ITS NOT SURPRISING that Tourmaline finds herself on the hunt again. Hunger is a fact of life, like thirst, exhaustion, and passing of time, marked all by the cyclical dimming and brightening of the cave lights. It's become familiar, in the past cycles, how it all comes around and goes around.

So as she traverses the moss-lined tunnels, she reaches out with her magic, hoping to find some sort of Lesser Gembound to take down, and drag into a nook to eat. Is anything there? she asks herself and her magic.

The creature whose distant gemstone Tourmaline would sense was nearer the other end of the tunnel. She had time, then, to form whatever approach she deemed best.

Once in sight, she'd be able to get a better look: the Kooru was around two feet tall at the shoulder, like a medium-sized dog, but bizarre in its appearance. It was shaggy, hooved, covered in reddish and white stripes; six legs carried it along, while four dark eyes watched for danger. A prehensile tail waved along behind it, plucking mosses and grasses from the cave walls; the creature frequently dipped its head to for grazing.

It did not seem particularly dangerous, but it might be difficult for a creature Tourmaline's size to take down with physical threat alone--magic would likely be needed to finish the job. The Kooru looked like it could be quite swift.

@Tourmaline

Something my about size, Tourmaline identifies. Bigger than her usual targets, but it didn't seem too out of the realm of possibility for her to take down. A difficult test for sure, though.

But maybe a test was what she needed. Some itching drive told her to prove herself, to test her skills. And at least this animal didn't look like it could bite her in half.

She crouches down, attempting to slip quietly and low over the rocks and stones. With luck she'd be able to get behind a rock not far from the Kooru, able to peek over.

As she does, she thinks. My jaws are my strongest weapon. But maybe I need something more... I could try my magic... but do I even know anything that could work?

@Game Master Dark

It was, in fact, about twice the Pallas' Cat's height--about border collie size--but luck and skill would play their parts. As Tourmaline drew closer, the Kooru didn't notice a thing. It continued to graze, shuffling on a few steps here and there before dipping down its head to nibble once again.

If there were a time to strike, this was probably it.

@Tourmaline

Maybe she'd overjudged herself. Or maybe just being a bit overzealous. But either way, she's already this close - There's no time like the present!

She peers over the rock, golden eyes taking in every detail - wow, that's a little bigger than she expected, even still - before hunkering down to prepare to pounce. The eager twitching of her tail is the only movement for a long moment as she readies herself.

Then she dashes out from behind the rock, her jaws open wide as she attempts to lunge for the Kooru. She leaps up at it the moment she's close... only to land herself in the dirt in a heap at its feet.

@Game Master Dark

The Kooru jerked and jumped into the air, landing facing Tourmaline. There, it blinked all four dark eyes, staring. One hoof came up, then stomped down, but otherwise it seemed merely... confused; not afraid enough to flee, or maybe too stupid too.

It didn't attack, either, though. It just watched, head tilting to one side.

"...Kooru?" it chirped, puzzled.

@Tourmaline

A face full of dirt is a obviously a good place to reconsider one's life choices. She looks up, expecting to get trampled, but the Kooru seems just as confused as she is. Well, she's not going to just sit there and look stupid.

Tourmaline scrambles to her feet, claws gripping onto moss and dust as she pulls herself up. She whirls around, facing her target, and again attempts to bring her fangs into it, this time reaching for a front leg.

@Game Master Dark

This time the Kooru seemed to come to its senses... if only barely. When Tourmaline rushed and missed, it snorted and leapt away.

It took a few long, swift bounds, then slowed to a trot, glancing over its shoulder at its strange feline attacker. She mighit still catch up with it, if she were lucky; or maybe it'd forget about her if she gave it time.

@Tourmaline

Well this isn't working, she thinks with a HUFF. Her constant slipping on the damp moss is preventing her from getting a good strike in.

Well, guess this calls for Plan B. Not that Tourmaline had one before this moment, but she'll keep pressing on anyway. She reaches out with her magic toward the ground underneath the Kooru, her stone pulsing as she tries a spell she's never cast before.

@Game Master Dark

The Kooru stared for awhile.

When nothing happened--when Tourmaline's magic failed--it turned away, and started a quick walk off toward the exit toward Polaris.

It paused, however, to lick at a bit of glowing green moss along one wall.

If Tourmaline was to manage anything, this might be her last chance.

@Tourmaline