When I finally collected enough of my wits to look around me, I saw I was far away from where I’d started. The peak of the mountain rose into the sky above me. It would take me days to climb back up that high. If my half grown wings hadn’t been so useless, they could have carried me. I folded them against my back.

  Further examination of the thing I’d come to a stop against via a careful nibble suggested it was: A. Not a rock. B. Not full of tasty flesh like my Friend. The rough bark on its exterior was softer than my scales, but not as soft as fur.

  Sticky fluid ran beneath the bark which made my teeth stick together. The bark was brown, but a different shade than the stone of the mountain. Bristles that reminded me of fur stuck out from many limbs along its long trunk. As I gazed at the green bristles, unbidden thoughts of a place that had things other than cold and snow slipped into my mind.

  If I got the chance, I’d like to visit such a place.

  From the evidence at hand, I could only conclude that this new entity was a creature like myself, as opposed to unliving snow or stone.

  The creature was tilted on its side, shoved out of place by half the mountain falling on it. It didn’t seem inclined to pick itself back up. I could see it had gnarled claws of its own digging into the soft earth beneath it. They had been partially pulled out by its position.

  The cold had not yet taken it like my Friend. Perhaps it was better at handling changes in its circumstances.

  For the second time ever, I thanked something for assisting me.

  My eyes turned to survey my surroundings. There were many of the tall-bristled creatures gathered together. Perhaps they clung to each other for warmth and sustenance like me and my siblings once had. My savior stood apart and higher than the rest. It reminded me of myself.

  I climbed down from my savior and gave it a lick where I’d nibbled it. The sticky fluid oozing out of it tasted disgusting. The voice in my gut said that licking your companion’s wounds was the right thing to do in spite of the taste.

  The snow here was more firmly packed. I was able to easily skitter across it into the depths of the trees. Under their boughs were shadows that made my eyes hurt less than the snow’s harsh glare. The trees didn't seem to mind me passing through their territory. Perhaps they were peaceful creatures, or I was simply not worth the effort to grab and devour.

  In the depths of the forest’s shadows, I heard something other than me move. It was faint; the snow absorbed all sound so it had to be close. My bright scales didn’t blend in amongst the shadows, so I crouched low and crept forward slowly.

  As I drew closer, my nose picked up the scent of something that made the gnawing in my gut return. It was raw and vital in a way that neither my furred Friend nor bark clad Savior were. My silent instinct whispered to me. Ruby red like my scales would gush forth if I sank my teeth into it. Like me, it was something that lived and breathed in the cold.

  My belly crawl took me from the shadow of one tree to the next, creeping ever closer. I could hear the soft squeaks of something in pain. As quietly I could, I came close to a tree and hid behind it. Carefully, I peeked one eye around the bark of my hiding place.

  This newest creature was small like myself. It had fur and limbs like Friend, but it was still moving around. Gasping breaths of panic gushed out of its snout. Long ears atop its head swiveled back and forth and a short poofy tail the color of snow twitched behind its haunches.

  The source of its distress was one paw caught in a cord hanging from a nearby tree limb. Whenever the creature thrashed, the tree limb shook with it but held firm. In spite of repeated attempts, it was unable to break free.

  ‘Ah, so the tall ones use this to catch their prey’, I thought to myself. ‘No wonder they don't try to grab me. They simply wait for their prey to fall into a trap such as this.’

  That said, the tree didn’t seem to be in much of a hurry. The panicked prey caught in the trap continued to flail and thrash around in the snow. If I had to guess, the tree was waiting for its prey to tire itself out. My long tongue dragged across my teeth.

  Perhaps the tree might be willing to share? If my teeth sank into this creature, I could end its suffering and the tree wouldn’t need to wait any longer. I looked inquisitively out at the tree holding the trap, trying to catch its attention. It didn’t answer.

  As I thought about it further, none of the trees had reacted to my presence at all. Could it be that they were all asleep? That seemed reasonable enough. I didn’t want to stick around and learn if they were friendly when they woke up. My eyes slid back over to the prey.

  The tree wouldn’t miss what it lost while asleep, surely.

  The prey wasn’t able to flee when I rushed from the shadows. The moment it spotted me, its panicked squeaks took on a new feverish pitch. It thrashed even harder against the trap.

