“Thank you for the prey, Shape-Changer.” Moon-Gazer yawns. Her pups are asleep, snuggled against her stomach, and she carefully chews the rabbit this one caught to not wake them.

Strange. Two moons ago, this one would have been disgusted at the thought of sharing biomass.

But the pack provides shelter, and safety, for stasises. With their help, this one has learned to use nearly all of its core abilities. Even the Supreme One’s, partial portal creation, which was the hardest to learn.

Except for coward invisibility. Refuse to learn that one.

But overall… pack is worth.

Move to this one’s resting place, close eyes. Prepare to enter stasis.

“Shape-Changer!” Feel a form jump on this one’s main body, bouncing off, and then jumping onto it again. “Wake up, Shape-Changer!”

Annoyed.

Open eyes to see who it is.

The smallest previous wolf pup, juvenile now and named Ground-Walker, is tugging at this one’s fur with their teeth.

Growl.

“You’re awake!”

Ground-Walker is pleased. Annoyed.

Only a moon ago, they would have run back to their mother yelping when this one growled. Now, they ignore it.

Perhaps a light stabbing would make it afraid again?

“Oh stop that, Great One. You cannot simply stab all of your problems away.” Mind-Walker communicates,

Confused. All problems and prey this one has, has been resolved with stabbing.

“... right, We forgot about that. Anyways, Star-Reader wants you to take Ground-Walker out to hunt.”

Sigh.

Tired. But willing, if it meant more prey.

Stand up, towering over the wolves. This one is now almost as big as Sun-Walker, with its 230% increase in size over the past two moons.

Strangely, this one’s size has slowly stopped growing with consumed biomass, which is instead condensed into the structures this one creates. Makes them better, so it is pleasant. But Sun-Walker is still slightly bigger than this one, so also unpleasant.

Calculate Core energy.

33% remaining. Core energy capacity is 20% larger than when this one first joined the pack.

Wiggle.

Energy is enough for a hunt.

Shapeshifting consumes the least amount of Core energy. Portal creation consumes the most, by a large amount.

Will only rely on current structures, to conserve energy. Complete refined wolf anatomy, bear fat and fur, eagle wings, and of course the superior tentacles. No armor, very little in the forest now can even pierce this one’s fat now.

Yawn.

So tired. Will have to enter stasis soon.

“Come on Shape-Changer! Bright light is almost over!” Ground-Walker is already running outside of the den.

Catch a lot of prey, Great One.

Snort.

This one always catches prey. Same can not be said of Mind-Walker. Inferior designs.

Hey!

The bright light is warm on this one’s fur. But the air is cold. Coldness doesn’t send this one into stasis, anymore, thanks to the blood structure. But still…

It is strange, the leaves have begun to wither and fall off of the trees. Fall-leaf, the pack calls it. It comes before bare-leaf.

“You’re so slow, Shape-Changer! The prey will go to sleep before we find them!”

Growl.

Insult to this one’s design. Slow? This one will show you slow.

Run, stabbing tentacles into the ground to move even faster. Quickly pass Ground-Walker, who yelps and tumbles over themself. Smug.

“Wait!”

No! Will not!

Pause.

“Ha! We knew you couldn’t-”

“Hush.”

Sniff.

Sniff sniff.

Prey scent, elk. Lots of fresh scents. Is good, will provide the pack with lots of biomass.

But there is a different scent. Two of them. They are familiar, and also fresh, but cannot place them. Strange.

Not prey, but also not predator.

“Elk!” Ground-Walker finally seems to be able to determine.

He immediately lowers to the ground, slinking forwards.

Uneasy.

It is dangerous. But why is it dangerous?

For now, lead Ground-Walker towards the Elk.

The sun moves lower, the sky dimming as bright light leaves. Soon the moons will come, and offer dim light.

And finally, we see the elk.

Male, this one knows instinctively. And young, with no herd of its own yet.

Can also sense a Core. Excitement.

Ground-Walker wiggles, salivating.

“Stop it.” This one growls quietly. “We must move closer, in order to catch it.”

Ground-Walker dips their head in agreement. Move, sneak clo-

BOOOOOM!

PAAAAAIN!

LOUD! SO LOUD!

Distress!

Birds erupt from the trees, startled.

The elk’s head erupts, and is gone. Its body stills, then collapses. How!?

Wave tentacles, attempt to locate the source of the LOUD! But can’t.

Auditory nervous system is damaged. Can’t even hear Ground-Walker. There’s another, more insistent noise, caused by the damage.

Shake head. Noise is making this one slightly dizzy.

Remove auditory system, and redevelop it. Better, other noise is gone. Ground-Walker is crouched on the floor, rubbing his paws against his ears.

…

Still.

Shake.

Two figures enter where the elk was.

Recognize structure. Bipedal.

“See? I told you. One shot was all I needed.”

“Whatever. I just hope you can shoot that well when you’re at the range in the Academy. Bet you freeze up again, like you did in middle-school.”

“Shut up!”

Two bipedal figures in armor walk up to prey, one of them carrying a structure this one recognizes.

Now know what the scent was.

Interferers.

Shake.

“Grab its core, would you? Should be able to make some quick cash. Told you coming out here was a good idea, everything’s weak.”

One of the figure crouches down. Produces a… claw? Shiny claw? And cuts into the elk.

Removes the Core.

