A streak of orange and black slipped between the trees and amongst the foliage in the forest that was supposed to be forbidden. Perhaps it was forbidden for normal people, but this was the realm of beasts, and the petite Siberian tiger was definitely a beautiful beast. Sibes hadn’t transformed in nearly a month, and it was wonderful to feel the ground beneath her paws, hear the animals relay their fear of the majestic creature prowling through their woods.

She moved her sleek body silently through the forest, following a trail she’d caught hours before. There had been a light rain, and it was still drizzling slightly, but it wasn’t blocking out the smell. There was another cat out here. A big one, like her, but different. And it smelled like human, as well. It was an animagus, and she was intrigued.

Chances were another student animagus meant another unregistered one, and that was equally exciting. Usually people who were willing to break the law were willing to do other… less noble things. Perhaps there was another human here she could have a bit of fun with after all. The tiger smirked and purred slightly, still following the scent as she shook a bit of rain from her fur.

Her long tail twitched as the scent increased exponentially. Her emerald eyes widened slightly, then narrowed and she bared her teeth. She crouched as she observed her target just ahead of her, seemingly distracted by something. A panther. She smelled like girl. Slightly familiar, somehow. Sibes growled low in her throat, wondering what the other animal might do.

Skyler hadn't been back into the forest since that day with Draco, but it had been calling to her throughout the rest of that week, and with the weekends events, she couldn't refuse it any longer. She had escaped the castle as soon as she could, practically running through the dungeon corridors as soon as she had dropped her stuff off at the dorm. She didn't want to take the chance of getting stopped by anyone.

Before she knew it she was slipping into the cover of the forest, transforming in the midst of her run. She wasn't sure exactly how she had managed to phase mid sprint, but she had, and now all four paws hit the ground and the familiar animal instincts were alive in her head and body. She paused, taking a whiff of the forest air, liking the scent of the rain dampened ground and foliage, and then took off with no clear goal in mind except to run. The panther shot through the forest, it's sleek and powerful body pushing it forward.

Eventually she slowed, something catching her attention. An animal, even more majestic than herself. A glowing white, almost as if it were too pure to be dirtied or smudged by even the ground it pawed it's hooves upon. A unicorn. Even as a panther, Skyler was in awe of the creature. She watched it simply to watch it, until a sudden growl not too unlike her own in this form had the unicorn spooked and taking off deeper into the forest. The panther was not so easily spooked, however, and it merely turned it's head to face...

A tiger? Purple eyes met green, and Skyler knew from the scent she was picking up that this was no ordinary tiger, and immediately she was curious. But the panther in her, or maybe she was in the panther, recognized the stalking position immediately, and before she was consciously aware of it her feline body matched the crouch of the tiger, and her own predatory growl erupted from her muzzle, her claws digging softly into the dirt as her body prepared itself to defend. Skyler held her ground, and cocked her head to the side, as if to say, 'Your move.'

Respect. That was what the two felines were showing as the both crouched down and showed their ability to defend themselves. Had the panther taken a predatory stance, Sibes would have asserted herself as the dominant female. She would have jumped on the panther and wrapped her teeth about the black cat’s neck, showing that she was the more powerful of the two. No matter how strong this purple-eyed panther might have been, she wouldn’t be able to dominate the tiger.

As it was, Sibes tilted her head at the other feline, as if answering the girl. ’Good choice,’ her body language said. The panther had made the right move, and Sibes could support that. It made her more willing to get to know this other animal, and it even made her want to know the human as well. This was a special circumstance for the Russian, and it had her a bit confused.

She moved her claws against the earth, feeling it crumble slightly beneath her toes as a small mewl of impatience sprouted from her throat. She wanted to explore. It was time for her to slink through the brush, perhaps even catching some of the creatures who thought they were safe from her glistening teeth. She growled deep in her throat, but not at the panther this time. Her emerald gaze was on the deeper area of the forest, and her nose was set to the air, scenting their potential prey. ’Hunt. Kill. Blood.’

Her lips curled over her teeth and she looked at the other animal quickly before pushing off with her back paws, leaping into the darkening forest. A boom of thunder sounded in the distance and she felt as alive as ever as she let out a low roar, hoping to scare some creatures out of the brush and out into their path.

