i feel a bad moon rising; valdis

[Kagerus]

The winter is harshest in Hyaline, particularly at the peaks of the mountains. It's where the lion lives, prowling his territory and eating his kills; she finds herself there often these days, distracted from her familiar by the raw and instinctual draw of another semi-feral feline. Another in that she herself maintained a sort of sentience, and semi in that both she and the lion recognized each other's sentience more and more the more time they spent together. With her familiar busy in politics, Panthera spent her hours trying to get closer to the cougar, risking her well being in an attempt to establish a connection; Kagerus had said not to harm Svedka, but she'd not commented on... other activities.

She's on her way down the icy mountainside today as a golden figure descends to Hyaline's earth. For a moment she wonders if the pegasus is Solace; but when the lack of blue in her mane and tail becomes evident, the leopard hurries her pace, first stalking and then sprinting across the lowland hills in utter silence. Upon the crest of one quite some distance off, the predator - with her front facing eyes and all hearing ears - Panthera crouches, discreetly disguised.

Kagerus isn't in Hyaline today. Something pulls in the leopard's stomach; the prisoner is speaking to one of the princesses. It's too far for the cat to send a telepathic message. Fear and uncertainty clouds her amber eyes - but in the next moment, she leaps from her hiding place and sprints the rest of the way to the duo, ears flat to her skull, lips taught but not yet revealing her murderous teeth.

Mrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The low sound of her warning growl rolls towards Lepis as she stations herself between said mare and the princess. Behind her, her tail sweeps low across the accumulated snow; she knows that she is in danger, if either of these creatures possess magic. She knows that she could die.

But like her familiar, this is her home: and she would die for it, and its members.

panthera

Hope you don't mind! I fully expect the steal to go through, consider this a predestined-failed block attempt