With the sun already past noon, but with easier terrain ahead, the party pushes westward in hopes of finding more signs of old roads, buildings, or ruins. As they travel the lynx kits, now well on their way to full-grown, range out and away from the party, restless with the slow pace and lack of food. Prey has been scarce among the pines, and both kits are looking a bit thin. Rawon's view from the hill-top proves optimistic. The ground ahead is lower, but ridges and dips make straight-line travel tough. The next four or five hours are slow going, and more than once the party finds itself drifting off course north or south. As evening comes on the terrain finally softens, in more ways than one. The hills turn to gentle slopes, but the dips become boggy and wet, with pools of dark-stained water forming in the lowest areas.