself and breathing softly. You let out a careful chuff, not really sure if you want to wake it or not, but none the less it wakes, suddenly jerking its head up. Its eyes are dull, more like smooth river stones than actually eyes. The rest of it uncoils suddenly, reveling a small cub. You feel a sudden pang of sadness for the small thing seeing that its legs far too short for its body meek body. The cub itself does not move but the snake does, opening its maw to speak. "Do not be alarmed by my vessel," it speaks calmly, "as you might have noticed-" it nods down towards the small unnatural body "-my true form is far too pitiful for use."

You question the state of the land around you, how it got like this, and why the ground pulses with heat like a living animal.
"That is not my doing," it starts, "You see I'm am not the maker of all...this...but simply a product of it." The snake seems to sigh, body curling tightly and protectively around the small cub. "I am bound here you see," The head of snake lifts towards you as it speaks, "This form needs its flame to survive and my true one can do no more than lay still."

You feel a great deal of sadness for the cub, and offer yourself if there is anything that can be done.
The snake's face does not change, but you notice the very slight shake of the cub. Their body is so small that even them letting out the tiniest purr makes their whole form rattle. "Might you be willing to stand the heat, then please take a bit of my fur with you."

You're a bit confused about what it means, but none the less you brace yourself then step onto the charred ground. Pain strikes your paws but you continue forward yet. The snake uncoils more as you get closer and you lean down to see that nestled in a small paws of the cub sits a strange object. A tuft of fur is tied with a thin leather sting. You carefully pluck the fur from the cub's paws and retreat back to bearable ground.
"Tie it to your mane, and wherever you go apart of me will too," the snake speaks as it curls back around the cub closely. "Please, if I may have another request, venture far so that I, as selfish as it sounds, may also feel the most of what life as to give lions as strong as you," he pauses before going on, "Fight many battles, win and lose, meet all kinds of people, lion and non-lion, and see all that you can."

The snake is all but curled back into its ball, "Please...friend, I can call you friend right?"