Chapter 2: The small things that makes living meaningful.

●== Day: 8, Morning => Afternoon ==●

The switchblade panthers stalked the unconscious being which appeared as a lump of grey coat of fur on the ground. Kyle wasn't certain if he could contend with such numbers.

There seemed to be roughly five of these switchblade panthers waiting for an opportunity to pounce. It was odd to see them be so cautious since their prey was obviously indisposed.

Nevertheless, Kyle dropped the meat he was hauling and rushed ovet to the downed creature's aid. He readied and loosened an arrow at one of the switchblade panthers, slightly missing, although it was enough to draw their attention.

"I must've lost my mind.." Kyle thought as he drew his hand axe, waiting for the beasts to come. And so they did with extreme ferocity as they descended upon him with fangs and claws.

Kyle struggled to evade the attacks as they grazed his arms and legs with their trademark attacks.

"Tch!" Jumping back and skidding, Kyle stared them down as they began to surround him.

*growl*

These beasts were indeed intelligent when it came to hunting in a pack. Kyle was somewhat aware of this, thus never would've engaged under normal circumstances.

However, these are obviously not normal circumstances. Kyle patiently waited for the beasts to make the first move. A brief standoff took place but it felt like an eternity.

*Skid*

A beast lept from his flank, causing him to react with a countering sidestep, plunging the axe into the side of the creature's belly.

The four remaining switchblade panthers became hesitant upon seeing their comrade fall and began to back away. Even though they had an opportunity at this very moment, the beast's were surprisingly cautious. Almost instantly they turned tail and fled, leaving the scene with no trace.

Kyle watched them flee over the hilltop with a focused expression. His eyes loosened and his glare subsided as a sigh of relief followed. "Phew.. aren't I lucky today.. wasn't sure if I could've handled all of them at once."

Kyle then turned his attention at the being that was still facedown unconscious on the ground.

It appeared to be four to five foot tall in height and shared the same human-like physical traits as him. There was also a flesh-like pink tail stemming down it's rear end. It was completely naked, however appeared to have a feminine frame, although she seemed malnourished. It was also worth noting her body was littered with cuts up and down her back to her front.

Kyle reached out to the being's neck to check for a pulse. There was indeed a pulse, but just barely. Kyle decided to carefully flip the rat-like being faceup and was greeted with it's feminine features.

Lewd thoughts entered his mind briefly until he halted himself. After all, as far as he knows this could be minor, not to mention the rat face is a big turn off.

From her neck to her lower belly was a creamy white leading down to her waist and inner thighs. She also had pinkish hands and feet with long nails that resembled claws. Her ears were also round and fleshy pink on the inside, the same characteristics of a rat.

Soft small mounds faced him with her mouth slightly agape, a face looking almost peaceful as she slept.

Kyle figured the girl was probably suffering from dehydration along with malnutrition. Thus he decided to share some water from his flask he had strapped on his hip.

He delicately eased the water into the girl's slightly open mouth and began to unconsciously drink the water with desperation. Her eyes slightly opened but wasn't able to discern the shape standing over her. She fell unconscious shortly after muttering incoherent words.

Her voice was delicate and petite, matching her general appearance. After she slipped unconscious, Kyle then proceeded to pick her up from the ground. She was so light, Kyle speculated she was roughly 70 to 80 pounds tops.

Carrying her back to camp would be grueling - along with the rest of his belongings, ofcourse. Therefore he quickly fashioned a method for carrying the meat on his back whilst carrying the girl in his arms. It was indeed a challenging endeavor, but he managed to pull it off with his arms feeling like lead weights afterwards.

○== Day: 8 => 9, Early morning ==●

*emerald eyes opening*

The next morning came as the girl awoke under a silk blanket, stationed on the ground. She leaned up, observing her surroundings. She was within an enclosed hut with a smoldering firepit in the center.

Golden light of the early morning bled through the entrance which was partially draped with a sheet. Her round ears twitched upon hearing movement from outside. She quickly returned to a sleeping position facing away from the entrance.

She laid awake, feining sleep as she heard the figure enter the hut. Kyle well knew she was awake. He heard her move into place just before entering. Also, he can tell by the frequency of her breathing doesn't match the sounds she was making earlier under deep sleep.

Kyle gave a mischievous smile as he muttered aloud. "Huh. I thought I heard her get up.. I guess I'll just get back to work then." He said as he stayed inside and held his breath, giving the doorway cover a tussle with his arm - signifying he left the hut.

A moment passed as the girl quickly leaned up with an nervous expression on her face. It was as if she was getting ready to run away. She halted upon seeing Kyle standing there with a smirk on his face.

