Spook stood haphazardly in the road, facing the company, a gloved hand clutching the rucksack and the other in a pocket. The mask's glassy eyes assessed each one of them.

The quiet curious one had monkeyed her way up into the branches. The smallest kid had latched onto him, grinning like this was a day at the circus. The red-haired woman had rejoined the group and seemed troubled by the rune. The green-haired one was worshiping a tree; his friend, the peacekeeper, had completely failed to talk him back to reality.
[@c3p-0h][@Irisity][@hoppiholla391][@Darinthus][@Diggerton]

A couple of battle-ready sword-wielders were apparently discussing strategy, as far as Spook could tell from this distance. He spotted a boyish young lady with a rifle and thick boots, petting a dog; the dog's owner had the jolted but determined look of a runaway. A redhead with a peaceful smile spoke with a girl who was used to causing trouble, judging by her posture.
[@Vee][@Crimson Raven][@DFTBA][@Damiann47][@Jay Kalton][@Magnato]

Then there was that young girl with the gray hair and the outfit and the inquisitive eyes; the artist he'd seen drawing back at the gate; the lady with expensive armor, a sword, and a bossy voice; the bearded and neatly-dressed man who seemed lost in his own thoughts; the noble girl who had obviously not given this decision much thought, by the way she was dressed; a burly blacksmith, by the stains on his hands; and a city guardsman who walked along with his head down -- out of embarrassment or in deep consideration for his next prank, Spook couldn't quite tell.
[@Skittles][@Takashi][@Turboshitter][@Bornlucky][@t2wave][@needlingAsklepios][@jordy0403]

The little bells on the trees jingled as Meryn navigated the branches above. The papers in the garland she found each appeared to have been sketched with a tiny ornate circle. When she touched one, the bit of paper made a loud [i]pop[/i] noise, like popcorn, and split itself in two.

[hr]

The Traveller looked up, and for a moment he appeared to watch something invisible floating in the air. With a quiet hum he dropped the rucksack at his feet and addressed the ill-prepared cityfolk.

[b]"Hey,"[/b] he called out. The mask grinned at them all. [b]"So we're here to catch some felidrakes."[/b] Spook reached into his jacket and pulled out a folded, crumpled sheet of paper. He smoothed it out a little and held it up for everyone to see.

[center][img]http://jp23.r0tt.com/l_703abf60-7ff0-11e5-be57-f546b4800023.jpg[/img]
[sup]art by [url=http://ericscalessketchbook.blogspot.com/search/label/dragon%20cats]Eric Scales[/url][/sup][/center]

[b]"They're fast, they can climb and glide, they can teleport short distances at will, and they need to be rounded up. How ya do that is up to you -- just don't kill them."[/b] He stuffed the drawing back in his jacket. [b]"You'll want to check everywhere. Go on."[/b] Spook gestured lazily at the forest around them -- the trees, the bushes, the little statues, the staircase.

Here and there were signs of the felidrakes: a swishing marmalade tail under a bush; a pair of ears sticking out behind a little statue; a pair of yellow eyes staring from the crook of a tree; frightened birds flocking away from a moving shadow.

A breeze swirled through the trees. From the top of the stairs came a chorus of hollow whistles and raspy meowing.

[hr]

There was little left of the tiny temple at the top of the stairs -- the roof and walls had long ago collapsed and been embraced by the forest -- except for a collection of plump statues of varying sizes, their mouths open and whistling as the wind blew across them. A few felidrakes sat on the statues' heads or slept between them.

[center][img]http://jp21.r0tt.com/l_c9590ed0-835b-11e5-96be-4b156cf00021.jpg[/img]
[sup]art by [url=http://k-atrina.deviantart.com/art/A-little-lost-417304649]k_atrina[/url][/sup][/center]

[hr]

While the cityfolk were kept busy, Spook knelt down and swiped the leaves and debris away from a mostly intact section of the road. He rummaged in his rucksack until he found a thick bottle of reddish liquid; with a dipped brush he began to draw symbols and shapes and runes in a circular, ornate pattern on the flagstones.

[hider=OOC info!]Feel free to find a felidrake wherever you wish, doing whatever you think a felidrake would do. Go nuts with narrative if you like. I'll jump in periodically to spice things up a little. Also, every single person does not need to capture an animal -- you're welcome to work together to capture a single one, or to refuse to participate at all, if you so choose![/hider]