I stayed sitting there for far longer than I should have and just watched the fire dance as the logs hissed and crackled. This was the first time I was able to take a break and relax. I sighed heavily before looking at my inventory to see what was new. The only thing added to the list was a hound's fang.

A memory from a book series I loved in my past life drifted through my mind. “Bones for bones, teeth for teeth.” Hesitantly, I pulled out the hound's fang. It was heavier than I thought it should be. Feeling like an idiot I put the Fang in my mouth and bit down. To my surprise, I felt part of the fang dissolve with each bite.

I had no idea if it strengthened my natural weapons, but I had a gut feeling it was. Frustrated that I had passed up, I'm not sure how many useful resources I gnawed away until the fang was gone. I then plopped the Grass Hound's Fang into my mouth, repeating the process.

I needed to make a plan for after the dungeon. Did I want to risk going into a city? Or should I stick it out in the woods? I just didn't know how people would react to a talking squirrel. I sighed heavily before getting up. My body felt different like it was more under my control, each move was smoother than the last until I got used to my new Dexterity. I used my new control to toss dirt into the fire to help put it out.

I brushed my fur down and used the loose dirt to take a dust bath, getting the smell of blood and smoke out of my fur. Feeling refreshed, I headed to the exit following the twists and turns of the labyrinth.

I had to backtrack more than once due to my method of following the left wall. It wasn't until I was backtracking for the third and last time that something new broke up the trees and shrubs. Close to the bottom of the wall, two of the shrubs grew at an odd angle and covered a narrow path. It was almost impossible to spot unless you were staying as close to the wall as possible.

I slipped into the hidden path, a purr built uncontrollably from my chest. I almost stopped by the shock of learning that squirrels purred when happy. Squirreling that fact away in the back of my mind, I paid more attention to the path forward.

I slipped under and between tripwires slowly making my way through the maze of traps. I had to stop and slowly backtrack more than once as I came upon multiple rocks that were placed just where I would have to put my paw. Each time I'd feel a tingling sensation warning me away.

When I had enough room around another rock that felt off to me, to inspect it, I took a closer look. The rock was just a bit too high and I dug under it to see if my hunch was correct. The rock was only about an inch thick and completely flat on the underside with a strange mechanism under it. I carefully pushed the dirt back into the small hole I made.

I finally came to the end of the hall of traps. It opened up into a larger room about ten feet after the last trap. The room had a boar digging into the ground in front of a treasure chest in the center of the room. The room itself was a bit odd with no trees or bushes growing in it besides what made up the walls.

Health 90/90 Stamina 90/90 Mana 170/170

I moved into the room after checking on my stamina and mana. I wasn't sure why the dungeon would place an opponent here or even if the boar was one. Once I was fully in the room, I heard wood creaking and leaves rustling as the way I just came through was closed off. The boar started to turn around as I used Analyze.

Gravitas Apri level 1

The boar locked eyes with me before it dropped its head. Red light glowed around its tusks before it changed straight at me. I pumped mana into Flame Breath, pushing the spell to its new maximum as I dashed to my right getting clear of the boar's charge. The boar slammed head first into the wall that sprung up to block my escape. Part of me wondered if it wasn't to stop me from using the trapped hallway against the boar.

I moved in close, not wanting to have to deal with another charge as more intense flames spread out before me and broke the boar from its stunned condition. My claws flashed out to minimal effect against the boar's tough hide. I had to jump back as the boar swung its tusks towards me.

I jumped over its tusk and poured more of my mana into my front set of claws as I came down, slicing into the boar's snout. My hind claws gripped onto the boar's face, stopping me from falling off. I sunk my claws deeper while pulling myself up onto its head.

The boar's eyes flashed a deep purple as I started to fall towards the ceiling. My body twisted, allowing me to land on my feet. I was standing on what seemed like thin air. I looked back at the boar in time to see it flying through the air charging right at me. I dashed forward rolling under the boar as its tusks smashed into the ceiling, spreading cracks through it chunks of rock fell from the sky. The illusion that was carefully sculpted broke revealing the "sky" was painted rock.

Coming up behind the boar, I hacked away at its back legs, cutting deep into its muscles. I pivoted with the boar as it spun around my claws, slashing at the boar's wide belly. The boar's tusks glowed purple before I was thrown back away from the boar towards the back wall. I landed hard, skidding backward a few more inches before the push became a sharp tug.

The boar charged forward as I was yanked towards it. I went with the pull without fighting it and built up more speed. I pushed off hard from the ground at the last second, jumping up past the boar's tusks and landing hard on its face, my claws sinking into its flesh.

