Tai woke, as he did most mornings, to a large, snuffling muzzle in his face. He groaned and shoved at the animal, grumbling nonsense curses under his breath before he managed to sit up.
Ren nipped at his shoulder, tugging on his sleeve when he didn't sit up fast enough. "Alright, alright!" The mercenary glared at his companion, who just gazed placidly back and whuffed softly. "Yes, I know you're hungry," Tai muttered, getting to his feet with a yawn. "Go on and hunt if you want—I don't know how to forage in these jungles."
The peryton didn't reply—he never did—but Tai continued as if he had, "We should probably be heading back to the mainland soon anyway. Gods know there's no real paying work here, don't know why I ever listened to that—"
Man and beast both froze, heads snapping toward a subtle sound further into the trees. Tali's sword was drawn in a flash of steel, his eyes hard. "Who's there?"