"Oh! so you ARE awake!" He said with playful exuberance. He couldn't help but notice she had vivid green irises that flickered like emeralds.

The rat-girl was stunned to see the roughly six foot tall fox in tattered clothes and bandages on his arms and legs. Seeing him loom next to the doorway was a very uncanny thing to see.

Kyle realized this was clearly the first time she encountered another being like her. It was indeed strange for him aswell, although he hid his demeanor of it well.

As she remained in her upright sitting position, she failed to realize her chest was exposed before him. She immediately whimpered and pulled the blanket up to her chest in embarrassment.

Kyle chuckled. "Relax~ I've already seen everything you're hiding. So you shouldn't be so embarrassed." Kyle then pointed next to the bed towards some folded linens. "It's nothing fancy, but I took the time last night to fashion you an outfit. More like a night gown, but it's better than nothing, right?"

The rat-girl remained silent as she put on a puzzled face. "What's wrong?" He shrugged. "Don't tell me you don't speak english?.."

The girl shook her head and struggled to let out some meek words. "N-no.. I understand you.. I'm just having difficulty processing what exactly happened up until now.. I thought I was dead.."

Kyle gave a nod of understanding. "I see.. that would've certainly happened if I didn't stumble upon you. I'm guessing you're in the same boat as me?"

The rat-girl lifted her head. "You mean.. you're not of this world either? You used to be a human like me?" Kyle nodded softly. "My name is Kyle McConnors. Needless to say, I recall dying in my previous world and ended up here in this bizarre land -- along with this body to go with it."

The girl lowered her head. "Mica North.. And yes, sounds similar to me.. Although I don't like to think about it.." Kyle completely understood her dilemma. It was one thing to remember the sensation of death, but to wake up the next day to realize you've lost everything. "Fair enough. I'll leave you alone to get dressed. If you're feeling up to it, I got some food cooking outside."

"F-food?" Mica replied with a sigh of relief in her words. "Gawd I'm starving.. I've been living off of berries that tasted like rubber up until now.." Mica lamented with cautious eagerness in her eyes.

"Alright then. I'll be just outside here."

Some time passed until Mica emerged from the hut draped in a plain silkgrass dress. Upon staggering out into the sunlight, Mica overlooked the surrounding landscape with astonishment. The distant waterfall, the rolling plains, it was quite a beautiful spot where this mysterious fox settled.

"So she's arisen." Kyle jokingly remarks. "Nice to see my estimates on your size were right on the money."

Mica took a seat across from Kyle at the firepit. "Slightly baggy, but I can't complain." As Kyle stoked the fire, he ask a few questions lingering in his mind. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are are you? Your size makes you look around 12 years old."

Mica scoffed and pouted. "Geez, is that your biggest concern? You worried that you groped a minor or something?" Kyle chuckled in response. "Sort of, but judging by your behavior and your feminine features, you seem to be in your twenties."

Mica sighed with a sharp smirk. "Welp, close enough, I'm exactly twenty. So you can relax, your conscious can rest easy." Mica swept her gaze around the encampment and noticed all the utilitarian nature of the setup. "Do you live here alone?"

Kyle nodded. "Yeah.. I tell you, it isn't easy surviving on my own. They make it look so easy on tv and the internet." Mica glanced at Kyle's equipment he had strung about and felt differently. "Are you sure? You seem to have a handle on it, unlike me."

Mica's round eyes lowered into her lap. "When I awoke here, I was just running around in fear for my life.. I don't know how I managed to get this far without a single game plan.." Kyle then pulled the cooked meat out of the fire and began to serve her share on a clay plate.

"Oh.. thanks.." Mica said with deep gratitude as she readied a follow-up question. "What about you, Kyle? How did you manage to pull all this off? Are you some kind of survivalist expert or something?"

Kyle relaxed on his back and gazed into the sky. "I'm not really anything special, I'm just an average salaryman."

"WHAT?~" Mica responded in disbelief. "Sorry if I'm a bit skeptical, but I find it hard to believe you're just an average salaryman."

Kyle leaned up with a playful smile. "But it's the truth~" Mica sighed, resting his head in her hand with a sarcastic smirk. "I just had to be abandoned with a mischievous fox. The universe must have a cruel sense of humor."

Mica then sunk her teeth into the cooked meat. She never felt so happy to finally eat cooked meat in a long time. Kyle was fascinated watching this creature eat with such ferocity. After finishing, Mica leaned back with a sigh. "Hah.. You have no idea how hungry I was.."

