Msaka departed the city that evening, walking eastward. It would be a while before he would need to turn northeast, and he didn't want to head too far north to start - that would simply result in him having to navigate the foothills of the mountain range to get where he was going. Far easier, as far as he was concerned, to remain on the open savanna for as long as possible.

A light breeze was blowing, making the night cooler than normal, but it wasn't an unwelcome event. The heat of the day could be quite opressive at times, though not as much as if it had been earlier in the year. "Another reason I do not understand why they are active during the day." he mused, his thoughts momentarily drifting back to the people who lived there. "It is far too hot for travelling then."

He continued his trek, making good progress despite his cautious movements. He didn't want to encounter anything further out here if he could help it, though he knew that something would eventually find him if he remained out long enough. Then, there were the hills and mountains. Whatever might live there wouldn't necessarily be any more friendly.

He sighed. His mission was necessary, and he was willingly performing it, despite the apparent risk, but he strongly wished he had not been sent out alone. Having a companion would at least give someone to talk to, to break the monotony of travel, and would certainly provide a greater measure of safety. "I wonder why he sent me alone, he would have known this. Unless he thought it would attract too much attention..." Msaka wondered.

The ground grew somewhat uneven as he continued walking; low, rolling hills interspersed with the occasional small ravine. It slowed Msaka down, but at least it provided a bit of a distraction, unlike the flat ground that much of the savanna was composed of. He chose his path as best as he could, since it was difficult, with only moonlight illuminating the area, to clearly see what lay more than a short distance ahead.

Msaka was surprised by a sudden, startled cry of pain a short distance to his left, down the side of a hill. He stopped dead in his tracks, ready for anything. A shout quickly followed, one that sounded human, but also quite pained.

Curiousity warred with caution. From the sound of things, someone was in trouble, but investigating it might simply land Msaka in the same difficulty. Besides, it was unlikely to be anyone he knew, and he had little interest in risking himself for a stranger. But a thought occurred to him. Having someone in his debt might prove useful later... He slinked around the hill, keeping to the deeper shadows, and viewed the situation with interest.

Someone had apparently decided to rest there for the night, and their campfire was still burning, partially illuminating the scene. A man, a tribesman from his appearance, was attempting to fend off a giant ant with a spear. Though the ant had suffered a few blows, it was obvious that the man was in much worse shape - he was on the ground, not standing, a large wound in one leg bleeding profusely.

"The thing probably attacked him while he was asleep." Msaka thought, "He won't survive long like that." He considered what to do. Throwing spells at the ant would certainly work, but the tribesman might not be very impressed by that. On the other hand, it was both a safer and faster method than charging into melee with it. "He'll just have to dislike it." Msaka decided.

As quickly as he could, he began throwing spells at the ant. The barrage struck home, scorching and cracking it's exoskeleton. The ant, however, responded to the sudden pain by lunging forward at its victim, snapping wildly with its jaws.

The man's spear hit it at a bad angle, and slid off to one side, rather than impaling the beast, leaving it free to attack. Fortunately, the impact of Msaka's spells kept it from taking full advantage of the opening, and while it managed to tear a bloody gash in the man's chest with its jaws, the wound wasn't lethal.

Msaka's magical assault quickly finished the beast off, and it collapsed, partially sprawling over the man. Msaka moved quickly towards the pair as the man strained to remove the ant and simultaneously shouted angrily about the use of magic. Msaka rolled his eyes in exasperation. "They can't even accept it when it saves their lives." he muttered. "I should have let him be eaten." Still, he continued forward.

The man finally succeeded in shoving the ant off of himself as Msaka drew near. The man snatched up his spear again and held it defensively, apparently expecting a magical attack on himself next. Msaka stopped short, but not because of the spear - the man was hardly in a condition to threaten him with it, but because he recognized the bleeding figure.

Holding up his hands to show he was not brandishing a weapon, Msaka called out, "You kill a dinosaur without injury, yet an ant nearly kills you? You are lucky that I am here now, as I was then."

The Simbani warrior stared in amazement.