The northern reaches of Azawahasi give way to the Forest of Esperanza, a dense woodland that marks the transition between savanna and the more temperate regions beyond. The forest is old, its trees tall and closely spaced, providing shelter from the sun and wind that dominates the open plains.
Some Sharabha tribes range into Esperanza's edges, hunting the forest game that differs from their usual savanna prey. The forest offers different challenges—dense undergrowth, limited sightlines, prey that hides rather than runs. Tribes that specialize in forest hunting have adapted their techniques accordingly.
The deeper forest remains largely unexplored by the Sharabha. They're plains people at heart, uncomfortable in enclosed spaces where their lion forms lose their advantage. Whatever lives in Esperanza's interior has been left alone.