"I can see that." Kyle chuckled. "After all, you're nothing but skin and bones." Mica wiped her mouth with her delicate fleshy pale hand. She couldn't help but recoil from touching her rat-like snout and fall into a stupor afterwards. "God, I must look like a monster.. Why the hell did I end up as a rat? Why not a bunny or a house cat instead?.."

Kyle shrugged helplessly. "Self-conscious about our looks, are we? Don't let it bother you. In this situation, looks are the last thing you should be concerned about."

Even though she understands Kyle has a valid point, she nevertheless huffs in mild annoyance. "Geez, did you forget your talking to a woman, right? To us, looks are vastly important for our self-esteem."

Kyle gave a light-hearted retort. "You don't say? Well you certainly are a woman of the modern era. I never would've guessed."

"Hey!" Mica shouted. "Are you making fun of me!?"

"Maaaaybe~" Kyle said innocently as he folded his arms behind his head with a smile. As he did this, Mica's heart throbbed. Even though he's a fox, he gave out such a charismatic expression. This caused Mica to avert her eyes away in embarrassment.

Kyle noticed this and gave an internal sigh. He thought to himself. "What the hell? Does this rat-girl actually have a crush on me already? I'm not even putting 'the moves' on her. I'm just treating her like I would anyone. Not to mention.. She's a rat.. That is one thing that makes it hard for me to look past. I've seen enough of those things in a prison cell. Never the thought of having a relationship with one has ever crossed my goddamn mind.."

As he continued to ponder amongst himself. Seeing Kyle deep in thought made Mica angle her head in query. "Is something wrong?"

"Hm?" Kyle snapped back to reality and looked across the firepit at the fuzzy grey rat with big round green irises. "Oh, it's nothing you should be concerned about. You should get some more rest."

Mica let out some words of gratitude. "T-thank you.. I'll find a way to pay you back for rescuing me.."

Mica retreated back into the hut and collapsed on the bedding on the ground. After finally having a decent meal since arriving to this world, she couldn't help but feel soothed and nourished. She curled under the blanket and dozed off shortly after.

●== Day: 9, Morning => Afternoon ==●

Kyle continued to toil away at making replacement arrows after the events of yesterday. He contemplated making metal shin guards and vambraces. After his experience with the switchblade panthers, he decided it would be wise to devise a preventative measure to mitigate sustained wounds on his limbs.

He began to make the mold from a chunk of clay and began to melt the red steel in the clay kiln. He originally made this kiln for the means of making arrowheads, although it has proven useful for other things.

This red steel alloy is truly a mysterious metal. The fact that it doesn't require immense heat to melt is truly remarkable. Although it does have a short period until it hardens even while still in the fire, approximately 56 seconds to be precise.

So time is very limited when melting the alloy, but the results leads to a metal seemingly as hard as steel. While Kyle was making the mold for the bracers, he also carved one for a machete.

A blade would be far more useful than relying solely on a handaxe for melee combat. Kyle staged this kiln next to a fairly large boulder which was used like an anvil for foraging the tools like the axe he's currently using right now.

*CLANG!* Crashed the hammer against the steel slab as the metal deformed into shape. The sword was crude in design, but was turning out to be fairly sharp. Eventually the metal hardened and wasn't able to be easily morphed any further.

Kyle pontificates that if the metal could be heated further, he would have more time to shape the blades edge. He basically has a straight slab of steel with a sharp pointed edge. The handle was wrapped with silkgrass for a conformable fit.

●== Day: 9, Afternoon => Evening ==●

Kyle spent most of his time toiling away with the sword, he realized time flew by quickly as the sun was nearing to settle. "Evening already? I better go fetch some fish from the net for dinner."

Kyle could still hear Mica sleeping with a gentle snore. "She snores pretty loud for such a small girl. Not to mention she's been sleeping for quite some time. Maybe I should wake her up before she misses the sunset."

He entered the hut to see the peacefully slumbering rat curled up under the silkgrass sheet. Lying on her side with her nose buried in the sheets certainly made her look like an adorable creature.

He gently nudged her shoulder with his hand. "Hey pip-squeak, you gonna sleep the whole day away?" He said as Mica nodded awake in a groggy stupor.

"Huh?.. what time is it?.." She asked, rubbing her eyes. "Nearly nightfall, you should at least see the sun before it sets." Mica replied with shock. "Nearly nightfall!? Did I really sleep for THAT long!?"

Kyle calmly responded. "Well yeah, you probably never got a proper night's sleep since you arrived in this world. It doesn't surprise me, hell, I still have difficulties at times knowing what kind of beasts roam these lands."

