All his senses became alert.

In that vast whirlwind of fire and smoke no one would notice that a single youth was stealing through the forest in an effort to rejoin his own people.
Action followed swift upon thought.

He curved about in the woods and then ran rapidly toward the point where the fire seemed thinnest.

He did not check his pace until he had gone at least a mile.

Then he paused to see if he could tell how the battle was going.