[Talon's posture and tone respond in kind. Years of training coming back in a snap. It's a little heartbreaking to him, to see someone so young do the same, but it's also a little comforting just to not feel like a criminal for a while. To feel like Knight Errant again.]

It wouldn't surprise me if they are. They don't display any behavior typical of prey animals - no caution in their step, no sniffing the air to see if they're alone, etc. I would describe their method of approach as predatory.

The sick ones are definitely some form of rabid. They have a sort of glaze to the eyes indicative of insanity. Had one charge me at one point, part of the reason I'm nested up here. They're covered in teal mushrooms - I'm guessing it's a fungal infection of some sort, possibly parasitic.