It was an intense moment for Skyler, as she watched the other large cat through guarded eyes. She wasn't afraid, and that in itself was probably her worst weakness. The brunette never showed fear when she should, but Skyler always thought that the times you should show fear was when it could do you the most damage. In any case, she was more or less wary of the other feline, knowing without a doubt that if a confrontation came, she would most likely be the worse for wear.

Strangely enough, even the thought of losing some fight in a bid for dominance didn't scare or bother her. It went without saying that she gave as good as she got and the same held true for in this form. Clearly, it didn't seem like a fight would be ensuing because the tiger tilted it's own head back at her, and the panther took that as a sign of some form of acceptance. But she was no fool, and she kept her position, though now her purple eyes were simply curious as she gazed at the tiger before her.

It really was a beautiful creature, and Skyler might have been jealous if she wasn't so fully proud of and in love with her own majestic cat form. Besides, the panther fit her much better than a tiger would. She absently wondered who it was that this form belonged to, and her thoughts were interrupted by what she could only assume was an impatient growl from the tiger. The panther seemed to grin, it's lips pulling back over it's teeth, which gleamed, and her purple eyes rolled. All in all, the panther looked amused more than it ought to.

The tiger seemed focused on smelling out something, so Skyler straightened out of her defensive posture and the panther sat back on it's haunches, observing the other as it displayed it's teeth. Again, Skyler found herself looking into green eyes as the stripped feline looked back at her, and she couldn't but wonder if this was Harry. He was the only person she had ever met with eyes that vivid emerald color before. But it couldn't be. Sniffing, she made sure of it. No, it couldn't be Harry. Unless he someone transformed into a female recently.

When the other feline took off, pushing itself forward into the forest powerfully, the panther watched, wondering if she should follow. It might not have been smart, but her curiosity won out and Skyler shot forward like a bullet after the tiger. The black cougar easily caught up, letting it's own playful roar loose, and enjoyed running through the forest with her new companion. The tiger was obviously on the hunt, and Skyler slowed a bit to allow it the lead, not wanting to intrude on it's hunt. Having just managed the animagus transformation this summer, she had yet to actually hunt in this form, not liking the idea of eating some raw animal. That didn't keep her from playfully snapping at the couple of little creatures that crossed directly in her path as she sprinted at the side of the tiger though.

Sibes let out a happy roar as the panther joined her pursuit. She saw a fat rabbit dash out from a thick bit of brush and took off at an even faster pace, lunging toward the creature. The tiger threw herself onto the rabbit, showing no mercy as her jaws clenched around it’s throat, piercing the skin and breaking the neck with a loud crack. The rabbit’s blood flowed between the tiger’s teeth and down her jowls, coloring the fur about her muzzle deep red.

She seemed to grin as she lapped at the blood and held the animal with her big paws, claws digging in to the flesh as she contemplated how to properly skin the thing while in this form. That was the one bad thing about her animagus form. Sibes hated eating hair, and she had yet to perfect the art of skinning when she was a tiger.

Deciding she didn’t much care to eat the rabbit’s fur, but she was very much enjoying the flavor of the animal, Sibes sat on her haunches as the transformation took place. She easily turned from beast to girl, the rabbit still held within her claws and blood dripping down her pale chin. A small grin was spread across her lips as she watched the panther nearby. She wondered if she would meet the other girl now, but she didn’t care either way. She’d probably phase back once the rabbit had been skinned properly.

The girl licked her fingers before purring and slipping her claws beneath the rabbit’s skin, using them like knives to slice through the flesh and pull it away with ease, taking all of the offensive fur and tossing it aside where some other creatures might feast upon the skin. It was done in no time, artfully so, and the rabbit was still whole. Blood seeped from the wound in its throat, and Sibes smirked at it, leaning down and licked at the raw animal, lapping up its coppery blood.

Her skin vibrated with her happiness at the taste, and she closed her emerald eyes. The rain was picking up a bit, but it didn’t even bother her. She still wore the blood colored camisole and sleek black slacks, though they were a bit dirty now from sitting on the forest floor. A simple cleaning charm would fix that, so the girl wasn’t so worried. She shook her long locks away from her pale face before running her sharp nails along the rabbit’s flesh again.

