I am running. Innate instinct says, run. Cognition is beyond my grasp. All I know is action. Running, unrelenting, and unstoppable. The branches and bushes yield under the force of my mad dash, leaving behind a trail of scratches and bruises that go unnoticed. A force beckons me forward, drawing me toward the imposing structure that my instincts have always warned me to avoid.

Why do I approach this structure? The wisps of a question are formed, though in feelings and not true logical thoughts. The question is ignored. I simply obey my unspoken commands. Bushes and bramble have stopped scratching against me. My paws hit the ground outside the walls of my first obstacle. I sniff the air, detecting the scent of predators lurking nearby. Yet, I feel neither fear nor the instinct to flee. Odd. I am aware of my destination beyond the wall squashing my fear. This is where I am summoned.

Though my thoughts are rudimentary, instinct and feeling guide me to understand that once I pass through those walls, I must be ready to sprint relentlessly toward my destination, overcoming any obstacle in my path.

However, accessing the interior of the object is not straightforward. Access is closed off to me, no entrance is visible. It presents a puzzle, but I dismiss it. Instinct compels me forward. I make my own path to its interior. I step into the realm beyond space, where darkness reigns, extinguishing all traces of light. Yet, I can see. My time here is always brief, as it has been before. Half-formed flashes of memory assure me that this fleeting moment will suffice. I take four mighty leaps forward before being cast back into normal space.

The sky disappears from view as towering structures and perplexing man-made objects surround me. I have drawn closer to the call of instinct, but time is of the essence. Whispers from the Realmspace warn of looming predators. Though behind a wall, and thus invisible to my eyes, I sense the vast proportions of a colossal being, towering over me. It charges on two legs, treating me as prey. I am not prey.

My will is exhausted and I know I cannot enter Realmspace again, so soon. I must rely on my feline form and heightened agility while I wait to recharge. Digging my claws into the ground. I expect soil, but instead find wooden floor. I gain traction better than usual and swiftly maneuver through the area, eluding any potential captors. With every step, I inch closer to my destination.

A formidable wall obstructs my path. I must find a way beyond this barrier to heed the call of instinct. Another predator, a human, similar yet distinct in scent, stands in my way, believing they can approach undetected while my gaze is elsewhere. It is mistaken. I abruptly change direction, eluding its grasp.

Suddenly, the not-a-wall, door, before me retracts. A perplexing contraption. Another human emerges from its concealed recesses. They multiply like ants, swarming to defend their domain with fervor. The urgency to press forward intensifies within me.

Regrettably, I must diverge from the call of instinct once again to avoid the intruder. As I pass it by, my tail becomes ensnared by its limb, hand. A warmth rises in my chest that is new to me, determination. I will a portion of my tail into the Realmspace, causing the human's grasp to slip.

My will wanes. I know I can no longer physically access Realmspace, even in part. Should capture be imminent, my claws will serve as my last line of defense, though I find myself reluctant to harm another life.

I persist in my relentless run, fueled by exhaustion, covered in bruises, and propelled by an unyielding resolve. Obstacles, manifested as walls, impede my progress toward my ultimate destination. The enigmatic not-walls, doors, continue to confound me with their intricate mechanisms.

Another human obstructs my path. For the first time since entering this realm of predators, a primal growl rumbles in my throat. Despite my clear warning, the human persists, reaching out toward me. I refuse to be seized, opting instead to pounce directly at the human. My claws meet flesh, and the scent of blood fills my nostrils. It is not my prey, a fact I must remind myself. I have a compunction, honor, that tells me not to consume, despite the right of conquest. I flee, as the human emits piercing wails assailing my sensitive ears.

As I draw closer to where instinct calls me, questions begin to fully manifest within me. Who am I? What does it mean to be me? Stirrings of thought awaken within my mind, where once only instinct prevailed. Whatever those thoughts are, I must shove them aside to continue forward, inexorably, as instinct demands.

I take a step, the questions growing harder to ignore as my goal draws nearer. Another step, and a dormant shard deep within my soul begins to call out. Another step, and consciousness burgeons within my mind. I take another step forward. I am. Then, I stop. I know I am less than a few leaps away from my destination, but I find myself stuck in this moment. The realization of selfhood washes over me, shattering my understanding of the world; expanding my scope of comprehension tenfold. I was an insect without eyes that learned to see, learned to hear, and learned to feel. All. At. Once. Awareness overwhelms me.

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Though I am lost in my own blossoming mind, I still notice the presence of another creature coming down the hall, directly in my path. It sits on four legs, as I do, but its similarities end there. Its fur is orange whereas I am furless. Its color is vibrant, whereas mine is deep black. Its tail fluffy whereas mine is slender.

Engulfed within the emergence of my own consciousness, I may have forgotten how to follow instinct’s guidance. I must try to push this, selfhood, away if I am to fall into that old familiar dance of battle. I pounce forward, totally immersing myself in fight. The feeling of claws slicing straight through my foe assures me I have won. Wet blood spreads out on the floor, enveloping my paws.

