What makes you “you?” Is it your body? Your voice? Your home? Your name? If you lost all of them, who would you be? Two humans awaken in a strange forest, their minds now inhabiting the bodies of ordinary animals. As they scramble to survive and hold on to their identities, they quickly discover that the world they've found themselves in is already inhabited, and that they have taken over the bodies of two of its inhabitants. To them, their lives have been upended and their minds have been forced into the incompatible bodies of ordinary animals, and any hope in uncovering the reasons why is shrouded in ancient mysteries. To the natives of this world, however, they are people who had existing lives and responsibilities. People stricken by an affliction of the mind, in need of care and a cure. Or perhaps people who have killed their bodies' original inhabitants and taken their place... Together, they will need to master both their new bodies and the strange powers that allow them to communicate, all while grappling with an alien society and questions no one is prepared to answer. What good is a human mind in a world where humanity doesn't exist? What responsibility do you have to those you've harmed through no fault of your own? Do you even have a right to exist if your existence comes at the cost of others? What will you do about those who claim that you don't? Things you can expect from this book ↓ - Animal Isekai with heavy existential themes - A detailed and considered society in a world without humans. - A defined magic/power system geared towards communication and discovery, not combat. - 3rd Person Limited PoV, multiple main characters - Compassionate and clever MCs. - A fleshed out side cast of native animal characters with unique personalities and motivations. - The cutest pair of squirrel kits you will ever meet. - Occasional interstitial chapters featuring in-universe writing, always relevant to the current events in the story. - Emotions running high. What not to expect: - Power progression. The setting's magic grows through practiced technique and discovered uses, not statistics or unlocks. - The characters to regain human form, as much as they wish they could. - World-ending stakes. The stakes may sometimes be life-or-death, but only for the characters themselves. Updates daily for the first week, then on Mon/Wed/Fri after that.