”You have a pretty form,” she purred, appreciation lighting her eyes. ”But you are not yet one with the animal. How long have you been transforming, Panther?” Her accent was thick, but it wasn’t impossible to understand her. The girl didn’t speak much, but when she did, she did it well. She absently lifted a hand to her lips and sucked on her nails as she awaited an answer.

Skyler easily followed the tiger, having someone to share her romp in the forest with making the adventure ten times better. Not that she hadn't enjoyed her time in there with Draco, but this was different. This was two fierce predators exploring the dangerous forest together. It was exhilarating.

When the tiger pounced on it's prey, Skyler came to a half, staying a fair deal away so as not to trigger any bad signals. The panther didn't want the tiger to think of it as a foe, or as opposition. Instead, she planted herself in a sitting position, her head raised high in a proud show as she watched the tiger intently. It was an interesting show, to say the least.

When the tiger shifted back into it's human form, the fifth year was surprised to see the newest member of her house take it's place. Her purple eyes were riveted to the girl, who like herself, had transferred to Hogwarts this year, only arriving that very week. It was interesting to Skyler how even in her human form the girl gave off dangerous vibes, and this had Skyler intrigued.

Perhaps she should have been sickened by what she was watching, but she was more fascinated than anything. The other girl cleaned the rabbit of it's fur easily with her nails, and still managed to keep it whole. It was odd to Skyler to see the girl seemed to like the raw mess even as a human, but she supposed that it made for good survival skills.

The panther preened at the compliment, sitting regally and her tail swished around to curl around her body. She knew her form was beautiful but she did enjoy hearing it from others. She did wish she could return the favor though, but she didn't feel much like transforming back. It was clear from the thick accent that the girl was from another country, much like Skyler. The brunette thought it was interesting how much the two seemed to have in common already. It became inevitable to have to change back though, when the girl questioned her, and the panther blew air out of it's nostrils in irritation and began shifting until where the panther had sat, Skyler stood.

"I only managed my to transform this summer." She advised in a friendly enough tone, not speaking too loud. There was really no telling what they could attract when this deep in the forest. "I think your form is rather magnificent as well." Skyler took the opportunity to repay the girl's compliment, and cocked her head to side questioningly. Of course, there were so many questions flowing through her mind at the moment she didn't know which to ask first. She went with the one that seemed appropriate for the topic of conversation. "What do you mean, when you say I'm not one with the animal yet?" Her tone was colored in honest curiosity.

“I mean, you aren’t one with the animal yet.” Sibes repeated herself, deciding that she’d had her fill of blood and tugging her wand out of her left boot. She’d had the inside of her favorite pair of black boots fitted with a slot for her long wand just so that she could transform and not have to worry about the thing. It was always best to be armed with magic along with her claws and teeth.

Waving the wand, Sibes cleaned herself of the blood and made a quick, small fire before her crouched form. Next, she levitated the rabbit, which she’d already gutted while the other girl had shifted back to her human self. She knew the girl hadn’t been in her dorm, but was sure she wasn’t older than her. Perhaps slightly younger, but not by much. Must be a fifth year. The meat roasted over the small fire as the Russian studied the American girl, noting their similarities.

It was odd, really, that the two foreigners would also be animagi. Perhaps it was a side effect of not fitting in? But she’d heard rumor already that the younger girl was almost as new as her, so it seemed she’d learned the skill before her own isolation occurred. Assuming she hadn’t been isolated in her old school.

Sibes noticed that this girl was also rather pretty, especially in her eyes. “You haven’t come to a point where you connect with the animal, even as a human. And you don’t let all its instincts take control,” she purred, nodding her head for the other girl to sit. “If you had, you would know that all of the animals nearby have left. Even the predators react to the roar of a hungry tigress.”

Using her nails, Sibes pulled a piece of barely cooked meat from the rabbit’s body and ate it with a grin. “You can call me Sibes,” she purred. “What should I call you, Panther?”

Skyler wasn't bothered when the girl observed her, choosing instead to focus on the other as well. The brunette could tell the girl was older, but she'd be surprised to find the girl a seventh year. She wasn't unnerved by the dark aura that seemed to surround the girl, but instead it made her wonder. Yet Skyler's gut instinct told her this was not the time to question on that particular fact, so she filed it away for later as she took a seat near the fire and roasting rabbit, directly across from the other girl.

