"I'm not doing well at thinking of your needs."
"No, you're fine," I tell him. "I'm an adult and should think of these things myself. I'm usually very organized and cool under pressure, but it's been a hard day."
That's a serious understatement, but I don't want to sound like I'm angling for pity.
Instead, I just finish my business, wish I had access to modern amenities and so many other things I took for granted, and step back out.
I cringe when I see the damage to the tree. "I guess we'll need to move again? Sorry."
"There are thousands of trees," he says, his whiskers quivering.
It's getting dark and I would feel a lot better in a safer spot. "I'm sorry I interrupted. Let's go find a tree so we can talk."
He nods, crouches down, and just like that, we are back to running through the thick forest.
Thivoll slows down soon after and makes a whistling sound. His ears are swiveling wildly.
"What is it?" I whisper to him, leaning forward to get close.
"Something caustic on the wind. Something living." He takes another long breath. "Diseased."
That doesn't sound good. I stay still and quiet so I don't distract him.
"I don't—"
Luckily I still have a good hold on his mane because he whips around all of a sudden. I only get a glimpse of what alarmed him, but it's enough to send a spike of terror through me.
It's about the size of a bear, with leathery looking dark-red skin with black blotches. It doesn't have eyes and its head seems to mostly be composed of a large gaping maw of maroon-colored teeth. Yellow drool is dripping from it.
Then it's running on its six legs, using its pincher-type hands to dig into the forest floor to gain speed quickly.
"We aren't the enemy," I yell at it, but it just keeps charging at us.
Then there's no time to do anything but hold on as Thivoll tries to keep it at bay, twisting around in a way that is clearly meant to keep it away from me. From the way it tries to dart around him, I'm the prize snack in this raid.
I grit my teeth and squeeze as tight as I can with my legs.
Thivoll's tail whistles through the air several times as he spins us, but the creature keeps dodging out of the way, using its smaller size to its advantage. Thivoll slashes out with a hand and rakes his claws across its back.
It lets out a screech that makes my ears ring and seems to move even faster.
It darts in for its own revenge, catching Thivoll's side and my left leg with an extended pincher hand, a burning pain sparking up on the side of my knee and up onto my outer thigh.
I let out a yelp as Thivoll roars his rage and strikes back, but it darts out of the way again.
"It's too fast. Run!" I urge Thivoll.
He lets out a roar of frustration but must agree because when it comes back in to try to rip me off Thivoll's back he whips his body around, using his greater size to send it rolling into a nearby bush.
I almost slip off his back, my heart in my throat, when he starts bounding away.
I glance back when I hear another ear-piercing cry, the sight of it tearing toward us making my heart skip a beat. It launches itself toward me in a powerful leap and I scream in terror as it opens its disgusting mouth in preparation to eviscerate me.
Thivoll twists himself in the air mid stride and the thing bites into his flank instead of ripping into me. Thivoll lets out a groan of pain as the thing latches on.
His tail whips around, but it seems to be too essential in keeping our balance to be used as a weapon.
After a moment of panic, I notice the drum-like membranes on the side of the creature's head and take a risk. I let go with one hand, twist my body around and punch the one closest to me as hard as I can.
