The boy couldn't match the animals' speed. The ferocity they unleashed on every guard who stood in their way was hardly comparable to the pit's executions. Most of the time, Ashwin was only faced with the result of the beasts' murderous actions. He had been thinking about this the whole time since he stepped out of the dungeon - should he follow the animals or try to reach out to any human being? However, the boy wasn't given a chance to decide for himself. Every time he tried to take another path or slow down, a crude paw pushed him from behind. Was this arrangement or just coincidence, but injured apes followed him closely and corrected every "wrong" move. This act of attention was neither performed gently nor welcomed by Ashwin. In fact, it made him feel helpless, as if he was still trapped in a cage, even though his warders had changed.

The first thing that Scarface did after leaving the dungeon was to climb up the highest building in the area. A few of his companions followed him while the others looted nearby shops. The animals grabbed everything they could carry without slowing them down, while some took food and colorful fabric rolls, others put beads and necklaces around their necks. The shopkeepers who weren't lucky enough to escape hid behind doors, inside wardrobes or under counters. Fortunately, the animals were too busy robbing and ignored unarmed humans. The boy stared at the chaos helplessly. He couldn't help people and wasn't helped by them either. Ashwin could only console himself with the hope that the apes' hide confused the shopkeepers, and if they knew he was human too, they would try to rescue him.

One of the apes was examining the inside of the crate, throwing everything that it deemed to be useless. A leather sandal hit the boy, and this brought Ashwin back to reality. He was still wearing a hide and couldn't move much in the pit over the past year. But now, he needed something to cover his bare feet. They had already begun to ache after a short escape, and it would be even worse if runaways left the city with its roads. Ashwin put on a sandal and joined an ape to check the crate's contents. The animal grumbled, but didn't push the boy away. He could find and put on another sandal. Though the shoes were a bit large for his feet, they were still better than walking barefoot. Ashwin also found a small shoulder bag, but he didn't have time to check what was inside - Scarface and his aides returned.

As soon as the leader climbed down from the building, he shouted to attract the attention of the looting animals. The apes gathered around him and, a few seconds later, they were already running as a group. One of the injured beasts once again pulled a boy by the arm. Ashwin, who was now wearing sandals and carrying a small bag, followed the animals. He hoped they would go out onto the main street, with its bright lights, but instead they continued through the narrow, dim alleys. As the sun set, some people chose to hide in the darkness of their homes, while others lit lanterns. Their light cast wild shadows on the walls of the white buildings, with their painted ornaments and dirty roads, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and murky illusions.

Then, after a wild run, they suddenly stopped. Ashwin thought they might be facing another group of soldiers sent to capture the beasts. But there were no sounds of fighting. From the back of the group, the boy went around the waiting animals and looked around the corner. They had almost reached the western gate. It was closed. Ashwin felt his heart sink. He looked for Scarface, but the leader was patiently watching the gates. He was waiting for something to happen. He was waiting for something to happen, although the boy didn't know what might happen. It was obvious that, as soon as the city was attacked, all exits were sealed. And it was unlikely that the ruler would be foolish enough to open them before catching the fugitives.

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The noise drew his attention. A crowd was arguing with the guards. At first, Ashwin couldn't hear clearly, because humans were interrupting each other and talking too fast, and some words were drowned out by screams. Slowly, he began to unravel information from this cacophony. The harbor was under attack. Pirate ships were bombarding it. And while people outside the city hurried to get inside the city's protection walls, some citizens were desperate to escape it. The cities could not hold all of the country's population, so it was common for all nations to have smaller towns and villages that remained in the territory regardless of the Draw. Those who visited the capital for trade, work, or any other business, were worried about their families outside the city's walls. Their fear was understandable, but Ashwin doubted that the guards would give in to the people's pleas.

'Harbor - it means that we have moved to a territory with a coastline after the Draw. And the passing monsoon means we are still in the south. Therefore, we are now in the South territory.' Even though Ashwin wasn't sure how this information could help him, he felt a bit calmer. After sitting in the pit for a year, he had been helpless and separated from any news, but even this little bit of information gave him a sense of control over his life, albeit illusory.

He was brought back to reality by another explosion. The thunder-like sound roared so close to them that Ashwin thought the nearby house was going to collapse. However, one thing seemed strange - he didn't feel any shaking. Puzzled, the boy looked at the crowd. People froze for a second, then burst into screams.

"It's the pirates!"

"They are here already!"

"Let us out!"

The guards tried to hold back the crowd, but people kept pushing forward.

"You just don't care about what happens to us! You only care about your stupid orders!"

"Silence! Back off now!" shouted the man in charge of the gate's security. He drew his khanda sword, but before he could strike anyone, the crowd rushed through and pushed the guards aside. In a matter of seconds, the gates opened, and several hundred people fled from the city. As the stream thinned, Scarface gave the signal. Apes ran to the gates, pushing through the remaining humans. Ashwin followed them when he noticed a beast picking up the guard's sword. Ashwin followed them when he noticed a beast picking up the guard's sword. The boy tried to slow down, but his attempt to imitate the animal's idea was ruined when he was pulled again by the arm. In the end, he could not do much. However, they ran through the gate. The animal group distanced itself from people fleeing the city. As soon as they left behind the capital's walls, they increased their pace even more. Night was still young when explosions stopped at the harbor and Rajah received a less urgent report. His favorite pets ran away from pit and guards failed to catch them.