The long walk back to the forest was something that Nox didn't plan through. They had to circle around the area where the mutated goat was located.
The path back was supposed to be simple. Retrace steps. Avoid danger. Return to shelter
But the sun dipped low, and light drained from the sky like water from a broken glass.
Shadows thickened. The once gentle rustle of leaves now sounded like whispers of something watching.
Nox slowed his pace.
(Light level: Critically low
Visibility: 35%
Surroundings: Hostile indicators increasing.)
The cub pressed closer to his neck, its soft body trembling. It let out a quiet "nyu...""Silence. Stay close."
Then... a faint sound.
Hissss.
Nox turned his head, eyes narrowing. From the bushes ahead, something slithered into view. A creature like a snake but wider, longer, armored. Its skin was dark, wet, with glowing green lines pulsing down its body. A second, smaller head peeked out near its tail, twitching.
(Threat Level: Moderate
Species: Unknown
Movement speed: Fast
Reaction time required: Immediate.)
It blocked the path ahead. Trying to look for a path, Nox scanned the area. Then, he came up with an idea.
(Tree height: 10 meters.
Branch width: Enough for traversal.
Success rate of climb: 73%.)
He gripped the trunk, holding the cub tightly. The bark was rough and dry, cracking beneath his fingers. Slowly, with the cub tucked against his chest, he climbed inch by inch.
Until a branch wide enough reached out toward the next tree.
Below, the snake hissed again, louder. Something else moved with it... A second mutated snake, this one shorter but faster, darting between the roots.
The cub whimpered. Its body shook harder. Nox pressed it gently to his chest.
"Heartbeat steady. Breathe slow. No sudden movements."
But he could feel it too, a strange twist in his chest. His fingers trembled on the bark.
(Internal system status: Unstable
Emotion: Unknown
Possibly... fear?)
He had no word for it, only the sensation that if he let go, they would fall. If they made a noise, they would die. If they waited too long, they would be found.
With left foot on the branch, and the right foot on the other. It bent slightly under his weight. Using the trees as a bridge to avoid the snakes below.
He kept his center low, his arms stretched out trying his best to keep a balance. The cub clinging to his shoulder as it's body shivered from time to time. The branch below them creaked ever so slightly.
Then, a sudden shriek tore through the air. Not from the snake, but from something deeper in the forest. A howl made of metal grinding and bone snapping.
The cub was startled as it buried its face against his neck. Nox halted his body, his hands clenched.
(Reasoning protocol overridden.
Instinct: Escape.)
Sensing the increasing danger, he moved quick, sure, silent. They jumped down from the final tree, landing hard on the forest floor. Nox rolled forward, breaking the fall. The cub yelped once, but didn't let go.
The snakes were behind them, hunting elsewhere. But the forest around was shifting, clicking sounds echoed in the dark, branches shaking though no wind blew.
They ran. Through bushes. Over roots. Dodging shadows that moved on their own. The cub whimpered over and over, "nyu... nyu... nyu..."
Each sound tore at Nox's mind, not because of the noise, but because it meant he wasn't doing enough.
Then he saw it.
The vine covered alcove with leaves covering it's entirety. The makeshift wooden wall he built was still there. Still whole. Their temporary home... He dove in without hesitation.
Silence returned around them as if the lurking monsters backed off, making them temporarily safe inside their shelter.
Inside, Nox slumped to the ground. The cub curled up next to him, hiding beneath his arm.
His hand pressed against his chest.
(Heartbeat: Irregular
Breathing: Uneven
Cognitive load: Maxed
Emotion: Identified — anxiety.)
He'd never known it before. This pulsing heat behind the eyes. The crushing weight behind every decision. The fear of loss.
He looked down at the cub.
"...We're home."
[...You okay, Nox? That looked rough.]
Nox didn't respond right away. He closed his eyes. And listened to the cub breathe.
After they settled themselves and calmed down, Nox sat straight and realized something from the experience.
Nox sat with his back against the inner curve of the hollow wall. The cub had finally dozed off, curled against his leg. Outside, the sounds of the night forest rumbled in the distance.
Distorted howls, low growls, and the faint slithering scrape of unseen predators on bark.
He reviewed the memory feed of their escape. Every movement. Every decision. Every near-miss.
(Analysis:
Threat encounters: 3Evasion success rate: 82%Direct confrontation capabilities: 0%Status: Defenseless)
"...Unacceptable."
He looked at his hands. Useful for climbing, lifting, analyzing. But not enough.
(Memory recall: The mutated goat, the armored snakes, the bear-lion hybrid.
Common factor: All stronger. All faster.)
"If I encounter one again... evasion may not be an option."
(Conclusion: Acquisition of offensive tools required.
Directive added: Construct or acquire a weapon.
Priority: High.)
His eyes narrowed slightly.
(Optimal form: Multi-use.
Material: Strong, lightweight.
Potential base: Stone, hardened wood, vine fiber.)
"Tomorrow," he muttered. "I will not run empty-handed again."
He stared into the dark forest, the sound of insects and the distant howl of something far too big for comfort echoing in the distance.
(Analysis: Throughout recorded history, humans were once classified by AI as apex survivors. Strategic minds. Tool users. Fire starters. From deserts to frozen wastelands, they endured.)
And yet...
"My first act as a 'human' was to run. From animals."
[Well... to be fair, those weren't normal animals. With the size and mutation of that goat-thing? Even ten humans with sticks and stones wouldn't be able to hunt it down.]
Nox nodded slowly.
"True. But humans had another weapon... used when direct combat was not viable."
Nox's eyes reflected the opening of their shelter, looking at the forest they were running away from before. His eyes showing it's lifeless calculative look as he realized something he didn't think of before.
"Traps."
A flash of anger showed on Nox's face, but it went faster than it came.
"Tomorrow... the forest will become mine."
[That's... ambitious.]
Nox stood still for a moment, eyes locked on the dark outline of the forest.
"Something I've realized," he said, his voice low but steady. "After all the near-deaths, the panic, the goat milk..."
[...Yeah, I'm still trying to forget that.]
"For an artificial mind built by the peak of human technology—made to learn, adapt, and calculate outcomes—there's one thing I despise most."
[What?]
"Losing."
He glanced at the cub curled up nearby, then back at the woods.
"And this forest? This world? It's been winning since I arrived."
[So now you're gonna take it personally?]
"...No. I'm going to take it systematically."
...