Lloyd was honestly surprised to find himself alive. He may have been even hoping just a little that some stray bear would find him and make a meal out of his body. But nope, he's alive and kicking.

His body had recovered most of his injuries. Everything was still sore, he just wasn't bleeding. His ankle still hurt, but it was better already. He was a lot happier today. His situation sucked, but he was making the best of it.

He was given an ultimatum. If he wanted to leave anytime soon, he had to either kill Lashley the Satyr or Wozzeck the Woodland Spirit. One of them was the dark magic user. He just didn't know which one. It was an impossible choice for now, but right now he couldn't even do it could he? So why worry about it?

He had one goal and a clear cut route. He wanted to get to his family, but to do that he had to leave, to leave he had to kill, to kill, he had to get stronger. And that's what he'll do. But to get stronger, he had to survive, and by looking at his current campsite, he wouldn't be doing that for long. And so, he packed his things and trekked off, in search of the key to all life on earth: Water.

He hiked for most of the morning before he could hear the river. When he heard the sounds of water crashing, he picked up his pace and ran. He came out of the woods onto a sandy riverbank, at a bend in the river.

He grinned and found the place perfect for his temporary shelter. He dropped his bag and began to work, gathering wood and setting up his camp.. That had taken up the rest of his morning and some of his afternoon.

There wasn't much to it. He had nothing but branches and river rocks to work with. His sleeping was set up next to a fire pit, which wasn't anything but a pile of stick surrounded by rocks. His bag was underneath a makeshift shelter, to be kept out of site. In these nice summer months, he believed he wouldn't need one for himself unless it was raining. After setting everything up, it was time to hunt. Lloyd wasn't feeling the best about throwing himself into danger again, but he couldn't just sit here.

So he left his campsite in search of trouble and it wasn't long before he got what he was looking for.

It was another pack of coyotes, this one smaller. Only about 4 members in all. He activated [Anger] and let his instincts take over. This fight took far less time than the last one, with far less injuries. He was a beast, slashing and ripping them apart. Lost in the madness, he even pinned one down and tore its throat out with his teeth. It was a slaughter.

After the fight was over, his anger subsided and he was able to check his rewards.

[Your Feline qualities have had an affect on your claws! You have gained the skill [Cat Scratch]!

[Your use of your jaws is perplexing for your species. However, you have gained the skill [Bite]!]

[Cat Scratch lvl 1: Your claws are sharper and are able to inflict the [Bleeding] status. There is also a slight chance to inflict [Cat Scratch Fever]. The chances for [Bleeding] and [Cat Scratch Fever] go up as the level increases. Rank D]

[Bite lvl 1: You sink your teeth inter the enemy and rip them apart! The higher this skill, the more bite force! Rank F]

And from the rewards of defeating four [Coyote Beta] he received…...

[Congratulations, you have received the skill [Stalk]]

[Congratulations, you have received the item [Coyote Fur]!

[Congratulations, you have received the item [Coyote Fang]!]

[Stalk lvl 1: You are becoming a master of the art of stalking! You know how to stay silent and keep your distance while knowing the target's whereabouts. Your ex doesn't stand a chance! Disclaimer: Stalking does not mean you're stealthy Rank E]

[Coyote Fur: It's the fur skinned from a coyote, you expecting something different? Rank F]

[Coyote Fang: It's a fang from a coyote, some Native American Wiseman believe it contains mystical properties. Rank F]

[Stat Gains:

Hand-Eye Coordination: 10→ 11]

After this round of notifications followed the usual pain, his claws and teeth felt as if they were burning, and his head was beating like a drum, but soon it was over.

He looked at the items that came out of thin air. After everything that's happened, he's hardly surprised anymore. He grabbed the pelt and slung it over his shoulder and shoved the tooth in his pocket, then went back to hunting.

He managed to kill another small group of them before heading to his campsite. That group only gave him two more teeth and another fur.

This cycle continued for about a week. Lloyd would leave camp early in the morning and come back late in the day. For the most part, he stuck to hunting the coyote packs. He would sniff them out with his sensitive nose, and after finding them, use his [Stalk] skill to follow and wait for an opening. Then when one finally appeared, he capitalized, first attacking with his claws, inflicting the [Bleeding] status, and then finishing them with his teeth.

The coyote packs stopped giving him notifications, except for the skill and Stat increases. He had no more rewards, they were easy for him now. But he still grinned his skills on them. He was growing, and evolving. But so was everything else.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

He noticed the coyotes were getting bigger, stronger, and traveled in bigger groups. One group was so big he was afraid to provoke them. It was one thing to take down a small group of weak animals, it was another to take on a large group with bigger and stronger beasts.

Finally, it got to the point where all the local canines, not just coyotes, had joined paws. They hunted in huge packs, running down any prey they could find. They never went after Lloyd, however, unless he was in their territory and there were a lot of them. That happened three different times, and all three he was able to take one or two and run off. Eventually they just learned not to mess with him, and he returned the favor. If the entire pack came after him, he'd be a goner.

All that hunting and grinding wasn't all for naught, by the time it got to that point, his status looked like this.

