Episode 1 - Drought (4)
Even as the group began to depart, the Megantereon's gaze was fixed solely on me.
"…You here for revenge or something?"
I could see my reflection in its gleaming single eye. Unlike before, it wasn't letting its guard down. Feet, legs, waist, chest, arms, head. Its eyes darted ceaselessly, taking in every part of me. And I was doing the same. I strained to observe everything from a single whisker to the twitch of its toe. I didn't even dare breathe loudly.
A hot wind brushed the tips of the dried grass. From a distance, I faintly heard the footsteps of the group fading away, but in my ears rang only the low, ragged breathing of the beast before me.
The Megantereon lowered its body and began circling me slowly. Each time its front paw pressed cautiously into the dry soil, its claw tips lightly scraped up dust. It wasn't rushing. It knew there was nowhere for me to flee or retreat. It knew that the moment I turned my back, it would be over.
Good.
That was actually better. It wouldn't chase the group. Right now, in its world, there was only me. So my task was simple.
End it here.
Paradoxically, I knew where I would die—and because of that, I also knew I wouldn't die here. That cave. The fossils tangled with the Megantereon inside it. If that was me, then I wouldn't die now. Well, it probably wouldn't make much difference—a few days at most.
In the tense standoff, I moved first. Not with a roar or a charge or anything dramatic. I simply noticed that its wary gaze was fixated especially on the spear in my hand.
So, feigning a rush, I dropped the spear. The tip fell with a thud, rolling across the parched earth. In that instant, I saw its eye follow the spear to the ground. It knew the spear was dangerous, so it focused even more on it. And if the spear suddenly vanished from its sight?
Instinctively, the creature's gaze would shift to find it—and that would be my opening.
While its eyes turned, I charged straight at it. In my hand was no spear, but an obsidian chopper. Worn down from shaping spears, cutting grass, and trimming branches, it still had enough edge left to slice flesh and pierce hide.
As the distance closed to a single step, I whipped my arm in a twisting arc. The black blade grazed the Megantereon's throat.
Slash.
Tough neck hide tore, a red line spurting forth. I felt the clear sensation of it biting into flesh through my fingertips.
But.
Too shallow!
At the last moment, it jerked its head. What my hand met wasn't a vital spot, but the outer layers of thick hide and muscle. Not a fatal wound.
The Megantereon's lips curled back, a short, low growl leaking between its saber teeth. The moment I realized my attack had failed, I bolted in that stance—behind it, as fast as I could.
Its massive body whirled to follow instantly. Faster than I'd thought. As its hind paw kicked off the dry soil, I instinctively dropped low. A front paw swung right overhead. A fierce gust grazed the back of my neck.
Dodged it!
I scrambled up the nearest tree, grabbed a branch, and vaulted over. I'd lived in this body for over ten years now; climbing trees was second nature, eyes closed if need be.
As I began fleeing through the branches, the Megantereon roared in fury and gave chase.
─GRRRRAAAAHHH!!
"Come and get me!!!"
Fortunately, it was pursuing me directly. I had to lead it as far from the group as possible…
As I reached for the next branch, thinking that—
"…Huh?"
Crack! An ominous sound rang out. The drought-stricken forest had lost its vitality, and the branches, which would normally bear my weight and momentum with ease, had long since gone brittle.
So the branch I grabbed while leaping snapped under my weight, plummeting me—right onto the Megantereon.
"Whaaaat?!?!"
In the instant of falling, something soft and warm enveloped my body. I opened my eyes. Before me: yellow, coarse fur.
I thrust out both arms reflexively. And I realized where I'd landed in no time at all.
Its back.
"Crazy…!"
Crashing onto its back, I instinctively clamped my legs around its flank and seized a fistful of mane at its nape with one hand.
It felt it too and glanced back.
"Uh… hey? Wanna call it even…?"
─RRRAAAAAHHH!!
It went berserk, bucking and thrashing wildly in all directions.
"Fine, be that way!"
A deafening roar exploded right below me, ears ringing. Its massive shoulder blades writhed; power surged up its spine, shaking my whole body. One slip, and I'd be flung off to splatter on the ground.
But my fingers, optimized for gripping branches, held fast to its fur and hide. And right now, this was both crisis and opportunity.
I reversed my grip on the obsidian chopper in my free hand and hammered down madly at the nearest target: its nape.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Blood sprayed from its neck with each strike. The blade was short, and I couldn't hit the exact same spot, so the wounds weren't deep—but the pain was real enough; it bellowed in agony.
─KYAAAOOOW!!
Me clinging desperately to its bucking back, it shaking like mad. This life-or-death struggle didn't last long.
"?!"
KYAA?
As it thrashed forward, one massive paw suddenly hit empty air. Its huge body tilted sharply forward.
Only then did I see it: a deep crevice in the earth, hidden under dry grass and dust. A small overhang from an ancient cliff, eroded by rain and wind, had crumbled in the drought.
"Huh?"
Before my short yelp escaped, the ground gave way.
Crunch!
The soil mound under its front paw collapsed wholesale, and its body plunged down. I, clinging to its back, tumbled with it.
"Whooooaaa!!"
The world flipped. Dirt, rocks, and dry twigs flew everywhere. I tried to hold onto the mane, but after one big roll, I was flung into the air. My back slammed into a boulder.
"Guh!"