Her brows furrowed together as she listened to the other in rapt attention. She wasn't annoyed by this critique, so to speak. She took in the information as a student would from a teacher. Thinking of her error and of a solution for it. Skyler knew the girl was right of course. She hadn't yet connected to the panther on the same level the girl seemed to be connected to her tiger. It wasn't from lack of being able to really. It was more like she didn't want to lose complete control of her human side in order for the panther to have it. It was a sign of her issue with trust. Skyler knew she had to trust the animal within her completely to allow for this connection, and she wasn't yet prepared for it.

But maybe with this girl's help she could be? Cocking her head to the side, Skyler's lips parted to question the other girl, pausing briefly to figure out how to word it correctly. "Did you find it difficult to trust the tiger so completely?" In the end, she decided the blunt truth was probably the best option. This girl didn't seem like she enjoyed sugarcoated words or riddled statements anymore than she did herself. Another trait Skyler was sure they shared.

A wide grin pulled at the corners of her mouth slowly, until it reached from ear to ear and her purple eyes sparked with recognition. "Sibes!! Of course!! 'Cause you're a Siberian tiger!!" She exclaimed, obviously enthused with the idea that the girl had chosen a name that so completely described her. Because that was what the animagus form was all about really. The form told you more about the person than anything else could.

She laughed at the girl's reference to her. "Well, most people refer to me as Sky, since Skyler's my given name. Or Riddle, my surname. But I refer to the panther as Nyx. So I guess you can take your pick." She offered good naturedly, shrugging to show that she didn't mind which. The brunette wasn't worried about seeming to up front with information. At least she were being honest and she hadn't really given the girl she now knew as Sibes any information she couldn't have found out on her own. Aside from the Nyx thing, of course, but somehow she felt like she could trust the girl with that much.

The short girl offered the rabbit to the one she knew as a panther, staring at her as she considered what she might be doing wrong. It wasn’t necessarily wrong, but Sibes found it rather… less than what she was capable of. And in her mind, that would be considered wrong anyway. She sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “I find it difficult to trust people,” she growled. Most of the time, she spoke in ways that a tiger would communicate- her voice took on aspects of growls and purrs depending on her emotions. When she was angry, she positively roared. “The tiger was easy to trust. She is me, and I am her. It was much harder to fight the animal nature than to give in to it, and now I am so much stronger…”

It was true. Sibes had always had a slight attraction to the coppery taste of blood, though. That probably helped curb her aversion to the raw meat and killing thing. Plus, she’d been exposed to horrible things her whole childhood. No gore could scar or scare her now.

She couldn’t stop herself from rolling her emerald orbs when the girl put two and two together about her name. She let out a Russian swear before shaking her head in mild disbelief. “I’ve always appreciated the beauty of the Siberian tiger. I grew up in Siberia, after all.” She closed her eyes as she recalled the cold land she’d called home. She really missed it. ”The name has another origin, however. My birth name was Sibyl. Sibes is the natural shortening of it, I suppose. Don’t ever mention that name, however. If you want to live, that is.” The look in her eyes promised death to anyone who dared call her by her given name, and she hoped that would be the last she’d have to say about it with this girl. So far, she found she rather liked her.

”Nyx,” she purred. ”A pretty name for a pretty panther. I approve. You need to stop fighting your instincts. Give in to the urges. Don’t think like humans. They are disgusting creatures, so limited by their minds. Sometimes you have to look beyond the ‘refined’ or ‘sophisticated’ and let your natural instincts take over. It’s much easier to that when you find the animal within you. You’ll see.” She took another piece of rabbit, thinking that she might just leave the enthusiastic girl now and go back to her hunting before the harder rain began to fall. It was true the girl needed a bit of advice, but Sibes had already said more than she normally did, and it was unnerving.

Plus, she was getting antsy sitting there and actually eating in front of someone. It seemed she was doing a lot of odd things with this girl, and she wasn’t sure she liked it…

Skyler eyes the offered rabbit with skepticism, but eventually reached out to pull off a piece. Might as well try it. There was a first for everything and she supposed since it was cooked it couldn't be too bad. Taking a piece between her teeth and ripping it off, she chewed the chunk thoughtfully. It wasn't bad at all. She couldn't imagine what it was like raw, but cooked, it was pretty good.

