Well, we had a good chat, the furball and I. And by a good chat, I mean that I gesticulated the best a dino can to convey meaning. By the end of our speechless conversation, it was understood that for some reason, this little fluffer had brought me the wings as… an apology? Maybe?

I liked to think of it as a tribute to my greatness, though. Either that, or he was just too scared to stop me from eating them.

Well anyway, I snacked hard on the wings. They were just as good as I’d hoped! In fact, they might’ve been even better than I was expecting.

Was this… spice?

Did they naturally taste spicy or did that furball do something to them for this effect?

Either way, I crunched down on the juicy meat, tearing it from the bone easily, and feasted ravenously.

And I got a nice little notification, too!

You’ve gained 4,325 experience.

My mouth and eyes went wide, and I dropped the wing I was chewing on in shock.

Um… pardon me, magic boxes… One more time?

You’ve gained 4,325 experience.

Oh… okay… So then it was correct, I guess…

Not one to look a gift gift in the mouth, I read the next notification. That one sent a surge of happiness bursting through my chest.

Congratulations! You have leveled up! X7

You are now level 15!

I was in complete shock. Nothing. Absolutely nothing had given me that much experience yet in this world.

Is this gorlen secretly a master chef??

Impossible.

Then… were these things really that strong?!?!

What the hell was capable of slaughtering them in a flash, leaving only their wings laying there on the ground?

Speaking of which…

I turned to look at the furball.

You…

Placing a hand on his shoulder, and causing the creature to flinch, I nodded thankfully.

You went all the way out to the plains for these… And just to, I imagine, repay what you took from me?

If this wasn’t proof of animal intelligence, I don’t know what was. I chose to believe this creature could truly feel. And for that.

Nice to meet you, my first friend in this new world.

I patted the gorlen on the shoulder, and lifted one of the wings, placing it in his hands.

The furball looked down at the meat in confusion, then back at me. Then back at the meat. Then back at me.

Yes, yes. Look at the wing, now back at me, now back at the wing. Now back at me. What’s in my hands? Nothing. That’s because the wing is in your hand. But in seconds, it’ll be gone, and that’s because we’re on a horse… Or something…

I shook my head. That joke wasn’t even funny. I needed to learn to speak… It was going to be a lonely life if I couldn’t communicate, that much was certain.

I returned to the table to continue my meal, while the gorlen snacked nearby. While I ate, though, I read up on the skills I hadn’t ever actually gotten details about. Once I was done, it would be time to set myself up for evolution!

[Feast]

A rapacious dino is not a gracious dino.

Consumption means energy. Energy means power.

[Feast] is a Skill that has no requirements.

[Punch]

Not a technique to be used by the meek.

A punch is a punch. It can start and end fights.

[Punch] is a Skill that requires you to have a hand.

[Dirty Trick]

The clever fighter baits and beckons, the environment turned weapons.

Timing is everything, but do you deceive, or honestly swing?

[Dirty Trick] is a Skill with variable requirements.

[Kick]

With greater reach than a punch, you may avoid becoming lunch.

The kick is a basal technique, but it is fundamental to survival, strong or weak.

[Kick] is a Skill that requires you to have a leg.

[Leap Strike]

With kinetic force behind the blow, this strike is sure to harm your foe.

An attack affected by your inertia and weight, this move can be exceptionally deadly in the right circumstances.

[Leap Strike] is a Skill that has no requirements.

[Grapple]

A grasp of an enemy’s joint, exposing the enemy’s weakest point.

By utilizing this ability correctly, you can greatly improve your efficacy against specific types of enemies.

[Grapple] is a Skill that requires you to have at least two limbs.

Enemies like the beetles, eh?

[Sneak Strike]

From darkest shadow, from deepest black, a claw or tooth in target’s back.

A safe way to initiate combat, or perhaps avoid it altogether.

[Sneak Strike] is a Skill that has no requirements.

[Headbutt]

A reckless slam with one’s own head may render both you and your opponent dead.

This attack is extremely dangerous to the user and requires great precision to pull off safely.

[Headbutt] is a Skill that has no requirements.

