The Infected Beast is, specifically, a... just a wild dog? Well, that's going to be simple. You fire your bow, and hit it straight in the eye. Since it was running for you, it staggers a bit due to the shot and yelps in pain. Afterwards it powers through anyway and pushes you down! It's weakened but this is a [i]very bad[/i] situation, it prepares its' jaws...

Alexander would come back to the camp while the others... were just shocked, apparently. After a few minutes he arrives, and sees that Joshua is nowhere to be found! Where he was sitting, on his little picnic blanket, there is a note;

"Junior Hunters, I'm afraid I'm in need somewhere else. I've received word that the ancient Castle Bloodleaves is in need of my attention. I can not give too many details: I shall be away for likely three days, and I shall return in four. I have decided you have that amount of time to find a Familiar, and as a group, go to Coalstrike, in the east, to meet with me and a 'Harold the Blacksmith'. It's fine if you don't have the time to find a Familiar, you can go without or just find one on your travels.

Don't die out there. -Joshua.
P.S. don't ask about his eye when you find him."

Coalstrike? That's a two-day trip. Seems like everyone will have the rest of the day to find a familiar then head out tomorrow. The day is still young, thankfully, so there's plenty of time. All that took around two, three hours?