The following days were trying, for me and anything in my immediate vicinity. I from before was not a person to allow himself to be lost in anger. Yet everything annoyed me to hell and back now, and I felt this red bile rising, threatening to explode any moment. And it did. And what a shitshow it was, which brings me to the situation on hand, apologizing to Jim.

“Sorry, pal. I’m not myself these days. Would this selection of the finest snacks and offering of freshwater appease you?”

Jim is not amused at all, and he is still hiding from me in his small house. No wonder since I almost kicked his cage and himself into orbit. I’m throwing fits like some juvenile and then rage when stuff falls apart.

I have way too much energy, but it’s unfocused, and now that I’m still reeling from the latest bitch slap I received...I’m hard to work with. If I did not purposefully trip myself when I realized I’m about to hurt Jim...he and his cage would be a line of rubble from here to the forest.

Am I finally losing it? I wonder if a younger person would have it easier to acclimate. I’m starting to think of myself as an old guy again and feel my mood sinking further.

“How about this. I will try to find you a girl as my way of apology?”

Jim’s hiss does not sound accepting at all. I wince at the furious rebuttal.

“Right, sorry mate...actually, umm, are you a boy or a girl? I don’t want to sound racist...specieist? But I have absolutely no idea how to tell the gender of lizards and reptiles apart.”

I guess Jim must be getting tired or annoyed, or both, he definitely ignores me now.

“Right, so, I will go and see if I can annoy someone else?.”

I sigh as I return to the junkyard that the front of my cave has become. Stuff is scattered around and in most cases, half-broken. Some of the experiments will have to be carried out from the very beginning again.

The next thing on my agenda was to challenge the forest, explore the area, and...you know, do stuff. But that totally fell apart after my spirits were crushed during my visit to the mountain area. I just have that feeling that I will be dealt another spoonful of bitter news if I try.

On the other hand, wilting in front of my cave just turns me into a biting rage ball and Jim almost paid a price.

“What was it, a small step forward every day? Well fuck it, it will explode in my face whatever I would stay or go anyway. Happy thoughts.”

I started to gear myself as if expecting a war. Which will probably happen. A small basket-like backpack got filled with some provisions and water. Several knives in rough wooden sheats on fibrous straps got put on in easy to reach areas on my arms and tights. And then I selected my best spear and trusty club. I’m pretty sure a regular person from before would immediately call cops after seeing me...and paramedics with straight-jackets and nets.

“Now, where to go?”

My feet carried me to the stream as I made a plan for my scouting run. I will be checking my bank of the stream. First I will go upstream, try to follow it up to the mountain area, and see if I am right in my supposition that I’m at some “tip” of the forest, wedged between the stream and mountain.

I stay within the forest as I make my way, staying close to the stream. It curves back and forth but seems to retain a straight line in general. I don’t know how long this part of my adventure lasted but I finally saw some changes. The foliage became much thicker and my speed decreased as I have to check the bushes with my spear and then bulldoze my way through.

This change got me thinking about the late DSS. Did its aura suppress non-mushrooms that much in my area? These days I stopped to question stuff happening around me, at least not that much as I did before.

“On my way back I should check on it and see if it doesn’t plan on grand come back...just in case.”

The new sights rattle me a bit as I, again, am presented with the unknown. Flowers and plants unknown to me make me wary. My spear gets work done with prodding and checking at new discoveries, as I keep everything at length. I’m wary but I do not allow myself to be consumed by fear, might just go back to wilting in my cave otherwise. Let’s just be…’respectful’, yes that’s the word.

This section really starts to feel like a jungle, it’s very thick and...beautiful. As a person who got raised in a concrete jungle, I always appreciated nature. And…

“Oh fuck off.”

I murmur as I wave away an annoying fly, and then an inquiring mosquito. Right, insects. They too are showing up now with a multitude of other small life. The mosquitoes bother me though and the diseases they might carry. The thought of malaria makes me grab and squeeze gently two vials of Cure, dangling on my neck. I really, really hope that my immune system got a boost too.

Stuff gets prodded as I advance. Vines, coiling, and choking some trees make an appearance. I wonder if I can use them but for now, I just file them away. Flowers, great and small are like wild splashes of colors on the green canvas. I even spied what I believe is a frog with bright green scales from a distance, lazing around on great leaves. It got a nod from me and a respectful distance.

