Chapter 2

Suddenly Jax stopped talking and another system screen appeared.

*Ding

[Quest: place for a beast

Find a safe place to rest for the night, one where no other creatures will be able to attack you.

Rewards: 100 beast points]

'Why did you just read it out?'

I asked Jax. He paused seeming hesitant,

(cause that's what the guide books says to do?)

he more asked than stated. Not wanting to make the AI uncomfortable I moved on. Wait can you even make an AI uncomfortable? While going through my thoughts about the complexity of robotic emotions I asked a question to distract from the awkwardness.

'what are beast points?'

I asked Jax I got the equivalent of a disbelieving side eye.

(Wait you're serious?)

He asked after a long moment. I swear if I every get cricket noises I'm gonna lose my mind. Back to the current situation I nodded at the question.

(Well beast points are used to upgrade and buy monster transformations from the system store.)

surprised I asked the next question

'system store?'

With a ding another screen appeared

*Ding

[Beast list: 1]

[Store]

[Inventory]

[Hidden]

[Balance: 0]

I was pulled from my musing as my incredibly keen hearing picked up the sound of running feet, and what I think was a much larger predator. I quickly used my reflexes to boast myself into one of the overhead tree's foliage, hanging from above like a bat. I waited patiently as the two creatures ran by one was a small dinosaur that looked like a mini triceratops without the horns.

[Protoceratops: an early ancestor to the famous triceratops mainly consumes plants and foliage.]

The thing that turned out to be chasing the small dinosaur was one I recognized from the famous show Jurassic Park.

[Allosaurus: a large bi-pedal predator with dozens of serrated teeth, consumes other fauna and is highly aggressive, also hunts in packs]

Confused by the last part of the description of the famous creatures, I almost didn't notice the other beast as it leapt out and grabbed the triceratop wannabe. I watched in morbid fascination as the two ancient predators ripped the smaller creature apart, fighting over scraps and bones. After witnessing the death of the creature and its eventual fate, I left with a troubled mind. Totally forgetting about the beast points.

Eventually I reached a large cliff face with a singular cave on the side of it.

'Now that's plot shananagans if I ever saw one'

I sighed internally.

(I fail to see how the plot of a book would be relevant in the current situation.)

came the Reply, I swear I'm missing my mental privacy. Flapping my wings I took off and flew through the air towards the cave landing inside without any problems, I turned to watch as an idealized view stretched out in front of me.

(It is a beautiful view isn't?)

I nodded the light bouncing off of the leaves creating a very nice view.

An angry hiss pulled my attention away from the view.

*Ding

[Quest update!

You have found a safe place to rest for the night, one where no other creatures will be able to attack you… except for the giant snake that is.

Defeat the giant snake and secure the cave as your own!

Rewards: 400 beast points]

3rd Pov

The two beasts confronted one another both rumbling threatening. The snake was large enough to easily devour the other reptile, however it remained cautious due to its unfamiliar appearance. Its instincts told it that this thing was dangerous despite how much it looked like food. It started bunching up in order to have a heavier weight behind its strike. However the Nightfury didn't allow the snake to do so. A blue light emanated from the throat of the dragon, with a sound similar to a lower pitched laser gun charging up. The snake's instincts went wild and it went to strike the dragon, never making it even halfway as it was struck in the face. It reeled back in pain hissing in agony. Shaking off the effects in quickly started trying to wrap the elusive creature within its coils.

The Nightfury leaped over the first attempt firing another plasma blast, however the snake had learned its lesson and brought one of its thick coils up blocking the artillery like breath weapon. With a frustrated growl the Nightfury lashed out with its claws and retractable teeth, biting and clawing at the coils as they tried to wrap him up and crush him.

The slip up eventually happened and the Nightfury's lower body was snagged by one of the thick coils of the large snake, both were hissing and growling in pain as one was squeezed making his bones creak, while the other was covered in lacerations and had a couple of burnt missing chunks of flesh, the snake brought the other reptile that invaded its home and attacked it, getting a savage joy as the Nightfury strated struggling, the more pressure he exerted.