"It was," he says with a satisfied grin, opting to answer the easier question first. "Found myself a decently sized buck, but the locals had their own designs on it. One fewer cougar in those mountains back there now." There's something thoroughly animalistic about fighting and besting a predator. He isn't certain if their blood is any more satisfying than a deer's or a rabbit's, but after taking one down, it certainly feels like it.

"As for whether we're going, seems you'd know more about that than me, I just got here," he points out. "You and Alice seemed to be having an engrossing discussion before I so rudely interrupted. But it sounds like Alice plans on stopping here for a while, and I think I agree with her. As you say, it's a lot to take in. I'd assume she thinks it will be easier if it's just us."