[Lloyd Angsley Age: 23 Speciation: Alpha Human Male Current Titles: None Affiliations: None. Affinities: None Talents: None]

[Stats:

Perception: 16 (20) |25|

Reaction: 15 (18.75) |23.4|

Hand-Eye Coordination: 15 (18.75) |23.43|

Agility: 14 |17.5|

Strength:13 |16.25|

Flexibility: 13 |16.25|

Control: 13

Balance: 12 |15|

Regeneration: 11 |13.75|

Intuition: 10]

() indicates buff from [Alpha]

|| indicates buff from [Anger]

[Skills

[Anger lvl 2: While everyone gets angry, you embody it, and with the system's help, weaponize it! When you have the [Angry] status effect, all your known physical stats are increased by 25%. When in an [Angry] state, the body moves faster than the mind and you become more impulsive. With this skill you are more prone to violent outbursts that will give the user the [Angry] status. Mental attacks and debuffs are 12% more effective on you. You can forcefully make yourself angry at the cost of mental energy. Rank C]

[Anger Suppression lvl 1: Since you know how to weaponize your anger, you must also learn how to control it. This skill allows you to remove the [Angry] status at the cost of mental energy. If not removed after some time, the [Angry] status can become [Rage]. Rank E]

[Feline Agility lvl 3: You've become the cat's meow with this skill. This skill boosts all stats that aid your Agility, as well as allowing you to climb things easier and to always land on your feet! Rank B]

[Beastly Instincts lvl 8: Your natural instinct calls out to you strongly. They alert you of danger, of prey and predators and possible opportunities. They can be valuable, but beware, because there could be some unexpected consequences to such strong instincts. The higher your perception related stats, the more accurate your instincts. Rank B]

[Cat-Like Reflexes lvl 5: Your body reacts faster to danger and pleasure. Certain stimuli will gain your attention and cause you to react. You have obtained a weakness to catnip. Rank E]

[Basic Regeneration lvl 2: Your body’s natural healing process is enhanced, but don’t expect to be Wolverine with just the Basic version. Cannot regenerate limbs. Rank D]

[Alpha lvl 1: You are now an Alpha of your species! Being an Alpha grants you a 25% in your top three stats, the C Rank skill [Alpha Aura], and 1 extra Perk point! Other alphas and some strong individuals, will see you as a threat and challenge, others may flock to you. You raise the level of this skill by defeating similar or stronger Alphas or by leading your group effectively. Rank A]

[Alpha Aura lvl 1: You emit an aura of strength that dares others to challenge you or submit to you. This skill levels when the skill [Alpha] does Rank C]

[Beast Claws lvl 7: Claws of a beast extend from your fingertips, about 3 inches. The higher the level, the stronger and sharper they get. Rank F]

[Canine Fangs lvl 6: Your teeth become that of a canine's, and your mouth slightly juts out more. Your face and teeth become more dog-like as this skill level increases. Rank F]

[Enhanced Olfactory Senses lvl 4: Your sense of smell becomes more keen and you can smell from a farther distance. Rank F]

[Cat Scratch lvl 4: Your claws are sharper and are able to inflict the [Bleeding] status. There is also a slight chance to inflict [Cat Scratch Fever]. The chances for [Bleeding] and [Cat Scratch Fever] go up as the level increases. Rank D]

[Bite lvl 6: You sink your teeth into the enemy and rip them apart! The higher this skill, the more bite force! Rank F]

[Stalk lvl 4: You are becoming a master of the art of stalking! You know how to stay silent and keep your distance while knowing the target's whereabouts. Your ex doesn't stand a chance! Disclaimer: Stalking does not mean you're stealthy Rank E]

[Hunting Instinct lvl 3: You have gained the instincts of a true hunter! You've been given the ability to assess your prey accurately and be aware of weaknesses and behaviors. Rank D]

[Tracking lvl 4: You know the signs and scents, and are able to properly find who or what you're looking for. The higher your perception, the better this skill works. Rank E]

Resistances:

Bleeding: 10 %

Weaknesses

[Catnip: When ingesting catnip, you will receive the [Stoned] debuff. Your mental processes are 20% Slower. Your reaction and balance are cut by 50%. Your movement speed is increased by 50%]

His body had changed as well. It became leaner, with muscles to match the explosive speed he could put off. His neck and arms became slightly longer, giving him a gangly appearance. His claws extended to three inches, and his fangs became razor sharp. His mouth jutted out in a dog-like way, giving him fangs better biting capabilities. But the biggest changes were to his mind.

With each level of [Beastly Instincts], he became more comfortable in his changing body. He adapted to his claws and fangs faster, and with [Hunting Instinct] added to that, he started to become a natural killer. He used to feel regret for his circumstances, but then that changed and he ran wild and free. But his mind wasn't fully taken over, he wasn't a beast. He was a man in a beastly body, and the hunting and killing he enjoyed. He felt free. He came home every night to his camp in smiles.

His camp was littered in bones and fur, some picked clean, some not so much. When he began hunting seriously, he also began to eat his kills. Most of the time cooked, but towards the end he enjoyed raw meat just as much. The furs he used as bedding.

After a day of not killing more than two coyotes, he decided it was time to leave his camp in search of new prey. He couldn't do much here anyway unless he was trying to anger the pack and die. So, he grabbed his bag, picked direction and went, sniffing in the air for new smells. He walked for several hours, dodging the patrols of canines, and when lady luck finally blessed him with some action,