Wandering through the forest, Talen looked up, trying to make himself more aware of his surroundings, and the time of day. The sun was setting, causing faint hues of blue and purple across the sky above him. That meant he'd been in this forest, wandering aimlessly, for about half the day. What a dull life this was, not having the least bit to do, especially after leaving the Lone Warriors, that guild having turned from being purely good.

As the wind blew gently through the forest, it rustled the leaves noisily, and ruffled up the fur that covered the entirety of Talen's body. At the moment he was a panther, about three and a half feet tall and six feet long. Large and perhaps intimidating, doubtless he was, but at heart he was a pure soul, which showed in his eyes, radiating a certain intelligence about them as well.

Flinching in minor shock as an arrow planted itself into the ground where his front right paw was just about to be, the panther glanced up into the trees, noticing quickly the type of arrow that was. It was of elven design, meaning that he was now near the elven city. And as such, they likely weren't shooting at him to keep out an intruder, but for a hunt, for a rare prize such as himself.

But then, during all the times he'd been in this form, he'd been pursued by many a hunter, and he hadn't been caught yet. Bounding off, weaving across the leafy ground with silent padding footsteps from his large paws, he was certainly determined not to let that change now.

OOC- OK that I join?

IC- Aisling was leaning against an extremely tall oak tree. He admired the elves and their ways. They were so intune with nature. He shrugged off the though and got back to playing a peacefull tune on his flute. His staff was leaning against the tree too but it fell over and Aisling reached to pick it up. As he did so, he saw a very large panther like thing bound through the trees with arrows falling after him. The elves must be hunting, he thought.

He debated weather or not to follow the panther. Finally, he reached a dissision. As much as he hated seeing animal die, he wanted to see the elves hunt. So he dashed off after the beast.

Alkar loved the chance to stretch his legs and when his friends had said that they were off to go hunting he had that he would join them. They had spent the first couple of days out on the hunt with just small prey easy to take down presenting little or no challenge. It was on the fourth day of the hunt that they came across something that was truelly interesting. Their just before sunset came the specific bird chirping that indicated a hunt was on he leapt through the trees just in time to see a panther start to run.

The others were already moving they were knocking arrows and firing their arrows. Alkar smirked as he drew his blade and hopped down to the ground alnding in his chasing stance. He stood up slowly and started to jog at an even pace. Then he heard what he was waiting for his friends had given him the signal they weren't fast enough and they needed him to catch the panther. He pushed himself to half of his total capacity and he started to pick up speed dashing through the trees at a nice pace. Then he caught sight of it and their was someone following it other than his party. He picked up the pace he was gaining. The other elves gave the signal to give up but Alkar signaled that he wasnt going to give up that easily and then he jumped and started to run up in the lower branches his eyes darting after the beast. This was to easy it looked like the creature had to much confidence in its step.

He now had a weakness the final step in the hunt was to begin now. He pushed himself to his limits and quickly past the panther. When he a few meters ahead of it he stopped dropping through the branches just to land right on top of it pinning it to the ground.

Aisling was crouching behind a tree when he saw a blur sprint past him and the panther. What was it? How was it that fast? He shrugged off these questions and kept watching. From behind the tall fir he could see arrows stop falling, the blur also stopped and he breifly saw what he thought was an elf but he wasn't sure. He turned around, and put his back to the tree. He was gasping for breath, he wasn't a very good runner, and kneeling slightly. When he got up he went for his staff but again, it fell over hitting a rock and making a loud clunking sound. "Uh oh..." he said quietly and looked up at the two shapes.

This was rather frightening. One; he had no idea what they were and two; he had no clue what they might do to him. He knew that the elves were peacefull. Or at least most of them were, but he was still very nervous. He bent over slowly to pick up his staff. Once done he got back up and took a few steps in reverse. Hopefully the things would not care that he was there. He wistled a short tune to calm himself, he was a very nervous guy, and slowly quieted the noise level down. He looked at the huge trees all around him after backing into another one. They were so... unnaturally tall. What caused them to grow like this? he was calmer now so he sat down and stared at the two, the hunter and the prey. What would happen next?

Sniffing around as he stopped for a moment or two, behind a tree and out of sight and range of the elven guards that had been shooting at him, Talen caught a few scents nearby, some elven and someone else, of which he couldn't at the moment determine. That, or he just didn't bother to try all that much. The point was, the elves were apparently hunters, because as soon as he stopped his ears perked up, picking up the all-too-familiar sound of an arrow being nocked back in a bow.

Realizing that all those nearby seemed to be after him, he bounded quickly off once more, dodging the arrows that had come at him hardly a split second later, thunking in the ground and tree where he was just previously. At his quick pace, he sniffed around once more, trying to get a feel for where everyone was. Those archers it didn't seem could keep up...but one of their companions, and the other person nearby, were still in pursuit. They didn't seem to be together given their differing scents and apparent positions, but they could've both still been hunters, and that was the important part to worry about.

