Chapter 2: Survival of the fittest

Salem pov

The morning sun hit my face and I got up from my position but I slipped and fell from my current sleeping area.

"SHIT!!" I screamed and on instinct I grabbed on a nearby branch and it was strong enough to support my weight. After I pulled myself up and sat on the branch than felt pain o my leg and arm. "Guess it wasn't a dream after all hm." I signed while looking at the leaves covering my left leg and some on my shoulder.

I carefully slid down the tree not wanting to make my injuries worse and to be on the look out for near by animals. My first priority for now was to get something to eat since I hadn't eaten since I yesterday and the hunger was starting to get to me especially since I activated my magic and it took a lot out of me.

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt something coming in my direction and hopped into a near by bush. The animal which passed was a giant board which had brown fur, glowing red eyes and it had some fire coming out of its mouth and it looked to be chewing a dead hyena in its mouth.

Out of nowhere the great boar was scoped up by what seemed to be a huge monster bird to the skies. I just looked at the seen in shock as anything can be predator or prey in this ecosystem.

I waited a few minutes making sure it was safe than came out of my hiding spot and continued my journey for something to fill my stomach plus something to clean out my wounds.After a few minutes I managed I picked up the sound of running water much to my relief.

"Yeah, nigga yeah. Running water, means some fish meaning some god damn food!" I excitedly ran to the stream or river which ever it was cool with me but fate was cruel to me. "Goddammit!" I whispered harshly at the scene before me. The river was filled with animals and most were predators in fact even a very few magical creatures.

After a few minutes I worked up the balls to go smoothly to the river as most animals seemed to be leaving but to before ducking cover as some horned lions were in pursuit of some sort of mustached antelope and by god they were huge in fact most of these beasts were. So, I just made my way over to the water and began properly cleaning my wounds to prevent some infections but I felt some large animals stalking over me making very nervous.

'Man, I think I might crap my pants with all this.' I thought sweating a bunch as most herbivores just ignored me so I kept close to a bunch grey dear. 'Wait something or somethings are moving in there.' I began growing suspicious and the deer pack also seemed alert.

But before I could move away three giant ass spike armored crocodiles leapt out of the water and one of them got one deer while the rest including myself jumped back and moved to safety fast. I heard the deer's cry pf pain as it was dragged down to its underwater hell.

The party didn't stop there oh no there was a large blow which sounded like an elephant but also mixed with the slight hiss of a snake and I took over behind a large boulder to peak at the sight.

It looked like an elephant but not just any elephant it was about two and a half stories heigh, green skinned, four tusks, ram like horns, and finally its body was like a snake but with spikes.

"Grootslang." I whispered to myself if fear being African this thing was one of the most famous and scariest bed time stories my mum told me to keep me from wondering into unknown places like the woods. "Nah man fuck this shit I aint got no diamonds on me." I said to myself than sunk out of the river area.

After a few minutes of searching, I finally found multiple tree full of fruits and thanks to the injures feeling better I climbed up a lot of them and grabbed a hell ton and began eating like a wild animal.

"Huh a little bet- ARGH" I got jumped by a couple of six-foot-tall chimpanzees much to my annoyance. I got some hooked on the fact I finally got something to feel my stomach I was not wary of my surroundings.

There were about seven of them two of which held me down while the rest began eating what I gathered and when one was done the other will take its place in holding me. I struggled buts chimps where well known to be four times stronger than humans so I didn't want to think who much of these guys are minsters.

"Sadist motherfuckers." I cursed at them which was a mistake as they seemed to understand me or my intent as they started going ape shit crazy.

They began beating me bad while I was on the ground and as painful as it was, I was even more fearful as chimps tend to rip of limbs, peoples faces and castrate niggas.

"GET THE FUCK AWAY!!" I screamed as a magic circle appeared beneath me as I transformed in to my owl form making all the chimps' step away due to the blind light.

I sneered at them my face blooded and a little swollen and my body in a whole lot of pain. Using my wings, I quickly flew to one of them and thanks to the fact there were all still in a little shock I used sharp claws on my talons and dug it in its chest ripping its heart out. Before they completely had time to process, I swiped my talon into one in its face completely tearing it off making it scream I agony.

The rest finally acted and they began to grow bigger and more muscular and they completely lost it.

'Fuck my body hurts from that jumping plus am running out of energy fast I got to leave.' I than used my talons to grab as much fruits as I could as they tried to chase at high speeds through the trees but I was already to high and too far gone. "LATER BITCHES!!" I mocked them but I noticed a large bird following close behind me. "COME ON MAN!!" I flew lower before I to camouflage myself amongst all the tall trees and luckily it worked.

On the ground I dropped the fruits and transformed back and those chimps really did a number on me I mean my face still hurt. After I finished the remaining fruits and I was at least it would keep me going for a little bit.

"Okay Salem you're in an unknown forest were basically every animal wants smoke but you could get through this." I said to my self-trying to boost my self-confidence. "I could try taking over most of the strong animals." I thought but than that was a bad idea.

"From what I remember take over can be extremely dangerous to things which are stronger than you so the way am at now I should start small but just enough to survive." I sighed flitching at my pain than I saw a group of bull ants than I had an idea.

I moved towards them and starting concentrating on calling my magic through my container and so I managed to take over a bull ant.

"Nice ants can lift ten times their own body weight so at least this would give me a strength boost." I smiled a little as I flinched again and held my face and spat some blood.

"Damn they jumped me good." I than search for shelter to let my body recover from the pain.