The Silent & Deadly Kokuru

by Creator

A blue-eyed Kokuru youngster
The Kokuru are another race of Uclandian creatures created by magic.
At first glance, one might think they are merely an enormous wild cat. But to underestimate these creatures would be your last mistake.
More silent than the wind, more deadly than a wolf in the shadows, the Kokuru is a patient hunter. It has been known to track its prey for days over many miles, waiting until the light and wind are just right for an attack.
The Kokuru does not spring out and take its prey's legs out from under it, it waits until the poor beast is completely unwary then springs for its throat. Death usually follows quite soon after.
Female and male Kokuru can grow to be the same massive size if they enjoy bountiful formative years. They are born with fur colored somewhere between ash grey and golden wheat, which ages to snow-white as they mature. Most of the litters observed (and reported on) seem to be three or four individuals. Information about the young Kokuru is hard to come by and even harder to validate because protective Kokuru parents kill any threats to their young. There is no "befriending" a Kokuru. With their own young and family groups, they are calm and even-tempered. They are swift, fierce, and ruthless with anything else, prey or observer.
They stand as tall as a man, and half again. Their legs are long, and muscular, ending in massive paws that spread wide to keep them from sinking in deep snow, much like snowshoes do for adventurers. Their fur is long and shaggy and traps warm air between the hair. Their facial hair is shorter to allow them to see their surroundings and prey.
The Kokuru are fierce and accurate hunters, aided by both sharp eyesight and incredible hearing. It is almost impossible to sneak up on one, even assisted by magic.
While reported sightings of individuals, family groups and even tracks are infrequent, all sightings have been in the Northern-most reaches of About Banern Province This would lead one to believe that they have claimed that region as their domain.  
The oldest known record of a Kokuru is credited to Olave Bornwhen. His account states that he discovered the body of a deceased Kokuru in a lonely and frozen forest glen. Decomposition had not yet occurred due to the cold, but the manner of death was not clear. The individual was determined to be female, and easily as long as Bornwhen was tall.