Glancing up to the trees, he almost seemed to smirk lightly as the elf quickened his pace, gaining some...well, branches, ahead of him before dropping down. It wouldn't be that easy on him, however...

Quickly darting to the side, Talen's blue eyes locked with the elf's for a brief moment, and he caught himself on the ground, sliding his body around so that he was facing the elf. Generally he didn't much like being hunted, but this seemed like an entertaining challenge, one that he wouldn't pass up. Getting down in form as if to pounce, he waited for what would be the signal to resume.

Aisling dashed between tree and tree stopping peridically for a breather. He hadn't run in a long time. This panther was a fast devil and it would take all of Aisling's strength to keep up. The hunter, or at least Aisling assumed he was a hunter, kept up fine with the beast. But then again, recalling something from an old book in one of the many libraries he had been too, Aisling thought that a Panther wasn't normal in these woods. The climate was far to cold. He pondered on the that idea. Perhaps it was a person, a shapshifter. That would be a crazy thing though.

The tree he was behind now was a large cedar tree. There were so many different types of trees here. Carnifferous, desiduous, tundra trees all sorts. It was strange that they surrvived all in the same climate region. Back on the ground a squirl ran past startleing Aisling and having him jump right out into the open. Infact, the squirl seemed to be laughing at Aisling, as if it wanted him to be seen. And seen he most likely was, as he jumped right infront of the panther. Ok,... panther, panther, what about panthers? he asked himself. He reached back into his memory, if this was a normal panther he could not out run it, but, standing still it might ignore him, but he wasn't sure. Gah! Why can't I remember!? He started sweating nervously. He was just standing there, but the animal didn't move. Perhaps it was... then Aisling realized it was looking at a hunter, an elf. Fasinating it was, the panther just stared at it. One could only imagine what it was thinking. He stepped back and tried to calm down. From a good distance he decided to watch the show.

Alkar jumped down to a near miss he thought he had had the beast under his hands but at the last second it had darted away behind the trees. His friends sent a volley towards the tree and the panther came running out and then it looked as if it was ready to continue the chase. Alkar smirked it had been a long day and he was looking forward to the chase. He then raised his arms and stretched this chase was fun yet he had already lost interest. But then again right behind him his friends were really excited. He shrugged and than took a run at the panther giving it fifty percent energy.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Talen noticed quite easily that this man wasn't giving it everything he had, or even near there. It would be somewhat tempting to attack, to strike back like an actual animal of the wild might do, but that wasn't how he was. He didn't like to fight, though he could quite well, and he certainly wouldn't attack someone without a good reason, whether in panther form or in his true form. Though right now it did seem that those archers from before had rejoined the hunt.

Taking a very brief moment to think over what he'd do, he sprung off to the side, disappearing once more within the trees, constantly on the move, sniffing around and keeping his ears alert to get a feel for where the others were. He'd find them easily enough, he didn't doubt, and from there he'd have a little fun of his own, disarming them and seeing what they'd do from there.

(beh...short...)

He saw the panther dart of into the bushes and knew that he wouldnt be able to hunt it on the ground easily so he loped up into the higher range of branches and started to spring after it. The panther did not seem to be ordinary and Alkar was waying the possibilities of what could make the creature different from other panthers but their was no way that he could figure it out so he just retired to chasing it around. He heard three little soft thuds from directly behind him and then his friends started to scurry towards different trees all four of them knew that they were closing in on the creature yet it seemed to be attempting to stalk them.

How foolish could you get attempting to stalk elves in the woods that surrounded Yomenyiampa. The elves were brought up here and they were trained here. They learned how to tell if there was a disturbance in the woods or if everything was fine they found out what herbs could cure your stomach aches or head aches. They learned a great deal of things but one they took pride in was their stealth while stalking their prey.

He had spent thirty years of his childhood training to play in these woods they were beatiful and he knew almost all the hiding spots secret ponds and small caves locations.

Then he saw what he was looking for the tail of the panther darted out of sight as it thought its stalking was going well. The archers leaped ahead and surrounded it. Alkar gave a hold fire whistle and spoke out to the creature "Your are not a true being of nature your movements are to controlled so if you possess another form please take that form and continue on your way you are coming to close to the city where the archers are to great in number for you to dodge."

Aisling gullped. These elves wouldn't fire on a person, would they? He sure hoped not. He was a peacfull guy adn ment only to travel and play music. Not get into sticky situations like this.

He walked away quietly, perhaps he should not be here. This was between the panther, whom he thought was a man and the elf. The elf seemed to know the panther was not infact trully a panther. Perhaps indeed Aisling should leave. Aisling turned and ran the other direction. Under bush and tre, by deer and bird, over grass and flowers he ran. Until he came to the edge of the wood. He was tired by now and sat down to rest for a time. After which he stood up, stretched and walked out. That was a strange wander. Where would the wind take him next?