Kyle's words resonated with thoughtful understanding to her. She remembered the stress she was under during the first few days of being here. The fear, the confusion, the denial of reality. She remembers the first three days, but the rest is a blur.

"You definitely hit the nail on the head, I can't even remember how I ended up in the field where you found me. Let alone that nine days have passed.." Mica said with slight anxiety in her voice.

The room's lighting slowly shifted to a bright orange. "Oh. The sun must be setting." Kyle said as he looked over his shoulder towards the doorway. "You wanna take a moment an watch, it might help you relax."

Mica raised her eyes and rubbed her arm nervously. "I-I suppose it might.." Kyle pulled aside the curtain and stepped out the hut with Mica in toe.

She raised her eyes from the ground to see the breathtaking fiery horizon with the purple sky to her back. The radiant sun sparked rays of light through the sparse orange clouds. Birds in the sky danced vibrant colors, flooding the sky with a captivating allure.

The open fields were saturated with a golden light, staining the land into a canopy of luxurious crimson velvet. The sight was enough to halt her breathing for a moment and fill her heart with warmth. It somehow rekindled her soul with hope that everything will be fine.

"Thank you, Kyle.." Mica said as she glanced at Kyle who stood arms crossed next to her. Kyle acknowledged her with a smile and nod as she continued. "If it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't be alive to see such a beautiful sunset like no other."

"Don't mention it." Kyle said, returning a warm candid smile.

A moment passed of them watching the sunset in quiet vigil. Kyle broke the silence with an upbeat tune. "Welp! I better hurry and check the fish nets while its still light."

Mica watched him as he walked down the slope towards the river with a small bag slumped over his shoulder. The sky was now a dark lavender as the sun retreated behind the mountains. The clouds resembled a red akin to a finely aged red wine.

●== Day: 9, Evening => Nightfall ==○

Kyle returned to the hut's interior with a small bag of fish over his shoulder. The dull fire was rekindled and the hut became illuminated with a warm glow and the scent of cooked fish filled the air.

After they finished dining on cooked fish, they relaxed into their respective positions. Mica sat across on the makeshift sleeping bag. "Are you sure you're okay with me taking your bed for a second night? I kinda feel guilty after everything you've done for me.."

Kyle leaned back on the dirt floor and let out a relaxed sigh. "Don't worry about it. You need it more than me at the moment."

The red fox folded his arms behind his head and exhaled. Mica laid on her side facing Kyle who rested on the opposite side of the ten foot hut. She had countless questions she wanted to ask, but she didn't wish to bother him since he appeared to be tired.

Kyle could tell that the little rat girl was watching him. "Is something on your mind, pip-squeak?" Mica nuzzled her nose under the silkgrass sheet. "Well.. I'm just curious, Kyle. What exactly is your plan?"

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked as he turned her way. "What I mean is.. Do you just want to spend the rest of your days living in this hut? I mean.. how do you find the strength to keep pushing forward? Do you plan to go anywhere and possibly find others like me?"

"That's a very good question. Well, for now I wish to get a handle on things before setting out anywhere. So nothing complicated at the moment, just doing my thing and enjoying these brief moments of respite while I have it.."

"Oh.. you make it sound.. so easy.." Mica dozed off shortly after speaking. Kyle followed her lead moments later.

○== Day: 10 => 11, Early morning ==●

The firepit in the hut crackled warm embers in the morning. The sky was overcast with grey clouds as rain fell from the heavens.

Mica awoke early feeling fairly energized after having much needed rest. Although she was energetic, she still laid awake, waiting for Kyle to wakeup aswell. She didn't want to disturb him since he appeared to be sleeping peacefully.

She laid on her side across from him, just watching him sleep. It didn't seem weird to her at the moment, although she wondered why she was doing so. She figured she was simply fascinated by seeing this fully-clothed humanoid fox lying on his back like a dog.

It reminded her of her pet dogs back in her previous world. Thinking of them saddened her - knowing full well that she may never get see them again.

As she laid awake, she listened to the rain pounding the ceiling of the thatch hut. She was grateful to be dry and warm during such a miserable day. Mica decided to crawl upright, standing up. The little rat girl stood tall in her night gown and stretched her arms with an exhaling wince.

This caused one of Kyle's ear to twitch, waking him from his slumber. He slowly leaned up and rubbed his eye. "Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you." Mica said regretfully.

Kyle stood up stretching and dusting himself off. "It's fine. I needed to get up anyways." He then leaned down to the firepit and threw some dry wood into the embers to rekindle the fire. Mica squatted next to him and spoke openly.

