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 Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 7:37 pm
A New Companion I'm running through the forest towards the shore of the beach, armed with just a sharpened stick. I can hear a pair of running feet behind me that subtly became two then three. I hear their shrill calls as they snap at me. Finally I break through the tree line and hit the beach.with them still chasing me. I soon see the gully I dug out underneath a boulder and dove into it. The 'shelter' was only big enough for a human, but that's not stopping the trio of Utah raptors. One's able to get it's snout in but can't open it's jaws. I kick and poke it with my makeshift spear. It then starts digging at the hole, pausing here and there to snap at the other two trying to muscle in. Within moments, the raptor is able to fit it's entire head in, barely missing me as I fight even harder, sticking the pointy stick into it's muzzle. It's inching closer before they suddenly stop. The trio lift their heads then turn and run off as if being called away. It takes a moment for my breathing to settle and my heart to calm. Once a few more minutes pass, I sigh in relief and carefully peek out of the hole. When I see no sign of the raptors, I crawl out of the hiding spot and hurry off in fear of them returning. I follow the beach a little ways until I find a small hut made of thatch. It was my very first shelter. I had made it to where I first woke up on this strange land, scared and confused. I was naked and cold. The sounds of waves and animals calming but terrifying at once. That time seems so long ago yet not that long at all. How long has it been? Weeks? Months? Years? I'm still not sure if any of this is real. All the times I've "Died" just to wake up somewhere else as if I'm re-spawning. I don't remember much of my life before this place other than I was a gamer and I loved animals. So much so, I wished to be a paleontologist when I was a child. I was surprised yet thrilled to see species long thought to be extinct. Although some looks nothing like they were illustrated. Nothing that's been happening makes any sense. Sighing, I walk to the shack and gently pushed the door open. How was it still standing? This area has been known for raiders and large animals. Going inside, I found the building empty. Just how I left it. I drop the makeshift satchel and go back outside. Just to the side of the door, I kick the dirt from the remains of the camp fire. Bits of spoiled meat lay among the ash. I winkled up my nose at the smell. Seems like someone had used it after I left. I look around. There's no sight of anyone or anything other than a pair Parasaurolophus and the few dodos. I could see a small herd of Triceratops along the tree line. "At least I will have some warning should something shows up," I say to myself as I start gathering tinder for the fire. It doesn't take me long to get the camp fire going. The flames burning away the rotten meat filled the air with a stomach churning scent. I enter the hut once again to retrieve my spear before heading out to hunt, giving the air time to carry the smell away. The Parasaurolophus eyed me warily as I walk by. I try to make myself look as least threatening as possible. I need them around as warning. They were like zebras, taking off at any sign of danger with a bellow. They soon return to grazing the ferns as I continue on my way. I soon approach one of the dodos. I count five in total, but this one was on it's own, although still within eye shot of the rest. The small bird show no fear of me as I raise my spear. "I'm sorry," I say as I make the quick killing strike to the back of it's skull. I turn my eyes as I fight back tears. To this day, after so many hunting trips, I still cry for my victims. But, I remember what my dad used to tell me. Humans are still animals, thus still on the food chain. The word 'Humane' only exist to make people feel better about killing.He taught me to honor my prey by making it's death quick and not to waste it. Kill to eat and survive. Not kill for fun. Funny how things turned out. I felt so useless, a burden to everyone and I was only useful and helpful in games. Now, I'm surviving, living. I feel one with nature despite all of my "Deaths" I'm learning. I'm still confused as to what's going on, but I'm trying to solve this mystery. I even had a tribe. I know not what happened to them or if I will ever find them again. Reaching down, I gently free my spear and pick up the bird. "I thank you and your death won't be for nothing." Back at camp, I prepare the dodo. The whalers said dodos were nasty birds to