Smaller predators of Winter were now prowling. No more than a foot in length. They were white-furred weasels. Omnivorous, but with a preference for meat.
They would attempt to steal food from Bronze. Snatching squirrels, and other burrowed animals Bronze found. The weasels had good claws and sharp teeth. When Bronze would defend his caught meal with a rock or roughly stone-sharpened stick, he would get scraped.
He accumulated such wounds for a few days before the weasels saw him as the Dagger Cat's replacement. He rarely saw them after those days of challenge.
As the Winter days continued to pass. Bronze learned many skills the hard way. How to sharpen stone, sharpen wood, carry embers, and even make rough clothing from whatever animals skins he had. A pair of gloves can go a long way in the cold. He got better at foraging for Winter berries, hunting down burrows to kill hibernating animals.
He even upgraded from squirrels and other rodents as food. He managed to ambush a Prig. A creature in the same family as a pig, but not nearly as fat and much smaller. Which also makes it a fast and jittery creature. Only a little over a foot in length and a third of that in height. It had long legs than a pig, and wider feet. As it migrates to follow Winter.
A bigger meal than anything before, besides the weasels. He laid a few Winter berries as bait and stood still under snow for half a day. Then reached out quickly with an arm to grab the foot of the Prig. Finally, smashing the head with a stone in his right hand. A messy kill, but it worked.
These difficult times did not go without some reward. Bronze has been abandoned with little, and survived near death experiences while only being 4 years old. Quite miraculous.
In the beginning, the other races were gifted powers from the gods. Humans seemingly received nothing. Once those powers were shared with humans, no one thought to look deeper. Stories from the Primal Age were long lost. So humans are thought in the current age to have been given no gifts.
That thought is wrong. For Bronze met the conditions and triggered humanity's gift. Which is not any sort of magical or spiritual power. It is the body. Being human is the gift.
Bronze began to notice changes in himself. The cold stung less. His hunger arrived less often. Thirst too. His senses sharpened quickly. His body control improved. His body strength and durability increased to the point he could kill a Prig with a solid punch to the head. Although he opted to just break the neck with his strength.
Bronze was bewildered at first, but his newfound capabilities gave him confidence. His Winter struggles lessened. As the need for clothing to guard against the cold was reduced to the point he did not need to make any more rough clothing.
As he became the top predator of his little territory. His days had become agreeable. Hunt, eat, sleep, wake up and repeat. This comfortable cycle last nearly the rest of Winter.
Towards the end of Winter, the Prigs had left. Bronze's main food source had left. Now he had to find something else to eat. He had hit all the burrows in his territory. Which meant he had to try and hunt birds or go further into the wilds to find something else to eat.
Bronze had his speculations on why he is getting stronger without mana, or anything else fantastical. Nothing serious though. As he has more pressing concerns and welcomes the strength.
While the Prigs had left. There was also an arrival. First, it was tracks Bronze had discovered.
"6 toes, clawed...", Bronze muttered when he discovered them in the fading snow. He was unfamiliar with the track. He did heavily suspect it to be a predator. For prey usually don't have such claws on their feet.
Then, with the arrival of sundown. He heard the odd howls and barks. As the moon rose and the sun fully disappeared, he felt uneasy around his firepit. Bronze went on guard and within the hour, saw 2 pairs of yellow eyes.
He grabbed a stick from the firepit and raised it in the direction of the eyes. The firelight revealed a short, furry creature that walked on 2 legs. It was a little bit taller than Bronze at 4 feet and 6 inches. It's body was wider and covered in brown fur. It's mouth was full of small serrated teeth with a simian head. Pointed and curved ears that were floppy. Clawed 6 toed feet, and clawed 6 finger hands. Four yellow eyes, stacked on top of each other in pairs. The creature was a Gremkin. A scavenger and loner. Fairly talented in stealth and with a great sense of smell. As a scavenger, it feeds primarily on carrion. However, an easy kill of opportunity will not be passed over. Which is what the Gremkin considered Bronze to be.
The Gremkin was a bit wary of the fire, but ultimately it was too hungry. It disregarded the danger of fire and scurried into a charge at Bronze. He jabbed the burnining end of the stick into the Gremkin's chest, and it broke after impact. This stopped the charge, but the stick was not sharpened and did not pierce. It left a burned mark that was painful.
Bronze followed up with a hard bunch to it's face with a roar. The punch was strong and solid. Cracks could be heard, but it was not Bronze's knuckle bones that cracked. The Gremkin screeched in pain as it's facial bones were completely broken. Bronze continued with his punches, knocking the Gremkin into the shallow snow. He rained down punches on the head. The Gremkin barely struggled, not even leaving defensive scratches on Bronze. It was too shocked by the ferocity and the pain stunned the creature. After 10 seconds, the face was completely caved in with brain matter splattered and leaking from the skull along with a lot of blood.
"Damn monster, thinking I'm weak and small. Not anymore...", Bronze said firmly at the end as he is still excited from the confrontation.
The thought crossed his mind to eat the Gremkin. He let the thought leave his mind.
"I'm not lacking my ways to get food. I'm not eating this disgusting thing.", he muttered surely.
Bronze dragged the body to the fire and used it as fire fuel. This way, the body is disposed of, and put to some use.