So the girl who was making things much more complicated than they needed to be was named Karuka. Pounder stood by Markham as the two do-gooders spoke to each other and cursed the way that it seemed the rest of the group looked up to them as leaders. With a face taught with displeasure, he shivered slightly, making no efforts to conceal his weaknesses now that he had found that between Karuka and Markham, they were more likely than not to be perceived as strengths.

“We should start moving now though…” he said. “It is only a matter of time before someone, anyone comes to finish up what was started. I don’t know what these people want, I’m not a particularly political person, but riots don’t just come out of nowhere. There are always more rioters, more people that are angry. Let’s not delay.”

Since they had already resolved that they would head towards the river, Pounder went along with the group. Again, he felt torn between two decisions. Going by the river would make sense, from a standpoint of getting oriented, but at the same time, they were strangers in a strange land, and it seemed that political turmoil was heating up. Pounder didn’t know if they were being assaulted because the mob was bloodthirsty, or because of their race, because they were not deeply involved with the Salvic church or even if they just happened to end up on the wrong train by chance.

Regardless, he knew that moving to a river was a bad idea. The closer they were to water, to the supposed ‘civilization’ of Salvar, the more likely they were to be detected. Perhaps people like Karuka and Markham were operating under the assumption that the rest of Salvar was bound to help them, and while they might have been right, Pounder found it highly doubtful. There was just too much uncertainty, he thought it was best they conserve whatever martial resources they had in order to fight when necessary. Perhaps once they got to Knife’s Edge, things would be different, but until then, Pounder didn’t want to be overrun by an unruly country mob.

However, he knew that most people wouldn’t listen to him. They would head to the river because Markham had suggested it. Grudgingly, he complied, but only because he had determined that the powers of the group he was traveling were enough that his chances of survival with them were better than apart. He only hoped that nothing happened at the river.