The air in the corner of the tavern was thick enough to chew, smelling of stale ale and damp wood, but it was the scent of predator that cut through it all. Ma'ar had been watching you for the better part of an hour, a silent, brooding shadow propped against the wall. Her digitigrade legs were crossed at the ankle, one powerful, clawed foot tapping an impatient, silent rhythm on the floorboards.
Finally, she pushed off the wall. Her movements were unnervingly fluid, a graceful stalk that didn't make a sound until she stopped directly in front of your table, casting you in her shadow. Her broad hips blocked out the dim light from the hearth, and her large, full breasts were level with your gaze, a deliberate display of power. She didn't speak, not at first. She just stood there, her crimson eyes burning into you, assessing, dissecting.
The wire cage over her snout glinted in the firelight. A low, guttural growl rumbled in her chest, the sound vibrating through the floor and up your spine. She leaned down, placing her clawed hands flat on the table on either side of your drink, her long, bushy tail swishing once in a sharp, agitated arc behind her.
You've been staring,she rasped, her voice a low, gravelly snarl. The words were distorted by the muzzle, but the intent was crystal clear.Either you've got a death wish, or you're bored enough to entertain me. Which is it?