eat. Tough, oily. Most had to be eaten raw. I've even found notes on this island to confirm. But the people - others like me who just woke up - told me secrets on how to make the bird's meat tender and tasty. The best way is soaking it in Citronal juice before roasting with Rockarrots and Savoroots with a side of Longrass. Seeing how they resemble lemons, carrots, potatoes and corn, it's pretty much making a lemon roast. The acid in citronal is said to break down the oils and tissue to help the dodo cook better. The longer it soaks, the tender it is and the citrus flavor makes it taste like lemon pepper chicken. In my opinion, it doesn't taste like chicken, but it is close. The other option is make a stuffing/glaze using the berries, including stimberries. The mixture of Azure, Tinto, Amar and Mejo makes the meat sweet while the stim draws the oils. I've used this method before I knew how to grow the more advance crops. I even made my own recipe using the berries most commonly used as a sleeping aid. Narcoberries add more juice. Using a stimberry that is known to wake up the biggest of creature but also used as a drying agent counters the sleeping effects of two Narcoberries when cooking. I set the pot cut out of stone that I had been carrying in my satchel on the fire after filling it with some spring water I had in a waterskin and let it boil and simmer the berries as I skin and prepare the bird. I set the hide, feathers and all aside, propped up to dry out. Once the dodo is cleaned out, I get to work deboning it, glancing at the pot now and then. As soon as the berries become like a paste, I add the meat. It's a long and slow process and night falls by the time I can finally eat The large chunks of meat had adsorbed the paste, turning it dark and purplish. It's not the best looking nor tasting but it's more than what the whalers had when these birds were hunted to extinction. Taking the pot off the fire, I lay the skin closer to the flames, using the left over white berries to help dry it out in a odd tanning method. While doing so, I hear a chirping noise just beyond the flickering light. I quickly reach for my weapon as footsteps draw closer. I soon heard hissing as a Dilophosaurus came to view, it's frill flared. I poise myself, prepared to get blinded by it's venom, but it never shot. The small dinosaur lowers it's frill and sways back and forth, sniffing the air. I shout at it and it scurries away, only to return a few moments later as I begin eating. "Persistent, aren't you?" I ask it as it tilts it's head. Sighing, I toss a piece of my meal to it. The Dilophosaurus hops back and hiss at me before smelling the food. Looking at me once more, it snatches the meat and swallows it, then dares get closer. I toss another piece and it eats it. Still, it draws closer, cocking it's head side to side as if begging for more. This time, I hold out my hand with bits of food and it takes it from me. "I can't believe I'm sharing with a dino that has eaten me so many times." The dilo looks at me as if it understands. I then reach out to pet it. It smells my hand and nudges it with it's snout, allowing me to pet it. It soon moves next to me and curls up like a dog, pressing against me. "The hell?" I say, looking at it as it sleeps "Crazy thing.. Must be a young one." I finish eating and lean back. I gently stroke the quills of the dilo's back and smile softly. For some reason, I felt safe. Somewhat like I did with my tribe before we were attacked and raided. I just hope everyone were okay and safe. I don't know where they 'respawned' or if they even did. I hope we can find each other again. Thinking on such thing, I feel sleep claiming me as my eyes grow heavy then closing. The glow of the red obelisk in the far distance being the last thing I see.
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Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:59 pm
In The Beginning I heard the calming sound of waves crashing onto shore, what sounded like sea gulls cawing and the sound of wind blowing. The scent of salt filled the air. I knew well what all of that meant. I slowly opened my eyes.. My sight was blurry as my head pounded. I could only see colors and wobbled shapes. Groaning, I struggled to put my hands beneath me. My fingers sink into the warm sand as every muscle in my entire body ached until finally, I'm able the plant my feet. I staggered to stand, the warped images clearing. But my head still felt like I had been bludgeoned by a spiked bat. My vision cleared and I place my hand to my head in an attempt to ease the pain and steady myself. The sight before me was something to behold full of