The early morning had been spent prowling the cliffs above the Grimtotem encampment that rested just outside of Dire Maul. The beast had paced back and forth on the ledges above the camp hidden by the dense undergrowth. There was nothing of any real notice that might have kept the creature’s interest while it surveyed the Grimtotem watchers.
It was when the birds had began heralding the morning that the beast left its perch and edged down the steep wall away from the camp. It leapt from ledge to ledge and hit the ground at a full sprint as it began its journey. Paws hammered the earth and a rush of wind swept back the feline’s dark fur. The creature’s stride disturbed the settling morning dew in its wake. The panther slowed its run as it neared the river that cut down the eastern half of the jungle. Powerful legs allowed the feline to leap onto a low root and begin scaling the steep embankment by one of Feralas’ waterfalls. With familiar ease the beast crested the top of the cliff that the waterfall originated from and finally slowed as it closed in on its destination.
The panther followed the water to another small rise and leapt up, there the beast slipped into a crevice just big enough for a person and leapt down to the cave floor a couple of yards below. The beast paced around the cave once inspecting its dwelling before settling down on a pile of furs to sleep the day away.
The morning light found its way through the cave’s opening though try as it might it couldn't reach the panther at the back of the cave. Even still something kept the creature from sleeping, it shifted and rolled to its side as though something ate at it. Blinking its eyes open it sat up. The creature’s form changed, shifting and shrinking to that of a female elf. A harsh breath left her and her gaze fell to her hands which she uncurled with a touch of difficulty. She stared at the back of her hand like it was a foreign object and flexed her fingers several times as she turned it over to look at her palm with another blank stare.
Her attention snapped away from her hand after a long moment and with another tired heave of breath she laid back amongst the furs. With a deliberate quickness she folded one over herself before uneasily slipping off to sleep.
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