"So.. I was thinking of things to do to help you out around the camp. I admit, I wouldn't be much help in the lifting department.. So I figured if you show me how to weave clothes, I'll do stuff like that for you.."

Kyle quietly turned her way as she responded nervously to his indifferently lethargic demeanor.

"O-or.. if you want, I'll also do the cooking.. I'm not that good at it, but I'm willing to learn. Same goes for things like fishing and other chores that'll help me repay you.."

Kyle let out a light chuckle. "Hehe! Relax pip-squeak, knitting fabrics for now is fine. The cooking and fishing can be done in due time." Mica felt encouraged and eager as she let out an enthusiastic. "Okay! Can you walk me through the steps, please?"

"Very well, pip-squeak. But first!-"

"W-What?"

"I need to pee." Kyle said as he twisted into an upright position and began to smoothly swagger outside.

Mica was frozen for a moment then let out a small amused chuckle. "Hehe! Must be because of the rain." Mica muttered under her breath with her hand close to her chin.

●== Day: 11, Early morning => Afternoon ==●

Kyle instructed Mica on the slow and meticulous process of weaving silkgrass sheets. She wondered how he managed to make her gown so quickly under the time constraints.

He confessed that her clothes were made from an additional square sheet he had set aside for another use. He mentioned if he was able to construct a loom, the process would be much easier and quicker.

For now he showed her the basics, showing her the properties of this unique silkgrass. It was light, firm yet somewhat elastic, perfect for the use of clothes. The grass can also grow up to six feet tall, perfect for one continuous stran.

Mica grasped the concept remarkably quick as Kyle walked her through the methods for roughly an hour or two. She felt like she could continue on her own without assistance.

Meanwhile, Kyle headed outside in the pouring rain to gather some lengths of wood from the upper paths. Dispite the rain, Kyle's natural coat prevented his body from getting too cold. He intends to build a shelter over his workspace where his kiln is situated so he could operate it during times of rain.

He intended to do this yesterday, but unexpected circumstances took place.

*Chop!*

Kyle fell a few small sapling trees with his handaxe and stacked them on his rope lift. He eased it down the cliffside as the rain pounded down his back. An hour later, Mica continued the tedious task of weaving silkgrass cloth. She turned her attention outside at the pouring rain outside.

She thought aloud. "Is it coming down harder? I hope Kyle's okay with working in this weather.. I feel guilty.. I wish I could do more for him than just weaving in a cozy hut.."

Mica stood up and walked towards the entryway, peeking her head out to see Kyle setting a roof frame around the kiln.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Mica called out from cover at the soaked fox tying a wood frame together.

"Don't worry!" He shouted back. "I've worked in the rain multiple times. This coat of mine keeps me from freezing."

"Okay.. just call me if you need me!"

●== Day: 11, Midday => Evening ==●

Another hour passed until a sound came from outside the hut. Mica turned her attention to the doorway until Kyle waltzed in, soaked to the bone. Mica rushed to his face. "Are you okay?! Let me dry you off!" She extended her hands out with her freshly knitted cloth.

Kyle found amusement in Mica's concerning nature. He reached for the cloth until Mica thrusted forward, rubbing his face with it. "Eh? Mica! I can dry myself off!" Kyle protested.

"No! Let me atleast do this for you!" She demanded in an almost forceful manner. Kyle sighed and stopped resisting, lowering his head to her level as she silently rubbed his head.

Mica hummed to herself to kill the awkward silence between them. "Your clothes are soaked too." She then reached to pull his shirt off as Kyle flinched back. "Hold on there, Pip-squeak.." Kyle said, protesting her grabby hands. "What's your deal? Do you really wanna see me naked that badly?" He said with a giggle.

Mica's face widened in embarrassment. "T-that's not my intention! Besides, you already saw me naked, so it's only fair that we leveled the playing field!" She ended by stubbornly resting her hands on her hips.

Kyle smirked. "Oh~ so that's how it is~" Mica didn't even realize what she said until last second. "W-w-wait! That's not - I mean - That just slipped out unintentionally!"

"No, no, no, I understand. I just didn't realize you were into animals."

"Wha?- that's not.." Mica sat down turning away from Kyle in shame. Kyle rested his hand on her shoulder and chuckled. "Relax!~ I was only joking, ya twerp. Don't take what I say too seriously."

Mica stayed curled up in a sitting position until a soaked cloth rested atop her head. "H-hey! That's cold!" She cried, turning to face Kyle who stood before her, shirtless.

