For the second time in her life and ventures through the Threshold, there is a massive cat in her path – and because it is the second time, she even has a name that she can assume to call it by, a title that was given to her by the other one. Tiger, Cin had called himself, but he had been of a different color and not so large as this one, his eyes blue rather than the piercing amber that scan the world from the striped face of the predator that lingers in the forest of beginnings.

She is hesitant, as she should rightly be; Kyst along her spine chirrups in befuddled wonderment at the size of the beast they have discovered, her ice blue eyes lingering on the sheer breadth of the paws nestled in the undergrowth and the promise of the size of the knives they sheathed. Pulses emanate from the bird creature along the golden woman’s spine that feel like envy and desire all meshed into one, complicated flavor, and the Lady feels her ears flick back in temporary annoyance at their emotional bond and that the young griffon is so inept at keeping them to herself.

Illynx can almost feel her emotions trying to seep out and latch into the core of the little creature, but she can pull them back most of the time or quickly convert them into other similar sensations, leaving Kyst with the trailing ends of a smoke like sensation (barely there before it faded into nothing, a smothered scent of something that lingered in the air) rather than the pure and pulsing hums that strike her bonded unicorn when the cat-bird feels; the unicorn mare is prideful of her skills, and being restrained and tactful even with a soul bonded animal is high on her list of priorities. Not to mention that Kyst was rather moody and surely the undulating sensations that ride beneath Illynx cool, dark surface would agitate her into digging her claws more savagely than is necessary, as is often the case when Illynx draws too long on the patience of the griffon.

The mountainous queen angles herself towards the cat, deciding against her reservations to approach and see if she is cognizant as Cin had been, somehow different from the other animals that wandered the wilderness in ways that she did not understand. Maybe some day, she might remember to ask the Gods of these peculiar animals, more wizened than their peers, capable of as much magic and strength as the unicorns who were meant to rule the earth. And while it may seem odd that a racist mare accepts a giant, speaking cat where she does not accept the winged or those plain of face, it is no such thing to her when she spies the long, dangerous white teeth or the lean strength with which these tigers carry themselves. That the cats wear thick coats, obviously resilient to the bitter cold of the Basin’s winters (fast approaching, the trees growing bloody and golden in the cooling of the air as it faded into the white months), is another benefit that leaves her unable to resist and makes her all the more flattering as she smiles and makes her presence known.

Of course, she is prepared to run if this is just another cat, intent on tearing flesh from bone and devouring the horses and unicorns that wander this wood, but the gleam of metal around her neck is promising and adds confidence to the feminine lilt of the Lady’s voice. "Salutations, Tigress," she says, nodding her hello with all the warmth she can filter into her plastic smile, "it is a fine afternoon, is it not?" She glances around her, golden eyes sparkling with delight at potentially bringing home this naturally crafted weapon. "I am Illynx, Lady of the Aurora Basin to the North. Welcome to Helovia, assuming you have not been here long."