Muskwa pursued him, into the brush and out, down to the creek and back, halfway up the slope and down again, until he was so tired he had to drop on his belly for a rest.
At this juncture Thor emerged from the thicket.

He was alone.

For the first time since last night he seemed to notice Muskwa.

Then he sniffed the wind up the valley and down the valley, and after that turned and walked straight toward the distant slopes down which they had come the preceding afternoon.

Muskwa was both pleased and perplexed.