I’d almost like to describe it as a sort of oversized possum. But there’s clearly something very wrong with it. For one, it has no fur whatsoever. But it still has the same general loaf-shape, caused in this case by what looks like immense bloating. All and all, looking at it just feels bad. Same for all those others next to it, each about a fifth of my own size.

How many are there? What the heck are they doing at the bottom of this damn hole? Why are they looking at me like that?

One approaches me and I instantly understand that, yeah, it’s time to fight. Or flee. There are about three dozen, some almost as large as myself, others as small as the bugs. Either way, they are many, and I am one one. And my tentacles are already badly damaged by the fall and the sharp rocks down here. They’ll heal in due time, but until then, I will have to fight.

One approaches me. Slowly, bearing neither malice nor kindness. Mere innocent curiosity. Maybe if I don’t attack it, it won’t attack me b-,

Munch.

Well okay then, war it is!

I swipe the creature into my arms, instantly recognizing it as too large for my secondary mouths and decide to shove it into my primary one as I rise up high, distancing my main core from the ground.

1 242 -> 1 250

The possums swarm me.

I’m able to crush the smaller ones beneath my tentacles at first, eating their crushed corpses just in time to raise my heavy tentacles to crush yet another. But the larger ones pose a problem, being able to bite off not only my tertiary tentacles in a single bite, but also by gnawing at my secondary ones. This in turn rescues some of the trapped possums. At the same time, on the other side of my body, I crush and eat another smaller possum.

1 250 -> 1 344

But them gnawing at me isn’t my biggest problem.

No, at the moment, I’m more concerned about those bold, large possums crawling up my tentacles, taking tight grips of them, ignoring me even as I bite and chew off their feet and hands, falling only to rise again, climbing only to bite higher up.

1 344 -> 1 412

In less than a minute, I’m no longer able to rise my tentacles as they are weighed down by countless heavy possums, climbing up me and biting as they go.

...But if they can climb, so can I!

I’m right beside the cliffside. I violently separate one of my primary tentacles from the rest and heave it into the air, bringing it above me, and shoving it into the wall beside me. It only barely sinks in, but it’s enough. I pull up the rest of my body, letting my tentacles leave the ground, various possums tumbling off in shock and weakness. Those that yet remain about my tentacles are quickly dealt with by my various remaining tentacles, including a rather large one that I have to chew to fully eat.

1 412 -> 1 532

The rest look up at me from below. My body is freed of possums. Starting to regenerate. Starting to he-, no, wait, the possums are unionizing.

The largest ones allow gradually smaller ones to climb atop them, slowly forming a possum tower that I’m given an excellent top view of. I don’t even think about why they were forming it until a small possum bites into one of my tertiary tentacles. It was impressive, alright?!

Heck it, if they can climb, so can I!

I bring another tentacle above the other and heave my body up further alongside the cliff, the possums following me every step of the way, growing nearer and nearer until, finally…

They collapse.

All in a ball, they squirm in pain. I’m above them. They’re all together.

A plan hatches in my mind.

My grip on the wall slips and as soon as I start falling, I spread my tentacles wide like a massive fishing-net, all my mouths open in anticipation. The possums don’t see it coming until I literally crash onto them, scooping my arms around them all, balling us all up in one. I bite in.

1 532 -> 1 599

Some of those squished inside the ball of possums and tentacles and mouth start squirming and scratching and biting, but they only hurt their own numbers. The ones closest to my tentacles were eaten, bitten and crushed before being able to put up any bigger fight. I chew, I bite, and I swallow.

1 599 -> 1 865

...Their numbers start thinning out, the larger ones unable to fight due to most of their limbs already being eaten. Their flesh is tender and although I’m usually not one for eating non-fish bones, these are actually pretty tasty, with a real nice crunch to them. 6/10.

1 865 -> 1 976

My tentacles are empty. Every possum eaten and crunched up.

And for just a little moment, I sit, letting my tentacles heal fully. A few other possums sit in the far distance in the pit, eyeing me warily.

Yeah, get on, git outta here!

I think it’s about time I made use of my points.