The forest suddenly became much sparse and before I know it, I was greeted by the tree line and sounds of splashing water. A small but respectable-sized waterfall fills a...pond? Smallish lake? Which then gets emptied into the stream that I have followed here. I wonder…

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.”

I spy warily the body of water and try to see if anything hides in the depths...which is not great. The movement and shapes lazily swimming inside almost made my mouth frothing with saliva but I hold myself.

Danger assessment comes with a lack of imminent peril. No murlocs, no sahuagins, no deep ones. Those fishes are like none I have ever seen though. Their scales are very pronounced and give them an almost rock skin-like quality. My current spear might be not good for my needs here too. I should think of some specialized fishing spear or even better, a weighted net.

This pond is not great too and I can easily see myself fishing this place into oblivion...maybe I should make more robust walls here and try to raise the water level? Make nets and try to fish farm? Would they like grubs, beetles, and other insects that I don’t eat? Think long-term?

I’m full currently and was able to squash down the call of fried fish. Down boy. It seems I’m correct in my conjectures that this is the very tip, which means it’s time to head back and check the area behind late DSS.

This lucky find will get me something to do in the future but knowing my rotten luck I just know that the hammer is gonna fall soon.

-&-

When I got back to a more familiar section I felt a bit of my tension leaving, which then made me feel ruffled and annoyed at myself for being such a scaredy-cat. Which then made me kick myself for dismissing the dangers. Seriously, this emotional roller coaster is making me look like some raging teen. What was it my Mom said in the past? Young people have absolutely no idea what they want but they are furiously determined to get it? Har, har.

Feeling much braver than before I paid a visit to the late but not missed DSS.

“Huh.”

That was my succinct commentary as I saw that area actually got reclaimed quite vigorously by greenery. I guess this place must have been really suppressed in some funky way because now I can see a raging wave of chlorophyll taking back its due here. And no scary-looking shrooms too, which is very welcome.

Aye, no time procrastinating here.

-&-

The suppressed area behind the DSS lingered much longer than during my way upstream. I decided to keep my journey arrow-straight as I no longer had the stream to guide me. Which made my travel time longer since I had to stop at times and mark trees so I do not lose myself in the jungle. I don’t know how it will go. I carved big and obvious arrows on tree trunks and assembled constructs from sticks showing my way back but I fear the greenery might confuse me.

This and other thoughts fled my mind as I saw slowly opening, scale-lidded, red, slitted eyes of a snake in front of me. I tensed, ready to fight or flee at moment’s notice.

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We entered into a tense standoff and I heard myself mumble.

“Come on fucker, try to take a bite from me.”

To which snake opened its jaw, presenting vicious fangs and...just yawned, closed its eyes, and got back to lazily sunbathe at a rock it was coiled on.

I stare at the snake in incredulity. The very fact that wildlife here can just NOT rush at me in frenzy at the first sight is really making me feel weird. I was really expecting a fight to the death here. And what is this weird feeling of being let down, are you dissing me here?!

I give the snake a wary look. Maybe it’s just messing with me? Seems not, he is definitely sunbathing, the forest canopy has a sizeable clearing here and suns rays bake the rock mercilessly.

Now that I can allow myself to relax a bit, I can say that is one fabulous snake. Its scales reflect light like mirrors. It’s not big, I would call it even regular size for a snake. Was I really expecting everything here to be the monstrous size? And oh damn, those horn-like spurs behind its eyes. They make him look like an angry guy with thick brows. And the...there is a bulge around its length. Ah, that might be it. He is fed and feeling lazy, perfect explanation.

I skirt around the clearing, respectfully keeping my distance. Snake opens its eyes few times and traces me warily but does not move from its spot. Yes, I get it, your rock.

As I progress further, the same slow transformation as before happens. The foliage gets thicker, more and more life presents itself to me. And I even have this feeling that trees tend to get bigger and bigger. I found one with a really thick crown and fat trunk, the area around it clear of other trees save for bushes and undergrowth.