She grinned at the girl, eyes wandering as she thought about what Sibes had said, ripping off pieces of the rabbit absently with her teeth as she did. The brunette didn't take any offense to the growling way the older girl spoke. Somehow it seemed fitting now that she knew the girl's animagus form. She took to heart the actual words spoken though, thinking maybe she would just need to trust her inner panther and see what would happen. She could definitely do with being stronger, but mostly she wanted to reach the level of animagus this girl seemed to be on.

When Sibes let out a sound that Skyler thought might be a swear, she rolled her own violet eyes back at the girl for her words, her grin widening at the death threat. Maybe she was crazy, because the girl looked serious about it, but the brunette wasn't in any mood to fear anyone after this weekend. "First, I would just like to point out that there was just no way for me to know any of that, so it would hardly be fair to hold it against me. And second," Skyler spoke in a good natured tone, and her eyes danced playfully at the tiger girl. "What if the name comes up in a book or something? If I mention it in that context, will you still kill me?"

The teen was sure she was probably pushing her luck a bit here, but she couldn't help it. It was part of her nature. Skyler was just a playful person for the most part. If Sibes ended up not liking her for that, well then, that was that. But she hoped that wouldn't be the case. She had a feeling she could learn a lot from the other, and vice versa. Plus, Skyler had enough threats of death as it was, one more just seemed to have made it funny in a morbid way.

Rolling her eyes again, she snorted, and deciding that she would push her luck to the max because she apparently had a death wish or something, Skyler replied in a playfully sarcastic tone. "Well I'm very glad you approve Sibyl." She was obviously playing with the girl, pushing her buttons because that's just what Skyler did. But she wasn't an idiot by any means, and faster than one could blink the teen was on her feet and taking off into the forest at a sprint, phasing back into her panther form expertly mid run. When all four laws hit the ground, the panther pushed itself forward, darting through the forest at full speed knowing the tiger would be giving chase. She was sure she had a decent head start though, and launched herself into the nearest big tree she saw, using her claws to climb high into it. Skyler absently thought that maybe this was the time to let the panther have full control.

Sibes was about to tell the pretty panther that she’d not kill her for mentioning the name in regards to someone other than herself, but she’d at least draw a bit of blood, when the girl dared to call her by the name she most despised. A roar of anger ran through her body in reaction and the rest of the rabbit fell into the small fire as the Russian’s concentration was lost, focused on the retreating Slytherin who was mid shift between human and animal. So that was her plan. Turn tail and run.

With her wand back in her boot, Sibes didn’t even bother getting to her feet. She simply crouched and leapt after the panther, becoming a tiger in mere seconds. Her emerald eyes glinted with a playful rage, even as she was determined to draw a bit of blood to teach the other girl a lesson. It wasn’t a good idea to taunt a tiger, after all.

Coming to the tree where the panther had used her natural ability to climb to the higher branches, Sibes paced at the trunk, growling as she stared up at the violet-eyed feline. She looked at her with lips pulled back from her sharp teeth, as if to say ’You have to come down some time.’ The tiger wasn’t stupid. She knew the other cat had an advantage when it came to climbing, so she wasn’t about to get up in the tree with her. No, she’d much rather wait for the other to come back down where she could sink her claws into the panther’s rump.

For now, she observed the animal in the tree. It really was a beautiful creature, and she thought it fitting for the pretty Slytherin. It would be a shame to have to kill her. Sibes silently hoped the girl would get a bit wiser and refrain from using the terrible name Ivan had given her before she had to go to more… drastic measures.

Skyler hissed back at the growling tiger that was currently pacing back and forth at the foot of the tree as if irritated by the fact that she had now realized she would have to go down at some point. At which time she was sure the tiger would still give it to her. The panther rolled it's purple eyes. Obviously she hadn't thought her plan through, and most likely would end up with a few teeth marks or scratches, but she thought it was worth it. The black feline let out a sound that sounded suspiciously like a snicker, balancing effortlessly on it's branch high up above the tiger.

Odd as it may be, the brunette wondered if this was what it was like when one had an older sibling. From tales she had heard, this was the kind of thing siblings did. Annoy each other and whatnot. Skyler laid her lithe body on the branch, stretching out as if she didn't have a care in the world, and a human grin that had no right to be on a panther's lips showed off her gleaming fangs.

