Chapter Text
Void is cold. Void is warm.
Void is dark. Void is bright.
No food, but not hungry. No lizard, but not scared. No kin, but not lonely.
Just self. Self, and thoughts, and hook.
Wait.
Hook?
Yes, hook on string. Metal like spear, but round like lizard claw. Word-mark says hook is for hunting prey in water.
Self is only thing in water. Is hook for hunting self?
...Void is empty. Void is boring.
Grab!
Hook pulls up and up and up. Out of void, into bright-water: can see light from above, can see paws, can see end of water.
Out of water, can breathe now. Hook is on string, string is on pole, pole is in paws of big... thing? Skin is like fish, hooks in mouth.
"You are strange fish. Stoat-fish? Slug-fish?"
Hook-thing talks! No horns, so not scavenger. No arm in back, so not iterator.
Excitement! New thing-that-thinks! Was good idea to grab hook.
Hook-thing moves body up and down... shrugs? Yes, shrugs. "Not OLD_FISH. Not fish seen. Take to Leshy-fish. Make new card."
Hook-thing reaches out paw. Trying to grab self? NO! Jump, flee, run! Hook-thing is big and strong and scary and - has food?
"Want fish? Want eat?"
...yes. Not hungry in void. Hungry now.
"Come. I not eat you."
Closer, closer... Take! Fish is old, but still good for food.
While eating, hook-thing talks more. "You hear words. Know what say?"
Nod. "Smart-fish. I am the Angler. You have name?"
Name? One-Who-Eats-Much gave self name: One-Who-Dies-Not, for fighting many lizards when young.
Find some dirt, draw pictures. Kin in lizard jaws, kin hurt with spears, kin standing with spear in paws. Tap on this one.
"Hmm. These dead. You not. Name Survivor?"
Yes! Nod nod nod!
"No you-fish here. Where from?"
Where from - does Angler mean world? Try to draw, but how? World is too big.
"No talk? Mm. I not talk good." Angler stands, takes bucket with fish. "Come. We go to Leshy-fish. He talk good."
Jump, grab false-pelt, climb onto shoulder. Angler smells of salt, smells of fish, smells of blood.
Angler starts to walk. Long, slow steps, like rain-deer over worm-grass. Walking away from ocean towards many tall trees, long and straight as climbing poles. Ground is covered in dead leaves. How? Rain should have washed loose stuff away.
Hear noise like spears hitting stone, clank clank clank. Getting closer to noise, see another big-thing. This one smaller, but still big, holds long plant-stick with sideways spear on end. Face has fur like lizard ruff, opens mouth to show big flat teeth. Threat! No, word-mark says not threat - smile, shows happiness.
"Howdy, Angler! Didja get a good haul today?"
"Hello, gold-fish. Not much. No big fish." Angler turns, points to self. "New fish. Smart-fish."
'Gold-fish' lifts false-pelt on head, scratches fur. "Well, I'll be darned! Ain't never seen a critter like that before, no sir. And you say it unnerstands ya?"
Nod. "Wha- alright, I guess that answers that. I'm the Prospector. Pleased to meetcha!" Prospector drops stick-with-spear. "Ya got a name, little buddy?"
"No talk. Name Survivor."
"He-he-hee! And here I thought only us forest-dwellers had jobs fer names! I suppose you two are headed on down to the Cabin?" Angler nods. "Well, don't let lil' old me slow ya down! Git goin', you two, an' tell the boss I said hi."
Prospector takes stick-with-spear, and walks away making noise like wind, but nice-sounding. Whistling.
Angler walks. See more trees. See dead thing with mushrooms. See things like lizard, but with fur. Fur-lizards growl, show teeth. Not smile this time.
Angler runs. No spear to throw, no meat to tame, no pipe to hide in. Just trees, too smooth to climb. Soon, Angler breathes hard and fast.
Then, place with no trees. Den made of tree-stuff, lights inside. Big-thing inside den moves den-hole-cover, shouts at fur-lizards. "Begone!" Fur-lizards turn and run away.
New big-thing has plants on body. When big-thing talks, eyes glow orange. "Angler. Come inside. I see we have much to discuss."