Starling stared up at their reflection in the black eye-palp of the dead crab creature that was only a hands-breath from their face. They looked tired, dirty, their rugged clothes were looking worn. It had only been about half a day since they arrived here and they looked like they had been through hell.

The blue ichor dripping from the crab was making a hissing noise where it hit the bark and ferns beneath it, not wanting to find out if it was acidic Starling pulled themselves out from under the creature. Once they were clear they looked around for other threats but it seemed all the other crabs in the area had scampered off when this one had let out its death rattle drumming.

Looking at the creature, suspended off the ground by the improvised stake they had taken from the tree, it almost looked like a weird shelter. Legs spread around its body protectively and a space underneath to rest in. With that smell and the possibility of acidic ichor though Starling didn’t want to get too close.

They quickly checked their stats, happy to see that now that the pressure was off and they weren’t channeling skills their Stamina was recovering quickly and their Health at a slower speed.

Looks like Health doesn’t come back like Stamina, probably don’t want to risk tapping it like that again if I can avoid it…

They stood for a second, slightly bent over with their hands on their knees and breathed deeply. Looking at the creature they had just defeated mostly out of pure luck. Coming that close to death, twice in one day, was an eye-opening experience and really showed how dangerous this place could be.

If there are crustaceans that big on land here and those tree elephant things grow that big, what else is out there?

The purple sun had swung low in the horizon, causing weird shadows to stretch over the ferns and the dead crab creature.

Here is a question, does this second sun setting bring out more predators or mark the end of the hunting time for creatures here?

They scanned the area for inspiration and realised the tree-phalants were still huddled in the water, watching Starling warily. Even though their Stamina had recovered, Starlings health was still showing as low, and they felt very weak and shaky on their feet. A sharp thirst rose from deep in their chest now that the immediate threat was gone and without really thinking about it, they staggered over to the waters edge - instincts at least carrying them upstream of the animals - and sank to their knees in the cold refreshing water.

The water was crystal clear, the bed of the river made of long slim green and purple plants that streamered in the current. In general, Starling knew you shouldn’t drink water below the treeline. Anything could have spoiled the water upstream but right now, right now, Starling didn’t care. Their thirst was too strong. Cupping their hands they pulled a handful of water up to their lips and sucked it greedily into their mouth and swallowed. It tasted pure, fresh and delicious. Starling drank handful after handful until their stomach was slightly swollen and sore. A notification popped up after the first drink.

[Fresh Water: HP/Stamina/████ recovery increased while drinking]

Starling grinned, that was great news. If they could set up near a decent water supply they could make sure they stayed healthy.

Hmm, What about still water? I need to find out if water I carry has the same effect.

There was movement and soft trumpeting from the tree-phalants, and one of the medium sized ones gently nudged its way out from the huddle. The other creatures touched it and draped their trunks over it as it moved past them. Starling quickly recognised the large vivid gash across its back and neck, the wound that the tree-crab had inflicted when it jumped on it from ambush. Thick red sap had hardened over the wound, sparkling as though made of crystal in the violet light of the one sun.

The tree-pahalant approached Starling warily, making soft low trumpeting sounds. It stopped a trunks-length away and stepped around Starling, until it was standing between them and the shore. Then it carefully turned around, so that it’s back was to them. Starling realised it was guarding them while they drank, the creature was silently offering its support while they recovered.

Starling let the tension fall from their shoulders, relaxing for the first time since they were resting on the ledge in the sunlight earlier that day. Not everything here was out to get them, the fact that this wounded creature was offering its protection choked them up a little, it was such a small gesture but Starling couldn’t remember anyone doing anything like that before they came here, never mind a strange animal.

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For a second, everything overwhelmed them, sobs came unbidden to their throat and in moments they were crying into their hands. The pressure of surviving, the decision to stay in the tower, the experience that has kept them alive since they got here but was also the catalyst that took them down the road to that fire. It crashed through them like a heavy dark wave and threatened to wash them away in grief and fear. Gasping for breath, wiping tears and snot from their face they tried to calm down, but there was so much to process it was overwhelming.

