With a small backpack laden with a water skin and Terminal slotted into a side pocket, he left the encampment for a leisurely hike roughly southwards through a landscape of reddish soil occupied by hummocks of feather grass colored dusty emerald from earlier spring rains. Interspersed within the gently sloped hills of grass were kite bushes, shimmering in fresh growth of grayish green, diamond shaped leaves. Distant chirping from a community of burrows dug by prairie mii'servi. A shadowy pampas Dactyl flew overhead, banking long narrow wings to catch an updraft.