After just about 10 minutes of wandering through the forest, Nate could already tell something was stalking him, though he wasn't sure what.  It wasn't one of the Jungle cats from his home, or a sand wolf that had been in the badlands.  But still dangerous by the chills he got down his back, And it wasn’t human.  The lingering smell thye had on the area was weak, but growing stronger as he went, showing he was going the right way.  No, whatever this was probably hunted the people of this area, and probably left those bodies he had followed here.<br/><br/>When he finally reached the area the human scent was getting stronger was when he noticed something weird in the trees.  ‘Large bird Nests?  Do they have dread wings here?  No, the nests are a little too small for that.  Maybe a smaller bird of prey.  I wander if they taste good.’  Were his thoughts as he walked, looking up at the nests with some strange flower poking out of the top of it…  It was when the wind shifted blowing the scent of one of the nests towards him that he picked up the strong human scent, forcing him to look very closely at the nearest one.<br/><br/>It took a moment, but after running his eyes over the odd nest,  he couldn’t spot anything, but he got the feeling he was being watched, and he had had that feeling for a few minutes since seeing the first one.  You don’t ignore those gut feelings if you want to survive.  He learned that early while hunting.  Plus it gave him an early warning to listen for the footstep of people approaching.  Immediately upon hearing them he pulled back on the string of his bow, aiming the new arrows with metal tips at the first on to appear.<br/><br/>It was an elder, but he had heard the other dozen or so getting in position around him.  They were ready for a fight, but probably only had spears or slings.  Like the bodies he had found.  The people of this area had found him before he found them.  That was different.  Plus, seeing the headman of this tribe, he was short, especially compared to him, but also compared to the about 5 foot average of his tribal lands.  He had thought people were taller in other places, not shorter.  This situation didn't let him think about that much.  He didn't know his height was part of his mutation either.<br/><br/>“Maybe old man, but then some don’t care when they need some food and water.”  He started, glaring at the old man, but forcing himself to stay calm.  They didn't look like people with mutations, so he couldn't show the visible part of his  Taking a deep breath, he forced himself not to get too ready for a fight.  to keep his eyes from changing.  “Let me get the beast that has been stalking me since I entered your forest, and some water and I will move on.  I’ll just need some time to cure some of the meat.”  Though he looked like he was going to say something else but he waited to grin a bit before he did.  “Also, you can tell your hunters to stop hiding.  They aren't all that good, I spotted them as they were getting into ambush, and I saw the dead bodies of two of yours as I entered the forest.”  Ok, not exactly true, he hadn't actually seen them, he had heard them moving.  The bodies part was true though.  They were not as quiet as the hunters of his tribes to the northwest so far away.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>