The trail continued on for some time, the foliage on the outskirts alternately opening up and closing in as the terrain passed through clear glades and densely packed undergrowth. Had it not been for the reason that they were here, it could have been considered a bucolic stroll in a park, albeit a much more wild and rampant one that might have existed in a cultured city center under the Arhosan Empire.
The watchfulness of Jarn and Madoc kept the rest appraised of all that passed around them, but it was simply nature itself that appeared to inhabit these regions, with no hint of smoke, civilization, or of the Kier that they sought. The trail, for its part, was wide, cleared, and occasionally used by other animals who found it a useful thoroughfare through the sometimes-tough going to be found beneath the woodland canopy. Markings of their hooves, paws, and claws, and other means of locomotion were readily visible in places where the ground was soft and held impressions well.
It was Jarn who paused first as the collective entered one of the many clearings, his nose and ears twitching as something caught at the edge of his senses. Whatever intuition had led him in that direction was confirmed moments later, when a loud bellow shattered the relative peace of the forest. Whatever creature it was, it sounded large, angry, and very nearby.