"Nilin!" Even as he shouts her name he sees that's she's already on the move, moving faster in the trees than he could ever hope to do. Meanwhile he struggles to close the distance between himself and the fight happening above him. Hawke looks up just in time to watch in amazement as Nilin fires a blast of some kind of white energy at the creature.

Then he hears barking savagely. A quick look down shows him Notch barking madly and staring straight at him. It's a warning, but one that comes to late. He feels a heavy weight leap onto his back and teeth sink into his shoulder through his armor as a baboon-like creature attacks him. Some new predator taking advantage of his distraction as it goes for the slower, easier prey.

Hawke reacts the only way he can. He releases his grip on the branch and kicks off the tree, sending both him and this creature crashing to the earth below.