It took quite some time before Shin arrived at the den. The main reason for that was Terran's speed.

Shin couldn't abandon him because he was one of his vessels. Of course, it was his duty to look after them.

Also, Terran had no idea about the forest because a lot of things had changed in the past 500 years.

The beasts were much smaller or bigger than what Terran could remember. The same was for the trees too.

In any case, Shin arrived at the den where he and Aella lived.

The human bodies that were lying around were in a much worse state than before. The foul smell was awful.

Needless to say, it was attracting different beasts from nearby areas. Well, even such a strong smell wasn't able to tempt the beasts to come towards them.

Of course, it couldn't tempt the large and smarter beasts, but small beasts like goblins and other large ants and centipedes were just flocking around three bodies.

"This is..", Terran was awed at the sight.

The human bodies were giving foul odor however the beasts hadn't eaten them yet. It was as if they were waiting for something or were trying to see if it was safe or not because their instincts were telling them to run away from the place.

This meant that they were confused because of their own habits and instincts.

In any case, since their mind was in a state of confusion, a little of provocation would force them to attack each other.

That was why Shin and Terran were extra cautious while they approached the den.

"So this is the place where you both stayed.", Terran looked at the small cave-like den while saying this.

It was not that big as mentioned, but it was not that small either.

Shin and Aella had spent a lot of time here together so Shin felt a bit by just looking at it.

He didn't want to get distracted by it though. He wanted to now look for the way in which Aella would have run.

'The human footprints have disappeared but their scent is still fresh..'

He looked towards the direction in which he had gone earlier. It was the same direction from which he had returned.

"Did you find anything master?", Terran thought that Shin had come to find something here.

He was partially correct though, Shin wanted to find the route which Aella took.

Although he did mention that Aella would have taken the opposite route so that she could lead the humans in a different direction, it couldn't be completely true.

If it was, then there wouldn't be the need to find any other clues because by walking down the same path he would end up reaching Aella.

,m 'I was in that direction..', he turned towards his right while thinking this.

'Then that would mean that Aella would have run the opposite way..', he then turned towards the left and thought that.

But the scent of the humans was dominant that way. Also, it was the same direction from which he had returned.

'This means that the humans had come from this way..'

In conclusion, she wouldn't have gone that way.

The reason was quite clear, she wouldn't run towards the beasts about whom she had no idea.

Also, she was a beast that had no translation tool, so she could never understand what the humans were saying.

Due to fear, she might have definitely chosen a different route.

'So now two routes are out of choice..'

The east and west were out of choice at the moment. Only two more main directions remained out of which Aella would have gone in one.

'Her leg might have been cut here itself..', he concluded that because when he had used the sense of smell, he could detect Aella's scent in the same direction as the humans.

They were carrying her leg so probably that was the reason why he could smell her.

If it hadn't been the leg, then he would have found some other route to go after carefully distinguishing the scent.

Well, his mind had blanked out when he found human bodies and the signs of attack here and there.

'Hmm..'

'We came from the north a while ago.'

'And I didn't find her scent in that direction either..'

Well, due to the constant change in weather, the scent doesn't last long. The best example could be a river.

A fast-flowing river ends up erasing the scent – at least that's what everyone thinks,historical

But that's totally wrong.

The river doesn't necessarily erase the scent. It actually hides it or covers it with something.

To be precise, the scent exists but is just un-discoverable.

Shin, who had already leveled up quite a lot, could detect even the faintest of the scent.

Thanks to that, he was able to detect the scent even after quite some time had passed.

"Yes, she must have definitely gone towards the south.", he concluded and said this while gazing at Terran.

Terran noticed the confidence with which Shin said that and understood that it might really be true.

However, instead of being happy, he seemed somewhat sad or perhaps worried about something.

"South..", he lowered his head.

"Master, must we really go to the south?", Terran asked.

"Huh? Of course, we need to go!"

"My instincts are crying out and saying that Aella headed off that way!", he exclaimed.

"So obviously we have to go that way.", and this was his final decision.

".."

Terran didn't say anything after hearing that. He remained quiet.

'South..'

'This is bad..'

'I don't know how much it has changed, but if I let master go that way..'

'Then he would die.', was what Terran thought in his mind.

So Terran knew something about the south region right after the forest. Though, his knowledge was a few centuries old so it could be false.

But it was better to be careful.

However, the real question was – Why was the South making Terran so anxious?

".."

To be continued..