Syleena Ni'Thalia's eyes shot open, her body covered in cold sweat. She could still picture the nightmare in her eyes, and it was vivid in her mind.

She shivered uncontrollably, drawing her sheets up to cover her torso. Her animal companion, Shadowfur stirred near the foot of the bed. She felt a note of curiosity in his usual feelings of joy and elation

"You sensed it too, Shadow?" she asked, still with a hint of sleepiness in her voice

Sizing up the situation, she rose and began to dress. She murmured to herself absently

"I can never get used to the unnaturalness of cities"

Glancing into the mirror, she checked that her hair was at least in a state of artful unkemptness. Crossing the room and heading to her travel pack, she retrieved a tunic dyed forest green and trousers in a non- descript black. Pausing to take her diaphanous silken nightdress off, she eased the tunic and trousers on, taking care not to catch her brassiere straps on the tunic like most days. She reached into her shirt and withdrew a pendant shaped into the likeness of a unicorn, cast in silver on a silver chain. She arranged the holy symbol so it displayed prominently against the sheer green tunic.

She sat on the simple bed, lacing her trusty boots up, and tucking her tunic into her trousers. Shadow sat, basking in the sunlight of the single window. Syleena sensed his feeling of merriment emanating from the utterly ebony-shaded panther.

"If you were human, you'd do the same" she protested to the amused panther, coming over to give him an affectionate rub. His only response was to lick his paw, preening.

"Sometimes I really think you're mocking me, you big tub of lard" she remarked, not without a touch of humor.

She had jumped through numerous hoops persuading the innkeeper of "The Green Glade" to allow her animal friend into her room, including a show of Shadow's utter passiveness to those who did not threaten Syleena.

Crossing over to the mirror once again, she examined all of her 6 and 10 height. Looking back from the mirror was a tall attractive sylvan female dressed in a non-descript adventurer's attire. Although dressed in such drab and unwomanly garments, she was not a stranger to men lusting after her. She subconsciously twirled a lock of her earth brown hair and placed it behind her pointed elven ears.

Her green eyes sparkled in the morning's light as she recited a cantrip to Mielikki, the elven lady of the forest, thanking her for the beauty of the forests, sky, and life itself.

Looking into the mirror one last time, she bit her lip in a sultry fashion, a gaze that won the heart of many a man. She was able to hold this face for mere moments before dissolving into bubbly laughter that lingered in the air. Shadow joined in, contributing a deep contented purr.

"Come on old friend, let's seek breakfast" Syleena said cheerfully

She tossed a few gold pieces on the bureau as a tip for the servants and payment for the innkeeper, before leaving the tavern with her catty friend.