Again, a lot of information hidden within those boxes and... a warning? I scanned them carefully, gleaning any secrets I could. Though, of course, I could always simply pull the descriptions up again later.

Variable requirements for Dirty Trick, eh? Wonder what that means.

I finished swallowing the rest of the wing meat and tossed some bones to the side. There was a nice little pile near the entrance of the cave, which I would consider my “trashcan”. If I wanted to get rid of anything in the near future, that’s where it would go.

It’s good to keep an organized life, you know? And from personal experience, it’s probably best to start organizing before you have too many variables to consider.

It’s like if you were trying to organize a room you’ve lived in for years, continually filling it with new junk, and never given anything a set place before. That’s pretty tough.

But if you designate a spot for everything as you get it, you not only know when you’ll run out of space, but you keep clean much easier! And it reinforces that information so you don’t forget!

I always had trouble remembering where I put my phone.

Anyway, dino pro tip: Keep your cave organized! It’s your home, after all!

So, I was about to evolve. With the options presented to me just a little while ago, I was thinking of choosing either the Turanta, because of the sheer power it seemed to possess, or the Merla, for the opposable thumbs.

Hey, thumbs are useful.

I moved to a darker corner of the room, the gorlen giving me a confused look, which only made me smile.

Just wait until he sees this. Okay, magic boxes. Let’s evolve!

Congratulations! You’ve survived the infantile stages of your life cycle!

As a [Baby Dino], you’ve learned to fight opponents stronger than yourself, as well as how to consume them properly.

You are stomping into the next period of your life, so choose wisely!

Evolution Options

Child Melra (F)

Far more humanoid than most saurians, this creature is capable of fighting with styles unheard of in others of its kind. Two opposable thumbs make this monster able to wield tools and repurpose body parts it picks off its prey.

Strengths: [Leap Strike], [Punch], [Kick], [Dig], [Climb], [Sprint], ...

Weaknesses: [Corpse Hatching], [Pack Mentality], [Claw], ...

Child Sciza (E)

With two massive talons at the end of this creature’s arms, any prey that gets within striking distance will never make it out alive. Famous for laying eggs inside the heads of decapitated victims.

Strengths: [Corpse Hatching], [Claw], [Climb], ...

Weaknesses: Sight, [Stamina], ...

Child Rinda (D)

This dinosaur has great jaw strength. It is said that if one is able to mature to adulthood, it can bite its way through mountains. Suspiciously shaped tunnels have been found to support this claim, but no adult Rinda has yet been discovered.

Strengths: Speed, [Stamina], [Bite], [Dig], ...

Weaknesses: [Health], [Sneak], ...

Child Krenta (B)

This dinosaur consumes anything and everything in sight, becoming a threat to any ecosystem it inhabits. With an appetite that can’t be sated, it eats until eventually, it is killed by nature’s balance.

Strengths: [Health], [Gourmandize], [Stamina], [Bite], [Feast], [Regurgitate], ...

Weaknesses: Speed, Environmental Equilibrium, [Pack Mentality], ...

Child Turanta (S)

Covered in spikes from head to toe, approaching this dinosaur is well-recognized as being a death sentence. This creature is capable of firing its spikes as ranged attacks, and is known for disemboweling monsters that are much stronger than it. A threat to anything it targets. It forms large packs and carelessly roams wherever it chooses.

Strengths: [Stamina], [Pack Mentality], [Claw], [Stomp], ...

Weaknesses: Speed, [Pack Mentality], [Kick], [Punch], [Blend], ...

Huh… The Turanta has Pack Mentality listed as both a strength and a weakness? I wonder why… Maybe it doesn’t do well without a pack? But it says that it’s well-recognized as being a death sentence!

Either way, if I chose the Turanta, it would just have to be something I’d figure out and fix.

Ahhhh! So many strengths and weaknesses to analyze! And what’s with these ellipses? I really can’t know more?!

Welp! Time to make a decision!

But… what to choose?

I closed my eyes, waving my hand around until I wasn’t sure what it would be pointed at, and opened my eyes.

Aha. Interesting point you have there, my clawed hand.