Life Unfamiliar: Survival on a New World 2 (Patreon)

Local Day 12

Mid-Morning

I swam a ways out this morning, there’s some kind of reef a short ways from shore. Most of the fish I saw looked to be related in some way to the toad fish that make their home by my base camp. In addition to a fuckton of fish, there were also a large number of crustaceans, some skitting about on the coral or the seafloor, but also a large number of them were swimming.

It felt like I was free diving in a mix of the ocean when I was last on Earth, the Cambrian, and the Cretaceous periods. I recognized some basic types of animals, but the specifics will take time for me to figure out anything detailed. I managed to capture a reptile that swam around and seemed to be the top predator of the coral shallows. Whatever the seed species was, its toes have all merged together into flippers, its tail is tall and flat, and its teeth are unlike any reptile I’ve seen before.

Its jaw looked more like a beak, if beaks had teeth protruding from them. The tail was clearly used for propulsion, with the fins being responsible for steering and stability. They were also surprisingly small, likely in the process of being lost, much like snakes did.

I brought the reptile back to my base camp to examine it more closely. It seemed unfazed by its capture, almost like it had never encountered a human before. I could see that it had adapted well to its environment, with its streamlined body and powerful tail allowing it to move quickly through the water.

I decided to take some samples of the reptile's DNA to study later, hoping that it might provide some insights into the planet's evolutionary history. Who knows, maybe there are even more unique and fascinating creatures waiting to be discovered on this island.

As I finished up my examination of the reptile, I couldn't shake the feeling of isolation that had been weighing on me since my escape pod crashed on this island. The flora and fauna may be fascinating, but it's hard not to feel homesick when you're stranded on a distant planet with no hope of rescue.

But for now, I have to focus on survival and understanding the world around me. Who knows what other discoveries lie ahead?

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I set aside my journal with a sigh. I really needed to find a local animal that would prove docile enough that I could have a companion. The toad fishes were… alright, I guess, but it wasn’t the same. The… lizard seal, for want of a better name, had been the first animal I’d gotten a good examination of that wasn’t some sort of bug or fish. There were the flying things, but they were so high up that I’d only gotten the occasional glimpse of them.

While I’d learned a lot about the local ecology, I was no closer to figuring out the best course of action going forwards. Even if I wasn’t the first human to ever land on this planet, something which I’d seen no signs of either way, I was certainly the first human on this island.

Setting those thoughts aside, I made my way over to one of the massive trees. I didn’t recognize the species, unsurprisingly, but it was taller than any I’d seen before. I had tried eating the leaves several times already after using the scanner to confirm that they were safe to eat, but hadn’t found them very palatable. The texture was similar to the leafy plants I’d eaten before, but it just tasted weird. Maybe I was missing some essential nutrient in these leaves, or maybe I was just missing something else entirely.

As I was standing there, contemplating my next move, I heard a rustling sound coming from the nearby bushes. My hand instinctively went to my knife as I approached with caution. It could be a predator, though I hadn't seen any large enough to be dangerous to me, or it could be something harmless. Either way, I wouldn't be taking chances.

As I got closer, I saw movement underneath the foliage. I took a deep breath and moved the branches aside, revealing a small creature curled up into a ball. It had a round body covered in vibrant purple scales, large, adorable eyes, and small feet with sharp claws.

It was about the size of my fist, curled up the way it was, and clearly scared. I reached out my hand slowly, and made soft, soothing sounds to the creature. To my pleasant surprise, it uncurled slightly and examined my fingers. I took that as a good sign and continued “talking” to it. It seemed to relax a bit, and after a few moments, it even crawled onto my hand.

I was delighted. This was the first time I had come across a creature that wasn't actively trying to avoid me. I looked at it more closely as it perched on my palm. Its scales were iridescent in the sunlight, and it had a small, pointed snout with a sharp beak. It wasn't like anything I had seen before.

I decided to take it back to my base camp, where I could examine it more closely and see if it was safe to keep as a companion. As I walked back, I kept talking to it in a soft voice, hoping to keep it calm and comfortable.

Once we arrived at the base camp, I set the creature down on a flat surface and began examining it. To my surprise, it seemed to be completely docile and not attempting to escape. It was also incredibly intelligent, with a curious, inquisitive nature.

Taking another, long look at it, I pulled out my journal and opened up a clean page to start taking notes on this new creature. Ball Lizard works for a name.

