The group resumed the slow but steady walk towards the trees and the mountain behind it. [color=2e3192]"You're right again Julius. There was no debris or trash or anything there on the beach with us that one would expect to get sucked through a portal with us. Even more I think it's really important we don't stop moving till were out of this desert. I've been thinking. This desert shouldn't be here. The temperature is wrong. It's mild and hasn't changed much at all. Something has to be maintaining it. After I realized that I also thought of my tie. What if what ever creepy crawleys that pulled down my tie do so to everything in this desert. Bigger things would of coarse be harder but if they are sensitive to light they'd leave us alone during the day and be a good chance they come after us at night if we were to stop and rest in the sand. I think we should push on till we get to the trees at least."[/color]

Not twenty minutes later Tim realized he was right. As they walked he could start to make out what at first looked like foot high tubes of various sizes and heights sticking out of the sand here and there. Looking closely he saw they were insects. They looked similar to a caterpillar with long antennae that continually swept back and forth through the air tasting it. We were being watched. Insects he knew run off instinct, they weren't capable of experiencing curiosity. So they were being watched either as a survival thing or they were being hunted; and if it was a survival thing wouldn't they just drop back under the sand? That left being hunted. By now the others were noticing them but Tim tried to keep calm and rationalize what to do. Were still a few hours walk from the trees. If we run now we'll get tired and need to rest, and if we stop they will attack. We should just keep walking. [color=2e3192]"Don't run, just keep walking. We need to conserve our energy as long as possible."[/color] At the moment Tim could make out 6 of the creatures all within 50 feet, all just watching them pass by. Abruptly he saw another one ahead pop up out of the sand, it too just waited and watched.