After scattering the remains of their meal, they found the creature’s trail. They nearly lost it at the first stream they came to, but Ani scented its rank odor on some overhanging leaves. It had headed downstream, walking along the bank and wading when the bank became too overgrown to walk on.

After following the stream for an hour, they were certain enough of the creature’s trail that they began to leapfrog each other. One of them would move ahead and check for the scent, and call back to the other when it was detected. The one behind advanced two or three yai ahead and found the scent trail. This enabled them to move much more quickly. The scent grew fresher as the day progressed.

They paused at sunset for a quick meal of fruit and mealy-tasting dried pingar, then tracked the creature until Ani, still exhausted from caring for Ilto, became too tired to continue. Ninto killed two gudda pups for dinner. They finished eating, built a nest of leaves and branches in a bondra tree, and fell asleep.

Ninto woke Ani before dawn. They ate several handfuls of dried pingar, drank deeply, and set out again. Refreshed by a night’s sleep and some food, they made good time. Ninto found the creature’s sleeping spot. The rank scent was very fresh. They were close.

Then Ninto scented a pack of taira. The large predatory lizards were also trailing the new creature. Ninto quickened her pace, bars of pale orange anxiety flaring on her back. Ani followed. The clumsy thing didn’t stand a chance against a pack of taira. Ani rather hoped that they killed it.

They heard the high-pitched yips of a taira pack on the hunt, and hurried toward the sound. The new animal was standing against a tree, bright orange with fear as it fended off several of the big lizards with a stick.