I scanned it with suspicion but nothing stood out. No boas dangled on the branches, no furious buzzing of insects proclaimed a hive’s presence or anything of the sort. Nonplussed, I munched on my lunch and got watered beneath it. I admit I half expected for the bark to part and for the Ent’s face to greet me...or be asked to get the hell off its roots. Happy thoughts.

-&-

The jungle is not uniform. Multitudes of new plants show up from time to time. Foliage is sometimes thick, sometimes not. I must be thinking nonsense, I honestly have no idea how a jungle back home ought to look like.

Interesting new animals were sighted, like for example a weird cross between a rhino beetle and...scarab? That guy had serious armor. I even tried to inject some levity by insinuating making a starlog as in Startrek. But it got boring just as fast.

Which ended up with me being here.

Couple meters from big ass spiderweb built snugly between two trees. It’s solitary, there are no other such webs around, as far as I can see.

I don’t want to antagonize wildlife but I don’t see the owner of this, dazzling construction I might say, but I really need to know the level of danger here.

Taking few more steps back I pick up the smallest pebble I find and then carefully flick it towards the web. It gets stuck as it hits the string and the structure wobbles gently. I wait, ready to fight or flee.

From the fallen, and perhaps hollow, trunk beneath the web a spider erratically climbs on the strings. From this distance, it appears to be dinner plate-sized. Smaller than I expected, bigger than I hoped. Will it jump at me? Spit webs? Venom?

It quickly reaches the pebble. I frown as my expectations are again not met. I thought I will be presented with some ridiculous level of ‘nope’ right away but this guy is actually quite nice looking. It’s definitely not some hairy crawling monstrosity of a tarantula. Its scale armored body is reflective and really gives it a fantasy feel.

I never was too scared of spiders, I was respectful of them as animals who get rid of annoying insects. I never let Sis live down that encounter with a spider in the kitchen. Like some real-life rendition of a cartoon, she was standing on a chair and screaming, pleading for someone to take away a small spider walking on the floor. Like a hero, armed with a piece of paper and a glass cup, I saved the innocent spider from death by slipper, releasing it back in the garden. I could be an ass like that.

Also...in most of those fantasy tales, spider silk was a premium goodie.

I give the web a searching look. I thought of making some clothes. Spinning yarn and such but I have not the faintest how to go about making this stuff from plant matter. Even if I had found flax I still would be stumped on how to proceed. And then waving it into cloth. Those spiderwebs appear to be thick, maybe I should collect some and experiment? I would kill for soft clothing now, not to mention undergarments.

The spider here did not attack me, just fixed a strained section, and then, if my imagination is not messing with me, just shook one leg in my direction as if a closed fist. Sorry but no sorry.

-&-

I gaze on the super-wide trunk of a house-sized tree in front of me in contemplation. Its upper crown is gone and now only thick walls are left. It surely gives baobab trees a run for their money. Beneath, a wall of branches or roots covers it like a thick wall. This could be a potential find for a new home here. It’s really big and appears to be hollow inside.

I still despise sleeping in the cave back in my section of the forest and I think it’s time to find or make a new lodging. This place is rather far away from my cave but damned if I don’t entertain the idea of having a treehouse. The one I made in the past as a kid was the shitty excuse of a disaster waiting to happen.

It also might have some tenants already, better to approach with caution.

As I get closer I can see hollow cavities and splits in the walls, filled with dried branches. I leave my spear and club outside in easy-to-grab positions, just in case. I work my hands and elbows, pushing back dried wood and soon I’m in a maze of roots. I push forward making a straight corridor but don’t hear any furious cries of disturbed animals so I take it as a win.

With last heavy push, I part wood and my face enters the hollow of the tree. Three sets of triangular elongated snouts on long scaled necks rise and face my direction. Ember slitted eyes give me a hungry look.

“Hi?” My voice is somewhere between a sharp intake of breath and a weak choke.

I turn around and bolt back, roots and branches trying to slow me down. Screeches echo behind me and I hear wood being crushed and splintered as three hungry raptors crash into the small passage I made.

A jerk stops my hurried exit and almost makes me fall back. I hear a crunch and feel a pull as the basket on my back gets violently bitten off. Tips of front fangs must have grazed my back because red lines of pain blossom in my mind. Grabbing nearest branches I propel myself forward. Why is this passage so long?!