  My first pounce was less than glorious. As I sailed through the air, the creature lashed out with its free foot and caught me in the neck. I landed on my injured side. Yet another lesson was taught with pain. Don’t play with your food.

  On my next attempt I crept in slowly and carefully. The prey continued to try and kick at me, but this time I was ready. When its foot lashed out again, my teeth snapped closed around its ankle. The creature gave a squeal of agony and flailed against me. However, once I locked my jaws onto it, it was too late.

  My claws sank into the flesh of its leg, pulling it towards me. Once I had a good grip, I opened my jaws and lunged forward to catch it on the neck. A burst of fluid rushed into my mouth, overwhelming my senses. It was wonderful, the most delicious thing I’d ever tasted.

  Beyond the tang of iron and the heat, there was a raw… vitality. This vitality was something I had been craving ever since I left the nest. It was addictively delicious.

  I craved more.

  The prey was unable to keep squeaking with its throat between my teeth. That didn’t stop it from continuing to thrash feebly against me. Slowly, as I drained the vitality from its body, it grew still. At some point, it no longer had the essence I craved and became simply meat and bones.

  My mind continued contemplating the nature of what I called ‘vitality’ as my teeth unconsciously worked through meat and sinew.

  I didn't have a great sample size to go off of. Just existing wasn’t enough to have vitality. Rocks and snow didn’t have it. Trees had a force that moved sap through their trunks, but that wasn’t vitality either. My Friend most likely had it at some point, but it was gone before I arrived. As I licked blood off of my teeth, I thought back to when I bit my tongue earlier.

  I had tasted vitality in myself for a moment before the wound closed. One drop of my own blood had contained far more than my prey’s whole body.

  That thought was more chilling than the wind. If my siblings had the same cravings as I did, they would take vitality wherever they could find it. More than likely, they would hunt and devour me on the spot. I was far from the cave by now, but they had probably already hatched.

  I needed to go further. As far as my legs would carry me.

  Belatedly, I thanked my first prey for the meal and headed into the snowy shadows. I left an empty trap and a red stain in the snow behind me.

  I learned that the world outside of the cave didn’t stay the same over time. For one thing, the brightness in the sky slowly dimmed. When the sky grew dark, the wind became even colder than it was originally. When it got cold enough, my inner heat wouldn’t be able to compete.

  As it grew fully dark, I looked for a place I could safely lay down and rest. Sadly, the forest lacked free and available caves. Eventually I stumbled upon a gap beneath one of the trees. A small opening led into a hole in the earth. I thought it might be the tree’s mouth, but closer inspection showed it to be a pit that the tree was squatting on top of.

  When I sniffed at the hole, I could detect the stale scent of something like prey. Whatever it was, it hadn’t been here for a long while. That made me wonder why some trees permitted prey to live underneath it, but other trees captured prey for food. Perhaps this prey simply hadn’t been to this tree's taste. Either way, it would make a suitable enough den for now.

  I crawled into the hole and made myself at home. It was just about big enough for me to curl up in without being cramped. I positioned my head towards the entrance, just in case some curious prey came to investigate the hole while I was still inside of it.

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  Sleep, when it came again, wasn’t as terrifying as the first time. I knew that I would return from it soon enough. Once again, I could feel a frustrating sensation that I was missing something. From deep within the dark echoes of shapeless dreams it reached out towards me. It was tantalizingly close, but just outside of my grasp.

  When I woke up, irritation clawed at me. If I could have slept just a little while longer, I would have had it.

  The new day was a fraction less cold than the last. I hoped for that trend to continue. I set my course away from the mountain, which I could still see through the tree tops. As I walked, I had time to think about things I’d been putting off.

  My life to this point had been one crisis after another. Good fortune rather than skill had permitted me to survive to this point. Now that I had some peace and quiet, I could plan for the future. My thoughts weren’t anything so esoteric as ‘why do I exist?’

  I had more practical concerns on my mind.

  First and foremost, I needed to get as far away from the mountain as possible. Second, I needed to hunt and satisfy the craving gnawing at my belly. Third, I needed a place to make a permanent den. It would need to be both safe and hidden. The weight of the egg fragment in my jaw pouch reminded me that I had other desires as well. Acquiring more shiny things could be made a priority once I had a den to store them in.

