"Why don't you get some rest? Wait for the consolation fight." Sam replied to Spike.
"It happens now or it happens later." Spike answered. "We can wait if you want." He beckoned to Jeremy, who quickly moved to the side of his herd leader. Already he was unconsciously imitating the way Spike carried himself.
Spike turned to address Jeremy. "Drake's idea, about running some of the superfluous bucks through the splicer again, isn't a bad one. What Drake doesn't realize, though, is that after you beat him he's going to be the first in line. That loudmouth Lance would make a cute little doe too. Maybe you can have him for a concubine--I'm going to keep Drake for myself. Sound like a good idea?"
Jeremy's eyes glistened with joy at the faith his herd leader was putting in him. The part of his brain telling him that he would be paying dearly on the other side of the fence for any humiliation of Lance on this one wasn't making itself heard very loudly.
Meanwhile Drake was attempting to get reassurance from Sam. Sam found that his feelings towards Drake had been changed by the victory. He still thought the ex-business man was a conniving creep, but he also realized that he really wanted Drake to win against Jeremy.
"He's going to be overconfident." Sam told his follower. "Let him come to you, and then throw him using the force of his charge."
The two stags broke from their herd superiors and faced each other across the "fighting ground."