It was almost dark now and as we sipped our drinks, out of the gloom came a feline shape - "A Leopard!".
Then another - "Two Leopards!!" - then a third "They're not Leopards - they're Lion!".
A scrambled pack up of drinks and we were back into the vehicle, slowly following a pride of seven Lion, silently flowing through the bush like a malevolent stream seeking victims to pull under.
The only vehicle around we tracked the pride's progress for almost half an hour before they went to ground. Here, drawing on his years of experience, our guide , Kennedy, switched off the lights and we sat in total darkness.
The hunt was on.
Around 100m away a herd of Impala were grazing in the dark, totally unaware of the threat gradually crawling towards them.
To sit a matter of metres away from Lion doing what they do best is an experience almost beyond words. The only sound above the breathing of the people next to you in the vehicle is the beating of your heart. You try to breath more shallowly, urging the Lion on, yet terrified for the Impala.
Every now and again the scene to our front was lit with a light with a red filter which neither prey nor predator can see. Once , as the light came on we looked down to the side of the vehicle to see a young Lion using the truck as cover - just five metres away.
In the event this hunt failed, something spooked the Impala who, amidst a cacophony of snorted alarm calls ran away into the dark. The Lion tough took this in their stride - re-grouped and once again began the silent flow through the bush seeking a meal.
We left them to return to dinner at camp knowing it would not be long before they too were feeding.
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