Looking around, Miko asks, “Jiron?”

“I don’t know,” James tells him, “haven’t found him yet.” He then looks into Miko’s eyes as he says, “I was too worried about you.”

“Thanks,” he says just as another coughing fit strikes him. When it’s over, he asks, “Think he made it here like we did?”

Shrugging, James answers, “Hope so.” Getting up, he looks around until he locates another clear pool he can use to find Jiron the way he’d found Miko.

Kneeling down again, he concentrates on Jiron, the magic coming a little easier than it had earlier. Having a brief rest, even so short a one has made a difference.

Miko comes over and sits across from him as he watches the water. The image shifts and then they see Jiron. He has his knives in hand and is fighting off three other people who’re attacking him with spears.

James ends the spell and stands up abruptly. The seeker bubble forms and begins to float away from them, back the way he’d come when he had been searching for Miko. He moves to follow it.

“Is he close?” Miko asks as he joins James in following the bubble.

“Don’t know,” James replies as he hurries, almost running as he follows the fast moving bubble. His begins panting as he starts using up what reserve of strength he has left. “But the area he was in looks to be similar to what is here, the same trees and grass anyway,” he explains. “If we’re lucky, he shouldn’t be too far away.”

Running along beside James, he says, “Let’s hope not.”

As they run along the beach after the bubble, they suddenly hear a crashing sound from further inland. They come to a halt when a large lizard-like creature the size of a rhinoceros lurches out onto the beach in front of them.

“What the hell is that?” Miko cries out.

The creature must’ve heard him, it turns its head in their direction and lets out a roar. It pauses only a moment before charging toward them. An answering roar comes from behind them as another of the creatures comes out from within the vegetation.