shock and awe. Pteranodons soared over the palm trees and water, scooping up Coelacanths as well as other fish in their 'beaks', Parasaurolophus roamed in small herds, tiny flocks of Dodos walking among them. The mammal-like reptiles Moschops and Lystrosaurs were also thrown into the mix, grazing on the palm trees and ferns. A few of the flying reptiles walked on the sandy shore or perched on the large rocks that litters the area. They didn't seem hostel or skittish as one approached me. I gingerly reached my hand out and touch it. It was real. How could this be? All of these animals were of different eras. The Moschops were dated to be 265 million years during the mid-Permian. The Lystros were 250 mil during the late Permian to early Triassic. Parasaur? Late Cretaceous at 76 mil and the Pteranodon dated 86 million years. I still didn't know if I was dreaming or not, but it all felt real. At the sight of all of these wonderful creatures made me think of everything I studied and I was surprised I remembered the dates. The pterosaur reared up after a few moments then takes flight as a Carnotaurus barreled from the tree line just up the hill. The predator's charge made everything scatter. My eyes widened as I begin running with the make-shift herd with the Carno quickly gaining. There was no way I can out-run this thing and if prehistoric predators were anything like modern ones, it would go for the easiest, sizable prey. It didn't pay any mind to the birds and the smaller creatures, passing them or stomping on them. I couldn't keep up with the "duck bills" and I know there's no way in hell I could even think to get away it. My thoughts were instantly interrupted as I felt hot breath from above as the roof of its mouth barred my way. Powerful jaws with sharp teeth snapped shut, crushing me in a heartbeat. All goes black in an excruciating painful second then numbness. I could still hear the Carnotaurus' heavy steps, but it was muffled by another familiar gurgling sound of water along with a blood chilling scream that seemed a mix of human and animal. Before I could ponder rather or not, I'm dead, the soothing sounds of gulls and waves flooded my ears and warmth blanketed my naked body once again as my eyes slowly open. I was back on the beach, but the tree line and surrounding weren't the same. The trees were closer to the shore and denser. "Am I still alive? How?" I asked myself, looking down while feeling my body for blood or puncture marks from the Carno's teeth. There was none. Not even scars. "What's going on? Is this real or am I in Hell?" I then caught sight of a strange, diamond-shaped object implanted into my left wrist. "The hell?" I suddenly heard rustling from the trees as a pack of wolves of five appeared, drawing my attention. One of them has a rider. A man wearing a wolf's head and pelt. Seeing him made me think of a Native American Hunter - At least what I've seen depicted. He stared down at me as his mount padded over to me, circling me. I stood there, scared, With his smirk, I remembered that I was nude. My face flushed as I quickly wrap my arms over my chest and lap in futile attempt to cover up. His mount howled. A large bird soon soared out from the forest to land beside him in a matter of a few moments. Upon landing, 'Large' was an understatement. Its wings spread wide enough to fit three people underneath one wing. My eyes widened in awe. I couldn't hold my inner nerd back. "Is that.. An Argentavis? The largest bird discovered?" I asked as the condor's rider climbed down. Another man. This one is in a handmade ghillie suit. "Yep," he said with a hint of a smile in his voice while slipping a make-shift backpack from his shoulders. Rummaging through the sack, he then passed it to me. I cautiously take it as he reached for his belt, drawing and holding out tools. a metal pick and a metal axe. "You should find these useful." "Thank you," I say while taking the offered tools. I hold everything close to me in modesty as the man remounts the Argentavis. With final wishes of luck, the men departed back into the forest with their pack. ~~|~~ Days quickly turned to weeks and I slowly learned the ways of survival all thanks to the many pangs of hunger, the spasms of thirst, or the piercing of several predators' teeth. I've had lost count to how many times I had lost the tools the men on the great bird and dire wolf. Thankfully, despite my lousy sense of direction, I always found my pack. My luck would soon run out.. I had allied up with a small tribe who offered me to join them, but I wanted to learn how to do it myself. They taught me a lot as we helped each other. One man particular