DONAI
The Leopard

I grew tense as the large dark female approached me, her foot steps smooth and fluid and surprisingly quiet. She’s testing me, I felt it to the bone, and her energy clung to my flesh like humidity on a hot summer day. It sunk into my veins. She wanted to get close to me, this I was sure. But I certainly wasn’t expecting to hear this:

“Perhaps we could show her to appropriate hunting grounds?

Did my ears deceive me? Or did this animal legitimately just offer me help? As I heard the male confirm my suspicions, for a second I thought nothing of it, this had to be a joke or trap. A pair of arrogant stone-feet out to make a fool out of me. My ears rolled back displaying my extreme discomfort, watching as these two stone-feet studied me like vultures on a carcass, whispering secretly to each other surely about their next plan of action. I could only contemplate the exchange of words and ideas. I was able to catch one word the two of them seemed to hiss gently into the wind The Grey, gradually my ears rotated their direction to pick up in detail whatever it was they were talking about.

"There's plenty of game in the Foothills, and I don't imagine that Ktulu nor Ophelia will mind another joining our ranks... If, of course, she abides by the Grey's rules.
”I’m sorry you’re hungry. "But I promise that we won't hurt you. My name is Apollo, and this is my dear friend Circe. We come from a lovely place called the Windtossed Foothills, where there's plenty to eat and drink. Would you, by chance, like to come with us?"

I gave a baffled look as the male horse let his head fall to come to eye level with me, the words this animal spewed into my ears, I could only describe them as utterly inconceivable. A pair of stone-feet—food, prey, dinner, my meal—asked me to peacefully walk with them on equal grounds. As an ally?
I sat back for a moment consumed by my mercilessly deafening thoughts working to comprehend the situation, what a strange world I’m in…I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted my answer to be, but then I doubt these two strangers would want to wait around for me to decide. What would the consequences be for siding with dinner? Or rather, what would the benefits be? I was probably being naïve, maybe even weak as a hunter and a predator, but I reluctantly took a step towards the strangers. I let my shield of fear and paranoia dissolve under my paws, and I let my form stop in place beside the two creatures, looking up at the two creatures that towered over me. ”Sure” I answered them ”But… I have just one question.

Who is The Grey?”