He had originally planned to return to his own people first, but Katara had pointed out that Claw territory was much closer. While he understood the logic of her argument, Hart couldn’t feel comfortable walking into the heart of Claw territory. At least he wasn’t approaching in human form. Katara had suggested he assume his stag form, both for self-defense in case the Claw became hostile, and because her people respected the wild. Even if they saw him as dinner on four hooves, they at least would respect the fact that he traveled in animal form. Despite his wide, branching antlers, he felt naked, particularly when he saw several feline shapes slink out from the longhouse, their eyes narrowed, their bodies close to the ground in an unmistakably hostile posture. Unlike his people, the Claw took on many different feline forms, varied in size and species, although each person only assumed one form. He saw a tawny lioness, much larger than Katara, a black panther even smaller and sleeker than she was, and an enormous orange and black striped tiger.
