The Clever Elf's Pit Trap and the First Cave Painting
The elves, gathered around the smartest-looking female elf in their primitive tribe, began adapting to the forest with remarkable speed. Innately loving nature, none of them harbored any complaints about living in the woods. On the contrary, they were enjoying it. With their bipedal gait and dexterous hands accustomed to versatile uses, they started mastering the handling of tools.
Time passed, and the sun set. On the first night, they realized the temperature dropped sharply compared to the day. Their eyes that pierced the darkness made securing visibility at night easy enough, but the cold and the activity of nocturnal beasts posed major threats. In fact, an assault by a massive striped beast about 3 meters tall claimed ten lives, and the night's chill prevented proper recovery, leaving their condition poor into the next morning. Their robust bodies and strong immunity meant they didn't fall ill from just one sleepless night and mild cold, but for these elves, stranded in the barren wilds, conserving and recovering stamina was a huge problem.
"Uwaa! Uwo."
"Uhwo?"
At that moment, as morning broke, the female elf spotted bugs crawling out from the ground. Something clicked for her upon seeing them, and she gestured frantically at the earth while pointing to it for the others. It seemed like she was saying to dig into the ground. Digging pits to shelter in would block the cold night winds, and they'd handle beast intrusions more flexibly. Covering them with leaves like those bug holes could block wind and hide from predators too. The clever elves quickly grasped her intent and began digging.
Of course, excavating enough earth for 990 elves wasn't easy. They knew to pick up and use things they found, but had no concept of tools for efficiency. So they dug with bare hands or sticks and stones scavenged along the way. Progress was predictably slow, and as the sun began to set again, scattered shallow pits dotted the area—but far too few, too shallow, and too narrow for 990 elves to live in. At least the soft soil near the river's forest edge helped; otherwise, they'd have achieved half this much. No matter their superior physiques, without technique or tools, this was their limit. Another exposed night loomed.
They possessed stamina and mental fortitude to function without much sleep even at night, so it wasn't a crisis, but the problem was...
"Uwooo..."
The elves started to grow afraid. With sunset, that massive striped beast would likely appear again. Bigger than the ones they'd previously scared off with stones, it was far more agile, dodging thrown rocks and picking them off one by one. To fight it, they needed stronger, faster weapons—or at least means to protect themselves...
"...Gak?!"
Shwaaak—!
Suddenly, one elf stumbled into a freshly dug pit, her foot slipping in. It wasn't deep enough to injure her, but she flailed in panic.
"Auuu! Au?"
"Uaaah..."
With help from others, she climbed out. Watching this, the leader female elf had a brilliant idea.
"...!!"
Lure the beasts into deep pits. They'd panic and stagger, their movements restricted, unable to dodge stone barrages! Perfect. Dig deep pits too tough to climb out of, lure the beast in, then pelt it. Bonus: the pits would serve as barriers around their sleeping areas.
"Au... Uhwo?"
But how to convey this? Body language had limits. Dig pits, lure beast, drop it in, stone it to death. Realizing gestures wouldn't suffice, she rushed to a nearby rock.
"......"
Traces of stone-throwing practice littered the area, white marks from rocks striking the boulder. Inspired, she grabbed a stone and began scratching a line across it.
Scraaaatch—
A white streak appeared, mimicking the impact marks.
"Auaaah! Aaah!"
Confirming it worked, the female elf hurriedly gathered the others. Elves flocked to her call, the one they'd acknowledged as leader—some trembling in fear, others hopeful for a solution, a few resolved to fight the monster desperately.
Before this multitude, she did something unprecedented for elves.
Scraaatch—
Scratch—
The dawn of language... she began drawing the first wall painting.
A pointy-eared human figure for elves, a massive striped beast twice its size. Tree shapes around symbolized the forest, and circles amid clusters of elf figures clearly meant pits.
"Aaah! Auu!"
She continued drawing and explaining. A pit before the striped beast, then elves behind it. Next, the beast half-sunk in the pit, elves surrounding and hurling stones.
"......"
"......"
The elves' reaction to their first wall painting...
"Uwaaah! Auuaaah!"
"Ooooh!"
They instantly understood, cheering with hopeful faces. They set to preparing deep pits to trap the striped beast.
But to contain it and prevent escape, the pits needed to be over three times an elf's height. Even elves who could leap taller than themselves would struggle. The leader had planned for that too—earlier, she'd seen a spider climb a tree on its thread and fetched long vines from the forest. Grab one, and comrades pull you up. Plan complete.
"Grrrrowl..."
Preparations done, the awaited night arrived. Sure enough, a striped beast appeared. Just one, a solitary monster striding proudly. But its lone might overwhelmed.
Of course, not tonight.
"Uwaaah!"
"Aaaah!"
"Kwaaaah!"
Elves drew its gaze, and it charged. The instant—
Crunch!!
"Kruuung?!"
Leaves gave way, plunging the beast below.
Thud!
It worked perfectly.
"Uooooh!"
"Uwaaaah!"
Elves joyfully grabbed stones and rushed the pit.
"Kwaaaah!"
The beast thrashed to escape, but the deep, narrow hole restricted it—plus panic dulled its response. Elves unleashed a barrage.
They'd missed before, but hits would...
Crack!
Splat!
Thwack!
"Kruung! Kyaaak! Kraaah!"
Even its tough hide and sturdy frame couldn't withstand cannon-like throws from elf physiques. Dozens of stones flew simultaneously—no surviving that.
Splat!
Crack!
Dozens filled the pit, and it went still.
"Huff, huff..."
"Huuuuh..."
Panting, elves peered in cautiously. Over? The stone-buried beast didn't twitch. Dead.
"Uooooh!"
"Waaaaah!"
Elves exulted in slaying the fearsome monster with their own hands, zero losses. They bounced around the leader female elf in awe, expressing joy with whole bodies since words and gestures fell short.
Thus, having conquered even the supposedly invincible horror, the elves, centered on their leader, diligently built their new home.
...Man, they're more impressive than I thought?
The elves settled into survival at their spawn points. About a month since release, survival rate around 70%. Of 30 million, 9 million dead, 21 million left. Some groups dwindled past half to 400. Not bad, honestly—I'd pegged overall under 50%.
Especially at points with an extra-smart elf, survival topped 90%, already building solid homes and laying civilization's foundations.
Thus forming tribes, expanding territories, they'll eventually clash. War or harmony...? I tuned them for strong kin bonds to favor unity, but who knows in practice.
Should've added language, though. Pretty, handsome kids grunting like cavemen feels off. Well, they are primitives... Anyway, communicating via cave art in days? Full language system soon, probably.
Ah... those down to 400 are tragic. Similar environs, just bad luck? Ecosystem a bit tricky. Thought it was decent, but higher difficulty apparently.
...Kinda heartbreaking, honestly. Rich or poor, all my creations like kids. Can't feel great watching them drop.
This rate, most'll die without achieving much.
...They're pitiful, so just a little. A little help? The thriving ones won't mind minor aid either.
Alright, then!