An attack from behind comes the whispers from Realmspace. I dodge to the right, but my overconfidence stunts my readiness to evade, and I take a small wound to my left flank, where a glancing blow grazes my hide.

The sight of my unscathed foe, fur as pristine as before, reveals its trickery. Clever, frustrating little thing. I sense another attack coming from behind, and I know that once again, I am lost staring at an illusion. I evade once more, this time to the left, and take another glancing blow. My body is already exhausted. My will is battered, my hide bears wounds from both the forest and this skirmish. Regardless, I refuse to fall. Losing here would be infuriating.

As if to challenge my determination, the room around me shifts and rotates. My eyes say the ground has become the ceiling, and dizziness causes my steps to falter. Realmspace whispers to me, no such change in gravity occurred. Logic interjects and I realize that fighting this foe with mundane senses would be foolish. Listening to the call of Realmspace, I close my eyes and finally begin to plan. No longer hindered by the deception of my foe, my legs steady, poise fully back under my control.

Instinct calls me to my destination, but I now realize it is this aspect of myself I must control. Instinct alone will not allow me to defeat my foe. I embrace the changes from my newfound selfhood and use them to strategize. This orange creature thrives on deception, but it is predictable. I will outsmart it. I aim my body toward the manifested illusion of my foe. Realmspace reveals my adversary’s position once more—directly behind me. I flex my muscles and posture towards the illusion at the front, extending my claws and baring my fangs to lend weight to my feint. When the true form of the creature lunges at me from behind, with a crack and a snarl, I twist hard, turning completely around, reaching out with my fangs to latch onto its throat and slam it into the ground.

It whimpers underneath me as I hold it steady, its lifeblood teetering on the brink of release. Victory. Yet, this is a defeated foe: Continuing to fight an already downed opponent is dishonorable. Gradually, I release my grip, allowing it to scurry away.

Now, I stand just a short distance from my destination, yet I am troubled. Until now, my life has been dictated by instinct. I hunted, fled, and slept at the whims of forces beyond my control. A simple life, but not without its merits.

I have changed, evolved—now capable of embracing greater complexities. However, uncertainty lingers. Do I continue on this path? Something tells me that by turning away now, I could return to the simplicity of my prior existence, these moments of selfhood forgotten.

My memories from before are fragmented, simple, and very one-minded. However, within that simplicity, there existed a peacefulness. I did not have to delicately balance thought and instinct against each other. No battle took place choosing one or the other. It felt so easy to fall into that familiar routine dictated by instinct, to seamlessly flow from one action to the next without hesitation or deliberation. My life would surely be easier if I turned back now, no?

But then, what about this new feeling? Honor never held a place within me before. In the primal frenzy of my instinct-driven rampage, I would rip and tear through adversaries without a second thought. Would it not be dishonorable knowing I would return to that if I changed course now?

That tricky fox would have defeated me had I not awakened to selfhood. Can I embrace simplicity knowing that I would intentionally expose myself to greater vulnerability? Though my prior existence did not know thought, it certainly knew anger. The fusion of instinct and anger is a potent force, one that my soul refuses to be enslaved by. This last battle has taught me that to ensure victory, I must use this new tool, selfhood, to overcome obstacles. Otherwise, defeat and frustration surely await me.

Looking back, it should have been obvious. The foe I confronted was never truly before me. The echoes of Realmspace reverberated, whispering the truth. Yet, I succumbed to the allure of the illusion, allowing instinct to override reason.

Today marks the final day instinct controls me, as it bestows upon me its ultimate gift. I take a resolute step forward, towards the call that brought me here to begin with. Something within me, within my soul clicks into place. Selfhood becomes an integral part of my essence, an irreversible transformation. To turn back now would be annihilation. I continue forward and reach a door. A deep rumble begins in my throat, and I experience another novelty, amusement. This object is so simple! I push myself onto my hind legs, placing my front paws on the door handle in front of me. I lean my body weight into the lever. With this clever application of force, the door opens.

Falling back down onto all fours, losing the support of the door, I glance around this new room. I see a few man-objects before my eyes lock straight onto my destination. This is where I am being called. Our eyes meet as we look into the windows of our respective souls. Silently judging one another.

This human, yes, I approve of her. For the third time today, I feel a piece of my soul changing, rushing out to meet her, and in exchange, her soul rushes out to meet mine. Our souls intertwine, looping in on each other with increasing complexity, but the fusion is harmonious, without pain. Instead, I understand that I am home.

I leap forward, but this time without any fangs bared, no claws extended. This girl, Addie, our bond tells me, has her arms outstretched to meet me. I land in her lap, and she squishes me tight. I nuzzle my head into her and relax my battered body.

“I am so, so glad to see you.” Whispers the girl, and to my surprise, I understand her.