Her tail swished back and forth as it hung below the branch and she let her front right law dangle of the branch as well, taking playful and meaningless swipes at the tiger leisurely who was too far below to be reached by her anyways. The panther, it seemed, was having a fun time and didn't seem to be in any hurry to come down from it's perch. One would have to be a fool to actually want to go toe to toe with the tiger. Skyler was no fool. But she would meet her end eventually and take what was waiting for her while giving back what she could. She just figured she might as well get her kicks beforehand while she still could.

She really didn't want her headstone to read death by tiger though. Draco would never forgive her. Sitting up, the panther sat on it's hind legs and let out a pitiful whine, it's ears pasting themselves flat against its head as it gazed down at the emerald eyed tiger with it's own violet ones. Suddenly, a butterfly came fluttering by, and landed on the panther's nose. Skyler seemed to go cross eyed as she looked at it, shaking her muzzle to get it to fly away and swiping at it with her claws, making the panther look even more ridiculous and playful than it already had.

So, the pretty panther thought she could relax all day in that tree, did she? Well, Sibes had something different in mind. She watched in quiet amusement as the panther posed with paws in the air, batting at a fly like a common house kitten. It really was absurd, and the tiger shook her head before pacing a bit away from the base of the tree. A too-human smirk curled over her lips before she took off like a flash, running full on toward the tree and leaping up onto the trunk as high as she could manage.

Sibes dug her claws into the tender wood, using it to propel her lithe body further into the air. The majestic feline rose high enough to swat at the panther’s tail. Using her toes like fingers, she wrapped those and her claws around the furry black tail and clung to it, her whole weight hanging from the panther in an attempt to tug her right out of the tree.

This would probably end with them both landing in an undignified heap, but Sibes didn’t much care at the moment. As long as she managed to get the other kitty off of her perch, she would be pleased with herself. It would be all the better if she managed to give the younger girl a bit of a scare, too.

A ferocious growl erupted from the panther's muzzle as she felt something heavy yank on her tail, the weight counteracting with her own to pull her off the branch. Skyler knew this was going to end up badly. Why did it seem that every time she came in the forest she was falling from trees?

This time, however, it seemed someone would be breaking her fall, instead of the other way around. And not just any someone. A Siberian tiger someone. Skyler landed on top of the tiger in a heap of growls and angry hisses. Whoever said cats always land on their feet apparently lied. Either that or they just hadn't taken into consideration cats with human minds.

Skyler quickly gained her equilibrium, pouncing off the tiger and shaking herself out and free of leaves and soil, and the panther's eyes focused on the tiger. Cocking her head, Skyler wondered if the other were ok. The panther in her realized the threat now that they were back on the ground with the previously angry tiger, all of it's instincts pointing her to defend herself, and she remembered what Sibes had told her, but Skyler pushed it aside. Instead, she inched closer to the tiger, sniffing, and wondering if her new acquaintance was alright.

Sibes rolled once the panther was off of her, groaning out in a roar as she shook her furry head. That really hadn’t been her best idea, and she was sure her back and shoulders would be sore later on. Her paws were in the air and her long tail curled dangerously, expressing her desire to hurt something. She flexed her claws, growling at the darkening sky as a raindrop hit her on the nose. Soon it would begin to pour, and she really did not desire a shower at the moment.

The tiger rolled onto her stomach then, glaring at the panther who had begun sniffing her as if she was concerned. Had she learned nothing? Sibes growled and whipped her paw out, claws fully extended. She aimed the hit at the other girl’s snout, hoping to give her a bit of a scratch that might mar her pretty lips in human form.

Somehow, the Russian was determined to teach this silly girl a lesson or two. She didn’t see how the girl could have survived so long without knowing how to let her instincts take over. Perhaps she’d prove very strong when she actually let herself rise to her full potential. For now, it was unclear, and Sibes was frustrated with the way the girl had acted. She would need to keep putting the panther in her place if she was ever to grow a brain.

Sibes got to her four feet and stood, lifting her lips at the girl in a silent growl. She stared at her for a few seconds longer, then turned her back and began pacing in the direction of the school. The invitation to join her was clear, should the panther choose to take it. It was unclear as to whether she might decide to stay behind and lick her wounds, though.