I think furiously as I breach the dried wall of roots and grab my weapons. Stay and fight? No! They will just encircle me, wear me down. I don’t feel sure taking on one reptile, not to mention three at once! Stay in the passage and go spartan? No! I flee, chased down by shrieks and calls of my pursuers.

I pass the spider’s great web, curving around it, this will definitely not stop them.

Adrenaline bubbles in me and I feel light as I sprint through the forest. What to do?! What to do?! I hear the heavy thuds of footsteps behind me. Hisses and high-pitched calls spur me to run faster.

That’s when I breach greenery and enter the familiar area.

Tree! Big!

I don’t have time to fasten the club and spear, they get tossed on my way to the trunk. I rip two knives and launch myself up the tree. I hit the trunk, not minding I just face-planted, as the first knife bites into the bark. Trying to propel myself upward, my boots scratch the surface.

The hoots and screeches get closer.

The second knife bites and gets wedged in the tree and not too soon, the first one just broke off as my weight pressed it down. My hand gripping it leaves the handle and shoots upward, searching for the lowest branch.

I grab something and I don’t feel assured that it will support my weight or the force of my pull.

I look up, trying to pull up, and...faulty handle of second knife brakes as I try to dislodge it from the tree. My hand leaves it and shoots up in hope of finding support.

I’m dangling on the surface of the trunk with my hands holding two not too big branches, trying to pull myself up. Puffing like a chugging train I strain myself and get a solid hold on a much thicker branch above the first ones.

Something grabs me by my foot, I jerk down and pain explodes. But the sudden burden is gone just as fast.

I scream and pull myself up again, and again, and again…

I sit on the thick log of a branch, hyperventilating. My shaky hands grab the vial with Cure and pour it down my throat. Below, a fucking raptor coughs out a bloodied boot. They start to circle the tree.

They...they don’t follow me up. Thank Go...Thank the Stars!

I exhale shakily and check the bloody mess that is now my foot. It’s bleeding furiously, long gashes travel down. I lost a lot of skin and fucker took a pound off me.

I blink. I have never really looked at how Cure is healing me and I don’t know what to expect. I give a look down but oversized murder chickens are not traveling up. I will domesticate you in the future and laugh as I devour your chicks and hens!

I allow myself to go back to my wounded body. The bleeding...it stopped. Before my disbelieving eyes, the scabs are forming, pleasant warm feeling dispels pain as a miracle happens before me. Scabs crumble just as fast and white-pink flesh starts to fill the gaps. Cells must be multiplying furiously in the...very big numbers, this will not give me cancer, will it? Are those stem cells? Gosh, it’s not important now.

The process is not as fast as it started, I wait a couple, what it felt like at least minutes pass by and I’m left with fresh white-pinkish scars now adorning my...healed foot and ankle.

I exhale again and return to my hunters. They eye me up in the tree and the one which stole my boot is licking its chops with a long split tongue. Seriously, fuck you.

-&-

“I ain’t no dinner you damn chickens! Shoo, go away!”

It was already a couple of, what I think, hours and they are still waiting and circling the tree. Few times they tried to scale it, especially that one that got a taste of me, but thankfully they could not succeed.

I was seriously scared when they tried and they did manage to find purchase with their big hindleg talons and much slimmer but surprisingly long front paws. But their serpentine necks and big jaws did not help them, whatever they grabbed got shredded with claws and talons. Friggin feathered Jurassic-themed xenomorph chickens. At least their tails don’t have harpoon-like tips. I had to relocate a bit higher and at one time, even rip a branch out and furiously poke down, but they got the memo.

They are still here, screeching and flaring their feathery crests. Those guys have seriously a lot of plumage. Their heads have a crown of it, same with arms and sides. They are definitely not raptors as I knew, but this tune is getting old already.

I...I will have to spend a night here, right? Try to wait them out.

I propel myself higher, checking for anything that might suggest danger on this tree. No spiders, no snakes, no insects. I try to make a safe nest or whatever, just strong enough to not let me fall down if I start to move during sleep. I sneak my arms and legs around the most stable spots I could find and await the coming night.