I formed my front right paw into a blade. I trusted my hand forward, slamming my claws into its thick skull, sending a massive shock up my arm. The boar squealed in pain as the gravity suddenly flipped back to normal.

We fell through the air, spinning out of control. I went to move away but had to stop as my claws stayed stuck in the boar's skull. I hugged the boar's face, staying close to it, hoping its tusks would protect me.

We landed hard. There was a loud crack, and then only my heavy breathing could be heard. Shaking, I slowly got up and hacked my claws free with my off-hand. I hopped off the boar's face and looked to see what had happened.

The boar was upside-down, and its back was bent unnaturally. The boar had landed on the chest hard enough to snap its spine in half. I walked back to the boar and thought 'Loot'. I rubbed my paws together, greed glinting in my eyes as I moved up to the chest. I flipped the lid open. Light poured out from the chest as the lid easily fell back.

Ten copper coins and a salt rock lay at the bottom of the chest. My tail twitched along with my eyebrow. I took a deep breath before letting it out and hopped down into the chest, collecting my reward. As soon as my reward was safely tucked away, I jumped up and out of the damned chest and looked around the room.

The door that I entered was still sealed, but a path had opened up behind the chest. Letting out a sigh of relief I laid down on the ground and opened up my notifications and then my inventory to see what I got from the boar.

Congratulations, you have learned the Skill Dodge. EXP has been awarded for learning a skill without a trainer.

Congratulations, you have defeated a level 1 Gravitas Apri. Increased EXP has been awarded for defeating a higher-tiered opponent.

Inventory:

Flame touched feathers 20

Weasel meat .5 lbs

Weasel pelt 1

Health potion [Low-grade] 1

Gravitas Apri tusks 1

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Boar hide 1

Boar meat 50 lbs

Beast Core 1

Salt 1lb

Copper Coins 10

I hurriedly took out the Beast Core and willed myself to learn what was contained inside. The core crumbled to dust and flowed into me.

Congratulations you have learned the Ability: Charge.

Charge: Cost=10 Stamina-[Skill level× .5] to a minimum of 1 Stamina.

Max distance covered=5ft+[5ft×skill level]

Description: Expend your Stamina to rush forward bartering away anything that stands in your way within reason.

'Not what I would have picked but it should be useful.'

Next, I pulled out the boar's tusks a bit confused about why it had a special name compared to the other loot. Knowing I was about to hate not having a crafter I used Analyze on the tusk.

Gravitas Apri Tusk:

A tusk that had been strengthened under the crushing force of gravity magic. A trace of the magic still lingers in the tusk.

*Note this is a crafting ingredient. However, as you are a beast you may instead consume it and the magic within to strengthen yourself.*

Now with proof that consuming them would actually help me, I'd have to make sure to manually harvest the stronger beasts that I kill. I started to gnaw away at the tusk that was just over half the length of my tail.

By the time I was done consuming the tusk my Mana and Stamina were back to full. It felt as though I was more aware of the constant pull of gravity. It was more than likely that the whole thing was in my head. I moved to the exit rapidly getting used to the new feeling.

I started down the hallway using my new Charge skill to get used to it. I had to rest twice to recover my Stamina before I finally got the skill down. It was easy to just let myself be thrown forward uncomfortably at the maximum distance. It was slightly harder to stop myself early.

Even if most of my time was spent stumbling over myself I did learn that I was able to use a Charge to throw myself forward, plant a paw down infused with my mana, and use it as a pivot to go around corners. The only problem with using that technique was the strain that it put on the limb I used as a pivot. If I used the same limb without letting it rest I was likely to rip it out of its socket.

Rubbing my left paw I sat back against the wall waiting for my health to tick back up while looking into a large room. The sound of something large moving at high speed filled the room. I caught a glimpse of yellowed bone, white fur, and green skin before finally, I caught sight of the room's occupants.

Two giant rabbits dashed around a tree at breakneck speeds. A pure white rabbit was in the lead half a body length away with one with black covering its face and lower body. Both have one foot of spiraled bone jutting from their foreheads and a goblin rider on their back hunkered low.

As the snow-white rabbit crossed a tree branch laying on the ground both rabbits came to a stop panting heavily. The goblin rider on the winning rabbit threw its arms up into the air celebrating its victory. The losing goblin looked pissed and started to argue with the winner hopping off its horned rabbit and shoving at the winner.

I moved to one of the bushes as quietly as I could and used Analyze.

Giant Leporem Corniger level 2.