A half pained and half enraged roar could be heard echoing through the forest as the tiger's quick claws connected in their swipe with the panther's muzzle, easily drawing blood. Skyler, shocked at first, glared furiously at the tiger for it's blow while the panther's tongue crept out of her mouth to lick the blood running down it's sliced lips.

This was the first time she had been in a confrontation in this form, and both her human and animal instincts were screaming for a fight. Skyler would have loved nothing more than to sink her teeth into the tiger. Immediately following this thought, the panther lowered into a crouch, it's muscles coiling as it readied itself to spring forward. Purple eyes narrowed and intently following the tiger's every move in a deadly glare. Every bone in her body screaming to take blood as it had been taken from her.

A small thought in the back of her mind floated to the forefront of it. Skyler knew she sort of deserved the swipe. The teen honestly felt like Sibes was overreacting a bit, but Skyler had to admit she had been given decent warning. And she had chosen to ignore it. She straightened out of her crouch easily, showing no sign of threat, deciding to give this little battle to the tiger. After all, a smart person chose their battles and Sky was no fool. She picked hers wisely.

It didn't stop her from sending a viscous, warning hiss back to the tiger for it's efforts. The look in the panther's eyes clearly showed that this surrender was in no way a show of fear, but a sign that she would respect the other girl's wish to not be called by her given name. Even in jest. The hiss was clearly a sound of defiance and anger, letting the tiger know she wouldn't take a swipe like that again without reacting.

Skyler watched the tiger turn to leave, not sure whether to take up the obvious offer to join Sibes on the way back to the castle. A crack of thunder decided it for her, however. She would have to head back anyways, though she liked the rain. She'd also have to see about fixing the slashes that she hoped didn't mark her human face as well, but had a feeling they would. She thought maybe one of the healing spells she knew might work. Skyler really didn't want to have to make another appearance in the infirmary.

Rolling her purple eyes at the tiger's back, still licking her wounds to the best of her ability, the panther pranced forward, catching up to the tiger easily. All hostility aside, Skyler thought Sibes would make a decent friend if she learned to lighten up a bit and take a joke. Which she would need to learn how to do if she was going to hang around with the panther. If not, well then, that was her own choice and loss, and Skyler was fully prepared to let the games begin. For the time being though, she shouldered the other feline lightly out of her way, flashing a playfully superior smirk and lifting her head high in pride, trotting ahead of the tiger in a show that she held no fear of the other. Which she didn't. But the teen also wanted to make it clear that a couple of scratches wasn't going to do anything about her playful mood and demeanor, and that it was up to the other girl to either accept that or not. Because Skyler didn't change for anyone.

Watching the panther’s reaction with slight interest, Sibes found herself smirking at the result. The girl was at least a little intelligent, which was good. The Russian really didn’t feel like committing a murder today, so she was pleased that the pretty panther backed down. In her own way, she used her body language to tell the girl that she would keep her claws to herself if the other showed good amounts of respect. Sibes was willing to help this younger girl learn about her ability and harness her own powers if she was willing to be a half decent student, and learn her place.

The tiger sauntered along, still moving at a slow, slinking speed. She let out an irritated noise when the panther pushed her, then narrowed her emerald eyes at the black form as it pranced about with a proud look on its face. Sibes shook her head, growling low in her throat. This was going to take a while. They were still in the forest for Merlin’s sake! Did this girl not understand that animals did not take well to other animals acting… human?

Of course, this didn’t matter if they kept away from any trouble, but somehow Sibes didn’t think that would happen. They’d let their guards down long ago now, and since she’d killed the rabbit, there hadn’t been a good display of power. The playful swipe and small amount of blood was nothing to deter another predator, and the tiger was thus on edge. It showed how inexperienced the panther was that she wasn’t sensing the impending attack as Sibes was. Something bad was on its way, and she wasn’t sure they wanted to find out what.

With a louder growl, she shot the panther a pointed look and leapt in front of her, streaking quickly through the brush and leading the way toward the school grounds. They needed to get out of the forest. Fast. Something wasn’t right. The Russian never felt fear, but right now she was in a sort of blind panic. Something big was coming for them. Something that proved the reason for the forest being forbidden…

Skyler wasn't exactly startled when the tiger growled loudly, but she did pause long enough to turn her head and peer at the other feline, reading the pointed look she was on the receiving end of with interest. The panther watched as the tiger leapt forward, taking the lead in a rush. Cocking her head to the side, Skyler stood there for a moment, ears pricking at the silence of the forest.