She was in awe of the creature that stood before her. His firm creamy white chest that resembled both human and beast. This caused her to fall into a stupor. She wasn't sure what to feel, she felt mostly confused.. but also curious. Mica was frozen with her mouth slightly agape. Kyle snickered deviously. "Do you like what you see, pip-squeak?"

"N-no. I mean.. I don't know.." Mica fell silent for a moment until she found the strength to ask. "Can I touch it?" Kyle's eyes widened in disbelief. "How forward, that caught even me off guard."

"Not 'IT' I mean your chest!"

"Oh~ that's still pretty bold of you!" Kyle remarked with amusement in his voice. "N-nevermind.. I don't even know why I asked.." Kyle huffed and approached Mica as she inched away nervously. "Go ahead." He said calmly.

Mica's curiosity got the better of her as she gingerly reached out and rested her palms on his chest. She wasn't sure if it was arousal or curiosity. Either way, she felt the smooth fur on his chest. Dispite it being damp, it was warm, soft and cozy.

She rubbed her hands in a circular motion around his abdominal area. "Wow.. so it really is like rubbing a dog's belly.." She said with eyes fixated in fascination.

Kyle wasn't sure what to think of Mica's intentions at this point. Regardless of the slowly shifting mood, he decided to back away. "Okay, I think you had enough. Also, regardless of what you might believe, I didn't fondle you in your sleep. So technically, you owe me a fondle in return~"

Mica gasped and backed away. "Oh! Uh.." she thought for a moment and relaxed her breath. "F-fair enough.." Mice slowly reached down her gown and was about to pull it off.

Kyle wasn't expecting her to take what he said seriously and quickly responded with urgency. "I was just kidding! As I said earlier: You don't have to take everything I say so literally!"

Mica stopped and exhaled a breath of relief. "O-okay.. although.."

"Although' what?" Mica bit her lip. "Can I still see the rest of you? No more touching, I promise."

"The rest of me?" Kyle's eyes widened for a millisecond and chuckled shortly after. "Now that exclusive peice of content is locked behind a hefty pay wall."

Mica sneered slightly. "Oh come oooon! I'm just curious, it's only fair since you saw ME naked."

Kyle secretly really didn't want to at this moment. This rat-girl gave off odd signals that made him feel uncomfortable. Mica clenched both fists in the air and attempted to encourage him. "Now go on! I'm sure it's nothing too different than anything I've seen before!"

Kyle was reluctant, this moment is the worst time after she just groped him seconds earlier. He sighed deeply. "Fine.. but I warn you, it's more unusual than you think."

Mica backed away and waited with eager curiosity lighting up in her eyes. Kyle slowly grabbed the top of his shorts and pondered with slight hesitation. "What the hell is even happening right now? How did it come to this?"

He glanced over at Mica who patently sat in wait with baited breath like a movie was getting real good. Kyle saw this as a challenge, and he wasn't the type to back down from it.

"Okay.." he muttered as he slid his tattered shorts down to his lower waist, exposing himself before her. Mica's eyes widened like saucers in cautious fascination, almost intimidated. Kyle cracked a joke to lighten the awkward tension. "Be straight with me, doctor, is it bad?"

Mica chuckled nervously with her knuckle to here chin. "Well.. I wasn't expecting you to look.. uh.. like a canine's.." Kyle wasn't sure how to respond to that as he stood quietly exposed until Mica spoke. "Okay. I think I've seen enough." He quickly pulled his pants up with a sigh of relief.

Mica spoke with gratitude in her voice. "Thank you for showing me. Now it doesn't feel like you have an advantage over me." Kyle spoke with a genuine tone. "I have to admit.. I haven't felt this way since high school. Then again, you're the first person to see my canine pecker."

Mica let out a chuckle, confessing her intentions. "There was another reason why I asked to see your body. It was a way to gauge your personality. Seeing how you behaved tells me your a good person with no ulterior motive. Now we can speak openly about ourselves as equals without all this awkward tension between us."

"Wait.. I don't entirely understand what you're getting at. How is this supposed to remove awkwardness between us?" Kyle said with puzzlement on his face. "Yeah, under normal circumstances, but these aren't normal circumstances, right?"

Kyle quickly thought to himself in shock. "This bitch makes no sense!" Mica sat on the ground facing the firepit, patting the spot next to her with her hand, beckoning Kyle to sit next to her.

Kyle's heart raced in a way that confounded him as he thought internally. "Who is this girl? She controlled the situation in a way were it's like we switched roles. Now I'm the nervous one and now she's the relaxed one? The fuck is happening?"