Giant Leporem Corniger level 2

Goblin Rider level 2

Goblin Rider level 1

I rubbed my paws together, chattering gently as I looked over the situation. From my experience, I knew at minimum the horned rabbits were a higher tier than I was but I was guessing that the goblins were as well. These goblins looked leaner and had better equipment than the goblins outside.

Both goblin riders stood three feet tall, wore padded cloth armor, and had what looked like steel short swords, as a backup to the lances strapped to their rabbits' sides. The Goblins in question were currently rolling around on the ground trading insults and blows.

Hoping I was making the right choice I rushed forward pouring mana into my front claws before switching spells and pumping as much as I could into Flame Breath.

When they were just in range I used Charge to slam into the back of the goblin on top. My claws sank into its armor as flames spewed down washing over both the goblins.

Screams rose along with the smell of cooking meat and burning leaves. My claws flashed through the flames ripping into and then through a goblin's skull.

I suddenly felt a heavy blow on my back that sent me bouncing across the ground causing the flames pouring out of my mouth to light random bushes and deadfall on fire.

I shook off the blow getting back to my feet despite my back complaints. The one living goblin had put out the flames coating it and was just now hopping onto the snow-white horned rabbit. The other rabbit was already dashing right at me, its head down and horn extended.

Huffing in frustration I rushed towards the oncoming rabbit. I pushed my body forward for all my Agility was worth. Right before I was about to run head first onto its horn I twisted my body angling off to the right and used Charge again.

I flew forward with the horn barely scraping my hindleg. Once I was clear of the horn I slammed my front left paw into the ground using it to swing my body until I was facing the Rabbits side before pulling my paw back out and letting my charge take me right into the rabbit's broadside.

I extended my claws out in front of myself slamming them into its ribs. A loud cracking could barely be heard over the rabbit's cry of pain. Blood foamed from its mouth as I pulled my hand to either side of myself, dying the rabbit's fur crimson as I opened its side.

The pounding of feet and a tingling sensation at the back of my neck were the only hints given to me. I launched myself up and over the dying rabbit barely laying flat on the ground before first, a horn and then a lance punched through my makeshift cover just above where I hid, scoring two burning lines across my back.

I jumped back onto the paws. Flames built in my maw. I jumped around the front of my cover and released my spell. Fire washed over the pure white rabbit and its rider.

I Charged forward claws extended. I crashed into the rider knocking him off his mount and to the ground. My claws flashed through his neck ending his suffering. I wheeled around and did the same for his mount.

I sighed heavily letting the rush of battle leave me. Not wanting to waste any more resources I went to work harvesting both mounts using Analyze to help me determine what to and what not to keep. The only thing valuable I got from both were their horns, pelts, and meat. I put the pelts and meat into my inventory, while the horns I consumed right away. I tried to loot what remained of the two rabbits but almost no motes of light entered me so I was unsure if that did anything.

Next, I moved on to both of the goblins and decided on just looting them. It was finally time to open my notifications and then take stock of my new loot.

Congratulations you have learned the Ability Danger Sense. EXP has been awarded for learning an Ability without a trainer.

Congratulations Dodge has leveled up. +1 to Dexterity.

Congratulations you have defeated a level 1 Goblin Rider. Increased EXP has been awarded for defeating a higher-tiered opponent.

Congratulations you have defeated a level 2 Giant Leporem Corniger. Increased EXP has been awarded for defeating a higher-tiered opponent.

Congratulations you have defeated a level 2 Giant Leporem Corniger. Increased EXP has been awarded for defeating a higher-tiered opponent.

Congratulations you have defeated a level 2 Goblin Rider. Increased EXP has been awarded for defeating a higher-tiered opponent.

Goal updated: Riders defeated 2/5

Level up!

You have gained +1 to Agility and Dexterity with +3 free stats.

Status

Name: [N/A]

Level:5

Race: Primae Nigrum Sciurus (Primal Black Squirrel)

Health: 25/100

Stamina: 30/100

Mana: 70/170

Strength: 7->9

Agility: 15->16

Dexterity: 20->21

Constitution: 9->10

Intelligence: 17

Wisdom: 18

Skills:

Acrobatics level 2

Analyze level 2

Basic Spear level 1

Cooking level 6

Dodge level 2

Fire Restance level 1

Harvesting level 1

Meditation level 6

Natural Weapons level 2

Pain Resistance level 2

Ranger level 1

Weapons Crafting level:1

Abilities:

Charge level 1

Danger Sense level: 1

Tongues level: 2

Spells:

Flame Breath level: 2

Imbue Natural Weapons level: 2