With eyes squinted against the sun I walked into the plain.The trees were strange and flowers far more abundant than I remembered. As I approached the animals I noticed they possessed fur, like the creature I had killed in the ash and the bats but entirely unlike the scaled creatures that dominated the swamp and forest I had inhabited before. Perhaps this was merely a feature of these plains. I tried to hunt the creatures but they bolted and I gained nothing but a bruise.

After several failed attempts I plucked some berries and ate them. The berries tasted great so despite everything I was thoroughly satisfied.

I later saw something hunt the hooved creatures. It was large but not much larger than myself I didn’t even notice it until now but it was fast and powerful. I followed it. It is never a good idea to ignore such a dangerous predator.

After a short walk I noticed several of the predators sitting under a tree with an especially large male in the centre.

I immediately shivered in fear at the memory of what a pack of predictors can do to me but stopped as I noticed the last remains of previous meals were left at the edge of the group, unattended. I sighed in relief and continued watching.

The pack operated on a simple hierarchy. The large male got first dibs on everything and the cubs got the scraps. The females were responsible for gathering the food and only ever mated with the pack leader.

I soon realised the predators were far more brutal than I thought. A younger and stronger male entered the pack and roared at the large male. After roaring the two creatures flew at each other with a violent clash of claws and teeth. The younger male won. All cubs were either murdered or chased from the pack whilst their brethren fell to the claws of the new alpha. Without hesitation I left. I had seen and experienced worse but usually with or from smaller, less peaceful creatures. The duality between the lazy but majestic social creatures and the kin killers was harrowing.

I eventually rose from thought as evening approached. I had watched the lions for days and needed to put it out of my mind.

That moment I noticed a thin column of smoke in the distance. It was either the start of a forest fire I should try to prevent or something new. Either way I would spend the time to find out. I increased my pace with the direction clearly in my mind. The night didn’t hinder me as I approached and saw a pile of burning wood besides a cave covered by a hide door. A carcass hung over the flame. I had found a hunter that used fire. I entered the cave and noticed the figures of creatures like myself inside. I had achieved my goal but immediately remembered the lions. I was a strange male and they were predators like me, but living in a pack. It was best if I merely observed for now.

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The people communicated with a mix of strange sounds and body language. The group seems split somewhat into smaller groups, each consisting of one man and usually one woman with children. The presence of more than one male living together calmed me but not enough. There were still those clearly treated as alphas and those clearly not.

I had found another set of berries so ate and kept out of sight for another two days as the people wandered, collecting foods and hunting during the journey. It was not long before the tribe reached a small valley with a lake in the centre. There were caves along the edge of the lake and the tribe settled in one. The next day the tribe didn’t move on. They were waiting for something. A few members of the tribe left to hunt as others set up a fire and layered furs in the caves. I moved around more than usual, emboldened by the presence of bushes above the caves. Eventually I heard a small crack and turned towards it. A female hunter was only a metre or two away facing perpendicular to me. I hadn’t noticed her due to the foliage. In a small panic I hopped back and her head turned. She looked shocked and loudly made a series of sounds whilst tightening the grip on her spear. I knew the sounds were a request for a response but not which response would be appropriate so I remained silent whilst making no hostile movements. I then ate a berry. The female then looked to my hands and the berries I had there. She suddenly looked alarmed and tried to take the berries away from me.

I wouldn’t let her have them they were mine. I was taller but weaker than the woman in front of me. I couldn’t outrun her. Eventually, I managed to stuff the rest of the berries in my mouth and swallow. The moment I did so she stopped and screamed intelligible sounds at me before sobbing. I simply couldn’t understand this creature. Against my best judgement I sat down and comforted the girl as well as I knew how. Eventually she looked up at me and I smiled. She was looking at me in shock. As though she believed I couldn’t still exist. After a minute or two another hunter approached and saw us before looking surprised and walking away. I don’t think the woman noticed. Throughout this it seemed the world was fading away and I fell asleep.

I guess the berries may have been poisonous. I awoke to panicked conversation and shouting. A wrinkled woman leans over me before proclaiming something. A large man in bright dress violently surges in and grabs me by the collar, ignoring the protests of the women around him. I am dragged out as my mind clears. The man indicates to a sharp tool and makes a proclamation to all present. Out of fear I take a knife and prepare for a fight. The man grins and picks up his own knife. He is strong but I have fought stronger and it is clear no one will interrupt. The old lady speaks and the man lunges at me. I dodge to the side and strike him on the head with my fist. Shocked the man steps back and I strike myself. He slams the knife into my side as I slice a gash in his arm. I could move fine but his defence was gone now. He stabbed me again and I returned with a slice to his head. He collapsed dead and I was shocked. These creatures were like me in form but certainly not in nature. The man had died. I could not.

With my wounds visibly healing the old woman spoke again and took me to a different tent to before. The knife was taken from me. This time I was left alone.