Lightbenders¶
Lightbenders prowl deserts, plains, forests—any sunbathed wilderness where they can take advantage of the adaptations that make them skilled daylight predators. This monstrous creature's fur bends and refracts light from the surrounding environment, producing mirages that distract and confuse their prey.
Hidden Hunters¶
At a distance, a lightbender looks akin to a regular lion, but closer inspection reveals their glowing eyes, iridescent mane, and a pair of lashing tails spiked with refractive crystals. The lightbender's pelt magically warps light around them to disguise their movement, letting them teleport while leaving behind a past visual imprint. Unsuspecting prey rarely realize they're staring at an afterimage of the lightbender until the predator pounces.
Ghostly Echoes¶
Lightbenders can also bend the sounds they make, enabling them to almost completely disappear during a hunt. Many can delay their footsteps to slip into a silent prowl, while others might throw a guttural trill across a field to lure prey out of hiding. The lightbenders' illusory mastery was said to inspire several techniques taught to shadows within the College of the Harlequin Mask.
Protective Companions¶
Though lightbenders are typically solitary creatures, they sometimes cross into another lightbender's territory to help protect a newborn litter of kittens. A few people have succeeded in taming lightbenders as guards or hunting beasts, and if treated well, they can make loyal protectors, often viewing their smaller humanoid companions as surrogate kittens.