Breath caught in my throat. Then shoulder, waist, legs—impacts chained one after another. Sparks burst in my vision; blood filled my mouth. After who-knows-how-many rolls, I skidded across damp soil at the bottom.
Thump.
My body stopped.
"…Ugh…"
My mind reeled. But a bigger crash came from above.
Crash! Crunch! Rumble!
The Megantereon. It had tumbled down with me. Its huge form smashed into the rock wall, shattering stone as it slid down.
I rolled aside reflexively. The next instant—
BOOM!!
Its body crashed beside where I'd been. Shock sent up a fog of dust; damp earth and blood stench filled the air.
For a moment, silence.
I coughed and forced myself up. Left arm numb. Ankle sprained, probably. Breathing hurt like a rib had punctured a lung.
But I was still alive.
And.
"…So this is it."
Seeing the scene before me, I could only mutter that.
A cave mouth of utterly familiar shape loomed ahead, where we'd slid down the cliff. Details differed from memory, but my gut screamed it: this was that cave.
"Ha… haha."
Laughter leaked out.
"It really was here."
Today truly was the day I'd die.
Then.
Grrrrr…
A low, wet growl. I turned. Through the dust cloud, the Megantereon was rising.
It wasn't unscathed either. One front leg bent wrong; flank fur torn wide, soaked in blood. Saliva and blood drooled from its mouth; its single eye gleamed fiercer than before.
But the worst wound was that thick, jagged branch spearing its throat. Blood gushed like a waterfall.
I glanced around. Fortunately, my obsidian chopper wasn't far. As I picked it up, it did nothing.
Or rather, couldn't. It was probably enduring hellish pain like me.
But just as I hadn't given up, neither did it.
It limped forward a step. I stood too.
This body couldn't run or climb anymore. Even if it could, I'd die anyway. Breathing was getting harder, like drowning.
Perfect. Now it was truly to the death.
It growled first, lowering its head. Not as agile with the broken leg, but more cautious.
I steadied my breath. One step. Another. Our footsteps overlapped on the damp soil.
Then we moved almost simultaneously.
─RRRAAAAHHH!!
"Come on!!"
It charged first this time. In a flash, its huge jaws and sabers clamped my shoulder, dragging me deep into the cave.
Even then, I hammered its head relentlessly with the chopper. Obsidian split skull with each blow, spraying blood and brains—but it wouldn't release me.
My hand sped up. Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
The chopper battered temple and brow bone. Dull shocks climbed my wrist. Normally it'd withstand more, but it was half-dead already: leg broken, throat impaled, nape bloodied.
Yet it clung on. Jaws dug deeper into my shoulder. Flesh tore vividly.
"Gaaahhh!!"
Screaming, I didn't let go. Once more. Again.
Crack.
This time, definite: obsidian tip pierced a thin cranial seam. Its head shook violently.
─GRRRRAAAAHHH!!
A mad roar shook the cave. It shook me wildly, mouth still locked, then slammed me into the rock wall.
BOOM!
Back hit; vision went white. Blood surged from my mouth. Felt like ribs collapsed entirely.
But my final strike was fatal—it slumped atop me.
It was dead.
And I would be soon.
"Cough. Gurrgle."
I couldn't move for a long while. Couldn't anyway. Left arm senseless; right hand frozen gripping obsidian. Exhales longer than inhales. Each breath bubbled blood in my lungs.
Ah… it's over.
No chance now. I'd die here, buried in guano until Professor Park, my past self, and Han Si-ha found me eons later.
"Cough, cough."
The group was far gone by now. Si-jo, the females, young ones. They'd survive. They had to. That was enough.
I slowly gripped the Megantereon's nape atop me. Laughable, us tangled even in death. A chuckle escaped.
Then a acrid smell hit my nose. Maybe the prairie fire had reached here.
"Hahaha."
Laughter burst again. To the end, my thoughts were only of the group.
After ditching my small self for over a decade, and me failing to accept them—after mere months as leader, I'd truly seen them as family.
Had they survived? Did Si-jo grasp my will and lead them well? Red Faces, us, the young. Did they all find water?
I didn't know. But one thing I could do.
"…If there's a god even now, please protect my family."
As my words ended, a hot gust blew from the cave mouth, and consciousness faded—like drifting away.
Thus, my first life ended.
Si-jo—who didn't even know his own name, barely human yet—led the group northward.
Throat parched? Bola to spill animal blood. Hungry? Chew grass roots. Exhausted? Carry each other.
Three days like that. Seeing the vista before him, tears welled unbidden.
A vast river unmarred by drought, surrounded by sprawling wetlands and plains. No dense jungle like their old forest, but trees aplenty. Sunlight glittered silver on the water; damp winds carried wet earth and grass scents.
Birds flitted through reeds; distant herds grazed the banks. Among them, the gnus they'd trailed.
Si-jo swallowed a trembling breath, staring at the river.
"…The leader was right."
Episode [1] - [Homo consentiens] End
To be continued
Photo of blue wildebeest taken at Satara in Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.
Wildebeest are famous for migrating in vast herds across the plains. They roam seeking water via humidity, vibrations, and scents, their immense numbers making them a keystone species sustaining Africa's savanna ecosystem. Prey for countless carnivores, they are the lifeblood cycling nutrients through the plains.
If you're ever stranded in Africa, follow the wildebeest. You'll find water in about two days. Just remember—you're not the only one chasing them.