“Nice! Looks like a class 2 Core. At least three hundred reos.”

“Nah, it’s a little small. We might get two hundred, at best.”

“... damn, you’re right. Isn’t this in season for elk? Why the rift was it so small?”

“How am I supposed to know, idiot? This was your ide- hold on, getting a call from Aurora.”

Ground-Walker’s hackles are raising. He growls, padding forward.

“Stop it!”

“But the encroachers are stealing-”

“The interferers are not prey! They will kill us!”

Is not cowardice. Interferers are simply interferers. Best not confront them.

“Yo, what’s up Aury? … Five cores!? Really!?” Detect excitement from the communicating interferer, as the other interferer stands and puts the Core it collected… into its armor? Strange.

“Yeah, yeah. Fuck yeah we’re coming! Just some wolves right? Nothing crazy?”

…

Still.

“Got it, send your location to us and we’ll head right on over.”

“Shape-Changer, what are they say-”

“Be! Quiet!” This one snaps, watching the interferers begin walking.

Wolves? Are they communicating about… the pack?

NO! CANNOT BE! Must be rival wolves.

Interferers move closer. And closer.

And closer.

Tense.

Shake. Can feel it.

The fear.

Remember the poking instruments, and the hunger, and the pain, so much pain. Cycles and cycles of pai-

“Shape-Changer?”

“This one is fine. Just stay quiet.”

…

Relief. Interferers move past us.

“Hey Radith, you have your core sensor on?”

“Oh, my bad. Switched it off after we saw the elk. Give me just a sec… Huh, would you look at that? Just teN METERS AWAY!?”

“What? Where?”

“Over there, dumbass!”

Still.

Interferers gesture to our location with front movement structures.

Ground-Walker growls. But can’t stop him, will make too much noise.

Fear. Interferer is moving towards us. How does it know we are here!?

Crouch down further into bushes, attempt to hide.

More growling. See interferer still. It raises the structure it holds.

It heard Ground-Walker! Walks forward, but slowly.

Develop psionic link. Why did this one not do it earlier? Idiocy!

Ground-Walker, do no-

Oh no.

Ground-Walker charges forward, snarling, at interferer.

NO! STOP, RETREA-

BOOOOOM!

PAIN IN AUDITORY SYSTEM, MORE DAMAGE!

Ground-Walker’s head erupts, blood splattering onto the ground.

Freeze.

“Was that it?”

“Nope, sensor is still picking up the one Core, further in.”

“Fuck, thing made me jump. At least it’s just wolves.”

Ground-Walker is still, and interferers surround it, prodding it with their hindlegs.

Fear. Killed Ground-Walker, and did not even see it happen.

But also… the same feeling as when Mind-Walker was hit by the Supreme One.

Rage.

Both feelings are in the main body. Heart quickens, breathing grows faster. Shake.

Ground-Walker, the juvenile pup, is… dead. Not deception. Can feel it in Core.

“Well, let’s get the last one then.”

Interferers approach.

The shocking instruments. The hunger. And the PAIINNN. This one remembers it all. And they killed Ground-Walker. Which only adds to the

RAGE.

Interferers are not predator. Interferers are not… But they are.

They.

Are.

PREY!

Tentacles erupt from the main body, and this one dashes towards them.

“Holy fucking-”

DO NOT CARE WHAT YOU COMMUNICATE!

STAAAB!

Tentacles pierce the interferers armor. But the interferer raises its structure, points it at main bod-

BOOOOOM!

PAAAAAAAIIIIIINNNNN!

THE MOST PAAAIIINNN THIS ONE HAS EVER FELT!

40% of main body is goNE? DESTROYED IN ONE BLOW?

HATE! INTER! FERERS!

WRAP TENTACLES AROUND INTERFERER!

RIP! RIP THEIR LIMBS FROM THEIR BODY! PIERCE THEIR HEAD!

“MAX!”

‘Max’ stills. But no time to relax. Other interferer raises a smaller version of the structure Max was carrying.

DODGE!

BOOOOOOM!

DODGE DODGE PAAAINNN BODY IS NOW 60% GONE DOOOOODGE!

THIS ONE DODGED RIGHT INTO THE PATH OF THE STRUCTURE!

Click.

Click click click click click.

Both this one and the interferer-prey look at the structure it holds.

“... oh.”

DON’T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS, EXCEPT THAT THE LOUD AND PAIN HAS STOPPED!

Separate teeth from tentacles.

“Oh no.”

ATTACK!

Teeth fly through the air, piercing into the interferer-prey’s head, body, and limbs. It stills, and falls backwards.

Look at Ground-Walker. The same feeling as before.

But… hungry. Fighting consumed a lot of biomass. Body is still repairing.

So hungry.

Consume.

Eat eat eat must restore biomass eat eat Cores! From both interferers! Eat eat eat eat eat.

New structure: Complete Homo (Human) anatomy (Complete advanced bipedal skeleton system, organ system, ph…), complex brain.

… Superior brain?

Doubtful. This one’s brain is already very fast at processing. How superior of a design could the complex brain be?

BOOOOM! BOOOM BOOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

More LOUDS, but from a little father away.

… close to the DEN!?

No time to waste! Must develop obviously superior designs, while this one can!

Develop the complex brain!

…

…

Thoughts, ideas, and memories exploded into existence in my mind.