Moonspear I will keep you safe

Her eyes fell to the young, tawny boy that approached her; her tail swayed as he greeted her, and his kisses were rewarded with but one in return and several affectionate, gentle nips. She had been near, with her mate—stalking the herd in advance to inspect their quarry. But they would do the very same thing, all together, the following eve so that the cubs would learn each aspect of the hunt. 

His look was not at all missed by his mother, and Hydra's own look was one of ambiguity—but before long, she was prepared to reveal herself to him, and moved in a small semi-circle around him to inspect his furs. A little more unkempt than she would like; she gestured before her with her snout—it was bath-time. 

Grooming was an activity she taught each of her children, though she, for the most part, maintained them at this point in their life. At length she answered his silent question with an invitation of her own, for good measure: if you tell me about your day, I will tell you of mine, with a flick of her ear, waiting for him to sit before her so that she could clean him.