Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Attack
With spear in hand, I ventured deeper into the forest. Before long, I noticed that the fauna was completely new to me. There were many plants I didn't recognize, and I wondered how many of them would be useful. Among the trees, I saw several animals, some perched on the branches, and birds flying through the air, but I didn't find any large predators.
After a few hours of exploring, I began to wonder if I had been a bit foolish for not exploring earlier. I didn't find any monsters or large predators, which struck me as odd. I thought that in a forest with so much fauna, I should have already found signs of these or even some tracks. I decided that perhaps it would be best to try hunting something. I wanted to see if I could eat meat, as I had noticed that my teeth were quite similar to human teeth, so I thought that perhaps I could consume meat without a problem.
As I continued exploring, I realized that the forest was much thicker than I had imagined, and it extended for a great distance. However, something caught my eye: I found a section of the forest where nothing was growing. As I got closer, I noticed that the ground was different, and upon closer examination, I discovered that it was a mine exposed to the air. It seemed to be natural, and after some more research, I realized that it was magnetite, which was a great find.
Unfortunately, I couldn't take even a bit with me, as I had no way to transport it. I thought about the possibility of creating a backpack using vines from the trees, but since it was already getting dark, I decided to head back for now.
As I walked back, I noticed sections of damaged trees that I hadn't seen before. The damage was considerable, which made me think that perhaps an animal had caused it. As I continued, I felt my instincts go on alert. Something wasn't right. That feeling of being watched enveloped me completely, and although I tried not to panic, I couldn't shake the sensation that something was watching me.
Suddenly, I was on guard, trying to locate where the gaze was coming from. Within seconds, a large wolf emerged from the trees. Without thinking, I braced myself for the attack. The wolf lunged at me with impressive speed, but with unnatural calm, I managed to maintain my composure and swatted it away with a well-aimed blow from my spear. I tried to keep my distance, but the beast was huge, much larger than I had anticipated. I wasn't sure if I could kill it, but I knew I had to defend myself.
With inexplicable calm, I delivered a blow straight to the wolf's chest, driving the spear into its flesh. The animal fell to the ground, dead. My breathing became labored, but I couldn't relax. If there was a wolf here, the pack couldn't be far away.
I figured I'd better take the carcass. It might be useful. Maybe I could tan its hide for leather or use its parts in some other way. Without thinking much more, I began dragging it away, determined to make the most of this find.