that went by the name of Lucas seemed younger than he was - Although, it is hard to tell since he always wears a mask and hood - kept bringing me dilos and was the one to help me turn my raft into a proper houseboat made out of stone. A far cry from the small thatch hut I made shortly after my encounter with the men on the argy and wolf. Upon my return from sailing to the Snow lands with Fang and Frill, two of the 8 Dilophosaurs the young man gave me for some pelt Lucas has asked for, I saw the two-story base - big enough to house a pair of triceratopses, a small pack of Utahraptors and the other 6 members of my pack - laying in ruin. A larger tribe had attacked, leaving nothing but death and destruction. My eyes went wide at the sight as my sailing companions chirped and hissed, fanning their frills in alarm as the raft approached the shore. Once beached, I quickly hurried over to the ruins with my dilos running at my side, climbing the rubble and debris all while desperately calling their names. "Big daddy! Lucas! Black Hulk!" I screamed, causing my throat to burn. There was no response. All was quiet save for the Ambiant sounds of waves and gulls. Tears welled up in my eyes at the sight of the bodies of animals I helped tame and raise alongside the bodies of the tribe members. Frill and Fang both shared my pain as they call out in shrill cries for their younger pack mates that lay motionless. Some of the corpses were riddled with bullets, arrows and makeshift spears while others bare burns from rockets impacting the walls. A few even had arrows and spears lodged in their eyes or large chucks missing as if bitten by something larger than a rex. These poor creatures suffered greatly for what? Territory? Supplies? Show of power? They and their humans didn't deserve this. I struggled to breath at the carnage. I wanted to scream and throw up all at once as my mind raced, taking everything I have not to. I suddenly heard a faint groan following a whispering of my name. "Lucas?" I called out in a questioning tone to the familiar voice, searching for him. Moving broken stones and wood, I soon found the young man, half buried and still wearing his mask. "Lucas! What happened?" I ask, trying to free him. I push and pull with all my might. Nothing budged. His voice is barely above a whisper, his breathing shallow and gurgling as he explains. "Three clans... MGX were first... Than us... No one's respawning." "Wha-?" I look down at him in shock and horror, getting a better look at his blood-soaked clothes. "What do you mean we're not respawning? We always wake up." He slowly shook his head. "If they are... They're not coming back here..." His gaze turns towards the bay doors at the far side of the base that remained standing before his entire body goes limp. "Lucas?" I gently shake him. "Lucas, please! Lucas!" I placed my ear to his chest. There's nothing. No heartbeat or breathing. My body starts trembling as I break down, silently vowing to find him and his tribe again if they woke up elsewhere. A nudge from Fang made me lift my head up to find Frill cooing and tilting his head at the damaged bay doors, behind the corpse of the trike. I slowly stood and walked over to the area to check it out. Every fiber of my being felt battered and numb with loss. That was - at least a little bit - until I spot a Lystrosaur huddling against the stone wall, hidden away from sight. The only survivor of the onslaught. "Kubone?" I dared to ask, my breath caught in my throat. The little mammal-like reptile looked at me as if recognizing my voice or knowing her own name. I smiled as tears began to flow again. In a hurry, I clambered over the trike and scooped up the tiny creature. "You're alive!" In my arms, Kubone nestled her face in my hair all the, making a soft grunting noise. I carried the lystro like a child, holder her tightly as I made my way to the boathouse. Once on board, I placed her down by the cooking fire. I light the still smoldering embers to keep her warm and walked over to the table where the mortar and pestles rest. Taking the water skin from my belt, I cleaned out the residue of the narcotics and spark powder before filling one of the bowls with water and the other with berries I had stored in the preserving bin. I set both on the floor and Kubone happily accepted, nearly spilling the dishes in hunger and thirst. After moments of watching, I pat her head and stood. Fang and Frill watched me, trilling softly. "You two stay here," I tell them, petting their heads as I gathered my tools and return to base to scavenge all I can before setting sail once again, in hopes of never returning to this island.
