The ice cold wind felt wonderful in the thick rosetted fur of the snow leopard.   Resting on his bare paws the dark grey fur of his back flickered as he sniffed the air.  Strange, the air was filled with the scent of life.  Why had Ivan agreed to leave the wonderful mountains to be with the other types.  Why had he taken his mothers request to explore the world.  Why … why why why!<br/><br/>Wonderful questions that Ivan had not the answer for as he lifted his china blue eyes to the sky, the one thing that was unusual was that he could see green on the ground, his pristine white fur now stained green with walking upon it, his claws catching more than once in the strange grass he wondered again, why.  A snow leopard should be hunting a goat or some other grass eater not walking and venturing into the world of the others.<br/><br/>Lowering down to the note that was in his mother’s precise script he read it again, in disbelief, not only was he having the indignity of going into the world away from all he had known, his mother had sent him to go and see a canine.  Honestly, what the heck was wrong with her and only the breeding and enforcement of the rules prevented him scrunching the papers and telling his mother to get lost.<br/><br/>Another cold breeze, eased his mood a little bit, he’ll worry about finding the half breed tomorrow, tonight at least he’ll find a nice inn, a meal cooked not by his own hands and a bed.  That is one thing that Ivan did appreciate about being away from home, the beds were a lot more comfortable, who would have thought that feathers could be so comfortable!<br/><br/>The inn he was looking for was just ahead, at least according to the maps, ‘The harp under the mountains.’  Well that was appropriate he thought, as he had just come down the said mountains and he smiled a little bit as he heard the music lifting towards him, he had never heard a musical instrument before, but he had read about them.  Snow Leopards didn’t deal with such nonsense, they were nomadic and were far too busy to deal with such luxury, but he did admit as he swiveled his ears to get the best sound, that music did sound wonderful.<br/><br/>Eyes resting on the building of cold stone he smiled as he saw an otter enter the building; wafts of wonderful scented burning wood and meat filled his senses .. yes he could really enjoy visiting an inn, maybe he could find this canine and go home.  He sure the hell hoped so.