  What didn’t cross my mind was the need for companionship. While I was grateful to my Friend, savior tree, and my first prey, I had learned one lesson very well. There were no other thinking creatures like myself willing to help me.

  As my thoughts drifted through loops and spirals, my feet took me deeper and deeper into the trees. After considerable time had passed, my nose caught on to a scent. More prey. There was a staleness to its scent.

  That staleness reminded me of my Friend. That meant it likely didn’t have much vitality in it. My growling stomach told me that wasn’t the only thing that mattered. I agreed and let my nose guide me towards the source of that scent at a trot.

  Coming to a space between the trees, I saw there was an unfamiliar type of prey caught out in the open. In the center of the open space was a lone tree. The prey hung from it by a strand wrapped around its neck. It was a much different shape compared to either my Friend or first Prey.

  Rather than fur, its body was covered in long lightweight feathers. It had two legs instead of four. At its sides hung two wings vaguely similar to the ones on my back. They were likely meant to flap through the air. Its color was particularly striking, with different patches including ruby red like my scales, green like the trees’ bristles, and grey like a stone.

  Poor fortune must have led this prey to put its neck through the trap rather than a leg. It had been strangled like I had done to my first catch. I would need to be mindful to avoid sticking my own neck into the trees’ traps.

  After some further inspection I moved into the open. Trotting across the open ground, I looked up to the sky above. It was empty for now. I feared one day I might look up to see one of my siblings swooping down on me, claws bared.

  As I approached the lone tree, I slowed down. Just because the trees had permitted me to steal their catch the day before, didn’t mean I should be reckless. Carefully, I inspected the tree in question. It didn’t wake, even when I gave it a tiny nibble. The dead prey remained hanging in the air, moving back and forth in a small breeze. I couldn’t spot any additional traps that might catch me.

  After one last look around, I grabbed onto the feathered prey and yanked it towards the ground.

  At the same time, I heard a new and unfamiliar sound. Up in the branches, attached to the cord wrapped around the bird’s neck, was something like a hollow rock. As I yanked on the prey, the hollow thing began to clank and jangle. I startled and let go of the prey, but something was rising from the snow beneath me.

  Too late, I realized that I was foolish. The hidden trap was like the noose that the prey hung from, but many of them were tangled together. These were attached to the cord the prey hung from by a line hidden beneath the snow. This tree was a cunning predator. It had baited the trap with small prey to lure in a larger meal. Or a prey thief, such as myself.

  I tore and bit at the tangled cords. To my surprise, a black and oily substance greeted my tongue. The taste of these cords was vile, but their black coating made them strong. My teeth and claws continued to rip and tear, but I feared I would not be free before the tree woke. The hollow clanging must be how the trees woke themselves up.

  It took time, but I tore one strand, then the next. Slowly I began to work my way out of the trap. The strands kept catching on my scales and limbs, making movement difficult. This was even worse than when I’d been buried in the snow. I couldn’t flap my wings to get out of this. A thin screech of frustration passed my throat.

  I wasn’t fast enough. I could hear something crunching through the snow, approaching from the opposite side of the tree. Perhaps it was one of its brethren. One tree must stay awake in case the alarm sounded. I didn’t want to stay to find out. My struggle intensified.

  As the creature approached, it made noises different from the pained cries of prey. Was this how trees communicated? The sounds were warm and well rounded. They reminded me of the first heartbeat. My panicked mind didn’t care.

  At last the creature stepped out from behind the tree. It had four limbs like my Friend and Prey. It also had fur, but it was disjointed. An amalgam of different colors and coats were stitched together across its hide. It stood upright on its hind limbs, moving around on just two legs. The sight disgusted me. This creature was an unnatural abomination.

  It flinched back when I gave a screech and tried even harder to escape. This showed weakness, even though it was larger than myself. After a moment’s hesitation it moved towards me. I snapped at it and hissed as loudly as I could.

  I was not prepared for it to drop a bag made of hardened hide over my head.

  I flailed around with my claws as the bag drew tight. Despite its weakness, this strange two legged freak was cunning like the tree. While I couldn’t see, it bound my forelimbs to my body and pulled them tight. It then did the same to my hind legs.