He took a spot next to her like a nervous teenager. Mica looked into the fire in quiet vigil until she opened her mouth to speak. "Back in the previous world, I was an aspiring veterinarian."

Kyle glanced over his shoulder at her as she continued. "So~ I admit, that's why part of me is fascinated with your body. I lived in a small rental house with my three dogs as my only friends. I didn't really get out much, I'm a bit of an awkward nerd."

Mica turned to Kyle with a soft smile. "That's a little about me. What about you? Care to tell?" Kyle leaned back with a relaxed sigh. "Me? There's not much to tell. My life up until now was rather plain. I'm just an average salaryman who spent most of life slaving away before a computer."

Mica became skeptical. "Somehow I don't believe that. There seems to be more to you than meets the eye. I have a hard time believing an average salaryman would have so many utilitarian talents."

Kyle retorted. "I did other things, you know. I also practiced stuff like martial arts in my free time." Mica's eyes opened with astonishment. "Oh! That sounds interesting! What kind of martial arts do you know?"

"Various styles, though they aren't fully compatible with my legs being so different in this body." Kyle admitted as he glanced at his waist. "Sounds fun! Maybe you could teach me a thing or two!" Mica clenched her tiny fists together, attempting to emulate toughness.

"No offense, but you are too puny to learn how to fight effectively."

"Yeah, I know, but just for fun, right? I kind of wanna give it a try. Come on, let's go!" Mica jumped to her feet and rushed outside with the setting sun flooding the doorway. Kyle let out a helpless sigh as he followed her outside.

●== Day: 11, Evening => Sunset ==○

Time passed as Kyle instructed her on basic stances and breathing techniques. Mica seemed to be enjoying herself as she eagerly followed through with Kyle's instructions. Kyle admits he enjoyed taking time to relax and have some fun for once. Having someone else around tremendously boosted his spirit.

Their shadows began to stretch as the golden sun slowly settled behind the mountains. Tranquility filled their hearts in the alluring light as they shared innocent and playful banter between eachother. It was these little things that gave life a purpose, to breathe, laugh and play.

"That's enough for today. We should head in." Kyle said with a smile as Mica returned a nod. "Thanks for the lesson. I had fun, and it looks like you did too."

○== Day: 11, Sunset => Nightfall ==○

They retreated into the hut for the rest of the night, conversing about their lives and interests. As they were about to fall asleep something disturbed their peaceful rest.

*CRAAAAAAAAAWAA!*

Suddenly a blood chilling cry erupted in the night. Kyle's ears twitched and Mica became frozen with terror, unable to move. Kyle quickly snuffed out the firepit until the hut fell pitch black.

"That was nearby.." Kyle whispered as he peered outside into the vail of black. A vague shape loomed in the distance in the plateau. The footfalls were monstrous as the earth shook with each step.

Mica slowly reached over to Kyle, clinging to his arm. She whimpered and shed tears of fear as Kyle quietly observed the shape stalk about in the night. Eventually the shape stomped away, howling eerie sounds into the night.

After the silence returned, Mica raised her eyes at Kyle who returned a playful glance. "Can I have my arm back?" Mica quickly let go apologizing. "S-sorry! I was just.. so scared.."

"You an I, both. I didn't think that monster would find it way on this side of the river.. that's a problem.." Kyle said with a stern expression.

"Wait.. you've seen that THING before?" Mica responded with anxiety in her voice. "Only it's teeth through the veil of darkness. We exchanged glances across the river one night. I am to assume it's some kind of night hunter."

Kyle turned back to Mica. "Try to relax. Fear is our greatest enemy and we cannot let it consume us." Regardless of his reassuring words, both of them had difficulty getting any sleep during the night.

○== Day: 11 => 12, Early morning ==●

After all the excitement, neither one of them could sleep a wink last night. Kyle laid on his back, quietly facing the ceiling. Mica trembled, watching the doorway with fearful and bloodshot eyes. "I couldn't sleep a wink last night.."

"Nor could I.." Kyle added. "I'm just trying to think of a how to handle such a beast if it decided to engage us." Mica became stupefied upon hearing his response. "You're not intending to fight that thing, are you!?"

Kyle let out a sarcastic smile as he spoke nonchalantly. "Not a chance, that thing would rip me to shreds. If anything I would attempt to lead it away from camp, or maybe into trap."

Mica was impressed to see Kyle seemingly not afraid, but instead rather calm and collected. The fact that he missed out on sleep not because of fear, but because he was instead pontificating and planning.

