He's running. 

Stupid, which is why he's never risked it before, when any Sesati who saw him would know him as a runaway the moment they saw his face. But word travels, even among slaves, and Zaira hasn't missed the stories filtering back from the border. This is the best chance he'll get for a while, and if he doesn't take it he's worried there won't be anything left of him by the time another one comes around. So he runs, keeping to the trees and off the roads, barely caring where he goes as long as it's away. 

That's probably why he doesn't see the giant snake in time. 

Portal goes nom. Zaira goes...somewhere. 

He's running. 

Stupid, which is why he's never risked it before, when any Sesati who saw him would know him as a runaway the moment they saw his face. But word travels, even among slaves, and he hasn't missed the stories filtering back from the border. This is the best chance he'll get for a while, and if he doesn't take it he's worried there won't be anything left of him by the time another one comes around. So he runs, keeping to the trees and off the roads, barely caring where he goes as long as it's away. 

That's probably why he doesn't see the giant snake in time. 

Portal goes nom. Runaway slave goes...somewhere.