  My wings fanned out in one last attempt to escape my bonds, causing the creature to startle again. The reprieve did not last long. Soon I was completely bound from the tip of my snout to the end of my tail.

  While it would shame me until my existence ended, I couldn’t deny that I cried out pitifully for aid. I screeched for anyone listening, my Friend, or even one of my siblings to come and save me from this humiliation.

  None answered, save for the creature's own curious vocalizations.

  Once I was caught, I spent a great deal of time stuck in my bonds. I didn’t fall asleep. I would never allow myself that, even if it would be a temporary relief from the torment and shame I was currently experiencing.

  I had no context for how to handle this situation. I could only assume that the cunning-freak was transporting me to its den so that it could consume me in peace. Despite my best efforts to struggle, my bindings were too strong and I eventually wore myself out.

  You would never hear me admit that, as humiliating as this was, I enjoyed the warmth coming from the two legged creature. As it carried me over one of its shoulders, I could feel the heat contained within. I hadn’t snuggled up to anything since my Friend, and they were ice cold. This creature was soft in strange places and hard in others.

  Occasionally it made noises other than panting or grunts when it moved. There was a richness to the sounds that were vaguely satisfying to listen to. I could understand none of it, but it made those sounds now and again all the same.

  Eventually the journey came to a close. The sound of two feet tromping messily through the snow gave way to something dull that squeaked on occasion. Through the heavy leather bag, I caught the scent of wood, something acrid, and the stale scent of the two-leg. This was its den, at last.

  The creature set me down on the floor. In response, I immediately tried to escape again by wiggling around. Renewed vigor coursed through my veins. I would not be eaten without a struggle. The wooden floor beneath me shifted as the creature moved away. Another wooden creek came as something in the den moved. The cold air from outside stopped.

  More of the acrid scent wafted into the air along with the sound of scratching. The creature started to blow air through its maw in puffing breaths. After several puffs, heat blossomed from somewhere nearby. The heat reminded me of being close to my siblings. Could this creature make such warmth from its maw? I was certain that such a feat was supposed to be within my ability, but I was too young and underdeveloped.

  The creature came back over to me. I could feel its thumping footsteps warping the smooth wood as it approached. A tendril of worry crept up on me. Just what was this creature? It clearly wasn’t a tree. If anything, it lived in a den made from tree carcasses! Such a vile thought made me want to wretch.

  Unfortunately, it came out as a whimper.

  Something smooth and warm pressed into my back. It was the creature’s unfurred flesh, probably one of its paws. I flinched and tried to wiggle away from it, but found little success. It made more noises down at me. Try as I might, there was nothing I could do about how this creature continued to humiliate me.

  Its digits moved back and forth over my scales. Even more noises came from it in a soft tone. Unexpectedly, it used its dull claws to scratch in a certain way on my soft underscales. An involuntary trill I didn’t know I could make pushed out of me from within the hide bag.

  Both me and the creature seemed confused by this. It then made several huffing noises one after the other. I, on the other hand, grew furious. How dare this creature! This freak! Two-leg! Tree murderer! No one alive should be able to make me produce that noise! Vile wretch!

  I did not have words to describe the feelings in my mind. Even if I had been able to communicate with the creature, I wouldn’t have explained the twisting sensations inside of me. It was somewhere past shame and humiliation, undercut with what I would never admit to be loneliness.

  Even though I was a runt. Even though I had been pushed out of the circle of warmth. Even though the first heartbeat had abandoned me. I was still a predator! A hunter! I was not some plaything to be trifled with. This two legged freak shouldn’t have thought for a moment that it was worthy to make me feel something like that.

  My thrashing became especially violent. Muted screeches of indignation erupted from my bound maw. Every bit of the fury and embarrassment from my situation boiled out of me.

  All of it proved to be fruitless.

  Eventually, I fully exhausted myself from thrashing around. No amount of battering my scaled hide against my surroundings changed anything. Well, it did change one thing. When I collapsed back down, still bound, the creature didn’t try to touch me again. I couldn’t imagine that it was scared of me, but perhaps it was tired of its games.

  For now, the creature left me alone to pant against the floor. In time, sleep claimed me.

  me.