No one bleeding, no one down. Somewhat surprising with the size of that thing.
Frederic: "I'm fine. A lot easier to draw attention for one big thing than a pack of smaller ones.
Might have a nice bruise or two tomorrow."

Looking back, you see the one of the surveyors peak out from some bushes on the side of the path. Looks like they're fine.

Leon: "Think there're more?"

The four of you form up and carefully proceed into the grove of trees, moving slowly, keeping your ears open, and checking high in the trees.
It takes a good half hour, but you sweep through it without anything else exciting happening. There are signs of the lizard having climbed all over the trees, big gouges in the bark and broken limbs littering the ground, but no sign of a nest.
You head back out to the path and wave down the surveyors, who come over to the grove. Frederic stands at the edge of the group, watching the area of forest that the lizard ran off to, while the rest of you confer.

Jacik: "That was scary. I've never seen a beast like that out here. That was a beast, right?"
Frederic: "I didn't see any magic, so yeah, a beast."

Jacik: "Hoo boy. Was it alone?"
Leon: "No others in the grove, and no sign of a nest. It's spring, so that's... is that lizard breeding season?"
Frederic: "It's the time when there'd be eggs or babies, yes. Guess we got lucky that it didn't get lucky."

Jason: "Big windbag lizard beast. I think... that was a Belos. I've heard of them before, they're from the wind domain."
The domain? That's a good few days travel west just to get to the edge, and a week to get deeper in where things start getting really magical. It's unusual to see highly magical beasts and monsters this far outside the domains, though considering you're all still alive it couldn't have been too strong.

Jacik: "I haven't heard reports of them swarming yet, but I mostly work on this side of Gunan, not the domain side."
Jason: "Famine maybe? It's been kind of a dry spring around here."
Frederic: "Or something big and hungry enough to scare weaker creatures away."

Jace: "That'd uh, have to be pretty big."
Frederic: "They make em that big, deep in the domains."

Frederic: "Heh. Won't get far as an adventurer if you make a habit of avoiding places full of adventure."

Jacik: "Well... you said it was alone. Nothing else in this grove? We came here to survey, and you just chased off the threat...
I'm kinda spooked, but, you did your jobs just fine. So, we'll do ours. Just uh, keep an eye out for anything else."

You nod, and the three surveyors retrieve their gear and get to work with the trees. They're still on edge from before, but quickly get into their work. Your group takes their places around the grove, similar to the first, though with Frederic and Karina facing the area the lizard ran off in.

It's a tense watch, but at least that makes it go quickly. While you wait, your mind drifts back to your academy classes back in Madosa.

The room stays silent. Seems they can focus well when they want to. Either that, or no one wants to have the stupid question.
Instructor Bright: "Good. Now, next topic..."


~~~


And with that, the second survey is complete. This grove was smaller than the first and the surveyors had a strong urge to hustle, so it's all done this afternoon.
The Jays return to the front of the grove with your group in tow, and you begin heading back towards the camp at the first grove.

Jacik: "Whew. Glad to leave that one behind. Gave me the willies being around it after seeing that thing. Definitely need to send some muscle with the loggers."
He looks up at the sky appraisingly, with it starting to turn shades of orange from sunset.
Frederic: "By the time we packed up the camp and got to walking again, it'd be night. It's clear out and a bright moon, but the trees make for bad visibility.
I don't think it's a good idea to move out now."
Jace: "You uh... you sure? What if that lizard comes back?"

Leon moves forward to join the conversation.
Leon: "We punctured its stomach pouch, that let all the air out I think."
Frederic: "Yes. That wound took the fight out of it, and there wasn't any sign of it having friends. I think we're safe.
Though we'll have people on watch tonight of course."

Karina: "I'll take first shift too."
Frederic: "No, you can wait until later, I'll-"
Karina: "You got knocked around by the lizard and need to rest. You're going to be super sore tomorrow if you don't take it easy. Gram doesn't know any magic to fix bruises you know!"
She's right, though you're not sure that you've told her that.

Frederic sighs, but seems to accept defeat.
Frederic: "Alright. I'll take it easy."
Leon: "Well why don't I take first shift then instead of Gram. He got knocked around a bit too."

You did get knocked down by the wind, but you didn't take any hits like Fred did. A bit tired, but that's probably just the adrenaline comedown. You feel alright.