Saix was suffering too, and he was starting to turn his mind to making camp and eating. They still had a couple of hours before darkness, but his body was already giving him a checklist. When he got home, the first thing he was going to do was stand in the shower for an hour.

He'd kept an eye for predators along the journey so far, and between himself and Axel, they'd steered clear of anything too dangerous looking. Most animals didn't attack chocobos, or their riders, but it wasn't worth the unnecessary risk with a novice in the midst.

Saix slowed his chocobo, eyes on a group some way ahead, familiar reiatsu tickling the edge of some barely trained sense that Saix knew better than to ignore. "We have company," he commented, to Axel.