‘Broad but flexible rib cage, stubby tail, scales are thickest on the back and sides, large eyes, squat side sprawling legs, surprisingly intelligent looking eyes despite being a reptile,’ I thought to myself as I wrote down notes.

I spent the rest of the day observing and interacting with the Ball Lizard, which I had decided to name “Lilac” due to the vibrant purple scales that covered its body. It seemed to enjoy being petted and would curl up into a tight ball whenever it felt threatened.

As the sun began to set, I started to feel a sense of unease. I had no idea what dangers lurked on this island, and I knew I needed to be vigilant if I wanted to survive. I made sure to secure my base camp and set up some traps around the area to catch any potential predators.

Lilac seemed to sense my unease and curled up on my lap, as if to offer comfort. I stroked its scales absentmindedly, lost in thought. How was I going to survive on this planet all alone? How would I ever find a way off this island?

As I drifted off to sleep, Lilac still curled up on my lap, I couldn't help but feel both comforted by its presence and overwhelmed by the challenges ahead. But for now, I had a companion, and that was enough to keep me going.

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Lilac, I soon learned, was an omnivore. She, because I got the impression that they were a she, had gotten into some of the leaves and other edible plants I'd set aside and started eating them. Then I watched as she scurried after one of the toad fish and ate that too.

More than that, closer inspection revealed to me that she was, contrary to my initial assumptions, endothermic. Considering how chilly the island could get, I suppose it made sense.

Over the next few days, Lilac became a constant companion, following me wherever I went and exploring everything with a childlike curiosity. She was easily trainable and could understand simple commands, like "come" and "stay." I was glad to have her with me, as it made me feel less alone on this strange planet.

One day, as we were out exploring, we came across a clearing in the forest. It was a beautiful sight, with sunlight filtering through the canopy and illuminating the space. In the middle of the clearing was a small stream, with crystal clear water flowing gently through the rocks.

Lilac bounded over to the stream and started lapping at the water. I followed suit, taking a much-needed sip from my canteen. As I sat there, watching the water flow, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over me. There was nothing else like it in the world. I turned toward Lilac and found her sitting on a rock beside the stream, staring out at the horizon. I smiled and gave her a pat on the head. She cocked her head at me quizzically, then hopped onto my shoulder and laid down. We stayed like that for a while, just enjoying the scenery and each other's company.

We continued to explore the island together, sometimes staying within the safety of my base camp when the weather got bad. The two of us spent many hours simply relaxing under the shade of the trees or playing in the stream. One morning, as I was walking along the shore, I saw something in the distance. It looked like… a ship!

“HEY!” I shouted, jumping up and waving my arms wildly. It wasn’t a plane, shuttle, or anything like that, but I’d take a canoe without a paddle if it meant more company. After a few minutes of it not seeming to work, I raced back to camp, digging around in the survival gear that had been in the escape pod until I found what I was looking for: a few flares.

Grabbing Lilac and sticking her on my shoulder, I raced back to the beach and started gathering as many branches, dried leaves, and other flammable material as I could, desperate to get a fire going with a lot of smoke.

I managed to get a small blaze going, and I quickly lit the flare and held it high, waving it in the air. To my relief, the ship seemed to notice and was heading towards me.

As it got closer, I could see that it was a wooden sailing ship, definitely not anything even remotely advanced. But at this point, I was grateful for any company, no matter how small.

As the ship approached, I could see a figure leaning over the edge. They looked human, but from this distance I couldn't tell for sure. I raised my hand in a wave, hoping they would see that I was unarmed. To my relief, the figure waved back, and the ship came to a stop relatively near the shore. Closer, I could get a better look.

It was a sailboat, with red sails currently in the process of being bunched up, and a name displayed prominently on the side in a script that I didn't recognize. I had a growing suspicion that any attempts at communication were doomed to failure.

A smaller boat was lowered from the side, a trio of men within, all wearing what seemed to be a uniform of a light, billowy white shirt and brown pants. I let out a sigh of relief as they pulled up on shore, and I stood up slowly, keeping Lilac close to me. The three individuals climbed out of the boat and approached me cautiously. To my surprise, all of them were taller than me, and I'm not a short man.

“Ashk voo tì?” one of them, an older looking man with a sword on his belt, asked.

With a lack of a better option, I put my hand on my chest and enunciated, "James."

Fortunately, they got the message, the one with the sword introducing himself as Nyap, while the other two were Maknyu, and Shef. Step one: introductions, was successfully completed. Step two: getting the hell off this island could begin.