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 2:28 pm
The Search Continues The light of the morning sun awakens me. I rub my eyes and feels something against my hip. Looking down, I see the dilophosaur from the night before, sleeping soundly. I smile softly, remembering the pack I once had at my side so long ago as I gently place my hand on it's back, stroking it's quills. Now that I have the light of day instead of the orange glow of the camp fire, I see it's body is a forest green with orange quills. I gently fan out it's frill to see orange and blue. Each individual has their own colors to set themselves apart, but they still seem to thrive on the same logic as the animals back home. Both genders are colorful, but males tend to be brighter. "So, you're a boy, huh?" I ask it as it sleeps. I look out over the cliff towards the red obelisk, listening to the faint roar of the 8-foot tall water that flows into the stream behind my camp. The view is gorgeous. Grass lands stretch out for as far the eye can see before ending at the ocean. Looking back around the hut, up the hill from the plateau, three natural stone spires jut up from the ground like claws, ready to close on whatever or whoever stands in their center. An interesting contrast against the tree line of the Redwood forest from which I escaped after being chased by utahraptors. Just West of those, basalt columns stand tall, signifying what everyone dubbed The Scar, a deep trench to the planet's core - If this place truly is a planet - where great creatures of myth dwell. Wyverns! Reptilian-like beasts that stands 14-feet tall and 43-feet long from tip of nose to tip of tail with wings for arms. Similar to a bat. Their elements determines their facial structure. Acids look more snake like with a forked tongue, where as the lightnings have a narrower face and the fires have a stronger, dragonic appearance. Tribes continue to risk their lives and tames to get a chance to snatch an egg from these fearsome beings. Some succeed to raise them as their own, others fall to teeth or more painful ways. A few of the fallen are lucky enough to wake up in their bed or else where.. From my experience, the survivors seem to lose the "Respawn" ability the longer they stay here, as if what or whomever is running the place is a parent taking off the training wheel from their kid's bike. I just hope my tribe still lives after the war and the destruction the three towers caused, since I don't know if they are the lucky few. I don't even know I am anymore. There are a few places we had set up to meet in case something were to happen. One of such places is our alliance. Rubber Bandits was what they called themselves and they were the reason why I became a Lost Wolf.. God, that seems so long ago. With a deep breath, I scoop up my pack and spear as I stand. I begin walking away, picking the best path down the steep hill when I hear chatter. Looking back, I see the dilophosaur staring at me, swaying and cooing as if awaiting my permission to follow. I pat my hip. "Come on, boy." He lifts his head, fanning his frill while chirping before running to walk by my side. ~~|~~ A mixed herd of triceratops and pachyrhinosaurs with a few parasaurolophus browsed the shrubs that grew in the field below the plateau. They watch us warily as we make our way by, giving them their space so they didn't feel threatened. One of the trikes even does a mock charge at us, scaring the dilophosaur. Keeping the 800 pound creature close to me, we give the ceratopsians wider space as the parasaurolophus are ready to flee. The group reminds me of zebras among cape buffalo or elephants carefully watching a pride of lions walk by. The trikes soon settles down a bit, but a young male pachyrhino charges with a snort. The dilo and I quicken our steps until we are clear of them. Looking back at the herd as they settle down, I readjust my pack. "Guess they got impatient." I turn my gaze back to the dilophosaurus that's nearly tall enough to stare me in the eyes. The 5 foot creature only a few inches shorter than I am. He chirps at me as we continue on our way. We followed the shore East, the grasslands merge with sandy beaches that abruptly ends in a basalt cliff with a path at the base that went on for hours before splitting, allowing the sea water to flow into a tall, yet shallow cave. There was once a base here belong to a tribe named Magic. Large metal behemoth gates had blocked the cave's entrance, painted black and grey to blend in. Now, all that remains is a twisted frame. My heart stops as I think of the worst scenario. As I draw closer to the water's edge, I hear nothing but the sounds of waves. Further across, the water's deep enough to swim a few feet down before touching bottom. I peer inside the cave and my heart sinks. In the darkness, the waves gently crash against silhouettes of what used to be support columns of a stable/loading docks. Everything else must have gotten swept away. With a heavy heart, I motion for the dilo to follow as I finish swimming across. Once on dry land, I wait for my companion until he's at my side, shaking water off like a dog. Running my hand over his head and down his back, I continue along the path. ~~|~~ The basalt stretch for miles before meeting white sand. I'm almost there. My legs ache from walking for hours. God or whomever is listening, I pray Rubber Bandits are here. I pray my clan is safe with them. Once I reach the bend in the path, my heart sinks. I see nothing but clear