After parting ways with Bahadir, Naz made her way south, having learned during her calculated meandering around the meadow that the southernmost island was overrun by sand. She believed that the one she sought would be drawn to that place, just as she was. With great care, she skirted the fetid swamps of the Lagoon, home of the bachelors of the islands, if one could even call it home. The dampness in the air clung to the skin of the black marwari and made her feel uncomfortable. The smell of rotting vegetation and tepid, brackish water turned her stomach. It was a stroke of fortune that she’d not recently eaten. Naz could cover long distances on the smallest mouthful of grass.

As soon as she set foot on Salem, the unease Naz felt slid from her, washed away by the saltwater that she shook from her dark coat. Though she had not been deterred by the vast ocean in her pursuit of the Forsaken Prince, the constant movement of the water seemed ominous to her, and Naz would never enjoy the feeling of being tossed about by waves and wind and current as if she were a leaf in a dust storm. The sight of the rippling dunes, and the golden ocean of sand that stretched before her immediately lifted her spirits. The marwari was all too eager to put distance between herself and the restless swell of the ocean.

Venturing farther inland, Naz was quick to pick up a number of scents. The strongest was those of a mare, but there were faint traces of musky male scents. Muzzle high to the wind, Naz caught the whisper of a scent she did recognise, but it was there-and-gone, and she stood motionless atop the crest of a large dune, wondering if it was real, or if she had just imagined it. Though it was not the quarry she sought, never-the-less, a sly smile pulled at the corners of the mouth of the huntress. “Bahadir,” she murmured to herself, lowering her head and angling her muzzle so that it was sheltered from the sun to her back by her own silhouette. Her golden eyes narrowed as she surveyed the desert landscape. From her position, she'd detect movement of anything approaching. Naz wasn't one to be caught off-guard. “Where are you hiding?”