---

<a bit further away from the road, Shara and Pesh are looking for tracks>
Shara: So what's up?
Pesh: Hmh. CLAW PRINTS. Some large bird. Probably an AKARPA.
Shara: I don't know those - how big are we talkin'?
Pesh: Big enough to tear limbs off if you're not careful. Can get as big as a HORSE.
Shara: GREAT.
---
Shara: And those things can FLY?
Pesh: Fortunately NOT, no. But they're still pretty damn FAST. Normally they wouldn't dare coming near that many people, though. They like hunting smaller prey, or isolated large ones.
---
Shara: Well it HAS to be close, though, or this STUPID RAIN would've already washed the tracks away.
Pesh: That's what worries me. Akarpas are pretty clever ... that's why they know to avoid large groups like ours. Unless they're ... TRAINED.
---
Shara: So this means FORSAKEN.
Pesh: ... exactly. How did you know?
Shara: PLEASE. There ain't THAT many other options out here, mister GENIUS MASTER TRACKER.
Pesh: heh.
Shara: So ... they ARE following us?
Pesh: Seems like it.
---
Pesh: They love to send those beasts in FIRST to rough up their targets and throw them into disarray before attacking themselves.
Shara: We have to warn Kat and the rest of the guards. Nobody should -
---
<they hear a loud screech and someone screaming>
Shara: FUCK.