The shadowy form moved along the alleyway dipping beneath the strewn cardboard boxes and across the tops of overturned garbage cans. His movements were not as graceful as one might expect from a feline, but the wound in his side had taken a toll on the creature. Droplets of blood were left behind with each pained step that he took, however he could not stop because of the pain. He was being pursued by something sinister and to halt his escape would certainly mean a slow and painful death.<br/><br/>The alley opened outward to a sprawling sidewalk where humans of all shapes and sizes strode along the concrete. A few noticed the animal that had emerged among them. A cat covered in silvery fur that was marred by a single black stripe that ran along its spine. None came to the poor creature's aid though, opting to pass it by instead with looks of disdain. He couldn't very well blame them though, for there was always that fear of wild animals carrying disease and sickness that had plagued humans since the olden times. The creature that now prowled the sidewalk beneath their feet understood their trepidation and simply made his way along, glancing occasionally to the sky.<br/><br/>There were forces in the world that humans did not comprehend, and one of those was the existence of the Primals. Creatures that had the ability to shift between humanoid and animal forms at will. There were of course many myths and stories created about them throughout the ages, most notably the classic werewolf tales that the horror genre had made famous. However, there was little to no truth in any of them that the feline knew of. No, his people were a closely guarded secret for fear of the humans rising up and attempting to exterminate them out of baseless fright.<br/><br/>The truth of the matter was that the Primals had waged a war against each other in the shadows all across history and that the human race was of little concern to them. The only real evidence to this fact were the random sightings of animals fighting among one another for unknown reasons. While it was possible that a few of those incidents were merely nature taking its course as it always had, there were just as many times where it was members of the Primals doing battle...to the death more often than not.<br/><br/>That manner of conflict was what had brought the feline shapeshifter to the street in the ragged condition he found himself in. Another of his kind, a crow-like Primal, had bolted from the skies and assaulted the unsuspecting creature. Talons had rended the cat's fur-covered flesh with ease, and were it not for an instinctual swipe of his own claws the battle might have ended then and there. It wasn't certain if the injured cat had inflicted any damage upon its attacker, but the bird had taken off all the same giving time to escape.<br/><br/>Now among the din of human traffic the Primal's senses were on high alert. He knew that it was not totally safe, but he was certain that no more attacks would happen in such a crowded venue. Humans were an unpredictable lot, and another assault could spell trouble for them both if a random stranger intervened out of either kindness or malice. Still, he did not let his guard down completely, for there were members of his race that could be just as reckless.<br/><br/>It wasn't until he had walked for nearly two blocks that the pain and blood loss began to actually affect him. His vision began to blur at the edges and his steps became sluggish. He knew that he should find cover, but his strength was quickly failing him. That was when he felt it, a calling in the back of his mind that offered warmth and comfort. Safety, that was what it offered, and he couldn't comprehend just how he knew such a thing only that he was in desperate need of it. He let instinct drive his final few steps until he came upon a young woman whose beauty was unequaled in his deep green eyes. He could feel her power, but had no idea what she was. Still, there was that thought in the back of his clouded mind. He would be safe with her, and she would care for him above all others. Then everything faded into black as he passed out at her feet...