Starling wasn’t sure how long they stayed there, crouched in the water, crying and gasping for breath. It wasn’t until a gentle, tentative touch on their shoulder shocked them out of their introspection that they came back to themselves. The tree-phalant at the shore had crept closer when they had been crying, and it had reached out to touch them with one of its trunks. It was surprisingly soft, the barklike skin much smoother and more flexible than on its flanks. This close, the creature smelled of moss and wood bark. A fresh smell that went well with the spices on the wind and the sound of the water flowing by.

Starling stood carefully and turned around to face the creature, looking up at it towering over them. The trunk fell from their shoulder as they turned and the tree-phalant made a soft trumpet. It reached out again and awkwardly patted them on the top of the head, trunk heavy and warm as it ruffled their hair. There was a moment of eye contact, Starling finally noticing big sad eyes peering through curtains of lichen around its head. Then it moved away, carefully picking through the water to rejoin the herd, who all reached out to touch it in the same way it had reached for Starling in their moment of need.

It was an experience that they knew they would never ever forget.

They watched it rejoin the herd and felt a strange jealousy grow deep inside them.

That creature clearly belonged there. Its family and friends were there to support it now that it was injured.

Starling felt a growing, overpowering need to move away from this place, from that thought. They took a final sip of water, splashed more over their face and hair, and then started to step back to shore. They needed to find a spot nearby that was safe to build a shelter. Not too close but walking distance. It needed to be somewhere the crabs couldn’t get at them too easily, and they needed to be able to rest without being disturbed or getting into danger.

Not wanting to encounter anymore tree-crabs or tree-phalants Starling moved away from the trampled and obvious routes the herd arrived at the riverside by. Approaching the darker and slightly more foreboding intact forest it became quickly obvious that there were other paths here that maybe weren’t so obvious from their spot above the canopy.

[Skill Level Increased: Wilderness Navigation has reached Novice]

[Primary Attribute: Intelligence]

[Your ability to read the wilderness grows more sophisticated]

New Capabilities:

* Identify natural game trails and commonly used paths

* Recognize intersections of wildlife routes

* Better understanding of terrain influence on movement patterns

* Improved ability to predict likely paths through obstacles

* Basic grasp of territorial boundaries

[Note: Higher Intelligence attribute improves pattern recognition]

[Note: Skill synergizes with Environmental Awareness]

Starling was surprised when the notification appeared, but activated [Wilderness Navigation] and smiled to themselves when the paths they had noticed ahead of them started to glow, marking themselves easy to follow.

Starling ducked into the trees and started to follow a path, trying to aim for a generally uphill direction of travel. The path was easy enough to pass along, with their upgraded [Wilderness Navigation] making it easier to pick through the underbrush. The light was waning, the second sun clearly almost set. Whilst the purple tinged ferns and moss on the trees were

luminescent, Starling was keen to find somewhere to rest before it got much later. They stopped and crouched down, channeling [Environmental Awareness]:

[Dual Skill Activation: Increased Detail Available]

* Basic paths glow (Navigation)

* Recent usage shows as pulses of movement along the paths (Awareness)

* Intersections reveal gathering spots or conflict points

* Territory boundaries become apparent through scent marker locations

* Height clearance shown by broken branches/disturbed foliage

With both skills being activated, Starling felt their Stamina draining at an alarming rate, but the payoff was impressive. The simple trails pulsed with life, showing the directions and giving an indication of size of the last creatures that passed through, like ripples in the air telling the story of each one. Intersections in the path stood out, some pulsing from constant use and others fading away from abandonment. The Stamina drain came from processing all this information, it was overwhelming, but Starling could take it in if they didn’t let it run for too long.

As they examined the web of life this revealed around them, their attention was drawn to a set of tracks unlike the others. Heavy treads broke and crushed the plants rather than passing through them easily. It took Starling a second but they realised these were their tracks, from when they first arrived. They must have woken up much closer to the water than they had anticipated. The clearing they had originally woken up in must be close, maybe it was a safe spot to set up camp?

Making use of their skills, but not letting their Stamina fall below half full, they carefully and quietly moved through the undergrowth, arriving at the clearing from before. The instant recognition was a great feeling, making Starling almost feel like they had arrived home. That only lasted an instant however, before they noticed just how much the clearing had changed since that morning.