Otatso Wetlands the big dipper

Sumayl was further than he'd originally intended to go, hot on the trail of a elk herd. A pause was given, steps ceased as golden eyes studied the unfamiliar terrain around him, a slight moment of hesitation giving him an unintended break in his tracking. He knew that he could stop here, before he got into any more unfamiliar territories. Turning around would be easy, as would following his trail back to The Sunspire; but if he did listen to his inhibitions and turn around now he would lose the herd. An elk rationed out between the caches of The Sunspire would make them meals for a while, and with winter quickly approaching Sumayl understood the necessity of it. If he let this herd go he'd have to return back to The Sunspire with a whole day wasted and henceforth nothing gained. Shaking of his trepidation he continued forward, cringing softly when the hard, cold solid ground gave way to marshlands. It was harder to follow the scent trail, damped as it was by the pungent scent of mud, but even so Sumayl set his shoulders and kept trudging through the sticky muck. Each rise and fall of his paws was met with a wet squelching noise, which made the Ostrega indefinitely glad that he was a good bit behind the herd because they'd have bolted the second he began to move through the marsh. Teeth gnashed together at the consideration that it was echoing grossly, he felt inclined to mentally add. If there was anyone within the nearby vicinity they'd definitely hear him, any attempts at stealth thrown entirely out the window.

Sumayl froze suddenly, ears erect atop his skull when he heard the distinct sound of another creature moving through the marsh lands, not too far from his position, the tell-tale squelching of their steps unmistakable in the otherwise silence. Peeking over the tall grasses he didn't immediately see anyone and so out of options the golden outlaw let out a chuff to announce his presence to whomever else was haunting these lands as he was, the herd temporarily shoved from his mind.