The trail wound through dense underbrush, each broken twig and trampled fern hinting at the Nukap's path. So far Owe had tracked it all by himself, and he was quite proud of this fact, leading the way while Reach and Reckon followed behind. Owe, clutched his blaster, his eyes darting nervously at every sound. If he let the two more experienced hunters down he would be incredibly embarrassed. They had finally trusted him to take the lead, and he surely didn´t want to ruin it.

The forest was alive with noise- chirps, rustles, and the distant call of some unseen creature. But as they pushed deeper, a new sound stopped them in their tracks. A bush nearby trembled, the leaves shaking violently as something moved within.

"Get ready," Owe whispered, his voice steady but low. He motioned for Reckon to flank the bush while she approached cautiously. He held his breath, raising his blaster, his fingers trembling ever so slightly on the trigger.

Reckon gave Reach a quick nod and darted around the other side of the bush, her steps silent on the soft forest floor. Reach adjusted her grip on the spear, her heart pounding as she edged closer. The rustling grew louder, more frantic, as if whatever was in the bush sensed their presence.

Suddenly, Reach thrust her spear forward, parting the foliage to reveal-

A small, round creature with oversized ears and wide, terrified eyes. It squealed in panic and bolted out of the bush, zigzagging away into the swamp. Owe looked at it, stunned. Surely he wouldn't have mistaken Huldah tracks for Nukap ones..?

"Seriously?" Reckon groaned, standing upright and lowering her knives. "A Huldah?"

Owe let out a nervous laugh, lowering his blaster. "Could've been worse. It could've been something that bites."

Reach sighed, pulling her spear back and scanning the ground. "Well, it definitely wasn't a Nukap," she muttered. "Let's keep moving."

They hadn't gone far when the forest grew eerily quiet. The cheerful chirping of birds faded, replaced by a heavy silence that pressed on their ears. Reckon glanced over her shoulder at Owe, who looked increasingly uneasy.

"Something's wrong," she said softly.

"Yeah," Owe whispered back, gripping his blaster tightly. "But what?"

A deep, beast-like grunt echoed through the trees, followed by heavy-sounding steps. The three Xunari froze, their eyes darting in the direction of the sound. They all knew what that sound was.

"Stay sharp," Reach murmured, motioning for them to move forward slowly.

They crept toward the source of the noise, every step cautious. The trees thinned out, revealing a small clearing where a massive Nukap rooted through the underbrush.

"There it is," Reach said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Reckon grinned, raising her knives. "Finally."

Before anyone could make a move, the Nukap's ears twitched. It raised its head, sniffing the air, and then turned its beady eyes directly toward them.

"Uhm- is it supposed to do that?" Owe asked nervously.

"Run," Reach said, her voice calm but urgent.

The Nukap charged, and the hunt began in earnest.