Kyle stood up and grabbed his machete and bow. "For now, I'm gonna go hunt some grub. Our rations are getting low and we should expand our diet beyond fish since the lakes population is starting to thin."

Mica stood up aswell. "Do you need a hand with anything? I could help carry things and I would kind of like to learn a thing or to from you."

Kyle smiled in delightful amusement. "I appreciate the offer, but for now you should concern with weaving proper clothes for yourself. That night gown would be too cumbersome for the strenuous activity."

Mica felt slightly disheartened as she expressed her concern. "I just feel like a burden to you if all I do is stay at home knitting sweaters.." Kyle approached and gave her an encouraging pat on the head. "Don't push yourself, pip-squeak. You'll get your lessons in due time. For now, just take it easy, okay?"

Mica gave a light nod with her eyes down. "Okay.. just let me know if I'm being a burden, if so, I'll do whatever it takes to pull my weight." After settling that, Kyle grabbed his gear along with a shovel and set out on his hunt. He set his sights on a higher end prey.

The plateau bison.. hunting just one of them will not only keep them both fed for a whole week, if not, more. Their pelts would make for remarkable bedding or winter clothing - if this world has winter cycles ofcourse.

He realized that facing them head on would be suicide, so he devised a trapping method to ensnare them. Just like bison, they seem to have a short temper, so drawing their attention should be easy. Kyle pulled the shovel out an began digging hole near an area where the massive beast roam.

●== Day: 12, Early morning => Afternoon ==●

It took hours but he finished creating something like a 'tiger pitfall trap'. It was a common trap used in places like Vietnam to trap and cripple animals. Kyle propped leaves over the six foot drop with wood spikes layered at the bottom.

Kyle placed a spear near the hole and headed towards the plateau. He scanned the surroundings and examined a nearby herd of them. Lucky for him, there was a straggler prowling about. "Now's my chance!" He said to himself as he stood before the beast and readied his bow.

*Grooooo!*

The beast sensed his intent and let out a warning growl. Kyle then loosened and arrow near the beast's feet, antagonizing it.

It began to give chase as Kyle ran as fast as his legs could carry him. With his animal-like quickness, he was able to outrun the clumsy brutish bovine. "Now here's hoping the trap works for a beast of this size!" He thought as he rushed with the beast chasing him relentlessly.

Eventually he reached the location. "Here goes nothing!" Kyle said as he lept the gap where the trap was concealed.

*Shiff!* The beast fell through with a crashing sound followed by cries of pain. Kyle quickly grabbed the spear he left here and rushed to the pitfall trap.

The beast desperately struggled and bashed about in the dirt prison. Blood poured from its legs and gut from the spikes plunged in it's belly. Kyle stood atop, watching it suffer a slow painful death. "I have to.. put it out of it's misery.."

A past memory flashed for a millisecond, causing him to hesitate briefly. A bloody man, begging for mercy kneeled before him. "Please! I don't wanna die!"

A voice then left his lips. "Sorry.. but this is how the real world is.."

He quickly snapped back to reality and plunged the spear into the side of the beast's throat. It's movements slowed to a stop and the air fell quiet.

Kyle's fell on his rear, contemplating what he's done. "I killed someone again.. I'm a murderer.." his mind raced with a whirlwind of emotion. He struggled to regain composure but was constantly being accosted by the ghosts of his past.

"Hah!?" Kyle lifted his head and observed his surroundings. "A memory.. just.. a bad memory.." Kyle then stood up and loomed over the corpse of the beast. The scent of iron sparked unwanted memories of his ill begotten deeds.

"Goddamnit.. get ahold of yourself, Kyle.." he said to himself in an effort to get over his stupor. Over time he managed to gather himself as he stared into open space for a small period of time. He took a deep breath and began the gruesome task of skinning the prey. The scent of blood made his mind run wild with memories of violent deeds of his past.

After finally finishing, he realized the fur would indeed make an amazing bed. It was thick, soft and warm like a luxurious quilt. He rolled it up and strapped it to his back. Kyle also carved a slab of flesh from the skinned animal and wrapped it in small portions within large leaves.

It took alot of time, but he managed to harvest most of the good parts from the animal. Parts like the horns and hooves could prove to be useful later. For now, he's attempting to haul almost two hundreds pounds worth of meat.

He felt like a pack mule as he stomped with a massive bag draped on his back. "Maybe I should've brought Mica with me. Or at least a goddamn horse.. hah.."

His body ached all over from his legs, shoulders and back. He regretted every step he took along the way, hoping to plan this part out better if he was to do this again. "Next time.. I'll make a cart.. hah.."