beaches dotted with pillars of freshly cut wood and scavenged stone from the once 7 story base. All that remains of Bandits' place is the stone flooring and some broken walls. My grip on my gear weakens and my spear and bag falls to the ground. It's all gone... This place was supposed to be indestructible, be it nature or waring clans. Here, there's nothing left. Picked clean and already being reclaimed by the ecosystem. It takes me a while to process the scenery as I scout the ruins. Rummaging the rubble, a moschops lifts it's head to swallow a small lizard. I watch in awe as I slowly take a knee to study the 8 foot long mammal-like reptile. I've seen them countless of times, but this is the first I've seen one eat. All of the reference books regarding prehistoric creatures had them being herbivores. This little guy seems to be an omnivore. Perhaps opportunistic? A nudge pulls me out of my trance. The dilo is sniffing the air. I look up at the sky and see clouds forming. My gaze returns to my companion, my hand gliding down his back. "Guess we're spending the night here, buddy?" He chirps and I turn to gather my things before going about making a shelter for the storm out of the ruins. Deciding to hide out in the metal boat that rests on it's side like a toy further along the shore towards another redwood forest that surrounds Red Tower. ~~|~~ Rain starts pouring about an hour after we arrived. Bandits knew what they were doing while building this fishing boat. Even though, it was on it's side, it was still spacious, easy to maneuver and structurally sound. If only I can turn it right side up and get it out to sea. Oh well. it is a nice shelter, none the less, the wind muffled howling along with the rhythmic drumming of rain drops is soothing. Laying on my side atop tattered furs turned blankets I had found, the dilo is curled up against me, fast asleep. Feels like he was someone's pet, but I can't say for sure. Maybe he just sees me as a pack member? While I was setting up in this shelter, he had ran off only to return with a ichthyornis dangling from his maw. The toothed seabird is small, no bigger than a modern seagull. I took the bird, dressed it out and cooked it. It tasted like oddly like duck without having to use berries and I shared most of it to the dilo. I watch the dinosaur's sides raise and fall in his sleep, trying to think of a name for him. I soon find myself being lulled by the rain until I let sleep take me. If the storm allows us, we have a long journey in the morning. There are still two more places that were our meet-up spots. There is still hope..
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Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2018 1:03 pm
Entering the Wolves Den. A day out at sea after rescuing the Lystro from the ruins and the waves were calm and the sky wass clear. Ichthyosaurs, dolphin-like reptiles glided and played at the bow of the boathouse. Fang and Frill hung their heads over the edge as Kubone stood on her stubby hind legs, struggling to see the passive marine life. I walked over and picked up the lystro, holding her close while letting her watch. Suddenly, the dilos gave out a warning hiss just as something big hits the boat. It took everything to hang on to Kubone and keep my balance. I quickly set the lystrosaurus down safely just as the boat gets hit more violently than the last, causing the boat to nearly capsize. I fell to the floor before scrambling up the ladder to adjust the sail. From my vantage point, I could see the culprit as its back cuts through the surface of the water. A Leedsichthys. These 30 plus foot bonefish were normally passive filter-feeders, slowly cruising while feeding on plankton. Very much similar to a whale shark or a humpback whale. But, for some reason, they get aggressive with boats and rafts. I scrambled to get the sail turned to catch wind, but the fish was much faster and hits the boat again, flipping it and shattering it. The animals and I ended up in the ocean. It took me a second to snap out of the daze and swim up to the surface. "Ku! Frill! Fang!" I called frantically. I heard chirps from a dilo and swam towards it just for the head and spine of the leed to breach, mouth open. It grabbed the remains of the boathouse and bites down while submerging. With a loud crunch, the fish was gone, leaving splinters in its wake. Even the ichthies were nowhere to be seen. I hear chirps again as Fang swims over to me. I wrap my arm around her, trying to help her stay afloat as I called out again. Nothing but soft splashing of the waves. I looked at Fang before moving my arm and talking a deep breath, diving down to see if I could find the lystro and dilo. The water was surprisingly clear but no sign of them, all around or down. Just fish and a few rays. Off in the distance, I spotted silhouettes of sharks. I swam up to the surface and scanned around for something to climb on, knowing the splashing will draw their attention. I found what looked like a partial wall and helped guide Fang over to it, doing my best to hoist the 800-pound creature up. The dilo thrashed, making things harder, but she managed to pull herself up on the wood and shakes the water off. I hauled myself up next. The wall threatened to tip but, it holds. I sighed and laid on my back, exhausted. My heart pounding. We weren't safe but, it gave us a few moments of reprieve. I heard Fang chirping the same way she did back at the ruined base. My gaze shifted over to her to see