Silence. In her experience, silence was never good. It was like the calm before the storm. Focusing her instincts, and those of the panther, she stretched them, sensing the area around her. The panther reacted before she did, it's tail curling dangerously, the hairs along her back standing up as the cat in her senses what the tiger must have. While her human side was curious, the panther was screaming at her to heed it's warning. With one more last glance around, Skyler gave in to her inner animal and streaked after the tiger, following it's trail of sense easily until she could visually see the stripped cat ahead.

Putting on and extra burst of speed, the panther caught up quickly but allowed Sibes to have the lead, choosing instead to keep pace beside the tiger. The animal in her pressed for her to go faster, and now she was fully sensing and aware of the danger she knew was behind them, but Skyler forced herself to remain calm. She wasn't afraid, never that. But she was sure neither her or Sibes was prepared for whatever danger of the forest seemed to be closing in on them. Thankfully, she could see the break in the trees up ahead, meaning they would soon be out of the forest. But her animal instincts didn't allow her to slow or let her guard down again. Maybe Sibes had a point about being one with the animal after all.

It was good that the panther had taken the hint and followed Sibes in her speedy extrication from the forest, because the tiger was not slowing down. Dodging root and branch, the feline made her way easily through the brush and felt her heart slow to a more normal rate as she saw the light break through the trees up ahead. They had made it. Just a few more leaps and they’d be back on the school grounds and out of harm’s way.

The idea that something so… otherworldly could exist in the forest was unnerving to the Russian, and she was determined to figure out what the hell it was. That didn’t mean, however, that she wanted to see it. No, she had a feeling that might be the last thing she ever did, so she wasn’t too eager to get to it. Instead, she threw herself out of the trees, curling her body into a sort of ball as she transformed back into her petite human form. It would not be good for others to see a tiger on the grounds, after all.

Sibes managed to roll delicately on the damp grass, avoiding injury and landing a bit further away from the lair of whatever beast was following the cats. She found herself rather thankful for that fact, though she quickly composed herself to hide any sort of fear that might show through her eyes. She wasn’t sure if the other girl had a real understanding of what was chasing them, but Sibes knew that it was very bad and very dangerous. And probably not known to many people at the school.

”Well then, Nyx,” she muttered, dragging herself to her feet and brushing off her clothing. She tried to run her fingers through her long hair, but the roll had completely tangled it. She growled at the knots and dropped her hands to avoid damaging her favorite feature. ”I’m not sure what that was, but I think it’s time to distance ourselves from the forest for tonight.”

The petite Russian turned on her heel and began walking up toward the castle, intent on making her way to the dungeons to find her hairbrush. ”Coming?”

Skyler slowed to a trot as she hit the break in the forest line, simultaneously shifting back to her human form. A slow, proud and slightly superior smirk graced her lips. She may not be as in tune with her panther as Sibes was with her tiger, but the brunette was excellent at her shifting. Practice made perfect, after all, and she hadn't had much more to do this summer. Unless she counted her lessons with her grandmother. Which she didn't.

She turned her head slightly, gazing back into the forest for a few moments. It was the curiosity in her that would bring her back, she knew. Skyler also realized it was probably dangerous as well, but her curiosity wouldn't be sated until she knew what the threat inside the forest was. No wonder the place was forbidden, if whatever was in there could put two large felines on the defense. With any luck though, hopefully whatever was in there wasn't some dragon sized spider. The Slytherin didn't do spiders.

Turning back to face Sibes fully at the sound of her panther's name, Skyler snorted. She couldn't help it really. "If that's not stating the obvious, I don't know what is." She muttered, more to herself than the other girl. Watching Sibes turn and begin her way towards the castle, Sky rolled her eyes at the retreating form of the girl, for the first time taking in how thin she was. Catching up with the older girl after a few paces, the brunette fell in step next to her. "Sure." She responded easily, a grin forming on her face. [color]"I mean, playing in the rain would be fun, but I guess I can make do with watching it from a window."[/color] Her tone was playfully honest. Skyler loved the rain. She loved how it smelled, and how it made the grass and soil smell as well. Sometimes she would even dance around in it, not that many people were privy to that information.