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"Per'aps it is a scavenger 'unt." A touch. Friendly, reassuring, an understanding link from one person to the other. But just that. Friendship. He smiled. "'Huntin' down th' components we need t' build this shelter. No cheatin'. It might take a bit longer, but we'll get it done."

[New RP]

It was annoying, how careful he had to be around the village. This distance-restriction not only from Zach but Nita as well meant he had to be ever-wary of where he went in case he stumbled upon one of them without warning. He'd not really cared about it much before, but Marshall's party had highlighted his troubles.

The horse-man stalked along the jungle path, leashed dog at his side. The canine was alert and happy as ever, despite the residual claw-marks still healing up on her muzzle. Gaius was thankful for her silent company, at least one of them was happy to be out there.

Having been 'surprised' while out in the jungle before, Gaius was more attentive to the nearby sounds. So, when he heard crashing in the brush coming his direction, his ears stood up alert, swiveling towards the sound, and the horse-man spun around. Vixen, however, had gotten a better idea of who it was, catching the scent. Rather than bounding straight, though, she darted to the side, crouching in the brush slightly and waited. The minute Dasher burst from the jungle, Vixen pounced, side-slamming the dog in a playful tackle and nipping at her sibling's ears as her tail wagged happily.

Gaius's muscles relaxed, the adrenaline quickly abating at the sight of the other dog. He'd seen it enough to know who it belonged to. Unconsciously giving a shake of his head and tossing his mane back, Gaius looked about for the dog-man who must be close around. He wasn't sure how he felt about running into Lucas out here, but a part of him was grateful for more company.

Though Gaius still had yet to master over his growing sense of smell to be able to identify people or that kind of thing, he'd spent enough nights out with his college friends to be able to recognize the smell of alcohol. The small bit was faint, but enough to make Gaius's nostrils flare as he caught a whiff. The horse-man's brows scrunched up worriedly.

"I'm just... out for a walk. Needed to get away from the village because of... some issues, but don't worry!" he said, quickly changing his tone to waylay any worry on Lucas's part. "I just like the fresh air, it's no big deal. Besides, it's a good chance to think... Though sometimes that's the last thing I ever do," he said with a chuckle.

"What about yourself? You... doing okay?" His eyes passed over Lucas's face, over the still-missing eye and the general unkempt-ness of the dhole. "...Honestly, you look like you've had a rough night in an alley," he said with a small teasing smile.

Thom was adapting well to his life on the run. He had learned to avoid the edges of the jungle, the open clearings, the more frequently traveled paths. Indeed, nowadays he avoided the jungle floor completely, moving along the ground only in the areas where the smaller flora successfully covered his path. Mostly he stuck to the trees, traveling easily among the close-knit branches and descending to the ground only to hunt of drink.

The trees were safe, he had learned. The cameras were angled towards the ground and situated among the lower branches. They were easy to pick out once he knew what he was watching for, and just as easy to avoid. Thom was quite certain the labs didn't have the faintest idea where he was, and that he could get fairly close to the village itself without the labs realizing he was there. Which was what he had done today.

Isolation in the jungle with only Jamal for company was a bit trying, to say the least. He was growing tired of sitting and waiting for the tiger's leg to heal. He was free! He had been free. He wanted something to happen. And now here he was, curled up in a tree over the well-traveled path from the village to the beach, waiting for someone to happen along who he could persuade to join in his cause.

However, this was not one, but two someones, and two someones with dogs were probably best left alone. He recognized both, but didn't know either very well, and wasn't sure to what extent they could be trusted. he was content to remain where he was, carefully hidden, and idly listen in on the conversation, though it had been far from interesting until he heard a familiar name mentioned. Now, perhaps, he would really pay attention.

"No..." At least that was something. "He was drunk and spent most of the time feeling sorry for himself while letting me know all about it."

Lucas nodded to Gaius. "I wish they would, too. But no. Not the dragon. And they didn't even punish him for attacking a doctor." It didn't occur to Lucas at the time he said it that Gaius might not know about that incident.

"He attacked a doctor?" Gaius asked almost at the same moment Thom spoke up. Startled by the echo, the pegasus whipped around, eyes wide. The sound was unfamiliar, though with a slight hiss to it, enough to remind him of the dragon's lisp, and the last thing he wanted was to be caught in the vicinity of the dragon. Besides that, his instincts told him that anything hiding behind was probably a predator ready to go for his throat.

His heart was still pounding as the massive snake slinked into sight. Without the aid of alcohol, a massive slithering predator did little to quell his nerves, and the toothy smile didn't help. Still, Gaius put on his best calm-act, which really didn't amount to much with the tense way his wings flared behind him and his feet shifted, as if he was ready to take off at the drop of a hat.

"O-oh, it's just y-you," he said with a slight lift of the head. "From the drinking games, right?" A nervous whinny-chuckle escaped Gaius. "H-Hadn't see-heen you around much."

The horse-man glanced back at Lucas, giving him a worried expression. Could this guy - Tim? Tom, was it? - be trusted with this kind of conversation?