Once 200 years ago....
There was a man who loved the wild, and the animals in it. He lived in a log cabin in the woods. Every day, he would go out and do something for the animals near by. Sometimes he would lay fresh meat at the mouth of a foxes den, or hang a basket with seeds in it by a birds nest. He especially loved to take wounded animals in and care for them. But one day, he became sick. Very sick. So he walked very very far to a special healer. The healer saw all the good the man had done, and decided to give him a gift. After the man was very well, and able to go home, the healer gave the man a choice to become a 'gifted one'. Gifted ones were a legends about half human half animals with special powers. The man instantly said yes. So the next day the healer gave the man a mixture and asked about his favorite animal, which was an Amur Leopard. So the healer took a bit of fur off a shelf, and put it into the mixture, which turned purple. Once the man drank it, he felt dizzy and sat down. The tips of his fingers felt prickly, his skin felt tougher , then also got the prickling sensation. After ten minutes he stood, he had fur, claws instead of finger nails, sharp canines, his feet were like paws, but all so like normal feet at the same time, his ears were atop his head, and shaped like a leopards ears, his senses were heightened, and he had a tail! He had become a leopard gifted one. The healer gave the man a cloak to wear on his way to his house. But unfortunately, someone saw that he was a gifted one when he hurried home. So more and more people went to the healer. He gave others the gift to, but different animals, some were birds, some were mammals, some reptiles. But after a few days the healer grew ill and died. Only a few select others became gifted ones. Our story begins 200 years after....