Panther (animal)
Panthers are a form of great cat native primarily to Damota, with their black pelts catching a high price elsewhere. They are known for being near-impossible to spot in the deep jungle, their dark fur blending into the canopy's shadows. Encountering them unprepared can easily spell doom for the unwary, for their great strength is another of their natural gifts.
I move cautiously through the sweltering jungle, my eyes failing to pierce the endless green darkness beneath the thick canopy. Insects buzz in my ears, their unceasing hums drowning out all other sounds. I know the beast is near, somewhere through the darkness, the sun blocked out by the trees. I look around, head swiveling, left, right. I turn around. Is something moving back there? In the corner of my eye I see a shadow shift, and whirl to face it. Only a trick of the light, for here, I am in the beast's domain, ever vigilant for something which might be hunting me. Another shift, another swift turn, my eyes failing to pierce the blanket of shadow cast by the trees. And then, from behind a bush ahead of me, I hear a roar as a mass of dark fur springs towards me.