Four-legged friend
On the seventeenth day since departing Olpat, at the stroke of noon, perched gracefully upon a branch of a white poplar tree, Lynn Piaoye, the tree elf, nibbled on a crisp apple while gazing out toward the distant horizon. There, amidst the vast expanse of plains, the majestic silhouette of a grand city began to materialize.The journey through the enchanting North was drawing to its inevitable close."Mm... the Gem District, Darraso Flower Shop... two bundles of golden memories," murmured the winsome tree elf, softly affirming the purpose of her venture. With a delicate hand, she retrieved the last apple from her pocket and took a dainty bite, savoring the sweetness as if it were the taste of farewell."Can those plump lizards truly subsist on naught but fruits..." Since their sojourn to the Deathwater Marsh, thoughts of Drakonia often crept into Lynn's mind, accompanied by a vague sense of concern. She couldn't help but envision the carnivorous dragon's daily plight, faced with a diet of fruits and vegetables, fearing that her jest from their marshland encounter might hold some grim truth. "Just don't let hunger ground you..."Lost in her reverie, Lynn's reverie was abruptly shattered by the sound of approaching footsteps, gradually growing louder as they drew near."Human... ten, maybe fifteen of them. They're in pursuit of... sounds like a feline, perhaps a leopard. It seems its fate is sealed," the perceptive tree elf discerned, her pointed ears catching every nuance of the unfolding scene. True to her assessment, a sleek black panther darted past Lynn's perch with lightning speed, arrows raining down upon it from the depths of the forest, herding it inexorably toward a cunningly laid trap."Hurry now, don't dawdle, and for the love of all things green, mind your aim and spare the creature from further harm. Its pelt is worth more than the lives of you lot," a remark dripping with disdain from the usually compassionate and just-hearted tree elf soured as the black panther disapp