Saira had to admit, she'd been pretty skeptical when her mother had finally begun posturing and nipping; insisting that she was old enough to spread her wings and establish a territory of her own but it was starting to seem that her mother had been right again. As far as territories for recently independent tigeresses went, the den in the cliffs appeared to have been a stroke of immaculate fortune on her part. It seemed to be laid dead-center of anything the tigeress could ever want - a thick tangled jungle as a home-range, water in practically every direction and decorated in various trinkets and glimmering collectables to add to her budding hoard. Her first two attempts at establishing ahome (first near her mother, until she was confident enough she could defend her own land) hadn't been nearly no luxurious.
The striped tigeress padded through the tangled underbrush, stalking more out of habit than seeking any true prey to hunt as her green eyes skimmed the undergrowth. It was full of colorful birds in every branch, with equally striking flowers sprouting along the ground.
Saira followed her ears toward the ever-present rumble echoing through the foliage, seeking the source of the river she would now rely on as the major source that fed the various streams in her home-range. Ezhil had beaten that into her head too - a hunter was only as efficient as they were aware of their resources. If her territory entered a drought, or the fish started floating, the problem would like source from further upstream. Plus, Saira was eager to see another waterfall - she had learned a lesson about trying too establish a den directly behind one, but they were still incredible sights that she was drawn to. Knowing what she would see still did nothing for her amazement at the sheer scale of magnificent she was looking upon.
Oh what a kingdom this would be mother...
She shook out her thick pelt, the ever-present fog serving to dampen her the longer she loitered though she didn't much mind. If anything, the idea of potentially riding the river from it's waterfall source all the way down to her newly established home appealed immensely. The idea would catch two birds with one swipe even - it would allow her to still become more aware of her territory while also being a lot of fun. Three birds really, because it would save her the trouble of walking or flying home as well.
She stepped out onto the larger gray stones in the pool, safely away the heavy rumbling of the waterfall as she ducked her head to drink from the pool.
Then blinked in confusion at a strange gray form twisting in the clear waters.
...what a strange fish, Saira thought, absently raising a large paw and swiped curiously at its form, though lacking any real interest in catching it. It was a lot bigger than the creatures she usually targeted in the water and she didn't know if it was potentially poisonous - the glimmer it had was off too, it was still shiny but it was a different sort of shiny than the shine that fish-scales held. Upon closer inspection, it even appeared to have legs. Wonder if it's any good. That new crab hadn't been half-bad.