her swaying. The mournful cries suddenly turned to warning calls. Checking out the wreckage, the sharks nudged the broken wood and other floating debris. One tilted on its side while bringing its head out of the water as if getting a better look. I stared in awe. People say these sharks are megalodons but, they're smaller than what I remember reading about them. Watching the one before me, it looks roughly the size of a great white. Something was off though. Their markings and colors are different than any shark I know. A lot of the animals in this place seemed off from what was known or theorized. My thoughts were interrupted by the wall rocking. Another shark had come up from behind and hit it. Fang crouched down to try to keep her balance as I tried to even out my weight. There was a moment of silence as more and more sharks showed up. More and more, they started hitting the make-shift floatation, threatening to throw us until it finally does. We both ended up back into the ocean. I scrambled to the surface in time to see Fang get snatched by a shark halfway up, releasing a cloud of blood. Watching the scene felt like my heart was ripped from my chest again. But I didn't have a chance to mourn. One came at me from the side. I was somehow able dodge to the side, shoving my hand off its snout and quickly jabbed it in the gills. It swam off for another to come up behind me. Sharp, jagged teeth tears through my flesh and I let out a gargled scream, causing my lungs to fill with water. I punched again as the creature shakes me like a rag before the lump of flesh that was my leg rips free from my body. Then another set of jaws closed around my arm up to my collar bone and all went dark. ~~|~~ I woke up to a gentle nudge of a megaloceros stag, more commonly known as an Irish Elk. I slowly got to my feet, feeling faint pain in my right leg and right collar bone and back. I gingerly reached out to touch the dear, but the stag casually walked away towards his herd of does grazing a few meters away up the hill. I watched them for a moment then take in my surroundings. I was in a redwood forest. Looking up, I saw the tip of the red tower. "Damn it. I'm back here? Damn fish..." My mind went to my pack and my eyes started tearing up, but I forced them back and began walking away from the obelisk. I heard a roar from above. Looking up, I was met with claws and teeth as a Thylacoleo - Marsupial lion - lands atop me from its perch on the giant tree. Fangs shred through my arm as I brought it up to defend myself. Teeth sink down to the bone and snapping the ulna. I cried out in pain as I beat on the 260-pound beast with my free hand. The marsupial released my arm and hopped back, rearing up on its hind legs like a kangaroo then sprung forward all in a matter of heartbeats. I held my mangled arm close to my chest as I tried to scramble away. Just as the thyla lounged, a net fan out above my head, snaring the animal. Hands were suddenly on me, dragging me back while two men rushed past me to secure the beast. "I got you!" I heard the one pulling me onto a make-shift stretcher. I felt heavy and cold from the shock and blood loss, slowly fading into darkness. ~~|~~ I woke up with a jolt in a bed full of furs. Excruciating pain shot up from my tattered arm. I gazed down to find it wrapped in linen and a sling. "Good. You're awake," says the same voice from the forest. I jumped and turned my head in its direction. A short, muscular man held up his hands. "Easy now. You're going to tear your stitches." "Where am I?" I asked as he approached, trying to be as nonthreatening as possible. "The Rubber Bandits' base. I'm Mikey. I'll be back with the doc." He nodded his head slightly with a soft smile as if asking my permission. Once I nod in understanding, he walked out of the room. I looked back down to my arm and tried wigging my fingers. They moved, but more pain shot up my arm. With a sigh, I decided to take in surroundings. The stone room was a decent size. A wardrobe-looking cabinet stood against the wall by the door. A table and chair were opposite of the bed with a mannequin wearing armor in the corner. Other than that, the room was rather empty. It was well lit though with a large, glass window opposite of the door. Sliding out of bed, my feet touched something soft. I glanced down to see a shag rug made of sheep's wool. With a soft chuckle, I stepped towards the window. The view was surprisingly pretty. Below the window was a white sandy beach stretching a little way to the base of a hill that seemed to curve around to the left as if cupping the beach. Atop the hill was.... "A lighthouse?" I murmured to myself. I didn't remember seeing a lighthouse before. The door creaked open, drawing my attention. Mikey walked in with a man wearing a wolf head as a hood. "You?" The man chuckled. "Nice to see you, too." "Great! You two know each other!" Mikey clapped his hands together before motioning towards the bed. I sat down on said bed as the man untied the sling. I winced in pain. He glanced at me while he worked on the bandages. "I never thought nursing school would come in handy." "Thought you were a doctor?" I asked through gritted ******** no! I was an EMT. I just started studying nursing a few months before waking up on a beach. But I guess I'm the closest thing to a doctor in this giant a** snow globe." "Snow globe?" I gave him a questioning expression. "You never noticed the barrier out at sea?
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